Atoll Records

02/06/2024

01/06/2024

Congratulations to New Zealand String Quartet for being placed first in 'Best Classical Artist' at last night's Aotearoa Music Awards. Also congrats to Wayne Laird from Atoll Records who produced their album. Wayne also produced 'The Earth Child' that Somi Kim and Natasha Te Rupe Wilson were finalists in the same category for. We are very proud of this album, with music composed by Janet Jennings, Composer to celebrate NZ writer, Katherine Mansfield. Congrats also to the other finalists Michael Houstoun and Bella Hristova.

All PACT albums are available in CD form at Marbecks and online at all good music sites.

01/06/2024

31/05/2024

30/05/2024

Congratulations to New Zealand String Quartet on their success as Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist at the Aotearoa Music Awards 2024!

Check out their winning album "Notes from a Journey II" at https://www.atoll.co.nz/album.php?acd=289 and available on all streaming platforms!

30/05/2024

The winner of the Tūī for Te Manu Taki Tuauki o te Tau | Best Classical Artist:

New Zealand String Quartet

20/02/2024

“Lush, Emotional, Intimate, Dramatic”: Atoll is excited to announce Amalia Hall and Christopher Park’s album of Philipp Scharwenka’s work for violin and piano.

CDs are available NOW from Marbecks: https://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/609621/Scharwenka-Works-For-Violin-Piano
Available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all streaming services.

https://www.atoll.co.nz/album.php?acd=232

Atoll is an independent record label producing classical and contemporary albums.

15/12/2023

Check out soprano Jenny Wollerman's brand new album "21 x 21 Beneath the Trees"! Streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and available at Marbecks.
What's even cooler is that all the scores are available from our friends at Waiteata Music Press.

https://www.atoll.co.nz/album.php?acd=282

A wonderful feeling to have launched the two resulting publications from my 21x21 project last night at the New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī, Victoria University of Wellington: the CD of the studio recording for Atoll Records and the collection of scores published by Waiteata Music Press. The two publications, consisting of 21 songs by 21 female composers from Aotearoa New Zealand share the title 'Beneath the trees' based on the painting by Napier-based artist Raewyn Harris which features on the covers.

Here's a photo taken after the presentation and performance of four of the songs, which shows pianist Jian Liu, director of Waiteata Music Press Michael Norris, composer Helen Fisher, me: Jenny Wollerman, and composer Aiono Manu Fa'aea, with the printed score and CD

25/10/2023

2024 is shaping up to be a busy year for us…

We are so excited to learn that we have received funding from Creative New Zealand to record our DEBUT ALBUM, produced and released by Atoll Records.

We formed as a trio seven years ago and collectively felt that it’s about time we do this. Retuning to the work which brought us together—Brahms’ Horn Trio—we will also record Arna Morton’s arrangement of Brahms’ first piano trio PLUS a brand new work by Arna.

Watch this space! 🎻📯🎹

https://creativenz.govt.nz/funds-and-opportunities/results/funding-rounds/arts-grants-2023-24-round-1

09/03/2023

Check out our latest online release, Morag Atchison's debut album "The Distance" featuring music by David Hamilton, available now on all streaming services including Apple Music and Spotify!

•Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/nz/album/the-distance/1675519609
•Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7pN79huwx0bKFGvu8sc8KD?si=6qUkxxPfSEinXVhkAdUZZg
•Atoll: https://www.atoll.co.nz/album.php?acd=234

... Musical beauties found throughout the album are evident at once. Atchison’s voice is warm and lovely, her clear diction closely recorded by Atoll’s skilful team. Rachel Fuller’s piano provides gently rippling accompaniment, and the flute of Luca Manghi makes easy, tender conversation with ...

03/03/2023

Five Lines is a collection of writings about music in New Zealand by Elizabeth Kerr.

12/02/2023

If you love the harp you will love the romantic sounds on our new album from Carolyn Mills, An Enchanted Land. Full of familiar Celtic tunes, and new treasures to find, the rich tones of the harp are sounds to fall in love with.
Read more, and order a CD at https://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/601822/Enchanted-Land-Traditional-Celtic-Melodies-For-Solo-Harp-An/ or get it instantly on Amazon, Spotify, 7 Digital or other good digital music sites.

09/01/2023

Atoll Records is excited to announce "The Earth Child", released in remembrance of Katherine Mansfield, whose death occurred in Paris on January 9, 1923. The album is a flowing musical tribute to her memory, and launches the exciting duo of German-based soprano Natasha Te Rupe-Wilson and pianist Somi Kim.

The release includes the world premiere recording of settings of five Mansfield poems composed by Janet Jennings; the ravishing La chanson d'Eve of Gabriel Fauré, Parisienne contemporary of Mansfield, here given a performance that goes right to the top of available recordings; and Jennings' settings of Ursula Bethell's whimsical poems about gardens.

20/12/2022

Excited to announce soprano Morag Atchison's debut album, with songs from NZ composer David Hamilton - soon to be available from Marbecks.

Meanwhile check out one of the videos from the recording session:

Morag Atchison and Rachel Fuller record David Hamilton's "May The Road Rise".Soprano: Morag AtchisonPiano: Rachel FullerComposer: David HamiltonAudio: Atoll ...

06/12/2022

Atoll Records joins the music community in farewelling the great New Zealand musician Jenny McLeod.

