SLL @ SA

Today in Music History:  October 2

1854 -- Inauguration of the Academy of Music in New York City with the operaNorma.

1935 -- Hungarian pianist Peter Frankl is born in Budapest.

1944 -- Birth of Ton (Antonius) Koopman, conductor, organist, harpsichordist and founder of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, in Zwolle, the Netherlands.

1964 -- The Borodin Quartet makes its New York City debut at Carnegie Hall.

2010 -- Sebastian Lang Lessing leads first concert as music director of the San Antonio Symphony.

Nine years ago

I was living in Dallas, packing for Las Vegas...since then, I have lived in Pennsylvania, and now in Texas.
I have made my first visit to Europe, ultimately filming in Vienna, Copenhagen and this summer in China.  I spent countless nights in New York City and visited composers like George Crumb, Peter Schickele, John Corigliano and Chris Brubeck in their studios.  I was honored with a Deems Taylor Award by ASCAP and feel really good about the work I do.
Hard to believe it has been nine years since 9/11. The world has changed and so have I...

Acting credits to be added to her resume!

Just listened and watched this new video with Janine Jansen...moving, charming and amazing playing!

Project 440 update

The 12 final composers from Orpheus Chamber Orchestra's Project 440 will be announced live on New York Public Radio at 10 a.m. this morning. The project, which began with 60 composer candidates and will conclude with the selection of four Orpheus commission recipients later this year, offers the public a rare glimpse into the ways new orchestral commissions come to be. Prior to this round of selection, the original 60 composers were narrowed to 30 semi-finalists on August 2. Out of the 12 finalists announced today, the four winners of the competition will be selected and revealed in early October.

The 12 composers selected to advance to the final round in Project 440 are:


Timothy Andres
Tyondai Braxton
Yu-Hui Chang
Eric Guinivan
Alexandre Lunsqui
Dylan Mattingly
Alex Mincek
Clint Needham
Andrew Norman
Paola Prestini
Sean Shepherd
Cynthia Wong

Orpheus designed Project 440 in keeping with the passion for new music and for transparency of the creative process that has been a hallmark of the orchestra since its inception in 1972. The project is documented online on the WQXR website and on Facebook, where fans and members of the public have engaged in lively debate about each of the candidates and Project 440 as a whole. Each composer nominee has a profile page that features samples of his or her previous work and the opportunity for the public to post reactions and comments. The Project 440 website has fostered dialogue about the nature of commissioning, elements of the project that resemble a popularity contest, and a number of other topics. All of the decisions regarding the elimination of candidates are made by a Selection Committee comprised of Orpheus musicians and staff as well as previously commissioned composers.

Orpheus cellists and Selection Committee members Jonathan Spitz and Eric Bartlett have created a series of videos to document the project from their perspective as well. Those videos are available through the Orpheus YouTube channel.

Better than some tenors

Some silliness via a Danish knighted violinist:

Thanks Lars!

NY concert - toy piano

On Sunday, September 12, toy pianist Phyllis Chen opens the fifth season of Barbès Classical, Concert Artists Guild’s monthly second-Sunday series at Barbes Bar & Performance Space in Park Slope, Brooklyn. This concert celebrates the release of Ms. Chen’s second CD, Mesmers, a compilation of miniature works composed by Ms. Chen for miniature pianos, various music boxes, live electronics and bowls. Additionally, this serves as a preview for spring 2011 when Ms. Chen will at Barbès in a residency focusing on cross-genre compositions and collaborations.
This performance will feature music from the CD, which is bookended by Carousel and Cobwebbed Carousel; the latter was written by Ms. Chen for toy pianist Margaret Leng Tan in response to Ms. Tan’s enthusiasm for the former. Other works include Colure for toy piano and bowls, Double Helix for toy piano and bowls, Taroko for music box and effects, Hypnos for two toy pianos, Passageway for sampled music box and prepared piano and Munin Raven for music boxes and live-electronics.
This new CD is representative of several diverse projects for Phyllis Chen, an artist whose pursuits take her in numerous directions as a toy pianist, pianist, composer and performance artist. In addition to Mesmers, Ms. Chen launches The Looking Glass ReWondered in 2010-2011, a multimedia program inspired by fairytales and created in collaboration with video artist Rob Deitz. Sounding Off: A Fresh Look at Classical Music, a recent six-city tour with cellist Johannes Moser, was a great success, merging the classical canon with the cutting-edge. Ms. Chen was the featured musician for the world premiere and ensuing six-week run of Stephin Merritt’s Off-Broadway production, Coraline, and she is a member of ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble), a Chicago and New York-based collective dedicated to the performance and promotion of new works.
Concert Artists Guild is a not for profit arts service organization whose mission is to discover nurture and promote young musicians. CAG helps talented artists, identified through its annual international competition, to build sustainable careers. Barbès Classical is the flagship series of CAG’s New Music/New Places initiative which presents CAG artists in non-traditional venues such as bars, clubs and galleries, introducing diverse audiences to concert music. Competition winners are also presented on the CAG Winners Series at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The CAG Records label enables roster musicians to get their music onto disc and into the marketplace. The CAG Commissioning Program ensures that classical music continues to be a living art form by fostering collaborations between performers and composers.

________LISTING INFORMATION_________

Barbès Classical
Sunday, September 12, 7:00 pm – Barbès Bar and Performance Space, 376 Ninth Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn
PHYLLIS CHEN, toy piano
CD Release Concert - Mesmers
$10 suggested contribution


Mesmers track listing:
Carousel for toy piano and hand-cranked music box
Colure for toy piano and bowls
Double Helix for toy piano and bowls
Taroko for music box and effects
Hypnos for two toy pianos
Passageway for sampled music box and prepared piano
Munin Raven for music boxes and live-electronics
Cobwebbed Carousel for toy piano and hand-cranked music box

CMA Live Chat 7/14/10 12pm central

Join in the discussion Wednesday July 14th, 12pm central

Yazz Festival

Wonderland of the Americas, formerly Crossroads Mall, in conjunction with the Balcones Heights Convention and Visitors Bureau and Clear Channel Radio, is hosting the 17th Annual Balcones Heights Jazz Festival at the new Wonderland of the Americas Amphitheater, located at 4522 Fredericksburg Road, 78201.
The Jazz Festival will be held every Friday starting July 9th through August 6th from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Admission is FREE and open to the public with outdoor seating in the Amphitheater on a first-come, first-served basis. Food and beverages are available for purchase at a variety of booths, as well as the adjacent Food Court inside Wonderland of the Americas.
In addition to the great music and food, Wonderland of the Americas will be holding a raffle throughout the entire five-week Jazz Festival. The Mall will be giving away a total of five, 50” LG Plasma TVs. The actual give-away and winner announcement will take place at the conclusion of each Jazz Festival, on stage at the Americas Amphitheater. The winner must be present to win.
The line-up for the 17th Annual Balcones Heights Jazz Festival includes:
· July 9th Eric Marienthal Saxophonist
Groove Therapy Smooth/Straighahead

· July 16th Peter White Guitarist
Lynn Riley Saxophonist

· July 23rd Cindy Bradley Trumpet/Flugelhorn
Fingerprints Smooth/Soul/R & B

· July 30th Four80East Smooth Jazz Band
Will Donato Saxophonist

· August 6th Jackiem Joyner Smooth/Soul/R & B
The Brew Latin

For more information, visit sanantoniocentral.org or call 210-732-0055.

GTOC: Acrobats

Pretty amazing stuff from Shanghai.

Then they proceeded to really amaze!

GTOC: Back home

Happy to be back in the US. Luggage will arrive later today, whew!
My general impression of China is fairly negative - it's a polluted, money grubbing communist state. There are some gorgeous scenery and nice people, but on a whole, I'll pass.
More soon!

GTOC: update Tokyo

We are delayed in Tokyo and will head out Friday morning on our #greattourofchina. It has been very long, but grateful to be in a hotel and confirmed for the morning flight. I celebrated with a Rocky Patel cigar in the hotel bar on the top floor.

