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: