Silphie Releases Music Video for ‘Blossom Fairy Queen’

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"Silphie Releases Music Video for ‘Blossom Fairy Queen’"

An Australian neo-classical quartet, Silphie’s newest song is the quaint, old-worldly ‘Blossom Fairy Queen’ that carries a serene sensation of calmness, the delicate notes washing over the senses.

A blend of enchanting folktronica and haunting neo-classical tones melded to the gorgeous, operatic vocals of singer-composer Michaele Archer (who sings in English and Latin), ‘Blossom Fairy Queen’ will transport you to a medieval landscape in Renaissance Europe.
Rich in emotive strings alongside harmonium and classical guitar that carry poignant feels of spirituality, the song is centred around themes of eternal love, creation and the circle life.
Archer is joined by Rachel Whealy (cello), Giuseppe Zangari (guitar) and Gab Steele (viola) to form Silphie. “‘Blossom Fairy Queen’ was one of those gifts of a song that came all at once on a balmy spring evening,” shares Michaele. “The big theme of the song is the eternal, powerful nature of love.
“It’s also about the mystery of creation and the circle of life, so it’s beautiful that our viola player Gab Steele was pregnant with her first child when we filmed the clip.”

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“Working with Benjamin Fraser, who I would describe as a genius Renaissance person, is a wondrous experience every time,” Michaele says. “Benjamin created hair and make-up (with Taylor Anne) and made the jewellery headband as well as the vision for filming and editing.
“Things are always an adventure as Benjamin loves to let things unfold spontaneously on the day within the plan. So sometimes unexpected things happen and Benjamin’s way of directing makes you feel comfortable, expressive and brave!
“We are super grateful and happy that our other film clip for this project created by Benjamin, ‘Sulpicia’s Birthday’, has received three offical selections in film festivals and an Award of Excellence in the Women’s International Film Festival.
“The lovely thing about this group is we are all old friends so our filming projects and rehearsals are joyous and chilled. There’s a lot of love!” Gab adds: “It’s always such a pleasure to work with everyone! I actually went to high school with Benjamin, so we met over 20 years ago!”
Set to release their album ‘Garland The Love Poems Of Sulpicia’ in February, Silphie have already enjoyed positive feedback about ‘Blossom Fairy Queen’.
“There is something about this song that seems to resonate with people,” Michaele says. “We played some new material from the album as part of the Tubular Festival/Gossy weekender recently and had amazing feedback.
“Maybe it’s the message of love and connection or the slightly Celtic feel. For people to let us know they felt moved and make such lovely comments makes everything worth it! We hope people enjoy the clip as well.”

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Victor Towle Releases Single ‘Now I Will Know’

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"Victor Towle Releases Single ‘Now I Will Know’"

An inventive, skilled, and authentic musician, Victor Towle’s music showcases his diverse influences and vast experience. His passion for using music in rehabilitative and meditative practices has led him to create a unique sound that is both calming and emotive. With new single “Now I will Know” from his upcoming album “Sleight of Hand”, Victor is embellishing the New Age music scene with evocative tracks.

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Victor Towle is an eclectic and multi-talented artist who has gained recognition in the New Age music scene for his expertise in various styles. Victor soon began his musical journey by listening to classic pop hits on the AM radio he was gifted by his grandfather. Then branching out to legendary guitarists such as the iconic Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Wes Montgomery.

Throughout his school years, Victor was exposed to different styles of music, including jazz, which he played in school bands, and rock, pop, and blues, which he played in a party band called “The Band.” His fascination with jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and Miles Davis, whom he discovered during this period, continued to shape his musical preferences throughout his life. After completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Psychology and Rehabilitation Counseling, respectively, Victor began his professional career in social work and counseling for those who had a brain injury.

As a guitarist and soloist, Victor has grown his instrumental repertoire, owing to his extensive experience as a leader and collaborator. He attributes his musical development to his professional career, which includes working as a Clinical Care Manager for rehabilitation, as well as his involvement with yoga and meditation. Victor’s passion for using his guitar music as an aide in meditative and rehabilitative practices inspired his latest albums, “Acoustic Reflections”,”Colorado Zen,” “The Space In Between”, and “Still Young For Another Day”, which showcases his eclectic musical background and the immersive soundscapes of New Age music.

His album “Colorado Zen” was nominated for New Age Music Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year and reached #8 on the New Age Music charts (Zone Music Reporter). The song “Spring Crocus” was also featured on Sirius XM Spa channel. His album “The Space In Between” reached #11 and the song “Storm On The Horizon was also added to Sirius XM Spa channel.

