The New Criterion: Symphony by the sea
The coalescence of art, capital, and wise public health policies that is rapidly transforming South Florida into an international cultural hub has received a great boost this spring from the Palm Beach Symphony. The orchestra’s dynamic maestro, Gerard Schwarz, has led it to new heights and placed it among the ranks of the very best American regional ensembles (an ascendancy that was sorely needed following the closing of the Florida Philharmonic in 2003). The longtime director of the Seattle Symphony and New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Schwarz moved to Florida in 2019 to become Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and the director of the Frost Symphony, before assuming his post as the Palm Beach Symphony’s musical and artistic director last season.
The New Criterion
Paul du Quenoy
On a live concert by the Palm Beach Symphony.
The coalescence of art, capital, and wise public health policies that is rapidly transforming South Florida into an international cultural hub has received a great boost this spring from the Palm Beach Symphony. The orchestra’s dynamic maestro, Gerard Schwarz, has led it to new heights and placed it among the ranks of the very best American regional ensembles (an ascendancy that was sorely needed following the closing of the Florida Philharmonic in 2003). The longtime director of the Seattle Symphony and New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Schwarz moved to Florida in 2019 to become Distinguished Professor of Music at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and the director of the Frost Symphony, before assuming his post as the Palm Beach Symphony’s musical and artistic director last season. His son Julian, an accomplished cellist who joined his father as the soloist in this judiciously programmed concert, quite rightly described him to me as “the busiest conductor of the covid-19 pandemic era.”
Read more here.
Violin Channel: Dr. Sharon Azrieli on the Azrieli Music Prizes Competition
The Violin Channel recently sat down with Dr Azrieli, the visionary behind the Azrieli Music Prizes, the Azrieli Foundation Board Director, and the Board Liaison on the Azrieli Music Prizes Advisory Council.
Can you tell us about the Azrieli Foundation? When was it founded and what is its core mission?
Founded over 30 years ago by my father, David Azrieli, the Azrieli Foundation takes a thoughtful and creative approach to philanthropy.
The Violin Channel
The Violin Channel recently sat down with Dr Azrieli, the visionary behind the Azrieli Music Prizes, the Azrieli Foundation Board Director, and the Board Liaison on the Azrieli Music Prizes Advisory Council.
Can you tell us about the Azrieli Foundation? When was it founded and what is its core mission?
Founded over 30 years ago by my father, David Azrieli, the Azrieli Foundation takes a thoughtful and creative approach to philanthropy.
We believe that courageous forward-thinking, strategic collaborations and community leadership are the keys to creating positive outcomes for present and future generations.
We aim to make a significant difference in several areas of importance, including music, arts and culture; scientific and medical research; educational empowerment; architecture and design; Holocaust commemoration and education; and quality of life initiatives for people with developmental disabilities. It’s a broad and bold approach to philanthropy that makes a measurable positive impact year after year.
Read more here.
Ludwig van: Nicolas Namoradze: ‘Life Is Full Of Surprises’
“Life is full of surprises,” Nicolas Namoradze a.k.a. “Nico” says of his impressive win of the top prize at the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition. The triennial Calgary-based competition has helped launch international performance and recording careers for a galaxy of classical music stars.
After taking the bold move of stepping out of the limelight for four years before entering the competition, the then 26-year-old pianist dazzled with virtuosic technique, matched by unconventional repertoire. His program included a lengthier choice of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, Op. 83 for the finals, and his own Etudes he described as “fearsomely challenging”.
Ludwig van
Holly Harris
Spend an hour chatting with the brilliant musician Nicolas Namoradze, and it’s abundantly clear this is not your typical pianist.
“Life is full of surprises,” Nicolas Namoradze a.k.a. “Nico” says of his impressive win of the top prize at the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition. The triennial Calgary-based competition has helped launch international performance and recording careers for a galaxy of classical music stars.
After taking the bold move of stepping out of the limelight for four years before entering the competition, the then 26-year-old pianist dazzled with virtuosic technique, matched by unconventional repertoire. His program included a lengthier choice of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B♭ major, Op. 83 for the finals, and his own Etudes he described as “fearsomely challenging”.
“You can get into trouble with things like that,” Namoradze states calmly of his program choices. “I made decisions that went against the grain because I knew that this wasn’t the kind of competition where I should be thinking about competition strategy. Brahms 2 was simply my favourite concerto, and I love playing it.”
Read more here.
Gramophone: Figaro in the City: Mozart as a television series
When I had the initial idea to salvage a concert version of the Marriage of Figaro, Paris was just coming out of its first confinement period. Springtime was bursting out, we no longer needed to fill out forms to leave our homes and while all performing venues were closed, the prevalent feeling in the streets was that the time had come to find imaginative ways to keep music alive. I had just spent a month re-reading Magic Mountain, and coming down from the heights of the sanatorium, I felt an urge to find a way to refit our project to adapt to the challenges of the day.
