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Classical Music
Janelle Gelfand on the classical music scene


Janelle's pen has taken her to Japan, China, Carnegie Hall, Europe (twice), East and West Coasts, and Florida. In fact, Janelle was the first Enquirer reporter to report from Europe via e-mail -- in 1995.

Janelle began writing for the Cincinnati Enquirer as a stringer in 1991 while writing a Ph.D. dissertation in musicology at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She joined the Enquirer staff in 1993.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she graduated from Stanford University, Janelle has lived in Cincinnati for more than 30 years. In her free time, this pianist plays chamber music with her circle of musical friends in Cincinnati.

She covers the Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival and Cincinnati Opera, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, chamber music ensembles, and as many recitals and events at CCM and NKU as possible.

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Monday, April 30, 2007

Phil Collins retrospective




By now you know that CSO principal trumpeter Philip Collins has had to retire due to lip injury from 31 years of wear and tear in the first chair trumpet. There was lots from our conversation that didn't fit into Sunday's story. Among them, I've always admired how focused he has been on tours. On the last European tour, Collins had to play the very exposed solo at the opening of Mahler's Fifth in Vienna, probably the toughest audience in the world.

Phil: "I remember one of the last tours with Paavo, the first concert was in Vienna, playing Mahler's Fifth. We just had incredible jet lag, and it felt like 2 a.m. I had the whole plane flight to think about the opening."

In the photos, Phil found quiet spots to warm up before concerts, playing through the jet lag in Beijing's Great Hall of the People and below, in Vienna's Konzerthaus. (Thanks to Ixi Chen and Kyril Magg for the photos.)

Take a look at some of Phil's thoughts as he retires.


Friday, April 27, 2007

In Memoriam


From the Associated Press today:

"MOSCOW – Mstislav Rostropovich played the cello with grace and verve – and lived his life offstage the same way. His death at age 80 takes away one of modern Russia's most compelling figures, admired both for his musical mastery and his defiance of Soviet repression."

Rostropovich performed three times with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, twice under conductor Max Rudolf in the 1960s. In 1995, he was a featured soloist for the orchestra’s gala 100th anniversary concert in Music Hall. Personally, I'll never forget that performance, because he radiated such joy as he played.

At Friday’s Cincinnati Symphony morning concert, music director Paavo Jarvi announced from the stage that he was dedicating their performance of Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 to the memory of the artist.


Trumpeter adds fanfare to symphony program


Here's the Review.


Extra, extra read all about it





A tornado watch didn't dampen the spirits of scores of arts lovers who jammed the Great Hall of Cincinnati Art Museum yesterday early evening, to hear the news that the Fine Arts Fund has broken another record. Margaret Buchanan, president and publisher of the Enquirer and chair of the 2007 campaign, thanked her cabinet and seemed genuinely touched by the old-time newspaper boys who were hawking the news and handing out "newspapers" (the programs). Very cute.

I liked what incoming campaign chair John Taylor said: "Nobody could live here and not know that our strategic strength is our arts." Hmm, maybe that should be the theme of his campaign?

Here are a few photos from Enquirer photographer Jeff Swinger. Top: Newsboy Michael Richart, 12 of Kenwood, from Cincinnati Children's Theatre; Buchanan unveiling the number; Michael J. Newman of Dinsmore and Shohl attorneys arrives for the celebration; the back of the CSO prez Steven Monder and others in Great Hall.


Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Street busker


The blogger who commented about street buskers below (sounds very British, doesn't it?) reminds me to give you the link to an interesting project by superstar violinist (and Indiana-grown) Josh Bell, at the request of a Washington Post writer. Bell played his 300-year-old Stradivarius violin incognito at a Metro station during rush hour. Did anyone notice the quality of his Bach Chaconne? (There's video, too.) He earned about $38, and gave it to the person who had lent him the violin case to use for tips, he told NPR. It's interesting that shortly after this, Bell won the $75,000 Avery Fisher Prize.


Tuesday, April 24, 2007

More reviews from the road


Here are some links to other reviews from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's California tour last week. First, San Diego.

I couldn't get the link to the review from Santa Barbara. Perhaps the most notable thing there was that the reviewer kept misspelling Paavo Jarvi as "Javi."

Here's the Sacramento Bee, which covered the final concert played in the Mondavi Center at UC Davis.


