DC Metro Theater Arts: Anne Akiko Meyers with Annapolis Symphony Orchestra

DC Metro Theater Arts
Charles Green

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s continuing Masterworks Series, as part of this season’s celebration of Beethoven’s two hundred fiftieth birthday, takes the theme, “Beethoven Discovers America,” in which the Orchestra looks at Beethoven’s influence on American music, and as Music Director and Conductor Jose-Luis Novo explains, composers from Europe brought the European musical traditions to America and adapted it.

The violin concerto, Orchard in Fog, is, as Dr. Franklin commented, adventurous, charming, and inventive. Commissioned by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, and performed for the first time in 2018, Schoenberg was inspired by a photograph hanging in his bedroom of the orchard where he and his wife married. The concerto’s three movements tell of an old man looking back on his life, remembering the youthful joy with his wife, and preparing to leave everything behind. As Maestro Novo explained, it is different from most concertos, in that the first and third movements are slow, and the second is fast, while most are the opposite. Another unique quality is the use of scordatura throughout, with Meyer’s G string tuned instead to an F while the rest of the strings maintain their normal tuning.

Meyers is an absolute joy to watch, playing the first movement meditatively and thoughtfully, with moments of powerful emotion. The Symphony blends well with her violin, a few unusual musical sounds working well with it. The second movement is all energy, with almost a pop music, heroic feel to it, drums beating along with the violins. It is thrilling.

The scordatura is used because Schoenberg wanted the piece to sound “closer to the earth.” It is again reflective and calm, with moments of emotional power. The ending slowly fades out, and there are a few beats of thoughtful silence. It is a beautiful work, delightfully unusual and complements the two other pieces.

To read the complete concert review, click here.

Grand Teton Music Festival Announces 2020 Season: 20/20 Visionaries

2020 marks two momentous events: Beethoven’s 250th birthday and the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.
 
Known as “The Equality State,” Wyoming granted women the right to vote in 1869, more than 50 years before suffrage and the first in the Union to do so. It was also – in 1825 – the first to elect a female governor. And in 1920, Jackson Hole became the first town in the country to be governed by an all-female Town Council.
 
2020 also gives us the opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary life and legacy of Ludwig van Beethoven. His music has enriched people’s lives for more than two centuries, and his works are as relevant to our lives in the 21st century as they were the day they were premiered.
 
20/20 Visionaries commemorates these historical occasions by paying homage to women in classical music – instrumentalists, singers, conductors, and composers; by thrilling performances of some of Beethoven’s most beloved works; and by masterpieces of composers on whom he had a lasting impact.
 
World-renowned conductor and GTMF Music Director Donald Runnicles comments, “For seven weeks in the summer of 2020, audiences in Jackson Hole will again experience one of the finest orchestras in the world. The uniquely seductive alchemy of music, musicians and mountains informs and inspires another season, bringing together the world's finest – we welcome back among others musical giants such as Renée Fleming and Garrick Ohlsson. We welcome for the first time the great violinist Midori and the conductor Eun Sun Kim. Beethoven, Mahler, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Sibelius – both literally and metaphorically, wherever you look, whatever you hear – veritable mountain peaks. That is the Grand Teton Music Festival.”
 
Grand Teton Music Festival’s 2020 Summer Season begins July 3 and runs through August 22 – a season of joy and celebration, with Maestro Donald Runnicles, renowned guest artists, and the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra.
 
GTMF Presents Bernadette Peters
Friday, July 3, 8 pm
The festivities begin with Tony Award-winning superstar Bernadette Peters. Regarded as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of Stephen Sondheim, her starring roles in Annie Get Your Gun, Into the Woods, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly! are legendary. Peters makes her GTMF debut with an evening of Broadway favorites.
 
Patriotic Pops
Saturday, July 4, 6 pm
Donald Runnicles leads the GTMF Festival Orchestra through a spectacular concert of patriotic pops classics in this spirited holiday celebration. The evening culminates with a veteran tribute during the US Armed Forces Medley. 
 
