Podcast appearances and mentions of richard danielpour

Described by The New York Times as “one of America's finest artists and singers,” Frederica von Stade continues to be extolled as one of the music world's most beloved figures. She has enriched the world of classical music for three decades.  Her career has taken her to the stages of the world's great opera houses and concert halls. She began at the top, when she received a contract from Rudolf Bing during the Metropolitan Opera auditions, and since her debut in 1970 she has sung nearly all of her great roles with the Met.  We talked about her signature role, Mozart's Cherubino, her love of Broadway, her respect for Placido Domingo and their Merry Widow performances, and her recent recording, with Thomas Hampson, Richard Danielpour's Elegies, a tribute to her father whom she never met.

Synopsis In the early years of the 20th century, a hauntingly beautiful piece of Grecian sculpture – a bust of the head of the goddess Aphrodite – was donated to the Boston Museum of Fine Art. There it inspired this orchestral work by Boston composer George Whitefield Chadwick. Chadwick's symphonic tone poem Aphrodite was, in the words of the composer, “an attempt to suggest in music the poetic and tragic scenes which may have passed before the sightless eyes of such a goddess.” Chadwick composed this music during East Coast holidays on Martha's Vineyard, inspired, he said, by the play of light and wind on the sea before him. It received its premiere at the Norfolk Festival in Connecticut on this date in 1912. On today's date in 1999, at a summer musical festival on the opposite coast of America, another musical work inspired by ancient Greece received its first performance. This music was entitled Five Images after Sappho, inspired by texts of the ancient Greek poetess Sappho and written for the remarkable voice of a modern American soprano, Dawn Upshaw. It was premiered at the Ojai Festival in California, and was written by the Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. Music Played in Today's Program George Whitefield Chadwick (1854 - 1931) Aphrodite Brno State Philharmonic; Jose Serebrier, conductor. Reference 74 Esa-Pekka Salonen (b. 1958) Five Images after Sappho Dawn Upshaw, soprano; London Sinfonietta; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor. Sony 89158 On This Day Births 1770 - possible birthdate of the British-born early American composer, conductor, and music publisher James Hewitt, in Dartmoor; 1932 - American composer and jazz arranger Oliver Nelson, in St. Louis; Deaths 1872 - Polish opera composer Stanislaw Moniuszko, age 53, in Warsaw; 1907 - Norwegian composer Agathe Backer-Groendahl, age 59, in Kristiania (now Oslo); 1951 - Russian-born American double-bass player, conductor and new music patron, Serge Koussevitzky, age 76, in Boston; Premieres 1811 - Weber: opera, "Abu Hassan." In Munich; 1883 - Tchaikovsky: "Festival Coronation March," in Moscow (Julian date: May 23); Tchaikovsky conducted this march at the gala opening concert of Carnegie Hall (then called just "The Music Hall")in New York on May 5, 1891; 1912 - Chadwick: tone poem "Aphrodite" in Norfolk, Conn., at the Litchfield Festival; 1914 - Sibelius: "Oceanides," in Norfolk, Conn., at the Litchfield Festival, with the composer conducting; 1935 - Shostakovich: ballet "The Limpid Stream," in Leningrad at the Maliiy Opera Theater; 1935 - R. Strauss: opera "Die schweigsame Frau" (The Silent Woman), in Dresden at the Staatsoper; 1994 - Philip Glass: opera "La Belle et la Bête" (Beauty and the Beast) based on the film by Jean Cocteau), by the Philip Glass Ensemble at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville (Spain), with Michael Riesman conducting; 1997 - Richard Danielpour: ballet "Urban Dances," at New York State Theater by the New York Ballet, choreographed by Miriam Mahdaviani; 1999 - Esa-Pekka Salonen: "Five Images after Sappho" for voice and orchestra, at the Ojai Festival in California, with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, conducted by the composer. Links and Resources On Chadwick On Salonen

Anthony McGill/Pacifica Quartet — American Stories (Cedille) Jump to giveaway form New Classical Tracks - Pacifica Quartet with Anthony McGill by “I don't remember the first time I played or performed the Mozart Clarinet Quintet. There's something about the first journeys into works that are especially memorable for me,” said clarinetist Anthony McGill when talking about how he and the Pacifica Quartet formed powerful memories as they learned and grew into the music featured on their new release, American Stories.  Can you talk about what we hear in James Lee III's Quintet? “I've been thinking a lot about this because of my entire life as a Black musician. Lee's piece interests me, particularly with his discussion about his inspiration from pictures of Native Americans or indigenous peoples, but also a blending of Black Americans who can trace their roots to indigenous populations in America.” Can you talk about the story behind Richard Danielpour's Four Angels? “The thematic material is based on the Black American struggle and civil rights movement, which he has been a champion of through his musical voice for many years. This particular piece, which was dedicated to the four girls who were killed in the Birmingham bombing in 1963, is a dedication to the lives that have been lost for freedom in this country. “Recording it with the Pacifica Quartet worked perfectly. This concept of identity represents Danielpour. He always tells his story. We have individual stories of growing up. He grew up in Florida as a Persian American, but it always started in the civil rights movement. It's about how you can feel the plight of other people and be a part of a movement in that way and then use your voice as a composer or creator to share the voices and the stories of others.” How about Ben Shirley's High Sierra Sonata? Pacifica Quartet violist Mark Holloway: “It starts with this external sound, which is our breathing, waking up and starting the day. To start the recording, we had to breathe. McGill put some air through his instrument, and we were stretching to have a human side to the way the music opens peacefully and calmly. You can imagine the High Sierras. It's evocative music that marches to the beat of its own drum. He doesn't write music the way everyone else does, which is the mark of a very good composer.” McGill: “It's great to be on here with Halloway because we've never performed these pieces before, but we also haven't had long conversations. What Halloway says reminds me of my parents and family's visual art background. It reminds me of music that is similar to a collage. There are different pieces from different parts of one's artist's life within the work.” Watch now To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Giveaway Time For Three New Classical Tracks Giveaway You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy. This giveaway is subject to the Official Giveaway Rules. Resources Anthony McGill/Pacifica Quartet — American Stories (Cedille store) Anthony McGill/Pacifica Quartet — American Stories (Amazon) Pacifica Quartet (official site)

