Podcast appearances and mentions of John Harbison

In this special bonus episode, Dave and Andrew talk with Pulitzer Winner John Harbison. Why did he decide to play the tuba? What was it like to study composition with two-time winner Walter Piston? What was the impetus for looking at the darker side of Christmas in The Flight Into Egypt? We hope you enjoy hearing from him about these insights and many more!  

In this episode Dave and Andrew discuss a composer known for his eclecticism, who writes music that features the influence of jazz, Stravinskian neoclassicism, Schoenbergian serialism, and a variety of popular idioms. But will that mixture of styles win them over when applied to a Biblical text about the "dark side" of Christmas? If you'd like more information about Harbison, we recommend: Brian Galante's dissertation "John Harbison's The Flight into Egypt: An Analysis for Performance," University of North Texas, 2008. Mike Seabrook's "John Harbison and His Music," Tempo 197 (July 1996): 7–11. Tom Jacob's profile in the San Francisco Classical Voice.

SynopsisThe American composer John Harbison was born in 1938, and so, as a young lad, grew up at the tail end of the Golden Age of radio and the big band Era of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman.“Over the radio,” writes Harbison, “came sounds played by bands in hotels and ballrooms, now distant memories that seemed to a seventh-grade, small town, late-night listener like the pulse of giant imagined cities.”Decades later, John Harbison translated those early musical memories into a three-movement composition for a big band orchestra. “These sounds,” he recalled, “layered with real experience of some of their places of origin, magnified, distorted, idealized, and destabilized, came into contact with other sounds, some of recent origin, and resulted in a celebratory, menacing suite I titled Three City Blocks.”The U.S. Air Force Band gave the premiere performance of “Three City Blocks” on today's date in 1993. And, keeping in the spirit of the old days when every major hotel could boast its own dance band, Harbison's Three City Blocks premiered at the Hilton Hotel in Fort Smith, Arkansas.Music Played in Today's ProgramJohn Harbison (b. 1938) Three City Blocks New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble; Frank Battisti, conductor. Centaur 2288

Synopsis A now-obscure Englishman named Charles Caleb Colton is credited with the famous adage that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” On today's date in 1985, a new work by the American composer John Harbison premiered in Sarasota, Florida, that imitated the form and gestures of the Baroque Concerto Grossos written by Bach or Handel. Harbison's work was titled “Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings.”Harbison described it as follows: “The oboe, clarinet, and strings are equal partners. The first movement is declamatory, the second contemplative, and the last frenetic. Each movement sustains one affect [or mood], in the Baroque manner... The steady insistent rhythms are indeed baroque, the harmonies less so.” “One astute writer,” commented Harbison, “referred to the piece as ‘scenes from a marriage.' This metaphorical marriage between solo winds and strings contains quarrels, precarious balances, comic relief, misunderstandings, and eventual unanimity.”And, speaking of marriage, Harbison composed the work at Token Creek, in Wisconsin, an unincorporated community near Madison where his wife's family had farmed since the 1920s and where for some 25 years each summer John and Rose Mary Harbison have organized their own mini-Festival of chamber music. Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b. 1938) Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings Peggy Pearson , oboe;Jo-Ann Sternberg, clarinet;Metamorphosen Chamber PlayersScott Yoo, conductor. Archetype Records 60106

Soprano Ann Moss is an acclaimed recording artist and champion of contemporary vocal music who performs and collaborates with a dynamic array of living composers. Often described as a "fearless performer” of some of the most challenging music of our time, her high, flexible voice has been singled out by Opera News for “beautifully pure floated high notes” and by San Francisco Classical Voice for “powerful expression” … “clear, silvery tones and passionate sweetness." Mike Telin of Cleveland Classical writes, her “long fluid lines are exquisite.” In addition to working closely with well-known composers such as Jake Heggie, John Harbison, Kaija Saariaho, Aaron Jay Kernis and David Conte, Ann seeks out and performs works by new and emerging voices at forums, festivals and concert series across the USA. She has released two portrait albums: Currents (Angels Share Records 2013) and Love Life (ASR 2016), both produced and recorded by multi-GRAMMY® award winner Leslie Ann Jones at Skywalker Sound. She can also be heard on releases from labels including Albany, Arsis Audio, Jaded Ibis Productions, Naxos, Navona Records, PARMA, and Ravello Records. Moss recently made her solo debut with the San Francisco Symphony singing the music of Mozart, Gershwin and Rogers under conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Highlights of the 2022-23 season include performances of Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Gérard Grisey's Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil with After Everything Ensemble, and a concert tour in support of her newly released album Lifeline, which features re-imagined chants by Medieval composer Hildegard von Bingen recorded remotely with instrumental collaborators around the United States.

Synopsis The Boston Symphony premiered a new symphony on today's date in 1984—a commission for its Centenary Celebrations. It was the Symphony No. 1 by the then 45 year-old American composer, John Harbison. Like many composers who teach, Harbison does most of his composing in the summer months, usually spent on a farm in Token Creek, Wisconsin. The academic year is usually spent in Boston, teaching at MIT. In the case of his first symphony, Harbison worked on the piece both in Wisconsin (where he was also finishing up an Italian language song-cycle), and during a residency year at the American Academy in Rome. "Just as it felt very right to be working on Italian songs in the Midwest," commented Harbison, "it was natural to work on this American-accented symphony in Italy. I have always found the view from the distance to be clearest." Harbison's father, a Princeton history professor and amateur composer, also was a big influence on him. The younger Harbison, like his father, has an abiding passion for and fluency in American jazz as well as the modern classical idiom. Harbison dramatically fused both styles in one of his most ambitious ventures to date, the opera, The Great Gatsby, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1999. Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b. 1938) Symphony No. 1 Boston Symphony; Seiji Ozawa, conductor. New World 80331

Synopsis In 1996, the American composer John Harbison received an unusual commission—a ballet for dancers and symphonic winds. The commission came from a consortium of 14 wind ensembles, all members of the College Band Directors National Association. Maybe the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta had something to do with it, but Harbison's imagination turned in that direction: he titled the resulting work Olympic Dances, and Atlanta also happened to be the venue for the work's premiere performance on today's date in 1997, with the Pilobus Dance Theatre and the University of North Texas Wind Symphony performing. "When asked to do a piece for dancers and winds," said Harbsion, "it immediately suggested something 'classical,' not our musical 18th century, but an imaginative vision of ancient worlds… I thought of an imagined harmony between dance, sport and sound that we can imagine from serene oranges and blacks on Greek vases, the celebration of bodies in motion that we see in the matchless sculpture of ancient times, and perhaps most important to this piece, the celebration of the ideal tableau, the moment frozen in time, that is present still in the friezes that adorn the temples and in the architecture of the temples themselves." Harbison's ballet is an austere, rather than flashy score, reminiscent of Stravinsky's austere, neo-classical scores like Agon and Apollo, which—like our modern Olympics—were also inspired by ancient Greek ideals. Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b. 1938) Olympic Dances New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble;Dr. Frank Battisti, conductor. Albany 340

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Synopsis It was wet and cold in New York on today's date in 1925, but a curious crowd gathered at Carnegie Hall for a concert by the New York Symphony. Walter Damrosch was to conduct the world premiere of a new “Piano Concerto” by George Gershwin, who would also be the soloist. The audience reacted with cheers and bravos, but the reviews were mixed: "Conventional, trite... [and] a little dull" was the verdict of one; but another was enthusiastic, suggesting: "Of all those writing the music of today, [Gershwin] alone actually expresses US." In the America of 1925, that "us" would have included the owners of speakeasies, raccoon coats, and Stutz Bearcat roadsters. It was the "Jazz Age"— an era magically captured in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. Seventy-four years later, in December of 1999, John Harbison's opera based on The Great Gatsby premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, playing to sold-out houses. Once again, audiences were enthusiastic—the critics less so. To capture the mood of the 1920s, Harbison had composed a number of original songs in Jazz-Age style, which he incorporated as themes in his opera. These tunes have even been published as a separate "Gatsby Songbook!" Imagine: a modern opera with tunes audiences can actually hum as they leave the theater! What will they think of next? Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b.1938) Remembering Gatsby Baltimore Symphony; David Zinman, cond. Argo 444 454 George Gershwin (1898-1937) Piano Concerto in F Peter Jablonski, piano; Royal Philharmonic; Vladimir Ashkenazy, cond. London 430 542

Synopsis Take one flute, one oboe, and mix well with one each of a clarinet, bassoon and French horn —and you have the recipe for the traditional wind quintet. In the 19th century, this tasty musical mix was perfected by Europeans like the Czech composer Anton Reicha, who produced 24 wind quintets in his lifetime. In the 20th century, American composers like Samuel Barber, Elliott Carter, and John Harbison have all written one wind quintet each—matching Reicha's in quality, if not in quantity. But other American composers HAVE returned to the wind quintet for a second helping. On today's date in 1993, the Wind Quintet No. 2 of the Californian composer David Ward-Steinman received its premiere in Sacramento by the Arioso Quintet. Ward-Steinman titled his second quintet Night Winds, and asked his five players to occasionally double on some non-traditional instruments such as bamboo or clay flutes, a train-whistle, and even the traditional wind instrument of Indigenous Australians, the didgeridoo—all to create some atmospheric “night-wind” sounds. In addition to wind quintets, David Ward-Steinman composed orchestral works, chamber music and pieces for solo piano. A native of Louisiana, Ward-Steinman studied with Darius Milhaud in Aspen, Milton Babbitt at Tanglewood, and Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Music Played in Today's Program Antonin Reicha (1770-1836) Wind Quintet No. 23 in a No. 23, Op. 100 Albert Schweitzer Quintet CPO 999027 David Ward-Steinman (1936-2015) Woodwind Quintet No. 2 (Night Winds) Arioso Quintet Fleur de Son Classics 57935