The Heroic Life
Friday, July 10, 8 pm and Saturday, July 11, 6 pm
Beethoven kicks off this season’s weekend concerts with Donald Runnicles conducting the Festival Orchestra in the Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” The Orchestra also performs two haunting Strauss masterpieces — Four Last Songs with soprano Erin Wall and Death and Transfiguration.
 
GTMF Presents Time for Three
Wednesday, July 15, 8 pm
Known for their rock concert energy and dynamic arrangements, celebrated classical crossover group Time for Three returns to GTMF with a vibrant program bridging classical composers and popular tunes. Their repertoire spans the Bach Double Concerto to Eleanor Rigby to Coldplay.  
 
GTMF Presents Renée Fleming
Thursday, July 16, 8 pm
Opera star Renée Fleming “is the go-to soprano for royals, world leaders, and Broadway musicals” [The Guardian], and she makes her much-anticipated return to the GTMF stage with a program of beloved opera repertoire and musical theater favorites. Among her many accomplishments, Fleming is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, a Tony nominee, and a 16-time Grammy nominee with four wins.

GTMF Musicians Take Center Stage
Friday, July 17, 8 pm and Saturday, July 18, 6 pm
Runnicles conducts GTMF flutist Angela Jones-Reus and harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson in a performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp with the Festival Orchestra. Also on the program is the world premiere of a GTMF commission by Melody Eötvös and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.
 
GTMF Presents Gil Shaham & Adele Anthony
Wednesday, July 22, 8 pm
Enjoy a night of violin virtuosity with “one of today’s preeminent violinists” [The New York Times] Gil Shaham and his wife, violinist Adele Anthony. Shaham is a Grammy Award-winner, Musical America’s Instrumentalist of the Year, and a winner of the coveted Avery Fisher Prize.
 
The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos
Friday, July 24, 8 pm and Saturday, July 25, 6 pm
Beethoven’s piano concertos are some of his greatest works, and hearing them over the course of two evenings offers incredible perspective on Beethoven’s compositional breadth. In a grand celebration of Beethoven, pianist Garrick Ohlsson reunites with conductor Donald Runnicles for a pair of magical evenings paying tribute to the composer with Beethoven’s five immortal Piano Concertos.
 
GTMF Presents Clarice Assad
Wednesday, July 29, 8 pm
Composer, pianist, and vocalist Clarice Assad makes her GTMF debut in a special evening of her wildly-adventurous compositions marrying piano and voice, with influences stemming from classical, Brazilian, contemporary, jazz and world music repertoire.
 
Tchaikovsky's Fourth         
Friday, July 31, 8 pm and Saturday, August 1, 6 pm
Check out Eun Sun Kim before your city friends!  Hot on the heels of her appointment as San Francisco Opera’s Music Director, Eun Sun Kim conducts cellist Johannes Moser in his return to GTMF, performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Festival Orchestra. Completing the evening are Clarice Assad’s Bonecos de Olinda and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.
 
GTMF Presents St. Lawrence String Quartet
Wednesday, August 5, 8 pm
The acclaimed ensemble takes the stage to perform Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 4, John Adams’ String Quartet No. 2 and Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 131.
 
Jests and Conquests
Friday, August 7, 8 pm and Saturday, August 8, 6 pm
With the Festival Orchestra, the St. Lawrence String Quartet takes on John Adams’ Absolute Jest, Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra. Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 round out this stellar concert, conducted by Karina Canellakis, winner of the 2016 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.
 
GTMF Presents Dover Quartet
Wednesday, August 12, 8 pm
The Dover Quartet returns to GTMF to lend its distinctive sound to a program of Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18, No. 2, Bartok’s String Quartet No. 2, and Ravel’s glorious String Quartet.
 
Mahler in the Mountains
Friday, August 14, 8 pm and Saturday, August 15, 6 pm
As one of the world’s leading Mahler interpreters, Donald Runnicles’ “Mahler in the Mountains” concerts have become a pilgrimage for GTMF patrons. The Maestro conducts the Utah Symphony Chorus, soprano Jacquelyn Stucker, and mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford in Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”.
 
