You might lose your car keys, leave your cellphone somewhere or even forget where you parked...but classical musicians seem to leave some pretty important things just lying around!
A London based musician lost two violins and three bows, worth around Rs 50 lakh [about US $1,031,000], while travelling on the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS). The musician is on a visit to the city for the 'Margazhi' music festival.
Michael Kellet (42), who has worked on the scores for Hollywood hits 'Philadelphia' and 'Lord of the rings', fell asleep on a train and forgot to take his case when he alighted at the Mylapore railway station on Friday. The 'Bam' double violin case contained a GB Grancino violin made in 1699 and a 1880 Czech violin, both bought from Scotland. One of the bows was also gold plated.
Speaking to The Times Of India, Michael said, "As soon as I boarded the train, I placed my violin case on the overhead rack and placed my laptop bag near my feet. I was completely exhausted due to the hot sun and soon fell asleep. When the train pulled into the Mylapore station, I got off in a hurry, forgetting to take my case from the rack."
By the time Kellett remembered about his violin case, it was too late. The train had already pulled out of the station.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
For whom the Piano tolls?
The search for the universal instrument has been a long one. Today it would be the synthesizer with its humming computers mapping and perfectly imitating waveforms of all types. One hundred and fifty years ago it was the piano. Its ability to play loud or soft; the overtones that a performer can induce can make the standard piano sound smooth and deep as an organ would or spiky like a harpsichord.
On the next Piano program we will hear music by composers that have the piano tolling like bells, clicking like a clock or sounding like a revolution.
The Piano, this Sunday afternoon at 5 here on KPAC and KTXI.
host Randy Anderson
On the next Piano program we will hear music by composers that have the piano tolling like bells, clicking like a clock or sounding like a revolution.
The Piano, this Sunday afternoon at 5 here on KPAC and KTXI.
host Randy Anderson
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
DC Performance
The Incarnate Word High School Madrigal choir is back from caroling at the White House for the third time and report that it was the experience of a lifetime. This year the girls performed in the Grand Foyer of the White House for visitors and White House staff.Each year hundreds of children’s choirs, high school and college choirs, professional singers and professional instrumentalists are invited to submit their CD’s for consideration. It is an honor for the Madrigals to be among the choirs that are given yearly invitations to perform as well as those that are chosen each year. The Madrigals first visit to the White House was in 2002. They were invited to return in 2003.
“It was an exciting time for all of us. It was a privilege and a pleasure to be invited back for the third time. It is an experience the girls will cherish the rest of their lives,” said IWHS choir director Mary Ann de la Garza.
SA Symphony Outreach
Musicians from the San Antonio Symphony have been giving back to the community over the last 20 years. During the holidays, ensembles from the Symphony perform at local hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons.
Recently host John Clare joined the string players at a morning concert at Cindy Taylor Krier Juvenile Correctional Treatment Center in Southeast San Antonio.Please note, the audio is live from the facility, not normal broadcast quality sound.
Musical performance: Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer (mp3 file)Musical selection: Little Drummer Boy (mp3 file)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Composer News: Harold Gramatges
Cuban Musician Harold Gramatges Passes AwayThe outstanding composer and pianist Cuban Harold Gramatges died on Tuesday at the age of 90 in Havana city, as confirmed by Union of Writers and Artists UNEAC to Prensa Latina.
Gramatges, an important pillar of contemporary music in Latin America, remained active until the last of his days. In 2007, an anthological disc with music addressed for Cuban and foreign guitarists was launched.
In recent days, the Cuban TV program "Otros tiempos", with its host Zenaida Romeu, director of the Camerata Romeu, paid tribute to him.
Harold was born on September 26, 1918 in the eastern city of Santiago of Cuba, there he began his studies and completed them in the decades of the 40´s at Berkshire Music Center in US, with masters Aaron Copland and Serguei Koussevitzky.
He created and directed the orchestra of the Municipal Conservatory of Havana, where he formed several generations of instrumentalists, and the department of music of Casa de las Americas.
Presidential music
The music for inauguration has been announced!The US Marine band will open the January 20 ceremony, followed by performances by children's choirs from San Francisco, said Dianne Feinstein, the California Senator who is heading the inaugural ceremony committee.
After welcoming remarks by Ms Feinstein, and a religious invocation by evangelical Pastor Rick Warren, Aretha Franklin will perform. The "Queen of Soul" has received a record 21 Grammy awards throughout her career and tops Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest singers ever.
Vice-President-Elect Joe Biden will then take the oath of office, followed by performances from violinist Itzhak Perlman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill.
Then John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, will administer the oath of office to Mr Obama, after which the new president will deliver his inaugural address.
After Mr Obama speaks, there will be a reading by poet Elizabeth Alexander, a blessing by Joseph Lowery – a pastor and civil rights-era leader – and a US naval band will play the national anthem.
Mr Obama, Mr Biden and Ms Feinstein chose the programme's participants.
* * * AND
if you need somewhere to stay for the ceremony:
New York Philharmonic music director Lorin Maazel and his wife are offering their country estate in Virginia for $50,000 a night during the presidential inauguration.
The Rappahannock County estate can accommodate up to 50 guests. The complex includes a spa facility with a large heated swimming pool, a Turkish steam room and a Finnish sauna. Guests also can use a theater room with a commercial-size movie screen, along with a bowling alley and a petting zoo.
The package also includes chauffeured transportation for the 90-minute ride to and from Washington.
The money will be donated to the Maazels' Chateauville Foundation, which helps train young performance artists.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
One for the kids
Are you out of school for the Holidays and need something to do? Just by reading this blog you could win a free music load from NAXOS records! Just tell us your name, school and your favorite piece of Classical Music and you might win!
Send us your name, school and your favorite piece of classical music to Letters@tpr.org or send a 3x5 notecard to:
Young Person Blog
Texas Public Radio
8401 Datapoint Suite 800
San Antonio, TX 78229
Entries must be received by December 31st, 2008
Here are some classics for kids of all ages with the Muppets!
Rules: Winners will be determined by a random drawing; one entry per person; no monetary value to download(s); young person is defined as an individual under the age of 19 currently enrolled in a public or home school as of January 1, 2009. Winners will be notified by email.
Send us your name, school and your favorite piece of classical music to Letters@tpr.org or send a 3x5 notecard to:
Young Person Blog
Texas Public Radio
8401 Datapoint Suite 800
San Antonio, TX 78229
Entries must be received by December 31st, 2008
Here are some classics for kids of all ages with the Muppets!
Rules: Winners will be determined by a random drawing; one entry per person; no monetary value to download(s); young person is defined as an individual under the age of 19 currently enrolled in a public or home school as of January 1, 2009. Winners will be notified by email.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Artist Interview: DBR & Nicole Narboni
Composer, violinist and recording artist DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain) and pianist Nicole Narboni were recently in San Antonio performing for Texas Public Radio’s 180 Group. John Clare had a chance to speak with them and hear some of their collaboration.Listen to mp3 files:
Music "Home on the Range"
Interview with Nicole and Daniel
More Music "JDML from One Loss Plus"
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Maestro Interview: Jean Marie
Texas Public Radio will speak with all the candidates for the San Antonio Symphony Music Director Search and have them on Classical Spotlight. You'll get a chance to learn more about the maestros - don't forget to attend the symphony and fill out the questionaire as well!
(See a larger version here)
This week we talk with Jean-Marie Zeitouni. John Clare asked about the program, music and performing an evening length work.
(See a larger version here)
This week we talk with Jean-Marie Zeitouni. John Clare asked about the program, music and performing an evening length work.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Holiday fun
Can you name these Christmas Carols?
1. Move Hither The Entire Assembly Of Those Who Are Loyal In Their Belief
The answer: "O Come All Ye Faithful!"
2. Embellish Interior Passageways
3. Vertically Challenged Adolescent Percussionist
4. First Person Singular Experiencing An Hallucinatory Phenomenon Of A Natal Celebration Devoid Of Color
5. Soundless Nocturnal Period
6. Majestic Triplet Referred To In The First Person Plural
7. The Yuletide Occurence Preceding All Others
8. Precious Metal Musical Devices
9. Omnipotent Supreme Being Elicit Respite To Ecstatic Distinguished Males
10. Caribou With Vermillion Olfactory Appendage
11. Allow Crystalline Formations To Descend
12. Jovial Yuletide Desired For The Second Person Singular Or Plural By The First Person Plural
13. Commence Auditory Reception The Announcing Cherubs Vocalize
14. Kris Kringle Will Be Arriving In The City In The Not Too Distant Future
15. Bipedal Traveling Through An Amazing Acreage During The Period Between December 21st And March 21st In The Northern Hemisphere
16. Its Arrival Occurred At Twelve O'Clock During A Clement Nocturnal Period
17. Exclamatory Remark Concerning A Diminutive Municipality In Judea Southwest Of Jerusalem
18. Song of Mirth About the Seat of the Intellect of an Uncastrated Porcine Male
19. Primary Color Between Green and Violet In The Visible Spectrum Annual Festival of the Christian Church Commemorating the Birth of Jesus
20. Female Ancestor Came Against With An Impact And Knocked Down By Large Deer of the Genus Rangifer, of Northern and Arctic Regions of Europe, Asia, and North America
For the answers (the REAL CAROLS!), click here.
1. Move Hither The Entire Assembly Of Those Who Are Loyal In Their Belief
The answer: "O Come All Ye Faithful!"