Synopsis Following the successful premiere of his First Symphony in 1876, the New England composer John Knowles Paine finished a Second, which he gave a German subtitle: “Im Fruehling” or “In Springtime.” In 19th century America, “serious” music meant German music, and “serious” musicians like Paine all studied in Germany. Returning home, Paine became the first native-born American to win acceptance as a symphonic composer, and, accepting a teaching post at Harvard, became that school's first professor of music. On today's date in 1880, when Paine's “Spring” Symphony was premiered at Sanders Theater, the normally staid Bostonians went nuts. One critic who was present, recalled that “ladies waved their handkerchiefs, men shouted in approbation, and the highly respected John S. Dwight, arbiter in Boston of music criticism, stood in his seat frantically opening and shutting his umbrella as an expression of uncontrollable enthusiasm.” Paine's music remained tremendously popular in his own day. In 1883 George Henschel, then the conductor of the Boston Symphony, was sent the following poetic suggestion about his programming: Let no more Wagner themes thy bill enhance And give the native workers just one chance. Don't give that Dvorák symphony a-gain; If you would give us joy, oh give us Paine! Music Played in Today's Program John Knowles Paine (1839 - 1906) — Symphony No. 2 (New York Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta, cond.) New World 350 On This Day Births 1839 - American composer and organist Dudley Buck, in Hartford, Conn.; 1844 - Spanish composer and violinist Pablo de Sarasate, in Pamplona; 1892 - French composer Arthur Honegger, in Le Harve; 1903 - American composer and jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, in Davenport, Iowa; Deaths 1832 - Italian-born composer Muzio Clementi, age 80, in Evesham, England; 1870 - Czech-born composer and pianist Ignaz Moscheles, age 75, in Leipzig; 1910 - German composer Carl Reinecke, age 85, in Leipzig; 1991 - American composer Elie Siegmeister, age 82, in Manhasset, N.Y.; Premieres 1785 - Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C, K. 467, at the Burgtheater in Vienna, with the composer as soloist; 1837 - Mercadante: opera "Il Giuramento" (The Oath), in Milan; 1875 - Goldmark: opera "Die Königin von Saba" (The Queen of Sheba), in Vienna at the Court Opera (Hofoper); 1877 - Borodin: Symphony No. 2, in St. Petersburg, by the Russian Musical Society, Eduard Nápravik conducting (Julian date: Feb. 26); 1880 - Paine: Symphony No. 2 ("Spring"), at Sanders Theater in Boston, by the Boston Philharmonic, Bernard Listermann conducting; The following day, the orchestra of the Harvard Musical Association performed the same work downtown at Boston's Musical Hall, with Carl Zerrahn conducting; 1888 - Franck: symphonic poem "Pysché," in Paris; 1912 - Gliere: Symphony No. 3 ("Ilya Murometz") in Moscow (Gregorian date: Mar. 23); 1916 - Granados: "Intermezzo & Epilogue," from "Goyescas," by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting; 1922 - Loeffler: "Irish Fantasies" (Nos. 2, 3 & 5 only) for voice and orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, with Pierre Monteux conducting and tenor John McCormack the soloist; 1932 - Wallingford Riegger: "Dichotomy" for orchestra, in Berlin; 1952 - David Diamond: Quintet for clarinet and strings, at Town Hall in New York City, by clarinetist David Oppenheim, Nathan Gordon and Lillian Fuchs (violins), and Aaron Twerdowsky and Bernard Greenhouse (cellos); 1963 - Henze: opera "Il re cervo" (The Stag King), in Kassel at the Staatstheater; This is the 2nd version of Henze's opera "König Hirsch" which was first staged in an abridged version in Berlin on September 24, 1956; The complete original version of the opera was eventually staged in Stuttgart on May 7, 1985; 1964 - John Harbison: "Sinfonia," in Cambridge, Mass., with violinist Rose Mary Harbison and the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard, Gregory Biss conducting; 1977 - John Harbison: "Diotima" for orchestra, in Boston, with the Boston Symphony, Joseph Silverstein conducting; Others 1937 - Frank Capra's film "The Lost Horizon" opens at the Four Stars Theater in Los Angeles, featuring a classic film score composed by Dmitri Tiomkin (and conducted by Max Steiner). Links and Resources On John Knowles Paine More on Paine at Harvard

Synopsis On today's date in the year 2000, the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen gave the premiere of a new opera entitled “The Handmaid's Tale,” based on the dystopian novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. The book and opera tell of a nightmarish future: following a nuclear disaster in the United States, infertility rates have soared, and a religious sect has staged a military coup, enslaving the few fertile women who remain as breeders, or “handmaids,” for the military and religious commanders of their sect. Says Atwood, "There is nothing new about the society I depicted in The Handmaid's Tale except the time and place. All of the things I have written about have been done before – more than once, in fact." Despite its grim subject matter, Danish composer Poul Ruders says he saw "huge operatic potential" when he first read the book back in 1992. The original production in Copenhagen was sung in Danish, but Ruders says he conceived the work in English. The opera was staged in that language first in London at the English National Opera, and subsequently, at the opera's American premiere, in St. Paul by The Minnesota Opera, to great critical acclaim. Music Played in Today's Program Poul Ruders (b. 1949) — The Handmaid's Tale (Royal Danish Orchestra; Michael Schonwandt, cond.) DaCapo 9.224165-66 On This Day Births 1844 - Russian composer Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Gregorian date: Mar. 18); 1870 - Austrian operetta composer Oscar Straus, in Vienna; Deaths 1932 - American composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa, age 77, in Reading, Pa.; 1967 - Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály, age 84, in Budapest; Premieres 1791 - Beethoven: "Ritterballett" (Knightly Ballet), in Bonn; 1825 - Beethoven: String Quartet in Eb, Op. 127, in Vienna, the Schuppanzigh Quartet; This premiere was under-rehearsed and poorly performed (the Quartet had only received the music two weeks earlier), and Beethoven arranged for a second performance by a quartet led by violinist Joseph Boehm on March 26, which was better rehearsed and better received; 1831 - Bellini: opera "La Sonnambula" (The Sleepwalker), in Milan at the Teatro Carcano; 1853 - Verdi: opera "La Traviata" (The Lost One), in Venice at the Teatro La Fenice; 1896 - Arthur Foote: Suite in d, by the Boston Symphony, Emil Paur conducting; 1917 - Rachmaninoff: "Etudes-tableaux," Op. 39 (first complete performance of the set of nine), in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), by the composer (Julian date: Feb. 21); 1926 - Hindemith: "Concerto for Orchestra," by the Boston Symphony with Serge Koussevitzky conducting; 1927 - Prokofiev: Quintet for winds and strings, Op. 39, in Moscow; 1933 - Varèse: "Ionisation," in New York City, with Nicholas Slonimsky conducting; 1934 - Piston: "Concerto for Orchestra," in Cambridge, Mass.; 1947 - Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 25, at the Moscow Conservatory by the USSR State Symphony, Alexander Gauk conducting; 1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Raft," by the New Haven Symphony, Murray Sidlin conducting; 2000 - Poul Ruders: opera "The Handmaid's Tale," in Copenhagen, by the Royal Danish Theater, Mark Schönwandt conducting; 2003 - John Harbison: "Requiem," by vocal soloists Christine Brewer, Margaret Lattimore, Paul Groves, and Jonathan Lemalu, with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and the Boston Symphony conducted by Bernard Haitink. Links and Resources On Poul Ruders More on "The Handmaid's Tale"

Originally posted in March 2021, we sat down with Dr. Patricia Au, coach and pianist, to talk about all things repertoire! When it comes to putting your best foot forward in any audition or gig, it all comes back to how you prepare. From picking out your package and what is going to highlight your voice the best to how to prepare a role and how to navigate coachings during COVID, join us in our conversation! For more information, visit www.patriciaau.com / or on Instagram @au_patricia Resources from the episode: Learn Your Music the Right Way Join our Freebie Vault to get access to our Weekly Practice Log Practice Makes Perfect: An Ode to the Practice Log Let's Get Social: Modern Singer book club Follow us on social media Search our website Check out our Shop Follow Ellen Follow Alyssa Known for her vivacious energy, Dr. Patricia Au works versatilely as a collaborative pianist, music director, vocal coach, and teaching artist. She has held positions at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, New England Conservatory, and Boston University Tanglewood Institute, as well as conducted masterclasses at Bucknell University and New World School of the Arts. As music director, she has led productions at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, OperaHub, and Boston Opera Collaborative. A frequent interpreter of contemporary music, she has workshopped with living composers, including Sofia Gubaidulina and John Harbison. Dr. Au currently serves as Resident Teaching Artist and Education Pianist with The Boston Lyric Opera where she has a passion for introducing young people to opera as a storytelling art. She received her DMA in Collaborative Piano from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2017 and her dissertation, “A New Edition of the Piano-Vocal Score of Jake Heggie's To Hell and Back” is available through Bent Pen Music, Inc. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modern-singer-llc/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/modern-singer-llc/support

Synopsis The American composer John Harbison grew up listening to the Saturday afternoon broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera, so on today's date in 1999 it must have been gratifying to celebrate his 61st birthday taking curtain calls there when his opera “The Great Gatsby” premiered at the Met. F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, a devastating evocation of America's “Roaring 20s,” is a regular contender for the title of the “Great American Novel,” but Harbison says when he told his mother he was writing an opera based on it she wasn't very enthusiastic, arguing that the novel's characters were an unsympathetic bunch. Gatsby, the novel's anti-hero is a both a fraud and a crook. Daisy, Gatsby's lost love and the object of his obsessive desire, is selfish, spoiled and shallow. But Harbison saw it differently: “Yearning and despair are very big operatic themes,” he said. “As for the character of Gatsby, he takes a lot of risks and is steadfast and loyal to some vision that is not realistically possible. The opera provides many opportunities to look at to what degree he's an impostor, and to what degree his story is real, which is a big American theme in general.” Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b. 1938) — Remembering Gatsby (Minnesota Orchestra; Edo de Waart, cond.) Vol. 11, from "Minnesota Orchestra at 100" special edition boxed CD set

Synopsis On today's date in 1986, at the New England Conservatory of Music, a new choral work by the American composer John Harbison received its premiere performance. Scored for soprano, baritone, chorus, and chamber orchestra, it was entitled “The Flight into Egypt,” and would win the Pulitzer Prize for Music the following year. The text for Harbison's cantata is taken from the Gospel of Matthew describing the Holy Family's escape into Egypt after the birth of Jesus and King Herod's subsequent slaughter of all newborn male children in an attempt to kill this prophesied threat to his throne. “The Flight,” recalled Harbison, “began in a conversation with colleagues about Christmas texts. We talked about counseling experiences during Christmas season at Emmanuel Church, Boston, where we were all involved as musicians – a time when need, isolation, and anxiety increase. We agreed that the darker side of Christmas needs representation, especially now, as the distance widens between the privileged and the less fortunate. “At the beginning of The Flight into Egypt,” Harbison continues, “is an oboe melody, exotic and forlorn, imitated by the other reed players … the piece constantly hides and reveals its loyalty to the first oboe melody that guides the whole journey.” Music Played in Today's Program John Harbison (b. 1938) — Flight into Egypt (Cantata Singers and Ensemble; David Hoose, cond.) New World 80395

“In 1996 French film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier is found dead near her holiday home. There are no witnesses and no known motive. The police suspect one man in this community but they can't make a charge stick and he refuses to leave, living under the glare of suspicion ever since.”In West Cork, Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde bring one of Ireland's most widely known tragedies to international listeners. The podcast explores the murder case of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, a woman found bludgeoned to death outside of her vacation cottage in a remote area of West Cork just before Christmas in 1996.Sam and Jennifer attempt to pick up the pieces of an investigation mired with problems for decades. They immerse themselves in the small community, talking to those disturbed by the horror and its legacy. Surprisingly, this includes the main suspect, who remains rather unusually involved with the case.Intimate and measured, West Cork keeps listeners on the edge of doubt and certainty. Listeners will experience the emotional “push and pull” that Sam and Jennifer experienced themselves during their investigation.In this episode of MetaPod, Jennifer and Sam explain how they tackled the storytelling challenges that a complex, unsolved, international murder case presents.They reflect on their own thinking and creative processes for the podcast, describing the unique context and characters involved. Also, Sam and Jennifer reveal the story behind the photograph on the podcast artwork.

