Music, music and more music!

Friday I experienced for the very first time, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Violin Concerto. It's from 1998 and I'm sorry I haven't heard it before! I'll definitely be getting a score - the new recording with Pamela Frank on Naxos is adorable. It is one of the real gems of recent violin concerti, and get this, it's based on Bach's Chacconne! It's a piece I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Yesterday I made it to the St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Schaefferstown for the opening of their chamber music series, run by Carl Iba. It was charming and in a delightful setting. The church was founded in 1730 and this church built in 1765! Bach was good, the Rebecca Clarke charming, the Honegger Viola sonata different, and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante alright. Star of the afternoon was Randy Day, the accompanist, who also I'm told plays violin. I was skeptical about hearing the Mozart with piano accompaniment, but Randy really brought it life and charm.

Today is International Talk like a Pirate Day. Really! I had no clue, until last week, when the WITF staff made a promo and passed along the idea/website about it. So in the 2pm I'll be joined by Polly Tonal, a wisecracking Parrot (his favorite conductor? Andrew Parrott of course! his favorite restaurant? Arrrrrrrbys! his favorite WITF program? Arrrrrrrtbeat!) Silliness will ensue. Or we'll walk the PRANK!
;)