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Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘La Rumba Flamenca’

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"Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘La Rumba Flamenca’"

 The joyous flamenco rumba is an immensely popular style, stemming from Cuba by way of the port of Cadiz in Spain. There are many types of Rumba which often share the characteristic of incorporating popular musical themes within their structure.       In ‘La Rumba Flamenca’ the traditional melody Spanish Romance is integrated into the opening measures.

Set in the traditional format of three repeated sections, ‘La Rumba Flamenca’ can be described as an erotic, mischievous and salsified dance.  Rumba is closely related to the flamenco tango and is one of the most accessible flamenco styles, danceable and lighthearted.

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About Gareth

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning  scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

 In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard.  Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Bossa Nova Latina’

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"Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Bossa Nova Latina’"

Bossa Nova is a relaxed style of Samba originating in Brazil. It is characterised by a calm syncopated rhythm with fingerstyle guitar chords mimicking the beat of a samba groove. A characteristic of the style is the use of unconventional chords & inventive harmonies. The popularity of bossa nova has helped to renew samba and contributed to the modernisation of Brazilian music.

Gareth continues the tradition of synthesising samba rhythm on the classical guitar for this track. His signature guitar sound evokes a smooth & effortless feel while the track is also punctuated with Spanish & flamenco flourishes.

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About Gareth

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter.  He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Jeff Johnson & Phil Keaggy Release Album ‘Spinning On A Cosmic Dime’

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"Jeff Johnson & Phil Keaggy Release Album ‘Spinning On A Cosmic Dime’"

 Ambi-coustic, jazz-age fusion, with generous touches of art-rock, Jeff Johnson and Phil Keaggy’s fifth studio recording, ‘Spinning on a Cosmic Dime’, features a richly textured and deeply melodic confluence of eight lengthy instrumental tracks that the popular duo has become known for.

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Spinning on a Cosmic Dime continues the same exhilarating musical stylings that Jeff and Phil first exhibited on their earlier and highly-successful duo albums  — Frio Suite (2009), WaterSky (2012),  Cappadocia (2019) and Ravenna (2021).  Both musicians have lengthy and illustrious careers as solo recording artists, as well as making albums with a variety of others.

Jeff Johnson’s early work was vocal progressive-rock, but his sound evolved to focus more on jazz, new age, contemporary instrumental, contemplative-spiritual and Celtic styles. He has collaborated over the years with Wendy Goodwin, Janet Marie Chvatal, David Friesen, Dave Hagelganz, Mark Schulman, Derri Daugherty, Sandy Simpson, the Coram Deo Ensemble, John Fitzpatrick, Jozef Luptak, Dallas McKennon and poets, Malcolm Guite and Scott Cairns.

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Phil Keaggy, one of the world’s most acclaimed and admired guitarists, first started playing when he was ten-years-old.  He took to the national stage with his touring rock band Glass Harp that recorded seven studio albums (some as reunion projects several decades later) and a Live At Carnegie Hall disc in 1971. For three years in a row, Keaggy was voted one of the top fingerstyle guitarists in the world by Guitar Player magazine readers. Some of his collaborations have been recordings with Randy Stonehill, Mike Pachelli, Wes King, Scott Dente, Kyle Jones, Jack Giering, John Sferra, Shannon Hayden, Tony Gerber, Tony Levin and Jerry Morotta.

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Gareth Koch Releases New Single ‘Song For Stevie Nicks’

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"Gareth Koch Releases New Single ‘Song For Stevie Nicks’"

Song for Stevie Nicks draws inspiration from the Rumours album by Fleetwood Mac, a band in which Stevie is a member and songwriter. Gareth’s guitar work on the track is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsay Buckingham’s style, while the song itself is cast in the gentle yet intense mood of the ballad Landslide.

Gareth’s signature style pervades the song, with subtly nuanced playing & classical influences on display. Song for Stevie Nicks is imagined & created as a song which Stevie herself might have written.

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About Gareth

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

 In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Silphie Releases New Single ‘Mea Lux’

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"Silphie Releases New Single ‘Mea Lux’"

After separation and misunderstandings Sulpicia and her secret lover reunite. As she reflects on the reunion Sulpicia regrets that she was on her guard. “My love, my light” if she could go back in time she would stay the night. Mea lux is the penultimate poem in the Garland series written by Sulpicia and sets up the story of the final poem “Tandem venit amor” (At last love has come) where Sulpicia and her lover Cerinthius finally come together.

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Michaele Archer is an Australian classically trained singer and composer and has performed nationally and internationally in Opera, Oratorio and concert. Michaele loves collaboration and unusual projects and highlights have included performances of “Brackish Songs” by indigenous composer Christopher Sainsbury and the first live performances of Schubert’s “Erlking” with a sand animation by Californian creator Benny Zelkowicz. Her original recording project “Galatea” was released in 2019.

