This album is comprised of five virtuosic viola pieces that explore some of the many varied aspects of American music. All the composers are American with one exception: Russian Nikolai Kapustin, included because he incorporates American jazz elements in his music. The other composers featured are: GRAMMYr award-winning conductor, composer, pianist and violinist, John McLaughlin Williams, conductor on several recordings for the Naxos "American Classics" series, African-American composer and concert pianist George Walker, composer Ross Lee Finney, whose second viola sonata (1953, rev. 1955) implements the 12- tone technique, and Washington, DC based composer Jeffery Mumford, whose piece, "Wending," is a musical portrait and celebration of violist Wendy Richman. GRAMMYr nominated violist Eliesha Nelson has a passion for performing and promoting music of neglected composers who have created masterworks for the viola. She has been critically acclaimed in international publications for her outstanding interpretive abilities. She is a marvelous player... a ravishing violist..."