In 2019 I initiated the 40@40 Project, my personal mission to commission songs in support of the art song community. Pulling together the sparks of inspiration – making collaborative connections between the composers and poets in my life – has been one of the most fulfilling artistic endeavors of my life. These first twenty world-premiere song recordings, from composers and poets of diverse backgrounds and points of view are exceptional in their beauty, depth, quality, and range of emotional expression.                                            - Laura Strickling