(Halifax/Kjipuktuk, NS) Leaf Music announces the long-anticipated distribution of a new album of the music of Nova Scotia songwriter Robbie Smith, (1954-2019) a prolific songwriter who performed in the folk duo Naming the Twins (www.namingthetwins.com) for the last eleven years of his life. To fulfill his wish to keep his music alive after his untimely passing, musical partner Kathleen Glauser embarked on an ongoing project with the Nova Scotia Choral Federation, including having 30 of Robbie Smith’s pieces arranged for choirs, set by sixteen of Canada’s best composers like Larry Nickel, Gary Ewer, Donna Rhodenizer, Mary Knickle, Tom Leighton, Frances Farrell, Mark Sirett, Stephen Smith, and others.
The new recording features many well-known Nova Scotian choirs: Cantabile Singers of Truro, Halifax Gay Men’s Chorus, Polaris (of Choirs for Change), Nova Voce, The Aeolian Singers, Middleton Choral Society and Dartmouth Choral Society, with additional participation in a massed choir piece by Halifax Newcomer Choir, EnChor East and Coastal Voices Men’s Choir.
Featured titles of Robbie Smith’s well-loved songs include A Peaceful Song (arranged by Terry Hurrell), Lay Down Your Weapons (arranged by Byron Hermann), and the popular Let’s Have Some Music (arranged by Laura Hawley). Working from a rough demo of the song, composer Hawley crafted a choral arrangement capturing its joyous spirit and uplifting lyrics that became an instant hit at concerts following the pandemic.
Some pieces on the new recording were previously recorded by Naming the Twins on their albums. Choirs can purchase the music for nineteen of the pieces in SATB, SSAA or TTBB parts through publisher Cypress Choral Music or borrow parts from the Nova Scotia Choral Federation. More information is available here: https://nscf.ca/the-robbie-songs-project/.
Listen to The Robbie Songs Project: A Legacy Choral Tribute to Robbie Smith wherever you stream your music: https://leaf-music.lnk.to/drr-005.
Leaf Music is an independent recording label based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, making and distributing high-quality classical music recordings by artists and composers from across Canada. Our growing catalogue of solo, orchestral, and chamber music is distributed by Naxos of America to the world’s most important music retailers, download providers, and streaming services. Leaf is also a provider of professional audio and video production, post-production services and integrated music marketing and distribution in Canada.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
For more information/photos or to arrange interviews, please contact Peggy Walt, peggy@leaf-music.ca (902) 422-5403 (office) or (902) 476-1096 (cell).