2. Embellish Interior Passageways
3. Vertically Challenged Adolescent Percussionist
4. First Person Singular Experiencing An Hallucinatory Phenomenon Of A Natal Celebration Devoid Of Color
5. Soundless Nocturnal Period
6. Majestic Triplet Referred To In The First Person Plural
7. The Yuletide Occurence Preceding All Others
8. Precious Metal Musical Devices
9. Omnipotent Supreme Being Elicit Respite To Ecstatic Distinguished Males
10. Caribou With Vermillion Olfactory Appendage
11. Allow Crystalline Formations To Descend
12. Jovial Yuletide Desired For The Second Person Singular Or Plural By The First Person Plural
13. Commence Auditory Reception The Announcing Cherubs Vocalize
14. Kris Kringle Will Be Arriving In The City In The Not Too Distant Future
15. Bipedal Traveling Through An Amazing Acreage During The Period Between December 21st And March 21st In The Northern Hemisphere
16. Its Arrival Occurred At Twelve O'Clock During A Clement Nocturnal Period
17. Exclamatory Remark Concerning A Diminutive Municipality In Judea Southwest Of Jerusalem
18. Song of Mirth About the Seat of the Intellect of an Uncastrated Porcine Male
19. Primary Color Between Green and Violet In The Visible Spectrum Annual Festival of the Christian Church Commemorating the Birth of Jesus
20. Female Ancestor Came Against With An Impact And Knocked Down By Large Deer of the Genus Rangifer, of Northern and Arctic Regions of Europe, Asia, and North America
For the answers (the REAL CAROLS!), click here.
Green gift idea?
Been looking for that just right something for that someone special who seems to have everything classical? Can't decide which Opus 18 or BWV 1005 is missing from your collection?The Boston Symphony has gotten on the digital download band wagon, and have opened their archives too!
The BSO is continuing their Elliott Carter 100th birthday celebration this weekend with a world premiere with pianist Daniel Barenboim and music director James Levine.
They were in hot water with a guest conductor recently also!
Fancy this!
Music has plenty of rules. First when playing music you have to hit the right notes and hold them for the correct time. Then there are the conventions about harmonies, structure and the expectations of the era you are working in. Bach loved the complexity of fugues and the mathematical precision of his music, but he also yearned to cut loose as well. That explains the Ying and Yang quality of his Well Tempered Klavier. There is no getting around the rules and structure of a fugue, but the preceding prelude only had to be in the same key, otherwise anything goes!
Another work that encourages imagination and wildness without too many of music's rules getting in the way is the Fantasia. Here everything should sound spontaneous and free of convention. On the Piano this Sunday a program that seeks out the wild and free in the piano repertoire. Hear Fantasies, this Sunday afternoon at 5 here on KPAC and KXTI.host Randy Anderson
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Classical Grammys 2008
The Grammy awards have been announced, and we're quite excited about the classical nominees!
Best Classical Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) if other than the Artist.)
Maria
Cecilia Bartoli; Christopher Raeburn, producer; Wolf-Dieter Karwatky & Philip Siney, engineers/mixers (Adam Fischer; Orchestra La Scintilla) [Decca Records]
O'Regan, Tarik: Threshold Of Night
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor; Blanton Alspaugh, producer; John Newton, engineer/mixer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Company Of Strings; Company Of Voices & Conspirare)[Harmonia Mundi]
Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn; Sid McLauchlan & Arend Prohmann, producers; Stephan Flock, engineer/mixer (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary
Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale; Blanton Alspaugh, producer; John Newton, engineer/mixer; Jonathan Cooper, mastering engineer [Chandos]
Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny
James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle; Los Angeles Opera Chorus; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra) [EuroArts]
Best Orchestral Performance
(Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.)
D'Indy: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1
Rumon Gamba, conductor (Iceland Symphony Orchestra) [Chandos]
Glazunov: Symphony No. 6, La Mer, Introduction And Dance From Salome
José Serebrier, conductor (Royal Scottish National Orchestra) [Warner Classics & Jazz]
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20
Alan Gilbert, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Track from: Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago [CSO Resound]
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4
Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) [CSO Resound]
Walden, Chris: Symphony No. 1, The Four Elements
Chris Walden, conductor (Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra) [Origin Classical]
Best Opera Recording
(Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.)
Dun, Tan: The First Emperor
Tan Dun, conductor; Michelle DeYoung, Plácido Domingo, Elizabeth Futral, Paul Groves, Wu Hsing-Kuo & Hao Jiang Tian; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) [EMI Classics]
Lully: Psyché
Paul O´Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Colin Balzer, Karina Gauvin, Carolyn Sampson & Aaron Sheehan; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra; Boston Early Music Festival Chorus) [CPO]
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor; Sara Mingardo, Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli & Furio Zanasi; Jean-Pierre Loisil, producer (Concerto Italiano) [Naive Classique]
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Valery Gergiev, conductor; Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Ramón Vargas; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) [Decca]
Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny
James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra; Los Angeles Opera Chorus) [EuroArts]
Best Choral Performance
(Award to the Choral Conductor, and to the Orchestra Conductor if an Orchestra is on the recording, and to the Choral Director or Chorus Master if applicable.)
O'Regan, Tarik: Threshold Of Night
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Company Of Strings; Company Of Voices & Conspirare)
[Harmonia Mundi]
Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works
Charles Bruffy, conductor (Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Bach Choir) [Chandos]
Symphony Of Psalms
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master (Berliner Philharmoniker; Rundfunkchor Berlin)
Track from: Stravinsky: Symphonies [EMI Classics]
Szymanowski, Karol: Stabat Mater
Antoni Wit, conductor; Henryk Wojnarowski, chorus master (Jaroslaw Brek, Iwona Hossa & Ewa Marciniec; Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra; Warsaw Philharmonic Choir) [Naxos]
Tippett: A Child Of Our Time
Colin Davis, conductor; Joseph Cullen, chorus master (Steve Davislim, Mihoko Fujimura, Matthew Rose & Indra Thomas; London Symphony Orchestra; London Symphony Chorus)
[LSO Live]
Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)
Bloch/Lees:Violin Concertos
John McLaughlin Williams, conductor; Elmar Oliveira (National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine) [Artek]
Harrison: Pipa Concerto
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor; Wu Man (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Track from: Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago [CSO Resound]
Mozart: Piano Concertos 17 & 20
Leif Ove Andsnes (Norwegian Chamber Orchestra) [EMI Classics]
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 2 & 5
Charles Dutoit, conductor; Jean-Yves Thibaudet (L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande)
[Decca Records]
Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist.)
In A State Of Jazz
Marc-André Hamelin [Hyperion]
Piano Music Of Salonen, Stucky, And Lutoslawski
Gloria Cheng [Telarc]
Red Cliff Capriccio
Wei Li [First Impression Music]
Revolutionary
Cameron Carpenter [Telarc]
Strange Toys
Joan Jeanrenaud [Talking House Records]
Best Chamber Music Performance
(Award to the Artists.)
Brahms: String Quartet Op. 51, No. 2, Piano Quintet Op. 34
Stephen Hough; Takács Quartet [Hyperion]
Carter, Elliott: String Quartets Nos. 1 And 5
Pacifica Quartet [Naxos]
Folk Songs
Trio Mediaeval [ECM New Series]
Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music
ARC Ensemble [RCA Red Seal]
String Poetic
Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida [Cedille Records]
Best Small Ensemble Performance
(Award to the Ensemble (and to the Conductor.))
Divertimenti
Øyvind Gimse, conductor; TrondheimSolistene [2L (Lindberg Lyd)]
Dun: Pipa Concerto; Hayashi: Viola Concerto; Takemitsu: Nostalgia
Roman Balashov, conductor; Yuri Bashmet; Moscow Soloists (Wu Man) [Onyx Classics]
Im Wunderschoenen Monat Mai
Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor; Barbara Sukowa; Schoenberg Ensemble [Winter & Winter]
Monk: Impermanence
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble [ECM New Series]
Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary
Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale [Chandos]
Best Classical Vocal Performance
(Award to the Vocal Soloist(s).)
Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan
Hila Plitmann (JoAnn Falletta; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) [Naxos]
Fussell, Charles: Wilde
Sanford Sylvan (Gil Rose; Boston Modern Orchestra Project) [BMOP/sound]
Gomidas Songs
Isabel Bayrakdarian (Eduard Topchjan; Serouj Kradjian; Chamber Players Of The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra) [Nonesuch Records]
Maria
Cecilia Bartoli (Adam Fischer; Orchestra La Scintilla) [Decca Records]
TerezÃn: Theresienstadt
Anne Sofie Von Otter (Christian Gerhaher & Daniel Hope; Bengt Forsberg & Gerold Huber) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
(A Composer's Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.)
Dalbavie: Concerto Pour Flûte
Marc-André Dalbavie (Peter Eötvös)
Track from: Dalbavie/Jarrell/Pintscher: Flute Concertos [EMI Classics]
Gandolfi: The Garden Of Cosmic Speculation
Michael Gandolfi (Robert Spano) [Telarc]
Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan
John Corigliano (JoAnn Falletta)
Track from: Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan [Naxos]
Violin Concerto No. 2
George Tsontakis (Douglas Boyd)
Track from: Tsontakis: Violin Concerto No. 2, Clair De Lune [Koch Int'l Clasiscs]
Walden, Chris: Symphony No. 1, The Four Elements
Chris Walden (Chris Walden) [Origin Classical]
Best Classical Crossover Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor.)
