Northwest Reverb: Inaugural Vancouver Arts and Music Festival a smash hit!
The inaugural Vancouver Arts and Music Festival turned Esther Short Park into a magical, canopied landscape (August 4 -6). Kids jumped, climbed, slid, ran, and had a blast at the playground. People strolled into avenues of artisanal food vendors and galleries promoting the visual arts. The weather was downright perfect, and that contributed to the big turnout. The large lawn in front of the main stage was chock a block with blankets, low-profile chairs, and lots of people eager to hear the Vancouver Symphony and a lineup of international artists.
The orchestral portion of the festival featured Time for Three on Friday night (August 4), violinist Anne Akiko Meyers on Saturday evening (August 5), and pianist Orli Shaham on Sunday afternoon (August 6). VSO Music Director Salvador Brotons led the first concert, and Gerard Schwarz helmed the second and third concerts.
Northwest Reverb
By James Bash
The inaugural Vancouver Arts and Music Festival turned Esther Short Park into a magical, canopied landscape (August 4 -6). Kids jumped, climbed, slid, ran, and had a blast at the playground. People strolled into avenues of artisanal food vendors and galleries promoting the visual arts. The weather was downright perfect, and that contributed to the big turnout. The large lawn in front of the main stage was chock a block with blankets, low-profile chairs, and lots of people eager to hear the Vancouver Symphony and a lineup of international artists.
The orchestral portion of the festival featured Time for Three on Friday night (August 4), violinist Anne Akiko Meyers on Saturday evening (August 5), and pianist Orli Shaham on Sunday afternoon (August 6). VSO Music Director Salvador Brotons led the first concert, and Gerard Schwarz helmed the second and third concerts.
Introductory comments by prominent sponsors, including Lorin Dunlop of the Murdock Charitable Trust, which provided most of the funding for the extravaganza, welcomed festival goers to Vancouver’s living room. An historic airplane loudly buzzed overhead during before Brotons took the stage.
An ebullient Brotons led the hometown band in the “Candide Suite,” an arrangement by Charlie Harmon of music from Berstein’s opera. It aptly concluded with the expansive message of “Let Your Garden Grow,” a perfect tune to kick off the festival.
Warren Black from All Classical Radio introduced Time for Three, the energetic, genre-defying string trio that won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.
Read more here.
International Piano: Front Cover Feature: Bringing Imagery and Character to Liszt
Having gone from precocious prodigy to mature musician, Haochen Zhang has recorded Liszt’s formidable Études d’exécution transcendante. He talks to Tim Parry about his journey from China to America and his growing appreciation of Liszt’s musical imagination.
International Piano
Having gone from precocious prodigy to mature musician, Haochen Zhang has recorded Liszt’s formidable Études d’exécution transcendante. He talks to Tim Parry about his journey from China to America and his growing appreciation of Liszt’s musical imagination.
The Westerly Sun: Parlando founder Ian Niederhoffer to conduct Shostakovich’s 'The New Babylon'
Ian Niederhoffer, a young conductor widely praised for "his elegance and dynamism on the podium," was on the telephone Tuesday morning explaining how a 1929 silent film, a famous Russian composer and a contemporary chamber orchestra will all merge Saturday for an unusual program called "Silent Film with Live Orchestra: Parlando" at the United Theatre.
The event, which will include a screening of the 1929 Soviet film, "The New Babylon," will be accompanied by a live performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s "The New Babylon," by Parlando, a New York City-based chamber orchestra founded by Niederhoffer.
The Westerly Sun
By Nancy Burns-Fusaro
WESTERLY — Ian Niederhoffer, a young conductor widely praised for "his elegance and dynamism on the podium," was on the telephone Tuesday morning explaining how a 1929 silent film, a famous Russian composer and a contemporary chamber orchestra will all merge Saturday for an unusual program called "Silent Film with Live Orchestra: Parlando" at the United Theatre.
The event, which will include a screening of the 1929 Soviet film, "The New Babylon," will be accompanied by a live performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s "The New Babylon," by Parlando, a New York City-based chamber orchestra founded by Niederhoffer.
Read more here.
Portland Tribune: All Classical Portland becomes All Classical Radio
At 40, station embarks on rebranding program, gets ready to move to KOIN TowerAll Classical Portland has reached middle age. The Portland radio station will observe 40 years of community-focused programming by reintroducing itself as All Classical Radio, unveiling a new logo as part of a comprehensive brand alignment effort.
Portland Tribune
By Nancy Townsley
At 40, station embarks on rebranding program, gets ready to move to KOIN Tower
All Classical Portland has reached middle age. The Portland radio station will observe 40 years of community-focused programming by reintroducing itself as All Classical Radio, unveiling a new logo as part of a comprehensive brand alignment effort.
