Interchanging Idioms

The Colorado Symphony plays the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, July 5th The Colorado Symphony, led by Associate Conductor Scott O’Neil, brings favorite symphonic classics to Red Rocks Amphitheatre. This perfect summer program includes Adventures on Earth from ET by John Williams, Berlioz’ Roman Carnival Overture, Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man , selections from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Elgar’s Enigma Variations , as well as patriotic favorites and Tchaikovsky’s legendary 1812 Overture . This concert is free to the public. A $10 parking fee per vehicle applies for Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The Colorado Symphony performs a full line-up of summer outdoor concerts in July, as well as a special concert at Boettcher Concert Hall in celebration of the Biennial of the Americas on July 24. Visit the Colorado Symphony’s website at www.coloradosymphony.org for more information or call the Colorado Symphony Box Office at 303.623.7876.

On July 4, the Boston Pops will release a CD featuring the live recording of the world premiere performances of The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers , which took place at Symphony Hall May 18 & 19 with guest narrators Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, and Cherry Jones, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, under the direction of Keith Lockhart. The album includes a new recording of the Boston Pops signature, John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. The CD will be released on July 4th in connection with the Boston Pops 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular , among the nation's largest and most historic Independence Day celebrations, and will be sold along the Charles River Esplanade, in addition to traditional CD outlets described below. The Dream Lives On will be performed during the July 4 concert with WBZ-TV’s Jack Williams and Lisa Hughes, and acclaimed local actors Will LeBow and Jeremiah Kissel. The Dream Lives On , priced at $3.99, will be ava

Major progress made in ticket sales, attendance and attracting new audiences Highest ticket revenue for all concerts in a decade and largest total attendance since 2002 The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra recently concluded its 2009/2010 season. It marks the second season since implementation of the SLSO’s Building Our Business plan launched in June 2008 and targeted heavily on audience development. In key areas, significant progress was made: Key Statistics Total ticket revenues and paid attendance for all concerts at Powell Hall for the 2009-10 Season (110 concerts) as compared with prior year - 2008-09 Season (109 concerts) $6.47m – up 16% or $890,000 197,107 seats sold – up 10.2% or 18,270 seats 1,792 Avg. attendance per concert – up 9.2% or 151 seats 35% or 39 concerts had 2,000 or more seats sold Total ticket revenues and paid attendance for classical Orchestral Series concerts (60 classical subscription concerts) for the 2009-10 Season as compared with prior year - 20

“An utterly distinctive voice in the forest of Bach interpretation” – The New York Times At 8:30pm on Saturday, August 14 2010, distinguished pianist Simone Dinnerstein will return to Aspen Music Festival to make her debut with the Aspen Concert Orchestra. Lead by Maestro Case Scaglione, Ms. Dinnerstein will perform J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 and Keyboard Concerto in F minor, BWV 1056 and J. S. Bach’s English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808 at Harris Concert Hall (960 North Third Street). The Aspen Concert Orchestra will also perform J.C. Bach’s Grand Overture in D major, op. 18, no. 6, W. XC1. "...her mastery of shifts in style and interpretation really held the audience captive" - Interchanging Idioms Simone Dinnerstein recently returned from Berlin where she recorded her first album for Sony Classical. In Aspen, she will perform three pieces from the album – J.S. Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 and Keyboard Concerto in F minor,

Program features Indira Mahajan (Bess) and Derrick Parker (Porgy) with the Heritage Signature Chorale Originally scheduled in February but cancelled due to inclement weather, Music Director Marin Alsop will finally lead guest vocalists Indira Mahajan, Alison Buchanan, Larry Hylton, Derrick Parker, the D.C.-based Heritage Signature Chorale and the BSO on Thursday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess in Concert. Porgy and Bess , dubbed an American folk opera, features the popular, genre-crossing song “Summertime,” as well as other favorites “A Woman Is A Sometime Thing” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” The program will open with Gershwin’s Overture to Girl Crazy, followed by another Gershwin favorite An American in Paris . George Gershwin’s operatic masterpiece Porgy and Bess opened on Broadway in 1935. The original cast was entirely African-American, with Eva Jessye as choral director. Such a casting decision was artistical

