This new recording from the Diversions label presents a focused showcase of the vocal music of Chicago-based composer Doug Lofstrom. Featuring baritone Ryan de Ryke, soprano Kim Jones, tenor Ryan Townsend Strand, pianist Daniel Schlosberg, and a fantastic session chamber orchestra, the album includes the world-premiere recordings of three song cycles – Three Sandburg Songs, All Must End, and Myths and Accidents – as well as the first recorded excerpts from Lofstrom’s opera Two Soldiers.

The collaboration began in 2014 when Lofstrom met de Ryke and Schlosberg during a guest lecture. Their artistic rapport led to these deeply expressive song cycles, culminating in the revival of Two Soldiers – originally premiered in 1990 and reimagined in 2020 during the COVID pandemic with updated vocal and orchestral scoring. The opera, a sweeping tale of destiny and survival set in WWII, follows two soldiers – one Russian, one German – through a world in upheaval.

Doug Lofstrom has been a creative force in American music since the 1970s. A former composer-in-residence for the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and musical director of Free Street Theater, his works span symphonic, jazz, theatre, and dance genres. He has written for the St. Louis, Atlanta, and Oregon Symphonies, Pittsburgh Ballet, and more. Vocal music has increasingly taken centre stage in his work, often written for ensembles he helped form or inspire.

Ryan de Ryke, praised for his versatility and rich musicality, has appeared at Aldeburgh, Aix-en-Provence, and Edinburgh festivals, with acclaimed roles in oratorio, opera, and art song. He’s an alumnus of prestigious institutions including the Peabody Conservatory and Royal Academy of Music.

Daniel Schlosberg, Grammy-nominated pianist and composer, is a prominent voice in both classical and contemporary music. Known for championing new music and art song, he’s collaborated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and led acclaimed projects across the U.S. and Europe. His release 40@40 with soprano Laura Strickling reached no.1 on the Billboard classical chart.

This compelling release is a bold presentation of new American vocal music, captured by some of today’s most insightful interpreters.