“We are honored to be recognized as a leader in public media, for high rankings in listenership as well as our innovative programming on the air and in the community,” All Classical Radio President and CEO Suzanne Nance said. “We remain committed to enhancing lives and breaking down barriers to classical music; welcoming all people and all communities to experience the power of the arts on All Classical.”
Read more here.
Vail Daily: Kids nationwide attend opera camp, perform comedy in Avon with ‘The Tinker of Tivoli’
About 50 kids, ages 10-18, have been attending Vail Opera Camp since Aug. 1, learning musical training, stage direction and acting from artists who work in top opera houses around the world. Thursday, they showcase their skills with “The Tinker of Tivoli” at Nottingham Park in Avon.
Vail Daily
By Kimberly Nicoletti
About 50 kids, ages 10-18, have been attending Vail Opera Camp since Aug. 1, learning musical training, stage direction and acting from artists who work in top opera houses around the world. Thursday, they showcase their skills with “The Tinker of Tivoli” at Nottingham Park in Avon.
Vail Opera Camp began in 2021 as part of the Grammy-award-winning National Children’s Chorus, which trains more than a thousand students, ages 5-17, throughout 30 choirs based in chapter cities of Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Boston and Chicago. All choir members practice the same repertoire and breath marks, so they can participate in any of the concerts nationwide, which have included performing on the 2022 Grammy-winning album “Mahler: Symphony No. 8,” a sold-out debut at Carnegie Hall and a concert tour in the United Kingdom.
Read more here.
Violinist: Rachel Barton Pine Performs Billy Childs' Violin Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl
What a pleasure to see Chicago-based violinist Rachel Barton Pine on Thursday night in her debut performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which was also her first performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
It's about time!
Violinist
By Laurie Niles
What a pleasure to see Chicago-based violinist Rachel Barton Pine on Thursday night in her debut performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which was also her first performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
It's about time!
And it's no surprise - to someone who has been following her for many years - that she brought something fresh to the stage - a new violin concerto by Los Angeles jazz pianist and composer, Billy Childs. This was just the fifth performance of the concerto, which was composed in 2020 and premiered in 2022. It was commissioned by Rachel and performed previously by her with co-commissioning orchestras: the Grant Park Orchestra, the Boulder Philharmonic, the Anchorage Symphony, and the Interlochen Arts Academy Orchestra.
On Thursday Rachel - playing her 1742 "ex-Bazzini, ex-Soldat" Joseph Guarnerius “del Gesù” violin - brought the concerto to life with her virtuoso chops, musical sensitivity and intense commitment, with French conductor Stéphane Denève at the podium. (Denève, who is Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, starts as as Music Director of New World Symphony in September.)
Read more here.
Person Place Thing: Episode 454: Luke McEndarfer
Early in his career, the conductor of the National Children’s Chorus interviewed for a job with Sister Stella Maria Enright. “She said, ‘Where did you park?’ And I said, ‘Right in front.’ And she said, ‘There is never parking in front. That is a sign from the holy spirit.’” She was kidding. Kind of. He got the job.
Person Place Thing
By Randy Cohen
Early in his career, the conductor of the National Children’s Chorus interviewed for a job with Sister Stella Maria Enright. “She said, ‘Where did you park?’ And I said, ‘Right in front.’ And she said, ‘There is never parking in front. That is a sign from the holy spirit.’” She was kidding. Kind of. He got the job.
Listen to the episode here.
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Fresh from White House dinner, Sameer Patel is Named New Music Director of La Jolla Symphony
His selection is the latest achievement for Patel, who also heads San Diego Youth Symphony and is the former associate conductor of the San Diego Symphony. ‘It’s a joy,’ he says of his new position.
It’s shaping up to be a landmark summer for San Diego’s Sameer Patel. His selection as La Jolla Symphony & Chorus’ new music director and conductor comes less than four weeks after he and his wife, Shannon, attended the state dinner at the White House that President Biden hosted for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is absolutely a dream gig — it’s a joy to be part of this wonderful music organization,” Patel said. “And, having not ever been to the White House before, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be a guest at a state dinner there.”
Patel, 40, is the artistic director of the San Diego Youth Symphony, a position he will continue to hold. The former associate conductor of the San Diego Symphony, he regularly conducts orchestras around the country.
The San Diego Union-Tribune
By George Varga
His selection is the latest achievement for Patel, who also heads San Diego Youth Symphony and is the former associate conductor of the San Diego Symphony. ‘It’s a joy,’ he says of his new position.
It’s shaping up to be a landmark summer for San Diego’s Sameer Patel. His selection as La Jolla Symphony & Chorus’ new music director and conductor comes less than four weeks after he and his wife, Shannon, attended the state dinner at the White House that President Biden hosted for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is absolutely a dream gig — it’s a joy to be part of this wonderful music organization,” Patel said. “And, having not ever been to the White House before, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be a guest at a state dinner there.”