Conductor Larry Baird leads BSO and vocalist James Delisco in hits from “ABC” to “Thriller” Conductor Larry Baird will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a Michael Jackson Tribute, joined by vocalists James Delisco, Felicia Barton and Kelli Reisen on Thursday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Michael Jackson fans can enjoy an entire evening filled with music spanning the 40 years of The King of Pop’s influential and celebrated career with the power of a live orchestra. Michael Jackson has won hundreds of awards over his lifetime including 13 Grammy Awards and 26 American Music Awards. This performance explores his early years with the Jackson 5 through his mega-hit album Thriller and beyond, featuring multi-platinum hits like “ABC,” “I'll Be There” and “Got to Be There,” “Beat It,” “Rock With You,” “The Way You Make Me Feel” and many more. Jackson’s death in 2009 brought his fame and decades of musical influence into perspective for all music-lo

Opera – until the advent of film, perhaps the ultimate in multisensory spectacle – has long enjoyed a special relationship with the movies, a relationship that Opera News explores in the July issue. The cover story looks into the hugely successful “Met: Live in HD” series, while additional features address such phenomena as composer biopics; Zeffirelli’s big-screen opera adaptations; behind the scenes of The Great Caruso , with Mario Lanza and stars of the Met; HD transmissions of independent opera productions in Emerging Pictures’ new “Opera in Cinema” series; and the adoption of Hollywood-style marketing techniques in L.A.’s classical music scene. Since its first transmission, in December 2006 – a condensed version of Mozart’s Magic Flute – “The Met: Live in HD” series has gone from strength to strength, winning both Emmy and Peabody Awards and bringing superlative live Met performances to opera-lovers all over the world. The brainchild of Metropolitan Opera General Manager Peter

At 7:30pm on Wednesday, August 4, 2010, dynamic Estonian-born and American-raised conductor Kristjan Järvi will make a special guest appearance with the National Repertory Orchestra at the Breckenridge Riverwalk Center (150 Adams Way). The diverse concert includes Gustav Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets ; Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364 with Karin Andreasen, violin and Elizabeth Breslin, viola; and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra . The National Repertory Orchestra is a preeminent intensive fellowship that equips young musicians for orchestral music careers while providing the highest-level of musical experience for all stakeholders. During their summer fellowship, National Repertory Orchestra musicians also take part in the NRO's Education and Community Engagement Program, which prepares the musicians for an active role in the communities they will be serving. Career development classes such as mock auditions, contract negotiations, finance for musicians, a

This is a great questions, originally posted by David Smooke of NewMusicBox . David discusses the process of writing a piece over a year ago, getting it performed, revised, performed again and eventually recorded (there is a YouTube video of the piece in his post). Reading through his process I thought of my own concept of when does a composition become a composition. In some respects there is a realization of the piece at conception. I have a notebook that I keep with me and jot down ideas for pieces. Some of these are fully formed, while others are only basic concepts. Of these ideas, only 20-30% ever get moved beyond this stage (or at least that's the current rate). This is because I get too many ideas to realize them all. Even though I don't work on an idea, I keep it because I never know when I might come back to it or envelope it into another idea. If I start to take a piece beyond the notebook stage, this is generally because I have someone interested in performi

Tapped to Innovate WQXR’s Classical Programming for the Digital Age Graham Parker, an innovative arts administrator, has been named to the newly-created role of Vice President of Classical 105.9 WQXR, announced New York Public Radio President and CEO Laura Walker today. In this new role, Mr. Parker, will be responsible for envisioning and executing WQXR’s brand as a New York-rooted classical music destination with global relevance and reach. He will lead the efforts to create distinct, innovative content on multiple platforms, build strategic business relationships and cultural partnerships, and grow audience and create community among on-air, online and live audiences on WQXR 105.9, www.wqxr.org , and in the station’s Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. “Graham’s reputation as an innovative content producer, a champion of artists, and a collaborative manager is a dazzling match for our ambitions to make WQXR a vibrant classical music platform for 21st century audiences on-air

As part of its 125th Anniversary Celebration, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops will give a free concert on Boston Common at 3 p.m. on September 26. This concert will be held in partnership with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and is sponsored by Fidelity Investments and the Friends of the Public Garden with support from Normandy Real Estate partners. The orchestra is also partnering with the Emerald Necklace Conservancy to offer Pops in the Parks, a three-part series featuring the Boston Pops Brass Quintet performing outdoors at two of Boston’s most picturesque locations—Pinebank at Jamaica Pond (June 27 and July 11) and Allerton Overlook at Olmsted Park (August 8). Concert repertoire for these three concerts ranges from Renaissance brass music to ragtime and early 20th century jazz. In addition, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will host Mayor Menino’s Wednesday Night Concert Pops Dance Party on Wednesday, July 21, at 7 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. This free conc