GTMF Presents Daniela Liebman
Wednesday, August 19, 8 pm
Seventeen-year-old Mexican pianist and rising star Daniela Liebman graces the GTMF stage with a colorful program of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110, Debussy’s Images, Book I, Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28, and Chopin’s Ballades.

Fiery Violin
Friday, August 21, 8 pm and Saturday, August 22, 6 pm
To conclude a spectacular season, conductor James Conlon and violin legend Midori team up for Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, in the virtuoso violinist’s GTMF debut. Completing the program are Beethoven’s Coriolon Overture and Egmont Overture and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Chamber Music Nights
Tuesdays: July 7, 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11 and 18 at 7 pm; Thursdays: July 9, 23, 30, August 6, 13 and 20 at 8 pm 
The Haberfeld Chamber Series on Tuesdays at St. John’s Episcopal Church and Thursday Chamber Series at Walk Festival Hall feature the artistry of GTMF’s world-class Festival Musicians. Enjoy core classical repertoire mixed with rarely heard gems. 

Purchase tickets online at gtmf.org or by calling 307.733.1128. The Fritz Box Office at Walk Festival Hall opens June 19.

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About the Grand Teton Music Festival (GTMF)
Over seven weeks each summer, the Grand Teton Music Festival unites 228 celebrated orchestral musicians led by Music Director Donald Runnicles. These musicians represent 64 orchestras and 47 institutions of higher learning throughout Europe and North America. In addition to orchestral concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, the summer season also features visiting guest artists and chamber music on weekdays.

GTMF is the single largest performing arts presenter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming with nearly 100 annual events. GTMF presents yearlong programming that includes monthly community concerts, a Winter Festival in February, the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series, and education programs for Teton County Students.

GTMF is a 4-star charity as rated by Charity Navigator and has a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

Artsfile: Nicolas Namoradze - Sound Explorer

Artsfile
Peter Robb

Nicolas Namoradze thinks deeply about his chosen career as a piano soloist and a composer.

Before he entered the 2018 Honens competition, he had spent some four years giving himself time to prepare for the spotlight. When he won, he says he was ready to step onto wider stages including in Ottawa. Namoradze will perform here on March 5 at Southminster Church, part of Roland Graham’s Master Piano Recital Series.

He told ARTSFILE from Berlin, Germany, that he had done competitions as a teenager in Europe and had enjoyed the experience, “but I felt that I wanted to give myself more time before putting myself out in the limelight. I felt I needed more time to expand my repertoire and to find out who I am as an artist. This meant finding what I wanted to play and how to play it before stepping out into the fray.”

This hiatus, for sake of a better word, meant he stepped away from active concertizing and from competing. It afforded an important space. “That’s when I started composing seriously again.”

To read more about Namoradze’s journey, click here.

The Toronto Star: Jewish music is honoured — but what is it?

The Toronto Star
William Littler

Many years ago the American composer Virgil Thomson was asked how to write American music. “First you be an American,” Thomson replied. “Then you write any kind of music you like.” 

It was a good answer, although it avoided the questioner’s implication that certain qualities should be involved to make one kind of music different from another.

During much of the 19th century, an age of nationalism, those qualities were often rooted in folk traditions. The visiting Czech composer Dvorak advised his American colleagues to look to their country’s Black heritage for inspiration. 

Musical styles became more internationalized during the 20th century and yet the question of stylistic identity persists. Witness a press conference I attended not long ago in Montreal, during which $200,000 prizes were awarded for the composition of Jewish music.

Every two years, beginning in 2014, the Azrieli Foundation has awarded the Azrieli Prize for Jewish music to a composer deemed by a jury (including Montreal conductor Boris Brott) to have written the best new major work of Jewish music.

To read more about the Azrieli prizes, click here.

Bravo! Vail Announces 2020 Season

Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott celebrates 10 seasons as Artistic Director in a summer that includes Yuja Wang playing three different piano concertos; premieres of commissioned works by Caroline Shaw, Mason Bates and Chris Rogerson; highly anticipated returns to Vail by Music Directors Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Jaap van Zweden; plus performances by Pinchas Zukerman, Edgar Meyer, Gil Shaham, Kelli O’Hara, Conrad Tao and Dover Quartet

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival announces its 2020 season, an all-star celebration of leading artists and ensembles-with residencies of world-renowned orchestras and chamber ensembles-exciting premieres and world-class artistry. The Festival opens on June 25 and includes residencies by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. The Festival consists of more than 100 concerts and Education & Engagement events in venues across the Vail Valley.

Artist Highlights

• Bravo! Vail celebrates pianist Anne-Marie McDermott's tenth season as Artistic Director in a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No 25 in C major, K. 503 with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Ms. McDermott also performs chamber music on July 7, 14, 16 and August 6

• The Chamber Orchestra of Europe makes its festival debut as the international chamber orchestra in residence on June 25, 27 and 28

• Pianist Yuja Wang performs three different piano concertos in three concerts, June 25, 27 and 28

• Pianist Conrad Tao makes a triumphant return with the New York Philharmonic and Jaap van Zweden on July 26

• Pinchas Zukerman performs on violin and viola across two evenings with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, July 1 and 2

• Edgar Meyer performs an evening of his own compositions alongside works by Bach, July 27

• Pianist Beatrice Rana makes her Bravo! Vail debut, performing with Bramwell Tovey, July 29

• Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo makes his Bravo! Vail debut, performing Mozart conducted by Pinchas Zukerman, July 2

• Dover Quartet co-curates and performs as part of Bravo's adventurous Classically Uncorked Series presented by Meiomi Wine on August 4, 5 and 6

• Verona Quartet serves in its second season as the festival's Chamber Ensemble in Residence

• Conductor Jeff Tyzik returns for his 27th season at Bravo! Vail for three Fourth of July weekend concerts, July 4, 5 and 6

• Bravo! Vail debut of baritone Davóne Tines in recital, chamber music and on Bravo! Vail After Dark

• Truls Mørk joins Anne-Marie McDermott to play chamber music

Premieres

• Vail premiere of Bravo! Vail co-commissioned work by Caroline Shaw as part of the Chamber Music Series, performed by Omer String Quartet, July 21

• World premiere of co-commissioned work by Mason Bates, the Kennedy Center's first composer in residence

• World premiere of Bravo! Vail-commissioned work by Chris Rogerson as part of the Classically Uncorked presented by Meiomi Wine, August 5

• Vail premieres of Jeder Baum spricht by Iman Habibi as well as Valerie Coleman's Umjoa by The Philadelphia Orchestra

• Vail premiere of Jessie Montgomery's Starburst with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, July 1

Music Highlights

• Bravo! Vail celebrates Mahler's New York with Jaap van Zweden and the New York Philharmonic. Concerts will feature Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No 2 "Resurrection" on July 24 and 25

• Bramwell Tovey returns to Vail conducting Sondheim & Bernstein

• The introduction of Anne-Marie McDermott's newest artistic initiative, "Immersive Experiences," which features Beethoven's complete piano and violin sonata oeuvre over three concerts

• Conrad Tao performs Beethoven on a Philharmonic program which juxtaposes the 19th-century master with the music of Steve Reich, July 26

• Jeff Tyzik conducts a unique symphonic experience paying homage to The Beatles in "Revolution: The Music of The Beatles, A Symphonic Experience," July 5

Education & Engagement Highlights

• As part of Bravo! Vail's Free Family Concerts, Verona Quartet performs chamber music in a family-friendly interactive format and setting

• Philharmonic Archivist and Historian Emeritus Barbara Haws leads an Inside the Music enrichment event celebrating Mahler's New York during the New York Philharmonic residency

• Events spotlight the Piano Fellows for the 2020 season, Yuchong Wu and Tony Yike Yang, invited as part of Bravo! Vail's Professional Development initiatives

Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott says, "In my 10th year of serving as Artistic Director of Bravo! Vail I could not be more inspired or humbled. Extraordinary artists, audiences, music and atmosphere come together for seven glorious weeks because of extraordinary teamwork and commitment and generosity. It's remarkable."

