Paul Moravec

Today composer Paul Moravec turns 54 years young. He'll have a world premiere this January in San Antonio with SOLI Chamber Ensemble, basing a quartet on Beethoven's Grosse Fuge - part of the Beethoven Festival.
Moravec is also the commissioned composer for the San Antonio International Piano Competition in October 2012 and will be in town to judge.
Host John Clare has interviewed Moravec numerous times and shares this insightful talk from 2006: mp3 file
We'll have more coverage with Paul this January and October, but wish Paul a very happy birthday!
From WQXR a live performance of Moravec's Pulitzer Prize winning Tempest Fantasy:

Cadenzas at ten paces

We thought we'd put the cadenzas to Mozart's Piano Concerto #23 through the paces as it has been in the news lately with Hélène Grimaud and Claudio Abbado.

First, you can see the musical scores in question...here is the musical score of Mozart's cadenza (the one Abbado preferred) [pdf]

The one Hélène preferred, by Busoni [pdf]

An alternate cadenza by Muller [pdf]

Next, take a listen to the passages in question with host John Clare [mp3 file]

The New Yorker has a great profile of Grimaud here, and be sure to check out the last time Grimaud was in Houston and spoke with Clare.

Here's some fun, a mashup of three cadenzas of Grimaud, Abbado and Lubin for the 23rd Piano Concerto, first movement, listen to an mp3 created by John Clare here.

After all this, the 2nd movement is stunning and beautiful:

The Don a hit!

Did you go see it this weekend? What other productions do you plan on catching? Let us know in the comments!
The Met: Live in HD continued its sixth season Saturday with a live transmission of its new production of Don Giovanni, starring Mariusz Kwiecien, with an estimated attendance of 107,000 in North America earning a gross of $2.3 million. It was seen live on more than 850 screens. An estimated additional 109,000 people saw it live on 625 screens in 42 additional countries; 28 in Europe, nine in Latin America, and Russia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, and the Bahamas.
Delayed showings in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and encore performances in North America and Europe, are expected to boost worldwide attendance of Don Giovanni to 265,000. The encore screening of Don Giovanni in the U.S. is on November 16; the Canadian encores are December 17 and January 9.
The new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, by Tony Award winner Michael Grandage, was conducted by Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi in his Live in HD debut. In a dramatic offstage twist, star Kwiecien was injured in the final dress rehearsal of the production on October 10 but underwent back surgery and a rigorous physical therapy regimen so that he would be able to return to the Met stage in time for this performance. The other stars of Don Giovanni included Mojca Erdmann as Zerlina, Barbara Frittoli as Donna Elvira, Marina Rebeka as Donna Anna, Ramón Vargas as Don Ottavio, Luca Pisaroni as Leporello, Joshua Bloom as Masetto, and Štefan Kocán as the Commendatore.
The live transmission, hosted by soprano Renée Fleming (who vists San Antonio this March with the San Antonio Symphony!), was directed by Barbara Willis Sweete.
The Met: Live in HD, the Met’s award-winning series of live transmissions to movie theaters around the world, has expanded its worldwide distribution to more than 1,600 theaters in 54 countries, the largest global audience the initiative has ever reached. In addition to Russia, Italy and Israel, new countries joining the Live in HD network this season include China, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Morocco, Slovenia, and the territory of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Don Giovanni was the second of 11 live transmissions to be shown this season. The next transmission will be the new production of Wagner’s Siegfried on November 5, the third installment of Robert Lepage’s new Ring Cycle at the Met.

In Memory of Eugenio Toussaint and Daniel Catan

In remembrance of several important Mexican musicians who passed away during the year past, the Orquesta Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico has erected a Dia de los Muertos altar in the lobby of their hall, the Sala Ollin Yolitzli, honoring Daniel Catan (1949-2011) and Eugenio Toussaint (1954-2011). May they Rest in Peace.

Listen to their music on the October 30, 2011 edition of Itinerarios.

Dia de los Muertos on Sunday's Intinerarios

I do miss Mexico this time of the year. During my 6-plus years as a working musician in Mexico, I came to at least an informal understanding of the holiday Dia de los Muertos. In truth, it is today mashed up with Halloween. In some neighborhoods children "trick-or-treat", even alongside visits to light candles at a loved one's gravesite. Nevertheless, Dia de los Muertos is a cultural experience and I have never lost my fascination with it.



Especially vivid are memories from Toluca. There the market stalls surrounding Los Portales are overwhelmed with "sugared skulls" and "pan del muerto." It's really quite a sight.

And, of course, there are the altars, everywhere. These display pictures of the dead, favorite toys of deceased children, sugar skulls (for both the living and the dead), pan del muerto and candles, lots of candles.

