Classical Spotlight: US Open & close

This week's Classical Spotlight shines from UT to TLU and from New York to Munich!

47 (harp strings) - 0 (love)
Harpist Kirsten Agresta is used to playing for heads of state like Barrack Obama and Felipe Calderón, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and former Vice President Al Gore...besides appearing on Erykah Badu's latest album, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh. She's charmed audiences internationally since she began study of the harp at the age of five. By the time she was fourteen, she was soloist on a full tour of the British Isles and has since performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Israel, Japan, and the South Pacific.
This week, Agresta plays at the US Open, not tennis or even Debussy's Jeux, but as an entertainer at the President's Gate. She spoke to John Clare about playing harp, getting around New York and who she'd like to see in the US Open Finals! (You can see the US Open locally on KENS 5 or on the Tennis Channel.)

MTS opens with pizzazz
The Mid Texas Symphony begins their season with the Silver Medalist of the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition, Yeol Eum Son, playing Mozart's Piano Concerto #21. Here she is playing in the Finals of the Van Cliburn:

David Mairs, who is in his 15th year leading the orchestra, conducts Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony and Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture. He spoke to host John Clare about the season opener happening this Sunday at 4pm.

MINDing the music
Dr. Richard Kogan visits San Antonio next Tuesday. He will be speaking on "Schumann, Bipolar Disease, and the Creative Process" and "Music and Mood Disorders: Tchaikovsky" at Health Science Center Auditorium.
Kogan has a distinguished career both as a concert pianist and as a psychiatrist. The New York Times praised him for his "eloquent, compelling, and exquisite playing" and the Boston Globe wrote, "Kogan has somehow managed to excel at the world's two most demanding professions."
Dr. Kogan spoke with TPR's Randy Anderson about his upcoming talks.





New Meaning for "Double" Concerto
There was a double release of Julia Fischer this last Tuesday - her Paganini Caprices, Opus 1; plus a DVD release of the Saint-Saens Third Violin Concerto and Grieg Piano Concerto. Yes, you read that right, a violin AND a piano concerto with the same soloist, Julia Fischer!
Fischer spent some time talking with host John Clare about these releases, as well as her solo Bach and future plans.
Fischer has also shared this about the new Paganini release:
There's also some great video here of the new dvd release of Saint-Saens & Grieg:

Learn more about her Paganini 24 Caprices here, and the new dvd of Grieg/Saint-Saens here.

Real winner of an interview!

Host John Clare spoke with Cliburn finalist Di Wu this weekend - she was in town to play Chopin with the Mid Texas Symphony. Listen to their conversation: (mp3 file)

Hear more insights with local performances and guest artists every Thursday afternoon at 2pm with Classical Spotlight!

Classical Spotlight: Opera & more

Join us on Classical Spotlight this afternoon @ 2pm for everything happening in and around San Antonio.
Tomorrow through Sunday it's the new production of Madama Butterfly with the San Antonio Opera, directed by John de Lancie. Take a look at his conversation with host John Clare:



Ranging from the simple strophic styles of the classical period to the mature romantic style of Brahms, Angela Malek & friends trace the history of the Lied and its ties to land and poetry in the German culture. A demonstration on the accompanying Viennese grand piano will also be included. Sunday afternoon @ 3pm at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church.

Also Sunday afternoon, the Mid Texas Symphony and David Mairs present Czech it out @
Jackson Auditorium on the TLU campus in Seguin, starting at 4pm. On the program is Chopin's E minor Concerto with Di Wu, Piano, a 2009 Van Cliburn Finalist and the New World Symphony by Antonin Dvorak.

Coming up Wednesday, September 16 at 7:30 pm, there's another chance to hear a 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner - Silver Medalist Yeol-Eum Son plays a concert at Ruth Taylor Auditorium @ Trinity University.

The Youth Orchestras of San Antonio will bring Eric Booth to San Antonio on September 16 at 6 p.m. for a lively presentation of YOSA's new Music Learning Center and the music education system that inspires it, Venezuela's El Sistema.