TICKETED EVENTS

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Bravo! Vail presents the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in its debut at Bravo! Vail performing with pianist Yuja Wang, returning to Bravo! for the second time, across three compelling nights of concerts featuring orchestra leader Lorenza Borrani.

• June 25: Yuja Wang Plays Chopin with Wang performing Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, plus a performance of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1.

• June 27: Yuja Wang Plays Shostakovich featuring Wang performing Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, plus Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1, Classical and Schumann's Symphony No. 4.

• June 28: Yuja & Mendelssohn where Wang performs Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 before Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5, Reformation.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Celebrating its 22nd season at Bravo! Vail, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra lends its characteristic dynamism to these exciting programs led by conductor, violinist and violist Pinchas Zukerman and Jeff Tyzik.

• July 1: Zukerman & Dvořák with violinist Zukerman and cellist Amanda Forsyth highlighting this program showcasing Dvořák.

• July 2: An Evening of Mozart with violinist Fumiaki Miura, pianist Yekwon Sunwoo and Zukerman performing on viola and conducting this all-Mozart program.

• July 4: Patriotic Concert conducted by Jeff Tyzik.

• July 5: Revolution: Music of The Beatles, A Symphonic Experience conducted by Tyzik.

• July 6: Music from the Movies including West Side Story, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Fiddler on the Roof and more, all conducted by Tyzik.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

The "Fabulous Philadelphians" shine in their 14th Bravo! Vail season, which includes music by Iranian Canadian composer and pianist Habibi, cellist Truls Mørk, solo performances by pianist and Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott, pianist Behzod Abduraimov, and captivating musical talent of Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting three inventive programs and Principal Guest Conductor Stéphane Denève conducting two powerful programs.

• July 10: Beethoven & Yannick Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a concert contrasting a new work by Iman Habibi with Beethoven's Fifth and Sixth symphonies.

• July 11: Yannick Conducts the "New World" Symphony with distinguished Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk performing Shostakovich's First Cello Concerto.

• July 12: Mozart & An Alpine Symphony with Bravo! Vail's Artistic Director pianist Anne-Marie McDermott performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25, paired with Strauss' epic Alpine Symphony

• July 15: Warner Bros. Presents: Bugs Bunny at the Symphony 30th Anniversary with the scores performed live as your favorite cartoons are shown on the big screen over the stage.

• July 17: Denève Conducts Tchaikovsky with pianist Behzod Abduraimov performing Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini before Tchaikovsky's thrilling Symphony No. 6 Pathétique.

• July 18: Sibelius & Rachmaninoff: Sibelius' Violin Concerto, programmed with Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3, all under the direction of Denève.

Bravo! Vail Gala

Following the opening night of the New York Philharmonic, this event features a special guest appearance by Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara.

• July 22: The Bravo! Vail Gala returns in 2020. Proceeds from the event help advance Bravo! Vail's mission of enriching lives through the power of music. The gala takes place on the evening of July 22, immediately following the opening night performance of the New York Philharmonic. Further details to be announced.

New York Philharmonic

Jaap van Zweden returns to Vail for the second season as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, leading four stunning programs including a celebration of Mahler's New York.

• July 22: van Zweden & Kelli O'Hara Maestro van Zweden conducts Wagner, Barber and Tchaikovsky with soprano Kelli O'Hara singing Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 along with a selection of Broadway numbers.

• July 24: Mozart & Mahler with Grammy award-winning violinist Gil Shaham performing Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, Turkish before Mahler's Symphony No. 1.