GTOC: Bon voyage concert

It was a delightful sendoff for YOSA at Convenant Presbyterian Church last night. The first group heads out today and the rest of us leave tomorrow, meeting up in Beijing on Thursday night!

GTOC: YOSA Rehearsal

The first rehearsal for YOSA's #greattourofchina got underway this morning! They are playing some fun rep, here's Troy Peters in action with the group.

The farewell concert is Monday night at Covenant Presbyterian Church and the tour goes June 16-28. Follow my travels with YOSA on the KPAC Blog here and I'll post more personal details here, ooo ohh. ;)

Up on the rooftop

Three friends hanging at a party downtown! Soon Dave & Steph will be at the Grand Teton Festival - while I head to China and New York this summer. We got to spend some good time last night though downtwon at Artpace!

China behind the scenes

Here we are in San Antonio talking about next week's concert of YOSA before we head out to China. Troy Peters is here and I'm behind the camera along with YOSA's marketing person, Nicte Hayes.

RIP Lees

I was really bummed to hear about the passing of Composer Benjamin Lees this last weekend. I first met Lees in 1994 in Wichita for their 50th anniversary and a celebration work he wrote for the orchestra ans Zouhuang Chen.

Years later (about 10) I interviewed him for 20/20 Hearing in Las Vegas. I will post that audio soon.

Then friend in a chamber ensemble brought his name up having worked with him on a few quartets.

Rest in peace.

Dave's vino vlog 2

More from David Mollenauer:

More vino

The second vino vlog entry, this time by Stephanie Key!

Vino

A new feature, David Mollenauer discussing wine!

From a recent Argentine dinner at the Mollenauers!

More prep

So I am very excited about going to China next month. I'm covering the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) tour and it is a delightful 12 days. This week there is a meeting for the tour group and next month a series of rehearsals and concerts. Last fall I taped a short segment of rehearsal and since have been doing paper work, etc for it.

As the final stretch gets closer, I'll do some more interviews, and music research. I've also set up for my uncle to stay with my parents while I am gone (and through my time at West Branch International Music Festival & Institute as well).

Yesterday I had time to look at some luggage, and after the meeting make a final decision about what I will take, etc.

CT Live

Jennifer Higdon was the focus of the very first Composing Thoughts LIVE. It was nice to sit down with her for a few minutes and talk with her about music, the Pulitzer Prize, eighth blackbird and so much more. (Photo by Xi Wang)

Keep an eye out for our HD video on the CT website, http://composingthoughtslive.blogspot.com/

Old friends

I first spoke with Jennifer Higdon while in Las Vegas working for KCNV. Later we actually met in Philadelphia when I worked at WITF. Now at KPAC, we caught up in Dallas.
(photo by Xi Wang)

Dallas visit

I had a great time last night in Dallas, hearing a new work by Jennifer Higdon with Hilary Hahn.
I had a chance to catch up with Jennifer, a dear friend: here we are at the Meyerson Symphony Hall beforehand speaking for an episode of Composing Thoughts. (picture by Xi Wang)

Creme brulee anyone?

A friend was impressed with my new lighter (seen left).

It is a joy to light up cigars with, and I will have to now make some dessert too! :)

Prep

Lots of things go into work, including research, communication, planning...as I prepare to document a concert or event, I make sure cameras are ready, know what the program will, etc.

I'm looking forward to two big projects this summer and the prep work started last November! YOSA will tour in China next month and I will go along for Texas Public Radio and cover their journey. It's going to be fun to see sights, experience new things and share with others what is happening with a local youth arts group on an international tour! (I'll also get to see a talented & gorgeous composer friend from Dallas who will be visiting her family in China at the same time!)

In July, I'll be at the West Branch International Music Festival & Academy in upstate New York. The prep work for this started in February and included a great trip to Copenhagen in March. Just recently I was in New York and did more interviews and filming (watch for some updates soon!) on location.

Basically I'm amazed at the length of time to craft some things - and yet have always realized that you should not rush into anything. Quality takes time.

I'm also reminded relationships are this way too, like a project, that take time. You can't rush into something.

May Concert

Very happy about SOLI's season finale, TEXAS. Check it out:

SOLI: Winters String Quartet from John Clare on Vimeo.

Beethoven Brakes and Beauty

Gosh, I let April slip by without an entry here - but what an April, turning 40. Although I did lots of blogging for KPAC and Composing Thoughts - check them out if you don't already!
Today I rehearse Beethoven 7th & Emperor Concerto with Mid Texas Symphony (I play 2nd violin) and then play a concert with UIW Orchestra (where I play very HIGH 1st violin) - Barber, Poulenc & Copland, a very nice program also. I just finished changing the passenger side brake pads and rotor on my Saturn. (the brake part of the title).
It took about 15 minutes this morning, once I was awake with coffee and cigar in hand, to do the brakes. While my dad and I don't see eye to eye on politics these days, when it comes to automotive work, we click. His dad was a mechanic, and my dad passed along all of his knowledge to us boys. When it comes to cars, my dad is aces. So with the past few days having lots of stress and health concerns, this morning was very enjoyable for my dad. In fact, I bet his blood pressure went down!
Last night I heard the San Antonio Symphony in a delightful program of Turina, Piazzolla and Rachmaninoff with a friend. She is young, gorgeous and fun. We've spent the last few days getting to know each other even more and it's exciting. (The beauty part of the title.) We really enjoyed the symphony program - with wonderful dynamic and tempo changes, the orchestra turned on a dime in Rachmaninoff's Third Symphony! I joked that I didn't know if Sergei (the composer) or Josep (the conductor) was more schizophrenic, with tenmpo changes that sped up and slowed down, giving romantic Hollywood sound and excitement.
Ertan Torgul was the soloist in the Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, and was stellar. He's the acting concertmaster of the SA Symphony, and a good friend. We joined him and the conductor with a few friends afterwards (they had dinner, we had dessert) for even more fun at Oloroso. I had mentioned to my date that we were invited to hang afterwards with the conductor and soloist, and later said, great, how am I going to top this?! (I'll manage, hehehe, I'm sure, I seemingly have great luck!) [pictured are Ertan Torgul and his wife Kim]
So now, I need to go warm up and practice both Beethoven and the UIW program. I'll carpool with another violinist (who is a great composer/preformer) who is doing both gigs.
But I plan to keep this up more often with updates - there is a trip Monday to NYC and West Branch Fishing lodge for AMC and WBIMF.

Behind the Scenes: WBIMF 3

A look at this year's West Branch International Music Festival with founder and artistic director Odin Rathnam. Filmed at the Phoenix Hotel in Copenhagen, using pictures from the Royal Danish Opera House rehearsal, and from the West Branch 2009 Music Festival.

WBIMF: Odin Rathnam from John Clare on Vimeo.

Learn more at http://www.westbranchfestival.org/

Behind the Scenes: WBIMF 2

Coming up this July, the chamber music scene and orchestral world expands in New York with the West Branch International Music Festival. From July 18 to August 1, students and concertgoers will enjoy music with some of the world's greatest musicians including Lars Bjornkjaer, Sara Sant'Ambrosio, Odin Rathnam and Arianna Zukerman!
One of the faculty for West Branch International Music Festival is Christian Hørbov-Meier, violinist and conductor. He will lead performances of Grieg, Sibelius, Mozart and more. I spoke with him recently about the upcoming festival:

While West Branch International Music Festival is accepting under 40 students, scholarships are available for many! Apply online and find out more information at: http://westbranchfestival.org/
Look for more interviews ahead with Odin Rathnam and performance videos!

Behind the Scenes: WBIMF

Coming up this July, the chamber music scene and orchestral world expands in New York with the West Branch International Music Festival. From July 18 to August 1, students and concertgoers will enjoy music with some of the world's greatest musicians including Anker Buch, Wendy Warner, Odin Rathnam and Anthony McGill!
One of the faculty for West Branch International Music Festival is Sir Lars Bjornkjaer, concertmaster of the Royal Danish Opera. I spoke with him recently about the upcoming festival:

While West Branch International Music Festival is accepting under 40 students, scholarships are available for many! Apply online and find out more information at: http://westbranchfestival.org/
Look for more interviews ahead with Odin Rathnam and Christian Hørbov-Meier!