Synopsis On today's date in 2020, the University of Maryland launched PriceFest–an annual festival devoted to the American composer Florence Price. The plan was to stage performances of works in the context of lectures and panels devoted to this long-neglected African-American composer. The Covid outbreak forced the first PriceFest to be an online event only, but that worked so well the 2021 PriceFest arranged for more live-streamed and interactive Zoom events. When Florence Price died at the age of 66 in 1953, she left behind instrumental, orchestra and vocal works that languished unperformed for decades until a revival of interest in music by women composers and composers of color led to a serious second look at her compositions and a rediscovery of their quality and importance. In 2009, a couple renovating an abandoned and dilapidated house in St. Anne, Illinois once owned by Price found a substantial collection of previously unknown Price scores.   As Alex Ross, writing in The New Yorker, commented: "not only did [Florence] Price fail to enter the canon; a large quantity of her music came perilously close to obliteration. That run-down house in St. Anne is a potent symbol of how a country can forget its cultural history.” Music Played in Today's Program Florence Price (1887 - 1953) – Mississippi Suite (Women's Philharmonic; Apo Hsu, cond.) Koch 75182 On This Day Births 1561 - Italian composer Jacopo Peri, in Rome; His setting of Rinuccini's poem "Dafne," staged in 1600, is credited as the first opera; Deaths 1813 - Bohemian composer Jan Krittel Vanhal (Johann Baptist Wanhal), age 74, in Vienna; Premieres 1882 - Tchaikovsky: "1812 Overture," on an all-Tchaikovsky program presented during an Art and Industrial Exhibition in Moscow (Julian date: Aug. 8); 1943 - Manuel Ponce: Violin Concerto, in Mexico City, conducted by Carlos Chavez; 1956 - Bliss: "Edinburgh Overture," at the opening of the Edinburgh Festival of Music and Drama; 1958 - Menotti: opera "Maria Golovin," at the International Exposition in Brussels, Belgium; 1961 - John Harbison: "Duo" for flute and piano, at the Brooklyn Museum, with flutist Neil Zaslaw and pianist Juliette Arnold; 1965 - Harrison Birtwistle: "Tragoedia" for chamber ensemble, at Wardour Castle in England, during the Castle Summer School of Music, by the Melos Ensemble conducted by Lawrence Foster; 1973 - Carl Orff: cantata "De Temporum Fine Commedia" (A Play of the End of Time) at the Salzburg Festival, with Herbert von Karajan conducting; 1979 - Harbison: opera "The Winter's Tale" in San Francisco; 1980 - Rubbra: Symphony No. 11, in London by the BBC Northern Symphony; 1992 - Joan Tower: "Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman" No. 5 (dedicated to Joan Harris), at the opening of the Joan and Irving Harris Concert Hall at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. 2004 - Zhou Long: “The Immortal” for orchestra, at a BBC Proms concerts with the BBC Symphony, Leonard Slatkin conducting; 2004 - Peter Maxwell Davies: “Naxos Quartet” No. 4 (“Children's Games”), in the Chapel of the Royal Palace, Oslo (Norway) during the Oslo Chamber Music Festival, by the Maggini Quartet.

An Honest Look: Jennifer KohThe violinist Jennifer Koh is one of today's most fearless soloists. In this episode of An Honest Look, she discusses her commitment to keeping classical music vibrant through new commissions, especially by female composers and composers of color; her project “Alone Together,” launched just after the pandemic hit; and how small decisions can change the course of history.*2:05 – [musical excerpt: Missy Mazzoli's “A Thousand Tongues” for violin, piano, and electronics] – on breaking down stereotypes and creating solidarity through music*6:03 – [musical excerpt: Qasim Naqvi's “The Banquet” for violin and modular synthesizer] – on strengthening the art form by telling unheard stories*8:40 – [musical excerpt: Lisa Bielawa's “Sanctuary Songs” for violin and voice] – the commissioning project “Alone Together” and surviving the pandemic*14:02 – [musical excerpt: John Harbison's “For Violin Alone”] – more reflections on “Alone Together” and the importance of community*17:08 – [musical excerpt: Vijay Iyer's “The Diamond” for violin and piano] – the New American Concert project and finding purpose in contemporary musicExcerpts from “Limitless” – featuring Jennifer Koh on violin alongside composers performing their own music – provided courtesy of Cedille Records. Excerpts from “Bach & Beyond Part 3,” featuring Jennifer Koh on solo violin, provided courtesy of Cedille Records.Intro and outro composed by Miguel Kertsman.

Synopsis Primitive man probably imitated animal sounds for both practical and religious reasons. More recently, the Baroque-era composer Heinrich Franz von Biber imitated one particular animal for COMIC effect in his “Sonata Representing Animals,” and, in early 20th century slang, it’s simply “the cat’s meow.” Now speaking of cats, they’re supposed to have nine lives–but would you believe 8,949? On today’s date in 1981, “Cats,” a musical by the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber opened at the New London Theatre in that city’s fashionable West End. Despite a bomb threat and brief evacuation of the theatre, the premiere of “Cats” was a great success. 8,949 performances later, on the same date in 2002, when the show finally closed, it had long since entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running musical to date. In London, it took in 136 million British pounds in ticket sales. Worldwide, “Cats” has taken in billions of dollars, has been seen by millions, and has been performed in 11 different languages in over 26 countries. And if you asked YOUR cat to comment on all this, he or she would probably say, “Why are you surprised?” and saunter away. Music Played in Today's Program Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031 On This Day Births 1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk; 1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29); 1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29); 1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.; 1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen; Deaths 1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin; 1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig; 1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm; Premieres 1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30); 1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater; 1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting; 1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet; 1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London; 1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A."; 1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony; 1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982; 1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting; 1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon; 2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting; 2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting. Links and Resources On Biber On Lloyd Webber's "Cats" More on Andrew Lloyd Webber

Synopsis Primitive man probably imitated animal sounds for both practical and religious reasons. More recently, the Baroque-era composer Heinrich Franz von Biber imitated one particular animal for COMIC effect in his “Sonata Representing Animals,” and, in early 20th century slang, it’s simply “the cat’s meow.” Now speaking of cats, they’re supposed to have nine lives–but would you believe 8,949? On today’s date in 1981, “Cats,” a musical by the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber opened at the New London Theatre in that city’s fashionable West End. Despite a bomb threat and brief evacuation of the theatre, the premiere of “Cats” was a great success. 8,949 performances later, on the same date in 2002, when the show finally closed, it had long since entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running musical to date. In London, it took in 136 million British pounds in ticket sales. Worldwide, “Cats” has taken in billions of dollars, has been seen by millions, and has been performed in 11 different languages in over 26 countries. And if you asked YOUR cat to comment on all this, he or she would probably say, “Why are you surprised?” and saunter away. Music Played in Today's Program Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031 On This Day Births 1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk; 1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29); 1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29); 1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.; 1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen; Deaths 1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin; 1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig; 1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm; Premieres 1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30); 1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater; 1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting; 1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet; 1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London; 1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A."; 1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony; 1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982; 1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting; 1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon; 2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting; 2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting. Links and Resources On Biber On Lloyd Webber's "Cats" More on Andrew Lloyd Webber

Synopsis Some classical music snobs look down their nose at film scores, considering them less “serious” than “art” music written for the concert hall. Aaron Copland, for one, deplored this attitude. He admired the work of composers like Bernard Herrmann, Alex North, David Raksin, and Elmer Bernstein, whose successful Hollywood careers earned them financial rewards on the West Coast, if not the respect of the snootier East Coast music critics. Copland himself had spent some time in Hollywood, and knew what was involved in completing a film score on time AND on budget. On today’s date in 1940, at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, the press was invited to a special preview showing of a new film version of Thornton Wilder’s popular stage play “Our Town.” To match Thornton Wilder’s nostalgic play about American life in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, Copland’s score employed harmonies suggestive of old New England church hymns. For once, audiences AND the critics were impressed, and Copland quickly arranged an “Our Town” concert suite, which premiered on a CBS Radio broadcast in June of 1940, and reworked this suite for its first public performance by the Boston Pops and Leonard Bernstein in May of 1944. Music Played in Today's Program Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990) Our Town Suite Saint Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. BMG 61699 On This Day Births 1740 - Italian composer Giovanni Paisiello, in Roccaforzata, near Taranto; 1814 - German pianist and composer Adolph von Henselt, in Schwabach,Bavaria; Deaths 1707 - German organist and composer Dietrich Buxtehunde, age c. 70, in Lübeck; 1770 - (on May 9 or 10) English composer, conductor and writer on music Charles Avison, age 61, in Newcastle upon Tyne ; 1791 - American statesman and songwriter Francis Hopkinson, age 53, in Philadelphia; He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and dedicated a book of his songs to George Washington; 1799 - French composer Claude Balbastre, age c. 72, in Paris; Premieres 1812 - Rossini's opera "La Scala di seta" (The Silken Ladder), in Venice; 1868 - Bruckner: Symphony No. 1, in Linz, composer conducting; 1893 - Rachmaninoff: opera "Aleko," in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater (Julian date: April 27); 1924 - R. Strauss: ballet "Schlagobers" (Whipped Cream), in Vienna; 1940 - The film "Our Town" opens in Hollywood at Grauman's Chinese Theater; The film was based on the play of the same name by Thorton Wilder, and featured a filmscore by Aaron Copland; Copland arranged a suite of music from his filmscore, which premiered on CBS Radio on June 9, 1940; A revised version of the suite was given its first public performance by the Boston Pops conducted by Leonard Bernstein on May 7, 1944; 1981 - Christopher Rouse: "The Infernal Machine" for orchestra (Movement II of Rouse's "Phantasmata"), at the Evian Festival, France, by the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Meier conducting; 1986 - Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: "Concerto Grosso" (after Handel's Sonata in D), by the Handel Festival Orchestra of Washington, Stephen Simon conducting; 1988 - Bernstein: "Arias and Barcarolles," at Equitable Center Auditorium in New York City, by vocalists Louise Edeiken, JoyceCastle, John Brandstetter, and Mordechai Kaston, with the composer and Michael Tilson Thomas at the piano; An orchestrated version of this work prepared by Bright Sheng premiered on September 22, 1989, at the Tilles Center of Long Island University with the New York Chamber Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz and featuring vocalists Susan Graham and Kurt Ollmann; 1990 - John Harbison: "Words from Patterson" (to texts by William Carlos Williams), at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with baritone William Sharp and the members of the New Jersey Chamber Music Society; 1998 - John Tavener: "Wake Up and Die," for solo cello and orchestral cello section, at the Beauvais Cello Festival in Beavais , France; 1999 - Zwillich: "Upbeat!" by National Symphony, Anthony Aibel conducting; Others 1863 - American premiere of Berlioz's "Harold in Italy," by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra in New York. Links and Resources On the film "Our Town" The Copland Collection at the Library of Congress

