Oxford Philharmonic Guest User Oxford Philharmonic Guest User

Classical Music Magazine: Oxford Philharmonic to Stream Concert Dedicated to Vaccine Team

On Friday 18 December the Oxford Philharmonic will stream a concert from the Sheldonian Theatre in celebration of and dedicated to the Oxford vaccine team.

It was a joy to attend a recording session on December 3. The programme includes the world premiere of John Rutter’s Joseph’s Carol, written 'at the invitation of Marios Papadopoulos and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and respectfully dedicated to the Oxford Vaccine team': the Oxford Vaccine Group, the Jenner Institute and the RECOVERY team. It was written with bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in mind, who sang the premiere, which was conducted by John Rutter himself.

Classical Music Magazine

On Friday 18 December the Oxford Philharmonic will stream a concert from the Sheldonian Theatre in celebration of and dedicated to the Oxford vaccine team.

It was a joy to attend a recording session on December 3. The programme includes the world premiere of John Rutter’s Joseph’s Carol, written 'at the invitation of Marios Papadopoulos and the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and respectfully dedicated to the Oxford Vaccine team': the Oxford Vaccine Group, the Jenner Institute and the RECOVERY team. It was written with bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in mind, who sang the premiere, which was conducted by John Rutter himself.

Read more here.

Read More
The Azrieli Foundation Guest User The Azrieli Foundation Guest User

Toronto Star: Azrieli Foundation conducts a new approach to launching its prize-winning composers

Bach, Mozart, Beethoven? You know what they do. What about Keiko Devaux, Yotam Haber and Yitzhak Yedid? Actually, they do the same: they are composers. Only they are still alive and relatively unknown.

That is where the Azrieli Foundation comes in. Like philanthropic enterprises elsewhere, the Montreal-based foundation has undertaken a mission to discover and celebrate creative talent in music.

Established in 2014 and awarded biennially, the Azrieli Music Prizes are, at a total value of $200,000 each — including a commissioning prize, a gala concert, national premier and recording for release — the largest in Canada to be awarded to composers.

Toronto Star
William Littler

Bach, Mozart, Beethoven? You know what they do. What about Keiko Devaux, Yotam Haber and Yitzhak Yedid? Actually, they do the same: they are composers. Only they are still alive and relatively unknown.

That is where the Azrieli Foundation comes in. Like philanthropic enterprises elsewhere, the Montreal-based foundation has undertaken a mission to discover and celebrate creative talent in music.

Established in 2014 and awarded biennially, the Azrieli Music Prizes are, at a total value of $200,000 each — including a commissioning prize, a gala concert, national premier and recording for release — the largest in Canada to be awarded to composers.

Read more here.

Read More
The Azrieli Foundation Guest User The Azrieli Foundation Guest User

The New York Times: Whispers of an Italian-Jewish Past Fill Yotam Haber’s Music

Since early in his career, Yotam Haber has grappled with what it means to be a contemporary Jewish composer. The tentative answers offered by his music — full of allusions, distortion and whispers of the past — suggest that the grappling itself is a vital part of that identity.

The New York Times
Thomas May

Yotam Haber’s “Estro Poetico-armonico III” combines live singing with archival recordings of cantors.

Since early in his career, Yotam Haber has grappled with what it means to be a contemporary Jewish composer. The tentative answers offered by his music — full of allusions, distortion and whispers of the past — suggest that the grappling itself is a vital part of that identity.

Mr. Haber’s most recent work, “Estro Poetico-armonico III,” which juxtaposes a live mezzo-soprano and orchestra with decades-old recordings of Italian Jewish cantorial singing, dramatizes a subtle dialogue between creation and tradition. One of three composers to receive the Azrieli Foundation’s music prizes for 2020, Mr. Haber wrote the piece to fulfill the Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music.

Read more here.

Read More
Bravo! Vail Guest User Bravo! Vail Guest User

The Strad: Bravo! Vail's Inside the Music with the Dover Quartet

In this video from this year’s Bravo! Vail festival, the Dover Quartet reflects on how the global pandemic has impacted them as individuals and as an ensemble and perform the 2nd and 3rd movements of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74, ‘Harp’.

The players of the Dover Quartet are the cover stars of November 2020 issue.

The Strad

In this video from this year’s Bravo! Vail festival, the  Dover Quartet reflects on how the global pandemic has impacted them as individuals and as an ensemble and perform the 2nd and 3rd movements of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74, ‘Harp’.

The players of the Dover Quartet are the cover stars of November 2020 issue. To read our interview in which they discuss recording the Beethoven String Quartet cycle, click here.

