Category: Stage 2

Chosen one of Canada’s
TOP 5 classical albums of 2021

CBC Music

“Truly a record of our times. There is a sense of loss and shared spirit in this music. It is saying, we might not be able to be together but let’s BE together. So much emotion packed into that short little piece.”

Paolo Pietropaolo, host CBC Radio’s In Concert

“The results are mournful, thoughtful, joyful – expressing the range of emotions the pandemic has evoked.”

Anya Wassenberg, Ludwig van Toronto

Just listen and let the music take you within yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Allan J. Cronin, New Music Buff

Recorded at Toronto’s iconic Roy Thomson Hall, in the three days before another COVID-19 lockdown, the Music for Self-Isolation album is a culmination of a project that has been evolving over a year in collaboration with musicians around the world.

This album features 25 musicians, all alone in an empty concert hall, reliving the emotions of each of the 31 solos and duos from the Music for Self-Isolation suite by Canadian composer, Frank Horvat. Through the grace of technology, they also all come together for the world premiere of Together in Spirit.

Connecting with so many musicians, Frank wanted to tell their stories of what their lives have been like during this pandemic. He interviewed eight of them, composing an audio documentary composition for each. You can hear these Pandemic Stories on the digital release of this album.

Produced by Frank and engineered by Juno-nominated Dennis Patterson, the album captures the pristine acoustics of Roy Thomson Hall while reflecting on the poignancy of some of Canada’s best musicians performing in a cavernous empty hall.

The album was released April 9, 2021 on the Centrediscs label. A documentary film, by Adam Crosby, capturing the recording process and chronicling more of musicians’ stories from the pandemic, was released on May 21, 2021 exclusively on Gramophone, one of the world’s most preeminent classical music publications. Watch and find out more about the film.

This project is in support of the great work of the Unison Benevolent Fund.

Download album booklet

The album reminds us that music is among the most mysterious and highest order of human skills.

Andrew Timar, The WholeNote Magazine

"They are nice little pieces… a contemporary document and musical remnant of the pandemic." - Remy Franck, Pizzicato

“They showcase pretty much every instrument, giving them their own individual stage. The project then went global.“

– Jack Pepper, Scala Radio, Classical Music for Modern Life

 

Mariette Stephenson’s album of classical guitar re-arrangements of ‘Music for Self-Isolation’ compositions.

Thank you to the following sponsors and funders for their gracious support:

Musicians around the world have taken up the #IsolationMusic #StayAtHomeChallenge and posted videos of their Music for Self-Isolation performances online during this pandemic.

Along with their impactful performances from their little corners of self-isolation, I’ve been moved by the stories so many musicians shared with me of what their lives have been like during this pandemic and their hopes and fears for the future. I felt more of us needed to hear about these experiences in order to heal and move forward together. This is why Music for Self-Isolation – Pandemic Stories was born.

In this second stage of the Music for Self-Isolation project, we hear from eight musicians. Due to COVID, what are their hopes, dreams and fears for themselves, the arts and culture sector and for the wider world?

I have interviewed each of them and I’m sharing our chat on this site. Then, inspired by their story, I created a new audio documentary composition dedicated to each of them. These new pieces incorporate excerpts from our interview, along with their original M4SI performance, documenting their COVID experience through music.

– Frank Horvat

Participating Artists

Thank you to the following for their gracious support of this project:

The Vancouver Sun calls it,

“A masterpiece of creative invention…“

Stuart Derdeyn, 5 things to know about Music for Self-Isolation

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The Toronto Star calls it,

“…an extraordinary new…album“

William Littler, Hold the accordion jokes: the maligned instrument is featured on the new disc ‘Music for Self-Isolation’

“…these are distinct, lonesome miniatures, capturing the thoughts, hopes, and exhaustions of a difficult time. Contrary to the title, this is music against social isolation. Now that the recording has arrived, we can give them the ovation they deserve.”

Samuel Rogers, A Closer Listen

“The album reminds us that music is among the most mysterious and highest order of human skills.”

Andrew Timar, The WholeNote Magazine

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WholeNote: Album Recording Gets in Under the Wire at Roy Thomson Hall
(Feb 2021, pages 8-9)

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CBC Radio’s Fresh Air

April 18, 2020: Errol Nazareth‘s segment on CBC’s Fresh Air about Frank Horvat’s Music for Self-Isolation project featuring performances by Bones Lam (viola) and Gordon Fantini (bassoon).

Just listen and let the music take you within yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Allan J. Cronin, New Music Buff

“They showcase pretty much every instrument, giving them their own individual stage. The project then went global.”

– Jack Pepper, Scala Radio, Classical Music for Modern Life

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“They are nice little pieces… a contemporary document and musical remnant of the pandemic.“

Remy Franck, Pizzicato

For media inquires contact Lisa Horvat.