There is an ongoing discussion between my friends and I --one that obviously is discussed in other musical circles as well. In "A conversation with John Adams" , an article by Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post, the conversation turns toward a book Adams is writing, a novel, about how we listen to music. Adams says. "I realized that the best way to do this was through fiction. My character is a kind of composer, but he's not a composer like me. He's very much the image of what a serious composer should be." You have to know classical music to understand this remark. By "serious" composer, Adams means someone who writes stringently mathematical and intellectually "rigorous" music, the kind of composer who reigned supreme over the tiny audiences gathered in academe 30 or 40 years ago. By this standard, Adams would be a composer of fluff, even though his music is beautifully crafted, endlessly engaging and has won over audiences thro

New Ballet Set to Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Violin Concerto and Choreographed by Peter Martins Hailed by the New York Times as an “ambitious festival of modern music,” the “Architecture of Dance” festival has brought new music and architecture to the forefront of dance this spring. Following world premieres of three new scores by Thierry Escaich, Jay Greenberg, and Bruno Moretti and six new ballets choreographed by Melissa Barak, Mauro Bigonzetti, Wayne McGregor, Benjamin Millepied, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon, the New York City Ballet’s “Architecture of Dance: New Choreography and Music Festival” culminates on June 22 with its final premiere: Mirage, set to Esa-Pekka Salonen’s powerful Violin Concerto, with choreography by New York City Ballet’s ballet master-in-chief Peter Martins and scenic design by Santiago Calatrava. The Violin Concerto, a co-commission of the NYCB, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will receive its New York premiere w

Tickets are Priced from General Admission Grandstand seats at $35 to VIP Field Seats at $100 with Options in-between. The Boston Pops, featuring Keith Lockhart and the orchestra, will continue the celebration of its 125th anniversary season by performing at McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox in Pawtucket, RI on Saturday, September 4 at 7:30 pm. The Pops will be joined by singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins, whose hit songs include “Footloose,” “I’m Alright,” and “This Is It.” This concert is Loggins’ only New England area performance this year. Though members of the Boston Pops have been featured in performances at many of the country’s leading sporting events, including those of the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics, the concert at McCoy Stadium marks the first time the full orchestra complement has ever performed in a baseball stadium and the first time they have performed an outdoor concert in the Providence area. Portions of the proceeds from tickets sales will benefit

Broadway and film star Bernadette Peters’ upcoming concert with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra has been rescheduled to Friday, May 13 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Peters has recently been engaged to return to Broadway as Desiree Armfeldt in the critically-acclaimed and Tony Award-winning revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music . Peters joins the production this July. Peters was previously scheduled to perform with the SLSO on September 10, 2010. Tickets purchased for this date will be honored on May 13. For more details contact the Powell Hall Box Office: 314-534-1700.

September 11-16 tour includes concerts in Milan and Turin and coincides with release of Orchestra’s final Mahler cycle recording, Songs with Orchestra Soloists are mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, violinist Christian Tetzlaff, and organist Paul Jacobs Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) perform five concerts on a tour of Europe September 11-16, including three appearances at the Lucerne Festival and concerts in Milan and Turin , Italy . As acclaimed interpreters of the music of Gustav Mahler, and as part of the 2010-11 global commemoration of Mahler’s life, the Orchestra has been invited to perform the composer’s Symphony No. 5 at both the Lucerne Festival and in Turin . On this tour, their ninth of Europe together, MTT and the Orchestra will also perform Aaron Copland’s Organ Symphony, featuring organist Paul Jacobs, and Berg’s Violin Concerto with frequent collaborator Christian Tetzlaff, both in Lucerne . Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham,

While John Adams is known for composing music for many different forms, films is not a genre he is familiar with. "I Am Love", featuring Tilda Swinton first appeared at the Venice Film Festival in Italy September last year and in limited release in the US as of today. A tragic love story set at the turn of the millennium in Milan. The film follows the fall of the haute bourgeoisie due to the forces of passion and unconditional love. Director Luca Guadagnino is a fan of John Adams conceiving the film with Adams' music in mind. He also turned his collaborators into fans, including Swinton. "When I first worked on the script, I wasn’t acquainted with John Adams. Then in 2005, a friend brought to me a CD of Adams' 'Naive and Sentimental Music.' I came home and the second the music came out of the stereo, it was an emotion I will always remember. There was something incredibly new but also familiar and then I became obsessed." - Luca Guadagnino R

