{"id":123972,"date":"2026-05-06T10:05:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T14:05:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=123972"},"modified":"2026-05-01T19:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T23:14:20","slug":"interview-founder-alex-bohn-talks-canadian-classical-records-inc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/05\/06\/interview-founder-alex-bohn-talks-canadian-classical-records-inc\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Founder Alex Bohn Talks About Canadian Classical Records Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_123976\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-123976\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-123976\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-01T190932.709.jpg\" alt=\"Classical Music Records, Inc. founder Alex Bohn (Photo courtesy of Alex Bohn)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-01T190932.709.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-01T190932.709-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-01T190932.709-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-05-01T190932.709-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-123976\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Classical Music Records, Inc. founder Alex Bohn (Photo courtesy of Alex Bohn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Canadian Classical Records Inc. is a brand new classical music label based in Calgary. Established by Alex Bohn, the label has already released its first album \u2014 Harmonic Breath, The Music of Palestrina by the Mysterium Duo.<\/p>\n<p>Dedicated classical music labels are few and far between in Canada, and CCR is a welcome addition to the fold.<\/p>\n<p>Harmonic Breath, with its imaginative adaptation of Renaissance music, is a glimpse at what\u2019s in store from the new label.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_123974\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-123974\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-123974\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Mysterium-Duo.jpg\" alt=\"The Mysterium Duo (Photo courtesy of the artists)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Mysterium-Duo.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Mysterium-Duo-300x226.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Mysterium-Duo-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Mysterium-Duo-768x579.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-123974\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Mysterium Duo (Photo courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Mysterium Duo: Harmonic Breath<\/h3>\n<p>Mysterium is an accordion duo, and they\u2019ve carefully curated nine adaptations of Palestrina\u2019s sacred choral musical for the new release.<\/p>\n<p>Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525 to 1594) is considered one of the leading composers of late Renaissance sacred music. His balanced polyphony became the basis for most church music, and into the Baroque era, for creating counterpoint.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find the album, available to stream or buy, [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/canadianclassical.ca\/releases\/mysteriumduo-harmonicbreath\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Alex Bohn: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>LV caught up with Canadian Classical Records Inc. founder Alex Bohn to talk about the label.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m from Calgary,\u201d Bohn begins. He explains that his background is in recording, and working in sound tech for concert halls.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI do have a Bachelor\u2019s of Music,\u201d he says. He completed his degree at the University of Lethbridge, and followed it up with a residency at the Banff Centre, and a Master\u2019s degree from McGill University in Sound Recording.<\/p>\n<p>His work experience includes sound tech at the University of Calgary\u2019s Eckhardt-Gramatt\u00e9 Hall during the COVID pandemic. Prior to COVID, he lived in New York City, working in a similar capacity at Stony Brook University in Long Island. Bohn also operated a freelance business, working with four different labels and distributors as a recording and sound technician.<\/p>\n<p>What he calls little bits and pieces gradually came together and coalesced into a record label.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_123977\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-123977\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-123977\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO.jpg\" alt=\"The Canadian Classical Records Inc. logo (Courtesy of Alex Bohn)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/CanadianClassicalRecordsInc-LOGO-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-123977\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Canadian Classical Records Inc. logo (Courtesy of Alex Bohn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Canadian Classical Records, Inc.<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to do it for a very, very long time,\u201d he says. \u201cI never imagined it would be a classical label.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s simply where his work recording live music performances led him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs I started working a lot closer with a lot of musicians, especially in the classical realm, a lot of people, they didn\u2019t know what to do with the recordings,\u201d he says. He\u2019d record their performance, but then what?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat never sat right with me,\u201d he adds. It began to build a sense of momentum. \u201cLet\u2019s let it live that extra life beyond that moment.\u201d The events, the music was wonderful. Creating the record label allowed him to help artists and ensembles to take the next step.<\/p>\n<p>In the western provinces, in particular, there was a gap when it came to recording opportunities. \u201cIn Alberta, in the Prairies, it\u2019s even less populated.\u201d Classical musicians looking to record had to leave the province.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got amazing music schools, and amazing musicians,\u201d he says. \u201cThey cut their teeth, and then they have to go out east. It\u2019s always so disappointing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His experience brought him to a vibrant classical music community in the prairies, and many people dedicated to building it. A record label would add to the momentum.<\/p>\n<h3>Releases: The Mysterium Duo<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cThey kind of gave me the kick in the butt to start this,\u201d Alex says.<\/p>\n<p>The members of the Mysterium Duo, Sir N. Antonio Peruch and Penny Sanborn, had been discussing the idea with Alex for some time. Specifically, they wanted to record their own arrangements of Palestrina\u2019s choral works for accordion duo.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s just go for it now,\u201d he told them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe album, it\u2019s really fascinating,\u201d he says. He notes its unusual instrumentation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s one of the great things about Canadian classical music [&#8230;] it\u2019s this willingness to take risks, and to do something that\u2019s non-standard in classical repertoire.\u201d It\u2019s emblematic of what he\u2019s looking for when it comes to recording projects. They can include traditional ensembles and instruments with interesting takes on old music, or new music.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe accordion is such a rich sounding instrument,\u201d he says. \u201cYou get these really interesting tones and sounds out of the accordion that you really can\u2019t replicate with any other ensemble.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_123978\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-123978\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-123978\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/DSC_6972.jpg\" alt=\"Classical Music Records, Inc. founder Alex Bohn (Photo courtesy of Alex Bohn)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/DSC_6972.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/DSC_6972-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/DSC_6972-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/DSC_6972-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-123978\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Classical Music Records, Inc. founder Alex Bohn (Photo courtesy of Alex Bohn)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Future Projects<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cRight now, my main call is for really anything Canadian,\u201d Bohn says. \u201cI\u2019d really like to focus on either Canadian artists with interesting takes, or Canadian composers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Artists and ensembles don\u2019t have to be Alberta-specific. \u201cI\u2019m not dedicated or set that it has to be someone from the Prairies,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow are Canadians engaging with classical music today?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s ready to record any kind or combination of instruments.<br \/>\n\u201cWe\u2019re a small, boutique label. It\u2019s definitely a passion project,\u201d Bohn says. His overall goal is helping artist to get heard, and offer them an option for releasing their music. He\u2019s not fussy on the details.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d be hard pressed to say no to things,\u201d he laughs. \u201cI really want to create a space where people can come and talk to me about their ideas,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can probably make something work.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find more information, including how to submit your music, and current and upcoming releases, [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/canadianclassical.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a;\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? 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