Synopsis On today's date in 1913, composer Frederick Delius was in Leipzig for the first performances of two orchestral pieces destined to become among his most popular works. These were “On hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring” and “Summer Night on the River,” premiered by the world-famous Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, led by one of the most charismatic conductors of that time, the legendary Artur Nikisch. In a letter to his wife, Delius reported that the orchestra was “splendid” — as for Nikisch, Delius had this to say: “He played the first piece MUCH too slow, but very expressively. The second piece he played most beautifully — perfect!” Eighty-four years later, on October 23, 1997, another atmospheric orchestra work received its first performance when conductor Zdenek Macal led the New Jersey Symphony in “Celestial Night,” a work by the American composer Richard Danielpour., who wrote: “Part of the inspiration for Celestial Night came to me while star-gazing in New Hampshire and reflecting on the contrast inherent in my life: between summers in rural places where all the driven, frenetic life that I lead in New York City is temporarily suspended and I have a period of peace… [and] the possibility of personal transformation … of discovering something beyond one's own immediate environment or experience in order to grow.” Music Played in Today's Program Frederick Delius (1862-1934) Summer Night on the River BBC Symphony; Andrew Davis, conductor. Teldec 90845 Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) Celestial Night Philharmonia Orchestra; Zdenek Macal, conductor. Sony 60779

Synopsis Franz Liszt, the inventor of the "symphonic poem," wrote 13 of them. The second, "Tasso," had its first performance on today's date in 1849. The occasion was a festival celebrating the 100th birthday of the great German national poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the author of "Faust." The festival was in Weimar, Germany, the city where Goethe died and was buried in 1832. Liszt's "Tasso" was written to serve as the overture to Goethe's drama about the Italian poet "Torquato Tasso," and its premiere performance was conducted by its composer. The main theme of the work is said to be a tune Liszt claimed he heard sung by an Italian gondolier in Venice. One of the more surprising tributes to Goethe occurred not in Germany, but in scenic Aspen, Colorado, when the Aspen Music Festival was founded in Goethe's honor in 1949 – on the 200th anniversary of his birth. The Aspen Music Festival has grown over the years and today draws some 30,000 visitors annually. One of the original founders of the Festival was French composer Darius Milhaud, who taught at the Aspen Music School for many years. This music is from Milhaud's "Aspen Serenade," written in 1957. More recently, during conductor David Zinman years as the Festival's Music Director, many contemporary American composers, including John Corigliano, Richard Danielpour, Christopher Rouse, and Augusta Read Thomas, have had their works performed – and occasionally premiered – in Aspen. Music Played in Today's Program Franz Liszt (1811-1886) –Tasso (Orchestre de Paris; Sir Georg Solti, cond.) London 417 513 Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) –Aspen Serenade, Op 361 (Stuttgart Radio Symphony; Gilbert Varga, cond.) CPO 999114

World-renowned guitarist Sharon Isbin takes us on a personal tour of her two latest albums: Affinity and Strings for Peace. Affinity is loaded with works written for Isbin, including the title track – a new guitar concerto by Chris Brubeck which contains a musical nod to his late father, legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck (whose centenary is in 2020). Also on that disc: works that span the global palette from Tan Dun, Leo Brouwer, Antonio Lauro, and Richard Danielpour (whose song settings of Rumi poems also feature the wonderful mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard). Sharon also introduces us to Strings for Peace, her collaboration with Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan that presents four Ragas masterfully arranged for Sharon with sarods and tabla, thus drawing compelling connections between Western and Indian classical music. Social Media Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonIsbin Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonIsbin YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SharonIsbin Photo credit: J. Henry Fair

The pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins us for a conversation about her second album recorded at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic by Richard Danielpour. A 15-movement cycle of character shorts inspired by the heroes of the pandemic (Doctors and Interns, Teachers and Students, Rabbis and Ministers - to name but a few), An American Mosaic was written for Simone after the composer's own experience as an asthmatic at risk from Covid-19. To help alleviate his anxiety during this time, Danielpour listened to Simone's recording of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which not only inspired the work as a whole, but also his three Bach transcriptions which also appear on the disc.

"Do not reach for the music. Do not try to will the music into being. Surrender yourself. Become empty and allow yourself to receive what feels true." Composer Richard Danielpour joins us for an in-depth conversation about his collection of musical portraits, An American Mosaic. Written for the pianist Simone Dinnerstein (who also talks about it here), An American Mosaic paints compelling pictures of the many heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic (as well as a couple villains).

