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Artist Spotlight: Leah Dexter on “Terra Nostra”
Darkness, the alto aria from Terra Nostra
The aria “Darkness” that Stacy Garrop composed for the mezzo-soprano, was a very personal and moving piece to perform and record, that left me in a completely vulnerable state. It changed me forever. From Lord Byron’s poignant, powerful words, to the affected wailing and whispering of the accompanying female chorus, the piece evokes images of ultimate terror, destruction, desolation and sadness. A dramatic powerhouse of an aria, it was incredibly difficult to bring this piece to life with the images presented and how they relate quite closely to the current state of the world. I am hoping that the listening audience will be moved just as much as I was and feel just how powerful this particular scene is, and also, how tragically beautiful.
Recommended
Commissioned by Cedille Records specially for our 2025 Emerging Artist Competition winner, oboist Oliver Talukder, as a companion for his Briefly Gorgeous album, Powder is a two-track single of Two Songs for voice, oboe/English horn, and piano by Delfin Demiray, who was Talukder’s classmate at the Curtis Institute of Music. The first song features Chicago mezzo, Sophia Maekawa, while Talukder performs the second song’s special effect and extended technique-infused vocal line himself (as an “overdub”), demonstrating yet another facet of his artistry.
Winner of Cedille Records’ 2025 Emerging Artist Competition, Chicago-born oboist Oliver Talukder makes his solo recording debut with Briefly Gorgeous. Joined by pianist Moriah Trenk, Talukder presents an album inspired by themes of identity, love, family, and belonging. Drawing on his Mexican and Bengali heritage and his Chicago upbringing, the program explores where classical music intersects with Latino and South Asian traditions, creating a musical portrait shaped by Talukder’s unique story.
With the new month comes a new featured playlist on Spotify — or, in this case, a refresh of our Artist Debuts on Cedille playlist, originally created in 2022 to celebrate the inaugural album by the first Emerging Artist Competition winner, saxophonist Julian Velasco.
The update is to celebrate oboist Oliver Talukder, winner of Cedille’s second competition, as well as other artists who have made their Cedille debus since 2022. (Oliver’s track will be added on Friday when his album, Briefly Gorgeous, is released.)
Enjoy Cedille’s Weekly Featured Release.