On this week's edition of Itinerarios, KPAC's program of music with Latin American roots, we hear music by Gabriela Ortiz which expresses her thoughts on Dia de los Muertos while also serving to memorialize those who have passed. The Cuarteto Latinoamericano will play excerpts from Ortiz' Altar de muertos. As well, in keeping with the modern tendency to run Halloween into Dia de los Muertos, we will hear Enrique Batiz leading a performance of Camille Saint-Saens Danse Macabre.

As a footnote, I notice that the Orquesta Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico is erecting an altar in the lobby of their hall, Sala Ollin Yolitzli, honoring the passing this year of composers Eugenio Toussaint and Daniel Catan. May they Rest in Peace as their music continues to resonate life.

Itinerarios is heard every Sunday evening at 7 o'clock. It is hosted by James Baker.

New Conductor

From the San Antonio Symphony:

Music Director Sebastian Lang-Lessing announced that Akiko Fujimoto will be the new Assistant Conductor of the San Antonio Symphony. She begins her appointment in the beginning of January 2012. Her initial appointment is for the second half of the 2011-2012 season and the entire 2012-2013 season.

Fujimoto was engaged after a process which began in the late spring. Candidates sent video tapes and resumes to be reviewed by the orchestra’s Artistic Liaison Committee and Maestro Lang-Lessing. Four finalists conducted the orchestra for two rehearsals in early October. They also gave two demonstration talks and were interviewed by musicians and staff. Maestro Lang-Lessing engaged Ms. Fujimoto after reviewing orchestra surveys and receiving input from the Artistic Liaison Committee. Maestro Lang-Lessing said, “Akiko Fujimoto will be a great addition to the San Antonio Symphony. She has an engaging personality and speaking style, coupled with great musical skills.”

Ken-David Masur has left his San Antonio Symphony staff conducting position for new positions in Munich, Germany and San Diego. Ken-David was the Resident Conductor for four seasons, including the years during the Music Director Search. “We are grateful for all the fine work Ken-David has done in San Antonio and wish him well in his exciting new positions. We look forward to seeing Ken-David conduct in San Antonio in future seasons,” said Lang-Lessing. Masur will return to conduct in San Antonio several times this year, including performances of The Nutcracker with Ballet San Antonio, Holiday Pops and a classics concert in late March.

“I am thrilled to work with Maestro Lang-Lessing and the fantastic musicians of the San Antonio Symphony,” said Ms. Fujimoto. “I look forward to being a part of the musical community in San Antonio.”

Hailed as “a very talented conductor who knows her score and her musicians” (Virginia
Gazette), Akiko Fujimoto has most recently served as the Conducting Associate for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the William & Mary Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director of the Williamsburg Youth Orchestras.

A native of Japan, Fujimoto attended high school in California and graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in music and psychology. She holds Master of Music degrees in conducting from the Eastman School of Music and Boston University.

As a member of the Virginia Symphony conducting staff, Fujimoto conducted the VSO in classical, holiday, and educational concerts including the Virginia Symphony’s 2009-2010 series of Young People’s Concerts and the Virginia Beach performance of the Classics concert featuring the world premiere of Behzad Ranjbaran’s Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra. Fujimoto has also conducted the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and National Arts Centre Orchestra in performance as well as conducted the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra as part of the Orkney Conducting Institute.

Prior to arriving in Virginia, Fujimoto served as the Music Director and Conductor of the Mozart Society Orchestra at Harvard University where she led the MSO to many milestones, including performing with pianist and Mozart scholar Robert Levin.


Listen for an exclusive interview with Fujimoto Friday afternoon on KPAC, your classical oasis!

UPDATE 11:10am 10/28/11: Audio interview is now online. Listen here!

Young Masters Grant supports “rising stars of Texas”

Valerie Cowan

Since 2002, the Young Masters Grant Program has generously given funds to students from 8th to 11th grades. This year’s application deadline is quickly approaching; applications and audiovisual materials must be postmarked by November 15.

The Young Masters Grant Program is created and funded through the Texas Cultural Trust in order to help young Texas artists pursue opportunities that otherwise might not be possible for them. The students supported by the grant program include musicians, actors, writers, dancers, visual artists, media artists and more.

Cassandra Scholte Jensen, Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) program administrator, refers to these gifted students as the “rising stars of Texas.”

Recipients of the grant are awarded the title of Young Master and receive $2,500 per year for up to two years. In order to meet eligibility requirements, 8th through 11th grade students must receive passing grades in all academic areas, have legal U.S. and Texas resident status, and actively participate in an art program. Possible art programs may include a summer institute, a school-based program, a specialized course of study, or private lessons from a qualified instructor.

Jensen said the number of applications received “varies from year to year,” and the number of awards given depends on the funds available. The smallest class of grant recipients was 11, and the largest was 26.

