Strings: Heavy Metal Meets Classical: Rachel Barton Pine Finds a Common Ground
Stickers for Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax are emblazoned on the case that contains Rachel Barton Pine’s signature “ex-Bazzini, ex-Soldat” Joseph Guarneri del Gesù from 1742. The charismatic violinist doesn’t just defy categories. Her life as an artist is fueled by omnivorous curiosity, which Pine combines with searing musical intelligence and an impeccable virtuosity—all in the service of finding a deep connection to her audience.
The span of Pine’s interests reinforces the inadequacy of the catch-all label “classical music.” Her commitment to early music alone ranges from the medieval period to rediscovered gems of the Baroque. Pine, who celebrates her milestone 50th birthday later this year, has recorded acclaimed interpretations of standard classical repertoire but is also an avid champion of contemporary composers. Her prolific discography, which comprises more than 30 albums to date, additionally documents the violinist’s passion for Chicago blues, Scottish fiddling, and heavy metal.
Strings
By Thomas May
Stickers for Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax are emblazoned on the case that contains Rachel Barton Pine’s signature “ex-Bazzini, ex-Soldat” Joseph Guarneri del Gesù from 1742. The charismatic violinist doesn’t just defy categories. Her life as an artist is fueled by omnivorous curiosity, which Pine combines with searing musical intelligence and an impeccable virtuosity—all in the service of finding a deep connection to her audience.
The span of Pine’s interests reinforces the inadequacy of the catch-all label “classical music.” Her commitment to early music alone ranges from the medieval period to rediscovered gems of the Baroque. Pine, who celebrates her milestone 50th birthday later this year, has recorded acclaimed interpretations of standard classical repertoire but is also an avid champion of contemporary composers. Her prolific discography, which comprises more than 30 albums to date, additionally documents the violinist’s passion for Chicago blues, Scottish fiddling, and heavy metal.
Read more here.
89.1 WBOI: Sameer Patel's Return to City as Guest Conductor a Joyful Homecoming
It’s been 10 years since the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s beloved associate conductor Sameer Patel moved to San Diego to pursue his musical adventures.
Now firmly rooted in that community, his dreams continue to unfold and he is currently Director & Orchestra Conductor for the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, and Artistic Director of the San Diego Youth Symphony.
When WBOI's Julia Meek learned that Patel was returning to town for the Indiana Music Education Association Conference last week, to conduct the High School All State Orchestra performance, she invited him into the studio to discuss his Midwestern sensibilities and how the last decade has shaped his journey as well as his take on Fort Wayne's exploding arts and culture scene.
89.1 WBOI
By Julia Meek
It’s been 10 years since the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s beloved associate conductor Sameer Patel moved to San Diego to pursue his musical adventures.
Now firmly rooted in that community, his dreams continue to unfold and he is currently Director & Orchestra Conductor for the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, and Artistic Director of the San Diego Youth Symphony.
When WBOI's Julia Meek learned that Patel was returning to town for the Indiana Music Education Association Conference last week, to conduct the High School All State Orchestra performance, she invited him into the studio to discuss his Midwestern sensibilities and how the last decade has shaped his journey as well as his take on Fort Wayne's exploding arts and culture scene.
Read the interview transcript here.
KGW8: Meet two talented young musicians performing with The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra this weekend
KGW8 talks to two Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA Gold Medal Winners and Maestro Salvador Brotons in advance of VSO USA’s Young Artist Competition concert.
KGW8
KGW8 talks to two Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA Gold Medal Winners and Maestro Salvador Brotons in advance of VSO USA’s Young Artist Competition concert.
Watch the video here.
I Care If You Listen: 5 Questions to Trio Zimbalist (piano trio)
Formed in 2021, Trio Zimbalist is a vibrant new piano trio comprised of Curtis alumni Josef Špaček (violin ’09), Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin (cello ’17), and George Xiaoyuan Fu (piano ’16). The trio adopted their name from virtuoso violinist Efrem Zimbalist, who served on faculty and as director of the Curtis Institute over 40 years. Much of the trio’s formative time together took place in the room named for Mr. Zimbalist at Curtis, and their connection to the institution remains even after their time there.
