Below is Percussive Notes’ review of the Points of Departure CD (thanks for the kind words, Scott Robinson!) :
Points of Departure
Canadian Music Centrediscs
American percussionist Nicholas Papador has released Points of Departure, a premier CD recording of an engaging collection of contemporary percussion pieces. Dr. Papador is the principal timpanist of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Associate Professor of Percussion at Windsor University in Canada. The fact that he has studied well and comes from a strong musical upbringing is evident throughout the recording in the quality of performance and timbre he achieved. Engineered by Ray Dillard, the recordings date from 2010–12, and the CD includes a booklet of notes in English and French explaining the pieces and composers. Not only does the pristine recording quality add to the listening enjoyment, but also the tracking order of the pieces is effective in engaging the listener. Each has its own sonic percussion world where the variety, timbre, and execution add to the noticeably good experience listening to this recording offers.
Papador’s skilled performances on marimba are evident on his composition “A Very Welcome” with its extended tenth intervals in each hand and “Night Chill” by Christien Ledroit for marimba and electronics. Of the two vibraphone solos, “Ariane endormie” is a particu- larly beautiful programmatic piece by Nicholas Gilbert. The lengthy “Points d’emergence” by composer Francois Rose was a highlight for this reviewer as its use of elemental timbres with three each of metals, drums, and woods at times made the performance sound like a trio of musicians with its effective percussion counterpoint. Points of Departure is a solid artistic effort and notable contribution to contemporary percussion music.
—N. Scott Robinson
The rest of the publication is available here: