INTO THE AQUASPHERE, new album from FLORIAN HOEFNER out on Alma Records/Universal October 23, 2026
September 25, 2026Juno Award winner Florian Hoefner proudly announces his most ambitious work to date, Into the Aquasphere, a genre-defying fusion of jazz quartet and 22-piece chamber orchestra exploring water’s power and fragility.
Florian Hoefner, Juno Award-winning pianist and composer, presents his highly anticipated new album, Into The Aquasphere. This is Hoefner’s first large ensemble project, uniting a jazz quartet (piano, bass, drums, tenor saxophone) with a full chamber orchestra in one fully integrated ensemble — not a soloist accompanied by strings, but a true symbiosis of jazz and classical language.
Into The Aquasphere will be available worldwide on CD, Streaming, Digital, Dolby Atmos + Hi-Res Digital Platforms. Pre-order/Pre-save
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The first single, Force Of Nature, is out today. Listen
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Watch the sizzle reel of “Into The Aquasphere” on YouTube
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Recorded at Studio Piccolo in Montreal in October 2024, Into The Aquasphere was led by conductor JC Sanford and features an all-star cast, including John Hébert (bass), Eric McPherson (drums), Christine Carter (clarinet, bass clarinet), and Grammy Award-winning concertmaster Nathalie Bonin. The album’s three original compositions explore water’s role as a life-giving and world-shaping force, from the atmospheric moisture systems of the Amazon to the Atlantic currents now threatened by climate change.
Beyond its cinematic scope, Into The Aquasphere is a meeting of jazz and classical sensibilities. As Florian 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.
“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,” says Hoefner.
Into The Aquasphere brings Hoefner’s artistic philosophy to life on an extraordinary scale, transforming his distinctive musical voice into a powerful, immersive artistic experience. A must-hear for jazz and classical enthusiasts alike, this is more than an album—it’s a bold artistic statement introducing a new symbiosis of genres.
“Florian Hoefner is a cerebral and harmonically daring pianist.”
- Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat.
“Hoefner turns a self-imposed challenge into a poetic conception of real depth.”
- Brian Morton, Jazz Journal.
“Hoefner’s own poetry can also be chameleonic as he invents new harmonies and chords that are tantamount to reinventing tonality itself. [...] sublimely evocative music.”
- Raul Da Gama, The Whole Note.
“Hoefner is one of Canada’s most interesting young jazz pianists.”
-Colin Story, The WholeNote.
Into The Aquasphere marks a new artistic horizon for Florian Hoefner.
Track Listing
1. Aerial Rivers
2. AMOC
3. Force Of Nature
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