Imani Winds


Don't miss Imani Winds, 8 p.m. tonight in Corbett Auditorium, CCM. The group explores links between American, African and European musical traditions. Here's the program:
J. Scott's Titilayo; M. Lavista's "Cinco Danzas Breves"; Ravel
arr. Mason Jones "Le Tombeau de Couperin"; Piazzolla (Arr. J. Scott), "Oblivion";
Miguel del Aguila's Quintet No. 2 and Valerie Coleman's "Umoja."

A pre-concert Talk, 7 p.m., room 3224 (near Corbett Auditorium, is hosted by: Eftychia Papanikolaou, Assistant professor of Musicology at Miami University.

Tickets: $25; $10 students; CCM students and kids under age 18 are FREE. Click here for inf.


Monday, April 23, 2007

Sweet harmony in Covington


They've just won the Sweet Adelines International Regional Competition. What will the Cincinnati Sound Chorus do now?

Answer: They're going to Hawaii.

The 85-member strong Cincinnati Sound Chorus, directed by Lynn Hartmuth (pictured), won first place in the Sweet Adelines East Central Region No.4 Competition held at Covington's Northern Kentucky Convention Center over the weekend. Competing against 1,000 singers from four states, the chorus, which sings barbershop harmony, earned first place in all four categories: sound, music, expression and showmanship.

"It's nice for Cincinnati that we won," says new member Robyn Allgeyer, whose day job is communications director for Princeton City Schools. "We did a cheer that ends with 'aloha' onstage when we were medaled Sunday."

The win will qualify the chorus to compete in the 2008 International Competition in Honolulu. Judges' comments ranged from "Great vocal skills" to "Lovely costumes and makeup," says Price Hill singer Beverly Cunningham, who also serves on the choreography team.

Cincinnati Sound Chorus formed in January, when the Queen City and Seven Hills choruses merged. The chorus welcomes new members as it prepares to go to Hawaii. Upcoming performances include Summerfair, a Cincinnati Reds performance in June and other appearances. The chorus rehearses weekly at the Valley Temple, Wyoming. For information, visit www.cincinnatisound.org.


Bootsy and Reineke to lead World's Largest WKRP Sing-along


To celebrate the April 24 release of the DVD "WKRP in Cincinnati," Rock n Roll Hall of Famer Bootsy Collins will join Cincinnati Pops composer/arranger Steve Reineke on Fountain Square at noon Tuesday for a sing-along of the WKRP theme song.

It's voices only -- Bootsy will not have his guitar, and no, the Pops will not be on Fountain Square. Be prepared to sing. If you've forgotten the lyrics, here they are. You can also take a poll and a quiz.

Bootsy and Reineke will collaborate with the Cincinnati Pops orchestra this summer at Riverbend.


If you build it, will they come?

Here's the review from the LA Times in today's paper, by Mark Swed. Besides praising the performers, Swed comments that the new hall was far from full.

"Segerstrom may be in its first season, but it appears no attraction," he writes, noting that there were plenty of $200 seats available. $200 seats?? Given that there's also the glitzy Disney Hall not far away, isn't that a bit much to expect of concertgoers?

It appears that the new Miami Carnival Center is also having some problems filling its glamorous new performing arts center -- although many concerts do sell out, its CEO recently wrote.

Is the proliferation of glamorous new halls just too much for the demand? And if Cincinnati built a new concert hall just for the CSO (frankly, I sort of like the idea of Frank Gehry-style titanium sails on the Banks of the Ohio) would people come??


The O.C. is "completely bowled over" by CSO


The review from Friday's concert by Paavo Jarvi and the Cincinnati Symphony at the new Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa finally appeared this morning, and it is a rave. Calling the orchestra "remarkable," Timothy Mangan writes that the CSO "gave one of the most spellbinding concerts here in recent memory" in the column, headlined "Cincinnati truly has it all." (By the way, the photo, by Nick Koon, the OC Register, is from Mangan's blog. Apparently, Paavo and violinist Leonidas Kavakos got the memo on wearing their Nehru jackets for the show.)

A couple of days ago, Mangan put a funny item in his blog about a patron at the concert, who was upset when people clapped between movements of the Brahms Violin Concerto. (Scroll down from "My oh my, Ohio" to "Clap Happy.")

Does it matter to you when people clap between movements?

For the record, it doesn't matter to me. I would think these days, supporters and musicians alike would just be glad to have bodies in the hall...