Synopsis Some classical music snobs look down their nose at film scores, considering them less “serious” than “art” music written for the concert hall. Aaron Copland, for one, deplored this attitude. He admired the work of composers like Bernard Herrmann, Alex North, David Raksin, and Elmer Bernstein, whose successful Hollywood careers earned them financial rewards on the West Coast, if not the respect of the snootier East Coast music critics. Copland himself had spent some time in Hollywood, and knew what was involved in completing a film score on time AND on budget. On today’s date in 1940, at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, the press was invited to a special preview showing of a new film version of Thornton Wilder’s popular stage play “Our Town.” To match Thornton Wilder’s nostalgic play about American life in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, Copland’s score employed harmonies suggestive of old New England church hymns. For once, audiences AND the critics were impressed, and Copland quickly arranged an “Our Town” concert suite, which premiered on a CBS Radio broadcast in June of 1940, and reworked this suite for its first public performance by the Boston Pops and Leonard Bernstein in May of 1944. Music Played in Today's Program Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990) Our Town Suite Saint Louis Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, cond. BMG 61699 On This Day Births 1740 - Italian composer Giovanni Paisiello, in Roccaforzata, near Taranto; 1814 - German pianist and composer Adolph von Henselt, in Schwabach,Bavaria; Deaths 1707 - German organist and composer Dietrich Buxtehunde, age c. 70, in Lübeck; 1770 - (on May 9 or 10) English composer, conductor and writer on music Charles Avison, age 61, in Newcastle upon Tyne ; 1791 - American statesman and songwriter Francis Hopkinson, age 53, in Philadelphia; He was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and dedicated a book of his songs to George Washington; 1799 - French composer Claude Balbastre, age c. 72, in Paris; Premieres 1812 - Rossini's opera "La Scala di seta" (The Silken Ladder), in Venice; 1868 - Bruckner: Symphony No. 1, in Linz, composer conducting; 1893 - Rachmaninoff: opera "Aleko," in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater (Julian date: April 27); 1924 - R. Strauss: ballet "Schlagobers" (Whipped Cream), in Vienna; 1940 - The film "Our Town" opens in Hollywood at Grauman's Chinese Theater; The film was based on the play of the same name by Thorton Wilder, and featured a filmscore by Aaron Copland; Copland arranged a suite of music from his filmscore, which premiered on CBS Radio on June 9, 1940; A revised version of the suite was given its first public performance by the Boston Pops conducted by Leonard Bernstein on May 7, 1944; 1981 - Christopher Rouse: "The Infernal Machine" for orchestra (Movement II of Rouse's "Phantasmata"), at the Evian Festival, France, by the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Gustav Meier conducting; 1986 - Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: "Concerto Grosso" (after Handel's Sonata in D), by the Handel Festival Orchestra of Washington, Stephen Simon conducting; 1988 - Bernstein: "Arias and Barcarolles," at Equitable Center Auditorium in New York City, by vocalists Louise Edeiken, JoyceCastle, John Brandstetter, and Mordechai Kaston, with the composer and Michael Tilson Thomas at the piano; An orchestrated version of this work prepared by Bright Sheng premiered on September 22, 1989, at the Tilles Center of Long Island University with the New York Chamber Symphony conducted by Gerard Schwarz and featuring vocalists Susan Graham and Kurt Ollmann; 1990 - John Harbison: "Words from Patterson" (to texts by William Carlos Williams), at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with baritone William Sharp and the members of the New Jersey Chamber Music Society; 1998 - John Tavener: "Wake Up and Die," for solo cello and orchestral cello section, at the Beauvais Cello Festival in Beavais , France; 1999 - Zwillich: "Upbeat!" by National Symphony, Anthony Aibel conducting; Others 1863 - American premiere of Berlioz's "Harold in Italy," by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra in New York. Links and Resources On the film "Our Town" The Copland Collection at the Library of Congress

Allan McMurray enjoyed a 35 year career as the Director of Bands at the University of Colorado. Over the course of his remarkable career he has earned numerous honors and awards and is a past president of CBDNA. Topics: Allan’s background in music and his early influences. The influence of H. Robert Reynolds on Allan’s career and some thoughts about the importance of finding great models to emulate. Thoughts about motivating students and showing them that you care and pursuing excellence in your career. “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery but the lowest form of artistry.” The relationship between composers and conductors and how that collaboration can bring out the best in the music. Biography: Allan McMurray is Distinguished Professor and Professor of Conducting Emeritus at the University of Colorado. He served for 35 years as Director of Bands and Chair of the Conducting Faculty before retiring from CU at the end of the 2013 academic year. Prior to this position, he was on the faculty of the University of Michigan, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Considered one of the world’s leading teachers of conducting, Professor McMurray has guest conducted and taught conductors in 48 states and 15 foreign countries. He has been a featured visiting professor and conductor at over 200 universities and conservatories internationally. During his tenure at Colorado, the University of Colorado Wind Symphony performed by invitation at major conferences and conventions, including The First International Conference for Symphonic Bands in Manchester, England; the All-Japan Band Conference in Nemo Nu Sato, Japan; the College Band Directors National Association Convention (twice); and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Hamamatsu, Japan. The ensemble also has released two CDs on the Klavier label featuring original works by composers Daniel Kellogg, Carter Pann and Frank Ticheli and collaboration with the Takacs String Quartet, Patrick Mason, Baritone and Jennifer Bird-Arvidsson, Soprano. With a strong commitment to new music, Allan McMurray has been a strong proponent in commissioning and performing new compositions by American composers. He has won praise for his interpretive and expressive conducting by many composers including Pulitzer Prize winners Michael Colgrass, George Crumb, John Harbison, Karel Husa and Steven Stucky. Professor McMurray has performed with the St. Louis Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Debut Orchestra and has guest conducted the Colorado Symphony, the Thai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. He also conducted the Prague Chamber musicians in a festival featuring the music of George Crumb in Prague and subsequently in the US. McMurray also completed four seasons with the Colorado Ballet Orchestra as conductor of Philip Feeney’s Dracula. Professor McMurray’s internationally acclaimed DVD series on the Art of Conducting includes three DVDs: “Conducting from the Inside Out: Gesture and Movement” published by GIA; “Conducting from the Inside Out: Conductor and Composer with Frank Ticheli” published by Manhattan Beach Music; and “Kindred Spirits” with friends and well-known conductors Richard Floyd, Craig Kirchhoff and Robert Reynolds also published by GIA. He is currently working on a companion textbook to the DVD series. Allan McMurray has received numerous honors and awards. He is a Past-President of the College Band Directors National Association, he is a recipient of the Bohumil Makovsky Award for Outstanding College Band Directors from the National Band Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, and has been recognized by California State University Long Beach as “Distinguished Artist in Classical Music.” In December 2004, the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado designated Allan McMurray as the university’s 25th “Distinguished Professor” in recognition of his lifetime professional achievement in the teaching of conducting. ------- Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Episode 05: Getting the Song Out with Vivian FungToday’s episode features Canadian Composer, Vivian Fung. WOV member Kathryn Tremills discovered Vivan’s music while searching the Canadian Music Centre listing of women composers and was excited to find her songs prism-like in their kaleidoscopic array of colours. Named “one of today’s most eclectic composers” by NPR, she is deeply committed to research and exploration of cultures that have taken her to Cambodia, Southwest China, and Bali. She is also a devoted advocate for the next generation. Audio Excerpts:The second song from Six Haiku, performed by bass-baritone Giles Tomkins and pianist Kathryn Tremills.“Lullaby I” from Songs of Childhood, recorded online by Emily Martin and Kathryn Tremills.Other repertoire we talked about:The Prayer by Vivian Fung performed by the Yannick Nézet-Ségui and the CBC Virtual Orchestra representing 28 orchestras from 10 Canadian provinces.The Mirabai Songs by John Harbison.Artists you should check out:Giles TomkinsBethany CollierJohn HarbisonDawn UpshawJulia BullockEvan ZiporynOther things we talked about:Article by Vivian Fung: Embracing My Banana-ness: One Composer’s Journey Towards Finding Her IdentityMore information on Vivian’s Research ProjectsTo learn more about Vivian Fung:Visit: https://vivianfung.ca/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VivianFungComposer/?rc=pTwitter: https://twitter.com/vivian_fungListen: Vivian's Spotify

The American composer John Harbison was born in 1938, and so, as a young lad, grew up at the tail end of the Golden Age of radio and the big band Era of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman. “Over the radio,” writes Harbison, “came sounds played by bands in hotels and ballrooms, now distant memories that seemed to a seventh-grade, small town, late-night listener like the pulse of giant imagined cities.” Decades later, John Harbison translated those early musical memories into a three-movement composition for a big band orchestra. “These sounds,” he recalled, “layered with real experience of some of their places of origin, magnified, distorted, idealized, and destabilized, came into contact with other sounds, some of recent origin, and resulted in a celebratory, menacing suite I titled ‘Three City Blocks.’” The U.S. Air Force Band gave the premiere performance of “Three City Blocks” on today’s date in 1993. And, keeping in the spirit of the old days when every major hotel could boast its own dance band, Harbison’s “Three City Blocks” premiered at the Hilton Hotel in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The American composer John Harbison was born in 1938, and so, as a young lad, grew up at the tail end of the Golden Age of radio and the big band Era of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Dorsey Brothers, and Benny Goodman. “Over the radio,” writes Harbison, “came sounds played by bands in hotels and ballrooms, now distant memories that seemed to a seventh-grade, small town, late-night listener like the pulse of giant imagined cities.” Decades later, John Harbison translated those early musical memories into a three-movement composition for a big band orchestra. “These sounds,” he recalled, “layered with real experience of some of their places of origin, magnified, distorted, idealized, and destabilized, came into contact with other sounds, some of recent origin, and resulted in a celebratory, menacing suite I titled ‘Three City Blocks.’” The U.S. Air Force Band gave the premiere performance of “Three City Blocks” on today’s date in 1993. And, keeping in the spirit of the old days when every major hotel could boast its own dance band, Harbison’s “Three City Blocks” premiered at the Hilton Hotel in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

A now-obscure Englishman named Charles Caleb Colton is credited with the famous quote that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." A number of great composers have been "flattered" in that fashion, too. On today's date in 1985, a new work by the American composer John Harbison premiered in Sarasota, Florida. It imitated the form and gestures of a Baroque Concerto Grosso in the style of J.S. Bach. Harbison's work was titled "Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings." Harbison described his piece as follows: "The oboe, clarinet, and strings are equal partners. The first movement is declamatory, the second contemplative, and the last frenetic. Each movement sustains one affect [or mood], in the Baroque manner... The steady insistent rhythms are indeed baroque, the harmonies less so." "One astute writer," commented Harbison, "referred to the piece as 'scenes from a marriage.' This metaphorical marriage between solo winds and strings contains quarrels, precarious balances, comic relief, misunderstandings, and eventual unanimity." And, speaking of marriage, Harbison composed the work at Token Creek, in Wisconsin, an unincorporated community near Madison where his wife's family had farmed since the 1920s and where for some 25 years each summer John and Rose Mary Harbison have organized their own mini-Festival of chamber music.

A now-obscure Englishman named Charles Caleb Colton is credited with the famous quote that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." A number of great composers have been "flattered" in that fashion, too. On today's date in 1985, a new work by the American composer John Harbison premiered in Sarasota, Florida. It imitated the form and gestures of a Baroque Concerto Grosso in the style of J.S. Bach. Harbison's work was titled "Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet, and Strings." Harbison described his piece as follows: "The oboe, clarinet, and strings are equal partners. The first movement is declamatory, the second contemplative, and the last frenetic. Each movement sustains one affect [or mood], in the Baroque manner... The steady insistent rhythms are indeed baroque, the harmonies less so." "One astute writer," commented Harbison, "referred to the piece as 'scenes from a marriage.' This metaphorical marriage between solo winds and strings contains quarrels, precarious balances, comic relief, misunderstandings, and eventual unanimity." And, speaking of marriage, Harbison composed the work at Token Creek, in Wisconsin, an unincorporated community near Madison where his wife's family had farmed since the 1920s and where for some 25 years each summer John and Rose Mary Harbison have organized their own mini-Festival of chamber music.