• July 25: Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" Mahler's New York concludes with van Zweden conducting the Philharmonic and the combined forces of the Colorado Symphony Chorus and the Bravo! Vail Festival Chorus. Soprano Joélle Harvey and mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke are the soloists.

• July 26: Conrad Tao returns after last summer's auspicious Bravo! Vail debut to play Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 on a program that juxtaposes Beethoven with the Vail premiere of Steve Reich's Music for Ensemble and Orchestra.

• July 28: Sondheim & Bernstein with Bramwell Tovey conducting works by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.

• July 29: Tovey Conducts Tchaikovsky & Berlioz with pianist Beatrice Rana performing a program of Dvorák's Slavonic Dance No. 8, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique.

Chamber Music Series

Four programs celebrate the art of chamber music from every era including a Bravo! Vail co-commission.

• July 7: Dallas Symphony Winds and McDermott Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott joins forces with wind players of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra-flutist Kara Kirkendoll Welch, oboist Erin Hannigan, clarinetist Gregory Raden, bassoonist Ted Soluri and horn Alexander Kienle. Beethoven's Quintet for Piano and Winds, Op. 16, and two works by Poulenc-Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano Op. 43 and Sextet for Piano and Winds-comprise the program.

• July 14: The Art of the Piano Trio, cellist Truls Mørk and Bravo's Artistic Director, pianist Anne-Marie McDermott perform Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio and Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 1. Violinist to be announced at a later date.

• July 21: Omer String Quartet Bravo! Vail co-commissioned a string quartet from Caroline Shaw and entrusted its Vail premiere to the Omer String Quartet, which is returning to the festival for the third time after serving as the Chamber Ensemble in residence for two seasons prior.

• July 27: An Evening With Edgar Meyer including Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, juxtaposed with Meyer's own works.

Immersive Experiences

Bravo! Vail's inaugural Immersive Experiences series is a riveting three-concert deep dive into Beethoven's Complete Sonatas for Piano and Violin performed in their entirety by Anne-Marie McDermott and Ida Kavafian. The series expands the festival's incredible variety of intimate performances. Pre-concert talks, a film screening and artist Q&As create a fascinating weekend journey into one of the most innovative, influential composers of all time.

• July 31: Beethoven Piano & Violin Sonatas, Part I featuring Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, 4 & 3.

• August 1: Beethoven Piano & Violin Sonatas, Part II featuring Sonatas Nos. 5, 6 & 7.

• August 2: Beethoven Piano & Violin Sonatas, Part III featuring Sonatas Nos. 8, 9 & 10.

Classically Uncorked presented by Meiomi Wine

An engaging three-concert series by world-renowned ensembles showcasing exciting examples of unique programming, including two world premieres, all co-curated by Dover Quartet. Verona Quartet serves in its second season as the festival's Chamber Ensemble in Residence.

• August 4: Dover & Verona: Dover Quartet and Verona Quartet join forces to perform two thrilling octets for strings by Mendelssohn and Enescu.

• August 5: Bates, Barber & Shaw: Dover Quartet invites baritone Davóne Tines for a performance of Samuel Barber's Dover Beach and Caroline Shaw's By and By. Also on this program is the world premiere of an acoustic string quartet by Mason Bates.

• August 6: Piano Quintet: Dover Quartet & McDermott perform the world premiere of Rogerson's Piano Quintet (a Bravo! Vail commission) alongside Mozart and Ravel.

The Linda & Mitch Hart Soirée Series

Four evenings of chamber music and fine dining in magnificent private residences in the Vail Valley.

• June 29: Members of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe perform Mozart's Clarinet Quintet and Passacaglia by Handel/Halvorsen.

• July 9: Music for Harp & String Quartet Harpist Elizabeth Hainen & Aizuri Quartet perform works for solo harp and harp and string quartet by Menotti, Caplet, Gradjany, Liszt and Debussy

• July 16: Four Hands: Denève & McDermott perform Fauré, Ravel and Schubert

• July 30: An Evening With Bramwell Tovey who performs solo piano works.