On today's episode on Piano Explored, I have a conversation with Dr. Daniel Paul Horn who is professor and Chair of Keyboard Studies at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music. I have been a long-time admirer of Daniel's career and teaching. We speak of our connection through Dr. Samuel Hsu, my undergraduate teacher, who Daniel met in 1980.  The conversation opens with our shared joy in learning the piano music of Richard Danielpour. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. An active and versatile pianist, Daniel Paul Horn is Professor of Piano and Chair of Keyboard Studies at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where he was honored with a 2009 Senior Academic Achievement Award for sustained excellence in scholarship. As solo recitalist, he has appeared at colleges and universities throughout North America, at the American Liszt Society Festival, and in live broadcasts over WFMT-FM, on its Pianoforte Foundation Fazioli Salon Series and its 2010 Beethoven Piano Sonata series. As concerto soloist, he has performed with various Midwestern orchestras, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; in 2015, he made his European orchestral debut with the Sarajevo Philharmonic, performing Lumen by Wheaton alumnus Jacob Bancks. An avid chamber musician, he regularly collaborates with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. With the MasterWorks Ensemble, he has played in Bermuda and at the 2010 Beijing Modern Music Festival; in addition, he has performed with the Ying String Quartet, the Rembrandt Chamber Players, cellists Leonardo Altino and Stephen Balderston;  pianists Alexander Djordjevic and Caroline Hong; and Guarneri Quartet violinist John Dalley. He also works with noted singers. Working with contemporary composers, he has premiered music by George Arasimowicz, Jacob Bancks, Delvyn Case, David M. Gordon, Neal Harnly, Patrick Kavanaugh, Daniel Kellogg, and Max Raimi. During the 2020-2021 season, he will give the world premiere of Seven Mysteries for solo piano, composed for him by Richard Danielpour through a commission made possible by a generous gift to Wheaton College. As an early keyboardist, he was harpsichordist in performances of Handel's Messiah under the baton of John Nelson, and has twice performed on the Historical Piano Concert series at the Frederick Collection in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. In 1997, he recorded the critically praised disc “Wanderings” for Titanic Records on an 1829 Graf fortepiano, and in 2010 released Sehnsucht: Music of Robert Schumann; he also recorded for the Centaur label with CSO cellist Donald Moline, for the Canadian Music Centre with soprano Carolyn Hart, and for the Innova label with flutist Jennie Oh Brown. A Detroit native, Horn studied at Peabody with Walter Hautzig, and at Juilliard, where he studied with Martin Canin and Felix Galimir, and earned his doctorate. He has also coached with Jerome Lowenthal, Ann Schein, Joseph Bloch, Roy Howat, and Menahem Pressler, for whom he twice served as guest assistant at Indiana University. In addition to his duties at Wheaton, he has been a faculty artist at the Sewanee, Adamant, Blue Mountain, and MasterWorks summer festivals, and has served on the jury of the Chicago International Music Competition.

Synopsis Now, it may be a hotly-contested statement that New York is the cultural capital of the United States, but few would deny that city's important role in so much of our musical history. In 1992, to celebrate its 150th anniversary, the New York Philharmonic commissioned many new works by leading composers and spread out their celebratory premieres over several years. On today's date in 1996, Leonard Slatkin conducted one of these: an orchestral tribute to New York written by a native son – a work by Richard Danielpour titled “Toward the Splendid City.” While intended as sonic portrait of his hometown, it was written entirely outside of the city. As he himself explained: “[It's] is one of the very few works I've written completely away from New York – work on the piece began in Seattle and was completed in Taos, New Mexico – and, to an extent, it expresses the nostalgia I felt for the city. It became my sonic postcard of the town. One passage, a sound-painting with string harmonics, celesta, harp, vibes, and bells, was inspired by my memory of floating above New York at night on a plane and seeing the lights of the city in the mist...” Music Played in Today's Program Richard Danielpour (b. 1956) — Toward the Splendid City (Philharmonia Orchestra; Zdenek Macal, cond.) Sony 60779

Synopsis On today's date in 1903, violinist and conductor Harry West led the very first performance by the Seattle Symphony. At that time, the orchestra comprised just 24 players. For their first program, the aptly named Maestro “West” conducted Schubert and Rossini, two long-dead classical masters, and also programmed works by three living composers: Max Bruch, Jules Massenet, and Pablo Sarasate. More recently, under music director Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony earned worldwide attention with its recordings of both classical and contemporary works, including critically acclaimed recordings of symphonic works by modern American masters like Howard Hanson, David Diamond, and Alan Hovhaness, as well as newer pieces by a younger generation of American composers including Richard Danielpour and Stephen Albert.That tradition continued under Gerard Schwarz's successor Ludovic Morlot, who took particular interest in fostering music from Seattle composers, including composers within the orchestra itself. And the Seattle Symphony commissioned and premiered a work by the American composer John Luther Adams entitled “Become Ocean,” which went on to win the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music and the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Music Played in Today's Program Max Bruch (1838–1920) — Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 44 (Nai-Yuan Hu, violin; Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, cond.) Delos 3156 John Luther Adams (b. 1953) – Become Ocean (Seattle Symphony; Ludovic Morlot, cond.) Cantaloupe 21161

A special week-long series of programs on RevTen Radio: The O Antiphons.   In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. Jehnean Washington will read her poem “Living History." The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will perform Homeward, an original work by the Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who composed this piece specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit that sponsors RevTen Radio. The program will then conclude with “Me and Edna St. Vincent Millay,” a song written and performed by Will Stenberg.   RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Ra...   If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

A special week-long series of programs on RevTen Radio: The O Antiphons. In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. Shilpa Thapliyal will read her poem, “A Hymn of Hope," and then the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will close the program with a performance of Homeward, an original work by the Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who composed this piece specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit that sponsors RevTen Radio. RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Ra... If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

Welcome to RevTen Radio's special week-long presentation of the O Antiphons. You'll hear the antiphon of the day spoken and sung by the great Lucy Yates and Mattia Venni. Next, Liz and Steve Kramp will read selections from their poetry. You'll hear Liz first, with “Heal, Most Basic Wound,” then Steve will read “Caput Mortuum.” The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will perform Homeward, an original work by the Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who composed this piece specifically for Revolution of Tenderness. The program will conclude with Love in My Heart, a song written and performed by Will Stenberg. RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Radio-a24074   If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

A special week-long series of programs on RevTen Radio: The O Antiphons. In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. From Italy, Mariadonata Villa, author of Verso Fogland, will read “Flight and Returns.” The program will conclude with a performance of Homeward, an original work by the Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who composed this piece specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit that sponsors RevTen Radio. Homeward is performed by the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic. RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Radio-a24074 If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

A special week-long series of programs on RevTen Radio: The O Antiphons. In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. Anne Lee Tzu Pheng will read an original poem, "The Home of My Childhood," and then the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will perform "Homeward" by Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who created this work specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit behind RevTen Radio and the annual Festival of Friendship. The program will conclude with "I Seek Your Approval," written and performed by Will Stenberg. RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Radio-a24074 If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit: https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/  

The first of a special week-long series of programs on RevTen Radio: The O Antiphons. In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. Lucy will read an original poem, "Points of Entry," followed by the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic performing "Homeward" by Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who created this work specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit behind RevTen Radio and the annual Festival of Friendship. The program will conclude with a song written and performed by Will Stenberg.   RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Radio-a24074   If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

