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What others have to say about.....Cantilena"In a Living Composers Forum Recital (...) the two (William Bolcom and Joan Morris) sat listening as 11 singers and a cadre of accompanists sang first, four selections from American Songbook, and then, four songs written by IU young composers, the most immediately rewarding, a Cantilena, set to an anonymous British lyric by Stephen Mager." Peter Jacobi, The Herald Times, Bloomington, IndianaDream of the PacificMager excels at conveying a wide variety of feelings -- affection, sentiment, exuberance, doubt, pain, deepest satisfaction -- all in a musical language that is both lyrical and comprehensible. I suspect that "Dream of the Pacific" is probably more exciting to perform than it is to listen to, but that is no shame in an opera for young people -- and I'll take this over "Amahl and the Night Visitors" any day.The Washington Post, 2006What others have to say about Joy for Every Age"While comparisons inevitably will be made with the cheery and eminently singable style of John Rutter's Christmas works and arrangements, these excellent carol settings by Stephen Mager exhibit a slightly different kind of charm and sophistication that owes much to its more expansive, less melody-bound conceptualizations and more fully integrated orchestrations. Rather than just follow a tune, enhancing it with orchestral color and enlivening rhythms, Mager often adds a counter-melody or unique harmonization that recasts a familiar carol in a fresh setting that--as with Rutter--is always easy on the ears. Although textures are often full and the orchestral activity busy, we never lose the voices or the track of the main tune, and texts are always clearly expressed. Mager is conscious of mood and meaning and is very good at drawing listeners into the particular character of each carol. And although there are some very well-known carols here--Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabelle; Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht; Ding, Dong! Merrily on High--more often the pieces are less commonly heard and recorded, and Mager makes it even more interesting by offering new translations of some texts and by adding a couple of original compositions to the mix. Even in Bring a torch he inserts a nifty "Gloria, Alleluia!" interlude of his own that flows beautifully back into the main melody. His use of the orchestra shows more than casual familiarity with styles of composers from earlier periods, particularly the latter-19th and 20th centuries (Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel), and he often ingeniously twists a rhythm or makes a clever tempo shift (listen to O Come little children, for example) to keep us keenly listening. The choral writing is first rate and these singers and players (oddly, the instrumentalists aren't identified) are ideal advocates for this music. Balances aren't always even and natural, but overall the sound is very complementary. My only complaint, and it's a non-musical one, is that the rather drab CD cover does nothing to suggest what joy, excitement, fine music, and terrific music making is to be found inside. Warmly recommended." --David Vernier, Classicstoday.com | 
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