THE PERFECT STORM
A treble duet album is a most unlikely event and very few have ever existed. What are the chances that two young boys would have perfectly complimenting voices, the training, the maturity, the commitment, the desire to collaborate and be in the same place at the same moment that their voices peak to produce an album like LOVE IS. ? It is an extra-ordinary work.
Archie White was a semi finalist for the BBC Chorister of the year 2020 after leaving Magdalen College Choir where he met Myron, also a chorister, two years his junior.
CHALLENGES
For their first collaboration when Myron was 11 and Archie 13, lockdown prevented them being in the same room together. It was individually sung in isolation and electronically duetted.
By the time it came to recording the LOVE IS. album COVID was in full swing. The boys were not able to have live lessons with singing teachers for most of the year. They could not meet to practice together, nor could they rehearse with the organ or strings before the recording day. Recording sessions had to be cancelled, the producer had to isolate and with every day lost the boys were a step closer to losing their treble voices.
COVID tests had to be taken before sessions and masks worn between singing. It was a crazy rehearse-record scenario as the musicians performed together for the first time on the actual day of recording.
BEAUTIFUL
Extraordinarily beautiful music sung in English, Latin, French, German and Italian has been chosen from 400 years of church, opera and popular classical scores. These were masterfully arranged by Michael Haslam (three-time Olivier award-winning musical director) into unique treble duets accompanied by acclaimed professional strings, organists and international concert pianist Maki Sekiya.
LOVE IS. has been called exquisite, fabulous, stunning, moving, mesmerising, beautiful…
‘The singing on this disc is exceptionally good, and beautifully recorded.’ Malcolm Archer
‘There are moments when it feels like one is being hugged by sound, and others when meters of silken ribbons seem to be making summersaults in the air, becoming bows….’ Dr Michelle Castelletti
‘This album is a profoundly moving response to an awful situation.’ Nicholas Kraemer
‘Stunning choral album Katherine MacAlister
‘Listened to the cd which is REALLY beautiful… unsurprisingly, wonderfully performed. But what I find extraordinarily touching is the idea of the race against time, be it to finish before voices break, or the race against the pandemic. What shines out is the determination to achieve all this beauty against enormous odds: it gives the music making an unusual depth which no listener could miss.’ Sir Simon Rattle
“a fabulous album…I’ve listed to it all ” Alexander Armstrong on Classic FM
“An entire disc of treble duets? I get sent review copies of dozens of CDs but this is a repertoire first. Let’s support them.” Fiona Maddocks (The Observer)
PURPOSE
Proceeds will go to the Childhood Cancer Research Trust which has been set up by Myron’s brother who is currently facing an aggressive childhood cancer. Over the last 9 months, Kasper, has had 6 operations and finished his initial 9 cycles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy but due to the aggressive nature of his cancer, he will need to continue with daily maintenance chemo. The journey has been a horrifying one for a child to undertake and the treatment is much the same as it was 20 years ago.
Kasper: “My own survival is not in my control but what I do know is definitely possible, is making a positive difference to the outcomes of children who come after me.”