Winter Morning Walks

"Lyrical, flowing, intimately expressive, with all the elements of words, music, voice and instruments in a seamless blend, this is music to fall in love with the first time - then immediately want to hear again." -John Montanari, NPR "Winter Morning Walks is a sterling standard for American art song." -Jeff Kaliss, San Francisco Classical Voice Winter Morning Walks is the first partnership between Schneider and Upshaw, bringing together two preeminent figures in jazz and classical music. Schneider has been commissioned to compose for jazz orchestras and artists all over the world, has won two GRAMMY Awards and has been nominated for several more. Writing for TIME Magazine, Terry Teachout said, "To call Schneider the most important woman in jazz is missing the point two ways. She's a major composer-period." Upshaw was also deemed "one of the most consequential performers of our time" by the LA TIMES, is a multiple GRAMMY winner and MacArthur Fellow, and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera over 300 times. In 2004 Schneider pioneered the fan-funding model by becoming the first artist to sign with ArtistShare® to release 'Concert In The Garden,' the first web-exclusive recording to win a GRAMMY. With Winter Morning Walks she has become one of the first artists to record major orchestras with fan-funding methods. The first work, 'Winter Morning Walks,' features the Australian Chamber Orchestra, consists of nine pieces and includes poetry by Ted Kooser, taken from his book of the same name. Three musicians long associated with Schneider's jazz orchestra, Jay Anderson, Frank Kimbrough, and Scott Robinson, seamlessly add colorful improvisation throughout these pieces. The second, 'Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories,' features The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and consists of five songs with poetry by Carlos Drummond de Andrade, one of Brazil's most beloved poets.