Listen to a fascinating visit with a composer who has written music for Popes, Dioceses, Cathedrals, famous Choirs, Colleges, and Concert Halls. Paul Gibson was born in Sacramento, California. A few years later, his family moved to the small village of Chitray, France, near the airbase at Châteauroux where his father worked for the U.S. Air Force. Gibson experienced his first liturgical music – Latin hymns and chants – in the local parish church. He received degrees in composition from Mount St. Mary’s University (Los Angeles) and California State University, Northridge. He studied with Matt Doran, Frank Campo, Aurelio de la Vega, Ian Krouse, and John Harbison.Gibson was commissioned to arrange hymns for the visit of Pope John Paul II to L.A. Publisher G.I.A. released A Mass of Life, a critically acclaimed CD of his sacred music. He took part in the first Composers Symposium at the Oregon Bach Festival, where three of his works were performed.For its 15th anniversary, the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus commissioned Suite: Alice Through a Looking-Glass. Commissioned by Loyola Marymount University for the Golden Jubilee of the choral program founded by the late Paul Salamunovich, Gibson’s Te Deum for chorus and orchestra was premiered at LMU under Dr. Mary Breden. The following year saw his music in first performances at Carnegie Hall and St. Olaf College.This award-winning composer’s music has been broadcast on hundreds of radio stations and received performances by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, three Grammy-winning choruses: Los Angeles Chamber Singers, the Kansas City Chorale, and the Phoenix Chorale, and many others. He is published by Alliance, ECS, Fatrock Ink, G.I.A., Morningstar, and OCP. http://paulgibsonmusic.comMUSIC: Salve Regina Paul Gibson recorded by ZephyrMUSIC: May God Bless Us Paul Gibson recorded by Chorus Angelorum, Dominic MacAller, conductorMUSIC: Dona Nobis Pacem Paul Gibson LA Children’s Chorus, Anne Tomlinson, conductorMUSIC: The Love of Our Creator Paul Gibson recorded in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Portland, OR for OCP Commissioned by the Diocese of Orange for the installation of Bishop Tod David Brown. Premiered by Matt Gray at Holy Family CathedralMUSIC: Te Deum: 7. Alleluia. Amen. Paul Gibson Loyola Marymount University Choruses and Orchestra, Mary Breden, conductorOriginal air date Saturday, November 3, 2018

Robert Ambrose is the director of bands at Georgia State University, the conductor of the Atlanta Chamber Winds and the National Chamber Winds, founder of the Digital Director's Lounge, and is the chair of the CBDNA Covid-19 Response Committee. Topics: Robert’s journey from guitarist to college band director and all of the people who took an interest in his career and helped to push him along. Having the courage to ask for what you want and a brief discussion of impostor syndrome. The band program at Georgia State, the Atlanta Chamber Winds, and the National Chamber Winds. The CBDNA Covid-19 Response Committee and the Digital Director’s Lounge. Links: Robert Ambrose CBDNA Covid-19 Committee Report Atlanta Chamber Winds National Chamber Winds Mozart: Serenade for 13 Winds in B-flat major, K. 361 "Gran Partita" Maslanka: Symphony no. 4 Biography: Conductor Robert J. Ambrose enjoys a highly successful and diverse career as a dynamic and engaging musician. His musical interests cross many genres and can be seen in the wide range of professional activities he pursues. Dr. Ambrose studied formally at Boston College, Boston University and Northwestern University, where he received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting. Dr. Ambrose has conducted professionally across the United States as well as in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. His interpretations have earned the enthusiastic praise of many leading composers including Pulitzer Prize winners Leslie Bassett, Michael Colgrass and John Harbison. He has conducted over two dozen premiere performances including works by Michael Colgrass, Jonathan Newman, Joel Puckett, Christopher Theofanidis and Joseph Turrin. Dr. Ambrose has conducted Arnold Schoenberg's landmark piece Pierrot Lunaire several times in three different countries and a recent performance of Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms under his direction has been given repeated airings on Georgia Public Radio. Dr. Ambrose is founder and music director of the Atlanta Chamber Winds a professional dectet specializing in the promotion of music by emerging composers as well as lesser-known works of established composers. Their premiere compact disc, Music from Paris, was released in 2009 on the Albany Records label and has received outstanding reviews in both Fanfare and Gramophone magazines. As a guitarist, Robert Ambrose has performed in dozens of jazz ensembles, combos, rock bands and pit orchestras. His rock band "Hoochie Suit," formed with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, received rave reviews throughout the Chicago area and performed for such distinguished guests as Yo-Yo Ma and Daniel Barenboim. Dr. Ambrose currently serves as director of bands, associate professor of music and associate director of the School of Music at Georgia State University, a Research I institution of 32,000 students located in Atlanta, Georgia. As director of bands he conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, maintains a highly selective studio of graduate students in the Master of Music in wind band conducting degree program, and oversees a large, comprehensive band program comprised of four concert ensembles and three athletic bands. Robert Ambrose lives in Peachtree City, Georgia with his wife Sarah Kruser Ambrose, a professional flute player, and daughters Isabelle and Hannah. ------- Are you planning to travel with your group sometime soon? If so, please consider my sponsor, Kaleidoscope Adventures, a full service tour company specializing in student group travel. With a former educator as its CEO, Kaleidoscope Adventures is dedicated to changing student lives through travel and they offer high quality service and an attention to detail that comes from more than 25 years of student travel experience. Trust Kaleidoscope’s outstanding staff to focus on your group’s one-of-a-kind adventure, so that you can focus on everything else!

Originally recorded in spring 2006, includes music by Elena Kats-Chernin – Gypsy Rambler, performed by the Albers del Pino Trio; John Harbison – from Mirabai Songs, performed by Adesso; Jacques Aubert - Suite in E minor, performed by Duo Marcolivia; and Stefan Säfsten – Freedom for the Prisoners, performed by Rebecca Davant & the Järva Röster Choir (studio recording)

Recipient of the prestigious 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2017 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists, violinist Paul Huang is considered to be one of the most distinctive artists of his generation. The Washington Post proclaimed Mr. Huang as "an artist with the goods for a significant career" following his recital debut at the Kennedy Center.This summer, Mr. Huang made highly acclaimed debut at Bravo!Vail Music Festival stepping in for violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter in the Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 with Chamber Orchestra Vienna-Berlin. Recent and forthcoming engagements include his recital debut at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, Aspen Music Festival, as well as appearances with the Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev (St. Petersburg's White Nights Festival), Berliner Symphoniker with Lior Shambadal (Philharmonie Berlin debut), Detroit Symphony with Leonard Slatkin, Houston Symphony with Andres Orozco-Estrada, Orchestra of St. Luke's with Carlos Miguel Prieto, Seoul Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony and Grant Park Festival Orchestra with Markus Stenz, North Carolina Symphony and Charlotte Symphony with Gemma New, Buffalo Philharmonic with JoAnn Falletta, Pacific Symphony with Carl St. Clair, National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan with ShaoChia Lu and the Taipei Symphony with Jahja Ling (both in Taipei and on a U.S. tour). 2019-20 season will also see Mr. Huang giving the German premiere of Tan Dun’s Violin Concerto “Fire Ritual” with the Nuremberg Symphony with Kahchun Wong and appearances in the U.S. with the Tucson Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Long Beach Symphony, Brevard Symphony, and Mobile Symphony.Recital and chamber music performances this season will include Mr. Huang’s recital debut for People’s Symphony Concerts in New York, a recital tour across North America and Taiwan with pianist Helen Huang, as well as his debut at the Wolf Trap in Washington D.C. He will also return to Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for three separate tours in the U.S., Europe, and the Far East.Mr. Huang's recent recital engagements included Lincoln Center's "Great Performers" series and return engagement at the Kennedy Center where he premiered Conrad Tao's "Threads of Contact" for Violin and Piano during his recital evening with pianist Orion Weiss. He also stepped in for Midori with Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony to critical acclaim. Mr. Huang has also made debuts at the Wigmore Hall, Seoul Arts Center, and the Louvre in Paris.His first solo CD, Intimate Inspiration, is a collection of favorite virtuoso and romantic encore pieces released on the CHIMEI label. In association with Camerata Pacifica, he recorded "Four Songs of Solitude" for solo violin on their album of John Harbison works. The album was released on the Harmonia Mundi label in fall 2014.A frequent guest artist at music festivals worldwide, he has performed at the Seattle, Music@Menlo, Caramoor, Bridgehampton, La Jolla, Santa Fe, Moritzburg, Kissinger Sommer, Sion, Orford Musique, and the PyeongChang Music Festival in Korea. His chamber music collaborators have included Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Nobuko Imai, Mischa Maisky, Jian Wang, Frans Helmerson, Lynn Harrell, Yefim Bronfman, and Marc-Andre Hamelin.Support the show (https://thatsnotspit.com/support/)

This week, I have the incredible honor of welcoming renowned pianist Ursula Oppens to the show. A legend among American pianists, Ursula is widely admired for both her original and perceptive readings of new music, and for her knowing interpretations of the standard repertoire. As you'll hear in the episode, she's an incredibly passionate and wise musician!  Her and I covered several topics, from the reality of a career in music today, to how she approaches learning repertoire, and how she's stays focused in the practice room! In this episode, Ursula expands on: Her love of new music and how it developed early on in her life How she approaches bringing new music to life Why she doesn't think musicians should have a niche but should, instead, be interested in learning Her view of the musical landscape of today What improvisation can bring to our playing How she loves practicing (and I love that she said that so much!) How mental and muscle memory develop together Why she thinks it's important to memorize music in order to learn it better Her strategies to find energy, motivation, and focus to practice Why flexibility is a crucial skill to develop How a well-rounded education is also very helpful Her very wise piece of advice for young musicians Ursula is a force of nature and very generous with her insight. I know you'll love this discussion!     The Mind Over Finger Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQSB1IVNJ4a2afT1iUtSfA/videos   Sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to a super productive practice using the metronome!  This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights! TURN THE METRONOME ON AND START PRACTICING BETTER AND LEARNING FASTER RIGHT NOW!  GET YOUR FREE METRONOME GUIDE TODAY! Click HERE or visit www.mindoverfinger.com!   MORE ABOUT URSULA: Website: https://colbertartists.com/artists/ursula-oppens/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqj7e-6dIIBw2OkKmHxYItw   Ursula Oppens, a legend among American pianists, is widely admired particularly for her original and perceptive readings of new music, but also for her knowing interpretations of the standard repertoire. No other artist alive today has commissioned and premiered more new works for the piano. A prolific and critically acclaimed recording artist with five Grammy nominations, Ms. Oppens most recently released a new recording of Frederic Rzewski's The People United Will Never Be Defeated, nominated for a Grammy in 2016, and Piano Songs, a collaboration with Meredith Monk. Earlier Grammy nominations were for Winging It: Piano Music of John Corigliano; Oppens Plays Carter; a recording of the complete piano works of Elliott Carter for Cedille Records (also was named a “Best of the Year” selection by The New York Times long-time music critic Allan Kozinn); Piano Music of Our Time featuring compositions by John Adams, Elliott Carter, Julius Hemphill, and Conlon Nancarrow for the Music and Arts label, and her cult classic The People United Will Never Be Defeated by Frederic Rzewski on Vanguard. Ms. Oppens recently added to her extensive discography by releasing a two-piano CD for Cedille Records devoted to Visions de l'Amenof Oliver Messiaen and Debussy's En blanc et noir performed with pianist Jerome Lowenthal. Over the years, Ms. Oppens has premiered works by such leading composers as John Adams, Luciano Berio, William Bolcom, Anthony Braxton, Elliott Carter, John Corigliano, Anthony Davis, John Harbison, Julius Hemphill, Laura Kaminsky, Tania Leon, György Ligeti, Witold Lutoslawski, Harold Meltzer, Meredith Monk, Conlon Nancarrow, Tobias Picker, Bernard Rands, Frederic Rzewski, Allen Shawn, Alvin Singleton, Joan Tower, Lois V Vierk, Amy Williams, Christian Wolff, Amnon Wolman, and Charles Wuorinen. As an orchestral guest soloist, Ms. Oppens has performed with virtually all of the world's major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), and the orchestras of Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco, and Milwaukee. Abroad, she has appeared with such ensembles as the Berlin Symphony, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Deutsche Symphonie, the Scottish BBC, and the London Philharmonic Orchestras.  Ms. Oppens is also an avid chamber musician and has performed with the Arditti, Cassatt, JACK, Juilliard, and Pacifica quartets, among other chamber ensembles. Ursula Oppens joined the faculty of the Mannes College of Music in the fall of 2017, and is a Distinguished Professor of Music at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. From 1994 through the end of the 2007-08 academic year she served as John Evans Distinguished Professor of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. In addition, Ms. Oppens has served as a juror for many international competitions, such as the Concert Artists Guild, Young Concert Artists, Young Pianists Foundation (Amsterdam), and Cincinnati Piano World Competition.   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/    

