Music Blog
Last night, May 10, the concert by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra included works of Beethoven, Clara Schumann, William Henry Fry, and Gilad Rabinovitch. The programming challenged me to think past learned conventions and reflect upon women composers, lesser-known works, new music that actually sounded like New Music, and the relationship
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How could there have been empty seats at Eastman Theater Thursday night for a program titled "Russian Masters"? Even if you don't know a thing about classical music and have never been to hear the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, you can take your cue from the title that the program
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On Thursday night, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Arild Remmereit conducted the orchestra through the first part of what the RPO is calling its "Spring Festival." The concert raised a number of questions about programming in my mind. What is the strategic use of a large philharmonic and a
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Wednesday night, the audience at Kilbourn Hall was treated to a high-energy performance by Korean drum and dance ensemble Jeng Yi. The performance was part of the World Music Series, hosted annually by the Eastman School of Music. The program notes explain that "jeng yi" translates to "virtuoso" or "go-getter,"
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I once wrote that there was a "signature Seaman sound," to which someone commented, "Which is what?" Thursday night at the RPO, I spent some time trying to figure out a description of the what of it, as Christopher Seaman returned for his first performance in his new role as conductor
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The highlight of last night's concert was the superb interpretation of Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto, Op. 14, by Juliana Athayde, violin, with Christoph Campestrini guest conducting the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Athayde has been the concertmaster for the RPO since 2005. Austrian conductor Campestrini has performed with more than 100
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Stefan Jackiw is sufficient reason to buy a ticket for Saturday night's performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. And, if you're looking for a gift for Valentine's Day, buy a second ticket, so that you can swoon together to the lyricism of Jackiw's violin playing. Thursday night at Kodak Hall,
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I was 10 minutes late to Monday night's Eastman Philharmonia concert at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, which meant that I missed the opening work on the program, "Atmospheres" by György Ligeti. But what I didn't miss was being told that there was an estimated 600 people at the
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Let's dive right in: Last night, January 26, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra gave its first performance of "Blue Planet" by American Peggy Stuart Coolidge (1913-1981) and it was exciting. Conductor Arild Remmereit continues to talk about wanting to perform works by lesser-known composers and women composers, and this gem of
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**UPDATED 1/23/12 to correct name of first bassoonist.** The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert with violinist Itzhak Perlman sold out weeks ago. A waiting list was established and used. On Sunday afternoon, every seat in the house was filled. It was not just a sell-out; this was a major musical event
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Who can argue with scheduling Mozart for a Sunday afternoon in January? It virtually guarantees music of a lighter palette than the cloud cover outside. A good program begins with the selection of good music. On the program for Publick Musick's Sunday, January 15, show at Christ Episcopal Church in
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Drop whatever you're doing and buy tickets to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra's Saturday-night program, in which the orchestra will again perform with the Eastman Chorale and the Eastman-Rochester Chorus for Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 in c minor ("the Resurrection Symphony") and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel's cantata "Hiob" (Job). Even without
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The 2011-2012 season of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra opened Friday night with the annual red-carpet walk by the musicians, conductor, board of directors, donors, and government supporters. The cameras were flashing, the gowns were floor length, and the accoutrement will make the upcoming Rochester Fashion Week pale in comparison. As the
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Chaowen Ting and Michelle Merrill are up-and-coming conductors of note - so take note. The Eastman Summer Conducting Institute takes place for five 11-hour days, culminating in a public performance with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Five of the institute participants were selected by the RPO, with course director Neil Varon,
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To a sold-out hall of 222 seats, fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout took to the stage Tuesday night to perform Mozart. The recital, hosted by Pegasus Early Music, was the first non-Eastman School of Music event to take advantage of this exquisite new performance space - hopefully a sign of more
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**Click here for photos from these concerts** It was a love fest downtown Saturday for the ninth and final night of the 10th Rochester International Jazz Festival. Everyone was happy and upbeat. Every program was opened with thanks to the record-breaking crowds and the talented artists. The Jonas Kullhammar Quartet started my
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**Click here for photos from these shows** At some point Friday afternoon, the Mirko Guerrini Quartet cancelled its appearance at the Rochester Club for the Rochester International Jazz Festival. Enter Mom & Dad - that is, if your Mom & Dad are the kind of fans that would run home, grab
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**Click here for photos from these concerts.** There's no way to blog Thursday night without stealing one sentence of thunder from colleague Frank De Blase: tonight was church night. Tonight, I started my night in the church of the incomparable k.d. lang, bathed in the beauteous strains of her rendition of
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**Click here for photos from Wednesday night's concerts.** From jazz to gypsy jazz to rock-the-house jazz, the concerts tonight at the Rochester International Jazz Festival spanned the spectrum. But it was also a night about the musicians whose names do not appear in the name of their bands for their significant
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**Click here for photos from Day 4 of the Jazz Festival.** Tonight, I lost my heart to a trumpet player at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. I saw him for his 6 p.m. set, and I thought about him as I listened to two other horn players. I considered creeping in