Gramophone
David Stern
A young cast, imaginative filming - how the project came about. Watch the first episode for free
When I had the initial idea to salvage a concert version of the Marriage of Figaro, Paris was just coming out of its first confinement period. Springtime was bursting out, we no longer needed to fill out forms to leave our homes and while all performing venues were closed, the prevalent feeling in the streets was that the time had come to find imaginative ways to keep music alive. I had just spent a month re-reading Magic Mountain, and coming down from the heights of the sanatorium, I felt an urge to find a way to refit our project to adapt to the challenges of the day.
Read more here.
OperaWire: Q & A: David Stern on Opera Fuoco’s New Opera Mini-Series ‘Figaro in the City’
David Stern’s opera company, Opera Fuoco, recently released a 14-part online series of “The Marriage of Figaro” which is set in 2020.
The series was created in response to the new technological developments and the new streaming era of opera which has grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stern is a firm believer that in the Netflix-era, people want/need to be able to consume the arts in smaller bites. As a result, the new series was created and stars members of Opera Fuoco’s Young Artist Program and world-renowned singer Laurent Naouri.
OperaWire had a chance to speak with Stern about the new series, the filming process, and the challenges of making an opera show.
OperaWire
Francisco Salazar
David Stern’s opera company, Opera Fuoco, recently released a 14-part online series of “The Marriage of Figaro” which is set in 2020.
The series was created in response to the new technological developments and the new streaming era of opera which has grown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stern is a firm believer that in the Netflix-era, people want/need to be able to consume the arts in smaller bites. As a result, the new series was created and stars members of Opera Fuoco’s Young Artist Program and world-renowned singer Laurent Naouri.
OperaWire had a chance to speak with Stern about the new series, the filming process, and the challenges of making an opera show.
OperaWire: How did you come up with the idea for “Figaro in the city?”
Read more here.
France 24: Arena rock? Palm Beach says try arena opera
With the pandemic forcing most stages to go virtual, the Palm Beach Opera is embracing its tropical weather and holding an outdoor festival.
The company is expecting to host some 1,000 people per show at their series kicking off this weekend starting with the classic "La Boheme" -- the largest-scale opera with an audience in the United States since the pandemic essentially shut down live performance nearly a year ago.
France 24
With the pandemic forcing most stages to go virtual, the Palm Beach Opera is embracing its tropical weather and holding an outdoor festival.
The company is expecting to host some 1,000 people per show at their series kicking off this weekend starting with the classic "La Boheme" -- the largest-scale opera with an audience in the United States since the pandemic essentially shut down live performance nearly a year ago.
Organizers say the capacity for the festival running from February 19-27 is possible due to the size of their outdoor amphitheater, which has 6,000 fixed seats. Masks, temperature checks and social distancing will be required to attend.
While much pandemic-era opera has gotten more intimate, via screens or with small audiences, the Palm Beach festival is aiming to expand.
"Ozzy Osbourne stood in the place where I'm conducting," David Stern, the opera's chief conductor who will lead both "La Boheme" and "The Magic Flute," told AFP with a laugh.
Read more here.
The Strad: Why we should all be violists
What is a viola?
Walking down the street, meeting strangers the conversation often goes ‘So you play the violin?’
‘No, actually it is a viola.’
‘A WHAT??’
‘Well, it’s an instrument bigger than the violin, smaller than a cello.’
‘Oh, I see …. never heard of it! Good luck with THAT!’
As I write this, spell check is not allowing me to write the word ‘violist’, suggesting the word ‘violinist’ as a possible fix. Funnily enough, I too never heard of it when growing up in Taiwan 30 years ago. We young musicians were given the option to pick a second instrument as we entered the 4th grade. Knowing only that I didn’t want to play the violin like everyone else, I opted to play something that the orchestra needed. They offered me either the oboe or the viola. We had no idea what a viola was, but my father thought playing the oboe did not look too appealing, so the viola was what we settled on.
The Strad
Hsin-Yun Huang
Violist and teacher Hsin-Yun Huang makes the case for her instrument of choice
What is a viola?
Walking down the street, meeting strangers the conversation often goes ‘So you play the violin?’
‘No, actually it is a viola.’
‘A WHAT??’
‘Well, it’s an instrument bigger than the violin, smaller than a cello.’
‘Oh, I see …. never heard of it! Good luck with THAT!’
As I write this, spell check is not allowing me to write the word ‘violist’, suggesting the word ‘violinist’ as a possible fix. Funnily enough, I too never heard of it when growing up in Taiwan 30 years ago. We young musicians were given the option to pick a second instrument as we entered the 4th grade. Knowing only that I didn’t want to play the violin like everyone else, I opted to play something that the orchestra needed. They offered me either the oboe or the viola. We had no idea what a viola was, but my father thought playing the oboe did not look too appealing, so the viola was what we settled on.
