Pianists Sarah Cahill and Regina Myers Release World Premiere Recording of UP by D. Riley Nicholson

Pianists Sarah Cahill and Regina Myers Release
World Premiere Recording of UP by D. Riley Nicholson

Worldwide Digital Release Date: April 25, 2025
Press downloads available upon request.
Regina Myers: www.reginamusic.com
D. Riley Nicholson: www.rileynicholson.com

Bay Area-based pianists Sarah Cahill and Regina Myers have recorded composer D. Riley Nicholson’s UP for two pianos, a work that they commissioned in 2020. The new recording of the 30-minute piece will be released digitally worldwide on April 25, 2025. Cahill and Myers gave the world premiere performance of the piece at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in September 2022, before recording UP there in 2024.

Nicholson writes of the work, “UP’s one unifying theme is simply that, ‘up.’ The piece moves ‘up’ in so many directions: literally, opening with an upward motif that gets pinged between pianos in a groovy, dizzying counterpoint; gradually with increasing frequency moving up the circle of fifths; with upbeat syncopations and tempi; constantly one upping itself with a burgeoning energy that trips over itself with virtuosic fits; and many other upward motions and themes. Loosely akin to a theme and variations, each movement is a different interpretation of the theme ‘up,’ and given the frenetic energy of every moment, tranquil interludes provide a necessary buffer between the movements, and give the performers a chance to catch their breath. Even with the addition of these palette cleansing interludes, the entirety of the work is a manic trip that both explores joyous energy and that darker underbelly of positivity when energy and motion become simply too much to be contained.”

Of their shared experience commissioning, performing, and now recording UP, Cahill and Myers say,

“When we first spoke with Riley about commissioning a new work from him, we had no idea that it would turn into an epic four-movement piece, which we have grown to know and love as a great work of artistic expression. UP reflects Riley's own style at the piano, with brilliant rapid passagework and interlocking patterns, and it took us several years to find our way into his stylistic approach with all its complexity and intricacy. It's a beautifully powerful piece, and even a global pandemic couldn't stop its path of coming into the world. We are so fortunate to work with Riley, both as a marvelous composer and as an excellent producer of this new album!”

“At this dark moment in time, we need joy – which is what this piece is all about.” says Nicholson. “And what a joy it is to collaborate with Sarah [Cahill] and Regina [Myers], who poured multitudes of energy and love into this incredibly virtuosic, mammoth work.” …