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Frank Battisti about his views on music and music education. Known affectionately to many of his students as “Mr. B”, Battisti has led a prolific career as an educator at Ithaca High School (NY) and the New England Conservatory. Bonus features of this episode include ideas on the importance of music to the human experience and a remarkable story of an impromptu performance featuring Benny Goodman playing a student’s clarinet.    Topics include: (03:02) Battisti talks about his life and professional background (05:19) The educational objectives of any academic institution  (07:07) The role of music in a comprehensive education  (11:32) Finding quality in repertoire selections (13:00) Getting kids to fall in love with music (21:45) Using repertoire to build and enrich audiences (24:41) Using repertoire to build lifelong consumers of music  (27:47) Getting students to bring out the expressive elements of music (30:20) Better to illuminate than to shine!  (35:41) The role of adjudications/contests in music education (46:41) Battisti shares stories from his career  (55:47) Favorite rehearsal tactics (58:25) Why do we teach music?  (01:00:26) Battisti discusses leaders that have made an impact on his life  (01:13:53) Measuring the impact educators make on students (01:05:57) Advice for music educators   Links:  Banddirector.com Interview with Battisti - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2k1giCGTlg Battisti’s lecture at TMEA 2001 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0BC9F7znSw&list=PLB2D441350229D202 New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble Recordings featuring Battisti as conductor -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inZ1bMGHucI&list=OLAK5uy_kZQaNmdXJI8xy4HbvWVdvL4LYxNQK978s https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mEOFWHilHoCi0l3nhfu07tM1HHCilIwr8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v1XCZteVts&list=OLAK5uy_kyPcTwdJzP2d39r3UuqtB-G1Lq2yAH97E   Bio:  Frank Battisti began his teaching career as an instrumental teacher in the Ithaca (New York) Public Schools in 1953. He became Director of Bands at Ithaca High School in 1955 and remained there until 1967. He also served as chairperson of the Instrumental Music Department from 1961 - 67. The Ithaca High School Band, under Battisti’s direction, achieved national recognition as one of the finest and most unique high school bands in the nation. The concert band performed at the Ithaca College School of Music, Eastman School of Music, Music Educators National Conference (MENC), Mid-West National Band and Orchestra Clinic (Chicago 1965), Rockefeller Center, the New York World’s Fair (1964) and at other regional and national music events. In 1997 the John Philip Sousa Foundation selected Battisti’s Ithaca High School Concert Band for their Historic Roll of Honor of High School Concert Bands, 1920-1980. Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Director of Wind Studies at North Texas State University, hails the Ithaca High School Band under the leadership of Frank Battisti “as one of the truly great achievements of instrumental music education in the twentieth century.” From 1958 - 67, the Ithaca High School Band commissioned 24 works for band. The commissioned composers included Warren Benson, David Borden, Carlos Chavez, Barney Childs, Walter Hartley, Vincent Persichetti, Armand Russell, Alec Wilder and Pulitzer Prize in Music winners Leslie Bassett, Karel Husa, Robert Ward, Gunther Schuller. Guest soloists and conductors appearing with the Ithaca High School Band from 1955-67 included Benny Goodman, Carl “Doc” Severinson, Donald Sinta, Harvey Phiillips, The New York Brass Quintet, Jimmy Burke, Vincent Persichetti, Norman Dello Joio, Thomas Beversdorf, Clyde Roller, Frederick Fennell, William D. Revelli and Walter Beeler. Battisti was conductor of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and a faculty member at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music from 1967 – 69. In 1969 President Gunther Schuller invited him to come to the New England Conservatory in Boston to start the wind ensemble. Under his 30 years of leadership the ensemble became recognized as one of the premiere ensembles of its kind in the United States and throughout the world. The ensemble recorded for Centaur and Albany records and its performances were broadcast over the National Public Radio Network (NPR) and other classical music radio stations throughout the United States and world. While at the Conservatory Battisti commission works from distinguished national and international composers such as Robert Ceely, John Harbison, Robin Holloway, Witold Lutoslawski, William Thomas McKinley, Michael Colgrass, Daniel Pinkham, Gunther Schuller, Robert Selig, and Sir Michael Tippett. When he retired from the Conservatory in 1999 he was named Conductor Emeritus of the NEC Wind Ensemble. Dr.Battisti has guest conducted numerous university, college, military, professional and high school bands and wind ensembles and served as a visiting teacher/clinician throughout the United States, England, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Scandinavia, Australia, China, Taiwan, Canada, South America, South Korea, Iceland and the former U.S.S.R. Past President of the U.S. College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), Battisti is also a member of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) and founder of the National Wind Ensemble Conference, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble (MYWE), New England College Band Association (NECBA) and the Tanglewood Institute’s Young Artists Wind Ensemble. In 1986 and 1993 Dr. Battisti was a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, England. He is the recipient of many awards and honors including an Honorary Doctor of Music degree from Ithaca College in 1992 and the Ithaca College Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, the first Louis and Adrienne Krasner Excellence in Teaching Award from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1997, the Lowell Mason Award from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association in 1998, the New England College Band Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999, Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic's Medal of Honor in 2001 and the National Band Director’ AWAPA in 2006.

Denise Tryon, Associate Professor of Horn at the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinatti and former Fourth Horn with the Philadelphia Orchestra, has built a wonderful career which combines teaching, performing, and expanding the repertoire of her instrument through active commissions.  Denise is a trail blazer in our field!  She has asked herself the hard questions and has not been afraid to step off the beaten path and shape her unique, meaningful, and impactful career.  In this episode, we discuss: Her journey from student, to top-five orchestra member, soloist, and pedagogue The distinction between warmup and daily routine (hint: a warmup is a small part of a daily routine) What a good routine covers – the various fundamentals of your instrument as well as extended techniques How to set up your own routine – something that works really well for you What mindful, efficient, practice is to her: o   Be demanding but kind with yourself o   How to organize it (I'm loving the “55 and out” technique!) o   How to problem solve o   What “swear” words she will not allow in her studio (and they are not what you're thinking!) o   How we need to let go and go with the flow o   The four elements we need to address in the practice room – technical, physical, musical, and mental Audition Mode and audition preparation How musicians need to figure out how to find our own voice and market themselves How we must strive for excellence, not perfection “Change your mind and your body will follow” “Be demanding and caring” when you practice “Give to yourself first”     ALL ABOUT guest: Website: http://denisetryon.com/ Low Horns Unite: http://denise-tryon.thinkific.com/courses/low-horns-unite Audition Mode: http://auditionmode.com/ YouTube channels: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-NXdXmBOZ08O4ijSX6wTzg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dt_lowhorn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeniseTryonHorn/   Her album, So Low Doctor Beat Metronome by Boss Mechanical Metronome (not the one she mentions) Horn Berp – Buzz Extension Resistance Piece The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music by Victor L. Wooten   Biography: A native of Roseville, MN, Denise Tryon is currently Associate Professor of Horn at the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinatti. Previously, Tryon was fourth horn of The Philadelphia Orchestra (2009-2017) and served as the Horn Professor of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore starting in 2007. She has also held positions with the Detroit Symphony (2003-2009), Baltimore (2000-2003), Columbus (1998-2000), and New World (1995-1998) Symphonies as well as participated in the Colorado Music Festival and the Pacific Music Festival. An accomplished solo performer, Tryon has performed recitals in Sweden, Norway, Poland, Japan, Canada and the United States. “Denise Tryon's command of the lower register provides the strongest foundation of sound for a horn section, and yet, her sound is supple and flexible.” —Yannick Nezet-Sequin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra In 1989 Tryon graduated from the famed Interlochen Arts Academy and in 1993 received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston. She received the Presidential Scholarship while in the Artist Diploma Program at NEC with the Taiyo Wind Quintet, which won the Coleman Chamber Competition and worked with great composers such as John Harbison, Luciano Berio, György Ligeti, and Elliott Carter. An active and accomplished educator, Tryon is sought after for her masterclasses. She has taught extensively in the United States, Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and South America. Beth Graham of the Warsaw Philharmonic and founder of the Warsaw Horn Workshops raves, “In just a few seconds of listening to a student she can diagnose deep-seated problems and give immediate fixes, often with a healthy dose of humor as well. The transformations she can accomplish in just a short time are truly remarkable.” Tryon released her debut solo album, SO•LOW in 2015. As a part of this album, she commissioned 4 new pieces for low horn and piano. Said in a review by Gramophone Magazine “Tryon plays these works with sonorous fluidity and dexterity, ending with a bit of captivating acrobatics.” In 2009, Tryon founded Audition Mode, a yearly horn seminar, with Karl Pituch. In 2010 she was an International Horn Society (IHS) Northeast Workshop Featured Artist. She was a contributing artist at the IHS Symposium in San Francisco in 2011, as well as one of the Solo Artists at the Nordic Hornfest in Norway in 2012. Tryon was on the horn faculty at BIBA (Blekinge International Brass Academy) in Sweden in 2013. She has been the Featured Artist at the Warsaw Horn Workshops in 2013, 2015, and 2016. In 2014 and 2016, Tryon was a Featured Artist at the IHS MidNorth Horn Workshop, and in 2015, she was a Featured Artist at the IHS Symposium in LA. In 2016, Tryon was on faculty during the brass weeks at Domaine Forget. Tryon was the Featured Artist at the IHS NorthWest Horn Workshop in 2017.   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/   (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps cover some of the costs associated with the production of the podcast.  Thank you for your support.)

Raymond Bisha introduces a new release of three American orchestral triumphs in stunning performances by the youthful ranks of the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic under GRAMMY Award-winning conductor David Alan Miller. Carl Ruggles’ Sun-treader, Steven Stucky’s Concerto for Orchestra No. 2 and John Harbison’s Symphony No. 4 constitute the programme’s towering trio of symphonic masterpieces.

