Neil Heyde, the cellist on this album, has been the cellist of the Kreutzer Quartet since the 1990s and has made over 40 commercial recordings.
Performer Biography
Richard Benjafield, who performs marimba, vibraphone, and glockenspiel on this album, is a professor and Head of Wind, Brass and Percussion at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Composer Biography
Kevin Raftery, the composer, chose not to earn a living by composing, following the example of Charles Ives, who supported his family through non-musical work.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The compositions on this album, though dating from a dark period for the composer Kevin Raftery, mostly aim to escape from darkness, with some being meditative, playful, or dancing.
Performer Biography
Aleksander Szram, the harpsichordist, is Director of Music at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London, and has performed in over 35 countries.
Album & Artwork
The album title "Magpie" is inspired by an old saying about magpies, reflecting the mixed extremes of life: sorrow, mirth, funeral, and birth.
Performer Biography
The Berkeley Ensemble, featured on this album, was formed in 2008 and has premiered over 40 new works commissioned by or written for the group.
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