Interchanging Idioms

Academy Award and GRAMMY® Award-winning superstar Jennifer Hudson will perform on the BOSTON POPS FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR, an entertainment special to be broadcast live from the Charles River Esplanade in Boston, Wednesday, July 4 (10:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. For the second consecutive year, Emmy Award-winning actor Michael Chiklis, star of the highly-anticipated new CBS drama series “Vegas,” will host the special. Hudson will perform some of her biggest hits with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart. The BOSTON POPS FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR, now in its 39th year, is the orchestra's annual free outdoor Fourth of July concert and is sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance, one of America's leading insurers, offering auto, home and life insurance for individuals and families, as well as a variety of insurance products and services for businesses. The entire concert will be broadcast in HD (high ...

Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, the June 15 concert featuring Wynonna Judd and the St. Louis Symphony has been cancelled.

Deutsche Grammophon continues its collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen with this new release of two works by Shostakovich: the prologue to Orango and Symphony no. 4. Both works, recorded live at Walt Disney Concert Hall this past December, are given searing performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Master Chorale and a cast of singers. The 2-disc set (over 90 minutes of music) will be available on June 19, 2012. Little was known about Orango other than its title until 2004 when the Shostakovich scholar Olga Digonskaya unearthed a thirteen-page piano score of this prologue in the Glinka Museum in Moscow. The opera was apparently commissioned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the October Revolution and the well-known historical and science-fiction novelist Alexei Tolstoy (a distant relative of the author of War and Peace ) and his regular collaborator, Alexander Starchakov, were brought in to write the libretto. The absurd ...

Ildar Abdrazakov will join conductor Riccardo Muti – his friend and frequent collaborator– to sing Shostakovich’s Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from June 14-19. Abdrazakov (pronounced ahb-drah-ZAH-koff) has sung with Muti on many of the world’s most hallowed stages, including those of La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera and the Salzburg Festival, and their 2010 live recording of Verdi’s Requiem with the CSO won them Grammy Awards for “Best Classical Album” and “Best Choral Performance.” Of the performance that yielded the recording, the Chicago Tribune said: "The discovery of the evening was Ildar Abdrazakov, whose intriguing Slavic bass plumbed the somber depths of his music with real commitment." For those who can’t make it to Chicago for any of the three concerts, the Russian bass can be heard singing the Shostakovich song cycle, which the composer considered his sixteenth symphony in all but name, in a 2006 recording for Ch...

On May 2, Gustavo Dudamel and prominent cellist Gautier Capuçon joined the Berlin Philharmonic for the twenty-second annual Europa Konzert, celebrating the 129th anniversary of the orchestra’s founding in 1883. The program consisted of Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. Performed in Vienna’s Spanische Hofreitschule, this spectacular program is available for free on medici.tv through the end of the month. Two more exciting live broadcasts form the end of medici.tv’s 2011-12 season. This weekend’s concert – Saturday, May 26, from Paris’s Cité de la Musique – sees Paul Agnew conduct the peerless early-music ensemble Les Arts Florissants in madrigals by Claudio Monteverdi (his complete Book III) and by one of the Italian composer’s keenest influences, the Franco-Flemish composer Giaches de Wert (1535-96). The following Saturday, June 2, the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya under...

The Colorado Symphony has moved forward with its plans to increase its digital presence and is offering a free, live online audio stream of an upcoming performance of its Masterworks Series program “Shakespeare in Music” on June 8, 2012. “The opportunity to provide a live audio stream of our concerts allows us to deliver our programming directly to listeners located anywhere in the world who can't attend a live performance, and affords us the opportunity to reach a much broader market,” stated Colorado Symphony President & CEO, Gene Sobczak. “This inaugural live stream speaks to our commitment to providing live music utilizing current media. It’s a really exciting start to what we plan to be a frequent offering of digital media.” Audiences can go to www.coloradosymphony.org and click on the “LIVE Stream” banner in order to listen in. The stream begins at 7:00 pm with pre-concert interviews and a concert start time of 7:30 pm. Live streaming is accessible from any computer...

