Suzanne Fiol, founder, artistic director, and driving force behind ISSUE Project Room, died yesterday. The web site announcement reads in part: Born on May 9, 1960, Suzanne died at 1:05 pm on Monday, October 5, 2009, after fighting a courageous and inspiring battle against cancer. Suzanne passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Details are here.
Read moreGustavo Dudamel is here! But I should quote the posters on buses, lamposts and billboards: “Pasion Gustavo”, “Radiante Gustavo”, “Dramatico Gustavo” (please forgive the absence of diacriticals). The home page of the Los Angeles Times, the still-staid Times, has a special section on Dudamel, down to an article on his childhood (gosh, that’s recent history) complete with photos at age 5, treatment awarded to the most headline-worthy. With the posters on buses, I really don’t think that the Phil is trying to sell concert tickets to bus riders. Instead, they are blanketing the area with the word that something exciting
Read moreOne of the totally unexpected perks that has come along with producing my podcast is all of the press releases that started showing up in my inbox, and even CDs in the mail once in a while. Well, last night was another first for me: an invitation to screen a new film before its release. I like films and like to follow what some of my favorite directors and screenwriters are up to, but I am far from an aficionado—so I won’t pretend to be one here. If you hadn’t heard, there is a new film coming out this month
Read moreImani Winds decided some time ago to make their tenth anniversary special, by commissioning ten new works from ten very different composers of color. Titled the Legacy Project, each new work not only gets premiered, but added to Imani’s rolling repertory as they perform across the country and beyond. So far they’ve taken on pieces by Wayne Shorter, Roberto Sierra, Alvin Singleton, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Jason Moran; Danilo Perez, Jeff Scott and Simon Shaheen (and I suppose a mystery 10th composer) are in the wings. But just now the latest offering is stellar jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris‘ Anatomy of
Read moreA few great concerts you might be able to catch, or might be missing: Carlsbad, CA: (25-27 Sept.) Sure, everybody goes here, about midway between LA and San Diego, just for Legoland California… But for the next few days, everyone should forget Legoland and instead head to the sixth annual Carlsbad Music Festival. The Calder Quartet and California EAR Unit will be playing all kinds of new music, including pieces by John Luther Adams, Daniel Wohl, Keeril Makan, Matt McBane, Ryan Brown, and Yannis Kyriakides. Premieres abound! And the weekend is given over to these ensembles supporting their special guest,
Read moreApropos our earlier news about the cutbacks to Marvin Rosen‘s “Classical Discoveries” and “Classical Discoveries goes Avant-Garde” programs on WPRB radio: I’ve just received the good word from Marvin himself that — due in large part to all your messages of support —the station has decided to keep “Classical Discoveries goes Avant-Garde” in the schedule, each Wednesday from 11AM until 1PM ET. Marvin also writes: “I’ve been asked by the Classical Director to let you all know how WPRB feels. Please see her quote to me below”: “Please thank your listeners for me and for the whole of WPRB management,
Read moreNo composers or musicians on the list of MacArthur “geniuses” this year. Is this possible? Let’s play a game. Who should have been on that list from our team? Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Ferrante & Teicher are getting together again.
Read moreNina Kotova premieres a new work by Christopher Theofanidis this weekend in Dallas. In the second part of looking at the new work, I spoke with the soloist about the piece, and learned more about how the piece came into being. Listen to our conversation: mp3 file The concert takes place Thursday, Friday & Saturday – and more performances coming up in Asia & Europe.
Read moreOur New York based readers may want to check out the opening concert of Archipelago, the new concert series by New Amsterdam Records, at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn. It’s this Friday, September 25th, and will feature performances by violist Nadia Sirota and percussion quartet Line C3. Music by Nico Muhly, David T. Little, and Carl Schimmel, with premieres of pieces by Marcos Balter and Our Lady J. Doors open at 7, and the show starts at 8. Tickets and more information here (use discount code “NEWAM” for online ticket purchases). I haven’t been to Galapagos since they moved to
Read moreThis week, the Dallas Symphony premieres a new concerto written for cellist Nina Kotova. Christopher Theofanidis is teaching at Yale and about to embark on two new operas for Houston and San Francisco. He took some time out last week to let me know more about the work and what he’s been up to! Listen to the conversation: mp3 file Tomorrow, a post with the soloist, who also composes…
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