Read More
Hsin-Yun Huang Guest User Hsin-Yun Huang Guest User

The New York Times: Classical Concert to Stream, Hsin-Yun Huang with the Brentano String Quartet

The 92nd Street Y is opening an enticing season of livestreams with a concert by this exciting quartet [Brentano String Quartet]. On paper, a program offering works by Haydn and Mendelssohn might not seem so daring. But these superb players have chosen rarer fare, including Haydn’s String Quartet in D (Op. 17, No. 6); four short pieces by Mendelssohn; and that composer’s String Quintet in B-flat, a restless score with a mournful slow movement and hurtling finale. (The violist Hsin-Yun Huang joins for it.)

The New York Times
Anthony Tommasini

Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m.; 92y.org; available for one week.

The 92nd Street Y is opening an enticing season of livestreams with a concert by this exciting quartet [Brentano String Quartet]. On paper, a program offering works by Haydn and Mendelssohn might not seem so daring. But these superb players have chosen rarer fare, including Haydn’s String Quartet in D (Op. 17, No. 6); four short pieces by Mendelssohn; and that composer’s String Quintet in B-flat, a restless score with a mournful slow movement and hurtling finale. (The violist Hsin-Yun Huang joins for it.)

Read More
Beijing Music Festival Guest User Beijing Music Festival Guest User

Los Angeles Times: 23rd Beijing Music Festival to Kick Off in October Featuring Virtual Performances

The 23rd Beijing Music Festival is scheduled to kick off in October this year, back with a bang as it features a mix of physical, virtual performances and more than 240 hours of uninterrupted audio-visual performances for music lovers.

Los Angeles Times

The 23rd Beijing Music Festival is scheduled to kick off in October this year, back with a bang as it features a mix of physical, virtual performances and more than 240 hours of uninterrupted audio-visual performances for music lovers.

Read more here.

Read More
Bravo! Vail Guest User Bravo! Vail Guest User

Pianist: Anne-Marie McDermott celebrates 10 years as Artistic Director of Bravo! Vail

American pianist Anne-Marie McDermott chats with Pianist about 10 years with Bravo! Vail, the importance of protecting classical music, and an upcoming trip to Europe...

Pianist
Ellie Palmer

American pianist Anne-Marie McDermott chats with Pianist about 10 years with Bravo! Vail, the importance of protecting classical music, and an upcoming trip to Europe...

First, our congratulations on your tenth anniversary as Artistic Director of Bravo! Vail Music Festival. In your view, what makes Bravo! Vail such a unique and special summer festival?

What makes Bravo! Vail so unique to me is the combination of the extraordinary music-making with being located in one of the most magnificent locations on planet earth, and the incredible enthusiasm and love that our audience has for the music and for the musicians.

Read more of the interview here.

Read More
Bravo! Vail Guest User Bravo! Vail Guest User

KWGN Denver: Bravo! Vail Music Box

Despite the challenges surrounding the pandemic, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival is committed to enriching its community with the power of music.

In lieu of their normal Summer festival season, Bravo! Vail hosted more than 40 community concerts this summer in their custom-built mobile performance stage, the Bravo! Vail Music Box. These concerts, though socially-distant, brought the joys of live chamber music to businesses, community groups and individuals throughout the Vail Valley.

KDVR

Despite the challenges surrounding the pandemic, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival is committed to enriching its community with the power of music.

In lieu of their normal Summer festival season, Bravo! Vail hosted more than 40 community concerts this summer in their custom-built mobile performance stage, the Bravo! Vail Music Box. These concerts, though socially-distant, brought the joys of live chamber music to businesses, community groups and individuals throughout the Vail Valley.

Watch the interview below.

Read More

Pianist Magazine: Honens Piano Competition Commissions New Piano Concerto

Honens Piano Competition has commissioned a brand-new piece in memory of Canadian jazz pianist, mathematician, educator, and composer Bruce McKinnon.

The new work will be premiered in 2022 with additional performances across Canada and internationally anticipated for the 2022/23 season.

Pianist Magazine
Ellie Palmer

Honens Piano Competition has commissioned a brand-new piece in memory of Canadian jazz pianist, mathematician, educator, and composer Bruce McKinnon.

The new work will be premiered in 2022 with additional performances across Canada and internationally anticipated for the 2022/23 season.

This concerto commission fits both pianist [Nicolas] Namoradze and composer Agócs perfectly (both pictured above). Namoradze shares, “I am a passionate advocate of new music. Having a major concerto written for me by a young composer I have the greatest admiration for is a dream come true.” The piece will be an expressive, virtuosic showcase for Namoradze, twenty minutes in duration.

Read more here.

Read More