The Colorado Symphony Board of Trustees has announced the election of three new members to the board: Mr. B.J. Dyer, Dr. Christopher Ott, and Ms. Ginger White. They join two other recently-elected members Ms. Sandy Elliott, community volunteer, and Mr. Richard Kylberg, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Arrow Electronics. Ms. Linda Rickard also joins the board representing the Colorado Symphony Guild. “We are thrilled to have Mr. Dyer, Ms. White, Dr. Ott, Ms. Elliott, Ms. Rickard and Mr. Kylberg join our organization,” said Mr. Gene Sobczak, President and CEO of the Colorado Symphony. “Their diverse areas of expertise and fresh business strategies – combined with their enthusiasm and passion for the performing arts community in Denver – will help guide the Colorado Symphony’s cultural and financial success as we launch innovative collaborations and strengthen our community ties.” “The Colorado Symphony Board of Trustees is actively involved in building and growing the...

This summer, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with more than 60 performances, offering chamber music, jazz, and 19 orchestral concerts from the Festival’s three world-class resident orchestras: the New York Philharmonic, returning under music director Alan Gilbert for its tenth summer; The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose new music director designate, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, makes his Festival debut; and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and its music director, Jaap van Zweden, Musical America’s Conductor of the Year 2012. Celebrated pianist Anne-Marie McDermott returns for a second term as artistic director, and an impressive guest-star roster boasts more than 30 notable soloists. The anniversary season also marks the final summer for the Festival’s founder and executive director, John Giovando. In an illuminating interview below, Giovando reflects on the Festival’s beginnings, how it has developed, and the impact it has had over the past quarter of a cent...

Numerous orchestras in the US are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Why? There are a plethora of theories as to why orchestras are going bankrupt:     Classical Music is dying     CEO's and VP's are paid too much     Musicians are paid too much     Ticket Prices are too high     People aren't giving as much as they used to     The Economy I would like to tackle each of these theories with an eye towards solving the problem. Classical Music is dying If you look at the big names in the music download industry, Sony and Universal, they both show huge profits in classical music downloads. A large portion of their bottom line is made up of people paying for and downloading classical music. If classical music was actually dying, we wouldn't see a growth in classical music downloads. CEO's and VP's are paid too much While I'm all for more balanced wages a...

Performing Arts and Virtual Education Leaders to Develop and Deliver Online Arts Education Courses for K-12 Students and Educators Everywhere Starting in the 2012-2013 school year, The Juilliard School and Connections Education are launching JUILLIARD eLEARNING, for K-12 students and educators everywhere. Juilliard eLearning is the world-famous conservatory’s first-ever group of online courses, presenting an exciting new option for teaching music and related courses, with distribution and implementation by leading provider of online learning solutions, Connections Education, part of the global education company, Pearson. Juilliard eLearning will be developed to the same high standards educators have come to expect of both partners. The Juilliard School , the nation’s pre-eminent school for performing arts education, and Connections Education , will develop and deliver innovative online courses and resources for K-12 educators and students – helping to extend Juilliard–structured le...

THREE SHOWS ONLY AT FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 June, Evenings 7.30pm; Matinee: Sat 2.15pm Ruddigore , Opera North’s hugely successful operetta, will come to Edinburgh Festival Theatre as part of a one-off tour this Summer as well as visiting new venues in Sheffield, Belfast and Dublin. Audiences in Edinburgh will now be able to revel in this witty Victorian melodrama, which is considered one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most inventive works. Building on the spirit of collaboration established between Opera North and The Sage Gateshead, the Northern Sinfonia has been invited to perform alongside the Opera North chorus throughout the tour, whilst the Orchestra of Opera North performs the second installment of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Die Walküre , also across the country. First performed by Opera North in 2010 and then again last year and directed by Jo Davies, Ruddigore received widespread critical acclaim and was declared a ‘gem of a discovery’. The tale c...

