This recording presents brand new concertos from two vibrant and contrasting American composers. Adolphus Hailstork’s First Piano Concerto draws on his African American heritage to create a work brimming with energy and high spirits, reflecting the rich traditions of jazz and blues. The Violin Concerto ‘Eleven Eleven’ by Danny Elfman – renowned for his many film scores – has its roots in the composer’s rock, film and television background, but also illustrates his love for the music of Shostakovich and Prokofiev. In keeping with his famous Batman score, this work is a true violin concerto noir that is both haunting and compelling.

Two attractively communicative and entirely new American concertos in a single release will always have wide appeal, and the inclusion of famous film composer Danny Elfman provides a guarantee of healthy sales.

Adolphus Hailstork is less of a household name, but the Naxos catalogue already includes recordings of his three substantial symphonies – the first recorded by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and JoAnn Falletta (Naxos 8559722), with ‘all credit to JoAnn Falletta and her Virginians for hitting the bullseye when it comes to projecting [its] spiky rhythms and equally piquant harmonies’ (Fanfare), and the second and third recorded by the Grand Rapids Symphony and David Lockington (Naxos 8559295), considered ‘heartfelt, serious works by an underrated American composer who doesn't choose to fit in with the major stylistic currents the post-war 20th Century… a pleasant surprise’ (American Record Guide).

Declared ‘brilliant’ by The Washington Post, violinist Sandy Cameron is one of the most strikingly unique artists of her generation. Danny Elfman’s Violin Concerto, ‘Eleven Eleven’ was written for Ms Cameron, and she had the great pleasure and honour of presenting the world premiere with conductor John Mauceri at the Prague Proms in June 2017. It was received with great success, and Ms Cameron continues to enjoy performing the piece for audiences worldwide.

Proclaimed ‘a phenomenon’ by the Los Angeles Times and ‘one of the best pianists of his generation’ by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished concert pianist who has performed and recorded with many of the major orchestras and chamber music organisations around the world. His recital disc For Glenn Gould on the Dorian Sono Luminus label was considered ‘a unique, creative project, and played brilliantly’ by The WholeNote.

Multiple Grammy-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta serves as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) and music director laureate of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. She has guest conducted many of the most prominent orchestras in America, Canada, Europe, Asia and South America. As music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta became the first woman to lead a major America ensemble. With a discography of over 120 titles, she is a leading recording artist for Naxos.