Following upon their Telly Award-winning collaboration on “Angels in the Garden” (in contention for a 2024 Grammy for Best Music Video), October Project features a pioneering new approach from Ukrainian artist Kseniya Simonova on their new music video, “This Is For You,” the next in a series of singles from the band’s upcoming full-length, The Ghost of Childhood.

Working for the first time with her color paintings instead of the sand art for which she is famous, Simonova conjures a beautiful visual narrative for a song full of longing and love, calling to mind the novels of Milan Kundera. Says lyricist Julie Flanders, “We so enjoyed our work with Kseniya on “Angels in the Garden,” we decided to approach her again for “This Is For You.” We love her color paintings and, although she is known for her sand paintings, we asked if she might like to try animating something from that part of her work.”  

Adds lead vocalist Marina Belica, “She set about the process of ‘digitally deconstructing to reconstruct’ each painting in order to create animation for the song. It’s a new approach for Kseniya as an artist, and a beautiful one for the song!”

Admirers of Kseniya’s work, October Project sought her out last year after the invasion of Ukraine to collaborate on a music video, with a mind to raise awareness and support for Ukrainian families experiencing wartime hardships. The band will continue the fundraiser it established for that first collaboration, ANGELS FOR UKRAINE, in tandem with this new release to support the International Rescue Committee's "Crisis in Ukraine” Emergency Fund helping families, mothers, and children displaced as a result of the conflict there.

With a mission to harmonize the world through music, October Project members Emil Adler, Julie Flanders, and Marina Belica are honored to team again with Kseniya Simonova to bring a message of the enduring power of love to the world.

ON THE BOOK OF ROUNDS

The Book of Rounds is not only an exquisitely rhapsodic cycle of musical rounds, it is also a transformative journey of consciousness—with lyrics that offer a new vocabulary of mantra—in English.

Conceived by Julie Flanders, with lyrics by Flanders and music by Emil Adler, each round is a fugue of positive messages created to invoke a feeling of well-being in those that listen to, sing or speak them. The music lifts the words beyond their ordinary meanings into an enveloping and transformative experience that is poetic and universal.

ON THE MUSIC

A round is a melody that harmonizes itself as it repeats, with voices entering at measured intervals, and cascading over each other to create a kaleidoscopic effect of meaning and beauty. Through the repetition that defines it, a round can have a profound contemplative effect.

The Book of Rounds offers many programming and sequencing possibilities to create a dramatic and a meditative arc that will move the listener through what is ultimately a relaxing, energizing and integrated experience.

ON THE WORDS

Using simple, prayer-like language, the rounds are essentially positive mantras that cascade, circle and relate in the same way the melodies do. With every repetition, each lyric begins to acquire different shades of meaning, shifting the mind and the heart of the listener. 

Julie Flanders, whose deeply influential work in the expressive arts is complemented by her profound work as a healer and spiritual teacher, describes this as one of her most personal projects. The Book of Rounds was originally written for her son—as an embrace of protection and comfort during difficult times. 

ON THE PRODUCTION

Produced by Emil Adler and internationally acclaimed recording artist October Project, The Book of Rounds – Choral Edition is performed by Chorus Austin and conducted by Ryan Heller (Artistic Director). Using an innovative approach, Adler added elements of ‘close-up’ pop recording to the more traditional methods of recording a choir in the ‘live’ sound environment of a church. The result is a more intimate, immersive experience for the listener that bridges the worlds of pop and classical music.

Vocal arrangements by Keiji Ishiguri were re-arranged by Heller for large chorus, with vocal supervision by Marina Belica. Grammy winners Ed Boyer, mixing engineer, and Bill Hare, mastering engineer, who specialize in vocal recording and have worked together on Pentatonix and Pitch Perfect among many others, add the finishing touch.

As a bonus, the duet “Eden” is reprised by acclaimed soprano Mela Dailey (Conspirare) and baritone Jonathan Christopher (lead in the National Tour of Hamilton).

October Project
This Is For You

Words & Music by Julie Flanders & Emil Adler

Produced by Emil Adler & Julian Coryell

Lead Vocals - Marina Belica

Co-Vocals - Julie Flanders

Piano, keyboards and vocals - Emil Adler

Guitars - bass, electric, acoustic - Julian Coryell

Drums - Mark Schulman

The Ghost String Quartet

The Venice Brass & Wind Ensemble

String & Brass Arrangements - Emil Adler & Julian Coryell

Recording Engineer (Basic Tracks) - Erich Gobel, West Triad Studios

Recording Engineer (Vocals) - Emil Adler, Tritone Productions

Recording Engineer (Choral)- Randy Crafton, Kaleidoscope Sound

Mixed by Erich Gobel

Mastered by Gavin Lurssen

Music Video Artist Kseniya Simonova

Art Design - Mick Wieland Design

Cover Image - Ali Cavanaugh

Kseniya Simonova
Music Video Artist

Described by Simon Cowell as “one of the most beautiful acts in the history of Got Talent,” Kseniya Simonova is a winner of Ukraine’s Got Talent and was awarded a Golden Buzzer on both America and Britain’s Got Talent. She holds the title of Merited Artist of Ukraine and has performed her sand animation shows on major stages in over 70 countries. Highlights include performances for the Queen and Princess of Denmark, members of the Royal Families of Great Britain, Thailand, Morocco, Bhutan the Presidents of Malta, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey, the Special Olympic Games closing ceremony in Athens and the YouTube Symphony orchestra Gala in the Sydney Opera house.

Instagram | YouTube

Angels for Ukraine
Fundraiser for the IRC

October Project has established ANGELS FOR UKRAINE, a fundraiser to support the International Rescue Committee's "Crisis in Ukraine” Emergency Fund. The IRC brings humanitarian aid to displaced families by providing essential items, cash assistance, improved access to health care, and safe spaces for women and children.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the war in Ukraine has sparked the largest displacement crisis in decades and placed Ukraine on the IRC’s Emergency Watchlist.

Please help support the life-saving work of the IRC in Ukraine.

https://tiltify.com/@opcares/angels-for-ukraine

October Project

Marina Belica • Julie Flanders • Emil Adler

octoberprojectmusic@gmail.com

octoberprojectmusic.com

P.O. Box 2223, New Preston, CT 06777

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