Renowned Chorus Seeks Talented Boys and Girls Ages 8 to 12 Who Love to Sing Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC), one of the nation’s leading children’s choirs, is holding auditions for boys and girls ages eight (by September 1, 2012) to twelve on May 31 and June 1, 2 and 4, 2012, in Pasadena. Previous singing experience is not necessary, but audition appointments are required. LACC’s program focuses on training children who may not necessarily have had previous singing experience, but who are dedicated to achieving excellence in vocal technique, choral singing and classical music. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to match pitch, follow instructions, and thrive in a structured, but supportive learning environment. Children audition in groups of five to ensure their comfort, and no preparation is necessary. Under the artistic direction of Anne Tomlinson, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, currently in its 26th season, provides a comprehensive music education and pe...

Russian pianist Olga Kern and guest conductor Peter Oundjian will join the Colorado Symphony for a weekend of Masterworks performances when Olga Kern Plays Grieg at Boettcher Concert Hall on Friday and Saturday, May 18-19 at 7:30pm and on Sunday, May 20 at 2:30pm. This weekend will mark Olga’s 5th appearance in Denver with the Colorado Symphony. Ms. Kern is a well-loved pianist among CSO patrons dating back to her first performance with the Symphony during the 2004/05 season. To learn more about this concert and the Colorado Symphony, visit www.coloradosymphony.org .

The Golandsky Institute has announced the performers for its 2012 International Piano Festival , to be held at Princeton University for its ninth consecutive summer, July 8th – 14th. The Festival will feature six recitals by internationally acclaimed artists from the classical and jazz piano music worlds. This year’s season will also feature an Evening of Songs with soloists from Opera New Jersey. The first four of the six concerts will be held in the Berlind Theatre of the acclaimed McCarter Theatre Center, the last two in Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. On Sunday, July 8th at 8:00 p.m., 15 year old artist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner makes his Princeton debut at the Golandsky Institute on opening night. The youngest student ever to attend Juilliard’s College with a portfolio of critical accolades from Baghdad to the White House, this young emerging star will dazzle, charm and touch your heart. The performance will be held at the Berlind Theatre, McCarter Theatre Cente...

TwtrSymphony is rapidly gaining a fan base by leveraging social media. Here's how: We can be found on  Twitter  (of course), also on  Facebook ,  Tumblr  and the web . Our  klout score  is at 45 and growing. Several major orchestras are following and socializing with us. Other industry professionals are checking us out and even some record companies have expressed interest in our project. We don't have sponsors yet, but we haven't released our first track either. Everyone is waiting to see what the results of our experiment will be. How have we gained the attention of all these people in the classical world? Social Media. But it's not only our own tweets, facebook and tumblr posts that are causing all the stir. The real momentum behind the project is our enthusiastic musicians. This blog, for example, posts an article about TwtrSymphony and the musicians mobilize. A TwtrSymphony article has three to four times as many hits in a single day as pretty...

The five finalists for a prize valued at more than $100,000 from the American Pianists Association will be showcased in performance on New York’s classical station, WQXR (105.9 FM and online at wqxr.org) on Wednesday, May 19 at 9pm. There will be a simultaneous broadcast on WFYI in Indianapolis, home of the American Pianists Association. The program, hosted by Robert Sherman, is part of The McGraw Hill Companies Young Artists Showcase. It was recorded last month when the names of the finalists for the 2013 ProLiance Energy Classical Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association were revealed at Steinway Hall. The Program: Andrew Staupe, 27, will open the broadcast with Pierre Jalbert’s Toccata; followed by Sara Daneshpour, 25, in Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in B minor, K. 27 and Rachmaninov’s Etude-tableau in A minor, Op. 39/6. Claire Huangci, 22 – the youngest finalist – will play three etudes by Alexander Scriabin: Op. 42/3, Op. 8/10, and Op. 8/12. Sean Chen, 23, will pe...

