Allyson Jay’s Top Five Modern Classics

August 5th, 2024

I have been hosting Modern Classics for just over a year now and have learned so much during that time. Most prized among the many lessons learned is the treasure trove of new music I discovered while preparing my weekly show. And discoveries are meant to be shared, so today I give you my top five music discoveries over the past year in no particular order:

Jessie Montgomery’s Rounds from Awadagin Pratt’s 2023 album Stillpoint.

The combination of Awadagin Pratt’s emotional, percussive piano playing with the incredible orchestra A Far Cry’s sweeping lines moves me like no other piece of music has in the last year. It turned me into a huge Jessie Montgomery fan. I love this piece so much that I am headed back to my hometown of Portland, Oregon, to hear Awadagin Pratt perform it with the Oregon Symphony later this year.

Viet Cuong’s Room to Move for Cello Octet from Inbal Segev’s 2021 album 20 for 2020.

I came across this album full of innovative music from a host of up-and-coming composers and was particularly drawn to Viet Cuong’s beautiful piece that combines pizzicato playing with luscious legato lines. It’s even more impressive when you realize that Inbal Segev played all eight cello parts herself.

Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte from her 2019 album Orange.

I first discovered Caroline Shaw’s music while listening to a performance of Plan & Elevation from the 2022 Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival. I immediately dove into her discography and was delighted by the Attacca Quartet’s performance of this first piece off her 2019 album. Maestro Ankush Bahl also loves this piece, and the Omaha Symphony performed it beautifully in March. Great minds think alike.

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s Sinfonietta No 1 (especially the third movement) from the 1999 album Perkinson: A Celebration.

The whole Sinfonietta is worthy of your time as is all of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s music if it’s unfamiliar to you, but the third movement of his Sinfonietta No 1 is fast and furious and just the kind of wild ride I enjoy with moments of calm and beauty interspersed.

Joe Hisaishi’s Viola Saga from his 2024 album Joe Hisaishi in Vienna.

I haven’t even played my latest discovery on Modern Classics yet since this album was just released at the end of June, but tune in Aug. 23rd to hear the fantastic orchestrations and agile viola solo in Hisaishi’s Viola Saga. It’s a good one.

Looking back at this list, it seems I am drawn to string music, but I hope you’ll still find a bit of variety here and perhaps reflect on your own musical discoveries and the joy that music brings to our lives.

Modern Classics can be heard on KVNO every Friday, 9 p.m. to Midnight