In this program, you'll hear the day's antiphon spoken in English by Lucy Yates and in Italian by Mattia Venni. Then Mattia will sing the antiphon in Latin, accompanied by Lucy Yates singing the Magnificat, also in Latin. Andrew Calis will read an original poem, "Can You Hear Him at the Start?" followed by the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic performing "Homeward" by Grammy-nominated American composer Richard Danielpour, who created this work specifically for Revolution of Tenderness, the nonprofit behind RevTen Radio and the annual Festival of Friendship. RevTen Radio streams 24 hours a day: https://live365.com/station/RevTen-Radio-a24074 If you would like to support the work of Revolution of Tenderness, please visit https://www.revolutionoftenderness.net/

Middlebury's Mahaney Arts Center hosted the New England premiere of an exciting new work by Richard Danielpour, commissioned by Music From Copland House. Performed by mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the Music From Copland House ensemble, the work is a setting of poetry by U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Rita Dove.

durée : 01:00:08 - En pistes, contemporains ! du dimanche 19 septembre 2021 - par : Emilie Munera - Au menu de ce dimanche : Enno Poppe à la une mais aussi Richard Danielpour interprété par Simone Dinnerstein, Fabien Touchard et Sarah Jane Sauvegrain et pour finir Patrick Ozzard-Low et sa sonate pour piano jouée par Andrew Zolinsky. - réalisé par : Claire Lagarde

Award-winning American musician Richard Danielpour is a prolific composer, and many of his high-profile works have embraced timely, topical and historic subjects. In early 2020, Danielpour was deeply troubled by COVID-19. Suffering from insomnia and anxiety, he found solace in pianist Simone Dinnerstein's Bach recordings. As he witnessed extraordinary heroism by so many people across the country, Danielpour wanted to honor them. It seemed only natural to write something for solo piano, and to ask Simone Dinnerstein to give the premiere of his composition, An American Mosaic. Richard Danielpour spoke with Suzanne about his new work, Bach, Simone Dinnerstein, and more.

Award-winning American musician Richard Danielpour is a prolific composer, and many of his high-profile works have embraced timely, topical and historic subjects. In early 2020, Danielpour was deeply troubled by COVID-19. Suffering from insomnia and anxiety, he found solace in pianist Simone Dinnerstein's Bach recordings. As he witnessed extraordinary heroism by so many people across the country, Danielpour wanted to honor them. It seemed only natural to write something for solo piano, and to ask Simone Dinnerstein to give the premiere of his composition, An American Mosaic. Richard Danielpour spoke with Suzanne about his new work, Bach, Simone Dinnerstein, and more.

"Do not reach for the music. Do not try to will the music into being. Surrender yourself. Become empty and allow yourself to receive what feels true." Composer Richard Danielpour joins us for an in-depth conversation about his collection of musical portraits, An American Mosaic. Written for the pianist Simone Dinnerstein (who also talks about it here), An American Mosaic paints compelling pictures of the many heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic (as well as a couple villains).

"Do not reach for the music. Do not try to will the music into being. Surrender yourself. Become empty and allow yourself to receive what feels true." Composer Richard Danielpour joins us for an in-depth conversation about his collection of musical portraits, An American Mosaic. Written for the pianist Simone Dinnerstein (who also talks about it here), An American Mosaic paints compelling pictures of the many heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic (as well as a couple villains).

John's latest conversation with American pianist Simone Dinnerstein on her second recording made at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic. The title is for the multi-movement piece written for her by Richard Danielpour who, finding himself isolated during lockdown, found solace in Ms. Dinnerstein's recordings. Each movement is a portrait of groups of people who responded to the pandemic, both in helpful and obstructive ways. An American Mosaic was commissioned by the Oregon Bach Festival and debuted (online, understandably), by Dinnerstein, and is now available on disc. John's recorded chat with Simone sheds more light on this timely, moving and very personal

Richard Danielpour talks about his long association with Pittsburgh and the recording of his Concerto for Orchestra with the Pittsbugh Symphony and David Zinman, his newest cd "An American Mosaic" with Simone Dinnerstein and the 2021 Grammy winning Passion of Yeshua with the Buffalo Philharmonic and Joann Faletta.

The pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins us for a conversation about her second album recorded at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic by Richard Danielpour. A 15-movement cycle of character shorts inspired by the heroes of the pandemic (Doctors and Interns, Teachers and Students, Rabbis and Ministers - to name but a few), An American Mosaic was written for Simone after the composer's own experience as an asthmatic at risk from Covid-19. To help alleviate his anxiety during this time, Danielpour listened to Simone's recording of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which not only inspired the work as a whole, but also his three Bach transcriptions which also appear on the disc.

The pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins us for a conversation about her second album recorded at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic by Richard Danielpour. A 15-movement cycle of character shorts inspired by the heroes of the pandemic (Doctors and Interns, Teachers and Students, Rabbis and Ministers - to name but a few), An American Mosaic was written for Simone after the composer's own experience as an asthmatic at risk from Covid-19. To help alleviate his anxiety during this time, Danielpour listened to Simone's recording of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which not only inspired the work as a whole, but also his three Bach transcriptions which also appear on the disc.