Featuring Bionic Symphony at Manhattan’s Angel Orensanz Foundation on June 6, 2012 at 8 PM, and TOWER, at 4 PM on June 16 and 17 at the Oliver Ranch Foundation’s Tower in Geyserville, CA. Sympho is a 6-year-old classical ensemble and concert presenter that according to the New York Times “refits the concert experience for a new century.” This June, Sympho will present “Coast to Coast,” a festival of two brand-new programs, one on either side of the country. The two programs will take place nearly 3000 miles apart—one in a former 19th-century synagogue in New York and one inside a 21st-century sculpture and performance space in California—and will encompass a range of repertoire from Rameau to newly commissioned works by Christopher Bono, Bora Yoon, and Artistic Director Paul Haas, including music by Mozart, Haydn, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Bizet, and Erkki-Sven Tüür. Haas has honed an approach to programming that uses techniques such as juxtaposing music of different periods in close...

THE COLORADO SYMPHONY PRESENTS AN ENCORE TO THE RECENTLY SOLD-OUT BROADWAY ROCKS WITH A WHOLE NEW SHOW, BROADWAY ROCKS 2 The Colorado Symphony has partnered with the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus under the direction of Ben Riggs for the highly anticipated follow-up to the wildly successful Broadway Rocks from the 2009/10 season. Also featured on the program are three top-notch vocalists, direct from Broadway; American Idol finalist, LaKisha Jones, Rob Evan of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Tony Award nominated actress, Christiane Noll. These vocalists join the Symphony and the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus in modern favorites from Jersey Boys, Lion King, Wicked, Rent and Phantom of the Opera along with some of rock-n-roll’s greatest songs from Queen, Journey and The Beatles. Broadway Rocks 2 comes to Boettcher Concert Hall on Saturday, May 26 at 7:30 pm. Program: Act I Rocks Overture (arr. Fleischer) We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions (Qu...

AWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROFESSIONAL CHORAL ART Duain Wolfe, Chorus Director for the Colorado Symphony, has been awarded The 2012 Michael Korn Founders Award for Development of the Professional Choral Art. “I am overwhelmed and truly honored by this award,” said Mr. Wolfe. “In a nation where ten percent of the population is actively involved in choral singing, it is humbling to be accorded such a tribute. The professional choral arts embrace a wide range of organizations and I am especially proud that two of Colorado's finest choruses that are models of high professional standards, the Colorado Symphony Chorus and the Colorado Children's Chorale, are sharing this tribute with me.” VP for Artistic Administration at the Colorado Symphony, Anthony Pierce, added “Duain is a remarkable resource for the Colorado Symphony, and I can’t emphasize enough how fortunate we are to have him make the commitment that he does to this community and the state of Colorado.” “As an artis...

Beethoven’s crowning achievement, the epic Symphony No. 9, “Choral,” featuring the soul-stirring “Ode to Joy,” brings Pacific Symphony ’s classical season to a memorable close in a variety of ways. First! The concert, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, features a monumental fusion of orchestra and voices that includes Pacific Chorale and four world-class opera singers; plus, two timely works by Frank Ticheli: “Rest” (world premiere version for strings) and “Radiant Voices” provide a stunning prelude. Taking place Thursday-Saturday, May 31-June 2, at 8 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Costa Mesa, this concert is also part of the Symphony’s Music Unwound series and includes a display of Beethoven-inspired artwork by local artists who responded to the call: “OC Can You Create?” A preview talk by composer Ticheli begins at 7 p.m. Second! The Symphony, in association with Segerstrom Center for the Arts, presents the very first “ Pacific Symphony PlazaCast ,” a live ...

