First North American Artists To Record Complete Works For Cello And Piano By Unjustly Obscure Composer

Cellist Leah Plave and pianist Dr. Dan Sato are proud to present a new recording of Henriette Bosmans' (1895-1952) complete works for cello and piano called Impressions: The Rediscovery of Henriette Bosmans. This is the first North American recording of these colorful pieces, which include Bosmans' Sonata, Trois Impressions, and two lyrical songs. A culmination of many years of collaboration and research, this new recording from Sato and Plave is available as of April 1st, 2020.

Henriette Bosmans was once considered one of the Netherlands' most distinguished composers and pianists of the 20th century. She demonstrated resilience in a male-dominated profession, through the Nazi regime, and as a bisexual woman in a time of societal denial and discrimination. Today, however, her name and music are virtually unknown in the Netherlands, in North America, and in international concert halls.

Initially inspired by German Romanticism and French Impressionism, Bosmans wrote prolifically for many musical formations "as she pleased, with little or no concern for the musical trends of the time." Her writing style fluctuated with enormous variety, reflecting her life as a musician before, during, and after WWII, and upon the people she met. Her character and ability to draw from idioms of other cultures results in music that exudes robust romanticism, juxtaposed with atmospheric moments colored by evocative, sensual harmonies.

Bosmans' complex identity deeply enriches the significance of her music. Her determination to compose and perform her music, even after being banned from public performance by Nazi law, is a model of dedication for performers today.

"I feel a true sense of responsibility toward her music. I share many personal
similarities in common with Henriette Bomans, only I am fortunate enough to live in a
time and place in which I am not persecuted for these identifications. I owe it her and
those artists like her to seek out, cherish, and give life to the music that they were
not fully allowed to celebrate themselves." - Leah Plave

This album was recorded in March 2019 at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and produced and engineered by Veronica Galicia Lopez. It is available for purchase, downloading, and streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Itunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.

Fueled by a mad, yet pure, love for the art of piano playing, Dan Sato enjoys a colorful career as a concert artist, scholar, educator, and chamber musician in high demand. His passion for the repertoire can be seen in his eclectic programs encompassing the canon, neglected and forgotten works, and freshly-born compositions that are rendered with exuberant spontaneity, deep conviction, and serious compositional understanding." Dan owes all such praise and successes to his dear teachers and mentors, including Peter Coraggio, Frank Heneghan, André Watts, Judith Burganger, and Kevin Kenner. Working on this album with Leah was a celebration of their friendship, as much as it was of Bosmans' music, and he eagerly looks forward to their next endeavor.

Leah Plave is a versatile musician with a lust for discovering hidden gems among the cello repertoire. She is a highly active chamber musician and soloist, performing frequently in North America, Asia, and Europe. From the sheer stubbornness of her passions, Leah finds herself performing not only in classical settings, but also in jazz and early music. She is extremely grateful to her mentors, including Yehuda Hanani, Csaba Onczay Jean Marchand, Mark Fewer, and Matt Haimovitz. She is enormously proud to make music with Dan, a brilliant musician and cherished friend.

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