For those not in the know, Wayne Alpern is a New York City composer, arranger, and scholar who integrates popular and jazz idioms with classical techniques and repertoire to create a sophisticated contemporary style of cross-genre, or even post-genre music.

After years of composing complex new music, he embraced his personal history and indigenous musical culture and fused them with his classical background and training.

His work includes numerous jazz arrangements, string quartets, woodwind and brass quintets, mixed ensembles, pieces for string orchestra, and several piano works.

Alpern’s innovative compositions, recompositions, and rearrangements have been performed and recorded by distinguished artists from diverse musical traditions.

A native of Detroit immersed in the Motown sound, he studied at Oberlin College, University of Michigan, Yale University, and City University of New York, with additional work at Harvard, Juilliard, Wesleyan, and University of Pennsylvania.

His brand new album (out now) is entitled Alchemy, which refers to his compositional process of taking musical styles and genres and transforming them into contemporary music through a process of creative transformation equivalent to music alchemy.

1. Stomp
2. Gigue
3. Burlesca
4. Impromptu
5. Masquerade
6. Partita
7. Elegy
8. Overture
9. Rag
10. Invention
11. Scherzo
12. Capriccio

Delivering playful renditions and emotionally charged songs, whist at the same time leaving an indelible impression upon both the songs and the listening audience, this new recording opens on the playfully flirty Stomp and the delightfully elegant Gigue, and then we get the spirited Burlesca, the emboldened Impromptu, the engagingly melodic Masquerade and the lightly playful Partita.

Along next is the emotively resonant Elegy and the skittish confidence of Overture and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the ragtime swirl and twirls of the aptly titled Rag, the impassioned Invention, then we get the veritably glistening Scherzo, the set rounding out on the dutifully sheer Capriccio.

Performers:
Wayne Alpern (Composer)
Brandon Patrick (flute)
Toyin Spellman-Diaz (oboe)
Kevin Newton (French horn)
Mark Dover (Clarinet)
Monica Ellis (bassoon)

Official Website