Begin with a laugh

I thought I'd ring in the new year with a post that will make you laugh! Here is my unedited (raw if you will!) interview with Carlos Alazraqui (Officer James Garcia on Reno911) while he was in San Antonio.

MP3 file

Parts of this interview will air next week on Classical Spotlight, as UTSA prepares for its 4th International Conference on the Physiology and Acoustics of Singing.

Tribute to Elliott

Monday night a played a recital in Madison, WI and started with an improv for Elliott Carter's 100th birthday next month.

MP3 file

Read about Carter concerts I've heard and written about here.

Sneak Peak

I talked with Leonard Slatkin yesterday for a KPAC project I think you'll like. Watch the new blog over there, http://kpac883.blogspot.com/ for updates and the entire coverage of Leroy Anderson's 100th birthday.

Here though, are a few questions I had a chance to ask the Maestro: about his move to Detroit, the new Made In America project, and Jennifer Higdon's Piano Concerto.

mp3 file

Free to good home

A nice email from CCM:
On behalf of all of us at ChicagoClassicalMusic.org, we are excited to announce "Free downloads have arrived!"
Thanks to our partnership with Naxos Records and Music Giants HD, ChicagoClassicalMusic.org is excited to offer free high definition music downloads exclusively for registered members of ChicagoClassicalMusic.org.
The first free track is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Marin Alsop, Johannes Brahms : Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a, "St. Anthony Variations" Thema, "Chorale St. Antoni": Andante.
Simply log in to ChicagoClassicalMusic.org and follow the link on the main page blog to retrieve your track.
Commencing on the week of Monday, February 11, 2008; ChicagoClassicalMusic.org will regularly offer new music downloads.
Thank you to our loyal members for your involvement on ChicagoClassicalMusic.org's online community for music enthusiasts. We encourage you to check back on the site for new hot deals, new classical concert listings on the calendar and of course free downloads.

In person backstage and in rainbows

Last fall, Christopher O'Riley performed with the York Symphony Orchestra, French works by Ravel and Messiaen. I caught part of rehearsal, and then talked with Chris backstage at the Strand Capitol. Part of the interview will be aired on WITF Presents tonight, but I thought you might want to hear the entire talk, a nice 11 minutes or so of conversation ranging from returning to orchestras like York, to the new Radiohead album and his show From the Top.

Enjoy!

Interview [mp3 file]

Die Fliegende Hollanderin (tm)

Yes, the Flying Dutchwoman, hahaha...the amazing fiddle phenom, violinist Janine Jansen travels so much, I teased her about being "Die Fliegende Hollanderin" (tm).
The interview segments are now online at WITF, here. Enjoy!