24 FLAC Discount Anna Geniushene and Lukas Geniusas both have brilliant careers as soloists: Anna won the silver medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022 and now records for Fuga Libera, while Lukas' two Rachmaninov recordings, a recital of solo works (ALPHA997) and songs with Asmik Grigorian (ALPHA796), have both won major awards. Partners in life and in art, they form a highly virtuosic and tightly knit duo. This highly varied programme pays tribute to American music with works by Gershwin, Stravinsky, Copland and McPhee, a succession of melting-pots that create fusions of classical music, jazz, Mexican music and Balinese rhythms. The spectacular and rebellious Fourth Ballad from Frederic Rzewski's North American Ballads (1978-79) is also included. This musical odyssey concludes with the vast fresco that is John Adams' magnificent Hallelujah Junction (1996). “What drew us to American music for this album is the incredible variety and rhythmic drive. Each piece on this program, whether it’s jazz-inflected, folk-inspired, or minimalist, has a strong sense of never-ending movement. Playing duo piano music is already about dialogue, and these pieces feel like they are in conversation with each other. The result is an album that captures the energy, diversity, and innovation of American music.” - Anna Geniushene and Lukas Geniušas