I Care If You Listen
By Anne Goldberg-Baldwin
Formed in 2021, Trio Zimbalist is a vibrant new piano trio comprised of Curtis alumni Josef Špaček (violin ’09), Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin (cello ’17), and George Xiaoyuan Fu (piano ’16). The trio adopted their name from virtuoso violinist Efrem Zimbalist, who served on faculty and as director of the Curtis Institute over 40 years. Much of the trio’s formative time together took place in the room named for Mr. Zimbalist at Curtis, and their connection to the institution remains even after their time there.
Read more here.
Chicago Classical Review: With a new violist, the Dover Quartet delivers remarkable playing at Winter Chamber Music Festival
There have been occasions when the Winter Chamber Music Festival has really lived up to its name.
In the festival’s early days, during a Brahms piano quartet performance by Daniel Barenboim and CSO members Chicago was hit with a massive blizzard, leaving the audience to depart, musically warmed but with an hours-long drive home.
Friday’s ominous, click-bait weather reports suggested a similar fate for the evening’s festival concert by the Dover Quartet. As it turned out, the day’s early snow and rain cleared up by concert time allowing a near-capacity audience to make its mucky way to Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston.
That was fortunate for the Dover Quartet delivered a remarkable performance, one of the finest chamber events heard in recent years.
Chicago Classical Review
By Lawrence A. Johnson
There have been occasions when the Winter Chamber Music Festival has really lived up to its name.
In the festival’s early days, during a Brahms piano quartet performance by Daniel Barenboim and CSO members Chicago was hit with a massive blizzard, leaving the audience to depart, musically warmed but with an hours-long drive home.
Friday’s ominous, click-bait weather reports suggested a similar fate for the evening’s festival concert by the Dover Quartet. As it turned out, the day’s early snow and rain cleared up by concert time allowing a near-capacity audience to make its mucky way to Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in Evanston.
That was fortunate for the Dover Quartet delivered a remarkable performance, one of the finest chamber events heard in recent years.
Read more here.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Leonard Slatkin returns to SLSO to conduct concert series featuring Gershwin
“I subscribe to the Duke Ellington line: ‘There are two kinds of music — good music and the other stuff,’” Leonard Slatkin says.
The idea that music is music and that genre constraints are … not meaningless, certainly, but at least not always helpful, informs the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concerts on Jan. 12, 13 and 21. For them, SLSO Conductor Laureate Slatkin will lead three different programs, each headlined by one of George Gershwin’s major orchestral works: a suite from “Porgy and Bess,” “An American in Paris” and “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Not incidentally, this year marks the 100th anniversary of “Rhapsody” and the 50th anniversary of the SLSO’s initial recordings of Gershwin’s orchestral pieces — with Slatkin on the podium, no less. Naxos Records recently remastered and reissued the records.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Daniel Durchholz
“I subscribe to the Duke Ellington line: ‘There are two kinds of music — good music and the other stuff,’” Leonard Slatkin says.
The idea that music is music and that genre constraints are … not meaningless, certainly, but at least not always helpful, informs the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concerts on Jan. 12, 13 and 21. For them, SLSO Conductor Laureate Slatkin will lead three different programs, each headlined by one of George Gershwin’s major orchestral works: a suite from “Porgy and Bess,” “An American in Paris” and “Rhapsody in Blue.”
Not incidentally, this year marks the 100th anniversary of “Rhapsody” and the 50th anniversary of the SLSO’s initial recordings of Gershwin’s orchestral pieces — with Slatkin on the podium, no less. Naxos Records recently remastered and reissued the records.
Read more here.
The Today Show: National Children’s Chorus performs ‘The Christmas Song’ live!
The National Children’s Chorus, led by artistic director Luke McEndarfer, performs “The Christmas Song” live on TODAY as a part of the Citi Music Series.
The Today Show
The National Children’s Chorus, led by artistic director Luke McEndarfer, performs “The Christmas Song” live on TODAY as a part of the Citi Music Series.
Read more here.
Portland Tribune: All Classical Radio celebrates 40 years: Its gift is a big new office at KOIN Tower
The beauty of radio is that great music can come from anywhere. So, as is the case with All Classical Radio, why not broadcast from the center of all the action?
In likely July 2024, All Classical Radio, one of the top independent classical radio stations in the country, known as All Classical Portland before a recent branding change, will relocate to the KOIN Tower, 2225 S.W. Columbia St. It’ll be on the third floor with five studio and recording spaces, and a very large media arts center and community room. Blocks away are Keller Auditorium and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Oregon Symphony’s home office and plenty of other Portland musical groups.