Real danish pastry

A short tour in Copenhagen

Travel

Well, it was a pretty easy trip to Copenhagen. My flight to Atlanta was uneventful and filled with the gorgeous, yet obnoxious LaCrosse team from Bowdoin. While waiting to board, they did a roll call, which while cute, made me be quite glad I brought several pairs of earplugs.

The next, longer leg was fine, I had the center row (three seats!) to myself. They had three great movies which I watched in and out of sleep: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Invention of Lying (I really want to see this!), and Star Trek.

The cab ride to the hotel was mercifully short and the room is really amazing - looking out to the square. Odin is here and we have talked about rehearsal and dinner.

I just got back from a nice walk, cigar, and a yummy hot chocolate (mixed milk & dark) before a nap.

Joyce @ the Met

Don't miss the YANKEE DIVA herself!

Rossini’s "Le Comte Ory" will have its Met premiere on March 24, 2011. The production will star Juan Diego Flórez in the title role, Diana Damrau as Countess Adèle and Joyce DiDonato as Isolier. The production will be broadcast to cinemas on April 9, 2011.

JC as emcee

I'm hanging with CCSA this Saturday in San Antonio - to benefit the Children's Chorus. Come out to Radius!

Here's why: http://www.classicallyhip.com/sounds/CCSA2272010.mp3

I'll see you there!

Creative SA

Congrats!

San Antonio-based Creative Civilization, known for its high-profile and award-winning work, is enjoying a week filled with numerous accolades for its creative and public relations campaigns, including 12 ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) and two statewide awards from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA).
Creative Civilization will accept 12 ADDY Awards at a special presentation on Saturday, February 20, 2010 for creative work produced for University Health System, American State Bank, San Antonio Opera, George Gervin Youth Center, The Magik Theatre, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and agency self-promotion. The award winning work includes a variety of categories including television, print, outdoor, video and collateral materials.
“These awards are a reflection of our agency culture and mantra,” says Al Aguilar, Chairman and CEO of Creative Civilization. “‘Inspiration is all around us’ is more than just words – it’s our way of viewing the world. “
In addition to the agency’s creative awards, Creative Civilization will also receive two statewide accolades from the Texas Public Relations Association on March 4, 2010. The agency won a Silver Spur award from the TPRA in the “Special Events” category for the George Gervin Celebrity Roast and a Best of Texas Award for the San Antonio Opera.
“Our public relations work continues to demonstrate the power of PR,” says Gisela Girard, President and COO of Creative Civilization. “It is an integral part of our integrated approach to the market.”
The George Gervin Celebrity Roast, held in March 2009, honored San Antonio Spurs legend, George “The Iceman” Gervin. The high-profile event was attended by more than 1200 guests including basketball legend Hall-of-Famers Bill Russell and Julius “Dr. J” Erving, among others. The roast benefited the George Gervin Youth Center’s “Legends of the Future” Capital Campaign. Funds from the Celebrity Roast helped the organization reach its goals to break ground on the George Gervin Fitness and Wellness Center in June 2009.
The agency won a Best of Texas Award from the TPRA for the San Antonio Opera 2009-2010 “Vacation for the Soul” season brochure, which was created to communicate opera’s ability to transport people around the world. The San Antonio Opera’s season was kicked off in September 2009 with a futuristic production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.
Creative Civilization, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a nationally recognized advertising agency representing regional and national clients in the general, Hispanic and business-to-business markets. Inspiration Is All Around Us™ is the agency’s mantra that fuels creative solutions across all agency disciplines. Founded in 1999 by advertising leaders Al Aguilar and Gisela Girard, Creative Civilization offers a wide range of services, including research, strategic planning, account management, creative, media planning and buying, public and media relations, promotions, event marketing and grassroots initiatives. For more information, visit www.creativecivilization.com.

Happy 125

KEITH LOCKHART AND BOSTON POPS CELEBRATE ORCHESTRA'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON, MAY 4 - JUNE 20, 2010

Today, Friday, February 19, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops announce details of the orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, May 4-June 20, 2010, outlining programs that celebrate the orchestra’s rich tradition of performing the great music of this country’s past and present, for which the Boston Pops is so well known. Season details are also available at www.bostonpops.org TICKETS FOR THE 125TH BOSTON POPS SEASON, PRICED FROM $20-$99, GO ON SALE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, THROUGH BOSTONPOPS.ORG OR BY CALLING 888-266-1200.

SEASON OVERVIEW
The 125th season opens on May 4 with a gala concert featuring multiple Tony Award-winner Idina Menzel and the inimitable Doc Severinsen, who holds the distinction of having performed under the batons of Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart—a perfect addition to a program honoring the leadership legacies of the three most famous Boston Pops conductors. During the season the Pops will present the world premiere of a new work in honor of the Kennedy brothers, mark the 10th anniversary of the popular radio and TV show “From the Top,” focus on esteemed artists from the fields of jazz, musical theater, and pop, including Dave Brubeck, Kelli O’Hara, and Maureen McGovern, and honor the legacies of such musical titans as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Daniel Bernard Roumain, who in concert melds his classical music roots with his own Haitian-American cultural references and vibrant musical imagination, and Ozomatli, the multi-Grammy award-winning, genre-defying sensation, join the orchestra for programs that continue the Pops tradition of focusing on the best and brightest new talent on the musical scene today. Returning to the Pops schedule is the legendary film music series under the direction of John Williams, this year marking his 30th anniversary with the Pops, and one of the newest Pops traditions, Gospel Night with Charles Floyd. To bring the 125th season to a close in June, the Boston Pops will present one of this country’s greatest living legends—the incomparable Arlo Guthrie. A complete program listing appears at the end of this press release.
Photos, video, artist bios, and a Boston Pops 125 timeline and history are available at www.bostonpops.org/presskit.
WHAT FOLLOWS ARE SECTIONS ON SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES; WEEKLY PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS; DETAILED TICKET INFORMATION; A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRA; AND A CONCERT LISTING.

SPECIAL EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE 125th BOSTON POPS SEASON

WORLD PREMIERE OF KENNEDY BROTHERS TRIBUTE, MAY 18
On May 18, Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and several celebrity narrators will perform the world premiere of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, composer of Ellis Island, which many rank as one of the most successful large-scale American orchestral works of the last decade, and Lynn Ahrens, lyricist of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Ragtime, “The Dream Lives On” pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America’s future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. This new piece will feature four narrators: three male voices representing the three Kennedy brothers and a female voice for the portions of the narration that are not quotes. The new work will also be featured in concert on May 19, 20, 21, and 22. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. BOSTON POPS 125th TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY TO AIR ON PBS IN SPRING
A Boston Pops 125th documentary, to air nationally on PBS this spring (further details about broadcast dates to be announced at a later date), will highlight the Pops as an intrinsic part of this country's musical heritage by celebrating its past, present, and future. The tribute recalls how Arthur Fiedler (1930-79) created the modern-day Pops, establishing the orchestra as a national icon and introducing innovations that continue today. The program will also reflect on how Conductor Laureate John Williams (1980-1993) and present-day conductor Keith Lockhart (1995 to present) have shepherded the orchestra through three decades of change in the world of music. The Boston Pops 125th documentary was made possible by a grant from the Mugar Foundation.

