TOP 20 CLASSICAL (INSTRUMENTAL: Solo / Duet / Trio):

2. Rachel Lee Priday: Fluid Dynamics (Orchid Classics)

Inspiration can strike in unexpected ways, a prime illustration Rachel Lee Priday's Fluid Dynamics, which augments scintillating solo performances by the violinist with a duet featuring pianist David Kaplan. Serendipity struck when she attended an orientation day for new faculty after joining the University of Washington's School of Music in fall 2019 and met Georgy Manucharyan, a fellow new hire in the School of Oceanography. After the violinist learned he'd paired videos of his fluid dynamics experiments with classical music and after he asked her to suggest other pieces that might suit his film content, she moved from selecting pre-existing works to having composers such as Gabriella Smith, Timo Andres, Leilehua Lanzilotti, and Christopher Cerrone create new material to complement his visuals. Priday's spectacular technique is called upon throughout the disc, the result mesmerizing renderings of the composers' works.