Flamboyant American organist Cameron Carpenter has signed an exclusive, multi-album contract with Sony Classical. His debut release, out in 2014, will be recorded on his new touring organ, featuring Carpenter’s own transcriptions of both classical and modern music - ranging from the American Songbook to the world premiere of his Music for an Imaginary Film (2013). There will also be an accompanying DVD documentary. 

 ‘Cameron is one of the very, very few artists who could even contemplate a project like this,’ said Bogdan Roscic, president of Sony Classical. ‘With his charisma, his mind-boggling virtuosity, the ability to create original music for himself and others but above all his vision for a new organ, he will give the most majestic and all-encompassing of instruments a new place on the world's stages. We are tremendously excited to be his partners as the touring organ begins its journey.'

Officially launching his International Touring Organ on March 9, 2014, Carpenter aims to combine both the classical cathedral organ and the cinema organ ‘in a single instrument’. Built by digital organ specialists Marshall & Ogletree LLC of Needham, Massachusetts using a modular five-console keyboard, the instrument will allow Carpenter’s diverse repertoire - from Bach to film music and jazz - to be accommodated and expanded in more unusual directions.

Henry Norman