Bravo! Vail After Dark

This high-energy series features one exciting musical adventure after another with diverse performances by visionary artists. Three wide-ranging evenings of classical and contemporary music at the Shakedown Bar, a renowned live music venue with an informal vibe.

• July 12: Aizuri String Quartet

• July 26: Musicians from the New York Philharmonic in a concert curated by Isaac Thompson, featuring the music of Steve Reich

• August 2: Davóne Tines, baritone and Adam Nielsen, piano

FREE EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

These programs feature emerging artists and artists from visiting orchestras and ensembles and create meaningful connections, inspire musical curiosity and share the joy of great music with the broadest possible audience.

Access & Exposure

These programs create entry points and increase access to live performances.

• Free Concert Series: Hour-long chamber music concerts performed at the Vail Interfaith Chapel and other community venues throughout the Valley. Includes three performances by the Aizuri String Quartet.

• Family Concerts: New this summer, Free Family Concerts at the Brush Creek Pavilion and the Eagle Vail Pavilion provide an hour of classical chamber music performed by Verona Quartet in a family-friendly interactive format and setting.

• Little Listeners @ The Library: Engaging performances by festival artists followed by age-appropriate musical activities in area libraries.

• Community Collaborations: Through collaborative partnerships with Roundup River Ranch, Vail Health, Golden Eagle Senior Center and Vail Symposium, Bravo! Vail is able to use the arts to strengthen community, bring music to audiences outside the concert hall and enhance understanding through innovative interactive programs.

Instruction & Education

• Year-Round Piano and Violin Lessons: Bravo! Vail's popular afterschool programs include group classes and performance opportunities throughout the year.

• Music Education Night: Summer piano and violin students are invited to attend an orchestra concert.

• Meet-and-Greets: Students are given several opportunities to connect with festival artists during the spring in-school residency program and throughout the summer.

Enrichment
These programs build context for understanding and enjoyment.

• Inside the Music: Masterclasses and moderated discussions that create connections and provide unique perspectives into repertoire and the artistic process.

Professional Development
These initiatives support the next generation of artists and arts leaders. Piano Fellows and Chamber Musicians in Residence gain valuable opportunities to perform, teach, and learn side by side with renowned festival musicians. Bravo's Summer Internship Program is unsurpassed in its reputation of advancing participants into successful careers in arts administration and nonprofit management.

• Piano Fellows: Each year, Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott personally selects two young pianists to spend an immersive two weeks at Bravo! Vail, performing in varied programs for diverse audiences with the esteemed musicians of the festival. This year, the Piano Fellows are Yuchong Wu and Tony Yike Yang.

• Yuchong Wu - a native of China, was awarded a full scholarship to Juilliard's pre-college program; took third prize at the 2017 Bösendorfer International Competition; second prize in the International Young Artist Audition; and was a semi-finalist with the Elias String Quartet in the 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition.

• Tony Yike Yang - He took fifth prize at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition at sixteen, the youngest-ever laureate of the competition.

Ticket Information
Click here for ticket information.

About Bravo! Vail Music Festival

The Bravo! Vail Music Festival brings world-renowned musicians to picturesque venues throughout the Vail Valley for nearly seven weeks, drawing music lovers from around the world. The only festival in North America to host four of the world’s finest orchestras in a single season, Bravo! Vail celebrates its 33rd season from June 25 through August 6, 2020. The 2020 season features residencies with the debut of The Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the return of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. In addition, internationally acclaimed chamber artists and soloists perform a wide array of unique and carefully curated chamber music programs. Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott has led the festival since 2011. For more information about Bravo! Vail, visit bravovail.org or call 970.827.5700.

Event details including programs and artists are subject to change. Visit bravovail.org for complete season information and updates.

