Michael Stern - Adam Shoenberg: American Symphony/ Finding Rothko/ Picture Studies

First orchestral release from top contemporary composer Adam Schoenberg!

"Mr. Schoenberg's Picture Studies is a definitive benchmark in today's music. There's absolute richness in the structure and use of innovative percussive instrumentation that gives the pieces such demonstrative character." — ConcertoNet.com

Adam Schoenberg says "I have dreamt of having an orchestral disc of my music since first becoming a composer.
This is an extraordinary gift, and I am thrilled to be sharing my music with all of you. The three pieces that you will soon experience embody my growth from student to professional composer. They each explore different styles, but my artistic voice remains consistent throughout." Recently named one of the Top 10 most performed living classical composers by orchestras in the United States, Adam Schoenberg's (b. November 15, 1980) music is "invigorating" (Los Angeles Times), and full of "mystery and sensuality" (The New York Times). This most recent season included performances and premieres at the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center, New York Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Hollywood Bowl.

Reference Recordings is proud to present these new works, two of them commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony (American Symphony and Picture Studies). The collaboration between Schoenberg and Michael Stern is extraordinary. Schoenberg states: "He is the first conductor to champion my music. He understands it, embraces it, and gives it an emotional dimension that would otherwise not exist. I also must thank the musicians of the Kansas City Symphony. This is an orchestra that plays with tremendous vigor, spirit, and emotion." The performances were brilliantly captured by Grammy Award winners Keith O. Johnson (engineer), David Frost (producer) and Grammy nominee Sean R. Martin (engineer).

The Kansas City Symphony is the region's only full-time professional symphony orchestra. Led by Music Director
Michael Stern since 2005, the Symphony has experienced impressive artistic growth, garnering national and
international acclaim. The orchestra's 80 full-time musicians are area residents, and each season they reach
more than a million people through their concerts, educational programs and community outreach performances.
They also serve as the orchestra for the Lyric Opera and the Kansas City Ballet.

For more than 40 years, Reference Recordings has been one of the most innovative and respected independent labels in the music business. Founded on the premise that most commercial recordings sound nothing like the live
performance experience, Reference Recordings releases have been highly praised for their dedication to high
quality sound in the service of great music. Founder Tam Henderson (1998 Grammy nominee for Producer of
the Year), was joined in 1978 by engineer Keith O. Johnson. Some 140 projects later, RR is still recording what many consider to be the finest-sounding classical, jazz and blues discs in the world.