Florian Hoefner's INTO THE AQUASPHERE Unites Jazz and Orchestra

Pianist and composer Florian Hoefner is set to release a new album, Into the Aquasphere, uniting a jazz quartet with a chamber orchestra. Hoefner, who has won a Juno Award and earned international acclaim for his jazz discography, has also previously composed for classical chamber music, writing the 'Blue Chapter' of 'Project Earth' by the Iris Trio and poet Don McKay.

Into the Aquasphere will be released on ALMA Records/Universal on October 23rd, 2026, and is described as Hoefner's most ambitious work yet. It is his first large ensemble project, featuring a jazz quartet of piano, bass, drums and tenor saxophone in tandem with a 22-piece classical chamber orchestra. As Hoefner stresses, 'this is not a jazz quartet accompanied by an orchestra, but one ensemble, where the quartet is fully integrated with the orchestra.' The result is neither strictly jazz nor classical, but an original symbiosis bringing out the best of both.

The album comprises three original compositions: 'Aerial Rivers,' 'AMOC,' and 'Force of Nature.' Hoefner recorded them at Studio Piccolo in Montreal in October 2024 with a cast of musicians from across North America led by conductor JC Sanford. The ensemble included John Hébert on jazz bass and Eric McPherson on drums, an all-star woodwind section including Hoefner's wife, clarinetist and bass clarinetist Christine Carter, percussionist Ben Reimer, and a string section led by Grammy Award-winning concertmaster Nathalie Bonin.

The project focuses on the elemental force of water and its influence on life, with each piece portraying a different facet of the relationship between human life and water. 'Aerial Rivers' is named after the atmospheric movements of large amounts of moisture from the Amazon Basin that sustain life over a vast area of South America. 'AMOC' references the acronym for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a system of Atlantic Ocean currents now under threat through climate change. The final composition, 'Force of Nature,' explores the elemental power of water in its many forms, drawing inspiration from water's ability to both destroy and soothe.

Explaining the choice of an aquatic theme for Into the Aquasphere, Hoefner said: 'I have always been creatively inspired by the environment. Even when I lived in Germany I always sought out nature experiences, whether it was hiking high up in the Alps or swimming in wild waters. These experiences have left a lasting impression on me and I care deeply about protecting the natural places that inspired them.'

The new album follows a productive period for Hoefner with a variety of ensembles, including his longstanding trio with Andrew Downing and Nick Fraser, a re-incarnation of his quartet, the Florian Hoefner Group, and the Atlantic Jazz Collective, an all-star ensemble he co-founded with fellow Juno Award winners saxophonist Mike Murley and bassist Jim Vivian that featured Norma Winstone and Joe LaBarbera on their 2025 Juno-nominated debut album, Seascape.

Reflecting on his artistic philosophy, Hoefner said, 'I'm driven by the challenge of finding new ways to express my musical voice. Whether through different ensembles, collaborations, or artistic contexts, my goal is always the same: to create work that connects with audiences through performance.'

Into the Aquasphere brings that philosophy to life on an extraordinary scale, uniting an ensemble that transforms Hoefner's distinctive musical voice into an immersive artistic experience.

Photo Credit: Bo Huang