BSO Music Director James Levine regrets that he will have to withdraw from the balance of the 2008 Tanglewood season. Because of a cyst causing pressure and discomfort, Levine will undergo surgery this week to have a kidney removed. The procedure has been described by Levine’s doctors as curative, with no other treatment necessary and with every expectation for a complete recovery. The anticipated recuperation period is six weeks -leaving ample time to prepare and conduct the season openings of the BSO and the Metropolitan Opera in September.

    “It is extremely frustrating that I need to have this surgery now,” said Levine. “My projects at Tanglewood have been planned so carefully and coordinated in such detail by the Festival administration. I especially regret not being here with Elliott Carter for his 100th birthday celebration, which I was looking forward to more than I can say. And I’m very disappointed at having to miss concerts with my colleagues in the BSO, as well as my work with the young musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center.”

    Mark Volpe, BSO Managing Director, expressed the sentiments of everyone at the Festival: “All of us at Tanglewood are very disappointed that James Levine will not be with us for his remaining concerts this summer,” said BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe. “However, we are primarily concerned for Jim’s health and well-being, and that everything be done to ensure a complete recovery so that he returns as soon as possible to his musical life with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera.”

    The 2008 Tanglewood concert schedule, which offers 67 ticketed performances and runs through Labor Day weekend, will not be disrupted, with all concerts to take place as originally scheduled. An announcement about guest conductors scheduled to take over Maestro Levine’s remaining Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Music Center concerts will be forthcoming. Maestro Levine led the BSO, a cast of international soloists, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in the opening weekend of the Tanglewood season, leading a performance of Berlioz’ monumental Les Troyens, July 5 and 6. Also last week, Maestro Levine led the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in a performance of Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony.

Tanglewood, located in Lenox, MA, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. For complete details about the 2008 Tanglewood season, visit www.tanglewood.org.

Peabody faculty member David Smooke sent this along for your delectation:

Summer’s just beginning and Hybrid Groove Project, the genre-bending new music duo from Baltimore, is already heating things up with their number one summer jam, “HGP Anthem.” In the grand tradition of the great hip-hop conflicts like Tupac v. Biggie Smalls, Dr. Dre v. Eazy-E, and 50 Cent v. Kanye West, “HGP Anthem” brings some much needed antagonism to a new music genre more accustomed to passive aggressive behind-the-back battiness than brive-bys and street corner stompings.

“By droppin’ this track we’re showing all these new music fakers who the real playaz are,” say Sacawa and Spangler. “It’s like we’re telling everyone, ‘Yo, we’re hot, and you’re not,’ you feel us? Like, y’all need to get out of the game. Plus, we need to show love for Bmore, you know what we’re sayin’?”

Indeed, new music will soon regret its unofficial partnership with indie rock with the release of Hybrid Groove Project’s latest hit, the number one summer jam of 2008. But don’t call it a comeback, Hybrid Groove Project’s been making heads nod since 2004. Just hope it’s not too late to return those skinny jeans.

Yo, check it out here, y’all.

Institute & Festival for Contemporary Performance
Marc Ponthus, Founder/director
 
JUNE 10-17, 2008
www.mannes.edu/ifcp
212.580-0210 ext 4884
 

• MONDAY, JUNE 16
All-CARTER
7:30 conversation: the relationship between Carter & Speculum Musicae
8:00 – Music of Elliott Carter – program 2
Speculum Musicae
Elizabeth Farnum, soprano
Program to include “A Mirror On Which To Dwell’ (1975 – Speculum Musicae
Commission), ‘Figment lll’ (2007 – Written for Speculum Musicae bassist Don Palma), ‘Oboe Quartet’(2001) and the ‘Sonata for Flute, Oboe, Cello and Harpsichord (1952)
 
• TUESDAY, JUNE 17
Music by APERGHIS and CARTER; Performed by IFCP Institute participants.
 
 
All concerts at 8:00pm preceded by symposium or
conversation with composers and performers at 7:30pm
Ticket price: $20/$10 students
Concert of the 17th is admission free
 
IFCP
MANNES COLLEGE THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MUSIC
150 West 85th Street
New York NY 10024
 

Anthony Braxton has released a nine-CD anthology of his piano music on Leo Records. Performed by Geneviève Foccroulle, the boxed set includes all of the prolific composer’s piano music written from 1968-2000. The set includes detailed liner notes by Stuart Broomer, featuring an interview with Braxton, and a separate booklet with the libretto and performing directions for his Composition 171, a lengthy work for pianist, actors, prompters, and “constructed environment.”

Ranging from Braxton’s Composition 1, a modernist offering in the post-Webernian vein, to Composition171’s complex narrative and theatricality, this is an excellent overview of Braxton’s evolving aesthetic and questing character, presented with sincerity and impressive facility by Foccroulle. In an era in which record companies are, by and large, shying away from such projects, kudos to Leo Feigin for supporting this ambitious endeavor.

http://www.leorecords.com/?m=select&id=CD_LR_901/909

Today is National Record Store Day. Music sellers throughout the country are celebrating in a variety of ways, from special sales and promotions to instore performances. Given the challenges that have faced “brick and mortar” record stores in recent years – internet retailers, digital downloading, and plummeting CD sales among them – I’m glad there’s a day to celebrate with the people who’ve helped me find many musical treasures. To find out if your local retailer is participating, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

Nadia Boulanger

Mademoiselle

A film by Bruno Monsaingeon

Ideale Audience (www.ideale-audience.com)

Mademoiselle, the DVD release of Bruno Monsaingeon’s 1977 film about renowned pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, is a fascinating document. It includes footage of Boulanger from the 1970s, still teaching as she neared ninety years of age. Her exacting standards, detailed criticism, and keen analytical mind are all on display.

Igor Markevitch and Leonard Bernstein are interviewed, discussing Boulanger’s impact on 20th century music. Markevitch shares his formative experiences as a student of Boulanger. Bernstein recounts Boulanger’s criticisms of one of his songs, including a suggestion that he had included “the wrong note.” Although he had never previously studied with Boulanger, the then 58 year-old felt as if he was “back in school” and receiving a composition lesson!

Most fascinating are Monsaingeon’s conversations with Boulanger. Her steadfast devotion to teaching is an inspiration. Any composer or educator who needs an antidote to their creative malaise or writer’s block should listen to what she has to say about the restorative and ineffable power of music.

Sunset at Montclair by George Inness 

New Jersey Arts Collective and the Montclair Art Museum are sponsoring Pictures 2008, a composition competition for high school and college students residing or studying in New Jersey.

The winning works will be performed on May 9th at the Montclair Art Museum by the Halcyon Trio (www.halcyontrio.com). The museum has also commissioned a piece from Christian Carey for the concert. A Composers Forum on April 4th at 3:20 PM at Westminster Choir College will feature readings and a masterclass with the Halcyon Trio for the competition winners.

Last year’s Pictures jury:  Frank Ezra Levy, Christian Carey (standing) 

Melinda Wagner, Andrew Lamy, and Brett Duebner, (seated)

All submissions must be based on Sunset at Montclair, a George Inness painting from the MAM’s collection. An image of the work, as well as competition guidelines, can be found at the following web link:

http://www.montclairartmuseum.org/education.cfm?id=93

The deadline for entries is March 21st. There will be a complimentary curator’s talk about Inness on Saturday, Feb. 9th at 1 PM at the MAM. Applicants are encouraged to attend.