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Poetry has long served as a point of inspiration for classical composers. Just think of Beethoven's magnificent setting of Schiller's "Ode to Joy," Schubert's cinematic take on Goethe's "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel," or Ned Rorem's soulful songs based on the words of Frank O'Hara. And now there's a new work to add to this storied tradition from composer Brian Raphael Nabors. In Upon Daybreak, premiered by the Berkeley Symphony in late 2022, Nabors turns to a poignant poem by the late Maya Angelou, "A Brave, Startling Truth." Rather than set the poem's text to music, however, Nabors distills Angelou's visionary call for a great "day of peacemaking" into a powerful orchestral work that imagines a utopian world without hatred or malice. "In the poem, [Angelou] talks about all the chaos, war, and dystopia that come about from us being humans and destructive," Nabors says on the latest episode of the Classical Post podcast. "But also all the beauty that comes from humanity and what we're able to offer. It talks about this day when all this war mongering ends finally and we realize that the true wonders of the world are ourselves and life itself." Commissioned by New Music USA as part of its Amplifying Voices program, Upon Daybreak has been performed by the Detroit Symphony, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra since its Berkeley premiere, and the work will make its way to the Seattle Symphony in 2024. In this episode, Nabors and I talk more about composing Upon Daybreak and what it was like working with the Berkeley Symphony's music director, Joseph Young, on a host of community engagement projects leading up to the premiere. Plus, he shares the important part his spiritual life plays in maintaining the energy to compose, how video games help him overcome creative blocks, and why skin care is always a top priority in his wellness routine. — Classical Post® is created and produced by Gold Sound Media® LLC, a New York-based marketing agency for the performing arts industry. Explore how we can grow your audience to make a lasting impact in your community.
Best Of BPR 7/18: Quatro Magic With The Boston Landmarks Orchestra & NAACP Boston's Tanisha Sullivan
This week on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley: Five years ago, Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assaults kicked off an international movement of survivors called #MeToo. The movement is based on a phrase coined by activist Tarana Burke in 2006. It launched a reckoning for harassment and assault in the workplace and beyond; helping to hold powerful people accountable. Weinstein was convicted in 2020 and is now facing a second trial in Los Angeles. We are reflecting on the Me Too movement and it's impact over the last five years. If you or someone you know has suffered harassment or abuse, you can find resources at Jane Doe Inc. And, Fabiola Mendez graduated from Berklee College of Music IN 2017. Today the singer/songwriter works as a cuatro player, and a composer for animated children's shows, including Alma's Way and Work It Out Wombats on PBS Kids and Mecha Builders, a series on HBO Max produced by Sesame Street. Mendez is also an artist in residence with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. Mendez joined us to share her love of the cuatro and tells us which of her songs is her favorite to perform. Guests: Fabiola Mendez is an afro latino cuatro player, singer.songwriter, and composer for animated kids shows. Stacy Malone is executive director of the Victim Rights Law Center and member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence. Diana Mancera is director of membership and programs at Jane Doe, Inc..
Today on Boston Public Radio: EJ Dionne talks about Democrats' recent legislative struggles in Congress including Sen. Joe Manchin's refusal to support climate change plans, codifying Roe v. Wade, the plausibility of removing the filibuster, and the upcoming Jan. 6 hearings. Dionne is a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is “Code Red: How Progressives and Moderates Can Unite to Save Our Country.” Then, we ask listeners how they're feeling about the state of the climate inaction. Michael Curry shares dispatches from the NAACP annual convention, including the way that communities of color are responding to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' performances so far. He also shares his thoughts on Boston's response to the new COVID-19 variant. Curry is chair of the NAACP Advocacy and Policy Committee, and is president and CEO of the Mass League of Community Health Centers. Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III discuss Pope Francis' recent visit to Canada to apologize for abuse against Indigenous people in residential schools, the general opinions of the Dobbs decision in church communities of color, and the history of Negro Election Day, which may soon become a state holiday in Mass. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour's African American Heritage Trail. Price is founding pastor of Community of Love Christian Fellowship in Allston, and the Inaugural Dean of Africana Studies at Berklee College of Music. Together, they host GBH's “All Rev'd Up” podcast. Christopher Wilkins talks about the Boston Landmarks Orchestra's upcoming Summer series, as well as the importance of accessibility in their performances, and diversity in their composers. Wilkins is the Boston Landmarks Orchestra's music director. Corby Kummer discusses Belmont's Cafe Vanak being named one of the premier cafes in the world, the closure of Rep. Lauren Boebert's gun-themed restaurant, a movie theater coming to Boston which serves full meals to its patrons, and the difficulties of patronizing Russian themed restaurants. Kummer is executive director of the food and society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. We end the show by talking about the heatwave coming to Boston.
