Four outstanding contemporary composers are represented on this album. The title piece by Adam Schoenberg: Migration – Symphony no.2 for Wind Ensemble, is the world-premiere recording of this important new work. Reference Recordings is proud to present it beside two additional world premieres: The Eyes of the World Are Upon You by Jennifer Jolley, and Intrada 1631 (after Juan Pérez Bocanegra) by Stephen Montague. And last but certainly not least, this release contains the premiere of a new wind ensemble transcription of John Corigliano’s Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble, with clarinet soloist Jonathan Gunn.

The University of Texas Wind Ensemble has firmly established itself as one of America’s elite wind bands. Active in the area of commissioning new music since 1988, the group has offered world premiere performances of works by many composers including John Corigliano, Michael Daugherty, Donald Grantham, David Maslanka, John Mackey and Dan Welcher. One of the guiding principles of the ensemble is contact with the leading musical minds of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Serving for more than 30 years on the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Vincent R. and Jane D. DiNino Chair for the Director of Bands, Jerry Junkin is recognised as one of the world’s most highly regarded wind conductors. He has also served since 1993 as the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Dallas Winds, and as Music Director and Conductor of the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia since 2003.

The repertoire on this new album was performed by the UTWE on their CDNA National Conference Tour in March of 2017, and recorded in sessions at Bates Recital Hall, The University of Texas at Austin, and at Meyerson Symphony Center, in Dallas Texas concluding in August of 2017. The exciting performances were captured by the Reference Recordings engineering team, Grammy award winner and multiple nominee Keith O. Johnson and multiple Grammy nominee Sean R. Martin.

Since 1976, Reference Recordings has been one of the most innovative and respected independent labels in the music business. Founded on the premise that most commercial recordings sound nothing like the live performance experience, Reference Recordings releases have been highly praised for their dedication to high quality sound in the service of great music. Founder Tam Henderson (1998 Grammy nominee for Producer of the Year), was joined in 1978 by engineer Keith O. Johnson. More than 150 projects later, RR is still recording what many consider to be the finest-sounding classical, jazz and blues albums in the world.