Michelle Cann - Revival (2023)

PHILADELPHIA—March 28, 2023—Curtis Studio—the recording label of the Curtis Institute of Music, dedicated to the discovery of new and traditional works performed by inspiring artists of our time—is proud to announce the release of its second recording: Revival, Music of Price & Bonds, featuring solo piano works performed by Curtis alumna and faculty member, pianist Michelle Cann. Curtis Studio is thrilled to offer the album on Apple’s highly anticipated new Apple Music Classical platform, which just launched today. Following Curtis Studio’s critically acclaimed first recording, Scheherazade (December 6, 2022), Revival is now available for pre-sale on Apple Music Classical and will be available on all other major streaming platforms on May 5. It is distributed by Platoon.

Acclaimed as a “pianist of sterling artistry” by Gramophone, called “exquisite” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and praised as a “compelling, sparkling virtuoso” by the Boston Music Intelligencer, Michelle Cann (Piano ’13) is known for her dynamic and sensitively nuanced performances of classical piano repertoire. One of the defining features of her exceptional career has been an unwavering commitment to promoting, programming, and performing works of composers such as Florence Price and Margaret Bonds, whose extraordinary music was either neglected in their lifetimes or abandoned after their deaths. “It humbles you in a certain way because you realize that there are a lot of stories that are yet to be told, that should be told. Loving both of their music so much, it’s really an important mission for me to program and to share their music with as many people as I can, so that they have a voice in our time,” says Ms. Cann.

Revival, Cann’s debut solo piano recording, celebrates the vast legacy of these women through stunning performances of Price’s prize-winning Piano Sonata in E minor, three of her sumptuous Fantasie nègre, and Bonds’s magnum opus for piano, Spiritual Suite. Embedded in the Romantic idioms of these selections are the influences of folksong, blues, and spirituals, imbued with the unique compositional voices of these trailblazing women—it is the sound of the human spirit and of America. Inspired by their fascinating stories and brilliant compositions, Michelle Cann’s deep connection and profound understanding of this music pervades her soulful interpretations of these works.

Revival honors the genius of Price and Bonds, acknowledges the deep spiritual, political, and artistic significance of their innovative compositions, and expands our view of American classical music by illuminating the rich lineage of artists who forged its past and its future.

Looking ahead, the Curtis Institute of Music continues its longstanding practice of championing the music of our time. Future recordings by Curtis Studio will present several commissions, the recording premiere of Trio Zimbalist, and recordings of the Dover Quartet and other Curtis ensembles.