Author: bfc-admin

“When classical musicians Paul and Janet Somers thought about moving to [New Jersey’s] rural southern Cumberland County about 10 years ago from a New York City suburb, they didn’t allow the dearth of high culture in the region to scare them off,” writes Jacqueline Urgo in Sunday’s (1/1) Philadelphia Inquirer. “Instead they decided to reinvigorate their favorite genre—chamber music—right here. Now on the cusp of 50 ‘house concerts’ later, the Somers and their Maurice River Music salon series seems to be more popular than ever…. Paul Somers, 74, a former music critic for the Star-Ledger … played classical piano and harpsichord professionally…. His wife, also 74, still plays the flute professionally.” In the Somers’ home, where concerts are performed, “What would be the home’s living room … houses only folding chairs to accommodate 30 to 40 people, a grand piano, and a harpsichord and enough additional space for a small cadre of musicians…. No tickets are sold, no admission is charged…. Attendees must register by telephone in advance.” Upcoming salon concerts include an April performance by the Bay-Atlantic String Quartet: Bay-Atlantic Symphony violinists Ruotao Mao and Nancy Jan, violist Ana Tsinadze, and cellist Elizabeth Mendoza.

Posted January 5, 2017

“At age 74, Daniel Barenboim is very much in the news,” writes Terry Teachout in last Wednesday’s (12/28; subscription required) Wall Street Journal. “Among other things, he released a CD this month.…  Mr. Barenboim’s latest venture, the Barenboim-Said Academy, a school for music students from the Middle East and North Africa, recently opened in Berlin, not far from the Berlin State Opera, of which he is the music director. But [in] the most consequential of his current undertakings … Mr. Barenboim has just launched his own YouTube channel. On it, he hosts a series of miniature lectures titled ‘Five Minutes On…’ Mr. Barenboim simply says hello, sits down at the piano and talks about the piece in question, playing a few well-chosen snippets and explaining what you’re hearing in uncomplicated, nontechnical language … suitable for consumption on a smartphone. They’re meant for adults, not children, and the scale is intimate: Mr. Barenboim could be sitting in your living room, talking to you alone.… Every symphony orchestra, theater company and museum in the world ought to be thinking about how to publicize its presentations in a similar manner.… All you need is a smartphone and something to say.”

Posted January 5, 2017

“Just as every note counts in a classical composition, every dollar helps to support a cultural institution like the Kansas City Symphony,” writes Matt Campbell in Wednesday’s (1/4) Kansas City Star. “That was a key message Wednesday as symphony officials announced the final and public phase of a campaign to strengthen its endowment to the tune of $55 million. That, they said, will assure the symphony’s continued success for years to come.… Over the last four years, the symphony has raised $51.9 million of its goal from longtime supporters and arts patrons. It also has a challenge grant of $1.25 million if the public will close the gap of nearly $2 million. Symphony officials announced the public phase of the Masterpiece campaign in its performance home at Helzberg Hall of the Kauffman Center.… Ticket revenue covers less than 40 percent of the symphony’s operating costs.… The more robust endowment will allow the symphony to pay more in salaries to attract and retain the best musicians. ‘The greater percentage of this cost we can cover through investment earnings from a large endowment, the more sustainable and predictable our long-term finances will be,’ ” said Board Chairman Bill Lyons.

Posted January 5, 2017

Pictured: Kansas City Symphony Music Director Michael Stern

“Chickasaw classical composer and Oklahoma City resident Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate and the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra have agreed to a three-year residency linking composer and orchestra in a nationwide Music Alive program” from the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA, writes Brandy McDonnell in Tuesday’s (1/3) Oklahoman. “The program is designed to create beautiful symphonic music while training children to compose or spark musical talent…. ‘I am so excited to be a part of this and so grateful our 2012 Lakota Music Project [at the SDSO] left such a positive impact,’ Tate said…. When the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra learned of potential grants from the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA as part of ‘Music Alive,’ it was on the phone to Tate immediately to see if a residency was possible. Tate leaped at the opportunity…. Tate’s critically acclaimed original compositions, featuring differing tribal languages, have been performed by many orchestras throughout the U.S. and Canada.” Other orchestras recently receiving Music Alive residency grants include the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Click here for more on Music Alive. 

Posted January 5, 2017

Pictured: Composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate in his studio

A notice posted by the New York Philharmonic in last Sunday’s (12/25) New York Times states, “The New York Philharmonic deeply mourns the passing of Carl R. Schiebler, Orchestra Personnel Manager, on December 22. A former orchestral horn player and veteran of the 7th Army Symphony, Carl came to the Philharmonic in 1986 and became a guardian and mentor, beloved for his big heart and gruff voice. His constant care for the musicians’ welfare made him a beloved and respected figure among the entire Orchestra, Board, and Staff, as well as by four Music Directors and guest artists over three decades. All will miss Carl’s almost daily call: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, on stage. On stage, please.’ We extend deepest condolences to his wife, Noriko; his children and grandchildren; his brother and sister; and his legion of friends.” Prior to the Philharmonic, Schiebler played second horn at the Saint Louis Symphony starting in 1962, and also served as personnel manager from 1977 to 1986. He taught horn at the University of Wisconsin, Washington University in St. Louis, and Saint Louis Institute of Music, and presented management workshops for the League of American Orchestras. The New York Times notice includes a link to a guest book where friends may leave remembrances.