Patel, 40, is the artistic director of the San Diego Youth Symphony, a position he will continue to hold. The former associate conductor of the San Diego Symphony, he regularly conducts orchestras around the country.
Patel’s selection to head La Jolla Symphony & Chorus — announced today — comes 14 months after his predecessor, Steven Schick, stepped down. Patel’s initial contract is for four years, with options to renew.
Read more here
I Care If You Listen: Bravo! Vail Festival Blends New Music with the Classics at its Lavish Colorado Rockies Home
It wasn’t until I’d taken the gondola down from Eagle’s Nest, perched 10,350 feet up on Vail Mountain, that I took in the full idyllic scenery of the Rocky Mountains, where the Bravo! Vail music festival makes its home. It was the third day of my trip and I was rushing to the Ford Amphitheater, after a morning hike to the top of the ski lift, to catch the end of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s rehearsal for that evening’s concert.
From July 12 to 14, I attended the last three concerts of the famed orchestra’s 16th Bravo! Vail residency with seven other members of the Music Critics Association of North America. We got a window into the six-week, $9.2-million summer festival — now in its 36th season — which brings in more than 50,000 visitors every year.
I Care If You Listen
Esteban Meneses
It wasn’t until I’d taken the gondola down from Eagle’s Nest, perched 10,350 feet up on Vail Mountain, that I took in the full idyllic scenery of the Rocky Mountains, where the Bravo! Vail music festival makes its home. It was the third day of my trip and I was rushing to the Ford Amphitheater, after a morning hike to the top of the ski lift, to catch the end of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s rehearsal for that evening’s concert.
From July 12 to 14, I attended the last three concerts of the famed orchestra’s 16th Bravo! Vail residency with seven other members of the Music Critics Association of North America. We got a window into the six-week, $9.2-million summer festival — now in its 36th season — which brings in more than 50,000 visitors every year.
Hungry for the music of today, I gravitated toward the contemporary offerings during my visit, the highlight of which was the world premiere of Anna Clyne’s This Moment. The festival has recently committed to commissioning new symphonic pieces; in 2022, they presented premieres of works by Chris Rogerson, Katherine Balch, and Carlos Simon.
Read more here.
I Care If You Listen: 5 Questions to Nick DiBerardino (composer)
Composer Nick DiBerardino writes music that draws upon programmatic themes, like his percussion quartet Gossamer, a musical reflection on a Walt Whitman poem, or his string quartet Beet Juice, which explores how the vegetable increases our body’s ability to produce energy from oxygen. At the Curtis Institute of Music, DiBerardino is the Chair of Composition and Director of Ensemble 20/21, which focuses on music of the 20th and 21st centuries. In this role, DiBerardino creatively highlights different composers and contemporary music styles by curating programs that span the giants of the past century to living composers from all parts of the globe.
For the 2023-24 season, Ensemble 20/21 will explore Curtis’ macro-theme of “Music of the Earth” through the lens of ecologically-conscious composers such as John Luther Adams, Raven Chacon, Allison Loggins-Hull, Gulli Bjornsson, Luciano Berio, and Curtis alumna Gabriella Smith. The program looks at our world through folklore, culture, and natural themes, and offers a rich addition to Ensemble 20/21’s exciting upcoming season at Curtis.
I Care If You LIsten
By Anne Goldberg-Baldwin
Composer Nick DiBerardino writes music that draws upon programmatic themes, like his percussion quartet Gossamer, a musical reflection on a Walt Whitman poem, or his string quartet Beet Juice, which explores how the vegetable increases our body’s ability to produce energy from oxygen. At the Curtis Institute of Music, DiBerardino is the Chair of Composition and Director of Ensemble 20/21, which focuses on music of the 20th and 21st centuries. In this role, DiBerardino creatively highlights different composers and contemporary music styles by curating programs that span the giants of the past century to living composers from all parts of the globe.
For the 2023-24 season, Ensemble 20/21 will explore Curtis’ macro-theme of “Music of the Earth” through the lens of ecologically-conscious composers such as John Luther Adams, Raven Chacon, Allison Loggins-Hull, Gulli Bjornsson, Luciano Berio, and Curtis alumna Gabriella Smith. The program looks at our world through folklore, culture, and natural themes, and offers a rich addition to Ensemble 20/21’s exciting upcoming season at Curtis.
What drew you to Curtis, and what do you enjoy most about leading Ensemble 20/21?
My first experience with Curtis was as an audience member. This was about a decade ago, when I drove down to Philadelphia to hear new music for orchestra by Curtis’ student composers. I expected the concert to be good, but I wasn’t prepared for what I actually experienced. I left with my jaw on the floor — I was stunned by the caliber of the orchestra, and I was also surprised to hear the wide-ranging aesthetic languages of Curtis’ composers. Each composer had something distinctly personal to say, and the orchestra brought all that music to life with a special energy and commitment.
Read more here.