Classical Action: Performing Arts Against AIDS closes its 2012 Michael Palm Series of house concerts on Thursday, May 17, with a memorable evening of song from soprano Christine Brewer and pianist Craig Rutenberg. Held in the Tribeca loft apartment of supporters Simon Yates and Kevin Roon, who have hosted all concerts in the series since 2010, the upcoming recital is part of the New York City-based salon series named for the charity’s late benefactor. The performance begins at 7:30pm, following an hour of wine and hors d’oeuvres; tickets for this series-closing concert may be purchased online at www.classicalaction.org or by calling Classical Action at (212) 997-7717. For the first time in the history of the Michael Palm Series, the music may also be enjoyed beyond this cozy salon setting: the recital will be recorded for a broadcast presentation at a later date on SiriusXM’s Symphony Hall, channel 76. Grammy Award-winning American soprano Christine Brewer, named one of the top 20 ...

I get asked this a lot so I thought I should put my thoughts down for all to see There are a variety of articles out there which talk about commissioning works, many even have prices Randall Giles posts this page: A Brief Guide to Commissioning Music Johansen-Werner posts his thoughts: Some Thoughts on How to Commission Music Ken Davis adds his 2 cents: Commissioning New Music Abbie Betnis has her ideas: How to Commission a New Work from Abbie Betinis Even the American Composers Forum has suggestions: Commissioning by Individuals Pretty much all of those guides are considering major performers for major works. Yes, they talk about individual or solo works. But the moment you suggest a range from hundreds to thousands of dollars you're eliminating most of the musicians on the planet. A struggling performer can't afford to pay $4-500 for a new, untried work for potentially a one-off performance. So, here is my simple method for calculating what I might charge for a ne...

A collection of works by Ravel, Stravinsky, Weill and de Sabata feature the jazz pianist with the Gewandhausorchester Following the success of last year’s sparkling recording of Gershwin’s Piano Concerto and Rhapsody in Blue , conductor Riccardo Chailly and pianist Stefano Bollani return with an album of jazz-inspired classical works, including two world-premiere recordings. The album, which was recorded live at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, will be released on May 22, 2012. Last year Decca released an all-Gershwin recording featuring these artists and it was a surprise hit. Gramophone commented that “…the performance of the Concerto is the finest I have ever heard . . . Inhibitions are left backstage and, while all parties are alive to the smallest detail, there is an irreverence and spontaneity which capture the spirit of the work like no other . . . Bollani's exuberance and panache are infectious.” This unique combination of a revered maestro (who recently has received the h...

It has already been a red-letter season for cellist Matt Haimovitz, who recently made the news with a world premiere (Philip Glass’s Cello Concerto No. 2 “ Naqoyqatsi ”), a nationwide recital tour (with pianist Christopher O’Riley), a hit recording (his double album with O’Riley, Shuffle.Play.Listen ), and more. Now May and June see the cellist offering a characteristically diverse and challenging lineup. He performs Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in Illinois (May 4–6); gives a “Beyond Bach” solo recital at Boston’s Gardner Museum (May 17); tours with his all-cello ensemble, Uccello, playing concerts in Toronto (June 6), Buffalo (June 7), Ithaca (June 8–9), and at New York’s Bargemusic (June 10); and makes a star turn as soloist with the Trinity Choir in Du Yun’s San, Laura Elise Schwendinger’s Six Choral Settings and Luna Pearl Woolf’s concerto for cello and a cappella choir, Après moi, le deluge , at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall (May 31). In an interview below, composer Luna Pearl Wo...

Over the summer months, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra presents seven tours in Scotland, performing live orchestral music in towns and communities across the length and breadth of the country. During 2012 – the Year of Creative Scotland – the Orchestra continues its commitment to serve the whole of the nation with its 10th annual South of Scotland Tour, its 34th year of touring to the Highlands and Islands and the 6th Autumn Classics Tour visiting towns across central Scotland. Over and above these tours, the Orchestra is in demand at summer festivals – with appearances at the Aldeburgh, East Neuk, Lammermuir and Edinburgh International Festivals – and in the recording studio. South of Scotland Tour The SCO celebrates Scotland’s natural riches in music and song in concerts in Duns, Castle Douglas and Galashiels (24 – 26 May). The centrepiece of the programme is the premiere of Howard Moody’s Border Lines, a piece inspired by The National Trust for Scotland’s Nature Reserve at St...

