One of our English connections (and good S21 pal), Edward Lawes sent along a note reminding us that György Ligeti is BBC3’s Composer of the Week, so be sure to check the schedule for lots of good listening on the menu. Not only that, but This Tuesday (10 March) evening brings us a great all–Xenakis broadcast on the Beeb’s Performance on 3 program. That feast includes Tracees, Anastenaria, Sea-Nymphs, Mists, Nuits, Troorkh, and Antikhthon. This stuff is generally archived for a week or so, meaning you can be fashionably late yet still not miss a note. Ed’s own blog, Complement.Inversion.Etc., is
Read moreSchuyler Chapin, the legendary former general manager of the Met, died yesterday at 86. Composer Matthew Zachary Johnson, who served as Mr. Chapin’s secretary for the past four years, has a tribute here.
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Chamber Music, Classical Music, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Downtown, Electro-Acoustic, Experimental Music, Improv, Music Events, New York, Performers
Interpretations continues its twentieth season of provocative programming in New York City. Founded and curated by baritone Thomas Buckner in 1989, Interpretations focuses on the relationship between contemporary composers from both jazz and classical backgrounds and their interpreters, whether the composers themselves or performers who specialize in new music. To celebrate, Jerry Bowles has invited the artists involved in this season’s concerts to blog about their Interpretations experiences. The concert on 12 March 2009 is a recital by the producer himself, baritone Thomas Buckner. He took time out of his busy schedule to tell us in his own words about
Read moreThere are beings that are just too special for this world. They arrive, fully-formed, on the messy little stage of your life and immediately dazzle you with their stunning beauty and charisma and goodness. They capture your heart so completely that you are always a little fearful that something this perfect cannot last. Howard arrived in our household eight years ago, at a time when we were still mourning the loss of a previous companion. By the second day, previous cats were forgotten. He seemed to have two speeds—full and stop—careening around our apartment and crashing into furniture like a
Read moreThe NEA has announced its plans for the funding it got in the stimulus bill, and the elligibility guidelines make a lot of sense. Back in early February when the bill was going through congress I expressed concern about whether the NEA would use the funding in a deliberately stimulative way, and, as the Magic 8 Ball would say, “signs point to yes.” According to the NEA website: Projects are limited to: Salary support, full or partial, for one or more positions that are critical to an organization’s artistic mission and that are in jeopardy or have been eliminated as
Read moreThe festivities continue at the newly reopened Alice Tully Hall tonight, with a concert they’re calling “New York, New Music, New Hall.” The evening gets underway with a preshow at 5:30 in the outer lobby where ETHEL will play a piece called Space by Phil Kline. The sold-out main event starts at 7:00 and features a smorgasbord of performances by Alarm Will Sound, the Bang On A Can All-Stars (with special guest Glenn Kotche of Wilco), and Steve Reich and Musicians with Synergy Vocals. AWS is playing music by Derek Bermel, Oscar Bianchi, and Caleb Burhans. The All-Stars are playing
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Classical Music, Click Picks, Competitions, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Music Events, Uncategorized
If you believe that the importance of the arts in these times is inversely proportional to the economic news, than there’s never been a better time for YouTube’s Symphony Orchestra. YouTube announced today the winners of the world’s first orchestra selected entirely through video auditions on-line, a process yielding more than 3,000 videos from all over the world, and 200 finalists. Since I work in the social media aspects of business software marketing, it’s been a fascinating experience to see my husband, Bill Williams, in his role as the Music Coordinator for the YouTube project, examine many of the nuances
Read moreAnybody know a good classical or new music video blogger? I may have a pretty neat gig for them. Send me a note or leave a note below. sequenza21@gmail.com
Read moreThe LA Times had an encouraging piece a few days ago about the Obama family’s interest in the non-pop arts (thanks to Alex Ross for the link). Apparently the Obamas recently attended an Alvin Ailey performance at the Kennedy Center, and the First Family has a long history of participation in, and patronage of, dance, classical music, museums, etc. The article, however, is chock full of some appaling elitism. Let’s take a look.
Read moreWould be in record stores on March 3 if there were such a thing as record stores. Available here. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxKqg0Fwsro[/youtube]
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