Ryan Whyman’s musical journey began at age six when he started writing short pieces for his classmates, and since then his talent has flourished with compositions for choir and orchestra, as well as a collaboration with rapper and spoken-word artist Watsky. These varied ensembles give a sense of the breadth of Whyman’s art: though many genres are blended together, the common thread is a musical voice that weaves the disparate parts into a connected whole.

With his new release Nocturne, we have an earnest exploration of personal solitude, tucked away behind a loose waltz on the chamber piano. Soon, a long melody on the accordion leads us through a sunset in Paris, over Les Tuileries, on the Sunday of a dream. All is not lost, says Nocturne, if we can still dream of better things - and work towards a future of simple trust and tuneful cooperation.

Ryan Whyman is a composer and performer living in Los Angeles.