Esther Abrami: Cinéma

With a captivating compilation of re-written, sound-painting arrangements for violin and orchestra of well-known film and series soundtracks and new compositions by Academy Award-winning composers Rachel Portman and Anne Dudley, violinist Esther Abrami demonstrates her versatility, musical sensitivity and sophistication on Cinéma. "I am so proud of my new album. I wanted to put together a diverse musical journey that reflects my classical background, my French-Jewish heritage, my support for women in music, and my love of movies and anime, combining different genres, cultures, and generations. I hope that listeners will fall in love with Cinéma's music as much as I have," explains Esther Abrami. Cinéma includes new arrangements of blockbuster hits from anime, series and feature films such as Naruto and Demon Slayer, The Witcher and The Hunger Games, as well as music from iconic French films such as The Fabulous World of Amelie and The Children of Monsieur Mathieu. Also included are classical pieces from films with music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich and Astor Piazzolla, as well as two world premieres by Academy Award-winning composers Anne Dudley and Rachel Portman, with whom Esther Abrami is personally acquainted. However, the musician, who came to the violin through her grandmother, has a particularly emotional connection to the films Life is Beautiful and The Diary of Anne Frank. Another very emotional piece on Cinéma is the new arrangement of the protagonist's theme "Zeyn" from the Oscar-nominated Lebanese social drama Capernaum, which composer and film producer Khaled Mouzanar wrote especially for Esther Abrami. Esther Abrami worked with a team of arrangers to create the arrangements for Cinéma. Except for the piece "Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi" from The Fabulous World of Amelie, originally written for piano, which Esther Abrami rebuilt with a loop station on the violin, and "Libertango" by Astor Piazzolla from Le Pont du Nord, for which she is accompanied only by guitarist Marcin, every piece on the album is produced with orchestra. The recording of "Cinéma" took place with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of conductor and arranger Ben Palmer at the legendary Smecky Studios in Prague.