Read more here.
“Listening to the Future” Documentary Highlights the Success of Chinese Contemporary Music
The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (CCOM)—founder of the Chinese Music Composition Center and a driving force in the global success of Chinese contemporary music— releases a documentary about the Chinese music of today: “Listening to the Future.” The 30-minute film chronicles the Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra of Beijing’s Carnegie Hall debut and celebrates initiatives propelling Chinese Contemporary Music forward.
The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (CCOM)—founder of the Chinese Music Composition Center and a driving force in the global success of Chinese contemporary music— releases a documentary about the Chinese music of today: “Listening to the Future.” The 30-minute film chronicles the Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra of Beijing’s Carnegie Hall debut and celebrates initiatives propelling Chinese Contemporary Music forward.
The works of CCOM composition professors have been premiered multiple times to great critical acclaim in North America including at Lincoln Center in 2018 and at Carnegie Hall by the CCOM Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Professor Feng Yu, President of CCOM, in 2019. The compositions feature well-incorporated Chinese and Western musical elements including a mix of traditional Chinese instruments and Western chamber orchestra. In the documentary, all eight composers who had their works performed at Carnegie Hall in 2019 discuss their compositions and thoughts about Chinese contemporary music. Classical music critic, Dr. Linda Holt—who attended the 2019 Carnegie Hall concert—shares the origin of her interest in Chinese music and uses CCOM as an example of the success of the genre.
Other highlights of the film include details of the long-term partnership between the internationally-renowned publishing house, Edition Peters, and Central Conservatory of Music Publisher (CCMP). Together, they launched the Edition Peters Silk Road Library project in April 2019 and plan to release the international version of CCOM’s score collection in 2021. By working with Edition Peters to publish works by Chinese composers, the CCMP can be certain that orchestras, conductors, and performers have the confidence to program the works of Chinese composers outside China, forging unprecedented, longstanding genuine links between the East and West.
Additionally, the documentary details the Chinese Music Composition Center’s upcoming performance tour in Europe next year. Comprised of musicians from the symphony orchestras of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) and the Central Conservatory of Music, the ensemble performs in 2021 in the Grosser Saal of Wiener Konzerthaus and Festsaal. Ulrike Sych, Rector of the MDW, explains the long and intensive collaboration between MDW and CCOM, two of the largest and most renowned music universities in the world on opposite sides of the world. The joint orchestra is set to provide musical dialogue of western and Chinese repertoire at the highest artistic level. Especially in these globally challenging days—in the face of public restrictions, closed borders, and closed institutions—the ensemble provides the most beautiful evidence that culture knows no borders and always remains open.
Watch below.
The Denver Post: Colorado’s Biggest and Boldest Art Moments of 2020
The pandemic was raging this summer when the Bravo! Vail Music Festival threw caution to the wind and went ahead with an abbreviated summer concert season. Sure, it was different than the usual fare. Instead of putting major international orchestras on stage, the programs featured small ensembles. And instead of packing the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater with throngs of classical fans, it played to the bare maximum, filling just a portion of the seats to keep spectators at safe distances. Not everything that was planned actually happened. But something about the effort felt epic, as the organization stood firm, as best it could, against its viral showstopper. It was also generous. Unlike other orchestras that took whatever cash they could this summer, Bravo! Vail also made the programming free online to anyone who wanted to see it. Those who clicked in will remember the concerts for a long time.
The Denver Post
Ray Mark Rinaldi
Playing on: Bravo! Vail Music Festival
The pandemic was raging this summer when the Bravo! Vail Music Festival threw caution to the wind and went ahead with an abbreviated summer concert season. Sure, it was different than the usual fare. Instead of putting major international orchestras on stage, the programs featured small ensembles. And instead of packing the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater with throngs of classical fans, it played to the bare maximum, filling just a portion of the seats to keep spectators at safe distances. Not everything that was planned actually happened. But something about the effort felt epic, as the organization stood firm, as best it could, against its viral showstopper. It was also generous. Unlike other orchestras that took whatever cash they could this summer, Bravo! Vail also made the programming free online to anyone who wanted to see it. Those who clicked in will remember the concerts for a long time.
Read more here.
The Times: Composer’s Carol Honours Oxford Team’s Covid Vaccine
Joseph’s doubts as he made his way to Bethlehem have inspired a new carol in honour of Oxford University’s vaccine scientists.
The composer John Rutter and bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel have been recruited by the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra for a concert in the city’s Sheldonian Theatre in honour of the team at the university who have developed a coronavirus vaccine.
The Times
David Sanderson
Joseph’s doubts as he made his way to Bethlehem have inspired a new carol in honour of Oxford University’s vaccine scientists.
The composer John Rutter and bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel have been recruited by the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra for a concert in the city’s Sheldonian Theatre in honour of the team at the university who have developed a coronavirus vaccine.
Read more here.