This special program will feature interviews and/or performances by Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Vanessa Williams, Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Sarah Vaughan, and Roberta Flack. Rare footage of favorite artists past and present, including Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Sammy Davis, Jr., John Raitt, k.d. lang, Patti LaBelle, and Elvis Costello, as well as Broadway stars Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, and Jerry Herman will also be featured. The program is being produced by longtime Evening at Pops producer, Susan Dangel.
NATIONAL CONTEST FOR FAMILY OF FOUR TO ATTEND BOSTON'S 2010 4TH OF JULY CONCERT USES FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND TEXT MESSAGING TO DETERMINE WINNER
The Boston Pops is also announcing a national contest to bring a family of four to Boston for the Boston Pops' Fourth-of-July concert on the Charles River Esplanade, with airfare, hotel and ground transportation to and from Logan Airport provided by the travel partners of the Boston Pops: American Airlines, The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, and Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation. Contestants must submit a 125-character-or-less message describing why the Pops should choose their family for a trip to Boston's famous July 4 celebration this year. Entries can be submitted via text message by cell phone, on the Pops Facebook and Twitter pages, or on the Boston Pops website. All submissions are due by May 15. For more information about this contest, please visit www.bostonpops.org/125.
SPECIAL 125TH ANNIVERSARY EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH KEITH LOCKHART AND DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN
[DBR will be in San Antonio the end of February @ the Carver Center!]
The Boston Pops will present a special 125th anniversary education program at three area schools to bring music into the classroom by creating connections between music and the lives of today's students. The program, headed by Keith Lockhart, joined by composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain and members of the Boston Pops in performance, will feature in school lecture-demonstrations, and provide students the opportunity to attend live performances at Symphony Hall. To accompany the in-school program and reach out to other kids, the Pops will create an online, interactive feature as part of this new initiative. The details will be announced in the spring.
FIDELITY FUTURE STAGE MUSIC COMPETITION, MAY 26
Following the phenomenal success of its launch in 2009, Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops returns to Symphony Hall in 2010. Developed by Fidelity Investments to expand its long-standing support of the arts through music and other arts education programs in local communities, the Fidelity FutureStage at the Boston Pops Music Competition is open to full time students grades 9-12 attending any public high school in Boston or Cambridge. Up to four instrumental and/or vocal grand prize winners will be selected to perform at a special Boston Pops Concert on May 26 at Symphony Hall. Applications for the 2010 music competition are now available and will be accepted through March 26, 2010. For more information and application details, visit www.bostonpops.org or www.futurestage.com.
125 WEB INITIATIVES AND WEEKLY WGBH CONCERTS
BostonPops.org celebrates the Pops 125th anniversary season with an interactive timeline of the Pops and its history and a weekly series of Pops video podcasts throughout the season. Highlights will include details about the Pops inception by civil war veteran and Boston Symphony Orchestra founder Henry Lee Higginson; its explosion into the public awareness during the 50-year tenure of the charismatic maestro Arthur Fiedler; its Hollywood partnerships under the baton of John Williams; and its continuing evolution under the leadership of Keith Lockhart, all of which will be illustrated in a colorful, interactive interface with historic and current day images. The site will also feature weekly video podcasts throughout the 125th season, each taking a closer look at the week's programming with interviews with Keith Lockhart and special guest artists. The Boston Pops is online at bostonpops.org, part of bso.org, the largest and most visited orchestra site in the world, receiving more than 7.5 million visitors annually.

In addition, WGBH's 99.5 All Classical station will air weekly Saturday-evening Boston Pops broadcasts throughout the season, May 4-June 20.
CONCERTS IN THE PARKS AND SHOPS AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER CELEBRATES BOSTON POPS’ 125TH
Boston's Shops at Prudential Center will mark the Boston Pops' 125th anniversary with an archival exhibit at the Huntington Avenue Arcade, starting in mid-April for three weeks. The focal point of this special display will be a Boston Pops 125 timeline that will give viewers a look into the orchestra's storied history and the many accomplishments that collectively have made the Boston Pops one of Boston's and the country's most treasured traditions. Photos and video of past and present times, along with archival materials including old album covers, programs, and menus, as well as special features on Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, are just a few of the highlights of this 125th exhibit.
Performing ensembles made up of members of the Boston Pops will present a series of parks concerts, bringing their music to communities throughout the Greater Boston area.
PRESIDENTS AT POPS GALA CELEBRATES 125TH, MAY 19
In honor of the Pops 125th Anniversary, the annual Presidents at Pops fundraising event, now in its 29th year, will present a program marking this landmark year for the Pops. The evening will begin with a pre-concert celebratory reception in festively decorated Symphony Hall. The evening's program, including a performance of the Pops' new work, “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy, will pay special homage to the history of the orchestra by highlighting the unique contributions of the Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart eras, with special guests joining the orchestra for this anniversary celebration. Although tickets to this event have traditionally been available exclusively to the Boston business community, individual tickets and special ticket packages will be offered to the general public. Further details about this gala fund raiser will be announced at a later date.

BOSTON POPS 125TH SEASON PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS WEEK BY WEEK, MAY4-JUNE 20
WEEK ONE, MAY 4-8
OPENING NIGHT, MAY 4
Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops in a concert that celebrates the 125-year storied history of the Boston Pops in a three-part program that showcases the Pops—past, present, and future—starting with the modern-day Pops, ushered in by Arthur Fiedler starting in the 1930s. The program begins with an exploration of the legacy of Arthur Fiedler and how he put the Pops on the musical map, highlighted by a performance of George Gershwin's “Rhapsody in Blue” by pianist Michael Chertock. The program continues with musical selections that consider the singular contributions of conductor/composer John Williams, with a special focus on the great film scores he brought to the Pops. An appearance by the inimitable Doc Severinsen, former band leader of “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and one of the few artists to have performed with Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, will also be featured. For the final portion of the program, Keith Lockhart presents musical selections that highlight the orchestra's present-day accomplishments, while also providing a lighthearted glimpse into the Pops' future and imagining what might be in store down the road for this great orchestra. This portion of the program will feature multiple Tony Award-winning actress and vocalist Idina Menzel (Rent, Wicked) who will sing her Broadway hits and a selection from her new CD “I Stand.”

IDINA MENZEL, MAY 5 AND 6, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Broadway powerhouse Idina Menzel – the multiple Tony Award-winning singer/actress who played "Elphaba" in the international blockbuster Wicked – joins Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for two nights this spring, May 5 and 6. Idina Menzel, considered one of the great vocal performers of our time, with a repertoire that focuses largely on classic pop and musical theater favorites, will sing hits from Wicked and Rent, as well as songs from her album "I Stand." Recently in the news, Ms. Menzel will be featured on the popular FOX TV show "Glee!" this spring.
OZOMATLI, MAY 7 AND 8, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Winners of multiple Grammy Awards, Ozomatli perform a genre-defying blend of Latin, hip hop, rap, funk, and rock. The group is well known for going beyond the bounds of the usual performance space, playing in the aisles, and creating a party atmosphere that adds both fun and excitement to all their performances. These performances by Ozomatli continue the Pops tradition of bringing the best and brightest new talent on today's music scene to the Boston Pops stage.
Ozomatli, designated U.S. Cultural Ambassadors, have showcased their unique sound in appearances on TV's Sex and the City, Dancing with the Stars, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and in the Drew Barrymore film Never Been Kissed as well as in concerts at Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Berkshire Music Festival, and on tour as the opening act for Carlos Santana.
WEEK TWO, MAY 11-15
HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, MAY 11-15, JOHN WILLIAMS CONDUCTING
John Williams, the highly acclaimed composer and conductor behind blockbuster films including Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and the Harry Potter series, brings audiences a night showcasing some of the most memorable movie music of all time. Currently Boston Pops Conductor Laureate and celebrating his 30th anniversary with the Pops, John Williams served as Boston Pops Conductor from 1980-1993. The May 15 performance is SOLD OUT.
When John Williams succeeded Arthur Fiedler in 1980, he was the most highly acclaimed composer in Hollywood, and today, with 45 Academy Award nominations, he is the most-nominated living person in Academy history. With the Pops, John continued the orchestra's prolific recording tradition and entertained audiences with live orchestral accompaniment to some of the great film clips of the 20th and 21st centuries. He brought in the great arrangers of the day to produce new and exclusive Boston Pops arrangements of American songbook classics and legendary hits of the jazz, swing, and big band eras. And he brought a bit of Hollywood to the Pops stage, with special appearances by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Frank Langella, not to mention Darth Vader, R2D2, and C3PO.

