On February 20, the new album "Daimon" by pianist and composer Olivia Belli will be released by Sony Classical. At the center of the album is Belli's first piano concerto of the same name. Olivia Belli recorded the three-movement work, written in a painterly style, together with the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin and John Metcalfe as conductor. Next to it is the piano suite "Ithaca", in which cellist Raphaela Gromes, violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing, saxophonist Jess Gillam and the Canea Quartet appear as guests. The album also includes the new three-movement composition for solo piano "Sonatina for Nausicaa". Olivia Belli is currently one of the most interesting artistic personalities in neoclassical music. The starting point for the composition of "Daimon" was Homer's Odyssey. "It was Odysseus' fate to return to his homeland of Ithaca," says Olivia Belli. "His wife and son were waiting there - everything that made him tick." The idea that every life is essentially a journey that inevitably leads us to our true purpose deeply fascinated the Italian artist. This concept gave rise to the piano concerto, which features influences from Italian baroque music. It consists of three movements: The Departure, The Journey and The Return. The second movement, The Journey, stands out in particular. It reflects the trials, hardships and suffering that Odysseus encountered on his travels, which unfold as impressively epic soundscapes. Olivia Belli can particularly identify with Odysseus' trials on his travels. As a child, she moved around a lot with her parents, which always gave her the feeling that something was missing in her life - even if she couldn't put her finger on it. That changed at the age of 14, when an accident confined her to bed for several months. "During this time, I was completely thrown back on myself. Without any distractions, I realized what I really needed: music and nature." She had reached the point described by Socrates: "You must know who you are before you go out into the world." Music thus became what the Greek term "daimon" expresses - her guiding spirit. Olivia Belli pays tribute to Odysseus' wife Penelope with a piano solo at the center of the "Ithaca Suite", whose melody gently oscillates between melancholy and hope. "There is no Ulysses without Penelope," reflects the musician. "Knowing that you are not alone is essential. We exist above all thanks to the people by our side." Cellist Raphaela Gromes, violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing and saxophonist Jess Gillam shine as guest musicians in these Rencontres. Her openness to joint creative processes and her keen sense of musical dialog make Olivia Belli a sought-after partner - both as a pianist and as a composer. The album ends with the "Sonatina for Nausicaa". Nausicaa was the daughter of the Phaeacian king Alkinoos. She did not hesitate when she found the shipwrecked Odysseus on the shore, but offered him clothing and food. "Today, few people would invite a homeless person into their home," observes Olivia Belli. "For many, the value of a person is measured primarily in terms of success or money. But we all have our own unique calling."