10.12.17 Art and Incarceration: Poetry, Theatre and Music in and about Captivity Concert, Ensemble Pi For this interdisciplinary performance, Ensemble Pi presented music, text, and theater works that focus on the rise of mass incarceration, the racial disparities it reveals, and the emotional toll it takes on inmates and their families. The evening started with the world premiere of Rikers Island by New York composer Eleanor Cory, inspired by the anthology These Are Hard Times for Dreamers. Followed by Rzewski’s minimalist masterpiece, Coming Together, composed in the wake of the 1971 prison riots in upstate New York and powerfully expressing the frustration of life behind bars and anger about injustice. Joseph Assadourian, the narrator for Coming Together, will also perform an excerpt from his tragi-comic play, The Bullpen, based on his own incarceration. The performance closed with the sublime Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time (1941), composed and performed in the prisoner-of-war camp in Gorlitz, Germany, capturing the hardship and sadness of being in prison, while still conveying optimism. About the presenters: Ensemble Pi is a new music collective that uniquely connects pressing social and political issues and the idioms of classical contemporary music. They began a Peace Concerts series 10 years ago in response to the invasion of Iraq, and have since presented annual chamber music concerts giving voice to the struggle for peace. Every concert includes at least one commission, as well as contemporary classical masterpieces to address the historical tradition of “socially conscious” compositions. In the past, the group has collaborated with visual artists, writers, journalists and actors – including South African artist William Kentridge and American journalists Naomi Wolf and Jeremy Scahill – and have featured the music of John Harbison, Frederic Rzewski, Shostakovich and Penderecki. The Peace Concerts series has also protested the censorship of media, fracking, the Apartheid, and more. Performers include: Alexis Gerlach, cello; Moran Katz, clarinet; Idith Meshulam Korman, piano; Airi Yoshioka, violin; and Joseph Assadourian, actor and narrator. The group is joined by local Houston musicians Craig Hauschildt, percussion and Daniel Egan, trumpet.

TBJ 67: Denise Tryon, low horn specialist and former member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, joins Andrew & Lance and unpacks following your gut to pursue your dreams. Denise has had an incredible career as member of the New World, Columbus, Baltimore, Detroit, and Philadelphia orchestras and currently teaches full-time at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Additionally, as a member of the Taiyo Wind Quintet, she had the privilege of working with John Harbison, Luciano Berio, György Ligeti, and Elliott Carter.   Denise explains why she recently stepped down from the gig in Philly to pursue teaching, solo projects and commissioning new pieces for low horn. She also explained how, after 22 years in the orchestra world, she knew it was time and shared her “no regrets” attitude. We also explore how she became a low horn specialist, shares some great low horn exercises and talks about her time studying with the great Chester Schmitz.    Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra writes that “Denise Tryon’s command of the lower register provides the strongest foundation of sound for a horn section, and yet, her sound is supple and flexible.”    It was a great conversation, despite some audio challenges. This time, they weren't even Lance's fault!   Links:   Denise's site Solo CD Peabody bio page Audition Mode site   Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes. The Brass Area of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh PA is our new partner (and Lance has been teaching euphonium there since 2000). If you are interested in learning more about the program, visit the site HERE! Check out Parker Mouthpieces fine offerings (including the Andrew Hitz and Lance LaDuke models) by clicking PARKER! You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated! Last but not least, we are now on Instagram! Follow us at instagram.com/pray4jens/ TODAY! Expertly produced by Joey Santillo with love, care, and enthusiasm.  

Chris Grymes talks to noted American composer John Harbison about his life and work

Here's another popular episode from the Contrabass Conversations archives.  If you haven't check this episode out before (or even if you have), you'll be in for a real treat as we explore the world of the double bass with Mr. Barker. We’re featuring Boston Symphony Principal Bassist Ed Barker on this week’s Contrabass Conversations episode. Conducted by Contrabass Conversations co-host John Grillo, this episode features John chatting with Ed about his early years on the bass, his schooling and time spent in the Chicago Symphony prior to his appointment with the Boston Symphony, and in-depth look at articulation on the bass, and a discussion on practicing. We hope you enjoy this conversation with this modern master performer and teacher of the double bass! About Ed Barker: Edwin Barker is recognized as one of the most gifted bassists on the American concert scene. Acknowledged as an accomplished solo and ensemble player, Mr. Barker has concertized in North America, Europe, and the Far East. Edwin Barker has performed and recorded with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, and with the contemporary music ensemble Collage, a Boston – based contemporary music ensemble, and is a frequent guest performer with the Boston Chamber Music Society. Mr. Barker gave the world premiere of James Yannatos’ Concerto for Contrabass and Chamber Orchestra and of Theodore Antoniou’s Concertino for Contrabass and Chamber Orchestra ; he was the featured soloist in the New England premiere of Gunther Schuller’s Concerto for Double Bass and Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the composer with The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Barker graduated with honors from the New England Conservatory in 1976, where he studied double bass with Henry Portnoi. That same year, while a member of the Chicago Symphony, he was appointed at age 22 to the position of principal double bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His other double bass teachers included Peter Mercurio, Richard Stephan, Angelo LaMariana, and David Perleman. Mr. Barker was invited to inaugurate the 100th anniversary season of the Boston Symphony Orchestra with a solo performance of the Koussevitzky Bass Concerto; other solo engagements have included appearances at Ozawa Hall (Tanglewood), Carnegie Recital Hall’s “Sweet and Low” series, and at major universities and conferences throughout the world, as well as concerto performances with the Boston Classical Orchestra, the Athens State Orchestra (Greece) and with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston and Europe. He was a featured premiere soloist with the Boston Symphony of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra at Tanglewood’s 2007 Festival of Contemporary Music. Mr. Barker is an Associate Professor at the Boston University College of Fine Arts where he teaches double bass, orchestral techniques, and chamber music. His other major teaching affiliations include the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Music Center, where he is Chairman of Instrumental and Orchestral Studies. Edwin Barker’s solo CD recordings include Three Sonatas for Double Bass, on Boston Records, James Yannatos’ Variations for Solo Contrabass, on Albany Records, and Concerti for Double Bass, on GM Recordings, which includes bass concerti by Gunther Schuller and Theodore Antoniou. Concerti for Contrabass also includes his highly praised performance of Tom Johnson’s Failing , which was recorded live at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater. Edwin Barker’s latest solo offering on CD is a recently released performance of James Yannatos’ Concerto for Contrabass with Collage. This episode originally aired on June 6, 2009. Enjoy!

One of the most versatile exponents of the latest cadre of young jazz musicians to emerge in the post-“Young Lions” era, saxophonist, Ray Zepeda, differentiates himself not only by his diverse musical background but also by his life story – a sojourn that began in the shadows of oil wells and derricks in Taft, California, followed by his formative musical development in the beach cities of Los Angeles’s South Bay which led to a 5-year stint in the Boston area where he greatly broadened his musical perspective and started composing, only to return to the South Bay to establish himself in the Los Angeles jazz scene – a life that has not only encompassed alternating periods of focus on “classical” composition, jazz, and popular music, but also various professional pursuits which have included jobs such s a music educator and a successful project management career in the oil & gas industry. The economics of jazz notwithstanding, rest assured that Ray Zepeda has lived the jazz way, improvising a life, as it were, - exploiting every opening, pulling on every thread no matter how tenuous or impossibly thin, and approaching life with a humility that has allowed others to shine and benefit from his gifts – and, undeterred by numerous vicissitudes, has achieved his highest level of success during this, the most severe economic turndown in memory. This is not as much an artist’s story as it is a uniquely American one. His debut CD, “Step By Step”, features Bill Evans Trio drummer, Joe La Barbera; first-call bassist, Darek Oles; and legendary L.A. pianist/composer, Rich Eames. With eight smoking, thought-provoking tracks beautifully mastered by Bernie Grundman, it was the top seller at the Bakersfield Jazz Festival which featured a lineup of internationally-known artists and enjoyed substantial radio airplay in major markets nationwide and abroad and marked movement on the jazz charts. He recently founded the Bakersfield New Music Collective which will perform two pieces on his second CD, “America”, to be released in 2016. A veteran of the Los Angeles jazz, reggae, punk, pop, and house DJ scene, Zepeda has performed/recorded with Lou Rawls, Russ Ferrante (Yellowjackets), John Patitucci (Chick Corea), Joe La Barbera (Bill Evans Trio), Barbara Morrison, Thelma Jones, Carl Saunders (Stan Kenton/ Bill Holman), Dave Tull (Chuck Mangione/ Michael Buble), Lanny Morgan (Supersax/ Natalie Cole), Johnny Blas (CuBop Records), and many others. Since beginning his professional career playing lead alto in various big bands at the age of 15, his musical palette has expanded to include everything from serious composition to avant-garde jazz to contemporary pop to punk rock. Mr. Zepeda holds the Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California where he studied with saxophonist, Bob Sheppard (Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Mike Stern), and the Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he studied Composition with Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Grant-winning composer, John Harbison. http://rayzepeda.com/

One of the most versatile exponents of the latest cadre of young jazz musicians to emerge in the post-“Young Lions” era, saxophonist, Ray Zepeda, differentiates himself not only by his diverse musical background but also by his life story – a sojourn that began in the shadows of oil wells and derricks in Taft, California, followed by his formative musical development in the beach cities of Los Angeles’s South Bay which led to a 5-year stint in the Boston area where he greatly broadened his musical perspective and started composing, only to return to the South Bay to establish himself in the Los Angeles jazz scene – a life that has not only encompassed alternating periods of focus on “classical” composition, jazz, and popular music, but also various professional pursuits which have included jobs such s a music educator and a successful project management career in the oil & gas industry. The economics of jazz notwithstanding, rest assured that Ray Zepeda has lived the jazz way, improvising a life, as it were, - exploiting every opening, pulling on every thread no matter how tenuous or impossibly thin, and approaching life with a humility that has allowed others to shine and benefit from his gifts – and, undeterred by numerous vicissitudes, has achieved his highest level of success during this, the most severe economic turndown in memory. This is not as much an artist’s story as it is a uniquely American one. His debut CD, “Step By Step”, features Bill Evans Trio drummer, Joe La Barbera; first-call bassist, Darek Oles; and legendary L.A. pianist/composer, Rich Eames. With eight smoking, thought-provoking tracks beautifully mastered by Bernie Grundman, it was the top seller at the Bakersfield Jazz Festival which featured a lineup of internationally-known artists and enjoyed substantial radio airplay in major markets nationwide and abroad and marked movement on the jazz charts. He recently founded the Bakersfield New Music Collective which will perform two pieces on his second CD, “America”, to be released in 2016. A veteran of the Los Angeles jazz, reggae, punk, pop, and house DJ scene, Zepeda has performed/recorded with Lou Rawls, Russ Ferrante (Yellowjackets), John Patitucci (Chick Corea), Joe La Barbera (Bill Evans Trio), Barbara Morrison, Thelma Jones, Carl Saunders (Stan Kenton/ Bill Holman), Dave Tull (Chuck Mangione/ Michael Buble), Lanny Morgan (Supersax/ Natalie Cole), Johnny Blas (CuBop Records), and many others. Since beginning his professional career playing lead alto in various big bands at the age of 15, his musical palette has expanded to include everything from serious composition to avant-garde jazz to contemporary pop to punk rock. Mr. Zepeda holds the Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California where he studied with saxophonist, Bob Sheppard (Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Mike Stern), and the Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he studied Composition with Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Grant-winning composer, John Harbison. http://rayzepeda.com/