Friday, April 20, 2007

Cincinnati talent on the air


You may as well keep your dial on WGUC-FM (90.9) all day Saturday, beginning with Cincinnati talent showcased at 9 a.m., through the Metropolitan Opera broadcast of "Giulio Cesare" at 1:30 p.m.

The show "From the Top" that was taped at Music Hall on Feb. 20, will be heard around the country over 250 public radio stations at 9 a.m.

"From the Top," hosted by Christopher O'Riley, is a showcase of the nation's best and brightest pre-collegiate musicians. Local talents appearing on this broadcast include the May Festival Youth Chorus; Loveland violinist Sophie Pariot, 14; Christoph Sassmannshaus, 17, a cellist; 10-year-old pianist Kevin Bao of Mason; and three saxophonists from West Chester: Thomas Kraynak, Morgan Ferris and Tom Turner (the Fresh Winds Trio).

Then, it's the much-heralded production of the Met's "Giulio Cesare," an opera by Handel. Starring in the title role is David Daniels, pictured, a CCM alum, who has been studying with CCM professor Karen Lykes for several years. But listen hard, and you'll also hear Michael Maniaci (former student of prof. David Adams) in the role of Nireno, and Wayne Tigges (former student of prof. Thomas Baresel) singing the role of Achilla.

And you don't want to miss the gorgeous Ruth Ann Swenson, pictured with Daniels, singing a performance as Cleopatra that has received rapturous reviews. She's coming off of chemotherapy for breast cancer, and was recently quoted as saying she felt the Met was phasing her out.

Here's something else you don't want to miss: In two weeks, Ruth Ann will be singing a recital for the Dayton Opera Star Gala in the spectacular Schuster Center. She performs at 8 p.m. May 4 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Click here for ticket info.


On the road: Paavo rocks

Check out this story in the Sacramento Bee about Paavo Jarvi and the Cincinnati Symphony, that mentions Paavo's rock background and notes that he's one of a spate of young conductors in America (with Robert Spano in Atlanta and David Robertson in St. Louis) who is programming new music. (Note: According to the story, he's been conducting here for 12 years. Not true -- he started in 2001.)

The orchestra plays tonight in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa and tomorrow at UC Davis, before heading home.


Thursday, April 19, 2007

And speaking of woodwind players ....


The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced today it has appointed two new woodwind players to its ranks. Dwight Parry is the new principal oboe, effective Sept. 3, and Jasmine Choi has been named associate principal flute, effective Aug. 27.

Parry succeeds Liang Wang, pictured below, who served for just one year before leaving to become principal oboist of the New York Philharmonic. Parry currently plays principal oboe for the San Diego Symphony and New York Symphonic Ensemble. He was a New World Symphony (Miami, Fla.) fellow under Michael Tilson Thomas from 2003-06, and appeared as soloist with that orchestra as a competition winner.

Choi, pictured, has performed with the Cincinnati Symphony as acting associate principal flute since Sept. She has degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Juilliard School in New York. She was named one of America's emerging artists by Symphony magazine in 2006. Her recording of the Mozart Flute Concertos was released in the summer of 2006, on the Sony/BMG label, and she has her own Web site: www.jasminechoi.com.
Photo credit: Jinhwan Lee


Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Speaking of conductors ...and music in China



Did you see the fantastic feature about former Cincinnati conductor Xian Zhang in today's Wall Street Journal? Not sure I can link to this, but the article mentions that she grew up in Dandong China and studied for her doctorate at CCM, before she was "discovered" by Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic.

Zhang, 33, now on the conducting staff of the New York Philharmonic, is guest conducting the Hong Kong Philharmonic this weekend in an all-American program of music by Leonard Bernstein, Copland and Gershwin. (The photo is of Xian conducting Cincinnati Opera's "La Boheme" in Music Hall.)

Xian, the article says, "belongs to a new generation of musicians from China, where rapid economic development is fueling demand for Western goods and culture. Today an estimated 40 million children on the mainland are learning to play the violin or the piano."

It reminded me that last week, oboist Liang Wang, former principal oboist of the Cincinnati Symphony, born in Qing Dao China, was featured in the New York Times and on NPR for his rapid ascent to the top. He's now principal oboe with the New York Philharmonic. Here's a link to his myspace page.

