The dark, icy, and metallic timbres of flute, harp, and vibraphone are at the heart of Danielle Eva Schwob’s “Shiver,” the closing track of Out of the Tunnel (Unabridged). In the music video by Michael McQuilken, prismatic projections glint over the performers as their melodies simultaneously shimmer and pierce.
Out of the Tunnel is the debut full-length classical album from composer-performer-producer Danielle Eva Schwob featuring performances by PUBLIQuartet, Simon Boyar, Nathalie Joachim, Ashley Jackson, Kristi Shade, Wei-Yang Andy Lin, Michael Nicholas, Orion Weiss, Jennifer Choi, and Anna Urrey. Inspired by nature and other artforms, three additional tracks round out the deluxe edition of the album, including “Shiver” and the final movement of “Reflections On,” a trilogy of pieces referencing British painters Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, and David Hockney, supported by an American Composers Forum ACF | create award.
Here’s what Danielle had to say about “Shiver:”
Written as an imaginary score for a dreamscape of icicles, glaciers, and tundra and grounded in a deep love for nature, “Shiver” is one part of a set of three pieces called Portraits of the Natural World, each portraying a different environment. It’s also a time capsule from a special window in my life in NYC, spent gigging around town with friends and starting to build a musical community. I wanted the video to feel cold and sharp and moody like the music, and am so thrilled to have such a vivid visual record of these sounds and that time out in the world. Very grateful to all who brought it to life with me, and especially to musicians Nathalie, Ashley, and Simon, director Michael, and engineers Ryan, Silas, and Scott. Hope you all like it.
Out of the Tunnel (Unabridged) is out now on innova Recordings. You can purchase or stream the album here.
About Danielle Eva Schwob
Originally from London but now based in New York City and Los Angeles, Schwob studied music composition at New York University and the Manhattan School of Music. Her music has been featured at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, Philip Glass’s MATA Festival and many iconic venues. In addition to New Music USA and the American Composers Forum, she has earned honors and commissions from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, BMI and more and has been a Sundance Institute Composers Lab Fellow, a Con Edison EtM Composer-in-Residence, an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Award Finalist, a two-time MAP Fund Finalist and an ACA Associate-Artist-in-Residence. Schwob’s classical album comes on the heels of her critically acclaimed pop project DELANILA’s 2020 release, Overloaded, praised by NPR Music and The New York Times. In addition to writing and singing all the songs on Overloaded, Schwob played guitar and synthesizers, added programming and helmed string arrangements.
About Nathalie Joachim
Nathalie Joachim is a Grammy nominated flutist, composer, and vocalist. The Haitian American artist is hailed for being “a fresh and invigorating cross-cultural voice”. (The Nation). She is co-founder of the critically acclaimed urban art pop duo, Flutronix. Upcoming world premieres include Joachim’s first ever symphonic and choral work commissioned by St. Louis Symphony and the In Unison Chorus; new chamber works for Roomful of Teeth and So Percussion; a youth education piece for Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute; and a work for vocalist Pamela Z with members of Los Angeles Philharmonic. Joachim’s debut solo album, Fanm d’Ayiti with Spektral Quartet received a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album, and 2020 saw the release of Transformation, a collaboration with students at Kaufman Music Center’s Special Music School High School. Joachim is a United States Artist Fellow, an Artistic Partner with the Oregon Symphony, and a Creative Associate at The Juilliard School.
About Ashley Jackson
Dr. Ashley Jackson is a highly sought after collaborator in New York and beyond. She holds degrees from Yale University (BA, MM) and The Juilliard School (DMA). As a harpist she’s performed with the New York Philharmonic, on Broadway, and works regularly with the Harlem Chamber Players. Her writing has appeared on NewMusicBox and in the International Journal of Women in Music. Dr. Jackson recently premiered her first film, In Song and Spirit, and she’s currently working on her first solo album, Ennanga, an exploration of African American spirituals and other forms of black musical expression.
About Simon Boyar
Simon Boyar is a world renowned percussionist, drummer, composer, producer, and educator. He is widely regarded as among the top percussionists of his generation. He has given performances as a soloist, chamber musician, freelance percussionist, drummer, and outreach clinician across the globe to critical acclaim. Simon has composed an entire catalog of marimba and percussion music. As a producer, Boyar has been sought out by many professional touring artists for collaborative efforts. In the field of education, his unique method and mentoring approach is in constant demand. Simon is the owner of the Simon Boyar School of Drums and Percussion in Westchester NY, an absolute game changer for music education. At the Simon Boyar Drum School, Simon also provides the world’s finest instruments to students and professionals as a Yamaha drums and percussion, Ludwig drums, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth sticks/mallets/products, Latin Percussion, and Remo drum heads/products dealer.
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