Baroque
Gabriela Montero [EMI Classics]
Indigo Road
Ronn McFarlane [Dorian Sono Luminus]
Olde School
East Village Opera Company [Decca Records]
The Othello Syndrome
Uri Caine Ensemble [Winter & Winter]
Simple Gifts
The King's Singers [Signum Records]
Best Engineered Album, Classical
(An Engineer's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Fred Vogler, engineer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic) [Deutsche Grammophon] Divertimenti
Morten Lindberg & Hans Peter L'Orange, engineers (Øyvind Gimse & TrondheimSolistene) [2L (Lindberg Lyd)]
Puccini: La Bohème
Michael Bishop, engineer (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus) [Telarc]
Respighi: Church Windows, Brazilian Impressions, Rossiniana
John Newton, engineer (JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) [Naxos]
Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago
David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis, engineers (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra) [CSO Resound]
Producer Of The Year, Classical
(A Producer's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))
David Frost
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music (ARC Ensemble)
Schubert: Sonata In D Maj.; Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy (Min Kwon)
Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
David Groves
Baroque (Gabriela Montero)
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Jonathan Biss)
Polish Spirit (Nigel Kennedy & Jacek Kaspszyk)
Respighi: Roman Trilogy, Il Tramonto (Antonio Pappano)
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Martha Argerich)
Judith Sherman
Carter, Elliott: String Quartets Nos. 1 And 5 (Pacifica Quartet)
Piano Music Of Salonen, Stucky And Lutoslawski (Gloria Cheng)
Reich: Daniel Variations (Grant Gershon, Alan Pierson, Los Angeles Master Chorale & London Sinfonietta)
Riley, Terry: The Cusp Of Magic (Kronos Quartet & Wu Man)
String Poetic (Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida)
Robert Woods
Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition, Night On Bald Mountain, Prelude To Khovanshchina (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, Lieutenant Kijé Suite (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Puccini: La Bohème (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus)
Ravel: Boléro (Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Revolutionary (Cameron Carpenter)
Robina G. Young
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18, Nos 1-6 (Tokyo String Quartet)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' (Andrew Manze & Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra)
Birds On Fire (Fretwork)
Heavenly Harmonies (Stile Antico)
Scattered Rhymes (Paul Hillier, Orlando Consort & The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)
Best Classical Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) if other than the Artist.)
Maria
Cecilia Bartoli; Christopher Raeburn, producer; Wolf-Dieter Karwatky & Philip Siney, engineers/mixers (Adam Fischer; Orchestra La Scintilla) [Decca Records]
O'Regan, Tarik: Threshold Of Night
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor; Blanton Alspaugh, producer; John Newton, engineer/mixer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Company Of Strings; Company Of Voices & Conspirare)[Harmonia Mundi]
Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn; Sid McLauchlan & Arend Prohmann, producers; Stephan Flock, engineer/mixer (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary
Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale; Blanton Alspaugh, producer; John Newton, engineer/mixer; Jonathan Cooper, mastering engineer [Chandos]
Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny
James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle; Los Angeles Opera Chorus; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra) [EuroArts]
Best Orchestral Performance
(Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.)
D'Indy: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1
Rumon Gamba, conductor (Iceland Symphony Orchestra) [Chandos]
Glazunov: Symphony No. 6, La Mer, Introduction And Dance From Salome
José Serebrier, conductor (Royal Scottish National Orchestra) [Warner Classics & Jazz]
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20
Alan Gilbert, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Track from: Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago [CSO Resound]
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4
Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) [CSO Resound]
Walden, Chris: Symphony No. 1, The Four Elements
Chris Walden, conductor (Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra) [Origin Classical]
Best Opera Recording
(Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.)
Dun, Tan: The First Emperor
Tan Dun, conductor; Michelle DeYoung, Plácido Domingo, Elizabeth Futral, Paul Groves, Wu Hsing-Kuo & Hao Jiang Tian; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) [EMI Classics]
Lully: Psyché
Paul O´Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Colin Balzer, Karina Gauvin, Carolyn Sampson & Aaron Sheehan; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra; Boston Early Music Festival Chorus) [CPO]
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor; Sara Mingardo, Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli & Furio Zanasi; Jean-Pierre Loisil, producer (Concerto Italiano) [Naive Classique]
Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Valery Gergiev, conductor; Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Ramón Vargas; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) [Decca]
Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny
James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra; Los Angeles Opera Chorus) [EuroArts]
Best Choral Performance
(Award to the Choral Conductor, and to the Orchestra Conductor if an Orchestra is on the recording, and to the Choral Director or Chorus Master if applicable.)
O'Regan, Tarik: Threshold Of Night
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Company Of Strings; Company Of Voices & Conspirare)
[Harmonia Mundi]
Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works
Charles Bruffy, conductor (Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Bach Choir) [Chandos]
Symphony Of Psalms
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master (Berliner Philharmoniker; Rundfunkchor Berlin)
Track from: Stravinsky: Symphonies [EMI Classics]
Szymanowski, Karol: Stabat Mater
Antoni Wit, conductor; Henryk Wojnarowski, chorus master (Jaroslaw Brek, Iwona Hossa & Ewa Marciniec; Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra; Warsaw Philharmonic Choir) [Naxos]
Tippett: A Child Of Our Time
Colin Davis, conductor; Joseph Cullen, chorus master (Steve Davislim, Mihoko Fujimura, Matthew Rose & Indra Thomas; London Symphony Orchestra; London Symphony Chorus)
[LSO Live]
Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)
Bloch/Lees:Violin Concertos
John McLaughlin Williams, conductor; Elmar Oliveira (National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine) [Artek]
Harrison: Pipa Concerto
Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor; Wu Man (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Track from: Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago [CSO Resound]
Mozart: Piano Concertos 17 & 20
Leif Ove Andsnes (Norwegian Chamber Orchestra) [EMI Classics]
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 2 & 5
Charles Dutoit, conductor; Jean-Yves Thibaudet (L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande)
[Decca Records]
Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist.)
In A State Of Jazz
Marc-André Hamelin [Hyperion]
Piano Music Of Salonen, Stucky, And Lutoslawski
Gloria Cheng [Telarc]
Red Cliff Capriccio
Wei Li [First Impression Music]
Revolutionary
Cameron Carpenter [Telarc]
Strange Toys
Joan Jeanrenaud [Talking House Records]
Best Chamber Music Performance
(Award to the Artists.)
Brahms: String Quartet Op. 51, No. 2, Piano Quintet Op. 34
Stephen Hough; Takács Quartet [Hyperion]
Carter, Elliott: String Quartets Nos. 1 And 5
Pacifica Quartet [Naxos]
Folk Songs
Trio Mediaeval [ECM New Series]
Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music
ARC Ensemble [RCA Red Seal]
String Poetic
Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida [Cedille Records]
Best Small Ensemble Performance
(Award to the Ensemble (and to the Conductor.))
Divertimenti
Øyvind Gimse, conductor; TrondheimSolistene [2L (Lindberg Lyd)]
Dun: Pipa Concerto; Hayashi: Viola Concerto; Takemitsu: Nostalgia
Roman Balashov, conductor; Yuri Bashmet; Moscow Soloists (Wu Man) [Onyx Classics]
Im Wunderschoenen Monat Mai
Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor; Barbara Sukowa; Schoenberg Ensemble [Winter & Winter]
Monk: Impermanence
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble [ECM New Series]
Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary
Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale [Chandos]
Best Classical Vocal Performance
(Award to the Vocal Soloist(s).)
Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan
Hila Plitmann (JoAnn Falletta; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) [Naxos]
Fussell, Charles: Wilde
Sanford Sylvan (Gil Rose; Boston Modern Orchestra Project) [BMOP/sound]
Gomidas Songs
Isabel Bayrakdarian (Eduard Topchjan; Serouj Kradjian; Chamber Players Of The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra) [Nonesuch Records]
Maria
Cecilia Bartoli (Adam Fischer; Orchestra La Scintilla) [Decca Records]
TerezÃn: Theresienstadt
Anne Sofie Von Otter (Christian Gerhaher & Daniel Hope; Bengt Forsberg & Gerold Huber) [Deutsche Grammophon]
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
(A Composer's Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.)
Dalbavie: Concerto Pour Flûte
Marc-André Dalbavie (Peter Eötvös)
Track from: Dalbavie/Jarrell/Pintscher: Flute Concertos [EMI Classics]
Gandolfi: The Garden Of Cosmic Speculation
Michael Gandolfi (Robert Spano) [Telarc]
Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan
John Corigliano (JoAnn Falletta)
Track from: Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan [Naxos]
Violin Concerto No. 2
George Tsontakis (Douglas Boyd)
Track from: Tsontakis: Violin Concerto No. 2, Clair De Lune [Koch Int'l Clasiscs]
Walden, Chris: Symphony No. 1, The Four Elements
Chris Walden (Chris Walden) [Origin Classical]
Best Classical Crossover Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor.)
Baroque
Gabriela Montero [EMI Classics]
Indigo Road
Ronn McFarlane [Dorian Sono Luminus]
Olde School
East Village Opera Company [Decca Records]
The Othello Syndrome
Uri Caine Ensemble [Winter & Winter]
Simple Gifts
The King's Singers [Signum Records]
Best Engineered Album, Classical
(An Engineer's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
Fred Vogler, engineer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic) [Deutsche Grammophon] Divertimenti
Morten Lindberg & Hans Peter L'Orange, engineers (Øyvind Gimse & TrondheimSolistene) [2L (Lindberg Lyd)]
Puccini: La Bohème
Michael Bishop, engineer (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus) [Telarc]
Respighi: Church Windows, Brazilian Impressions, Rossiniana
John Newton, engineer (JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) [Naxos]
Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago
David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis, engineers (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra) [CSO Resound]
Producer Of The Year, Classical
(A Producer's Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.))
