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Apr 26, 2016
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
C.F. KIP WINGER CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER VASLAV NIJINSKY IN DEBUT CLASSICAL ALBUM
Additional compositions include ballet and chamber music.
"Kip Winger has captured my father's heart and soul. Many have been inspired by Nijinsky in words and dance, but no one, until now, in music. Nijinsky was inspired by the music her heard. And now, Kip Winger, reminds us of Nijinsky's genius with his work"
- Dame Tamara Nijinsky
The daughter of the iconic dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky uttered these words upon hearing Kip Winger's newly composed "Conversations with Nijinsky". a four-movement musical tribute to the artistry and life of Nijinsky. "Conversations" is the centerpiece of Kip Winger's debut album as a classical composer. Performed by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra with Martin West conducting, and recorded by Grammy-winning recording engineer Leslie Ann Jones, Winger's world-premiere recording declares loudly and clearly that. while he may be the front man of the rock band Winger, he is a force to be reckoned with as a classical composer.
The recording is set for release on May 27, 2016.
The album also includes a recording of Winger's ballet, "Ghosts," a composition that has finally made its way to CD after a nine-year odyssey. World-renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon has been a champion of the piece ever since Winger sent him his first sketch of "Ghosts" in 2007.
After convincing the composer to add four minutes to the score, Wheeldon subsequently choreographer a ballet that ran in the San Francisco Ballet repertoire for four years, with performances at Lincoln Center in New York, Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, and the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Winger is no stranger to ballet, having studied it since he was 16 as an extension of his interest in martial arts. His exposure over the years to the many ballet scores of Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Stravinsky and Debussy made the form of a natural choice as he began to explore classical composition.
But the transition to classical composing was no overnight decision. Winger dug deep into the process, studying ear training and composition with such prominent teachers as Richard Danielpour, Michael Kurek and Richard Hermann. His traditional approach has resulted in commission from the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Sun River Music Festival (Oregon), and the Tucson Symphony. Winger's partnership with Martin West and the award-winning San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, which developed during the "Ghosts" performances, culminated in the orchestra's commitment to Winger's music and this recording in particular.
The final work featured on the album, an Adiagio titled "A Parting Grace" , is a chamber piece which Winger - from his unique perspective as both a composer and a dancer - sees as yet another link to ballet. Winger says he "sees" all of his music as dance, subscribing to George Balanchine's idea that we should "see the music, hear the dance." Winger's debut album enables the listener to do just that.
Winger is launching an exclusive pre-sale of the May 27 release.
The artist is offering signed copies of the CD, along with a free track download, at www.kipwinger.com. Dart Music will distribute the album digitally and will be available for pre-order - along withtwo instant gratification tracks - at iTunes and at digital retailers worldwide. Upon release, the album will also be on Amazon.com and CDBaby.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Horner
Sound Artist Support
P.O. Box 267
Old Hickory, TN 37138
T (615)364-7656 F (615)807-3087
bhorner@soundartistsupport.com