The first episode of Season 3 (and 2021) features an interview with composer Richard Danielpour.Richard has had a productive lockdown, composing prolifically and working hard on a new opera, which he hopes to finish in 2021. This interview focuses particularly on 'The Passion of Yeshua', which is a stunning oratorio. The recording has been nominated for three Grammys - Best engineered album - classical; Best choral performance; and Best contemporary classical composition.To find out more about Richard, click here.Richard mentioned some videos, which are available on YouTube hereSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HWpodcast)

At just 19 years old, Grammy award winning Iranian American Jewish-Christian composer Richard Danielpour had a strange mystical experience that left him awed and shaken, but with new clarity in his faith and life's purpose as a composer. His powerful and deeply spiritual music made him one of the most beloved and recorded composers of his generation, yet he still struggled to complete the spiritual quest assigned to him during that epiphany those many years ago--to tell the story of the last hours of Jesus of Nazareth from the perspective of his Middle Eastern Jewish followers--not that of his later European interpreters.  After more than 25 years of internal struggle, Danielpour's magnum opus, The Passion of Yeshua, an oratorio written in both Hebrew and English, had its premier in 2018. On this episode of CS, Richard Danielpour joins Tarik and Anna to tell his story and share some of his favorite moments from the new Naxos recording of this monumental work, released in March 2020. Special thanks to Naxos Records and Bill Holab and Lean Kat Music (BMI) for allowing us to play this recording.https://www.naxos.com/feature/Danielpour-The-Passion-of-Yeshua.aspDanielpour, The Passion of YeshuaCopyright © 2017 by Lean Kat Music (BMI). All Rights Reserved.Sole Agent: Bill Holab Music.

She started singing as a 5-year-old girl at Mt Calvary Baptist Church in Indianapolis, where her grandfather was the minister. Soprano Angela Brown, 56, went on to become an international opera star, performing everywhere from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City - where she made a sensational debut in 2004 - to prestigious venues in Paris, London and Shanghai. She has sung the national anthem at the Lincoln Memorial In Washington D.C. and at games of the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers in her hometown. Angela, a 1982 graduate of Attucks High School who later studied at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, has been blazing trails, including some beyond the music world. She recently founded Freddie Mae's Daughter, a company offering such products as "handcrafted jewelry, masks and other Afrocentric accessories." The business is named for Angela's late mother, Freddie Mae Brown, an Indianapolis artist and nurse. Angela also is converting her one-woman show, Opera from a Sistah's Point of View, into a virtual program for opera companies across the country; the show includes Angela's re-telling of opera plots from a Black perspective. Angela will discuss these endeavors - and others, including a new podcast with Classical Music Indy that she co-hosts, Melanated Moments in Classical Music - when she is Nelson's guest. The podcast showcases music composed by, for or about Black people, with commentary from Angela and her co-host, sociologist Joshua Thompson. She also will discuss her roots in Indianapolis, where Angela still owns a house. In her hometown, she has given master classes at Indianapolis Opera. Also in Indiana, she has created Morning Brown, Inc., a non-profit foundation with a mission that involves, according to its website, "bridging the gap between accessible, live-music programs and underserved individuals, schools and communities." Angela, who has been acclaimed for her singing of spirituals as well as opera, grew up near Broadway and 30th Streets. According to a profile of her in 19 Stars of Indiana: Exceptional Hoosier Women (IU Press, 2009), her father, Clyde Brown, was an autoworker at a Chrysler plant for more than 40 years. Like Freddie Mae Brown, he died in 2008. At Attucks, Angela became active in the vocal music program. Her mentor was choir director Robert Fleck; Angela has told interviewers that "his encouragement made a lasting impression." Hoosier History Live explored the music program during an Attucks High School history show in 2014, which cited Angela Brown as among the distinguished alums. Her debut at the Met - which resulted in national media coverage from the New York Times, CNN and Oprah magazine, among others - was in Aida, an opera by Verdi. She portrayed the title role of an Ethiopian princess who briefly enjoys happiness before tragedy ensues. "The opera ended amid cries of 'Brava!' and an immediate and extended standing ovation," according to 19 Stars. "Adoring fans rushed down the aisles proffering bouquets and throwing flowers onto the stage." Since her triumph at the Met, Angela has collaborated with American composer Richard Danielpour on several projects. He set the poetry of Maya Angelou for Angela's voice in an orchestral song cycle titled "A Woman's Life." She has performed the piece with symphony orchestras in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Nashville, Tenn. In 2011, Angela married Anselme Blaise Argelier, a French dancer. Their wedding was in Paris, where the couple had met several years earlier when both were performing in an opera. In recent years, Argelier has retired from dancing; as a result, the couple has been able to spend more time at their home in Indianapolis. With the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Angela has performed at yuletide pops concerts; she also has been a soloist with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra. Her honors include induction into the Indianapolis Public Schools Hall of Fame.

    Welcome to the very first minisode in our  Black from the Past™ series.  Black from the Past™ is our contribution to preserving and normalizing Black history. Here's where we shine a light on Black women who are often forgotten,  but have most certainly made an impact on the Black female culture. Today's spotlight is shinning bright on Margaret Garner, who in one heart wrenching moment slit the throat of her 2-year-old daughter rather than return her to slavery. Tune in to hear an account of Margaret Garner's desperate act of love. Here are few things to ponder while listening: How far back the dehumanization of Black people date The depths that a parent will go to ensure her child is out of harm’s way The Psychological and emotional effects that Slavery had on Black people Slavery being a worse fate than death Not only have artists and poets honored Margaret Garner with their paintbrushes and proses, her story was the inspiration behind Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, (also available as an audio book) paper back the movie Beloved  starring Oprah Winfrey, Kimberly Elise, and Thandie  Newton, and it later inspired the 2005 opera, Margaret Garner composed by Richard Danielpour. Although indirectly,  Margaret Garner has made significant contributions to the Black female experience. So today we shine a light on her, we celebrate her and we honor her.   Below are a few links where you can read more about her story. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/margaret-garner-incident-1856/ https://www.npr.org/2010/11/17/131395936/a-mother-s-desperate-act-margaret-garner https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2F7K_Stampede_of_Slaves_The_Margaret_Garner_Family_Tragedy_Near_Covington_KY https://mrroukisela.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/commonlit_margaret-garner-defying-the-fugitive-slave-act_student.pdf Do you have a family member or know of someone you would like to see us shine a light on?  Send us an email at hi@shadesofstrong.com with the subject line Black from the Past suggestion or hop over to our website at shadesofstrong.com and leave us a voice message and we'll do our best to make it happen.  