Violinist Hilary Hahn will release her latest album, Higdon & Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos , on Deutsche Grammophon on September 21, 2010, demonstrating her commitment to exploring new music while embracing the masterworks of the past. The disc features the world premiere recording of Jennifer Higdon's Pulitzer Prize-winning Violin Concerto, which was written for Hahn. Higdon developed an intimate familiarity with Hahn's impeccable artistry after serving as the virtuoso's twentieth-century music professor at the Curtis Institute. The concerto, hailed by the Baltimore Sun as "tailor-made to the violinist's unflappable technique and musical depth," appears along with Hahn's fresh take on the monumental Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Regarding the combination of two seemingly disparate works on the same disc, Hahn writes, "I believe that these full-scale, grandly conceived concertos...illuminate each other. While they come from different centuries

I'm half way through my Masters in Music (Composition) and will complete this course in madness the proud owner of a degree and school loans totaling over $150k. I'm 47 and you might consider this a midlife crisis (although crisis hardly seems the right term). Why would I leave a rather high paying career as a software engineer (where I was making over $100k/year before the dot com bubble burst) to get a degree in music - and continue that course into a Masters degree? Because I have to... there is no other option that makes any sense (to me personally). Kyle Gann, a fellow composer, wrote on his blog PostClassic a nice article about The Economics of Composing , a follow-up article of his Almost All Is Vanity . He does a nice job of describing the futility of being an "older" composer in the classical music market. "We have three markets. There's a commercial market, entirely determined by huge corporations whose sole interest is money. We're neve

This month cellist Joshua Roman is getting a jump on the Fourth of July, with both the world premiere in Seattle and the New York City premiere of a piece composed for him by fellow Cleveland Institute of Music graduate Dan Visconti. The five-movement composition, entitled "Americana," is based on lines of texts from patriotic folk songs, combining elements from American hymns, sea shanties, civil rights marches, and even Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. "It's refreshing to see somebody who is able to present such a new, yet familiar side of what classical music can be," said Roman. "Visconti captures folk themes in a very traditional manner, without it being too hokey. It's a great celebration!"

For Fifth Consecutive Season, Bard’s Authentic Spiegeltent Provides Dazzling Venue for Entertainment – From Family Fare to Edgy Cabaret, Live Music, and Late-Night Dancing – Plus Refreshments “Enter the Spiegeltent – the tent of dreams – and you will never be the same again.”– Edinburgh Fringe magazine The opening of the 2010 Bard SummerScape festival on Thursday, July 8, signals the return of the authentic, one-of-a-kind Belgian Spiegeltent, the luxurious “tent of mirrors” that has proved such a sensation since 2006, when its introduction to Bard marked the first time one of these fabled old-world structures appeared in America; the New York Times pronounced it “agreeably funky,” while the Village Voice praised its “wooden floors, mirrored walls, stained-glass panels, and red velvet ceiling.” Conveniently situated near the Frank Gehry-designed Fisher Center, the Spiegeltent affords a sumptuous and magical environment to enjoy cutting-edge cabaret and musical performances – almo

Chief Conductor Charles Dutoit becomes Conductor Laureate of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2012-13 season Philadelphia Orchestra Association Chairman Richard B. Worley and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore announced today that Yannick (Yah-NEEK) Nézet-Séguin (NAH-zay SAY-gahn) has been named as the Orchestra’s next Music Director. His seven-year contract begins immediately, with Mr. Nézet-Séguin assuming the title of Music Director Designate for two seasons and taking on the full role of Music Director in the 2012-13 season. Mr. Nézet-Séguin will come to Philadelphia this Friday, June 18, 2010, to celebrate his appointment with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the City of Philadelphia . With his appointment, Mr. Nézet-Séguin joins a distinguished history inclusive of young Music Directors of The Philadelphia Orchestra. When he assumes the Music Director title full time at the age of 37, Mr. Nézet-Séguin will join the ranks of Leopold Stokowski who was 30 years old when he became Mus

Deutsche Grammophon Releases the Live Recording as Download-only from iTunes Last December, John Adams led an intriguing concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Walt Disney Concert Hall of music thematically centered on California, and specifically Los Angeles. From a Hollywood film score to a 21st century violin concerto, the concert, entitled West Coast, Left Coast , demonstrated the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s remarkable virtuosity and daring program choices. Deutsche Grammophon was on-hand to record the concerts and is proud to release the entire evening as part of the DG Concert Series of download-only digital releases, available from iTunes on June 15, 2010. The concert was constructed so as to build to a performance of John Adams violin concerto, The Dharma at Big Sur . The work, commissioned for the inaugural gala of Walt Disney Concert Hall, was directly inspired by architect Frank Gehry’s design. The “sweeping, silver-toned clouds and sails of its exterior and…i