David Frost
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music (ARC Ensemble)
Schubert: Sonata In D Maj.; Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy (Min Kwon)
Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
David Groves
Baroque (Gabriela Montero)
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Jonathan Biss)
Polish Spirit (Nigel Kennedy & Jacek Kaspszyk)
Respighi: Roman Trilogy, Il Tramonto (Antonio Pappano)
Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Martha Argerich)
Judith Sherman
Carter, Elliott: String Quartets Nos. 1 And 5 (Pacifica Quartet)
Piano Music Of Salonen, Stucky And Lutoslawski (Gloria Cheng)
Reich: Daniel Variations (Grant Gershon, Alan Pierson, Los Angeles Master Chorale & London Sinfonietta)
Riley, Terry: The Cusp Of Magic (Kronos Quartet & Wu Man)
String Poetic (Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida)
Robert Woods
Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition, Night On Bald Mountain, Prelude To Khovanshchina (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, Lieutenant Kijé Suite (Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
Puccini: La Bohème (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus)
Ravel: Boléro (Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra)
Revolutionary (Cameron Carpenter)
Robina G. Young
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18, Nos 1-6 (Tokyo String Quartet)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' (Andrew Manze & Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra)
Birds On Fire (Fretwork)
Heavenly Harmonies (Stile Antico)
Scattered Rhymes (Paul Hillier, Orlando Consort & The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)
Monday, December 1, 2008
YouTube™ has announced a collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Grammy Award-winning conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, Academy Award -winning and Olympics composer Tan Dun, world-renowned pianist Lang Lang, and many other classical music stars and leading institutions, to launch the "YouTube Symphony Orchestra", the world's first collaborative online orchestra and summit.
From December 1, 2008 through January 28, 2009, musicians from around the world are invited to submit videos showcasing their personal style as they perform two different videos – their interpretation of an original Tan Dun composition, written specifically for this program, and a talent video designed to demonstrate their musical and technical abilities. A panel of musical experts from the London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and other leading orchestras around the world will narrow the field of entries down to the semifinalists. The YouTube community will be invited to vote on the semifinalists from February 14, 2009 through February 22, 2009. Musicians who are selected will be announced on YouTube on March 2, 2009. For official rules of entry and FAQ, consult YouTube Symphony Orchestra Channel (www.youtube.com/symphony).
In April 2009, selected musicians will be flown to New York City to participate in a three-day classical music summit with Michael Tilson Thomas and leading performers in the field, culminating in a Carnegie Hall performance on April 15, 2009. In addition, selected video entries of the musical piece will be mashed together to create a living YouTube symphony -- a single video of memorable entrants combined into one ensemble piece -- and even more entries will be displayed on YouTube homepages around the world.
As the first YouTube-sponsored program to welcome submissions from every country around the world, YouTube Symphony Orchestra will transform individual performances into a global collaborative symphony, explore new possibilities for orchestral collaboration, and springboard talented classical musicians into the global YouTube spotlight.
"The internet is an invisible Silk Road, joining people from across the world. East or West, North or South, anyone can download a score of my "Internet Symphony No. 1 'Eroica', pick any part and play it with any instrument or object, in any style," said Grammy and Academy Award -winning composer Tan Dun. "YouTube is the biggest stage on earth, and I want to see what the world's undiscovered musical geniuses will create on it."
"Classical music is a thousand-year old tradition that witnesses the human spirit. It has preserved the songs and dances of our ancestors and made them into a language that is equal parts thought and feeling. This language has been passed on from teacher to student and parent to child from generation to generation. Now through the YouTube Symphony Orchestra project, we will explore new ways for music lovers of all levels to use technology to discover how vast our tradition is, to create new work and learn from one another," said Michael Tilson Thomas, Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony; Artistic Director of the New World Symphony; and Artistic Advisor for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra program. "Music brings people together as no other art. Deepening that process by making the creative/communicative possibilities of video and the internet more available to musicians everywhere is one of our highest goals."
"The LSO is delighted to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative with YouTube -- to unite people from all over the globe and delight in the joys and experiences of playing in an orchestra. It is very much in keeping with our ethos of using technology to link people, share ideas, and be inspired and creative," said Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director, London Symphony Orchestra.
"YouTube is a unique platform for musical artists to broadcast their work. Through the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, aspiring musicians can share their passion with institutions like Carnegie Hall and the London Symphony Orchestra, visionaries like Lang Lang, and the world" said Ed Sanders, Product Marketing Manager, YouTube. "We are honored to partner with these venerable organizations and individuals to reach the next milestone for ensemble music and global collaboration."
"For musicians of all ages, nationalities, and instruments, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra provides a unique opportunity not only to perform on the world's most famous stage – Carnegie Hall – but also on its largest stage -- YouTube," said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. "As an institution that is passionately committed to making great music available to as many people as possible and whose remarkable history chronicles the defining moments of so many of the world's most admired and beloved artists, Carnegie Hall believes the creation of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra will be a one-of-a-kind moment in classical music, bringing musicians together in a totally new, modern and compelling way."
From December 1, 2008 through January 28, 2009, musicians from around the world are invited to submit videos showcasing their personal style as they perform two different videos – their interpretation of an original Tan Dun composition, written specifically for this program, and a talent video designed to demonstrate their musical and technical abilities. A panel of musical experts from the London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and other leading orchestras around the world will narrow the field of entries down to the semifinalists. The YouTube community will be invited to vote on the semifinalists from February 14, 2009 through February 22, 2009. Musicians who are selected will be announced on YouTube on March 2, 2009. For official rules of entry and FAQ, consult YouTube Symphony Orchestra Channel (www.youtube.com/symphony).
In April 2009, selected musicians will be flown to New York City to participate in a three-day classical music summit with Michael Tilson Thomas and leading performers in the field, culminating in a Carnegie Hall performance on April 15, 2009. In addition, selected video entries of the musical piece will be mashed together to create a living YouTube symphony -- a single video of memorable entrants combined into one ensemble piece -- and even more entries will be displayed on YouTube homepages around the world.
As the first YouTube-sponsored program to welcome submissions from every country around the world, YouTube Symphony Orchestra will transform individual performances into a global collaborative symphony, explore new possibilities for orchestral collaboration, and springboard talented classical musicians into the global YouTube spotlight.
"The internet is an invisible Silk Road, joining people from across the world. East or West, North or South, anyone can download a score of my "Internet Symphony No. 1 'Eroica', pick any part and play it with any instrument or object, in any style," said Grammy and Academy Award -winning composer Tan Dun. "YouTube is the biggest stage on earth, and I want to see what the world's undiscovered musical geniuses will create on it."
"Classical music is a thousand-year old tradition that witnesses the human spirit. It has preserved the songs and dances of our ancestors and made them into a language that is equal parts thought and feeling. This language has been passed on from teacher to student and parent to child from generation to generation. Now through the YouTube Symphony Orchestra project, we will explore new ways for music lovers of all levels to use technology to discover how vast our tradition is, to create new work and learn from one another," said Michael Tilson Thomas, Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony; Artistic Director of the New World Symphony; and Artistic Advisor for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra program. "Music brings people together as no other art. Deepening that process by making the creative/communicative possibilities of video and the internet more available to musicians everywhere is one of our highest goals."
"The LSO is delighted to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative with YouTube -- to unite people from all over the globe and delight in the joys and experiences of playing in an orchestra. It is very much in keeping with our ethos of using technology to link people, share ideas, and be inspired and creative," said Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director, London Symphony Orchestra.
"YouTube is a unique platform for musical artists to broadcast their work. Through the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, aspiring musicians can share their passion with institutions like Carnegie Hall and the London Symphony Orchestra, visionaries like Lang Lang, and the world" said Ed Sanders, Product Marketing Manager, YouTube. "We are honored to partner with these venerable organizations and individuals to reach the next milestone for ensemble music and global collaboration."
"For musicians of all ages, nationalities, and instruments, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra provides a unique opportunity not only to perform on the world's most famous stage – Carnegie Hall – but also on its largest stage -- YouTube," said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. "As an institution that is passionately committed to making great music available to as many people as possible and whose remarkable history chronicles the defining moments of so many of the world's most admired and beloved artists, Carnegie Hall believes the creation of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra will be a one-of-a-kind moment in classical music, bringing musicians together in a totally new, modern and compelling way."
But wait wait there's more!
Listen to the San Antonio taping of From the Top this Saturday at a special time -- 9am -- to hear local kids from Laurie Auditorium! (The Met Opera's live broadcast begins at 10:00, FTT's normal broadcast time).
See an interview with FTT Host Christopher O'Riley here.Listen and watch Thomas Steigerwald play Islamey by Mili Balakirev in the TPR Studios here.
Relive the moment
Or hear it for the first time! We're pleased to announce the Emersons in San Antonio will air nationally this Wednesday:Wednesday, December 3rd, Performance Today will broadcast the Emerson String Quartet’s performance of Bach’s Fugue, from the Well-Tempered Clavier arranged by Mozart. The concert took place at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church on September 28th, 2008, and was recorded by KPAC. Also this week, on Thursday 12/4 we’ll be airing another Emerson performance from the same concert – Haydn’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 74, No. 2.
American Public Media's Performance Today is broadcast on 245 public radio stations across the country and is heard by about 1.1 million people each week. Each station individually decides what time to air the program. To find out where and when Performance Today is broadcast in your area, please visit performancetoday.org.You may also visit publicradiofan.com, an independent website that can point the way to on-line listening. Many radio stations stream their signal on the internet, so it may be possible for you to tune in to a radio station across the country and hear Performance Today by visiting that station's website at the time they air it. This Wednesday’s show will be available on our website for seven days. We also archive many interviews, Studio MMW performances, Piano Puzzlers, and other features on our website.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Bocelli in SA
Andrea Bocelli is performing tomorrow and Wednesday for the San Antonio Opera. On the program is Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni (sung in Italian with English/Spanish supertitles). They'll also perform operatic favorites on the first half of the concert.
Listen for a news story on KSTX this afternoon and we'll are happy to share this video footage from this afternoon's press conference.In the holiday mood?
As the countdown to the Holidays begins and seasonal music fills the airwaves, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) today announced its Top 25 most performed holiday songs for the past five years, based on performance data tracked by radio airplay monitoring service Mediaguide.
Marilyn Bergman, ASCAP President and Chairman, said: "More than anything else, music sets the mood for the Holidays, evoking the magic of the season and memories of Holidays past. These timeless classics have been recorded by artists in every genre, yet each song retains the original stamp of its creators."
Topping the list for the second time is "Winter Wonderland" by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. This perennial classic, written in 1934, was an instant hit for legendary bandleader Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians who took it to the #2 spot on the Billboard charts the same year. 1946 recordings by the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como established the song
as a Yuletide favorite.
Re-entering the Top 25 list after a brief hiatus is "This Christmas," written by Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor. Featured on the 1968 Soulful Christmas compilation album, the song has been recorded by numerous artists including Gladys Knight, the Temptations, Peabo Bryson, Usher, Ruben Studdard and Gloria Estefan. It was also featured on the Soundtrack
for the 2002 movie Friday After Next starring Ice Cube.
The Top 25 most performed ASCAP holiday songs of the past five years are listed below. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist version played on radio.
1. Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat "King" Cole
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders
4. Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Frank Sinatra
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Michael Bublé
7. White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby
8. Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Bobby Helms
9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry
10. Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra
11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams
12. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee
13. Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Kenny G
14. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Amy Grant
15. Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano
16. Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Ronettes
17. A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives
18. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis
19. Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley
20. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como
21. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
Performed by: John Mellencamp
22. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Gene Autry
23. Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)
24. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
Performed by: Band Aid
25. This Christmas
Written by Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor
Performed by Gloria Estefan
Some facts about the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs:
Oldest songs:
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Winter Wonderland" (both 1934)
Newest song:
"Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)" (1984)
Most recorded Holiday song:
"White Christmas" with well over 500 versions in dozens of languages
Songs introduced in Film and Television
"White Christmas" in Holiday Inn (1942)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
"Silver Bells" in The Lemon Drop Kid (1950)
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" in TV special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
(1962)
Writer with most top Holiday songs:
Johnny Marks with three - "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around
the Christmas Tree," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
"Sleigh Ride" is the only holiday song on the list written originally as an
instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra
gave the first performance in a concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler at
Symphony Hall in Boston, May 4, 1948. Mills Music published it that same
year. The Boston Pops Orchestra recorded it in June of 1949. Mitchell
Parish added lyrics in 1949.
Marilyn Bergman, ASCAP President and Chairman, said: "More than anything else, music sets the mood for the Holidays, evoking the magic of the season and memories of Holidays past. These timeless classics have been recorded by artists in every genre, yet each song retains the original stamp of its creators."
Topping the list for the second time is "Winter Wonderland" by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. This perennial classic, written in 1934, was an instant hit for legendary bandleader Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians who took it to the #2 spot on the Billboard charts the same year. 1946 recordings by the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como established the song
as a Yuletide favorite.
Re-entering the Top 25 list after a brief hiatus is "This Christmas," written by Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor. Featured on the 1968 Soulful Christmas compilation album, the song has been recorded by numerous artists including Gladys Knight, the Temptations, Peabo Bryson, Usher, Ruben Studdard and Gloria Estefan. It was also featured on the Soundtrack
for the 2002 movie Friday After Next starring Ice Cube.
The Top 25 most performed ASCAP holiday songs of the past five years are listed below. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist version played on radio.
1. Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat "King" Cole
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders
4. Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Frank Sinatra
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Michael Bublé
7. White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby
8. Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Bobby Helms
9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry
10. Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra
11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams
12. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee
13. Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Kenny G
14. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Amy Grant
15. Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano
16. Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Ronettes
17. A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives
18. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis
19. Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley
20. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como
21. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
Performed by: John Mellencamp
22. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Gene Autry
23. Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)
24. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
Performed by: Band Aid
25. This Christmas
Written by Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor
Performed by Gloria Estefan
Some facts about the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs:
Oldest songs:
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Winter Wonderland" (both 1934)
Newest song:
"Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)" (1984)
Most recorded Holiday song:
"White Christmas" with well over 500 versions in dozens of languages
Songs introduced in Film and Television
"White Christmas" in Holiday Inn (1942)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
"Silver Bells" in The Lemon Drop Kid (1950)
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" in TV special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
(1962)
Writer with most top Holiday songs:
Johnny Marks with three - "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around
the Christmas Tree," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas"
"Sleigh Ride" is the only holiday song on the list written originally as an
instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra
gave the first performance in a concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler at
Symphony Hall in Boston, May 4, 1948. Mills Music published it that same
year. The Boston Pops Orchestra recorded it in June of 1949. Mitchell
Parish added lyrics in 1949.
New Release: American Muse
Did you know William Schuman created and conducted the Alamo Society Orchestra as a young man? He was sixteen and it was his first musical organization, "Billy Schuman and his Alamo Society Orchestra" playing for proms, bar mitzvahs and weddings!Joseph Polisi (left) has just written American Muse: The Life and Times of William Schuman. He recently spoke with host John Clare about the new biography about the great American composer and administrator in his office at the Juilliard School in New York City.
See the video interview here or click on the video below.
You can purchase American Muse here at Amazon and a portion will benefit Texas Public Radio.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Top 20
When you compare baseball or other sports teams, there’s only one statistic that matters in the end: who wins the most games. When it comes to assessing the respective quality of the world’s top orchestras, the comparisons are much more complicated to make. Many different factors and qualities must be taken into consideration, and assessments are much more subjective. Despite the challenges, and potential controversy, Gramophone has gone in search of the “World’s Best Orchestra” and, in its December issue, will publish its list of the world’s Top 20 orchestras.
To create its list, Gramophone polled leading critics around the world, including Alex Ross (New Yorker) and Mark Swed (Los Angeles Times) in the U.S., Rob Cowan in the U.K, critics from France’s Le Monde, Austria’s Die Presse, Germany’s Die Welt, and the leading paper in the Netherlands. Also included were various editors associated with Gramophone around the world, including editor James Inverne and editor in chief James Jolly in London, and the respective editors of the local editions of Gramophone in Korea, Spain and China.
Depending on the reader’s geographical location and personal tastes, Gramophone’s list will by turns confirm, surprise, and possibly confound. Three of the world’s most famous orchestras occupy the top three positions, but their ordering might surprise some readers. At No. 5, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is America’s top-ranked orchestra. While many of the Top 10 orchestras are more than a century old (and then some, with the Dresden Staatskapelle, at No. 10, being founded in 1548!), the Russian National Orchestra (founded in 1990) and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, this season celebrating its 25th anniversary, are relative youngsters.
Gramophone’s editor James Inverne observes:
“The celebrated ensembles on our list represent the triumph of “character” in orchestras. Too many bands these days have a uniform, slick but generalized sound, whereas the Concertgebouw (No. 1) is one of the last to really have an immediately identifiable sound, and to arguably (to an extent) plumb the character of composers in the way an actor will with his roles. Others on the list who also have that quality are the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (that famous brass sound) at No. 5, the very unsung Budapest Festival Orchestra (No. 9), and the Dresden Staatskapelle (No. 10).
Iván Fischer, who founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1983, comments:
“I think it’s a good list and it’s a great honor to be part of it. For me, the difference between good orchestras and great orchestras is obvious: in good orchestras musicians may get it right, but in great orchestras they offer that special ‘extra.’ It’s the musicians’ personal involvement, imagination, intuition, and ability to take risks that makes a great orchestra what it is: a group of creative artists.”
Several guest artists and critics offer short written appreciations for members of the Top 10 Club, including Marin Alsop (for the London Symphony Orchestra [No. 4], which she has guest conducted frequently) and Leonard Slatkin (for the Los Angeles Philharmonic [No. 8], where he was principal guest conductor 2005-2007).
Gramophone’s “World’s Best Orchestra” cover story will be published on November 21 in the UK (November 28 in the US). Gramophone’s web site is at www.gramophone.co.uk
The Top 20
1) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
2) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
3) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
4) London Symphony Orchestra
5) Chicago Symphony Orchestra
6) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
7) Cleveland Orchestra
8) Los Angeles Philharmonic
9) Budapest Festival Orchestra
10) Dresden Staatskapelle
11) Boston Symphony Orchestra
12) New York Philharmonic
13) San Francisco Symphony
14) Mariinsky Theater Orchestra
15) Russian National Orchestra
16) Leningrad Philharmonic
17) Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
18) Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
19) Saito Kinen Orchestra
20) Czech Philharmonic
To create its list, Gramophone polled leading critics around the world, including Alex Ross (New Yorker) and Mark Swed (Los Angeles Times) in the U.S., Rob Cowan in the U.K, critics from France’s Le Monde, Austria’s Die Presse, Germany’s Die Welt, and the leading paper in the Netherlands. Also included were various editors associated with Gramophone around the world, including editor James Inverne and editor in chief James Jolly in London, and the respective editors of the local editions of Gramophone in Korea, Spain and China.
Depending on the reader’s geographical location and personal tastes, Gramophone’s list will by turns confirm, surprise, and possibly confound. Three of the world’s most famous orchestras occupy the top three positions, but their ordering might surprise some readers. At No. 5, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is America’s top-ranked orchestra. While many of the Top 10 orchestras are more than a century old (and then some, with the Dresden Staatskapelle, at No. 10, being founded in 1548!), the Russian National Orchestra (founded in 1990) and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, this season celebrating its 25th anniversary, are relative youngsters.
Gramophone’s editor James Inverne observes:
“The celebrated ensembles on our list represent the triumph of “character” in orchestras. Too many bands these days have a uniform, slick but generalized sound, whereas the Concertgebouw (No. 1) is one of the last to really have an immediately identifiable sound, and to arguably (to an extent) plumb the character of composers in the way an actor will with his roles. Others on the list who also have that quality are the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (that famous brass sound) at No. 5, the very unsung Budapest Festival Orchestra (No. 9), and the Dresden Staatskapelle (No. 10).
Iván Fischer, who founded the Budapest Festival Orchestra in 1983, comments:
“I think it’s a good list and it’s a great honor to be part of it. For me, the difference between good orchestras and great orchestras is obvious: in good orchestras musicians may get it right, but in great orchestras they offer that special ‘extra.’ It’s the musicians’ personal involvement, imagination, intuition, and ability to take risks that makes a great orchestra what it is: a group of creative artists.”
Several guest artists and critics offer short written appreciations for members of the Top 10 Club, including Marin Alsop (for the London Symphony Orchestra [No. 4], which she has guest conducted frequently) and Leonard Slatkin (for the Los Angeles Philharmonic [No. 8], where he was principal guest conductor 2005-2007).
Gramophone’s “World’s Best Orchestra” cover story will be published on November 21 in the UK (November 28 in the US). Gramophone’s web site is at www.gramophone.co.uk
The Top 20
1) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
2) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
3) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
4) London Symphony Orchestra
5) Chicago Symphony Orchestra
6) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
7) Cleveland Orchestra
8) Los Angeles Philharmonic
9) Budapest Festival Orchestra
10) Dresden Staatskapelle
11) Boston Symphony Orchestra
12) New York Philharmonic
13) San Francisco Symphony
14) Mariinsky Theater Orchestra
15) Russian National Orchestra
16) Leningrad Philharmonic
17) Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
18) Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
19) Saito Kinen Orchestra
20) Czech Philharmonic
The Canadian South paw vs. the Austrian Primster
In the early 1970's Canadian pianist Glenn Gould upset the apple-cart with his recordings of Mozart's Piano Sonatas. Quick tempos and detached notes had critics and listeners alike crying foul, "this is not Mozart!" Gould ignored their abuse saying that he only liked Mozart's early sonatas where he was influenced by C.P.E. Bach. He topped this off by say the problem with Mozart is that he lived too long, simplified his composing style and did not fulfill his contrapuntal potential.
Thirty years later with the early instrument boom and bust, listeners are used to what Gould did so long ago. It turns out that the creamy-legato that we were used to in old performances/ recordings was wrong. Mozart didn't play that way and ironically, according to Beethoven, his playing was very much like Gould's, with clipped notes and fast tempos.Not quite sure? Listen to the Piano this Sunday afternoon at 5 and hear for yourself.
host Randy Anderson
Friday, November 14, 2008
More Grave than Gravy
Sometimes great music can't get a break. Robert Schumann suggested that Chopin had in this sonata "simply bound together four of his most unruly children." Rachmaninoff ignored Chopin's dynamic instructions for the third movement of this sonata just like Anton Rubinstein had before him. And the Polish virtuoso Ignacz Friedman played the finale as if ghosts were after him.What piece of music had such a bumpy start? The Chopin Second
Piano Sonata in B-flat minor. Schumann was right, the funeral march came first and Chopin surrounded it with a highly romantic view of life and death. Most pianists today are more correct than terrifying when it comes to playing this masterpiece, but you can experience some of the many different ways this music can be played this Sunday on Texas Public Radio.
Hear what went into one of the all time best loved works of Chopin on the Piano, Sunday afternoon at 5 on KPAC & KTXI.host Randy Anderson
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Classical Spotlight: Voices
We touch base with lots of voices in the community on today's Classical Spotlight!First we hear from Stephanie Key and Ertan Torgul from Soli, about a concert tonight at Blue Star Art Center's Main Gallery at 7:30pm.
Then Karem Sezen, conductor with the Vienna Boys Choir talks about their tour and performing at Laurie Auditorium Friday night at 7:30pm.
The Tuesday Music Club presents Opera to Broadway with Alissa Anderson, mezzo soprano; Marianne Cope, soprano; and Christopher DeVage, baritone. The concert is November 18th at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church, 2:00 pm.
Tuesday night at Bjorn’s a cd release party is scheduled for Voci di Sorelle from 7 to 8:30pm. Their second cd is called Magnificat, Early Christmas Music.
Also, violinist Craig Sorgi plays a recital Tuesday night at 7:30 in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall on the Trinity University campus. More info at 999-8406.Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Latest luthier breakthrough?
They may be looking for mushrooms! Read about it here."A Swiss researcher said Thursday he had hit on an unlikely way of recreating the unique sound of a Stradivarius violin -- by treating the wood of a replica instrument with mushrooms."
Monday, November 10, 2008
Ribbit, Rippit: Haydn's Frog Quartet
The Prazak Quartet is in town, playing for the San Antonio Chamber Music Society and performing in schools as outreach.They stopped by the Texas Public Radio studios to talk with John Clare (seen right with the quartet) and performed in the studio as well!
Here they show why Haydn's Opus 50 is called the "Frog" - listen and watch the first violinist who plays the same note on two different strings (he's on the left hand side of the screen.)
They think Haydn wrote this to amuse his audience, including the Prince and Emperor! You can also see the Prazak's play a movement of Haydn here.
Good conduct
There's ripples in the conducting world as Ricardo Muti is having a spat with the Royals, read about it here.You can also vote in our weekly poll about who you would choose to conduct a concert at your birhtday bash just like Prince Charles! Just look at the right hand side here to place your vote, or write one in - and see our previous polls below right!
And the San Antonio Symphony conductor search continues, be sure to fill out the survey and watch exclusive video interviews with the maestros here.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Celebrate/Collaborate with Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-yo Ma is inviting experienced musicians and amateurs alike to join him in pushing the boundaries of music creation by entering his contest, Celebrate & Collaborate.Ma recorded the melody to "Dona Nobis Pacem” (Give Us Peace), on indabamusic.com, for users to download and collaborate with him. Indaba allows users to add a counter-melody to Yo-Yo’s part, or to record an entirely new set of their own variations. When done, users re-upload their final version and will then be entered into the contest, and featured on the Indaba page
Submissions are due by December 31 of this year, and your friends, enemies , and confidants can nominate you. Click on tell a friend when you submit your collaboration, and spread the word about your collaboration with Yo-Yo. Take a listen, to what other participants have done, and be part of the worldwide community of composers. Voting Starts December 31! First Place winner will record with Yo-Yo Ma in a special one-on-one collaboration!
The winner's rendition will also be featured on Yo-YoMa.com, Yo-Yo's MySpace page, and on Indaba Music.
The Top Ten winners as voted by the Indaba community, will each receive a signed copy of Songs of Joy & Peace.
You can listen to what current contest participants have already recorded, by clicking on their picture icons, down the left side of the Indaba page.
For inspiration, we've included a counter-melody recorded by Yo-Yo, as well as a variation from Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer. Check them out in the Source Files section to the right of the Indaba page). Also, the sheet music for Dona Nobis Pacem is also available to download.
“CELEBRATE AND COLLABORATE WITH YO-YO MA” CONTEST
1. Eligibility.
These Official Rules apply only to legal U.S. residents at least thirteen (13) years of age as of October 7, 2008 who reside in and who are physically located in the 50 United States (excluding its territories and possessions). By entering this Contest, entrants understand that they are competing against entrants from other territories outside of the 50 United States. Entrants from outside the 50 United States are subject to the official rules of the territory in which they reside. Employees, agents or officers of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (“Sponsor”), Indaba Media, LLC (“Indaba Music”) or of any entity involved in the development, production, implementation and distribution of the Celebrate and Collaborate with Yo-Yo Ma Contest (the “Contest”), including any advertising or promotion agency, supplier of prizes for the Contest, parent company, service provider, subsidiary or affiliate of any such entity or any other entity directly associated with the Contest or any member of the immediate family of and/or person living in the same household as such persons, are ineligible to enter the Contest. The Contest is void where restricted or prohibited by law.
2. Entries.
(a) To enter the Contest, log onto www.indabamusic.com/yo-yomacontest and follow the directions to enter between 12:00pm ET on October 7, 2008 and 11:59pam ET on December 31, 2008. In order to participate in this Contest, you are required to register at www.indabamusic.com and enter full name and email address. Entrants must complete the entry form by listing his/her name and email address. Entrants will be instructed to either a) download the available version of Yo-Yo Ma’s recording of “Dona Nobis Pacem”, record an instrumental duet of any kind with the recording and upload the duet to the Web page listed on the contest page at www.indabamusic.com/yo-yomacontest; or b) download the available sheet music and record an interpretation of “Dona Nobis Pacem” and upload the audio track to the Web page listed on the contest page at www.indabamusic.com/yo-yomacontest. Entrant must be the one performing the piece in the Entry. Entrant must upload the audio track to the Web page listed at www.indabamusic.com/yo-yomacontest. By entering the Contest, you hereby agree that participation in this Contest is subject to the Indaba Music standard terms and conditions found at www.indabamusic.com/corporate/tos and privacy policy found at www.indabamusic.com/corporate/privacy. To the extent there is a conflict between these Official Rules and the Indaba Music standard terms and conditions, these Official Rules shall govern.
(b) For purposes of these Official Rules, the “Dona Nobis Pacem” recording shall be defined as “Sponsor Content” and each Entrant’s original elements shall be referred to herein as the “Submission Materials”. Registered Indaba Music users will have the opportunity to view and vote for the Entrant’s audio recordings.
(c) Only one entry per person. If multiple entries are received for the same entrant, only the first entry submitted by that entrant will qualify for entry in the Contest and subsequent entries submitted by that entrant shall be disqualified. By entering, entrants agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges, Sponsor, Indaba Music and these Official Rules and to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Sponsor, and those working for Sponsor or on behalf of Sponsor, will not be responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, or postage due mail or e-mail, or for Internet, computer hardware and software, phone, and/or any other technical errors, malfunctions, and delays. Entries which are mutilated, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, forged, irregular in any way, or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules are also void. In the event of a dispute concerning who submitted an entry, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized holder of the e-mail account from which the entry is made. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person to whom an email address is assigned by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.
(d) In addition, the Submission Materials may not contain references which are obscene, crude or vulgar, and/or which contain gang identification, references to commercial products, license plate numbers, phone numbers, personal addresses (physical or email), Web site URLs, derogatory characterizations of any ethnic, racial, sexual or religious groups, references to illegal or inappropriate activity, behavior or conduct, or any other references that could be considered inappropriate, unsuitable or offensive, as determined by Sponsor, in its sole discretion.
3. Our Right to Use Your Work and Information about You.
(a) Submission Materials become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.
(b) With the exception of any Sponsor Content:
(i) you represent and warrant that: (A) all contents of Submission Materials are wholly original, have been created and performed entirely by Entrant, have not been taken in whole or in part from any source other than Entrant and do not incorporate or include anything that is owned by any third party or would require the consent of any third party; (B) you own and/or control 100% of all right, title and interest in and to the Submission Materials, as well as all elements contained therein; (C) the Submission Materials do not and shall not violate any law or the copyright, trademark, publicity right, privacy right, or any other right of any third party; and (D) the Submission Materials, or any part thereof, have not been commercially released; and
(ii) you agree that the Submission Materials shall be a "work made for hire," with all rights therein, including, without limitation, the exclusive copyright, being the property of Sponsor. In the event the Submission Materials are considered not to be a "work made for hire," you irrevocably assign to Sponsor all right, title, and interest in your entry (including, without limitation, the copyright) in any and all media whether now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, anywhere in the world, with the right to make any and all uses thereof, including, without limitation, for purposes of advertising or trade.
(c) You hereby hold Sponsor and Indaba Music harmless from and against any third party claim arising from use of the Submission Materials. You waive any right to privacy. You waive any right to inspect or approve uses of the Submission Materials or to be compensated for any such uses. You hereby represent and warrant that you and each person who is identifiable in the Submission Materials are at least 13 years of age and that you have read these Official Rules and are fully familiar with its contents.
(d) By providing Submission Materials in connection with this Contest, you grant to Sponsor, its affiliated companies, and Indaba Music the right, except where prohibited by law, to use your name, likeness, picture, address (city and state), voice, biographical information, Submission Materials, entry form information and written and oral statements, for advertising and promotional purposes in promoting or publicizing the Submission Materials, Sponsor, Indaba Music and their products and services, without compensation unless required by law. You shall have no right of approval, no claim to compensation, and no claim (including, without limitation, claims based on invasion of privacy, defamation, or right of publicity) arising out of any use, blurring, alteration, or use in composite form of your name, picture, likeness, address (city and state), e-mail address, biographical information, or entry. The rights granted under this paragraph shall extend to Sponsor and its affiliated companies with respect to all entrants in the Contest, including the entrants who are selected as Winners and those entrants who are not selected as the Winners. Sponsor and Indaba Music are under no obligation to use the Submission Materials for any purpose.
(e) BY ENTERING THIS CONTEST, YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT THAT: (I) ENTRANT EXPRESSLY AGREES TO ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THESE OFFICIAL RULES; (III) ENTRANT PROVIDES HIS/HER EXPRESS PERMISSION TO APPEAR IN THE SUBMISSION MATERIALS; AND (II) ENTRANT IS AWARE OF AND CONSENTS TO THE DISPLAY OF THE SUBMISSION MATERIALS ON INDABA MUSIC AS DESCRIBED HEREIN.
4. Selection of Winner / Prizes.
(a) Entries received between October 7, 2008 and December 31, 2008 will compete against each other for the Grand Prize (as defined below). Submissions will be posted on the Website during the Contest Period, thereby allowing consumers to vote for their favorite Submission based on the following criteria: originality (25%), creativity (25%), concept (25%), and musicality (25%), between January 1, 2009 at 12:01 pm EDT and January 10, 2009 11:59 am EDT ("Voting Period"). Limit one vote per email address per person. Any attempt by entrant and/or his/her family/friends to vote more than once by using multiple names or email address and/or any other fraudulent mechanism, as determined by Indaba Music in its sole discretion, shall give Indaba Music the right to disqualify entrant in its discretion. Voting nominates the top 10 entries (“Top 10”) for Grand Prize consideration. In the event of a tie, the final standings shall be determined by which entry received the score first. After the public Voting Period, Yo-Yo Ma will select one (1) winner from all the entries on the basis of the following criteria: originality (25%), creativity (25%), concept (25%), and musicality (25%). The winner of the final round shall be the entry which receives the highest overall score (such winner shall be the “Grand Prize Winner”). For clarity, Yo-Yo Ma, in his discretion will select a winner from all the Submission entries, regardless of their rank as determined by voting. In the event of a tie, the Grand Prize Winner shall be the entry which receives the highest score on originality. One Grand Prize Winner will be selected. For purposes of these Official Rules, the Top 10 and the Grand Prize Winner shall collectively be referred to as the “Winners”.
The Top 10 will be selected on or about January 14, 2009. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected on our about January 12, 2009. The decision of the judges shall be final and binding in all regards.
(b) The Winners will be notified by email, and each Winner (and parent or legal guardian if Winner is under 21) will be required to sign, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release (and any other documents required by Sponsor), within five (5) calendar days of notification. Each Winner will also be required to send a copy of his/her passport, driver’s license or birth certificate as proof of age and residency. If a Winner cannot be contacted within five (5) calendar days of first notification attempt, if the prize notification is returned as undeliverable, if a Winner rejects the prize, in the event of noncompliance with these Rules, or if the Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release is not properly executed, the prize will be forfeited and an alternative winner may be selected from all remaining eligible entries. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given. The Affidavit of Eligibility and Publicity/Liability Release must be complete and must include the Winner’s social security or resident alien identification number. The information in Winner’s Affidavit of Eligibility must be correct and must be identical to the information provided in Winner's entry or the Winner will be disqualified.
(c) The Grand Prize Winner will receive the opportunity to record a musical piece with Yo-Yo Ma, as chosen by him. The estimated retail value of Grand Prize will be determined by Sponsor’s decision in the method of executing the recording. The Top 10 nominated by voting will each receive an autographed copy of Yo-Yo Ma’s CD Songs of Joy and Peace. In no event shall the total retail value of the Prizes exceed Four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($4,800.00).
NOTE: BY WINNING THIS CONTEST THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE SUBMISSION MATERIALS WILL BE USED BY SPONSOR, INDABA MUSIC OR OTHERWISE.
Other conditions and restrictions apply. Prizes are non-transferable. No substitutions or cash redemptions.
(c) By accepting the prizes, Winner releases and discharges Sponsor, Indaba Music, Yo-Yo Ma, Sound Postings, Inc, their respective affiliated companies and the respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies of each, and all their respective employees, officers, directors, representatives and agents from any liability or damage due in whole or in part to the award, acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize or from participation in this Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a comparable prize of like or greater value for any prize, or to pay Winner a cash equivalent (the value of which shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion), for any reason.
(d) If, for reasons beyond the control of Sponsor or Indaba Music (including, but not limited to, tampering or computer virus infection), the Contest is not capable of running as originally planned, Sponsor, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to cancel or modify the Contest, without liability. If a sufficient number of eligible entries (as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) are not received by the end of the Contest period, Sponsor reserves the right not to award any or all prizes. All taxes (including, but not limited to, income taxes) are the sole responsibility of Winner. All entrants agree to comply fully with each provision in these Official Rules. Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this Contest and any person who does not comply with these Official Rules, will be ineligible for any prize and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
5. Issues of Law.
ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE APPLICABLE. THE NEW YORK COURTS (STATE AND FEDERAL) SHALL HAVE SOLE JURISDICTION OF ANY CONTROVERSIES REGARDING THE CONTEST AND THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL EXCLUSIVELY GOVERN THE CONTEST. EACH ENTRANT WAIVES ANY AND ALL OBJECTIONS TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE IN THOSE COURTS AND HEREBY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. THE CONTEST IS VOID WHERE RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED BY LAW.
6. Your Release of Sponsor From Any and All Liability.
Entrants agree that Sponsor and Indaba Music shall not be liable for losses or injuries of any kind resulting from: (i) acceptance/possession and/or use/misuse of prize(s), (ii) participation in the Contest, (iii) individual, joint or collective technical malfunctions of the telephone network and/or transmission line, computer on-line system, computer dating mechanism, computer equipment, hardware and/or software, or (iv) any delay or distortion of an entry resulting from data transmissions that are garbled, incomplete, misdirected, lost, mutilated, delayed, corrupted, mechanically duplicated, illegible or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules. Entrants also agree that Sponsor and Indaba Music are not responsible or liable for any injury or damage to an entrant's or third person's computer related to or resulting from the Contest and/or its prizes. Sponsor and Indaba Music are not liable for damage to a user's computer system (including, without limitation, any server failure or lost, delayed or corrupted data or other malfunction) due, either directly or indirectly, to an entrant's participation in the Contest or downloading of information in connection with the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to modify or cancel the Contest in the event that any portion of any website used to administer any aspect of the Contest becomes technically corrupted.
7. How to Get More Information
(a) To obtain the identity of the Winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: "Yo-Yo Ma Celebrate and Collaborate Contest” Sony Classical/Masterworks, 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 by February 15, 2009.
The sponsor of this Contest is SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, 550 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022. Questions regarding the Contest can be directed by mail to "Yo-Yo Ma Celebrate and Collaborate Contest” Sony Classical/Masterworks, 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022.
(b) Copies of these Official Rules may be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to "Yo-Yo Ma Celebrate and Collaborate Contest” Official Rules, Sony Classical/Masterworks, 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022 (WA and VT residents may omit return postage.) Requests for Official Rules must be received by February 15, 2009. All times and dates in these Official Rules are Eastern Standard Time.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Classical Spotlight: Tempting Tempest
This week we have living composers, conductor candidates and piano recitals besides a visiting string quartet and YOSA!
Kimball Gallagher plays a recital tonight at 7pm at Alamo Heights Methodist Church. On the program is Liszt, Chopin and Villa-Lobos. It's free and open to the public.
Tomorrow and Saturday the San Antonio Symphony performs Copland’s Appalachian Spring; Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, the "Pastorale". Violinist and conductor Scott Yoo is featured each evening at the Majestic Theater, the concerts are at 8pm and a pre-concert talk starts at 7pm. These concerts are in honor of KPAC's 25th Anniversary and will feature introductory remarks by Texas Public Radio personalities Randy Anderson and John Clare.
Sunday afternoon at 3pm, the Prazak Quartet returns to San Antonio with the Chamber Music Society at Temple Beth El. You can find out more about this San Antonio Chamber Music Society concert on our website, and click on Classical Spotlight.
Also Sunday afternoon at 3pm is pianist Brian Holland, who will present a recital of Ragtime music at Christ Episcopal Church.
YOSA, the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio take the stage Sunday afternoon at 4pm with The Good, the Bad, and the Huapango at Laurie Auditorium. Harpist Rachel Ferris and conductor Marlon Chen collaborate in Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and have Copland's ballet Billy the Kid as well as Moncayo's Huapango on the program. There’s a podcast about Copland here.
Soli begins their 14th season this next week. The program features Joan Tower, Elliott Carter and Paul Moravec on Wednesday November 12th at Trinity University’s Ruth Taylor Recital Hall and Thursday November 13th at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, both at 7:30pm with pre-concert talks at 7:00.
Kimball Gallagher plays a recital tonight at 7pm at Alamo Heights Methodist Church. On the program is Liszt, Chopin and Villa-Lobos. It's free and open to the public.
Tomorrow and Saturday the San Antonio Symphony performs Copland’s Appalachian Spring; Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, the "Pastorale". Violinist and conductor Scott Yoo is featured each evening at the Majestic Theater, the concerts are at 8pm and a pre-concert talk starts at 7pm. These concerts are in honor of KPAC's 25th Anniversary and will feature introductory remarks by Texas Public Radio personalities Randy Anderson and John Clare.
Sunday afternoon at 3pm, the Prazak Quartet returns to San Antonio with the Chamber Music Society at Temple Beth El. You can find out more about this San Antonio Chamber Music Society concert on our website, and click on Classical Spotlight.
Also Sunday afternoon at 3pm is pianist Brian Holland, who will present a recital of Ragtime music at Christ Episcopal Church.
YOSA, the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio take the stage Sunday afternoon at 4pm with The Good, the Bad, and the Huapango at Laurie Auditorium. Harpist Rachel Ferris and conductor Marlon Chen collaborate in Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and have Copland's ballet Billy the Kid as well as Moncayo's Huapango on the program. There’s a podcast about Copland here.
Soli begins their 14th season this next week. The program features Joan Tower, Elliott Carter and Paul Moravec on Wednesday November 12th at Trinity University’s Ruth Taylor Recital Hall and Thursday November 13th at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, both at 7:30pm with pre-concert talks at 7:00.
Maestro Interview: Scott Yoo
Texas Public Radio will speak with all the candidates for the San Antonio Symphony Music Director Search and have them on Classical Spotlight. You'll get a chance to learn more about the maestros - don't forget to attend the symphony and fill out the questionaire as well!
(See a larger version here)
This week we talk with Scott Yoo. John Clare asked about the program, music and performing as conductor and soloist.
(See a larger version here)
This week we talk with Scott Yoo. John Clare asked about the program, music and performing as conductor and soloist.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
School Songs
ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and America SCORES have teamed up to present its national songwriting mentorship program, ASCAP Songwriter Residency @ America SCORES. The program was established in 2006 to create a collaboration between songwriters and students utilizing the craft of songwriting and music as another engaging and inspiring way for kids to express themselves, while teaching them to value and respect their own creative work and that of other copyright owners. The ASCAP Foundation, a public charity dedicated to supporting music education and talent development programs, funds the program.
As part of the program, ASCAP selects its talented songwriters from a variety of musical genres to teach three-day songwriting workshops during the America SCORES after-school poetry classes. Each songwriter is given an assignment of co-writing and recording a song with the SCORES kids over the course of three days. The kids also learn about the importance of labeling their own creative work with the copyright symbol, year and their name just as they would see on any published, professional creative work.
This year's program features a diverse group of songwriters visiting schools in five cities across the country:
Boston, MA
Songwriter Dwayne Simmons
Chicago, IL
Hip-hop group Da Internz
Dallas, TX
Americana roots rock artist Johnny Lloyd Rollins Singer-songwriter David Rice
Los Angeles, CA
Rapper, actor and spoken word artist Saul Williams
San Francisco, CA
Indie rock band Birdmonster
Hip-hop artist Psalm One
During the first two years of the program, songwriting workshops took place at schools in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and Washington, DC.
All 12 tracks from the CD can be heard in their entirety on ASCAP's website at www.ascap.com/playback/2008/summer/action/america_scores.aspx.
About America SCORES
America SCORES is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to use soccer and poetry to inspire among urban youth a lasting dedication to health, literacy, and community service. America SCORES operates soccer teams in urban public schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country. Teamwork developed on the field is translated to the classroom and the community. The program operates five days per week after-school and has recently been recognized by Charity Navigator as one of the most administratively efficient nonprofits in the country. For more information, visit www.AmericaSCORES.org.
As part of the program, ASCAP selects its talented songwriters from a variety of musical genres to teach three-day songwriting workshops during the America SCORES after-school poetry classes. Each songwriter is given an assignment of co-writing and recording a song with the SCORES kids over the course of three days. The kids also learn about the importance of labeling their own creative work with the copyright symbol, year and their name just as they would see on any published, professional creative work.
This year's program features a diverse group of songwriters visiting schools in five cities across the country:
Boston, MA
Songwriter Dwayne Simmons
Chicago, IL
Hip-hop group Da Internz
Dallas, TX
Americana roots rock artist Johnny Lloyd Rollins Singer-songwriter David Rice
Los Angeles, CA
Rapper, actor and spoken word artist Saul Williams
San Francisco, CA
Indie rock band Birdmonster
Hip-hop artist Psalm One
During the first two years of the program, songwriting workshops took place at schools in Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; and Washington, DC.
All 12 tracks from the CD can be heard in their entirety on ASCAP's website at www.ascap.com/playback/2008/summer/action/america_scores.aspx.
About America SCORES
America SCORES is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to use soccer and poetry to inspire among urban youth a lasting dedication to health, literacy, and community service. America SCORES operates soccer teams in urban public schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country. Teamwork developed on the field is translated to the classroom and the community. The program operates five days per week after-school and has recently been recognized by Charity Navigator as one of the most administratively efficient nonprofits in the country. For more information, visit www.AmericaSCORES.org.
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