Luka Šulić / Archi dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia / Luigi Piovano ANTONIO VIVALDI The Four Seasons

After seven years of touring the world as part of the critically acclaimed duo 2CELLOS, Luka Šulić returns to his classical roots with his first solo album for Sony Classical.  A graduate of London's Royal Academy of Music and a prize-winning cellist, Luka Šulić takes on one of the most iconic works in classical music for his first independent recording project. Available everywhere Friday, October 25, his dramatic interpretation of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is the first complete recording of the popular cycle of Baroque concertos arranged for a cello soloist.

"I've loved Vivaldi's Four Seasons since I was a child," says Luka Šulić of his newest project, adding, "I've always wanted to play the piece on the cello and love taking on new challenges."

Even in a Baroque masterpiece, Luka Šulić is ready to defy expectations and shatter boundaries. Though hundreds of traditional recordings exist of The Four Seasons with a violin soloist, Luka Šulić's recording will be the first complete version – his own painstaking work – that reimagines all four concertos of The Four Seasons for a cello soloist.

"Four Seasons is a very demanding piece for violin, let alone cello, so it was a long and difficult process for me," says Luka Šulić.  "I spent two years preparing the arrangement, little by little, piece by piece.  In the end, I hope listeners will feel the same excitement I did while making this album and bringing Vivaldi's iconic work to the cello for the first time."

Joining Luka Šulić for the recording is the Archi dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Maestro Luigi Piovano, himself a cellist and musical director of the chamber ensemble and Rome's renowned Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.  Luigi Piovano commends Luka Šulić's ambitious undertaking, remarking, "If Vivaldi was alive, he would probably say, 'Wow, that's a great idea!'"

"Throughout my career, I'm always trying to introduce new audiences to the music I love and grew up with, selecting pieces I connect with on an emotional level," says Luka Šulić.  "Vivaldi's Four Seasons is an instantly recognizable piece, making it a perfect entry point to classical music.  I truly think it can make anyone fall in love with classical music and I look forward to releasing the album and performing it for audiences around the world."