WEEK THREE, MAY 18-22
WORLD PREMIERE IN TRIBUTE TO THE KENNEDY BROTHERS, AND DISPLAY OF 9/11 FLAG, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
“American Heroes” concerts celebrate the legacy of many of our great nation's leaders, servicemen, and everyday citizens, whose lives and principles are forever woven into the fabric of American history. The program features the world premiere performances of “The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers,” honoring Massachusetts native sons John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. Written by Peter Boyer, and Lynn Ahrens, the new work pays tribute to the call to public service, drive for social change, and the legacy of optimism for America's future, a spirit epitomized by the Kennedy brothers. With these performances, the Boston Pops also marks the 40th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
These concerts also feature a very special Star-Spangled Banner, The National 9/11 Flag – the flag that was hanging before, during, and after the attacks across from the South Tower – accompanied by members of the New York and Boston Fire Departments, as well as volunteers who travel to disaster areas to help rebuild in a mission to “Pay It Forward.” The flag presentation includes a preview of a feature-length documentary film by Scott Rettberg and Megan Sleeper, called “New York Says Thank You,” which will make its world premiere at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. The presence of the 9/11 Flag is an especially appropriate accompaniment to these Boston Pops concerts premiering “The Dream Lives On,” as President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which for the first time officially recognized September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Also, in the aftermath of 9/11 Senator Kennedy personally called the 177 Massachusetts families who had lost loved ones in the attack.
The May 19 program is the annual Presidents at Pops gala, described earlier in the release. The May 18 and 20 performances are SOLD OUT.
Peter Boyer is one of the most celebrated young composers working today. His work has been commissioned and performed by more than 80 orchestras worldwide including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the Dallas Symphony. In addition to his work for the concert hall, Boyer is an active film and television arranger and has twice arranged and orchestrated music for the Academy Awards. His . His Grammy-nominated work Ellis Island : The Dream of America, which premiered in 2002, was broadcast on NPR's SymphonyCast and recorded with actors including Barry Bostwick, Blair Brown Olympia Dukakis and Eli Wallach.
Writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens began her career writing songs for "Schoolhouse Rock." In her longtime partnership with composer Stephen Flaherty, she's enjoyed tremendous Broadway success with shows including Once on this Island, Dessa Rose, Seussical the Musical, and Ragtime for which Ahrens won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. The pair also collaborated on the animated movie Anastasia. Her songs have been recorded and/or performed by Aretha Franklin, Aaliyah, Johnny Mathis, Richard Marx and Donna Lewis, Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel, Donny Osmond, Deana Carter, Audra McDonald, and many others.
WEEK FOUR, MAY 25-29
AN EVENING WITH MAUREEN MCGOVERN MAY 25, 26, AND 27, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Maureen McGovern, one of America's most popular vocalists, performs a concert that features songs from her newest album, A Long and Winding Road, celebrating the music that inspired her beginnings as a singer in the late '60s. The album features an eclectic mix of songs from such groundbreaking singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Carole King, and Paul McCartney, including “The Times They Are a-Changin',” “The 59th Street Bridge Song,” “Fire and Rain,” and “Let It Be.” The May 27 performance is SOLD OUT. The May 26 concert will feature on-stage performances by the winners of the Fidelity FutureStage Music Competition.
Maureen McGovern burst onto the music scene in the early 1970s and quickly became known for her hit theme songs to The Poseidon Adventure,The Towering Inferno, and Gold, and later for her appearance as Sister Angelina, the singing nun, in the 1980 disaster movie spoof Airplane. Ms. McGovern has also been acclaimed for her success on the Broadway stage, with roles in The Pirates of Penzance, Nine, Three Penny Opera, and most recently as Marmee in Little Women. Her CD, "A Long and Winding Road," was released in 2009 and is a tribute to the music of her baby boomer childhood.
RAY CHARLES TRIBUTE, MAY 28 AND 29, ROBERT BERNHARDT CONDUCTING
The legendary Ray Charles set the standard for greatness during a remarkable career that spanned more than five decades. This Boston Pops concert, under the direction of Robert Bernhardt, features Ray Charles's protégé Ellis Hall singing hits including “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Unchain My Heart.” The May 28 performance is SOLD OUT.
The first and only artist signed to Crossover Records, the record label formed by his mentor Ray Charles, Ellis Hall is a dynamic multi-instrumentalist (piano, bass, drums, and guitar) and singer who has performed and recorded with many musical giants including Patti LaBelle, John Mayer, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, the Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, the Spinners, Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, James Taylor, and Stevie Wonder, as well as Ray Charles himself. Hall was featured as the lead vocalist for Kenny G on his debut hit single "What Does it Take," was lead vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, and producer for the group Tower of Power, and enjoyed tremendous acclaim as a member of the multi-platinum group the California Raisins. Conductor Robert Bernardt has been described in the press as having a "high energy conducting style and easy stage presence." A frequent guest on the Boston Pops podium, Bernhardt serves as music director of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera and principal pops conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. He has performed with artists from all arenas of the musical world including Ray Charles, Wynona Judd, Ben Folds, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and PDQ Bach.
WEEK FIVE, JUNE 1-5
AN EVENING WITH DAVE BRUBECK, JUNE 1 AND 2, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
A Library of Congress “Living Legend,” 90-year-old pianist Dave Brubeck and his acclaimed quartet perform orchestral arrangements of “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “A Salute to The Count – The Basie Band Is Back in Town,” “Unsquare Dance,” and “The Duke.” The program also features a special nod to the fiftieth anniversary of the chart-topping “Take Five,” performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet on their 1959 album Time Out, which remains one of the best known jazz standards ever.
2009 Kennedy Center honoree Dave Brubeck’s signature innovative rhythms and unusual time signatures have made him one of the most popular jazz musicians of all time. The Dave Brubeck Quartet has been performing to sell-out audiences since their first crossover hit "Take Five" was released over fifty years ago.
A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON, JUNE 3, 4, AND 5, JEFF TYZIK CONDUCTING
The Pops and jazz vocalist Dee Daniels pay homage to Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in American music. Duke Ellington, who recorded with Arthur Fiedler and the Pops, wrote over 3,000 songs during his lifetime, but is best known for “It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing,” “Sophisticated Lady,” “Mood Indigo,” “Solitude,” and “Satin Doll,” all of which will be performed by the Boston Pops. The June 3 performance is SOLD OUT.
Known for her powerful four-octave voice, jazz vocalist Dee Daniels has performed with some of the R&B, gospel, blues, and jazz world's best-known musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Bill Charlap, and Toots Thielemans. She has also performed in solo concerts with symphony orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. Considered "one of the best pops conductors in America," Jeff Tyzik, principal pops conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oregon Symphony, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, is known for his creative arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences.
WEEK SIX, JUNE 8-12
FROM THE TOP JUNE 8, WITH CHRISTOPHER O'RILEY, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
For the past decade, “From the Top” has been the preeminent showcase for America's best young musicians through its weekly NPR radio series and its recent television show on PBS. The Boston Pops celebrates the 10th anniversary of this successful program with a concert featuring young musicians from Boston and across the country, who join Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for a live taping of the popular radio program, this time with acoustically acclaimed Symphony Hall serving as backdrop. Renowned pianist Christopher O'Riley, who shares a special rapport with the musicians, will serve in his role as program host.

AN EVENING OF COLE PORTER WITH BROADWAY STAR KELLI O'HARA, JUNE 9-11, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Spotlighting the extraordinary talents of Broadway star Kelli O'Hara, these programs pay special tribute to legendary composer/songwriter Cole Porter, one of the best-known contributors to the Great American Songbook. Vocal Fellows from the Tanglewood Music Center, the Boston Symphony's prestigious summer music academy for young professional musicians, will also be featured in this program, to include such Cole Porter hits as “I've Got You Under My Skin,” “In the Still of the Night,” “Love for Sale,” “Night and Day,” and “Don't Fence Me In,” as well as favorites from the Tony award-winning musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate.
Kelli O'Hara recently starred on Broadway as Nellie Forbush in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific. She has also appeared on Broadway in A Light in the Piazza, for which she was nominated for Tony and Drama Desk awards, The Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow, and with Harry Connick, Jr., in The Pajama Game.
GOSPEL NIGHT, JUNE 12, CHARLES FLOYD CONDUCTING
Conductor Charles Floyd, special guests, and the Boston Pops Gospel Choir, bring thrilling performances of the some of America's best contemporary Gospel music to Symphony Hall. The passion, delight, and sense of celebration that these programs have consistently evoked, have made them one of the highlights of every Pops season.
In January 2009, Charles Floyd conducted the HBO pre-inaugural concert “We Are One” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for President Barack Obama. Leader of the beloved Gospel Night at Pops since 1993, Charles Floyd has worked with orchestras throughout the country and world and enjoyed an eleven-year tenure as music director for singer Natalie Cole. Projects with Ms. Cole have included the multiple Grammy Award-winning tribute to Nat King Cole entitled Unforgettable, With Love, the Emmy Award-winning PBS Great Performances concert video of the same title, as well as the Grammy-winning releases Take a Look and Stardust. Charles Floyd has created arrangements and orchestrations for wide variety of artists, including Sting, Elton John, Patti LaBelle, Grace Bumbry, James Taylor, Yolanda Adams, Mark O'Conner, k.d. lang, Stevie Wonder, and Wynona Judd.
WEEK SEVEN, JUNE 15-20
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN JUNE 15 AND 16, EMIL DECOU CONDUCTING
Re-mastered clips from the great movie musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein come together with the films' original vocals and a live orchestra soundtrack by the Boston Pops for this inventive program honoring two of America's most revered musical theater figures. Prime-time anchor of Turner Classic Movies television network Robert Osborne hosts the evening of memorable scenes from classic films such as Oklahoma! and Carousel, both starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, South Pacific starring Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi, The King and I starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, and The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Audiences will hear these iconic performances of the past reinvigorated by the presence of full orchestral sound.
Dynamic American conductor Emil DeCou serves as the associate conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra and as the NSO @ Wolf Trap festival conductor. He has conducted orchestras throughout the country, most recently, at the request of soloist Renée Fleming, leading a performance with the Colorado Symphony and the NSO's traditional Labor Day performance on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Turner Classic Movies network's Robert Osborne hosts four primetime movies each night on the network, was a longtime columnist for the Hollywood Reporter, and is the author of the book 80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards, released in 2008.
THE WORLD OF ARLO GUTHRIE, JUNE 17 AND JUNE 18, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
Folk music icon and legendary artist Arlo Guthrie will be featured in performances of the unforgettable classics so long associated with the Guthrie Family legacy. With his singular voice as both a singer-songwriter, story teller, and social commentator, Guthrie will also share timeless stories that have captivated and entertained audiences over many decades. The evening will also feature the Boston Pops debut of the ground-breaking string trio Time for Three, who will perform the Boston premiere of a new work, “Travel in Time for Three,” by Chris Brubeck.
Singer, songwriter, social commentator, and folk music icon Arlo Guthrie has been performing for more than four decades and has a fan base that spans the globe. Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," "City of New Orleans" and "The Motorcycle Song," along with his memorable appearance at 1969's Woodstock Festival, have made him a household name. Guthrie has previously joined the Pops at Symphony Hall in a concert that was broadcast on Evening at Pops and on the Esplanade for the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in 2001. String trio Time for Three, whose music melds elements of classical, country western, gypsy, and jazz to create a sound all their own, have performed with artists ranging from the Philadelphia Orchestra to k.d. lang. Chris Brubeck began performing with his father, the legendary Dave Brubeck in the 1970s. Having distinguished himself as an innovative jazz and rock performer on the bass, trombone, piano and guitar, he has recently earned international acclaim as a composer.
FATHER'S DAY FAMILY CONCERT WITH DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN, JUNE 20 3PM, KEITH LOCKHART CONDUCTING
This special Father's Day concert features the Boston Pops debut of Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain, the innovative composer, performer, violinist, and bandleader, who melds his classical music roots with his own cultural references and vibrant musical imagination. Mr. Roumain is composing a new work for six string violin and orchestra to receive its world premiere at the June 20 concert. This interactive program will feature two of the most beloved classic works written for children: the timeless tale Peter and the Wolf and the whimsical suite Carnival of the Animals. In a dynamic collaboration with the Underground Railway Theater of Cambridge, young members of the audience will participate in the performance using movement and puppetry. The program will also include some of the iconic film score themes of John Williams.
As a composer, Daniel Bernard Roumain has written works that range from orchestral scores and chamber pieces to music for film, theater, modern dance, and electronica. He has been spotlighted as a "New face of classical music" by Esquire Magazine, served as assistant composer-in-residence at the Orchestra of St. Luke's and music director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and recently collaborated and performed with Lady Gaga on FOX's American Idol. Underground Railway Theater works to create dynamic connections between high-quality professional theater and community. Combining actors, puppets and music, URT presents theater of social content and great visual beauty— theater that challenges and delights, informs and celebrates.
TICKET AND SPONSORHIP INFORMATION
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2010 Boston Pops season at Symphony Hall, priced from $20-$99, go on sale at 10 a.m. on February 22. All performances start at 8 p.m. with the exception of the Sunday Family Concert at 3 p.m. on June 20. Tickets for “Opening Night at Pops” on May 4 are priced from $40 to $119.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.bostonpops.org or by phone through SymphonyCharge at 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (with a $5.50 handling fee for each ticket ordered online or by phone). Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Symphony Hall box office, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday from 1 p.m. through the first concert intermission on concert dates. Most major credit cards and cash are accepted at the box office. For Group Sales of 25 or more, please call 617-638-9345 or 800-933-4255.
Tickets to the gala fund raiser, Presidents at Pops, on May 18, start at $500, with some options including tickets to an exclusive Boat Cruise and Esplanade Concert on July 3, as well an additional Pops 125 event to be announced soon. For further information, call 617-638-9466.
The Boston Symphony has a dedicated line for disabled patrons who would like to purchase tickets to BSO, Boston Pops, or Tanglewood concerts, or who need information about disability services at Symphony Hall or Tanglewood. This line can be reached by dialing 617-638-9431. For access via TDD/TTY, please call 617-638-9289. Patrons with disabilities can access Symphony Hall through the Cohen Wing on Huntington Avenue or through the Massachusetts Avenue entrance.

Spend your summer

I hope you will consider coming and seeing a concert or two at the West Branch Music Festival this July!

If you are a musician, I would also ask that you take a look at the roster and recommend your students to apply for some amazing training with some of the world's great music makers! Check it out for yourself!

Wishing them well

Here's to the SA Symphony and Sebastian Lang-Lessing on four good years together.

Sunny SA

Take a look at the blue sky! I enjoy showing off where I live, and San Antonio is one of the most popular places I have lived, judging how many friends have come to visit!

Monday

Rehearsal was great this morning, piano had arrived before we did, and the coffee place next to the gallery is just amazing.

At lunch, we were talking about movies, etc and our waiter joined in, knowing the movie Stepbrothers. It was hilarious.

Delighted about the press SOLI is getting, and excited about the concerts coming up. Watch for video soon!

Show of shows

I'm particularly happy with today's show on KPAC called Classical Spotlight, take a listen if you like! Featured are Aaron Jay Kernis, Star Wars and More, plus interviews on baroque music, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet.
MP3 file

Interview

I had a lovely chat with one of the great pianists of our day, Imogen Cooper. She has just released volume 2 of live performances of Schubert piano works, and later this year volume 3 will come out.

She took some time to talk about the project and Schubert.

MP3 File

This will be produced for TPR, but I wanted to share her brilliant manner with you unedited and raw. I came away energized and inspired.