Christopher Vo, now a professional dancer under the Lar Lubovitch Company, received the Young Masters Grant in 2002. Coming from a low-income family, Vo applied for the grant in order to attend a summer dance program at The Juilliard School. Without the support of the grant program, this opportunity would have passed him by. Juilliard awarded Vo a full scholarship to attend the program again the following summer, and Vo later graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Jensen said she received a phone call recently from the father of another 2002 grant recipient. Antonio Cisneros now works for the film industry, and his father called to express his gratitude for the opportunity the grant provided his son. After receiving the grant in high school, Cisneros went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in Cinematography and Documentary Production from New York University Tisch School of the Arts Film and Television.

For more information on the Young Masters Grant Program and how to apply, visit the TCA website.

Fierrabras or Schubert Goes to the Opera

Like almost every other major romantic composer Schubert was an opera goer and dreamed of success in that world himself. He had had lessons with Salieri and was particularly fond it seems of Gluck, Mozart's Magic Flute and the stage works of both Cherubini and Spontini and Beethoven's Fidelio.

Unlike almost any other romantic composer Schubert had a natural affinity for writing for the voice.There are many many sacred works that show his progress and fluency in choral writings and a body of songs of unrivaled variety, depth and melodic invention. It was only a matter of time and following a series of one act works (that we know largely as overtures) and finally by 1822 the call came. The Vienna Court Opera Theater commissioned him to deliver a German language opera.The result,after an initial failure with Alfonso and Estrella was Fierrabras. For a libretto he turned to Josef Kupelweiser, brother of his friend Leopold a member of the Schubertiade circle and more importantly a secretary at the Court Opera. Which makes the result all the stranger. In the interval between the granting of the commission and the completion of the opera (May 1822 and Oct.1823) two events intervened. First, the arrival and rage for the works of Rossini and then the failure of Weber's Euryanthe. Fierrarbras was submitted and we read that Schubert was never paid, but also that Fierrabras was not rejected. It lay in unperformed limbo until the 1870's long after his death. Musicologist now pronounce it's music magnificent .

Please tune in to this Saturday Afternoon at the Opera for Schubert's long neglected Fierrabras, this week at noon on KPAC and KTXI.

host, Ron Moore

Piano Sonata in b

There are many opinions of Franz Liszt from the greatest pianist of all time to him a being a charlatan. But this 200th anniversary year has seen quite a number of fine recordings celebrating the accomplishments of this true romantic.

There is one work that will even gain the grudging respect of Liszt's detractors; a masterwork that truly is the "music of the future" as Liszt claimed - the Piano Sonata in b. He took on the formulaic sonata forms that so many composers ran into the ground with repetition and re-thought and re-engineered the sonata form into something new and much more complex.

On the Piano this Sunday a review of the sections of this one-movement work, some of the great performers of Liszt tackle the sonata's challenges and to end the program a complete and extraordinary performance of this paradigm shifting composition.

The b minor sonata of Liszt, this Sunday afternoon at 5 on KPAC & KTXI.

host, Randy Anderson

Britten's Post-War Glory : Peter Grimes

Benjamin Britten had been a child prodigy. It has been said that he wrote over 800 compositions among his juvenilia; by 10 he was proficient on both the piano and viola He began composition lessons with Frank Bridge at age 14 and already was composing for the voice; his Quatre Chansons Françaises is remarkably advanced for a teenaged composer. He also completed a course of studies at the Royal College of Music, but his dream was to go to Vienna to study privately with Alban Berg, but his parents wouldn't allow it.

In 1939 he and the singer Peter Pears decided to follow a friend, the poet W.H. Auden, to America .There he encountered the music of Aaron Copland that greatly inspired him and the two men became friends. While in America he composed a sinfonietta and a concerto for violin. During a vacation trip to California Peter Pears showed him a poem he had brought to read by the 19th century English writer and naturalist George Crabbe (1754-1832) called The Borough, a work and poet admired by Byron. In it was the germ of the figure of Peter Grimes and an evocation of the coast of England which Britten so loved. He and Pears together began to develop the idea for the opera and carried the sketches back with them to wartime England.

After their return to London Pears was offered roles with the Sadler's Wells Opera and found great success. The final transformation of poem to libretto was offered to Christopher Isherwood (creator of Sally Bowles and Cabaret) but he declined ; the libretto was completed by Montague Slater and was accepted for production by Sadler's Wells in 1945 , it found immediate popular and critical acclaim from that day to this. Most praised is the transformation of the character Grimes into a a brooding and obsessed man who is still sympathetic despite his flaws because of his striving. The orchestral portrayal of the seascape and it's ever changing moods are especially noted for their power and effectiveness and now they now stand alone as a four part suite that is considered among the great concert works of the twentieth century. Conductor Colin Davis found a very special sympathetic affinity for the work and extraordinary success in his interpretations.

This Saturday Afternoon at the Opera we present his second commercial from a concert with the LSO. Tune in this Saturday at noon for a twentieth century classic, Britten's Peters Grimes here, on KPAC and KTXI.

host, Ron Moore