This summer, Trinity Wall Street will once again participate in the River To River Festival®, lower Manhattan’s free annual summer arts festival, which this year takes place from June 17 – July 15. Trinity will present three events, bringing a breadth of programming – ranging from choral sounds from Indonesia and evocations of ancient Italy to the music of New York’s own rising downtown star Nico Muhly – that illustrates why both church and festival have grown close to New York’s heart. The Trinity series, which forms part of the River To River Festival, begins on June 24 at Trinity’s St. Paul’s Chapel with a performance by the Manado State University Choir, which hails from the province of North Sulawesi in Indonesia. A mixed-voice chamber choir of about 24 singers, the group has been acclaimed for its beautiful sound, its ability to move audiences and its versatility, performing repertoire ranging from early to contemporary Western music, from traditional Indonesian music with ch...

Itinerary includes UC-Davis residency and performances, March 15-20, 2013 The St. Louis Symphony will return to California during its 2012-2013 season, touring the state March 15-20, 2013. The Symphony, led by Music Director David Robertson, will take part in an intensive 3-day residency program at the University of California-Davis, which will include community concerts, coachings with elementary, secondary and high school students, a side-by-side rehearsal with the UC-Davis Symphony Orchestra and a performance at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. Violinist James Ehnes will be joining the St. Louis Symphony to perform Berg’s Violin Concerto at the Mondavi Center. The orchestra will also perform at venues in Costa Mesa, Palm Desert and Santa Barbara. St. Louis Symphony Principal Flute, Mark Sparks, will perform the Rouse Flute Concerto at the other venues. It is the second tour of the season for the St. Louis Symphony; in September 2012, the orchestra performs in Europe for...

LOS ANGELES CHILDREN’S CHORUS’ SPRING CONCERT FEATURES CHORAL WORKS SPANNING 14 CENTURIES Program Includes Earliest Known Example of Polyphony Dating from 1260 to World Premiere by Nicholas Nicassio Saturday, May 12, 2012, 4 PM Sunday, May 13, 7 PM at Pasadena Presbyterian Church The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) illuminates the transcendent spirit of humanity with a dynamic program spanning 14 centuries of musical expression at its 26th Annual Spring Concert on Saturday, May 12, 4 PM, and Sunday, May 13, 7 PM, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Singing about joy, love, laughter and hope in six languages, the choristers offer a mix of classical, folk and contemporary works. Among numerous highlights are Sumer is icumen in, a medieval song dating from 1260 believed to be the oldest existing example of polyphony, and the world premiere by LACC’s Young Men’s Ensemble of Los Angeles-based composer Nicholas Nicassio’s Sleep Now, O Sleep Now based on text by James Joyce. Ot...

A Primetime Special Featuring Virtuosos Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Stuart Duncan, and Edgar Meyer PBS invites viewers to experience a groundbreaking collaboration when it airs The Goat Rodeo Sessions ' first live performance on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 9:00PM (check local listings). The Goat Rodeo Sessions combines the talents of four different solo artists, cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma, mandolin master Chris Thile, bluegrass fiddler Stuart Duncan, bassist Edgar Meyer, each a Grammy Award winning star in their own right, to create a unique, genre-breaking sound that's part composed, part improvised and uniquely American. Released in October 2011, The Goat Rodeo Sessions album debuted #1 on the Classical, Classical Crossover, and Bluegrass Billboard charts. Additionally at #18, it was Yo-Yo Ma's highest position on the Billboard Top 200 chart to date. With the combination of intricate arrangements, intense improvisation, and superior skill by all players, The Goat Rodeo Sessions ...

Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant - The Official Album Music has been at the heart of royal occasions for centuries and the great tradition is set to continue when the London Philharmonic Orchestra joins the mighty flotilla of barges and boats mustered for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on Sunday 3 June. To mark the occasion we have released a CD of popular music by British and Commonwealth composers including the UK Theme, a favourite with generations of early morning listeners to BBC Radio 4; Sir William Walton’s march Orb and Sceptre, written for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953; and the Fantasia on ‘Greensleeves’ by Vaughan Williams. Available exclusively at John Lewis and Waitrose in stores and online. £1 from the sale of each CD will be donated to the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation, supporting youth and education projects at home and in the Commonwealth.

Friday, 5/11 10:45 am Saint-Saëns' "Organ" Symphony Leonard Slatkin, conductor Craig Rifel, organ There is no other symphony quite like it, a towering work built around the awe-inspiring sounds of the pipe organ. More than a century after its premiere, the "Organ Symphony" remains unrivaled in its scope and majesty. Leonard Slatkin leads the Detroit Symphony Orchestra while the DSO's multi-talented Craig Rifel, normally seen and heard in the double bass section, performs as organ soloist. This concert also features the premiere of a new work by Du Yun, winner of the DSO's 4th Elaine Lebenbom Annual Memorial Award for composers. Join our backstage pre-concert and intermission shows, featuring interviews with composer Du Yun, arranger/composer Rob Mathes, Whole Foods Detroit Community Liaison Amanda Musilli, and more! Program Information Leonard Slatkin, conductor Craig Rifel, organ DU YUN ...

When the Metropolitan Opera’s 2012 Beverly Sills Artist Angela Meade starred in the company’s recent production of Ernani , she gave “a true star-making Met performance” (WQXR) that “showed what this uncommonly gifted rising artist is capable of” (Anthony Tommasini, New York Times ). In May the soprano tackles another Verdi heroine, making her Deutsche Oper Berlin debut as Lucrezia in two concert performances of I due Foscari . More high-profile “firsts” follow in August when Meade makes a trio of major U.S. music festival debuts, headlining “A Night at the Opera” with the Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Music Festival; “Italian Opera Night” with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Saratoga, and Mahler’s “Symphony of a Thousand” with Robert Spano in Aspen. In June – as a preview of next season’s debut with Washington National Opera – she portrays the title role of Bellini’s Norma in concert at Oregon’s Astoria Music Festival, and in July she sings Leonora in V...

“An indispensable part of the summer operatic landscape.” – Musical America on Bard SummerScape Reviving important but neglected operas is one of the ways the Bard SummerScape festival paints a faithfully-nuanced portrait of each past age, and this year’s exploration of “Saint-Saëns and His World” is no exception. To enrich its immersion in the music of Belle Époque France, with all its trademark opulence and emotional richness, Bard presents the first staged revival of the original 1887 version of The King in Spite of Himself ( Le roi malgré lui ) by Saint-Saëns’s compatriot and contemporary Emmanuel Chabrier. The production, starring the “lyrical, expressive baritone” ( New York Times ) of Liam Bonner, will receive a contemporary treatment from Thaddeus Strassberger, director of SummerScape’s previous hit productions of Les Huguenots and The Distant Sound. The opera’s five performances (July 27 & 29; August 1, 3, & 5) involve the festival’s resident American Symphony Orche...

“An accomplished and adventurous pianist with boundless enthusiasm and stamina” — Anthony Tommasini, New York Times To mark the May 15 release of his Nonesuch label debut, pianist Jeremy Denk will make his first appearance at Le Poisson Rouge, taking over New York City’s musical hotspot for a one-night-only Ligeti/Beethoven celebration on Monday, May 21 at 7:30 pm. The concert program comprises Book 1 of Ligeti’s Piano Études and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111. (His new CD adds selections from Ligeti’s Piano Études, Book 2). Denk blends repertoire from some of his most recent critically-acclaimed appearances, comparing and contrasting these composers as only this inspired pianist and intellectual can. Denk is thrilled to be joining the prestigious Nonesuch roster, and his unusual musical explorations are a fantastic fit for the groundbreaking label. Critics, too, have praised Denk’s ability to creatively tackle a diverse array of repertoire. Harry Rolnick of Concert...