Author: Mike Rush

The Virginia-based orchestra Symphonicity will perform We That Wait, an orchestral song cycle by local composer Rich Moriarty based on poems from the American Civil War written by women, on its February 16 concert in Virginia Beach. Joining the performance of We That Wait will be mezzo-soprano Emily Russell from the Virginia Opera. Moriarty spent his professional life as a pathologist in Hampton Roads; after retiring, he earned a master of music degree from Old Dominion University and studied composition under the mentorship of composers Adolphus Hailstork and Richard Danielpour. Music Director Daniel W. Boothe will lead the 90-minute program, which will also feature singers from Old Dominion University Chorus and the Symphonicity Chorus—a group of auditioned volunteer singers who come together to perform with the Symphonicity orchestra at least once a year—in Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe and John Rutter’s Gloria. The concert will open with Lucien Cailliet’s transcription of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Little Fugue in G minor. Pre-concert activities will include a performance by the Virginia Children’s Chorus Concert Choir and a discussion among performers and Boothe.

“The Mother of Us All was Susan B. Anthony, the leader of the fight for women’s suffrage in the United States,” writes John Rockwell in Tuesday’s (2/11) Financial Times (U.K.). “She is the centerpiece of Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein’s moving feminist paean to her and her crusade. The opera, which many of us regard as America’s finest by far … is getting ample attention in this centenary year of the opening of the vote for women. [Director] Louisa Proske of Heartbeat Opera is evoking it lovingly in the Charles Engelhard Court of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, [a] cathedral-like hall…. The performance, a production masterminded by Limor Tomer of MetLiveArts, along with the New York Philharmonic (source of the seven instrumentalists) and the Juilliard School, whose Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts provides the quite remarkable singers for the 20 vocal soloists and the 10 chorus members. Felicia Moore, an Institute alumna, is the terrific Susan, with a soprano and presence of Wagnerian authority…. The audience surrounds a central platform with sculptures remaining in their regular places, their ‘marble and gold’ echoing a phrase from Stein’s libretto…. Daniela Candillari conducts, holding everything together over this far-flung space.”

“David Charles Abell is the Philly Pops’ new music director,” writes Peter Dobrin in Thursday’s (2/13) Philadelphia Inquirer. “Abell made his Philly Pops debut in 2013 and was named principal guest conductor in 2017. He has developed a close working relationship with the Pops staff, which has now been formalized in an addendum to his current contract making him music director immediately and continuing on with a three-year deal starting July 1.” Todd Ellison, the organization’s music director since July, departed last month. Abell’s “next scheduled appearance in Philadelphia with the Pops is slated for April. ‘He has a tremendous rapport with the audience and with the orchestra,’ said [Pops President and CEO Frank] Giordano…. Abell says his new title means more frequent appearances with the Pops … He will lead four of [next season’s] seven scheduled programs … Abell is somewhat unusual in the field. Most of his work is outside of the Pops realm, including opera…. In fact, his Philly Pops debut in 2013 was his first time conducting any pops orchestra… ‘When I conducted that first Philly Pops Christmas concert, I just loved it. It stretched me in a way I never expected,’ ” he said.

“On Friday the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s local audience will hear Broadway vocalists … paying tribute to Aretha Franklin and her music—from ‘Respect’ to ‘Nessun Dorma’ to several surprises—as the PNC Pops orchestra plays under the baton of Mélisse Brunet, who just this week signed a contract to become the Philharmonic conductor, after serving as interim conductor since 2018,” writes Marie Therese Biebel in Tuesday’s (2/11) Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA). “ ‘Our musicians love to play under her,’ [Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic Executive Director Nancy] Sanderson said. ‘She’s just so gifted…. She really makes the orchestra sound great, and there’s a respect and a very positive vibe in rehearsals.’ Brunet is well-regarded in the international music community, Sanderson said, so much so that she is one of twelve women conductors selected to be part of a competition called La Maestra, which is set for next month in Paris.” Brunet holds diplomas from the Paris Conservatory and the Université la Sorbonne, as well as a professional studies diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Michigan. Brunet participated in the League of American Orchestras’ 2018 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview.

The Oregon Symphony will perform the world premiere of Gabriella Smith’s Bioluminescence Chaconne on its February 7-10 concerts in Salem and Portland, Oregon, led by Music Director Carlos Kalmar. Smith’s thirteen-minute work uses the natural world as a recurring metaphor, and is scored for standard orchestral instruments plus temple bowl, kick drum, crotales, and various metal objects. Also on the program will be Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with soloist Augustin Hadelich, Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres), and the Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition. The Oregon Symphony performs at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, and at Smith Auditorium in Salem.

“The Irish Association of Youth Orchestras (IAYO), which was founded back in April 1994 by orchestras from Dublin, Donegal, Galway and Clare, represents more players than can be found in RTÉ [Symphony Orchestras] and the Army and Garda bands combined,” writes Michael Dervan in Saturday’s (2/1) Irish Times (Dublin). “By the time the IAYO launched its website in 2004 it had a mission statement that read: ‘The Irish Association of Youth Orchestras is the national support and resource organization for youth orchestras in Ireland. IAYO represents over 5,000 young musicians in 108 youth orchestras in Ireland and assists in the development of youth orchestras in all parts of the country.’… The IAYO’s flagship event is an annual Festival of Youth Orchestras, which sees young musicians take over the stage of the National Concert Hall.… This year’s afternoon slot features Dublin Youth Orchestra’s Junior Strings, Carlow Youth Orchestra, Athlone Youth Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, with the IAYO Festival Orchestra, Young Dublin Symphonia, Symphonic Waves Youth Orchestra and UCD Symphony Orchestra playing in the evening…. This year’s festival is the 25th…. Eight different orchestras are featured each year.”