“Ferociously Intelligent Musician” Also Performs at Tanglewood and “Mostly Mozart” Festivals in U.S. (Aug 10-16) “Protean keyboard personality”* Pierre-Laurent Aimard kicks off his summer festival season in June, when he returns to England’s Aldeburgh Festival for the second year of his tenure as Artistic Director (June 11-27). His first was a resounding triumph: “Even his critics are heralding this year’s Aldeburgh Festival...as one of the best programs for years,” reported the Economist last summer, and in Aimard’s hands the festival has remained true to its fabled heritage while reflecting his own musical passions. The coming season embraces a wealth of repertoire from Bach and Beethoven to Boulez and Berio by way of festival founder Britten himself, and programming highlights include a world premiere from Elliott Carter, a celebration of Peter Pears’s centenary, and artistic collaborations with Pierre Boulez and George Benjamin. As a performer, Aimard’s contribution will be s

I'm not sure how I feel about this one... The Canadian Brass, one of the finest brass ensembles in the world, playing a host of "American" (read: United States) patriotic tunes. The original press release said the new CD is "chock full of patriotic songs" but patriotic to whom? I like the tunes of Stars and Stripes Forever , America the Beautiful , Battle Hymn of the Republic , Hail Columbia , Shenandoah and You’re A Grand Old Flag , but I think it's more of a marketing ploy than a show of patriotism. There are getting some great reviews, such as: “Wow, who knew the Canadians felt this way about us? Here are 16 over-the-top tracks, featuring replica drums from the Colonial and Civil War eras, all toasting America. The themes all get impressive, imaginative treatment with their dashing fanfares and imaginative touches. The flat-footed “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” gets a burst of panache from a few bars of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.”Hmm.

Including Performances by Gilbert as Violist in Brahms’s String Sextet No. 2 (June 12), and Beethoven’s Monumental Missa Solemnis , Paired with World Premiere of Al largo by Magnus Lindberg (June 23-26) Following a trio of triumphant sold-out performances of György Ligeti’s opera, Le Grand Macabre , Alan Gilbert turns to the final concerts of his inaugural season as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. Highlights of his three upcoming programs at Avery Fisher Hall are an appearance by Gilbert as violist in Brahms’s Sextet No. 2 with musicians of the New York Philharmonic (June 12 at 2pm), and season-ending performances of Beethoven’s monumental Missa Solemnis , paired with the world premiere of Al largo , a new work by Magnus Lindberg – the orchestra’s Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence – commissioned by the New York Philharmonic (June 23, 24, and 26). Detailed information on each program, including an additional concert by Gilbert and the Philharmonic at Newark’s N

Emmanuel Villaume, the Christel DeHaan Music Director for Opera & Orchestra for Spoleto Festival USA, announced yesterday that he will leave his position after the current season. “I love this Festival deeply and I have always said that if I could not give the organization what I consider to be the necessary time, I would step down from my position,” said Villaume at the Spoleto Festival USA’s board meeting yesterday morning. Recently appointed Chief Conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Maestro Villaume also serves as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and is a highly sought-after guest conductor worldwide. Maestro Villaume is the longest serving Music Director for Opera & Orchestra for Spoleto Festival USA having taken up this post in 2001. Prior to that, he made his 1990 American debut with the Festival’s acclaimed production of Le nozze di Figaro directed by Gian Carlo Menotti in which Renée Fleming first sang the role o

This spring, New York City elementary, middle, and high school students who participated in the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s “Urban Voices” program will showcase their skills by performing choral works for their school communities. As the culmination of a year-long choral-music program, in which students work with Guild-trained Choral Artist partners once a week, these concerts celebrate the accomplishments of Urban Voices students as well as the joy of singing together. Featuring a wide variety of repertoire purposefully tied to other areas of each school’s curriculum, these spring concerts bring together parents, teachers, and students for festive community occasions. The Urban Voices program is designed for under-resourced schools with large low-income student populations – often schools that have no music program of their own. It introduces its participants to a variety of repertoire from different cultures , genres, and time periods. Students learn