Posted January 4, 2017

In an interview by Matt Suddain in Thursday’s (12/29) Stuff (Wellington, New Zealand), Lola Kirke, who plays aspiring oboist Hailey Rutledge in the TV series Mozart in the Jungle, states, “I grew up with music, but I definitely didn’t grow up in a home where people went, ‘Have you heard the new Mozart? … It wasn’t the exciting thing to me that I’m learning it really is.’ After joining the show, she discovered Carmen, Madama Butterfly, the ‘greatest hits’ of opera, as she describes it. She also found composers like Sibelius and Ravel, ‘It’s all pretty incredible.’ Getting to grips with the subject matter of this show takes a certain level of discipline, and focus.” Says Kirke, “Because classical music is such a foreign art-form to me, even as I do season three, you have to spend as much time as a classical musician spends to really get it. And maybe you never get it. I know that as an actor I’ve spent a really long time trying to figure out what this thing is, and I still don’t know what acting is. That’s why it’s exciting to me.”

Posted January 4, 2017

Thursday’s (12/29) Washington Post includes K.K. Ottesen’s interview with Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra in Brazil. “Q: Do you remember when you first decided you wanted to be a conductor? A: Sure, I was 9 years old, and my father took me to a young people’s concert at the New York Philharmonic, and the guy who was conducting was awesome. He was jumping around and having great fun…. His name was Leonard Bernstein…. Q: And now you’re the first female conductor of a major American symphony. How do you feel about that? … A: I’m very proud to be the first, but I’m also pretty shocked that we can arrive at this year and there can still be firsts for women. I started a fellowship for women conductors in 2002 [Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship] because there just weren’t enough…. In conducting, you can’t even practice until you go to the orchestra…. You really need time to make mistakes and try things. Q: Do you have advice you give young conductors, or that you, yourself, live by? A: … I always try to maximize every opportunity…. You have to exist and enjoy the moment, or it doesn’t work.”

Posted January 4, 2017

“Composer Stacy Garrop really enjoyed the experience she had several years ago as a composer-in-residence with the Albany (N.Y.) Symphony Orchestra,” writes Melissa Merli in Tuesday’s (1/3) News-Gazette (Champaign, IL). “So after she discovered the latest Music Alive composer-in-residence program, she asked Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra conductor Stephen Alltop whether he would want to pair her with the orchestra to apply. From 60 applications, Garrop/C-U Symphony and four other composer/orchestra pairs were selected, marking the first time the C-U Symphony will have a composer-in-residence.” Music Alive is a program of the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA. “Garrop will visit the community over the next two years and will be introduced at the C-U Symphony’s March 17 concert at Krannert Center. ‘I’m totally excited,’ the Evanston-based composer said. ‘The main focus of this is to get communities excited about having a living composer working in the community and having the audience understand what it is a composer does.’ … The 47-year-old recipient of numerous awards and grants will, among other things, speak to general audiences and schoolchildren, lead workshops for student and young composers … and hear her music performed by the C-U Symphony.” Click here for more on Music Alive. 

Posted January 4, 2017

“Along with its release of the 2017 summer Grant Park Music Festival schedule, the Grant Park Orchestral Association has announced that, as a result of discussions with the Chicago Park District that began five years ago, the Park District has agreed to continue funding the festival for the next 10 years,” reports John von Rhein in Wednesday’s (1/4) Chicago Tribune. “Paul Winberg, the association’s president and CEO, said the Park District has agreed to provide roughly $2.9 million each year—roughly half of the festival’s $6 million operating budget—to cover the payroll for the more than 200 singers and instrumentalists of the Grant Park Chorus and Orchestra. The association will continue to rely on contributions and membership fees to make up the balance.… ‘This 10-year agreement ensures that we have the infrastructure in place to generate and maximize our membership and contributed revenue,’ ” said Winberg. “Premieres, big choral works and American music all have been defining elements of programming at Grant Park under principal conductor and artistic director Carlos Kalmar. The 10-week season will comprise 30 orchestral and choral concerts, June 14-Aug. 19 at Millennium Park and satellite locations in the city.”

Posted January 4, 2017

“The Pacific Symphony has been named a recipient of a $1.2 million grant from the James Irvine Foundation on Tuesday for the second time in three years,” writes Jackie Moe in Tuesday’s (1/3) Orange County Register (California). “The money will be used to further the Symphony’s initiatives to develop programs in participatory arts engagement and strengthen partnerships with organizations within Orange County’s Chinese American community…. The symphony is offering free or low-cost community concerts throughout the multi-year initiative, as well as forging relationships with organizations such as the South Coast Chinese Cultural Association and Irvine Chinese School to create programs and events for Chinese American families. Among the programs supported by the first grant was Strings for Generations … in which parents and children perform together in an orchestra…. Specific initiatives for the new grant also include identifying 20-25 Chinese community members to join the new support group Jade Society … and increase ticket buyers by working with the Chinese Communities Leadership Council. By recruiting and training diverse volunteer corps of approximately 100 ambassadors, the Symphony hopes to also reach new and diverse Orange County communities.”

Posted January 4, 2017

Pictured: Parents and children in the Strings for Generations program, a partnership between the Pacific Symphony and the Irvine Chinese School, supported by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. (Photo by Ana Venegas, Orange County Register/SCNG)