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Christopher Tyler Nickel: Concerto for Cello on CD

When Christoph Met Christopher

A magical, musical meeting of minds occurred when Swiss cellist Christoph Croise and Canadian composer Christopher Tyler Nickel first connected. Christopher already had a cello concerto in the works, and in Christoph he found the perfect partner to interpret his composition. Christoph's passion for new music aligned with his admiration for Christopher's modern yet clear aesthetic.

The composer elaborates, 'One of the joys of working with Christoph was that he understood the emotions [of the concerto] right from the start. He's such an intuitive player and I knew immediately that he understood what I was after. What more could a composer ask for?'

Christopher is no stranger to the concerto genre, having penned many for winds and brass. But this is his first for a stringed instrument, a challenge he relished and enjoyed - with Christoph's input - as he explored the variety of colours, timbres and harmonic possibilities of the instrument.

Their collaboration led Christopher to compose two new works for Christoph, for cello and piano. The intimate, seven-movement Reflections on Requiem draws on melodic themes from the composer's Requiem. The two miniatures Echoes of Tranquility were inspired by a suggestion from Christoph to compose accessible modern music for today's listening lifestyle. Without any artistic compromise, Christopher delivered what Christoph calls 'beautiful little masterpieces'.