Album Notes

Sam Stryke is a contemporary instrumental pianist with a talent for writing music that captures the mood.

His new Christmas CD, "Joy to the World,"ranges in moods from thrilling and expansive anthems to lush and evocative dreamscapes. Sam's fresh and contemporary sound is sure to connect well with fans of Mannheim Steamroller and George Winston.

The inspiration for this album came from Stryke's appearance with the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2007. Performing his original compositions and his arrangements of traditional carols with the backing of a full orchestra was a tremendous thrill for Stryke and he quickly went to work putting together a second Christmas album built around large-scale orchestrations.

Stryke is coming off a very successful appearance with Michael Krajewski and the Atlanta Symphony as a special guest during their 2009 holiday pops concerts. He will return to perform with the Grand Rapids Symphony during their holiday pops concerts in December 2010.