In Circles

Grammy-nominated star saxophonist Amy Dickson returns with her most personal album yet, exploring connections between classical composers and the folk music of their homelands. From the red dirt of the Australian desert to the rolling green hills of the Scottish Highlands, In Circles celebrates folk music and the tremendous influence it has had on music around the world and throughout history. As Dickson says, "Folk music breathes the very identity of a country, and in troubled times can be a source of solace, over and over again. At the core of folk music lies a beating heart of humanity to which we return again and again. The creation itself of this music requires personal, family and social connections - in a word: kinship."

This sense of community and togetherness is amplified by the collaborations on this album. With celebrated composer and didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton, Dickson explores music by Australian composers Ross Edwards, Peter Sculthorpe and Barton himself. With acclaimed pianist Daniel de Borah she traverses Europe, from Brahms to Falla, Pessard and Vaughan Williams. With Nicholas Carter and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, she explores archetypes of traditional Scottish music in a world premiere recording of Sir James MacMillan's Saxophone Concerto, written specifically for Dickson. Dickson continues, "In today's frenetic digital age, folk music offers us a refuge: the enduring simplicity and nostalgia embodied in this music provides timeless sanctuary from the relentless surge of modernity."