Silphie is a collaboration with Michaele Archer (composer/vocal and harmonium), Rachel Whealy (cello), Giuseppe Zangari (guitar) and Gab Steele (viola). The name Silphie comes from the ancient world’s herb Silphium which was used for everything from perfume and cooking to medicine. The latest recording project by Silphie, “Garland, the love poems of Sulpicia” is inspired by rich, raw sounds of analogue, alto instruments and ancient Latin poetry.

Sulpicia is a female voice that was lost for many years and her 6 love poems form the text for this project. Sulpicia lived around the time of Augustus in the first century BCE and her work is one of very few written by a Roman woman to survive. Her poems were published in a collection by the Roman male poet Tibullus and were originally attributed to him. Sulpicia’s Garland of poems tells the story of a secret love affair.

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Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Song For George Harrison’

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"Gareth Koch Releases Single ‘Song For George Harrison’"

The second in Gareth’s dedication series and with a stunning review already live thanks to Big Take Over magazine in NYC.

“The song itself is a lustrous jaunt. clocking in around three and half minutes, the instrumental piece is acoustic, with strumming guitars and lithe bass keeping the beat. ” David Browne HERE

 The inspiration for Song for George Harrison was to channel and imagine the spirit of George and infuse Beatles DNA into the compositional process. The mood is an informal jam vibe, as if the studio producers are absent, but microphones are left on with tape rolling while George plays and improvises with friends.

 Gareth opens the track with George’s beloved instrument, the ukulele, supported by a keyboard mellotron sound subtly referencing a partial Beatles tune. The sitar Gareth plays is a vintage Sri Lankan instrument, played in reverse in some of the mixes, as a tribute to the spirit of experimentation of the 1960’s Abbey Rd Studios.

 The three mixes reference the evolution of 60’s mixing technology, with the Spectre Mix taking a deep dive into the massive and live ‘Wall of Sound’ aesthetic, faithfully recreated with period correct vintage studio and live equipment from the Beatles’ heyday.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Gareth Koch Releases Album ‘French Medieval Journey’

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"Gareth Koch Releases Album ‘French Medieval Journey’"

A new style of song, whose themes were love and myth, rose to prominence in 11th-century Europe. The songs of the French Trouveres in particular dominated medieval music in Europe. These songs were performed by roaming scholars and footloose clerics who thronged the roads of the Middle Ages.

In French Medieval Journey, Gareth’s aim has been to create a new body of music for guitar, based on music from the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the recurring themes in French Medieval music is the recounting of myths and legends.

In setting this music for guitar the French trouvere melodies are used as a point of departure. The compositions however are completely original, yet retain the flavour and ambience of French medieval music. Gareth: ‘I have sought to reanimate some of the myths and legends in musical terms, leaving the imagery and symbolism to the discretion of the listener. Through the medium of music the listener is invited into a medieval dreamscape or otherworld.’

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning  scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard. Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Ryan Judd Releases Album ‘Closer To Home’

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"Ryan Judd Releases Album ‘Closer To Home’"

“It is so remarkable to find that exceptional artist that can create a totally unique musical “voice” as a guitarist. Ryan Judd is that artist.”

– Michael Whalen

Two-time Emmy® award-winning composer, recording artist and producer

‘Close to Home’ is Ryan’s latest album, characterized by music that is heartfelt, spacious, and ethereal. Drawing inspiration from deeply personal experiences of love, insight, and grief, Ryan’s delicate and moving nylon-string guitar playing creates a serene and contemplative soundscape. This album is an invitation to embrace peace, stillness, and reflection. GRAMMY®-nominated sound engineer Tom Eaton mixed and mastered the project ensuring that the artistry of this album has been superbly captured.

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Ryan Judd is a Billboard chart topping recording artist, award-winning musician, and internationally renowned music therapist. He is an accomplished fingerstyle guitarist dedicated to creating music that inspires peace and well-being. Ryan’s distinctive musical style on the nylon string guitar creates a warm and gentle soundscape for the listener. His influences include guitarists Michael Hedges and Will Ackerman, and has worked extensively with the GRAMMY®-nominated musician Tom Eaton to refine his sound.

 Ryan’s recordings have been streamed more than 380 million times. His music has been featured on editorial playlists such as Spotify’s Peaceful Guitar and Calming Acoustic, Pandora’s Meditation and Spa stations, and Amazon Music’s Relaxation and Spa Stations. Additionally, his tracks are played on SiriusXM’s Spa Station and Hawaiian Airlines’ Soothing Sounds channel. Ryan has also been featured on Hearts of Space, and his last two albums rank in the top 30 on Amazon’s Best Sellers in New Age Relaxation Music list.

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