That reminded me about my conversation with Kurt Sassmannshaus, CCM violin prof who heads the Starling program at CCM and runs the Great Wall Academy in Beijing, now for the third summer. His violinmasterclass.com Web site -- teaching methods for kids using online videos -- now has 18,000 subscribers, he says. The site is currently in English and Chinese. Soon you'll also see it available in German, Spanish, Korean and Japanese, he says.

"For the last 25 years, we've had Chinese students at CCM. It's true that nowadays, it's no longer a one-way street. Chinese orchestras are sometimes looking for Western musicians," Sassmannshaus says.

"So with the fall of the Iron Curtain in Europe and the opening of China, musicians are swirling around the globe in every direction. I tell my students that they are always competing internationally, no matter where they go, whether it's for a job at the University of Iowa or Beijing."

Meanwhile, the Starling Chamber Orchestra is planning another tour of China for November 2007.


The Cincinnati Symphony does California


Here's the first news we've gotten from the symphony on the road in California. No, I'm not there with them this time, so I'll print updates as we get them.

Click here for a preview story in the Orange County Register with a photo gallery (albeit just two photos...). The symphony plays "The O.C." on Friday.


Monday, April 16, 2007

Jazz Alive in Fairfield



Jazz is alive and well in Fairfield, where about 170 turned out Sunday afternoon at the Fairfield Community Arts Center for a "Jazz Alive" concert starring Mary Ellen Tanner and Larry Kinley, pictured. Talk about style -- younger singers could take a lesson from these two legends, whose credits include the Bob Braun Show, Liberace, Bob Hope and Paul Williams (Mary Ellen), Merv Griffin, Vivian Della Chiesa and Tony Bennett (Larry) and the Nick Clooney Show (both).

It helped that their back-up trio was world-class, too: Phil DeGreg on piano, Lou Lausche on bass (dressed like he's just come from his law office in pin-stripe suit), and the incomparable "Baron" John Von Ohlen, onetime drummer for Stan Kenton and Rosemary Clooney (Von Ohlen is pictured here on the piano bench).

Their two sets traveled through a warm and wonderful American songbook, including Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart and Cole Porter.

Kinley, a velvet-toned baritone who could reach down to a deep, resonant bass, chose his favorite songs from "music that will last forever." There was "Tenderly," beautifully phrased, while DeGreg worked his magic on the piano, a snappy "Fly Me to the Moon" and an upbeat "They'll never be Another You," with some pretty amazing scat.

Later, he slowed the tempo to a rhumba in "Speak Low," with Latin-flavored percussion courtesy of Von Ohlen. The crowd sighed out loud when he sang a beautifully controlled "Misty," prefacing it with "When I heard Erroll play it and Johnny Mathis sing it, I said that's the song for me." His best moment came when he sang the blues, specifically Joe Williams' "Every Day I Have the Blues," that swung to a hard beat on drums, a slapping bass and more than a little tremolo in the piano.

Tanner, all glammed up with upswept platinum hair and silver sequins, was charismatic, warm and real as she traveled through tunes like "Night and Day" and a bluesy "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." She was a natural in Jobim's "Meditation" (In My Loneliness), communicating each word with genuine feeling. There was also Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," intimately performed with great style and warmth.

And I've got to get the words to her Cincinnati verse for "The Lady is a Tramp." If you know them, post it here!

The show benefited "Jazz Alive," a nonprofit educational organization meant to promote jazz.

Other jazz news:

1. Don't miss Phil DeGreg's CD unveiling party, 8 p.m. Thursday at the Blue Wisp.

2. The Blue Wisp will present a special tribute to jazz bassist Bob Bodley, 8 p.m. April 26 at the Wisp, starring local jazz luminaries as well as the internationally celebrated (and Cincinnati native) pianist Fred Hersch, New York trumpeter Barry Ries and Louisville vibraphonist Dick Sisto.

Bob, weekend house bassist at the Blue Wisp for 17 years, died in December. The tribute (suggested donation of $10) will help his widow, Cynthia, pay off many outstanding medical bills. Mail-in donations may be sent to Cynthia Bodley, care of the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, 318 E. Eighth Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.


Classical music in halls and malls

Regarding all the discussion below about programming at the CSO, I'm giving you a link to last week's symphony review, in case you didn't see it. Most classical music lovers regard music by Sibelius and even Carl Nielsen as part of the standard symphonic repertoire. This is great orchestral music, and I don't know why some people are offended by "Nordic" music. As for Paavo's programming philosophy of mixing it up with the occasional "living composer" like Erkki-Sven Tuur or Charles Coleman -- I am always curious about the piece, sometimes underwhelmed, sometimes impressed, but never disappointed when I go. I wish there was a better forum for the music of today -- hey how about a separate festival (a la MTT's in San Francisco) called "Music of Today," featuring local composers, American composers, including a few FEMALE composers, please ... ? The possibilities are endless. As one blogger commented below, if we do not hear and support today's classical music, we will not move forward as a culture.

