In The Poetry of Places, the gifted and versatile pianist Nadia Shpachenko premieres a remarkable lineup of 10 new works.

Shpachenko shows herself to be one of today’s foremost promoters of contemporary music.

Nadia Shpachenko is a great friend and champion of new music

The Poetry of Places… is a celebration of new music featuring a formidable pianist in the company of top practitioners in the field.

Shpachenko performs a veritable tour of structures ancient and modern, producing extraordinary colours and textures.

The keyword to this disc is in its title: poetry. There is visual poetry in the images, compositional poetry in the responses that form this program, and performance poetry via Shpachenko.

Each of the works is about a special place, with music interacting with a wide range of human activities: fine and applied arts (architecture and design), the heritage arts and the natural world… a marvellous project, well worth exploring.

The Poetry of Places is an impressive collection of new works by outstanding contemporary composers, performed by first-rate musicians.

The Poetry of Places is a truly fascinating collection of original music for piano that demonstrates a great variety of approaches… an important album for any music lovers interested in modern piano literature.

Nadia Shpachenko‘s new Reference Recordings album Quotations and Homages is a clear winner… Shpachenko’s technique and interpretation are above reproach…

Rare, not to mention refreshing, is the classical recording that balances seriousness with humour… [Shpachenko] executes all the material with conviction, her connection to the material unwavering no matter the works’ differences. Above all else, there is joy in her playing, and it transfers infectiously to the listener.

The genius of this album is in its effortless flow. Each work follows naturally from one to the next… The concept is creative, the program well constructed, and Shpachenko’s pianism is of the highest caliber. The recording is sure to remain a mainstay of the contemporary discography for posterity.

Shpachenko is a brilliant and thoughtful artist. There is a huge range of dramatic and technical effects within this collection, and she captures them all with remarkable precision and expressivity… In all, this is a most invigorating and distinctive release.

…a superb and superbly recorded program of pieces as fresh as they are ready to pay respect to the traditions that led to their creation… Shpachenko’s playing is everything it needs to be and more… Eras seem not to exist for her, and neither does musical dogma, allowing her the freedom to speak the music’s multifarious dialects.

An exceptional recording of newly composed piano works… Shpachenko’s passionate rendering of the material unifies it on this special recording. Clearly a labour of love.

Nadia Shpachenko has done heroic work here, and the composers provide stimulating listening.

Woman at the New Piano is a generous helping of new piano music by four contemporary composers covering a wide range of feelings, moods and techniques. Ms. Shpachenko and Genevieve Feiwen Lee have skillfully combined to produce a memorable recording.

Woman at the New Piano is an album with a surely cosmic purpose.

[Nadia Shpachenko] impresses very much as a pianist with a light, crisp touch and a way of keeping the music flowing very cleanly… the execution sounds flawless… the music is so infectious… A very engaging set.

Nadia Shpachenko collaborated in the creation of these works, giving her an emotional investment and empathy with them. She conveys that empathy with sure, insightful delivery.

Pianist Shpachenko brings strength to wide range of living composers… Shpachenko herself is a strong player, with a touch that gives weight and solidity even at low dynamics… Eminently worthwhile concert from Shpachenko and her fellow composers.

Magical… mysterious and touching.