Today on Boston Public Radio: Alex Morse talks about the rise in COVID-19 cases in Provincetown, updating us on the latest plans to stop the spread of the virus. He also discusses the return of the indoor mask mandate. Morse is the Town Manager of Provincetown. Next, we talk with listeners about Simone Biles' decision to withdraw from the individual all-around gymnastics competition in the Olympics due to concerns over her mental health. Juliette Kayyem discusses Tuesday's congressional hearing on the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks, and shares her thoughts on the spread of misinformation surrounding the attacks from Fox News. She also talks about the security threats posed by climate change. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Jonathan Gruber explains the economics behind individuals who choose not to get vaccinated, following “signaling theory.” Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is "Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream." Art Caplan shares his thoughts on the backlash against Simone Biles following her withdrawal from the individual all-around gymnastic competition due to her mental health, and President Joe Biden's plans to require federal workers to be vaccinated or face weekly COVID-19 testing. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine. Ali Noorani discusses the athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team, and the Biden administration's decision to resume fast-track deportation. Noorani is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Immigration Forum. His latest book is "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration.” Christopher Wilkins highlights the Boston Landmarks Orchestra's 20th anniversary season, sharing what audiences can expect from this season's performances. Wilkins is the Boston Landmarks Orchestra's music director.
Thanks for checking out Episode XXXVI! Been a fan of Gonzalo Grau's music for a while now. When I first heard La Clave Secreta I was blown away at the musicality! Easily one of my top Timba Fusion bands out there! Gonzalo Grau Biography Began his musical studies at the age of three in Caracas. Along his musical journey he developed skills in many instruments, from the viola da gamba and the cello to the flamenco cajón and his principal instrument, the piano. A Berklee College Suma Cum Laude, Gonzalo has established himself as a multi-instrumentalist and his varied credits include performances with Venezuelan music projects like Maroa, Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, Camerata de Caracas and the Simón Bolivar National Youth Orchestra, jazz icon Maria Schneider and the Latin jazz giant Timbalaye. As a music director he leads two projects of his own, "Plural" (Latin jazz-Flamenco-Venezuelan fusion) and "La Clave Secreta" (salsa fusion), nominated for the 2008 Grammys in the Best Tropical Album category. As a recording artist, Grau has participated in over eighty productions that bridge both classical and popular music worlds. His most recent productions include the studio recording of Golijov's La Pasión según San Marcos (winner of the ECHO award 2010), the album "México" of Rolando Villazón (winner of the ECHO award 2011), and Nazareno with pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque, all released by the German label Deutsche Grammophon. Also the production of West Side Story with the Labeque sisters (winner of the Choc the Classica) under KLM label. Wearing his composer and arranger hat, his achievements include composition collaborations alongside Osvaldo Golijov for the opera Ainadamar and La Pasión Según San Marcos. Original works include the overture Pregunta y Respuesta commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony (premiered in March 2008), Café con Pan, commissioned by the Chicago Symphony for the MusicNow concert series (premiered in November 2008), Nazareno (suite for two pianos and full orchestra), commissioned by pianists Katia & Marielle Labeque (premiered in January 2010), the oratorio Aqua, commissioned by the Bach Academy International, winner of the European Composer Award 2011, award given by the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin (premiered in August 2011); Viaje, fantasia for full-orchestra and "Latin ensemble", commissioned by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra (premiered in June 2012), and Fantasía de Guayaba Habanera, violin concerto commisioned by Johnny Gandelsman and the Community MusicWorks (premiered in May 2013). ____________________________________ FOLLOW GONZALO: http://www.instagram.com/gonzograu FOLLOW LA CLAVE SECRETA: http://www.instagram.com/laclavesecreta FOLLOW ME: http://www.instagram.com/sir_kevinchong WEBSITE: http://www.sirkevinchong.com
