International singing superstar Sarah Brightman is the world’s biggest-selling soprano. She pioneered the classical crossover movement and is famed for her vocal range of over three octaves. Sarah is the only artist to have simultaneously topped the Billboard dance and classical charts. Her voice has rung out from theatres, arenas, cathedrals, world heritage centres and Olympic stadiums, bringing to life some of the world’s most beautiful music.

Sarah’s work transcends any single genre, synthesizing many influences into a unique sound and vision. She remains among the world’s most prominent performers, with global sales of 30 million units and over 180 gold and platinum awards in more than 40 countries.

Brightman returned to the studio in 2016 to work on her album HYMN with long-time producer Frank Peterson. Released on November 9, 2018, it debuted at #1 on the Classical and Classical Crossover Billboard charts. Sarah continues to tour globally, most recently performing her acclaimed A Starlight Symphony in Japan and Taiwan to rave reviews, and will round off 2025 with her A Winter Symphony tour in Canada and the USA.

Ahoy there! Dan here.

An avid video gamer, video game enthusiast, soundtrack, OST, SFX listener, and all that jazz. I'm expanding into the world of video game composing, remixing, and SFX. 

Since I was about 7 years old I've been singing, humming, whistling, and replicating sound effects of all my favourite games, so I figured it's about time to tap into my creative side and produce some work of my own. Not too shabby, right? In doing so, I'm hoping to mingle with other video game enthusiasts, creative artists, video game developers and the like to share my work and take my first baby steps into the industry.

So take a gander, stretch your legs, put on your headphones, sip some (insert desired drink here) and enjoy!

Cheers!
Dan

Penguin Books publishes blockbusting, prize-winning, celebrated, controversial, heart-warming, thought-provoking and inspiring books by a range of authors from Ali Smith to Zadie Smith, Jeremy Clarkson to Jeremy Paxman and Jamie Oliver to Oliver Goldsmith.

Please Follow Our Official Record Label >>> @nrwrecords

This is the Official NewRetroWave Soundcloud.

NewRetroWave is the frontier of all that is retro in the music scene. We specialize in promoting the best and most unique sounds and artists in the growing Retrowave scene which begin in early 2004.

@nrwrecords will be releasing some MEGA albums this year. Stay tuned.

Please email all enquires to info@newretrowave.com


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Listen to exclusive excerpts from our amazing collection of audiobooks! Plus go behind-the-scenes of the recordings with our bestselling authors and award-wining narrators. For more information, like us on Facebook.com/SimonAudio and follow us on Twitter @SimonAudio. Happy listening!

No one could have imagined at that time what to expect - like Xavier de Maistre himself, when he decided to change the face of the harp 16 years ago. Today he plays pieces like "Moldau" by Smetana in breathtaking precision and presents masterful pieces of music that are usually played by an entire orchestra.

Meanwhile, a worldwide audience listens to his virtuosity and enjoys the unprecedented sounds. Pieces, that no harpist played before, or even thought about - like the Haydn piano concertos. Not only that makes him one of the most extraordinary musicians, even masters of this time.

Xavier de Maistre began to study harp with 9 years. Like many other famous musicians, all started with love - but in this case not as expected the love to his harp. It was rather the love for his former teacher, who offered extra harp lessons. Early, it turned out that Xavier has a great talent and no wonder he started with 25 years to play for the Vienna Philharmonic. Before that he played 3 years for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and in 1998 Xavier won the first prize of the "USA International Harp Competition“, the major harp competitions in the world. But since Xavier´s family is not from a traditional harp-playing dynasty they put great importance to a solid education. So Xavier started his study of politics at the „Institut des Sciences Politiques“ in Paris and spent 1 year in London at the „London School of Economics ", when he finally decided to prefer music to the political studies. For a musician, he achieved very early what all harpists dream of – a position in one of the best orchestras in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic.

However Xavier de Maistre was about to go on. To see this point as the highlight of the career, which would definitely be a great honor for most of the harpists, and aslo for Xavier, but it was also a kind of sad moment. He achieved the ultimate goal of a harpist at age 25. Through his countless appearances and his keen ambition he has always wants to refute the long-existing bias of the harp - played in the background by angel-like women. Thanks to his his quick anticipation, intelligence and tremendous skill, he has played many pieces as a soloist with the harp and delighted thousands of listeners. Finally, he succeeds to establish the harp as an independent instrument. During his career, many great conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Andre Previn, and Daniele Gatti became curious on him and his passion and asked him to play with them. A long series of concerts follows, convincing the audience that Xavier de Maistre is undoubtedly the master of his instrument. Not for nothing, beside famous conductors, also the most successful singers like Barbara Bonney, Kathleen Battle and Diana Damrau played with him. Likewise, of course, the long list of world-renowned opera houses which he had already visited: Theatre des Champs Elysees Paris, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Musikverein Vienna, Tokyo Opera City, Lincoln Center New York, Salzburg Festival, La Scala Milan and many others.

No wonder, Xavier´s enthusiasm and his gift to play will not put an end to this success story. Awarded with the Echo Klassik Award 2009 for his album "Nuit d'Etoiles" as "Instrumentalist of the Year" (Sony Music) he reaps the fruits of his labor.

For more than 9 years Xavier de Maistre is working as a professor at the Musikhochschule Hamburg and now also teaches at the Julliard School in New York, at the Toho University in Tokyo and in London at Trinity College. After 11 years with the Vienna Philharmonic Xavier leaves his position in order to devote himself to his international solo career - a step that no harpist has done before.

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