Fiddler Faddler

Be sure to check out Odin Rathnam's new website, and a download available of romantic French repertoire!

And stay tuned for exciting recital news from the Harrisburg Symphony concertmaster - he'll be performing at WITF this spring as well, live from the studio.

Busy?

There's alot afoot in new music, especially for a dear friend of mine.

Coming up in January, the Philadelphia Orchestra is playing several new works by Jennifer Higdon:

January 10th is the World Premiere of Concerto 4-3, written for Time for Three

January 16th musicians will join for her Bentley Roses (from 2002) with Randall Scarlatta and Susan Narucki (also David Rakowski is on the program, Sex Songs)

January 17th is the World Premiere of The Singing Rooms, written for violinist Jennifer Koh - and maybe the first Violin Concerto with orchestra and chorus!

January 23rd you can hear BOTH Concerto 4-3 and The Singing Rooms and also on January 25th in the afternoon!

Jennifer's Percussion Concerto is being performed by the Harrisburg Symphony on March 8th & 9th. She'll be in attendance and is going to speak with me at WITF for a Composing Thoughts Live! on Saturday afternoon, March 8th, 2008. I just got word today that it will be supported by Meet The Composer, thanks!!!!

Jennifer is the very first composer ever featured on Composing Thoughts, and also had a followup episode earlier this year.

You can hear that episode online here.

Looking forward!

Five Things about the Harrisburg Symphony

I attended the Harrisburg Symphony's season finale, Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Magnum Opus Saturday night at the Forum in Harrisburg. Wowsers, they know how to end a season!

1. The evening began with Dvorak's Scherzo Capriccioso. It's a perfect piece to open a concert, and while there wasn't stellar ensemble playing, it was very musical and the charm of Dvorak is unmistakable in the hearts of the HSO and Stuart Malina. In his comments beforehand, Malina mentioned its a nice mix of Dvorak from the Slavonic Dances with his scherzi in the symphonies but longer than any of those - I thought, yeah an odd animal created by Dvorak, before the odd animal by Scott McAllister! lol

2. The world premiere of Tarkus, a concerto for trombone and orchestra by Scott McAllister was next. Ostinato is king for this work - tight rhythms are masterfully orchestrated and blended into this virtuosic 20 minute ride, rarely giving the soloist a break, which is one of the strengths of the soloist Brent Phillips. Contrasts and extreme pitch ranges were well executed and a Panufnikian percussion part was quite "striking" (pun intended) in the timpani, which Brent acknowledged in the curtain calls. While the piece is inspired by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and certainly has downright warring Armadillo moments, you can't imagine the sincere beauty and simplicity in the piece. I hope it will be recorded or played frequently.

[Scott McAllister, Brent Phillips and Stuart Malina]

3. An encore with the entire orchestra (which tells you they not only felt confident about having the entire program under their fingers, which the HSO did, but that they were quite secure with a world premiere, bravo!) of Astor Piazzolla's Adios Nonino featured Brent again, with a dedication to his Grandfather and Father. It felt just right and was very fun, another toe tapper that made the first half even more balanced to the big second half. While it was musical, moving and a nice contrast, I wondered if they could have played Tarkus again instead. Seriously!

4. Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony rounded out the program and is a perfect see-you-next-season sorta piece. I've always loved the inner movements of this piece personally, and was blown away by Stuart's tempo for the scherzo - holy cow! They played fast, precise and had me on the edge of my seat. Tender playing from the orchestra and principal clarinetist Janine Thomas melted my heart in the adagio. Some friends of mine pooh pooh this work, "oh its noise" and "makes me ill." They don't get the over the top Russian romance that is Rachmaninoff, much like an ornate cigarette case or egg by Faberge, which is a perfect analogy to this ornate and fluffy symphony. I actually traveled from Dallas, TX to Raleigh, NC to meet a lover to hear this symphony along with Beethoven's Violin Concerto, a perfect romantic program, over Valentine's Day - only telling her to show up at the airport with a nice dress and clothes for a weekend. So I get the over the top romance, maybe it's a connection of the Inupiat eskimos traveling across the ice from Siberia seven generations ago that connects me? Small aside, Brent Phillips played the Rachmaninoff! He had an assistant that played in places and with the section in moments, but Brent is indeed a player among players. Small aside aside, Wendy Warner in the mid 1990s, sat in the cello section in Wichita when they played the Second Symphony there, because she loved the music, and even did so in the rehearsal, having played Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations and Saint-Saens' Allegro Appassionato in the first half.