This video of Music for Four was recorded in December 2020 -

Music for Four, by Jenny McLeod.Rae de Lisle - PianoStephen De Pledge - PianoEric Renick - PercussionLeonard Sakofsky - Percussion

06/12/2022

21/05/2022

Atoll Records announces the re-release of an important collection of Christopher Blake's early solo piano works, unavailable now for over a decade.
"Ancient Journeys" (Atoll ACD224) is a beautifully recorded programme by Australian pianist John Luxton, produced by Michael Grafton-Green, and originally released as a CD on the Ribbonwood label in 1998.
Remastered by Atoll, this is an online only release available from most music streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, Presto Classical (UK), and other services. To stream this, or for other Atoll releases of Christopher Blake compositions go to www.atoll.co.nz

17/01/2022

Atoll Records announces Portrait for Piano, a brand new album of piano-oriented music by Jenny McLeod.
Featuring pianists Stephen De Pledge, Rae de Lisle, and Sarah Watkins, with percussionists Eric Renick and Leonard Sakofsky, violinist Andrew Beer, and cellist James Yoo. Portrait for Piano presents some of Jenny McLeod’s best piano writing.

Portrait With Piano is available from Marbecks, and will be available later on all major streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.
https://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/594281/McLeod-Portrait-With-Piano

19/04/2021

Announcing Atoll Artist Janet Jennings, Composer's latest release, "Voices of Men"!

Including ‘Taking Off’, ‘Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird’, 'Songs of War', and 'Songs of Exile', the Voices of Men album features leading baritone vocalists accompanied by noted musicians, with words by some of New Zealand's best-known male poets.

The album is available now from Marbecks and PACT, at https://www.marbecks.co.nz/detail/589072/Jennings-Voices-Of-Men

Featuring: James Harrison, Will King, James Ioelu, Katherine Austin, Sarah Watkins, Richard Liu, Bill Stoneham, James Jin

11/04/2021

Introducing an up-and-coming Atoll artist: Matthias Balzat! On a flying visit back from Germany, Matthias has been recording a collection of modern cello sonatas, featuring 20th and 21st Century composers including Ysaÿe, George Crumb, Ligeti, Xu Tang, and Waikato based Martin Lodge.

After his sessions Matthias took up Sir Michael Hill’s invitation to perform in Queenstown, which he described as a "very special" experience.

Watch this space for a release later in 2021!

25/02/2021

Atoll’s Matthias Balzat solo cello album is in the works, including a fine commissioned work from Beijing-based Xu Tang.
Xu Tang writes:

Yellow Crane Tower for solo cello was commissioned by Matthias Balzat who is an international soloist, a top New Zealand cellist, a great friend of mine.

Yellow Crane Tower is a traditional Chinese tower located in Wuhan and is considered as one of the Four Great Towers of China. It has existed in various forms from as early as AD 223.

Ts’ui Hao (704-754):

"Long ago one's gone riding the yellow crane,
all that remained is the Yellow Crane Tower.
Once the yellow crane left it will never return,
for one thousand years the clouds wandered carelessly.

The clear river reflects each Hanyang tree,
fragrant grasses lushly grow on Parrot Island.
At sunset, which direction leads to my hometown?
One could not help feeling melancholy along the misty river."

In early 2020, Wuhan was the first city that locked down due to Covid-19, and Yellow Crane Tower was closed immediately. Our life is changed in so many ways.
This composition is dedicated to the medical staff and all the staff who are fighting on the front line. The dawn of hope will eventually shine on every city.

15/02/2021

The Kugels Breaker Bay disc is out! With a live feel, the Kugels’ inimitable mix of musical madness and the profoundly moving, now includes beautiful vocals from Anna Gawn - if you’ve seen them live you’ll want this.

Available now from the band, and soon from Marbecks Auckland. On all streaming services from April.

07/02/2021

Happening right now! Recording "Seascapes" by Jenny McLeod - a cheekily delightful pair of movements.
This is the second piece to be recorded as part of a 2021 project celebrating Jenny's 80th! Watch this space...

Piano: Sarah Watkins
Violin: Andrew Beer
Cello: James Yoo

And in the control room, Wayne Laird and Paul McGlashan

📸: Alex Alford

16/01/2021

Super stoked for Bill Dowdall's Atoll album 'breathe' to be featured on Primephonic's 'Daily Rarities' playlist!
On 'breathe': music by composers Eve de Castro-Robinson Composer, Martin Lodge, and Michael F. Williams, alongside some superb electronics and fabulous flute playing.

Primephonic is a streaming platform akin to Spotify or AppleMusic (or iTunes) that specialises in classical music.

https://play.primephonic.com/album/9421000501112
https://play.primephonic.com

William Dowdall

24/12/2020

'Twas the day before Christmas, and you sit down to relax to some festive tunes. What do you listen to?
Check out "Christmas Spectacular", featuring the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra Brass and Percussion, Musica Sacra, Nick Forbes, John Wells, and the Auckland Town Hall Organ.

Available now to stream on Music, Spotify, and more!

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/christmas-spectacular/574037225
https://open.spotify.com/album/1r3uX8MmWx5ETra4tEaHbL?si=g5Ds9Rc7R8G7Y2HBSs3t8w
http://www.atollrecords.co.nz/view.php?acd=342

Musica Sacra · Album · 2012 · 17 songs.

18/12/2020

Check out kiwi composer Michael F. Williams' Symphony no. 1 - "Letters from the Front" - available now on Apple Music.

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/michael-f-williams-symphony-no-1-letters-from-the-front-ep/1540180411
http://www.atollrecords.co.nz/album.php?acd=318

Album · 2020 · 3 Songs

18/12/2020

It's recording time! Kiwi composer Jenny McLeod's pieces are being played and recorded by four fantastic New Zealand musicians.
Pianists Stephen de Pledge and Rae de Lisle, both on the School of Music, the University of Auckland faculty, perform with Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra principal percussionist Eric Renick, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra principal percussionist Leonard Sakofsky.

The piece itself is a three-movement playful jazzy number with wit to spare - watch this space for more!