As for next year's programming, I am personally most excited about the Stravinsky festival.

On a related topic is today's letter to the editor. Yes, ironically, classical music is being piped into malls to keep out the "undesirable elements." I think our downtown Public Library has also been playing Mozart string quartets (but not Bruckner) in front of the bus stop by the library, to keep people from loitering there. Is this a good thing -- or not??


Friday, April 13, 2007

Around town



The May Festival has announced recitalists for this year's preconcert recitals. This year, it's all baritones and tenors. (What, no sopranos or mezzos??) Michael Chertock is accompanist.(Pictured are herald trumpeters from Mount Notre Dame High.)** Correction appendage. See correct names of these musicians in the comments below **

Here's the recital lineup:

May 18: Baritone William McGraw, faculty member at CCM, who is also performing in the May 25 concert presentation of Berlioz' "L'enfance du Christ."
May 19: Baritone Brian Mulligan, in his May Festival debut. He performs May 18 in Haydn's "The Seasons."
May 25: Tenor Rodrick Dixon, pictured, who is also singing in Rossini's "Stabat Mater" on May 26.
May 26: Tenor John Aler, who will be making his 21st festival appearance, a record.

Click here for more info, or call 513-381-3300.

Calling all opera wannabes: Cincinnati Opera is looking for a few good men, women and children who love to be onstage but promise not to open their mouths. Auditions will be Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m. for supernumerary roles for the 2007 season.

Productions are Faust, Cosi fan tutte, Nixon in China and Aida. Needed are men and women of various ages, including an acrobat and a juggler, two girls and two boys aged 8-12, and a mature Asian woman (that's for Nixon in China).

Here's the best part: No experience required! (Except maybe the juggler and acrobat...) Call 513-768-5500 or e-mail supers@cincinnatiopera.org.


Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Colin Graham dies

The opera world lost a giant when Colin Graham, artistic director of Opera Theatre of St. Louis, died Friday at the age of 75. During his 29 years in St. Louis, he staged 48 new productions. He was also a prolific writer of librettos. A few years ago, he wrote a libretto for an opera that I covered for the Enquirer in Santa Fe, Bright Sheng's "Madame Mao."

To read a wonderful tribute by Sarah Bryan Miller in the Post-Dispatch, click here.


Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Let the podium races begin



Suddenly, there seems to be a lot of baton-passing between American orchestras. People in the know are discussing the shortage of eligible conductors for major orchestras -- even as little-known "wunderkinds" are zooming to the top of the "most valuable player" lists.

And what does all of this mean to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, whose contract with Paavo Jarvi is up at the end of the 2008-09 season? Read on.

I'm talking, of course, about the big news this week that Esa-Pekka Salonen will leave the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the end of the 2008-09 season. His successor, announced by the LA Phil in Sunday's LA Times, will be a 26-year-old Venezuelan maestro named Gustavo Dudamel.

The news must have been a surprise to John von Rhein at the Chicago Trib, who just named Dudamel as one of the hot potential candidates for the Chicago Symphony's music director vacancy. Chicago, which has a principal conductor (Bernard Haitink) and conductor emeritus (Pierre Boulez) on its conducting staff, has a parade of maestros visiting this season and next -- including Paavo Jarvi, who conducted Shostakovich's Tenth in October. Evidently each of the 11 coming between now and June, as well as the next 11 next season, is a potential candidate for music director.

Even so, von Rhein, in his article of March 18, quotes a number of Chicago musicians who believe that in this, the first season without a music director since Barenboim left, the orchestra's musical standards haven't dropped at all. (Does that mean the musicians don't really want a music director at all?)

And several other orchestras find themselves without music directors. For instance:

1. In Detroit, where Paavo Jarvi's father Neeme Jarvi enjoyed a successful tenure before leaving for New Jersey, the DSO announced it had appointed Peter Oundjian (former member of the Tokyo String Quartet and CCM faculty member) to be its principal guest conductor and artistic advisor -- presumably until it finds Jarvi's successor.