5. I gave the pre-concert talk (which will be another post!) at 7pm and will give another today at 2pm, and had fun looking into these works more. My prep included not only going over scores, but interviewing Scott about his work, and putting together listening examples that complement parts of the Rachmaninoff. I always try to think what would I like to know before a concert, and when I go to hear other folks talk, listen to them, and to audience questions - another fascinating way to know audiences, to observe them listening to the music, and what questions they ask - which is pretty different wherever you live.

[myself, Scott and Brent, photo by the stunning Marty Malina]

Read Dr. Dick's view of this concert here. You can also hear Scott McAllister talk about his concerto on the Composing Thoughts site, and see the next season of the Harrisburg Symphony here - see you there!

Party like it's...

2007...or your 37th birthday.
So things have been busy. Not only did I turn 37 on the 11th, but I'm taking a week off and am trying to get everything ready...add the many concerts, interviews, programming, and life in general and you get one eskimo that can barely keep up, more or less blog. So here goes...starting more recently.
The Harrisburg Symphony played a wonderful concert Sunday afternoon. Henry Fogel, president of the A.S.O.L., was on hand and gave ringing endorsements for the group and Stuart Malina. Here here! or Hear here!
[photo of the talkback with Fogel, the new english horn player, the new assistant principal violist, and Malina.]

Saturday night I went the premiere of the End of Winter by Chris Whittaker at the York Symphony. This 21 year old is one to watch (and listen!) Also on the program was Zuill Bailey, who I had met years ago in Las Vegas and had seen again on the east coast. Nice to see him and as the title of this blog entry notes, party.

Thursday I interviewed maestro Donald Runnicles , seen right. Hear our interview in two parts, both are mp3s and run about 7 minutes each: [part1] [part2]
I heard the Philadelphia Orchestra with Runnicles in a wonderful program: Messiaen Hymne; Bruch Violin Concerto #1 with Janine Jansen; and John Adams' Harmonielehre. Janine was stunning and remains in my estimation one of the great players of our time. Hear an interview of mine with her here.

I wound up doing my taxes on Tuesday night, April 17th about 11pm, and had server problems - luckily it went through. Small federal refund and small state due...

The previous weekend had goofy weather. So Saturday, before the deluge, I went to Princeton and interviewed David Little - watch for his upcoming episode on Composing Thoughts. Then I interviewed Lisa Bielawa in NYC, her episode is this week - be sure and catch it!
Then (still Saturday the 14th, really) I went down to Philadelphia and had dinner and drinks with friends from Las Vegas. Bob and Jory are dear to my heart and it was awesome to see them. [Pictured left at Farmicia]

Friday the 13th was uneventful - no bad luck that is- although we we fundraising at WITF. My friend and cohort in music Paul took me out for my birthday. We'll be playing alot over the summer - check us out Memorial Day weekend at ArtsFest and at Cornerstone Coffeehouse!

Thursday the 12th I had the pleasure of interviewing and hearing cellist Elinor Frey (pictured together on the right). She premiered a piece written for her by Steven Stucky called Dialoghi (or Dialogues); and also played Seven Butterflies by Kaija Saariaho. It'll be on Composing Thoughts in May - keep an eye and ear out! I also gave a talk that night to the A.A.U.W. in Camp Hill and then had a delightful dinner with Elinor at Mangia Qui (the second night in a row for me!) [see below]

Wednesday the 11th was the beginning of the end - just kidding! I had dinner and drinks with my good friends Bob and Sue (who I had just house sat for) at Mangia Qui, one of their, and one of mine, favorites in Harrsiburg.

We then went to the Whitaker Center and heard Quartetto Gelato (QG for short) in concert, which I introduced as emcee. (picture of the unique and nice setup from the stage on the right)

Afterwards I had a drink with Elinor (pictured left) the cellist of QG, and her colleagues arrived for more drinks and cigars. We talked music into the wee hours! What a birthday! Now you know what I've been up to rather than blogging!