VIDEO: The Brentano Quartet Plays Schubert and Adolph Franz Schubert's short, hectic life was full of "what ifs" -- unfinished sketches, abandoned works and fragmentary thoughts. Many of these leftovers were quite extraordinary despite their obvious limitations. Among them is the Quartettsatz in C minor, a piece whose first movement Schubert completed in 1820 but whose Andante he abandoned for unknown reasons. Sensing its value, the Brentano String Quartet commissioned the New York composer Bruce Adolph to write a response in his own style, and he responded with Fra(nz)g-mentation, a dense yet witty homage to the original. During a recent visit to New York the Brentano played the two works back to back in the WQXR Cafe. “This Quartettsatz is a piece we’ve played a lot and really love,” explained Mark Steinberg, the Brentano’s first violinist. “We wondered a lot why he didn’t finish the quartet because I think it’s as great as the other late quartets. Then I found out he had started a second movement and I thought it would be so nice to play that in a concert and give this piece the kind of scope that another Schubert quartet might have.” Steinberg and his fellow quartet-mates didn’t want to ask a living composer to simply mimic Schubert, so they asked Adolph to write music in his own style that would "make the piece more complete in a sense." The commission became the backbone of "Fragments," a project celebrating the Brentano’s 20th anniversary season, which runs through 2012. Along with Schubert, the group took abandoned pieces by Bach, Shostakovich, Haydn and Mozart, and commissioned several composers to write individual responses to them. Along with Adolphe, Charles Wuorinen, John Harbison, Stephen Hartke and Vijay Iyer contribute to the project, joining an older work by Sofia Gubaidulina. “We really wanted to create a dialogue between the past and the present and that’s a major theme of the program,” said Steinberg. Several venues contributed to the commissioning project, including Carnegie Hall, where the Brentano will perform the pieces over two concerts, the first taking place on Thursday night. “Fragments” is just the latest in a series of grand conceptual projects that the Brentano have undertaken over the quartet’s 20-year history, including “Bach Perspectives,” a 2003 venture in which they commissioned 10 contemporary composers to write responses to Bach's magisterial Art of Fugue. Steinberg believes that by pairing new and old pieces, the quartet can help provide context for seemingly foreign contemporary sounds. “The variety of styles that’s around right now makes it difficult to get inside the language of one composer if you don’t know them well,” he said. “So having something that’s linked to the past, that provides a way in. The best way to approach music is through other music.” Video: Amy Pearl; Sound: Edward Haber; Text: Brian Wise  

We’re featuring Boston Symphony Principal Bassist Ed Barker on this week’s Contrabass Conversations episode. Conducted by Contrabass Conversations co-host John Grillo, this episode features John chatting with Ed about his early years on the bass, his schooling and time spent in the Chicago Symphony prior to his appointment with the Boston Symphony, and in-depth look at articulation on the bass, and a discussion on practicing. We hope you enjoy this conversation with this modern master performer and teacher of the double bass! About Ed Barker: Edwin Barker is recognized as one of the most gifted bassists on the American concert scene. Acknowledged as an accomplished solo and ensemble player, Mr. Barker has concertized in North America, Europe, and the Far East. Edwin Barker has performed and recorded with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, and with the contemporary music ensemble Collage, a Boston – based contemporary music ensemble, and is a frequent guest performer with the Boston Chamber Music Society. Mr. Barker gave the world premiere of James Yannatos’ Concerto for Contrabass and Chamber Orchestra and of Theodore Antoniou’s Concertino for Contrabass and Chamber Orchestra ; he was the featured soloist in the New England premiere of Gunther Schuller’s Concerto for Double Bass and Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the composer with The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Barker graduated with honors from the New England Conservatory in 1976, where he studied double bass with Henry Portnoi. That same year, while a member of the Chicago Symphony, he was appointed at age 22 to the position of principal double bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His other double bass teachers included Peter Mercurio, Richard Stephan, Angelo LaMariana, and David Perleman. Mr. Barker was invited to inaugurate the 100th anniversary season of the Boston Symphony Orchestra with a solo performance of the Koussevitzky Bass Concerto; other solo engagements have included appearances at Ozawa Hall (Tanglewood), Carnegie Recital Hall’s “Sweet and Low” series, and at major universities and conferences throughout the world, as well as concerto performances with the Boston Classical Orchestra, the Athens State Orchestra (Greece) and with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston and Europe. He was a featured premiere soloist with the Boston Symphony of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra at Tanglewood’s 2007 Festival of Contemporary Music. Mr. Barker is an Associate Professor at the Boston University College of Fine Arts where he teaches double bass, orchestral techniques, and chamber music. His other major teaching affiliations include the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Music Center, where he is Chairman of Instrumental and Orchestral Studies. Edwin Barker’s solo CD recordings include Three Sonatas for Double Bass, on Boston Records, James Yannatos’ Variations for Solo Contrabass, on Albany Records, and Concerti for Double Bass, on GM Recordings, which includes bass concerti by Gunther Schuller and Theodore Antoniou. Concerti for Contrabass also includes his highly praised performance of Tom Johnson’s Failing , which was recorded live at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater. Edwin Barker’s latest solo offering on CD is a recently released performance of James Yannatos’ Concerto for Contrabass with Collage.

We’re continuing our chat with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Check out the first segment of this conversation on episode 55 of the program. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo. John, Owen, and I chat about Owen’s experiences recording his solo CD, key selection for the Bach Suites and his use of solo tuning for the recording, his performances of the less popular but extremely engaging Bottesini Concerto No. 1, performing the Tubin Concerto with orchestra, the Harbison Bass Concerto project (which Owen performed with the Cincinnati Symphony), and his practicing habits and exercises. We also feature the first movement from the Cello Suite No. 5 by Johann Sebastian Bach from Owen’s Boston Records CD, plus listener feedback, bass news, and a link of the week. Find Owen Lee on Twitter here. Enjoy!   About Owen: Described as “a true virtuoso” by legendary pianist Gary Graffman and praised by The New York Times for his “deft and virtuosic solo performance” at his New York debut at Alice Tully Hall, double bassist Owen Lee has earned acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician and since 1996, at the age of 26, as Principal Bass of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lee is heard regularly as a soloist with orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Paavo Järvi and Jesús López-Cobos, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under John Harbison, and the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson-Thomas in Miami and on tour to New York’s Lincoln Center. During the 2006-07 season, Mr. Lee and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, along with a consortium of other soloists and orchestras, will present the world premiere of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra. Mr. Lee’s prizes in competitions include First Prize at the 1995 International Society of Bassists Competition and Fourth Prize at the 1992 Irving M. Klein International String Competition in San Francisco. He has been presented in recitals throughout the United States, and in Geneva. For the Boston Records label, he has recorded the Misek Sonata No. 2 and Bach Unaccompanied Suites No. 3 and No. 5. American Record Guide praised this disc for its “tasteful phrasing, polish and verve” while The Strad wrote “Owen Lee is a fine player with strong musical ideas. A dark and austere sound is produced for Suite No. 5 and the architecture of each suite is carefully considered and shaped. I look forward to his next recording.” Mr. Lee’s extensive international chamber music experience includes three summers as the bassist of the Marlboro Festival. While there, he performed extensively with such artists as Richard Stoltzman, Midori, Nobuko Imai, Bruno Canino, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and members of the Beaux Arts Trio, Guarneri Quartet and Juilliard Quartet. He also collaborated with composers Gyorgy Kurtag, Leon Kirchner and Richard Danielpour preparing performances of those composers’ works. Mr. Lee has also performed with the Tokyo String Quartet on tour to Mexico, John Browning, Anne-Marie McDermott, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley, Eugenia Zukerman, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival, Ojai California Festival, Chamber Music L.A. Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Texas Music Festival, and on tour throughout China. With the Rossetti String Quartet he performed the world premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Concertino at the 2005 Bravo! Vail Festival. Mr. Lee was born in Berkeley, California in 1969 to Chinese parents. He began playing bass at age 15 after previous study of the piano. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Mr. Lee’s principal teachers were Dennis Trembly, Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison. Prior to his appointment in Cincinnati, Mr. Lee was a member of the Houston Symphony under Christoph Eschenbach. In addition to his position with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Lee serves as Principal Bass of the Shanghai Festival Orchestra. Owen is married to CiCi Lee. He enjoys bicycling, snowboarding, cigars, auto repair and playing drums and writing songs with his rock band Toe (Eric Bates, CSO 2nd Assistant Concertmaster is Toe’s guitarist and lead singer, and Ted Nelson, CSO cellist is Toe’s bassist).  

We’re speaking with Cincinnati Symphony principal bassist Owen Lee today on Contrabass Conversations. Owen played for the New World Symphony and the Houston Symphony prior to his appointment with the Cincinnati Symphony, and it was a real pleasure to do this interview along with Contrabass Conversations regular collaborator John Grillo. Find Owen Lee on Twitter here. Enjoy!  About Owen: Described as “a true virtuoso” by legendary pianist Gary Graffman and praised by The New York Times for his “deft and virtuosic solo performance” at his New York debut at Alice Tully Hall, double bassist Owen Lee has earned acclaim as a soloist, chamber musician and since 1996, at the age of 26, as Principal Bass of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lee is heard regularly as a soloist with orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Paavo Järvi and Jesús López-Cobos, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under John Harbison, and the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson-Thomas in Miami and on tour to New York’s Lincoln Center. During the 2006-07 season, Mr. Lee and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, along with a consortium of other soloists and orchestras, will present the world premiere of John Harbison’s Concerto for Bass Viol and Orchestra. Mr. Lee’s prizes in competitions include First Prize at the 1995 International Society of Bassists Competition and Fourth Prize at the 1992 Irving M. Klein International String Competition in San Francisco. He has been presented in recitals throughout the United States, and in Geneva. For the Boston Records label, he has recorded the Misek Sonata No. 2 and Bach Unaccompanied Suites No. 3 and No. 5. American Record Guide praised this disc for its “tasteful phrasing, polish and verve” while The Strad wrote “Owen Lee is a fine player with strong musical ideas. A dark and austere sound is produced for Suite No. 5 and the architecture of each suite is carefully considered and shaped. I look forward to his next recording.” Mr. Lee’s extensive international chamber music experience includes three summers as the bassist of the Marlboro Festival. While there, he performed extensively with such artists as Richard Stoltzman, Midori, Nobuko Imai, Bruno Canino, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and members of the Beaux Arts Trio, Guarneri Quartet and Juilliard Quartet. He also collaborated with composers Gyorgy Kurtag, Leon Kirchner and Richard Danielpour preparing performances of those composers’ works. Mr. Lee has also performed with the Tokyo String Quartet on tour to Mexico, John Browning, Anne-Marie McDermott, Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom, Peter Wiley, Eugenia Zukerman, the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival, Ojai California Festival, Chamber Music L.A. Festival, Tanglewood Festival, Texas Music Festival, and on tour throughout China. With the Rossetti String Quartet he performed the world premiere of Melinda Wagner’s Concertino at the 2005 Bravo! Vail Festival. Mr. Lee was born in Berkeley, California in 1969 to Chinese parents. He began playing bass at age 15 after previous study of the piano. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Mr. Lee’s principal teachers were Dennis Trembly, Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison. Prior to his appointment in Cincinnati, Mr. Lee was a member of the Houston Symphony under Christoph Eschenbach. In addition to his position with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Lee serves as Principal Bass of the Shanghai Festival Orchestra. Owen is married to CiCi Lee. He enjoys bicycling, snowboarding, cigars, auto repair and playing drums and writing songs with his rock band Toe (Eric Bates, CSO 2nd Assistant Concertmaster is Toe’s guitarist and lead singer, and Ted Nelson, CSO cellist is Toe’s bassist).