The week of August 22, 2026, the Bridgetower Project Album was listed as the sixth in the Billboard Traditional Classical Albums. This is the first time the album has been listed in Billboard’s top ten.
Also, D’Rivera’s new work was the “Track of the Week” with Boosey and Hawkes. The album was released on August 7, 2026.
The album focuses on George Bridgetower’s long-overlooked legacy, the violinist who was the original dedicatee and inspiration behind Beethoven’s most celebrated works, Violin Sonata No. 9. Bridgetower premiered the work with Beethoven in 1803.
D’Rivera’s New Chamber Composition
The album includes the world premiere recording of a new chamber work by Paquito D’Rivera, inspired by Bridgetower’s only surviving composition, Henry. The new piece is entitled “Bridgetower Reimagined: Contradanza Mulattica.”
D’Rivera also performs on the album and joined by world-renowned clarinet soloist Jonathan Cohler; five-time Grammy-nominated cellist Dave Eggar; Grammy-nominated bassist Gregg August; Tchaikovsky Gold Medalist violinist Ilya Kaler; and Steinway Artist pianist Rasa Vitkauskaite.
Featured by Boosey & Hawkes – Track of the Week
The prestigious music publisher Boosey & Hawkes listed D’Rivera’s new work, “Bridgetower Reimagined: Contradanza Mulattica,” as track of the week, August 10, 2026.
“D’Rivera’s new work draws on both the opening of Beethoven’s sonata and ‘Henry’, a vocal ballad composed by Bridgetower himself. From there, he brings the material into his own musical world, weaving together elements of jazz improvisation, waltz, Afro-Cuban rhythms and contradanza in a tribute to both Bridgetower and Beethoven.”
Boosey and Hawkes
Streaming and Live Performance
You can hear the Bridgetower Project album on your favorite streaming provider.
Also, the live performance of the album will be at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 3, 2026.