Eight candidates are vying to win the Democratic primary for Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District. The seat, currently held by Rep. Joe Kennedy III, opened up in November when Kennedy announced his run for U.S. Senate. COVID-19 has made in-person campaigning difficult for these candidates, and for their would-be constituents looking to make an informed choice. That's why we've invited all of them to participate in a special three-part Under The Radar congressional candidate forum. For these discussions, the candidates were divided randomly into groups of three, as listed below. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will then face one of the two Republican candidates also running for the seat: Julie Hall and David Rosa. The state's primary election is Sept. 1 and early voting begins Aug. 22. Part 2 features candidates Alan Khazei, Natalia Linos, and Ben Sigel. *Since these segments were taped, Dave Cavell has dropped out of the race, though his name will remain on the ballot. He has backed Jesse Mermell. Later in the show: This year marks the 100th anniversary of women being granted the right to vote, after a hard fought battle for the passage of the 19th Amendment. To be clear, the 19th Amendment, which was officially ratified on August 18th, 1920, was a victory for white women voters. Black women, and other women of color, didn't gain the right until President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 into law. Across the country, 19th Amendment commemorative events have been underway all year, including one held this past Tuesday — 100 years later to the day — by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. The orchestra marked the historic centennial with a special event — a concert comprised entirely of music written by women, as well as a tribute to honored historical figures. Guests: Grace Kelly, Boston native, singer-saxophonist-composer, host of the Landmarks Orchestra's concert, “She's the First: Music to Celebrate the 19th Amendment's Centennial.” Grace is also co-creator of our Under the Radar theme music. Christopher Wilkins, music director of Landmarks Orchestra, who conducted the She's the First concert. Listen to the full "She's The First" concert here. Show Credits: You can find UTR on the web at https://www.wgbh.org/news/under-the-radar-with-callie-crossley Subscribe to our show wherever you get your podcasts. "Under the Radar with Callie Crossley" is produced by Hannah Uebele and engineered by Dave Goodman. Our theme music is FISH AND CHIPS by #weare2saxys', Grace Kelly and Leo P. Under the Radar is a production of WGBH.
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened lines to ask listeners: are you hesitant about the return to physical classrooms in the fall? Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed the influence of Gov. Charlie Baker on the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court, and the dire need for housing assistance ahead of the August 18 eviction moratorium lift. Under the Radar host Callie Crossley talked about hurdles with the current mail-in voting system, and renewed efforts to bring justice to family of DJ Henry, an Easton teenager who was killed by police in New York in 2010. We opened the lines to talk with listeners about your thoughts on mail-in voting ahead of the November election. Christopher Wilkins, Music Director of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, talked about their online Summer concert series, and why the orchestra is highlighting works by Black American composers. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called in for our monthly edition of “Ask the Mayor.”
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press,” weighed in on the latest national news. We asked you about Amy McGrath, who is challenging Mitch McConnell in Kentucky for his Senate seat, and her flip-flop on whether she would have voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court justice. Former Suffolk County sheriff Andrea Cabral weighed in on the news that ICE is preparing to conduct immigration raids in major American cities. Poet Richard Blanco shared some of his favorite works about summer and the Fourth of July. Former state Secretary of Education and Harvard Graduate School of Education professor Paul Reville discussed new BPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius and her first days on the job. Chris Wilkins and Jo Frances Meyer of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra previewed their season of free outdoor summer concerts. WGBH News reporter Bianca Vásquez-Toness shared her new reporting on how Boston’s Latinx parents are under-represented in school decisions.
Executive Director Jo Frances Meyer and Music Director Christopher Wilkins of the Boston Landmarks Orchestra discuss the makeup and planning of a successful season and what makes this particular symphony orchestra so special. Check out Jordan Rich's other podcast episodes, his voice-over training and state of the art recording studio here at chartproductions.com.
The full broadcast of Boston Public Radio from Tuesday, July 17th, 2018: Congressman Bill Keating gave his take on the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki, Finland yesterday. We took your calls about Trump's tone during the summit — did he undermine American intelligence, or is he establishing a good relationship with Russia? Trenni Kusnierek explained why youth soccer participation is way down despite a much-watched World Cup. Emerson College President Lee Pelton and Berklee College of Music President Roger Brown talked about the challenges of educating students in 2018. Travel writer Chris Muther offered his advice for dealing with Airbnb customer service representatives. CNN's John King also weighed in on the meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin. The St. Paul’s Girls School choir joined us for a preview of their performance tomorrow night with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra at 7 p.m. at the Boston Hatch Shell.