Voices of Change

I caught Soundings Margaret Brouwer yesterday in Dallas. It was delightful, a wine tasting paired with a solo flute piece. Voices of Change perform tonight - catch it if you can!

(left is Brouwer, on the right is composer Xi Wang)

NY Concerts

You might be interested in these if you're in NYC or going to be visiting!

January 17th, 3pm $40 ($35 senior, $20 student)
Bargemusic
2 Cadman Plaza West At the Fulton Ferry Landing
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 624-2083

Bach and Enescu Program:
Selections from the Art of Fugue J. S. Bach
Sarabande for solo violin Enescu
Airs in Romanian Folk Style Enescu
Sonata No. 3 "Dans le caractere populaire roumain" Enescu
Piano Quintet Op. 29 Enescu

AND

January 21st 8pm
Paul Recital Hall, The Juilliard School, NY NY
Paul Recital Hall is located on 65th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues.

Program:
Airs in Romanian Folkstlye for Solo Violin (circa 1926)
Sonata for violin and Piano No.3 Op.25 (1926)
"Dans le caractere populaire roumain"
Sarabande for Solo Violin (circa 1910-1915)
US Premiere
Piano Quintet Op.29 (1940)

Enescu Chamber Players are Don Weilerstein, violin, Jennifer Curtis, violin, Nicholas Mann, viola, Claire Bryant, cello, and Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, piano.

Donald Weilerstein has concertized extensively throughout the world as soloist and chamber musician. Mr. Weilerstein has taught and performed at such major American and European music festivals as Caramoor, Aspen, Ravinia, Marlboro, Mostly Mozart, Berlin, Israel, Salzburg, Luzern, and many more.

Jennifer Curtis is the winner of Astral’s 2006 National Auditions, violinist Jennifer Curtis is also the recipient of the inaugural MILKA/ASTRAL VIOLIN PRIZE, designated for a violinist invited to join the Astral Artists roster. Also an accomplished composer, her works have been performed in New York City, at Italy’s Spoleto Festival, and at the Verbier Festival de Musique in Switzerland.

Nicholas Mann has performed extensively as a recitalist and soloist. He has been a member of the faculty at the Juilliard School since 2002 and is now Chair of the String Department at the Manhattan School of Music.

Cellist Claire Bryant has appeared as a soloist with orchestra including the Kuopion Symphony Orchestra of Finland, the National Symphony of Honduras in Tegucigalpa, the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra, and the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra. She is the founder, producer, and artistic director of the acclaimed chamber music series With Strings Attached.

Vivian Hornik Weilerstein has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the world and is a frequent collaborator with many of today’s most eminent artists and ensembles. Ms. Weilerstein has appeared as a soloist with the Kansas City Symphony and the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale di Torino, and has toured throughout Europe and Japan. Ms. Weilerstein is an active member of the highly acclaimed Weilerstein Trio, which is in residence at the New England Conservatory.

Watch for

A few things to keep an eye out this month:

1) Camerata San Antonio's American Rhythms - 1/10 @ Travis Park United Methodist Church

2) Hilary Hahn's Bach violin and voice cd

3) SOLI Chamber Ensemble's American Residency 1/25 & 26 @ Gallery Nord & Trinity University

4) Cypress String Quartet's new cd of Elen Ruehr quartets

A very good year

Enjoy this look at 2009 through the eyes of John Clare, family & friends.
Here's to a great 2010!

John Clare's 2009 from John Clare on Vimeo.

Rate decrease?

So I love looking at trends, etc...have you seen the numbers for this blog?
► 2009 (61)
► 2008 (213)
► 2007 (321)
► 2006 (308)
► 2005 (140)
► 2004 (12)

I was doing really good there in 2007 wasn't I?
Of course, these days I tweet for work, as well as blog, here are a few of those numbers:

► 2009 (284)
► 2008 (160)

1,972 tweets and 530 followers

It really is a matter of time...I take care of my folks, work fulltime @ TPR plus I'm involved with SOLI, SACMS, friends, et al...

2000-2009

Ten years ago, I was unemployed, engaged and living in Dallas (December 1999). I was about to turn thirty. Soon after, I broke up with Jann, started teaching violin & viola for a couple of school districts, gigging in various orchestras and worked part time at Tobacco Gallery.
I left for the summer (2000) to Wichita and returned that fall, again teaching, playing & gigging/selling cigars. It was a grand time with Jack and friends - Cindy, Shana, Jonna, and that blonde in Shreveport (what was her name?!)
In the summer of 2001, I started applying for radio jobs, and had interviews in Indiana and New York, finally making the cut in August 2001 at KNPR in Las Vegas. In September I was packing on 9/11 to go to Las Vegas. That Christmas was hard but the desert was pretty amazing. I helped the local scene with the Philharmonic, Studio One performances and even founded the Chamber Music Society there with my friend Bob Stewart. But a few years in management, hard work for new music, and wacky relationships - by May 2005 I was ready to leave.
June 2005 found me in Harrisburg, PA working for WITF. I loved being so close to Philadelphia (I saw my friends JoAnn Falletta and the Galways @ Mann Center that summer!) and NYC (seeing Thomas & his beautiful wife that August!) and all of the arts in the region. I got a call that September about ASCAP's Deems Taylor Award, I would receive it in NYC in December. I was on cloud nine. Lots of music talks, preconcert talks and gigging in coffeehouses with Paul Z was just right!
Again, lots of work for new music, tons of concerts, interviews and amazing food. By May 2008, I was ready to leave WITF had made the finals in Houston and Buffalo for management jobs in radio. It was San Antonio though where I was meant to be. Happy at KPAC, it's a 24 hour classical music station where I have an afternoon shift, and feature local music events. It's a dream. Keeping me sane for creative, new music is SOLI Chamber Ensemble, who have asked me to be their Executive Director - I said yes!
What a great ten years! Hard to believe it has gone by so fast. I am turning 40 and getting grey hair. My planned recital isn't going to happen on my birthday, but later in the year, keep an eye out for that. Here's to the next decade.

Best of 2009/Aughts

From June 2009, on location in Vienna with the WKO (Vienna Chamber Orchestra), Philippe Entremont on the eve of his 75th birthday - one of the moments of the year AND decade!

Romanze K466 from John Clare on Vimeo.

Great gesture!

Sam Weiser, the fifteen-year-old violin prodigy from Connecticut, will be donating the profits from his debut album 'Sam I Am' (2.16/ Disappear Records) to honor the memory of slain journalist Daniel Pearl. A talented musician in his own right, Pearl played several instruments, including the violin.

Proceeds from Weiser's debut will be donated to the Daniel Pearl Foundation and Friends of Daniel Pearl's FODFest, a nonprofit organization who looks to promote and empower communities through the universal language of music. Daniel Pearl was a successful Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered in 2002 by Pakistani terrorists.

In 2008, Weiser was awarded the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin and was inspired by the significance of the foundation: "It's made me want to send a message of peace through my music and inspired me to find new ways to connect with people and promote Daniel's mission of tolerance."

Weiser's debut, 'Sam I Am,' will be released on February 16th on Disappear Records and will feature interpretations of songs by musical heavyweights such as Carlos Santana, Eddie Vedder and Mark O'Connor, in addition to four compositions written by the album's producer Sonia Rutstein (a.k.a. SONiA).

Pomplamoose - xmas

One of my absolute favorite groups! Merry Christmas!

SHARKS!

w00t!

Selections from Frank Zappa's 'Yellow Shark' album will be performed on December 1 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra with John Adams conducting. The concert is presented as part of the West Coast, Left Coast Festival celebrating California composers.

The group will perform "Questi Cazzi Di Piccione," "Ruth is Sleeping," "G-Spot Tornado," "The Girl in the Magnesium Dress," and "The Dog Breath Variations / Uncle Meat aka Dog Meat" from 'Yellow Shark,' works which All Music Guide called "essential... the gripping works of a mature composer." 'Yellow Shark' was the last Zappa recording released during his lifetime.

