Igor Veligan, lecturer in violin, viola and chamber music at University of the Pacific, has performed extensively in the Ukraine, toured in Freiburg, Germany and Tokyo and Niigata, Japan. He is joined by Steinway Artist Natsuki Fukasawa, whose music career has taken her throughout U.S. cities as well as to Europe, Scandinavia, Israel, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and China.

They perform George Enescu's (1881-1955) 'Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 3 in A Major, Opus 25' “Dans le caractère populaire roumain”, a wildy fascinating impression of the lively, mysterious, passionate, and colorful Romanian character.

Also from Eastern Europe, is included Ukrainian composer, Myroslav Mykhaylovych Skoryk's 'Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2' -- a gestural piece which holds much emotion in its three movements, at times free and quiet, then building to sonorous climaxes.

Finally, we get the somewhat mysterious and intriguing composer from Armenia, Arno Babajanian (1921 -1983). His 'Sonata for Violin and Piano' is loved by violinists and pianists who are lucky enough to know it, is a remarkable work, composed in 1959.

Every Tendril, a wish

electroacoustics with
with various instruments and voice
Bonnie Miksch

“... This is music that “moves beyond abstract relationships into the boundless realm of emotions and dreams.” Drawing on real life inspirations like her husband and infant son, Miksch leavens her electronic textures with acoustic instruments (flute, alto sax), that much-used staple of outdoor gatherings and festivals, the didgeridoo, her own voice, and fellow PSU professor Joel Bluestone from the Portland ensemble FearNoMusic in a solo percussion showcase. This promising disc affirms Miksch’s ascension to the top rank of Oregon composers..." -- BRETT CAMPBELL - Eugene Weekly.

Bonnie Miksch, a composer and performer whose music embraces multiple musical universes, creates both acoustic and electroacoustic works. She is passionate about music which moves beyond abstract relationships into the boundless realm of emotions and dreams.

Ensemble De Organographia: Gayle Stuwe Neuman: voice, viola da braccio (early violin), viola da gamba, sackbutt, recorder, cornamuse, ayacachtli (gourd rattle), claves, bell, tabor, tambourine; Philip Neuman: sackbutt, recorder, krummhorn, cornamuse, douçaine, Praetorius and Schnitzer schreierpfeiffen, rackett, tartold, spinettino, shawm, curtal, bagpipe, violone

Oregon Renaissance Band directed by Gayle and Philip Neuman: David Bryan: tenor sackbutt, Sharon Cheney: great bass rackett, Daphne Clifton: tenor recorder, Ben Fitch: tabor, Lori Fitch: soprano recorder, Polly Gibson: soprano recorder, Andrew Harris: tenor sackbutt, Kathy Langley: soprano recorder, Cindy Markham: tenor recorder, Kathryn Richer: bagpipe and tenor recorder

Ensemble De Organographia and the Oregon Renaissance Band Directed by Philip and Gayle Neuman

Wolcum Yole Seasonal Music for Celtic Harp
and various instruments
Laura Zaerr

Yule-tide music for the Celtic harp. The word yule is from an Old English word meaning Christmas, geol. Yuletide is celbrated at the time of year when light returns to the world. As the physical light returns with the barely perceptible lengthening of days, we also envision spiritual light bathing the earth with good will and community. In this spirit of global well-being, proceeds from this recording will be forwarded to an organization dedicated to enhancing world-wide service - The Krista Foundation -Rosewood Music, 2001.

Laura Zaerr began playing the harp at the age of ten. She studied at the university of Oregon under the direction of Sally Maxwell where she obtained a bachelor's degree in music performance and composition.

Capricci armonici sopra la chitarra spagnola by Ludovico Roncalli (1654-1713) is the last in a long line of books for the Baroque guitar (or chitarra spagnola as it was called back then) published in Italy, spanning nearly one hundred years. These publications run the gamut from rudimentary instruction books with simple pieces intended for beginners to collections of highly sophisticated music.

The latter elevated the status of the guitar from an accompaniment instrument used in popular music to a solo instrument with a serious and respectable repertoire. Capricci armonici contains arguably some of the best music written for the guitar and thus is one of the most important sources for the instrument.

Cynthia Stillman Gerdes

All of the places she's lived have influenced her music: From the sagebrush and wild west of Pasco and Boise in the "Idaho Toccata Trio" to the more cosmopolitan influences of San Francisco, Seattle and Portland.

Backyard Toccata ia one of those early spring days when the breeze moves the wind chimes, backyard birds are trying to attract mates and stake out territories in the big trees. It's easy to find the scene comic to irritatingly restless. At the end a door closes, an attempt to shut out nature's uproar. Of course it doesn't.

Idaho Toccata Trio is a love song to a community (Boise, Idaho) and an era (late 1940s). It's written from the un-conflicted perspective, musically and otherwise, of a ten year old. One melodic motif knits the piece together.

The mandolino, or the Baroque mandolin, was the predecessor to the modern mandolin. Unlike its offspring, it had 6 courses of strings (instead of 4) and was mostly played with the fingertips (instead of with a plectrum). Though mostly unknown today, it enjoyed a modest popularity in the 17th- and 18th-centuries and a sizeable repertoire.

This recording contains pieces from the Filippo Dalla Casa Manuscript, dated 1759 from Bologna, Italy. Though by mostly unknown composers, the quality of the music is very high and compares with the best lute, keyboard, and chamber music from the period. Mandolino is played by Hideki Yamaya, and continuo on lute is played by John Schneiderman.