2. In Philly, the Philadelphia Orchestra, which will not launch a formal search to replace Christoph Eschenbach until this summer, named Charles Dutoit to the newly-created position of chief conductor and artistic adviser in a surprise move in February.

3. In New York, Lorin Maazel will step down from the New York Phil in 2009. (Will that orchestra promote our favorite maestra, Xian Zhang, as a successor?)

Meanwhile, Henry Fogel, CEO of the ASOL, points to the scarcity of high-level international superstars ready to take over major musical organizations.

Where are the American conductors on these candidate lists?? In Dallas, Dutchman Jaap van Zweden (Jaap who?) will take over as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's new music director in the 2008-09 season.

Salonen, 48, who will have been with the LA Phil for 17 years when he leaves, plans to remain with his family in LA, and concentrate on composing. The Finnish conductor was just 34 when he took over the orchestra. He has raised both its calibre and its profile with his forward-looking programming and dynamic leadership. In 2003, the Philharmonic moved into the new Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry, a spectacular and much-needed orchestra home. It has become the place to see and be seen in LA.

Which brings us back to Paavo Jarvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Note that the year 2008-09 seems to be a popular year for musical chairs among major orchestras. Orchestras these days have to move quickly to nab -- and to keep -- the best and brightest talent.


Classical notes



Catching up on the mail, here's some artsy news from around the region:

Comings and goings: Last week, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra announced that after four years as executive director, Jennifer Nagel will be stepping down at the end of this season.

Nagel, who arrived shortly after the appointment of music director Mischa Santora, has not said where she'll be headed for her next post. During her tenure, the orchestra held the three most successful fundraisers in the organization's 32-year history, launched a new "In Your Community" concert series and began selling tickets online.

A search committee led by board president and devoted arts fan Rosemary Schlachter will form in coming weeks to conduct a search for a new executive director.

Symphony boutique: The Cincinnati Symphony Association wants to make morning concerts "an event." This Friday is the debut of "Bon a Boutique," combining a little shopping and lunch with the symphony's 11 a.m. morning concert conducted by Paavo Jarvi.

"We're hoping to add some excitement to the concerts using the volunteers," says longtime symphony fan Alberta Marsh, of downtown. She says there will be vendors selling jewelry, handbags, pashminas and specially costumed dolls.

A post-concert luncheon ($25) is planned after the concert in the Critic's Club. Reservations are limited for lunch. The boutique will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Info: 513-381-3300.


Monday, April 09, 2007

A surprise gift to Carnegie Hall musicians



Getting to Carnegie Hall was made much sweeter for 69 members of the Walnut Hills Wind Ensemble last week, when Cincinnati financier Carl Lindner sent a surprise gift to them as they boarded buses Thursday night. After reading the article in Thursday's Enquirer about the youngsters who had won a spot to play on Carnegie Hall's legendary New York stage Saturday morning for the National Invitational Band and Orchestra Festival, Lindner had a courier deliver $300 cash for each student and chaperone to spend on the Big Apple trip.

According to band director Kerry Kruze, the wind ensemble impressed the judges, who commented "these kids can play anything."

Thanks to all the parents who are sending me comments about the story. Here are a few:

"It is nice to see front-page coverage of the arts, one of Cincinnati's great strengths, and also to see an article that (indirectly) promotes CPS schools. Our son is an 8th-grade clarinet player in the Wind Ensemble, and is absolutely thrilled to be playing at Carnegie Hall. ... there was a brief delay after the kids packed their stuff on the buses, while the band director's wife made a very important announcement: It turns out that Carl Lindner had seen your article in the paper and decided to send letters of congratulations and a gift of spending money to each of the band members and chaperones." Bill Gordon, parent of band member David Gordon-Johnson.

"Our son is one of the 69. We know he will have a tremendous experience. Walnut Hills High School is one of the jewels of this city. Your accurate observation of the wonderful musical work being done there beneath dripping ceilings provides a metaphor for the whole program. Read 'dripping ceilings' for severe budgetary pressures on staffing and other needs affecting the whole program. The truly dedicated teachers and administration deliver an outstanding classical high school program combining academics, the arts and physical education under often challenging circumstances. ... Thank you again for highlighting the incredible potential for this public school to enrich the community life of our city. Hopefully stories like yours will remind our school district, city and state leadership of what we have there and why it is so important to support it along with other excellent public school programs." Frank Chaiken, WHHS class of 1978