World-renowned guitarist Sharon Isbin takes us on a personal tour of her two latest albums: Affinity and Strings for Peace. Affinity is loaded with works written for Isbin, including the title track – a new guitar concerto by Chris Brubeck which contains a musical nod to his late father, legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck (whose centenary is in 2020). Also on that disc: works that span the global palette from Tan Dun, Leo Brouwer, Antonio Lauro, and Richard Danielpour (whose song settings of Rumi poems also feature the wonderful mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard). Sharon also introduces us to Strings for Peace, her collaboration with Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan that presents four Ragas masterfully arranged for Sharon with sarods and tabla, thus drawing compelling connections between Western and Indian classical music. Social Media Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonIsbinTwitter: https://twitter.com/SharonIsbinYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SharonIsbin Photo credit: J. Henry Fair

World-renowned guitarist Sharon Isbin takes us on a personal tour of her two latest albums: Affinity and Strings for Peace. Affinity is loaded with works written for Isbin, including the title track – a new guitar concerto by Chris Brubeck which contains a musical nod to his late father, legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck (whose centenary is in 2020). Also on that disc: works that span the global palette from Tan Dun, Leo Brouwer, Antonio Lauro, and Richard Danielpour (whose song settings of Rumi poems also feature the wonderful mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard). Sharon also introduces us to Strings for Peace, her collaboration with Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan that presents four Ragas masterfully arranged for Sharon with sarods and tabla, thus drawing compelling connections between Western and Indian classical music. Social Media Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonIsbin Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonIsbin YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SharonIsbin Photo credit: J. Henry Fair

Gramophone Editor Martin Cullingford is joined by guitarist Sharon Isbin to discuss her two new albums, both out today on Zoho. The first, Affinity, features four world premiere recordings by Chris Brubeck, Leo Brouwer, Tan dun, and Richard Danielpour. The second, Strings for Peace, offers a journey through the ragas and talas of North Indian classical music.

On this episode of Melanated Moments, Angela gives us an inside look at the making of a masterpiece. She tells us how composer Richard Danielpour worked with literary legend Maya Angelou to set a number of poems for the iconic song cycle, A Woman’s Life. Angela tell us of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in Miss Angelou’s own home; a performance which moved her to tears.Support the show (https://classicalmusicindy.org/support-classical-music-indy/)

Raymond Bisha introduces Richard Danielpour’s oratorio The Passion of Yeshua, a 105-minute work for large chorus, six soloists and orchestra that takes the listener back to Jesus’ final day on earth, removing as much as possible the accretions of history since that moment in an attempt to provide a fuller understanding of the connection of Jesus of Nazareth to the Jewish tradition. It does this through both the Hebrew and English languages. Danielpour’s gift for vocal writing and astonishing orchestral colour makes this a highly significant work in the enduring oratorio tradition, described as “a classic for all time” by conductor JoAnn Falletta.

"I have had mentors as well as tormentors," says Marcus Paus, the Norwegian composer, whose admiration for the craft of classical music has led to his work being frequently attacked by dogmatic modernists — among them a self-appointed nemesis, known as "the teacher who was not to be." Paus' response is to declare that he is not an ideological composer, but simply a musician who recognizes the necessity of seeing the past as a self-evident source of knowledge. In his conversation with Jan-Ove Tuv, he also talks about his education in Oslo with Trygve Madsen and in New York with Richard Danielpour, his work with film music and highlights from his own works, such as "Love's Last Rites" from his album "Odes & Elegies". Can you learn something across disciplines? By the end of their conversation, Tuv and Paus also discuss the value of Paus' friendship with painters and poets such as Christopher Rådlund and Håkan Sandell. The Centerpiece for this conversation is "Stetind" by Christopher Rådlund The episode was produced by Bork S. Nerdrum, assisted by Andrew Aviste and Seth Fite.

In this episode, I chat with with Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist with the NY Philharmonic.  We have a great conversation about attention and presence, in both practice and performance. Among other things, we discuss his journey to the NY Phil, the importance of absolutely loving music in choosing it as a career, how to nurture focus and make practice more efficient, and how to work towards having more flow in performance. Anthony elaborates on: His musical path, from the Southside of Chicago to the NY Phil The various institutions he attended – the Merit School, the Interlochen Academy, and the Curtis Institute How important the community that surrounds us is as we develop as musicians/artists/people How to nurture focus: The importance of how loving what you do is in fostering focus The quote that really articulated that concept for him How focus starts from figuring out if you truly love what you do Cultivating quality presence, awareness, and curiosity in the practice room are the keys to solid focus How to make practice efficient How he primes and prepares for a practice session How wanting to practice, having a plan, being aware, and being methodical are at the core of a good practice session How he “tricks” himself to practice (which is similar to the trick I talk about in this blog entry: https://www.mindoverfinger.com/blog/commit-to-ten) How listening to music is important Focus in performance: How to work towards flow and overcome mistakes How important it is to develop our public speaking and self-marketing skills Why we should develop an interest in a hobby outside of music   MORE ABOUT ANTHONY: Website: http://www.anthonymcgill.com/ Find some YouTube videos about Anthony HERE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcgillclarinet/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mcgillab/   Biography Clarinetist Anthony McGill is one of classical music's most recognizable and brilliantly multifaceted figures. He serves as the principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic — that orchestra's first African-American principal player — and maintains a dynamic international solo and chamber music career. Hailed for his “trademark brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character” (The New York Times), as well as for his “exquisite combination of technical refinement and expressive radiance” (The Baltimore Sun), McGill also serves as an ardent advocate for helping music education reach underserved communities and for addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music. McGill was honored to take part in the inauguration of President Barack Obama, premiering a piece written for the occasion by John Williams and performing alongside violinist Itzhak Perlman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Gabriela Montero.   McGill's 2018-19 season includes performances of concertos by Bolcom, Copland, Mozart, and Strauss with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, Vermont Symphony, and Austin Symphonic Band. He will also collaborate together with soprano Miah Persson in a performance of Schubert's “The Shepherd on the Rock” together with Iván Fischer and the New York Philharmonic. Additional performances include a collaboration with the Dover Quartet for the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and a recital with soprano Julia Bullock for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with collaborations with the Brentano Quartet for Princeton University and a tour of Asia with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.   McGill appears regularly as a soloist with top orchestras around North America including the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, Baltimore Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. As a chamber musician, McGill is a favorite collaborator of the Brentano, Daedalus, Guarneri, JACK, Miró, Pacifica, Shanghai, Takacs, and Tokyo Quartets, as well as Emanuel Ax, Inon Barnatan, Gloria Chien, Yefim Bronfman, Gil Shaham, Midori, Mitsuko Uchida, and Lang Lang. He has led tours with Musicians from Marlboro and regularly performs for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Festival appearances include Tanglewood, Marlboro, Mainly Mozart, Music@Menlo, and the Santa Fe, Seattle, and Skaneateles Chamber Music Festivals.   In January 2015, McGill recorded the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto together with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic, which was released on DaCapo Records. He also recorded an album together with his brother Demarre McGill, principal flute of the Seattle Symphony, and pianist Michael McHale; and one featuring the Mozart and Brahms Clarinet Quintet with the Pacifica Quartet that were both released by Cedille Records.   A dedicated champion of new music, in 2014, McGill premiered a new piece written for him by Richard Danielpour entitled “From the Mountaintop” that was commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, and Orchestra 2001. McGill served as the 2015-16 Artist-in-Residence for WQXR and has appeared on Performance Today, MPR's St. Paul Sunday Morning, and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. In 2013, McGill appeared on the NBC Nightly News and on MSNBC, in stories highlighting the McGill brothers' inspirational story.   A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, McGill previously served as the principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera and associate principal clarinet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In-demand as a teacher, he serves on the faculty of the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, Bard College's Conservatory of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music. He also serves as the Artistic Advisor for the Music Advancement Program at the Juilliard School, on the Board of Directors for both the League of American Orchestra and the Harmony Program, and the advisory council for the InterSchool Orchestras of New York.   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/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/   Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/

