Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the Night Songs from Around the World Home Page. This site celebrates the two award-winning Hilary Field/Patrice O'Neill releases, Siente: Night Songs from Around the World and Cantilena: Night Songs from Around the World. You'll find information about the artists, the two recordings, future plans, and links to related recordings and projects.
The Releases
Siente is a collection of lullabies from around the world by award winning classical guitarist Hilary Field and vocalist Patrice O'Neill. Also featuring master mandolinist Mike Marshall, Grammy award winning English hornist Nancy Rumbel, as well as principal musicians from the Pacific Northwest Ballet orchestra, the warm vocals and lush instrumentals bring these songs to life while soothing the world to sleep. Beautiful melodies from the Basque, Irish, Russian, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, French, Sephardic, and other traditions are sung in their native tongues as well as English. A perfect gift for new parents, this album will bring a sense of peace and calm to listeners of all ages.
Cantilena, the second release by classical guitarist Hilary Field and vocalist Patrice O'Neill, offers an evocative palette of night songs and lullabies from around the world. Spanning the globe from Romania to Sweden, Japan, Ireland, Argentina and beyond, the soothing multilingual vocals and rich musical arrangements highlight the lyrical and dynamic beauty of this music. Cantilena, the follow up to the multi award winning Siente, also features the virtuoso acoustic duo Mike Marshall and Darol Anger, Grammy award winning English hornist Nancy Rumbel, as well as principal musicians from the Pacific NW Ballet and Seattle Symphony orchestras. This album of music from world traditions and classical masters transcends generations, lending a blanket of calm in an often busy world.
About the Artists
International performing and recording artist, Hilary Field, has garnered praise for her dynamic virtuosity, her sensitive musicianship, and for the emotional depth she brings to the heart of classical guitar music. Hilary is a past winner of the Northwest Young Artist Series Competition and was the first guitarist to win the Francis Walton Soloist Competition. She has held faculty positions as the head of the Guitar department at Seattle Pacific University and Pacific Lutheran University. She has released several award winning CDs, including her debut recording, “Music of Spain and Latin America,” which was an award winner for Classical Album of the Year by the National Association of Independent Record Distributors. Hilary was recently sponsored by the US Embassy to perform and tour in South America, and has been a featured performer in international guitar festivals such as Festival Entrecuerdas in Chile, Festival Internacional de Guitarra ICPNA in Perú, and Série Grands Concerts in Québec. The Seattle Times exclaims that classical guitarist, “Hilary Field, is a dynamic player. She doesn’t just recite what can often be complex work, but imbues it with fire and grace.”
Patrice O'Neill is known throughout the Pacific Northwest for her beautiful voice and personal songwriting style, as well as her work with the popular group Mel Cooleys. Her wonderfully expressive vocals are featured on her debut solo release, Elusive, which offers original songs that present an extraordinary view of an artist at the peak of her craft. Victory Music Review has praised her "...expressive, yet delicate phrasing"; Dan Roberts wrote about "...a voice so pure and sweet that it could melt rock..."; and Pandemonium reviewer Laura Horton said "Patrice's voice is that of an angel - ; it defines beauty, and demands your attention." Patrice is also an amazing artist; all of the artwork you see on the web site, the disc packaging, and the accompanying songbook, are Patrice O'Neill originals!
For 20 years, Patrice has been Director of the award winning Wintergrass festival which takes place in Bellevue the last full weekend of February annually. Every June, she also helps to direct the Mandolin Symposium at the University of Santa Cruz with David Grisman, Mike Marshall and other exceptional instructors and players. In addition to all this, Patrice is a member of the group Uncle Bonsai. The group is currently preparing its new release Family Feast: The Study of the Human Condition, First World Problems, and the Lasting Physiological and Psychological Effects of Eating Our Young, due for release in November, 2016
Reviews
"Parent Map
Unfailingly beautiful arrangements for classical guitar, flute and mandolin weave a spell with O'Neill's achingly sweet voice. Recorded in Seattle, this is a truly outstanding collection. You'll be humming the Spanish lullaby, A La Nanita Nana, long after the baby is asleep.The Celebrity Cafe
Siente: Night Songs from Around the World from Hilary Field & Patrice O'Neill, has caressing ballads that express fond tidings. The tracks on this album are serene and will hush you into a slumber peacefully. Hilary Field & Patrice O'Neill's Siente: Night Songs from Around the World is the ideal record for new mothers and fathers to use to quiet their child and help them to sleep through the night. Its calming melodies are a surefire passport to nap time and might even aid adult listeners in taking a few winks as well.Parent's Choice
The care that went into this collection of lullabies - Indonesian, Spanish, Irish, Italian and more - is evident in each exquisite track, thoughtfully selected and executed with tenderness and grace. Classical guitarist Hilary Field did the research; her collaborator Patrice O'Neill supplies the lovely vocals; violin, flute, cello, piano and other instruments add layers of soft, rich textures. Lullabies are love songs sung to children and passed on through generations,Field and O'Neill say in the liner notes. Their album reflects that simple truth.Out With The Kids
Siente - Night Songs From Around The World is a gently sweeping record featuring Hilary Field on guitar and Patrice O'Neill on vocals. This serene album is comprised of thirteen tracks over 54 minutes - moving between continents and languages. The musicianship on this disc is stunning. The guitar is always at center stage with mandolin and elegant horns gracefully rounding out the sound on this accomplished world music lullaby collection. Any parent, especially a new mom or dad with a tiny infant at home, should cherish this disc. It is not hard to imagine a parent stealing more than a few moments of shut-eye along side their precious bundle with the songs of Siente floating softly around the nursery.North Idaho Dad
Lullabies For Grownups
This was a perfect week for lullaby music.
Not for my kids. They've outgrown the need for soothing sounds at nighttime. They'd just as soon drift off to sleep listening to The Beatles or Jason Mraz.
No, I'm the one who wanted to hear lullabies as I recovered from the flu and a couple of very tiring days of teaching.
I've found perfection with the new CD Siente: Night Songs From Around The World from classical guitarist Hilary Field and vocalist Patrice O'Neill. Siente is a collection of lullabies from around the world, sung in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and English.
The warm vocals and lush instrumentation from the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra make for an absolutely beautiful listening experience. It's like a mental massage, bringing a real sense of peace and calm to my frazzled brain at the end of the day.
The artists' website describes their CD as "lullabies for grownups... and their kids!"
Forget the kids. This one's just for me. Well, almost. My daughter just asked to play this CD in her room tonight. I guess you never outgrow this kind of beautiful music.Kidzmusic.com
"Wow, what a lovely collection of international lullabies! The arrangements are impeccable, the guitar work and vocals are spot on and, did I mention that I highly recommend this album? Well I just did!"
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