Great Young Musicians

The Tacoma Philharmonic presents the 2010 winners recital for the Beatrice Hermann Young Artist Recital Competition.  This is a great opportunity to witness the future of music perfomance, and support these talented young people.  They are all from the greater Puget Sound region, and represent some of the finest young musicians in the area.  Click the graphic above for a larger version, with all the details.

TCC Performs Beethoven 7

I have had the pleasure to work on Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 for the past 2 months, with the Tacoma Community College Chamber Orchestra.  We are happy to share our hard work with the public in a concert this Wednesday, May 19.  The concert begins at 7:30 PM in Building 3 on the TCC campus.  It is FREE, but we do accept donations.

The program also includes Sibelius' Valse Triste - a dark introverted work for orchestra.  It is a very expressive and mysterious work, contrasting dance-like rhythms with tragic melodies.

We will also perform the light-hearted Oboe Concerto in E-flat by Bellini.  We are happy to welcome Noelle Burns to the stage as our oboe soloist.  She is a native Tacoman, a product of the Tacoma Youth Symphony - and an outstanding musician!

But it is the Beethoven that gets me most excited.  It is one of my most favorite works for orchestra.  In many ways I imagine that out of all nine of his symphonies, the seventh has the most of Beethoven's personality in it.  It is heroic.  It is tragic.  It is furious. It is defeated.  It is vulgar.  And it is witty.  It has been such a pleasure to work on this music, and share ideas about it's performance.  We are very excited to perform it for you.

See you on Wednesday?

Enjoy this Jazz Inspired Chamber Music

I remember when this album came out.  I had never heard anything quite like it.  My parents always listened to jazz, but this was something different.  It had jazz elements, but it sounded like classical music - in a Gershwin kind of way.  I remember hearing this album played many times, again and again...  My parents and brother loved it.  Later, a similar album with trumpet came out and I got hooked.


You can hear some of this album performed live as part of the Second City Chamber Series.  This Friday the chamber series will play a program titled, "Let's Party!"  It includes music by Haydn and Bolling.  It should be a fantastic performance of great music.  I would recommend this concert to any listener - experienced or new to classical music.


Here's the information from the SCCS website:
"Classical and Jazz genres combine in this concert of "divertimenti"—that is, music designed for an evening of delightful entertainment! So many of Haydn's chamber works were designed as "an evening's entertainment" for his various patrons, and French jazz pianist Claude Bolling gives us a similarly delightful "divertimenti" from a 20th century genre—hot jazz."


Haydn: "London" Trios
Bolling: Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano
Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano


What a great program to end their concert season, and for us to start thinking about the joys spring and summer.


The concert is at 7:30 in the Great Hall at Annie Wright, this Friday (5/14/2010).  Click the link above to get information on tickets.

Telephone253-572-TUNE (8863).  Recorded message, information, ticket orders.

E-mailscmail@scchamberseries.org

Great Chamber Music

Second City Chamber Series is a great organization that brings thoughtful chamber music programs to Tacoma.  They also perform their masterworks series in the Great Hall at Annie Wright.  I think this is one of the most perfect settings for chamber music.  It is like a large living room.  I love this intimate setting, where you can really see the musicians looking at each other, getting up close and feeling their energy and efforts.


Here is the information from their website:


Stravinsky: "Suite Italienne" for Violin and Piano
Schoenfield: Café Music
Piazzolla: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires


Artistic Director Svend Rønning and friends perform a concert featuring "urban legends" of the world depicted in music. The Commedia dell'arte character of Pulcinella inspired Stravinsky to compose his famous ballet, transcribed here for violin and piano by the composer. Israeli/American composer Paul Schoenfield gives us a glimpse of the street musicians of Vienna, and Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla takes us on a meteorological journey of his home city of Buenos Aires...inspired by Vivaldi, of course!
Artists: Svend Rønning, violin; Richard Treat, cello; Jairo Geronymo, piano


For tickets and information:

253-572-TUNE (8863)   

scmail@scchamberseries.org

"American Salute"

University of Puget Sound Concert Band and Wind Ensemble

Friday, April 23, 7:30 p.m., Schneebeck Concert Hall, free

Concert features different genres of works by American composers past and present

Gerard Morris, conductor

“Schumann’s 200th Anniversary”

University of Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra, Friday, April 30, 7:30 p.m., Schneebeck Concert Hall, free

Program includes: Schumann: Symphony No. 1, and Manfred, Overture

Christophe Chagnard, conductor

Jacobsen Series: Schumann Centennial Celebration and Tribute to Retiring Faculty Member Cordelia Wikarski-Miedel

Friday, April 9, 7:30 p.m., Schneebeck Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound. Tickets: $12.50 general; $8.50 sr. citizens, students. Tickets available at Wheelock Information Center, 253.879.3419, and at the door.

Program will include:

Liederkreis, Opus 39 for voice and piano

Adagio and Allegro, Opus 70 for cello and piano

Marchenbilder, Opus 113 for viola and piano

Andante and Variations in B-flat Major, Opus 45 for two pianos, two cellos, and horn