In Episode 19 of the Time To Be You Podcast, Hila Plitman, Grammy award winning vocalist, teaches her listeners exactly how to tap into their creative flow, citing the importance of just getting the process started and putting work out into the world, “even if you think it’s junk.” Besides her work in opera and contemporary classic music, Hila is an active songwriter, actress and mother of a young teenager. While juggling all these roles can prove difficult, Hila is no stranger to putting in the hard work necessary to fulfill all the roles she pleases. Hila has been working in the music industry since she herself was fourteen, and works smart, outsourcing the tasks she doesn’t gain energy from.   -- Questions asked in this episode: 1. Give us a brief background of yourself and what you do? 2. When writing and singing, how do you tap into your creative side when you are also a mother and so many things? 3. How does tapping into your creativity help run your business? 4. In songwriting I know artist tend to have a lot of self-judgement, how do you come from a place of just creating and not thinking about who will or will not like it? 5. How do you tap into the feelings of your body to create? 6. What would you say to someone that hasn't tapped into their creative energy or buried it for a long time, how do they get it back and nurture it?   --   Bio: Grammy award-winning vocalist Hila Plitmann is a glittering jewel on the international music scene, known worldwide for her astonishing musicianship, light and beautiful voice, and the ability to perform challenging new works. She has worked with many leading conductors, including Leonard Slatkin, Esa- Pekka Salonen, Thomas Adès, Carl St. Clair, Giancarlo Guerrero, Robert Spano and JoAnn Falletta, performing with the likes of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. Hila is also emerging as a unique crossover artist, and her own songs and arrangements can be heard on YouTube and in live concert. She has accumulated an impressive catalogue of varied recordings, including Hans Zimmer's Grammy winning soundtrack for The Da Vinci Code, Eric Whitacre’s Good Night Moon with the LSO, and Oscar winner John Corigliano’s song- cycle Mr Tambourine Man with the Buffalo Symphony (for which she won a best female vocalist Grammy).   Some of her recent discs are Richard Danielpour’s Toward A Season of Peace and Corigliano's Vocalise, both released to critical acclaim on NAXOS. In constant demand as a singer of new and contemporary music, Hila Plitmann has appeared as a soloist in numerous world premieres, including: Pulitzer Prize winner David Del Tredici’s Paul Revere’s Ride with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Frank Zappa’s orchestral staged version of 200 Motels with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the Dallas Opera world premiere of Mark Adamo's Opera Becoming Santa Claus; Richard Danielpour's Darkness in the Ancient Valley with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra; and Yuval Sharon and Annie Gosfield’s War of the Worlds with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and lives with her son and their cat in Los Angeles. www.hilaplitmann.com   -- Follow Laura on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/laura_loveandfit/

Conductor and Composer Jack Stamp shares his story, including his early musical education and the people and experiences that contributed to his remarkable career. Topics: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”: Jack’s education and eclectic musical background including the story about how and why he taught himself to play the piano from popular music lead sheets. How an experience playing the Persichetti Symphony for Band in high school taught Jack to listen beyond his own part as a percussionist and hear what everyone else in the band was doing. Jack’s first teaching job, how that experience taught him about teaching and dealing with students, and what he misses about teaching at the high school level. The story of the Gavorkna Fanfare and how the “Gavorkna Factor” changed Jack’s career. Links: Jack Stamp Stamp: Gavorkna Fanfare “Why Music Matters” Persichetti: Symphony for Band Vaughn Williams: Symphony no. 5, Third Movement Prayers for a Troubled Nation Biography: Dr. Jack Stamp is currently adjunct Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where he teaches conducting. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Stamp served as Director of Band Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for 25 years. In addition, he served as chairperson of the music department for six years. He holds a DMA degree in Wind Conducting from Michigan State University where he studied with Eugene Corporon. Prior to his retirement from IUP, he served as chairman of the Division of Fine Arts at Campbell University in North Carolina. He also taught for several years in the public schools of North Carolina. In addition to these posts, Dr. Stamp served as conductor of the Duke University Wind Symphony (1988-89) and was musical director of the Triangle British Brass Band, leading them to a national brass band championship in 1989. Dr. Stamp's primary composition teachers have been Robert Washburn and Fisher Tull, though he was strongly influenced by his music theory teachers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and East Carolina. Other studies include work with noted American composers David Diamond, Joan Tower and Richard Danielpour. He is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and composer throughout North America and Great Britain. His compositions have been commissioned and performed by leading military and university bands across the United States. He has won the praise of American composers David Diamond, Norman Dello Joio, Ron Nelson, Michael Torke, Samuel Adler, Robert Ward, Robert Washburn, Fisher Tull, Nancy Galbraith and Bruce Yurko for performances of their works. He is also a contributing author to the "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band" series released by GIA Publications. In 1996, he received the Orpheus Award from the Zeta Tau Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha for service to music and was named a "Distinguished Alumnus" of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 1999, he received the "Citation of Excellence" from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. In 2000, he was inducted into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. He was awarded the title of "University Professor" for the 2008-2009 academic year at IUP. This is the highest award the university gives to a professor.  

