The meaning of simple contrasts is magnified in composer Ryan Vigil's meditative, thought-provoking works for violin and piano.

This rollicking new pirate musical boasts a fine cast, sharp, clever lyrics, and catchy songs that circle styles from sea shanty and folk to pop and acoustic punk.

Guitarist-composer Flórez is uniquely skilled at interlocking written music with group improvisation in song-length tracks that leave us bopping our heads and scratching them at the same time.

The summer series concluded with Robert Schumann's Fourth Symphony, Clara Schumann's 'Konzertsatz in F minor,' and a world premiere by James Lee III.

One of this music's most interesting characteristics is a seamless fusion of acoustic and electronic sound.

If alternate tuning systems are new to you, this album will be an introduction more musical than pedagogic, and nonetheless revealing. If not, it will be easy to admire Thornock's ingenuity and talent.

Exemplary, living Bach from musicians with few equals at the repertoire; sensitive violin performances of Poulenc transcriptions and sonatas

Twisted, madcap versions of tales from the likes of the Brothers Grimm feature drinking and drugs, copious use of the f-word, and even some sex, along with borrowings from popular culture.

The title piece is a set of variations on a theme from the Irish folk song "Shule Agra." The lyrics to a version known in English as "Johnny Has Gone for a Solider" are hopeful but uncertain. But that doesn't take away from this colorful album's predominantly upbeat feel.

Do the mysterious beings inhabiting the mists of Dark Mountain have an earthly origin? Are they demonic? Supernatural creatures? Aliens? And are they as hostile as they seem?