Music

East Coast Suite (2013)
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Genre: Celtic-Classical crossover, Piano Solo
Label: Caravanserai Records

These sets of Prince Edward Island “fiddle tunes” written for piano share an eighteenth century heritage with keyboard suites by Bach and Handel. Composer Heather Taves has drawn on both genres to create her East Coast Suite.

Prana and Marie are versions of songs written in 2008 to poems written by her sister Maggie Lillo. Marie was inspired by the PEI musician Marie Macintyre. Waves Play is a toccata or fast keyboard piece. To depict the sight of the ocean after a storm at Lord Selkirk Park, the Fibonacci series was used to create overlapping waves of sound. Flat River Melody was composed during a summer visit at Liz Dacombe’s Flat River farmhouse. Strathspey, Reel, and Jig are traditional fiddle tunes, here arranged by Taves for keyboard. The epilogue, Take Me Back To That Snug Green Cove, is a quote from Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary’s by Otto Kelland. It is dedicated to Taves’ nephew and veteran of Canada’s peace-keeping mission in Afghanistan, Captain J.P. Wright, and expresses the idea of homecoming.

Sheet music available by request! Click to view sample:

Elliott Carter Sonata – Digital Track Only
Genre: 20th Century Classical
Label: Caravanserai Records

Sonorities: The 20th Century Piano Sonata (2013)
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Genre: Classical, Piano Solo
Label: Caravanserai Records

Distinguished Canadian concert pianist Heather Taves performs two contrasting virtuoso piano sonatas composed during the early 20th century by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Elliott Carter. The “great big sound” of these works, as Carter put it, is an exploration of bell-like sonorities. Motives in thirds are built into a panoramic soundscape. The music resounds with the turbulent clashes of twentieth century conflict, fought by similar rules but with very different conclusions reached.

Song Without Words (2013)
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Genre: Classical, Piano Solo
Label: Caravanserai Records

The distinguished Canadian concert pianist and CBC broadcast artist Heather Taves brings poetic fire to her performances of this early Romantic solo piano music. Recorded by Edward Marshall on a Steinway piano at the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall.

NotesTowards (2008)
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Genre: New Music Classical
Label: Chestnut Hall Music

Music of composers Heather Taves, Timothy Corlis and Leonard Enns. Featuring the DaCapo Chamber Choir (directed by Leonard Enns), Ben Bolt-Martin (cello), Jerzy Kaplanek (violin), Heather Taves (piano), and Brandon Leis (tenor).

Nominated for a 2008 JUNO Award – Best Classical Composition of the Year

Ocean Women (2008)

Genre: celtic/jazz/spoken word contemporary
Label: Caravanserai Records

Compositions and improvisations by Heather Taves for piano and voice, featuring Meredith Hall (soprano).