I have to apologize for stopping my general topic writings as soon as I had begun them, but the several weeks since the announcement of the pre-order phase of my new album, METANOIA, have been a quite a surreal whirlwind. To get you caught up to speed: seven years ago, after releasing my first portait disc on Naxos - BLOOD, FORGOTTEN - I immediately set to work collecting and producing recordings for my follow-up effort. It took that long to write, record, produce, and compile an hours worth of music that I am happy enough with to share with the world under a single theme (Metanoia), and hence, my second CD is being released tomorrow, June 2nd, with digital versions and streaming already available in a number of areas. I have received a great deal of public support — especially from Catholic institutions — and this helped drive the physical pre-orders of the album to #7 on Amazon, and the digital orders to #9. Then the album slowly faded down the list, and I celebrated what I thought was an incredible success for a smaller label release.
And then, after a few days of silence, it re-emerged on the digital sales list, and over the course of a few days, it skipped over releases by folks I have admired for years - such as Eric Whitacre, Hillary Hahn, and Hans Zimmer, and rose to #3. Ahead of me was Wynton Marsalis, and so I once again celebrated what I thought was an even more incredible success. There’s no way I was passing the great Marsalis, and so I was quite content.
And then, it jumped to #1.
Since then, it has been flip-flopping with what is certainly an amazing new disc by Hillary Han (which I have already pre-ordered), and the King’s Coronation album. The King briefly de-throned us both (I don’t know who he thinks he is), and then as of this hour, I was somehow back on top.
There are many lessons to consider in discussing how a smaller Polish label (DUX) with secondary distribution through Naxos could reach such a great success with a CD of sometimes difficult sacred-themed works from a lesser-known (and some have told me, a bit too religiously and politically un-woke and outspoken) composer, but there you have it. We’re #1. I’m still analyzing how we got there, but I am simply floored by this initial success and beyond grateful to everyone who has supported me.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting both paid and unpaid articles about the pieces I have released commercially so far, as well as a few other summer surprises up my sleeve. I’ll also be using this substack in the style of a patreon account, providing private reflections on my musical process and what I’m working on, including the score for part 3 of Mass of the Ages and my new choral commission from His Majesty’s Men. Stay tuned, and contribute if you can: it really helps an artist dedicate more time to their art when they are supported.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this effort: all of the musicians, along with one humbled composer, thank you sincerely.