Wednesday, April 04, 2007

No excuse for couch potatoes


Are you ready? The spring season is gearing up, and my mailbox overfloweth with concert announcements. Here are a few things to do now:

1. Just in time for the Easter season, how about a little edgy contemporary and world music? Music Now opens Thursday April 5 in Memorial Hall with legendary flamenco guitarist Pedro Soler, who headlines the opening night marathon concert. There's a return of CLOGS, who will improvise their own chamber music using sounds, textures and influences from across musical spectrums, and percussionist David Cossini. On Friday, it's the Icelandic quartet, Amina, and My Brightest Diamond. (We are very interested in the "antler lady.") And Saturday brings Sufjan Stevens and Irena and Vojtech Havel, billed as "multi-instrumentalists" from the Czech Republic. Click here for tickets.

2. It could be a Cincinnati first: A solo piano recital of music entirely by American minimalist composers. Check out this minimalist piano recital performed by Bruce Brubaker, 8 p.m. Thursday April 5 in Werner Recital Hall, CCM. Brubaker is a member of the Juilliard School faculty and chair of the piano faculty at Boston's New England Conservatory. He's performing Philip Glass' "Mad Rush," William Duckworth's "The Time Curve Preludes," Book 1, John Cage's "Dream" and Alvin Curran's "Hope Street Tunnel Blues III." It's free.

3. Don't miss Brasilia, Phil DeGreg's Brazilian combo, Friday and Saturday (April 6-7) at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, 318 E. Eighth Street, downtown. Brasilia plays samba, choro, baiao, bossa nova, partito alto-funk and frevo. Cover: $10. Shows are 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and the club is non-smoking. 513-241-9477. Check out my review of a concert this group played at CCM, and listen to some tracks here.


Monday, April 02, 2007

Pianopalooza II: Celebrating the piano, April Fool style


Given the gorgeous weather on Sunday, I thought nobody would want to go indoors to hear an afternoon piano recital. How wrong I was!

Corbett Auditorium was packed to the rafters with about 700 fans for the second installment of Pianopalooza, starring the entire CCM piano faculty performing well-known (and lesser-known) gems of the piano literature. There was also an April Fool spoof that took some sleuthing to figure out -- but more about that later.

Fox 19's Jack Atherton made an amiable host, who provided verbal notes on the music and the musicians.

The first half was mainly traditional piano works that were familiar to most, such as Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata, in an elegant reading by Frank Weinstock. Elizabeth Pridonoff delivered an exuberant and virtuosic reading of Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F Minor. Other highlights of this half included a wonderfully atmospheric "Alborada del gracioso" by Ravel (James Tocco) and three Chopin Etudes (Eugene Pridonoff). It's always so evident in Eugene Pridonoff's playing that he continues the pianistic line of Rudolf Serkin and Theodor Leschetizky, with his control of weight, sonority and beauty of tone.

The second half sounded -- and looked -- quite different. Pianist Michael Chertock opened with "Dance Fury" by 37-year-old Chinese composer Gao Ping, that included Marc Wolfley on percussion. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting Ellington. But it was jazzy, virtuosic and original, with a slow section that was a samba in the best Jobim style. The duo was perfectly in synch, and the crowd ate it up.

Awadagin Pratt came next, with a tongue-in-cheek trilogy that included a handout with footnotes (don't believe them). The epitome of cool in his long orange shirt and dreds, he opened with "Fa," an obsessive little number by the strange and reclusive Charles Alkan, then drifted into an equally strange improv that merged "Dido's Lament" with "My Funny Valentine."

(About his bogus footnotes, if you read the authors' names out loud, you will get the joke!)

He ended with an audience sing-along of Christmas carols. This being Cincinnati, everybody sang!!

The Pridonoff Duo (husband and wife team Elizabeth and Eugene) then performed the Tarantelle from Rachmaninoff's Suite No. 2 for two pianos (spectacular). The program ended with a mega-performance of Khachaturian's Sabre Dance, for three pianos and one celeste, 12 hands. For an encore, it was all forces again, in the "Radetzky March," with the crowd clapping along.

So who were all of those 700 people, of all ages? I asked Dr. Myron Gerson of Montgomery why he and his wife, Joanne, came. "We just enjoy good piano music. It's not often that you get so many great pianists on one stage," he said.

Don't miss the Pridonoff Duo performing in recital on April 10 for the 25th anniversary of their tenure here.



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