On “Clairières”, Grammy Award-nominated tenor Nicholas Phan and pianist Myra Huang pay homage to two exceptional composers of the 20th century who have often been overlooked in favour of their male counterparts – Lili and Nadia Boulanger. Nadia is the better known of the two, primarily for her tutelage of such great composers as Aaron Copland, Philip Glass and Astor Piazzolla, but was a highly respected composer during the years of the Belle Époque. Her younger sister Lili was the first female Grand Prize winner of the Prix du Rome; her compositional legacy was cut short by her death at the age of 24. At the heart of this release is Lili’s innovative, 13-part song cycle Clairières dans le ciel. Alongside is a selection of literary songs serring poetry by the sisters’ contemporaries Paul Verlaine, Maurice Maeterlinck, Francis Jammes and Albert Samain.

“one of the most beautiful young lyric voices around” – Opera News

“Phan’s singing is both sultry and refined” – WQXR-NYC (on Illuminations, AV2382)

“There are so many jewels here ... Phan’s sheer sensitivity is a delight. An absorbing disc and an ideal introduction to the joys of lieder.” – TheArtsDesk.com (on Gods & Monsters, AV2368)