Nuova Avventura, or "New Adventure," music by Joseph Rivers, includes compositions for piano solo and for piano with violin, flute, clarinet, or string quartet. The album title suggests the new experience or opportunity that is presented to us at different times during the various seasons of our life's journey, and the music is intended to suggest images and emotions along the way. Some of the piano pieces date from early in the composer's career and are retrospective and reflective in style. Over the years he has often performed them in many formal and informal situations, and they are usually connected with places and people he has known, experienced, and loved. Other compositions are more recent and suggest more adventurous tendencies, though all the music of the album are strongly pictorial in character. This album is therefore a kind of reflective personal journey from the past to a new opening or adventure in the future. The musical style of this album is pictorial, evoking pictures or images and emotions along the journey. Nuova Avventura (“New Adventure”) is a musical odyssey mirroring life’s journey through change and new openings, reflecting nostalgically on past adventures and pointing toward the new adventure that lies ahead. Most of the tracks are for piano solo; a few also include solo flute, clarinet, violin, or string quartet. Waterfalls, Autumn Rain, and Desert Showers portray the sound and movement of water and the feelings they evoke. Enchanted Cottage, L’Amore Vince Tutto or “Love Conquers All” (piano, flute, string quartet), and Alba Veneziana (“Venetian Dawn”) are melodious and romantic. Nuova Avventura (flute and piano) and Jesu, Joy are buoyant and upbeat, marked by a rhythmic energy influenced by jazz. Cosmic Utterances is underscored by rhythmic forces emanating from the cosmos. The Magic Swing is a short miniature depicting the journey of a child into another dimension while swinging. Separazione (“Separation”), Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), and Ponte del Rialto (Rialto Bridge) are filled with reflection and nostalgia. Romanza (clarinet and piano) and Joyous Reunion display a happy demeanor combined with graceful and classical qualities. Ayumi’s Song (violin and piano) evokes impressionistic and nostalgic images of a lullaby that develop into passionate romanticism. All music was composed and arranged by Joseph Rivers. Piano tracks were performed by Joseph Rivers using the Ivory Italian Grand Piano sample library. Rivers is joined also by fellow artists Maureen O’Boyle, violin (Ayumi’s Song and L’Amore Vince Tutto), Shannon Scott, clarinet (Romanza); John Phillip Rush, flute (L’Amore Vince Tutto and Nuova Avventura); Paulo Eskitch, violin and viola (L’Amore Vince Tutto); and Diane Bucchianeri, cello (L’Amore Vince Tutto). The beautiful original art masterpiece featured on this album was originally created by Dana Lynne Andersen of Awakening Arts. Cover design was done by Adriana Rivers. Mastering was done by Mark Bryan of Houserecording. Joseph Rivers is a member of the faculty of Music and Film Studies at the University of Tulsa. He has written music for piano, orchestra, voice and a variety of instrumental combinations, as well as for the stage. He recently completed the musical score for the feature length film Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Bo Bergstrom.