project with Kent Nagano and the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra featuring the work of 20th-century Swiss composer Frank Martin, and Written With the Heart’s Blood, a 1997 Grammy Award finalist featuring works by Dimitri Shostakovich, both on the New Albion label. A year later, the Orchestra recorded and released Echoes of Argentina, featuring works of Argentine composers Alberto Williams and Alberto Ginastera on the d’Note label. In 2004, the Orchestra recorded and released Oculus, a CD of Kurt Rohde's compositions on the Mondovibe label. In 2009, the Orchestra recorded and released Together featuring works by Astor Piazzolla and 2008-2009 Featured Composer Clarice Assad on the NSS Music label. All of the recordings have been distributed both internationally and in the United States. Touring In February 2011, New Century toured nationally across the Midwest, East Coast and Southern California. In January and February 2013, the Orchestra toured nationally throughout eight states including Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Illinois and Michigan. In June 2019, the Orchestra embarked on its first international tour across Germany and Poland with performances at Philharmonie Essen, Essen; Grand Hotel, Heiligendamm; Filharmonia Szczecin, Szczecin; Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Ulrichshusen, Stolpe & Schwerin; Stiftung Frauenkirche Dresden, Dresden; Kissinger Sommer, Bad Kissingen; and Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Rendsburg/Budelsdorf. Highlights In December 1996, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade performed at the group's season opening with a new piece by composer Jake Heggie, entitled On the Road to Christmas, written specifically for von Stade. In 2000, New Century performed in a multimedia multi-ethnic collaboration with Chinese composer Gang Situ entitled Strings Calligraphy. The composition examines the parallels between string music and calligraphy, the control of the erhu bow and calligraphy paintbrush and musical renderings and the flow of calligraphy on paper. The uses of shape and line—dance, string instruments and visual imagery— were interwoven as elements of the performance. Chinese characters were projected on downstage screens, as dancers on a platform imitated the shape of the characters. Sir Simon Rattle conducted the New Century Chamber Orchestra's 10th Anniversary Celebration concert in June 2002 in a co-presentation with Marin Academy. He led the orchestra in music by Elgar, Schoenberg and Mozart. This was only the second time that Rattle had conducted in the Bay Area since 1980. In January 2008, the New Century Chamber Orchestra performed REWIND at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, a sold out special event conceived of and conducted by Paul