Constance Demby

The Profile

Constance Demby was an American new-age and ambient composer and multi-instrumentalist, widely recognized for the landmark album Novus Magnificat (1986).

Californian, multi-instrumentalist; active in new age/ambient music. Reviews note she founded her own record label and released Novus Magnificat in 1986, considered a milestone. The album features two extended suites, Gregorian-tinged textures, and orchestral-scale sounds created with early sampler synthesizers; Michael Stearns is cited as assisting.

Two glowing reviews celebrate Constance Demby’s Novus Magnificat (1986) as a landmark of new age/electronic music. They praise its sacred, ascetic aura, Gregorian-tinged themes, and two long suites with orchestral-scale synths. The writing is poetic and ecstatic, emphasizing “inner space” over cosmic bombast. Michael Stearns is cited as assisting, and the album’s symphonic depth is repeatedly highlighted.