Violinist.com: For the Record, Virgil Boutellis-Taft's 'Incantation'

Violinist.com
Laurie Niles

Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Here's a young violinist worth a good listen, and he will also be performing in Carnegie Hall April 28. French violinist Virgil Boutellis-Taft presents a wide-ranging album that includes Bruch's Kol Nidrei; Vitali's Chaconne; Saint-Saëns, Danse macabre (a world premiere arrangement by Paul Bateman); Tchaikovsky's Sérénade mélancolique; Bloch's Nigun (from Baal Shem); Chausson's Poème; and Shigeru Umebayashi's "Yumeji’s Theme" from Wong Kar-Wai's film "In the Mood for Love."

To read the full review, click here.

International Piano Magazine: Marc-André Hamelin's Feinberg Album Named Album of the Month

International Piano Magazine
Bryce Morrison

Marc-André Hamelin’s latest solo album, Samuil Feinberg’s Piano Sonatas, is featured in the March issue of International Piano Magazine as Album of the Month.

"It is difficult to imagine any living pianist other than Hamelin who could confront this music - music that is stranger than strange - with such compelling mastery, eloquence and lucidity." 

To read the complete review, click here.

Limelight: INSIDE THE SHANGHAI ORCHESTRA ACADEMY

Limelight
Angus McPherson

“I’m enjoying every part of it – but I’m not enjoying the winter, that’s for sure!” laughs horn player Mindy Chang, who has moved north from the warmer climes of Singapore to take part in the Shanghai Orchestra Academy in China, an intensive orchestral training program run by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

She has just stepped out of a masterclass with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Horn, Han Chang Chou, who is coaching the horn students – in Chinese, with some English and German thrown in – on the audition excerpts they will have to master in order to one day win a job in an orchestra.

Chang’s first exposure to the Shanghai Orchestra Academy program was through an exchange with her university in Singapore last year, she tells Limelight, and seeking further learning opportunities after finishing her undergraduate degree, she enrolled, particularly keen to learn from the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Horn Peter Solomon. “I feel like he really has a lot to give,” she says. “That was actually the main reason that I came here. Peter really ticked all the right boxes.”

The SOA program, which has just celebrated its fifth anniversary, was established in 2014, evolving out of a 2012 exchange between the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic in the USA. “That was the year when maestro Long Yu [Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director] started a discussion,” Doug He, Executive Director of the Shanghai Orchestra Academy, tells Limelight. “We all realised that for Chinese orchestras’ development, we needed a lot of good leadership from the musicians’ side.”

To read more about the Shanghai Orchestra Academy, click here.

Ludwig van: Azrieli Foundation Announces New Call For Proposals From Orchestras

Ludwig Van
Anya Wassenberg

The Azrieli Foundation has announced a call for proposals for a brand new funding stream within its Azrieli Music Prizes (AMP) program.

The Azrieli Music Prizes Performance Fund (AMP-PF) is a new and annual funding stream that offers support for professional ensembles to prepare and perform works that have won the Azrieli Music Prize. Orchestras that receive funding would perform the AMP winning works in their 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons.

According to a media release, the AMP-PF has been established to provide performance opportunities for the works that have won the Azrieli Music Prize, representing an important next step for new compositions.

The Foundation is accepting proposals from orchestras to request support ranging from $5,000 CAD to $25,000 CAD. The funding is intended to help orchestras with the nuts and bolts of preparing for a performance, including score rentals, soloist fees, rehearsal time, and promotions. Funding can also be requested in order to host the AMP Laureates at the concerts of their own prize-winning works.

To read more about AMP’s new call for proposals, click here.

The New York Times: Long Yu and Haochen Zhang with NY Phil in Concerts to See

The New York Times
David Allen

Our guide to the city’s best classical music and opera happening this weekend and in the week ahead.

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC at David Geffen Hall (Jan. 28 and 30, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 31, 11 a.m.). Ring in the Lunar New Year with the Philharmonic’s annual celebration on Tuesday, with Long Yu conducting a program that includes Gil Shaham as the soloist in Chen Gang and He Zhanhao’s “The Butterfly Lovers” and Haochen Zhang at the piano in Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”

To read more, click here.