Richard Galliano, surely one of the most recognizable names associated with the accordion, has crossed musical boundaries collaborating with top jazz musicians, giving solo recitals and performing as soloist with orchestras. His wide-ranging interests and career have finally led him to record Bach, though he has practiced and performed the music for many years. Deutsche Grammophon is proud to release this all-new recording of Bach as performed on the accordion, available June 29, 2010. Richard Galliano feels no need to change Bach’s music to suit the accordion: he plays everything as written. “Bach’s music is universal,” says Galliano. “When I play it, I don’t change a note, not a breath, not a rest . . . I play the text complete, without any adaptation . . . In the prelude from the Cello Suite, I use only the left hand’s keyboard to play the cello part. At first I tried to harmonize it, to play it as on an organ, with the right hand at the octave . . . Ultimately, each time I t

Icarus at the Edge of Time Saturday 3 July, 7.30pm | Sunday 4 July, 2pm & 4pm | Royal Festival Hall The worlds of music, film and science collide in a performance based on Brian Greene's acclaimed children's book . Philip Glass has written the music, played live by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside a cutting-edge film by duo, Al and Al. Marin Alsop conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which also plays John Adams's Doctor Atomic Symphony at Saturday evening's performance. Sunday 4 July - Family performances, suitable for children aged 8 and above. Tickets £10 - £30 50% off for under 16s. Southbank Centre Ticket Office: 0844 875 0073

Beginning on July 23rd, the marvelous New York Philharmonic will be back in Vail for what promises to be six unforgettable evenings of music. With works by Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Schoenfield and more being performed, the Philharmonic will entrance you with their magnificent sound. JULY 23RD, 2010 New York Philharmonic's opening night with Jonathan Biss An opening night with the New York Philharmonic never disappoints, and this evening will carry on that tradition. Jonathan Biss has appeared with every major U.S. orchestra as well as numerous European ensembles. "He is impetuous but aware. No gesture is out of control, no matter how deeply felt. No sound color is harsh, regardless of the technical difficulty." - New York Times. JULY 28TH, 2010 An evening of Festive Classics - Elixir of Love, featuring Soprano Nicole Cabell "Its a voice that wraps itself around you... long, sinuous phrasing, warm tone and a sophistication that touches everyth

“Winning” Minnie Portrayal Is Hit as Soprano Adds Important New Role to Repertoire, Impressing Critics with “Radiant Voice,” “Theatrical Vibrancy,” and “Sensitivity to Detail” “Voigt, singing Minnie for the first time, brought theatrical vibrancy and considerable personal charm to the role – it was no stretch to imagine an entire troop of miners eating out of her hand.” – San Francisco Chronicle [Joshua Kosman] On June 9, Deborah Voigt, America’s top dramatic soprano, marked another milestone in her career when she returned to San Francisco Opera and made her title role debut as the pistol-packing, poker-playing barmaid in Puccini’s Gold Rush extravaganza, La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West). Running through July 2, the new San Francisco production is the first North American staging to celebrate the opera’s centenary. The Associated Press summarized the impact of Deborah Voigt’s role debut, with Mike Silverman enthusing: “Both vocally and dramatically, th

Deutsche Grammophon Releases All-New Album on July 20, 2010 In January of this year, Deutsche Grammophon released pianist Alice Sara Ott’s international debut album, Chopin: Complete Waltzes . The album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Classical Traditional chart and has earned Ott praise from critics and audiences alike. As a follow-up to the Chopin disc, Ott releases Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Etudes – a formidable challenge for any pianist and a true test of technique and stamina. Deutsche Grammophon will release the album on July 20, 2010. Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes started as a simpler set of etudes from 1826 written when Liszt was a teenager. Years later Liszt expanded the score and added incredibly difficult passage work. This second edition, which was dedicated to Liszt’s teacher Carl Czerny (a prolific composer of etudes as any young pianist can attest), was so fiendishly difficult that Liszt decided to revise the etudes again in 1852. It is this third and final ve

This Saturday, June 19th at 10pm, Q2 with Terrance McKnight will be highlighting the music of Tom Wiggins. Wiggins, also known as “Blind Tom,” was born blind into slavery on the Bethune plantation, where his family was enslaved. He demonstrated extraordinary musical talent at an early age and, when James Bethune recognized his potential, was granted a life of “freedom” in order to work as a traveling showman. Most African Americans were not able to live a life of freedom, but Blind Tom was not free in many respects. He was marketed as a circus-style freak and was never paid for his performances, despite being one of the highest earning entertainers in the country – his earnings went to the Bethune family. Terrance will explore Blind Tom’s music and story on Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day. You can tune in to Q2 with Terrance McKnight at 10pm this Saturday at Classical 105.9 FM or by logging on to www.wqxr.org .