Suzanne Nance, president and CEO, beams with pride as she stands in the still-under-construction new home for All Classical Radio, donning a hard hat, a lot of enthusiasm and a big smile.
“This is a big deal,” she said — meaning it’s a big move and a big footprint at 15,000 square feet, where 28 employees will do their work, including 11 producers/on-air talent. At a time when media entities, stereotypically and in reality, downsize, All Classical Radio moves across the Willamette River from its location at the Hampton Opera Center on Southeast Caruthers Street and ponies up $10 million (thanks to a lot of donations) for a posh new space.
Portland Tribune
By Jason Vondersmith
The beauty of radio is that great music can come from anywhere. So, as is the case with All Classical Radio, why not broadcast from the center of all the action?
In likely July 2024, All Classical Radio, one of the top independent classical radio stations in the country, known as All Classical Portland before a recent branding change, will relocate to the KOIN Tower, 2225 S.W. Columbia St. It’ll be on the third floor with five studio and recording spaces, and a very large media arts center and community room. Blocks away are Keller Auditorium and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Oregon Symphony’s home office and plenty of other Portland musical groups.
Suzanne Nance, president and CEO, beams with pride as she stands in the still-under-construction new home for All Classical Radio, donning a hard hat, a lot of enthusiasm and a big smile.
“This is a big deal,” she said — meaning it’s a big move and a big footprint at 15,000 square feet, where 28 employees will do their work, including 11 producers/on-air talent. At a time when media entities, stereotypically and in reality, downsize, All Classical Radio moves across the Willamette River from its location at the Hampton Opera Center on Southeast Caruthers Street and ponies up $10 million (thanks to a lot of donations) for a posh new space.
Read more here.
Blogcritics: Concert Review (NYC): Curtis on Tour – Chamber Music by Mozart, Sibelius and More from Some of Curtis Institute’s Finest
Even as the Curtis Institute of Music launches its own record label, the venerable conservatory has not neglected its long-running Curtis on Tour chamber music project. Seven fine Curtis student musicians and two noted professionals joined forces at 92Y in New York City on Dec. 3, performing music by 20th-century composers Erwin Schulhoff and Ernst von Dohnányi as well as Mozart and Sibelius. The music was a lively mix of periods and styles, and a testament to the high quality of Curtis’s programs
Blogcritics
Jon Sobel
Even as the Curtis Institute of Music launches its own record label, the venerable conservatory has not neglected its long-running Curtis on Tour chamber music project. Seven fine Curtis student musicians and two noted professionals joined forces at 92Y in New York City on Dec. 3, performing music by 20th-century composers Erwin Schulhoff and Ernst von Dohnányi as well as Mozart and Sibelius. The music was a lively mix of periods and styles, and a testament to the high quality of Curtis’s programs.
Read more here.
The New York Times: What to Do in New York City in December
What’s the link between the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who died in June, and the early-20th-century titans Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Darius Milhaud? A mutual flair for the theatrical, which is reflected in the title of Parlando’s concert on Sunday: “Melodrama.”
While all three artists wrote operas, this chamber orchestra will focus on some smaller yet substantial works: Milhaud’s “Le Bœuf sur le toit,” Saariaho’s “Graal théâtre” (featuring the violinist Geneva Lewis), and Korngold’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Suite. By giving short spoken introductions to each piece from the stage, the orchestra’s conductor and founder, Ian Niederhoffer, makes good on its motto: “Every concert tells a story.” But smart, unusual programming on this level fosters a gripping narrative of its own, too.
The New York Times
What’s the link between the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who died in June, and the early-20th-century titans Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Darius Milhaud? A mutual flair for the theatrical, which is reflected in the title of Parlando’s concert on Sunday: “Melodrama.”
While all three artists wrote operas, this chamber orchestra will focus on some smaller yet substantial works: Milhaud’s “Le Bœuf sur le toit,” Saariaho’s “Graal théâtre” (featuring the violinist Geneva Lewis), and Korngold’s “Much Ado About Nothing” Suite. By giving short spoken introductions to each piece from the stage, the orchestra’s conductor and founder, Ian Niederhoffer, makes good on its motto: “Every concert tells a story.” But smart, unusual programming on this level fosters a gripping narrative of its own, too.