Navona Records present duo526's collection of classical pieces for violin and piano, Duo Fantasy, performed by Kerry DuWors and Futaba Niekawa. This recording showcases music by composers Heitor Villa-Lobos, Arnold Bax and William Bolcom...

Kerry DuWors and Futaba Niekawa met in 2011 as students at Eastman School of Music, when they were assigned to perform Mozart's last 'Sonata for Violin and Piano K. 526' together. This not only resulted in the two forming a close friendship, but also inspired their name as a collective, duo526.

On their new album, Duo Fantasy, they perform pieces by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Arnold Bax and William Bolcom, all of whom have unique compositional voice, but here share the common thread of fantasy.

Its obvious that the two enjoy working together, but what shines through on this recording is the love they both have for the material. It's almost impossible to not get caught up in the duo's raw emotional energy as they bring these compositions to life.

Track listing:

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
Sonata Fantasia No. 2 (1914)
01 - Allegro non troppo (5:58)
02 - Largo (8:23)
03 - Rondo – Allegro Finale (6:37)

Arnold Bax (1883-1953)
Violin Sonata No. 2 (1915, rev. 1920)
04 - Fantasy: Slow and gloomy (8:02)
05 - The Grey Dancer in the Twilight: Fast Valse (5:56)
06 - Very broad and concentrated (8:45)
07 - Allegro feroce (8:31)

William Bolcom (b. 1938)
08 - Duo Fantasy (1973) (12:07)

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Darren Rea