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Singers to be Highlighted at this Year’s Soirée Cedille Celebration
Soirée Cedille, Cedille’s annual benefit, is a celebration of classical music in Chicago. The event takes place Sunday, September 17 at Venue SIX10 at the Spertus Institute (610 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago). In addition to the presentation of awards recognizing Greg O’Leary and Luminarts Cultural Foundation, respectively, for their commitment to Chicago’s classical music community, the evening will feature a concert comprising soprano Nicole Cabell, who stars in Cedille’s recording of L’Amant Anonyme, and tenor Ian Koziara, who will make his Cedille Records debut with an album recorded this summer for release in 2024. The two performers will highlight Cedille’s commitment to recording vocal music, an effort codified by last year’s launch of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fund for Vocal Recordings.
Over our 30+-year history, Cedille has released more than 200 recordings featuring over 180 Chicago soloists, ensembles, and composers, giving a platform to classical artists of all instruments and forms. In particular, nearly 40 Cedille albums feature over 40 different vocal soloists and ensembles. To date, over 80 vocal works in our catalog are world premiere recordings. The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fund for Vocal Recordings will support at least one vocal release each year, cementing Cedille’s commitment to vocal recordings in the future.
Artists have long told us that our recordings are invaluable promotional tools.
By permanently documenting and sharing their work with a worldwide audience, Cedille — with your support — enhances these artists’ careers and reputations. We look forward to celebrating with you at Soirée Cedille and raising funds to support future recording projects!
The concert will streamed online. Join us online or in person. Stay after the concert for dinner with the artists. We hope to see you on September 17!
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.