WHO: LA Philharmonic Orchestra and John Adams, conductor
WHAT: West Coast, Left Coast including performances of Zappa's works
WHEN: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 8:00 PM
WHERE: Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012 (323.850.2000)
TICKETS: $26, 24, 51 at laphil.com or 605.475.4333

The program also features works by Ingram Marshall and Harry Partch.

One of Minimalism's shaping spirits, John Adams is a composer of distinctive stylistic élan. He won the Grawemeyer Award in 1995 for his Violin Concerto and was named Composer of the Year in 1997 by Musical America. Adams is also an active and esteemed conductor. He has won three Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Composition.

Baby Stockhausen

Baby Stockhausen from John Clare on Vimeo.

Bartoli Treasure Hunt

Have some fun with Mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and her latest cd...answer this question:

What was Farinelli's birth name? Send your answer here to get a piece of the puzzle...or click on the clue pictured below.

For the previous clue, go here.
For the next clue, head here.

Castratinis will be served

Cecilia Bartoli’s latest recording project, Sacrificium, is one of this fall's most anticipated releases. To celebrate, Decca will host a free, unique event on November 16 at 7:30pm. The release party, at (le) poisson rouge in New York City's West Village, will feature a video recording of Bartoli performing selections from the album. The concert was recorded on September 10, 2009 at the court theater of the Reggia di Caserta, a palace built for the Bourbon kings of Naples. Mixologist Allen Katz has created a special cocktail, "The Castratini," for the occasion. Bartoli will greet New York City fans with a special video message, and door prizes will be awarded.

Cecilia Bartoli found artistic inspiration for Sacrificium in one of music history’s most fascinating—and cruel—subjects: the castrati of the Baroque era. Constantly challenging herself and her fans by recording virtually unknown repertoire, Bartoli continues to carry the art form to new aesthetic and intellectual heights. This new album is no exception, featuring over an hour of world-premiere recordings. Sacrificium marks the first collaboration of Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini, and Bartoli since their Grammy Award-winning The Vivaldi Album ten years ago. The comprehensive album package includes over 100 minutes of diverse and splendid tracks, as well as a 100-page illustrated compendium The A to Z of the Castrati. The album, which was recently featured in the New York Times, Billboard, and on NPR, releases today: October 26, 2009.

Allen Katz is the Director of Mixology & Spirits Education for Southern Wine & Spirits of New York. He is also the host of The Cocktail Hour a weekly program on Martha Stewart’s Sirius Satellite Radio. He has been a featured sommelier at wine festivals around the country and is a lecturer on spirits and mixology for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in New York City as well as for the Food Studies Program at New York University.

Cecilia Bartoli’s voice and artistry have sold 6 million CDs, capturing the hearts of countless opera lovers and casual listeners alike. She is known to sell out prestigious concert halls all over the world, most recently New York’s Carnegie Hall last spring. Her awards include multiple Golden Discs, four Grammys, seven Echos, and the Victoire de la Musique. She has been given Italian knighthood, solidifying her role as one of Rome’s favorite daughters. She will tour the repertoire of Sacrificium throughout Europe in the 2009-2010 season.

(le) poisson rouge is located at 158 Bleecker Street, between Thompson and Sullivan.

Searches

I like to keep track of who is visiting here, and when checking today of how folks find ClassicallyHip, I laughed out loud when someone in Redditch, UK searched for "John Clare Badger Music." really.

Badgers?! we don't need no stinking badgers music!

Also alot of searches for last weekend's SA Symphony concert with Alondra de la Parra, the buzz and excitement around doesn't surprise me that folks are searching.

Other top searches include Helene Grimaud, Janine Jansen, and these days as it gets performed more & more, Concerto 4 3 by Jennifer Higdon...which is the most searched of all time on this blog, due to a link from a politcal site who grabbed my review.

Enjoy, much more coming this month, including a pumpkin decorating contest I am entering!

Five Things about the SA Symphony: VIVA ALONDRA

I heard the San Antonio Symphony Friday night at the Majestic Theatre in downtown San Antonio.
1. The program began with the Star Spangled Banner - odd for the second classics concert - which is really not a big thing, but should they play it for all the concerts? Someone mentioned this was the start of a different series than the last concert; but come on SA Symphony management, seriously? Make it standard on ALL concerts or just the FIRST of the season; or better yet, do different versions every time, which would be nice for the audience AND the players/singers.
2. Clarice Assad's Brazilian Fanfare is downright fun. Not a serious piece at all, it changes moods and themes quickly. While it is not a seasoned work, it shows brilliant orchestration and rhythm. These were brought out with the orchestra by the talented Maestro Alondra de la Parra - who should be the next Music Director of the SA Symphony.
3. Debussy's Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun was sumptuous. de la Parra brought out stunning dynamics and soaring melody lines from the orchestra. Principal flute Tal Perkes was delightful, as well as Principal Horn Jeff Garza in solos.
4. Rounding out the first half was Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto. The soloist was Jennifer Koh, who I have seen several times in concert (read previous Five Things) and interviewed on the radio before. Somehow, this was not the star I have heard, no doubt due to a cold. Often it was scratchy, as if she was impersonating Zukerman(!), instead of her usual gorgeous sound. In the audience, cellphones and snores detracted from the performance. An encore of Bach (Partita #2, allemande) was better, but after hearing Shaham's Bach recently in the same space, it was not as inspiring. Again, I believe it was poor health that contributed to this performance - even quarterbacks like Kurt Warner have bad days, you just hope they aren't the day of the Superbowl...
5. The program ended with Beethoven's glorious Seventh Symphony. String Basses were moved to the back of the stage and brass brought to the side, experimenting with the sound at the Majestic - with great improvement! The energy of Alondra was infectious, for the ensemble (who castly improved from the morning rehearsal) and for the audience who leapt to their feet and gave a huge ovation for de la Parra. It was well deserved. This "war horse" had shape and motion, an arc that moved logically, artistically and brilliantly through Beethoven's music. This is a concert to catch and share with your friends - it repeats tonight at 8pm.

The San Antonio Symphony should move now to hire Alondra de la Parra. Not just for marketing reasons: she is a young, beautiful, latina conductor who has spark and moxie. Nor should they hire her just for the raw talent which shows and gleams in her attitude, baton and spirit.
They should hire her because it is the right thing to do. True EXCITEMENT in the classical world is rare unfortunately. de la Parra exudes charisma and intelligence. She has ideas on audience building, music, outreach, and education. In an uncertain world, hiring Alondra would go to having leadership, a musical guide and energy building force for the San Antonio Symphony. The path is clear in this, stop the search and announce that Alondra de la Parra is the seventh Music Director of the San Antonio Symphony.

Here is an interview with Alondra on stage @ the Majestic:

SA Sym: Alondra de la Parra from Classical Spotlight on Vimeo.

Paul's folks

I was delighted to see that Performance Today is featuring my friend Paul Moravec, and a piece of his honoring his parents. Too cool, check it out, it will be on the site for at least a week, I think features are archived, but do yourself a favor and take a look & listen now, I'll be seeing you in all the old, familiar places I'm sure ;)

http://performancetoday.publicradio.org/

Catchin up

Wonderful week in three states, four concerts, two documentaries and lots of friends, food and fun. Back to my day job, and an airshift this afternoon AND an interview with Alondra de la Parra. Tonight a concert with SA Symphony and I need to get my hands on my fiddle, next week is Mid Texas Symphony and our fundraiser.

Here is a sample from last weekend of SOLI performing John Williams:

SOLI recap

Take a look at Jack Fishman's coverage of SOLI via my reports: http://voices.mysanantonio.com/jackfishman/2009/10/on-tour-part-5.html

and here:

http://voices.mysanantonio.com/jackfishman/

In Colorado Springs

I am wrapping up being on the road with SOLI, it's been a real blast. Today fly out of Denver to Dallas, then on to Baltimore to work with the Peabody Wind Ensemble and a world premiere of Judith Lang Zaimont.

Here I am with SOLI at the CS Fine Arts Center after their concert in the permanent collection.