{"id":124332,"date":"2026-05-15T16:32:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T20:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=124332"},"modified":"2026-05-15T16:32:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T20:32:16","slug":"interview-composer-nathan-henninger-talks-upcoming-album-romanza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/05\/15\/interview-composer-nathan-henninger-talks-upcoming-album-romanza\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Composer Nathan Henninger Talks About His Upcoming Album Romanza"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Composer
Composer Nathan Henninger in the recording studio with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While he\u2019s studied and wandered across the globe, composer and musician Nathan Henninger spent his early years in Toronto, where his father was a professor at the University of Toronto.<\/p>\n

His latest album, Romanza<\/strong>, was recorded in Budapest with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, and will be released on May 22, 2026<\/strong>. The work is a 20 minute tone poem for string orchestra, percussion, and piano, and unfolds as an emotional as well a musical journey.<\/p>\n

Five Scenes for Orchestra<\/a>, Henninger\u2019s debut album, received international broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and WDR, was featured in IDAGIO\u2019s Editor\u2019s Weekly Picks.<\/p>\n

LV talked to the composer about the process, and the music.<\/p>\n

\"Composer
Composer Nathan Henninger in the recording studio with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Composer Nathan Henninger: The Interview<\/h2>\n

Henninger found a more than willing collaborator in the Budapest Scoring Orchestra<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was looking for an orchestra in central Europe,\u201d Henninger explains. For his last album, Five Scenes for Orchestra, he\u2019d used an ensemble based in Berlin. \u201cIn between I did a single recording in Prague.
\nIt’s called Removing the Mask, and it’s for string orchestra. I just thought they did a phenomenal job with strings,\u201d he recalls.<\/p>\n

He looked at different ensembles, but kept coming back to BSO. \u201cEverything kind of aligned in Budapest.\u201d Nathan listened in on a few of their recording sessions. \u201cTheir string playing was really, really beautiful.\u201d In addition the ensemble records in a gorgeous hall with lots of woods. It was a change from the usual recording scenario, where sections are separated and recorded from different rooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt more excited and grounded doing it there. [It\u2019s a] wood based resonant hall, and the string players are world class.\u201d<\/p>\n

A lush string sound with piano was exactly what he was looking for. \u201cThey had great string players, they had a great set up for doing a traditional recording.\u201d The venue had been used for live broadcasts in the 1950s.<\/p>\n

The Budapest Scoring Orchestra has a strong reputation and history, particularly with film and TV scores. They\u2019ve worked on films like the Oscar-winning Parasite, and Jordan Peele\u2019s Get Out, among many others, including several Netflix productions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey’re really top tier as far as film scoring goes,\u201d he says. \u201cThey’re also highly competitive with the quality they consistently produce.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"L:
L: Romanza album cover; R: Composer Nathan Henninger (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When it came to the pianist, Henninger initially intended on working with a cousin who is a concert pianist. \u201cBut the logistics were difficult,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

As such, Nathan went with Marouan Benabdallah<\/strong>, a renowned Morrocan-Hungarian pianist who works with BSO often. It proved to be an inspired choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was such a prince.\u201d During the week before the recording date, Henninger went with him to the Liszt Academy of Music, where Benabdallah is a professor. \u201cIt’s your dream of what a music academy would be. It feels very timeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

He met with Benabdallah three times before the recording date to go over the nuances of the composition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really ended up adding another dimension to it. He was very receptive.\u201d Benabdallah was on board with the album\u2019s theatrical concept. \u201cIt was almost like preparing an actor, and he was so receptive to that,\u201d Henninger says. \u201cHis personality, his openness, his imagination. I feel like it played a critical role.\u201d<\/p>\n

He points out that, in most situations where you hire an orchestra and pianist, three prior rehearsals aren\u2019t necessarily a given.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did it with heart and soul, and with sincerity.\u201d<\/p>\n

That cooperative spirit echoed throughout the orchestra. He says the percussion section was ironing out last minute issues an hour before recording. \u201cThe percussion squad was so awesome.
\nIt was very agreeable, almost an improvisatory spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also credits the recording engineer for his contributions. \u201cHe is just my favourite guy. He’s such a wonderful collaborator,\u201d Henninger says. \u201cHe’s really a huge, huge partner.\u201d<\/p>\n