Welcome to the first Words On New Music for 2018!  Join Paul Muller and I, Jim Goodin, for a live Skype interview of inspired conversation and music with NYC based composer, Julian Bennett Holmes. Julian was born in New York City, in 1991.  After studying with Lowell Liebermann and Richard Danielpour, he currently studies with … Continue reading "From Experimental Rock and Roll Youth to an On-the-Rise composer of orchestral and chamber works, Julian Bennett Holmes"

Three orchestral works by the contemporary American composer Richard Danielpour immerse the listener in both a world of conflict and the richly colourful palette with which the composer depicts his narrative. Songs of Solitude and War Songs respectively present a response to 9/11 and commemorate the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War. The music sets texts by W B Yeats and Walt Whitman that carry an uncanny resonance with our current, troubled times, all beautifully articulated by the celebrated baritone, Thomas Hampson. Toward the Splendid City for orchestra alone expresses Danielpour’s own love-hate relationship with his hometown, New York City.

Mimi Stillman is a world-renowned flutist heralded by the New York Times as “a consummate and charismatic performer.” Stillman is the founder and artistic director of the Dolce Suono Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based chamber group. Also a historian, she brings both interests—history and music—to bear on her latest release, an album called Freedom. Freedom features compositions by Richard Danielpour, David Finko, and the late

In its 15th season, the Virginia Arts Festival welcomes the acclaimed Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio back to Hampton Roads. Their concert will offer music of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Richard Danielpour. The Danielpour piece, titled "Inventions on a Marriage," receives its world premiere at the American Theatre concert. It was written especially for two members of the KLR Trio, cellist Sharon Robinson and violinist Jaime Laredo. Dwight Davis spoke with Mr. Danielpour about the work.

We’re featuring double bassist, composer, and conductor Peter Askim on today’s episode of Contrabass Conversations. A former member of the Honolulu Symphony and an internationally acclaimed composer, Peter currently serves as music director and composer-in-residence for the Idyllwild Arts Academy. His Eight Solitudes for Double Bass won the 2002 International Society of Bassists Composition Competition. Learn more about Peter at his website peteraskim.com. There are some excellent opportunities for high school bassists at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Bassists study with Chris Hanulik (Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal Bass) and Jeremy Kurtz (San Doego Symphony Principal Bass) and recieve a great deal of attention from Peter as well. Learn more about this program atidyllwildarts.org. Enjoy!   About Peter: Active as a composer, conductor and bassist, Peter Askim is the Music Director and Composer-in-Residence of the Idyllwild Arts Academy. He has been a member of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and served on the faculty of the University of Hawaii-Manoa, where he directed the Contemporary Music Ensemble and taught theory and composition. As a composer, he has had commissions and performances from such groups as the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, the Honolulu Symphony, the International Society of Bassists, the Yale Symphony Orchestra, the Idyllwild Arts Orchestra, the Portland Chamber Music Festival, and Serenata Santa Fe, as well as by performers such as flutist/ conductor Ransom Wilson, Metropolitan Opera soprano Lauren Flanigan, Grammy-nominated soprano Judith Kellock and violinist Timothy Fain. His compositions are published by Liben Music Publishers and the International Society of Bassists, and his music is recorded on the Gasparo and Albany labels. His compositions have been performed at the Aspen, Bowdoin, Music At the Anthology, June in Buffalo and Bang On A Can festivals, among others, and have frequently been broadcast on WNYC and Hawaii Public Radio. Mr. Askim won the 2002 International Society of Bassists Composition Competition for Eight Solitudes and is a frequent recitalist for the International Society of Bassists, the Hawaii Contrabass Festival and the World Bass Festival in Wroclaw, Poland. He performed and recorded his bass concerto Islands at the International Society of Bassists convention under the direction of flutist/ conductor Ransom Wilson. As a conductor, Mr. Askim has served as Music Director of the Branford Chamber Orchestra and makes frequent guest conducting appearances, including the Sewanee Philharmonia, the Oregon Festival of American Music, the Wroclaw (Poland) Chamber Orchestra Sotto Voce and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. He has premiered numerous works, including by composers Richard Danielpour and Christopher Theofanidis and has collaborated with such artists as the Miró String Quartet, ‘cellist Matt Haimovitz, violinists Ian Swensen and Todor Pelev and ‘cellist John Walz. He has also received critical praise as a jazz artist in such publications as Jazztimes, the New York Post and New York Newsday. He studied at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna and holds bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees from Yale University, where he graduated with Distinction in Music. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin. He studied composition with Dan Welcher, Donald Grantham, Anthony Davis, Jan Radzynski, Syd Hodkinson and David Finko, and double bass with George Rubino, Diana Gannett, Donald Palma, Wolfgang Harrer and Ludwig Streicher. Music Performed: Islands (double bass concerto) from “Moving, Still” About Moving, Still: Moving, Still – CD New CD features compositions of Peter Askim and such artists as Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center flutist/conductor Ransom Wilson, conductor Naoto Otomo and the Tokyo Symphony, members of Orchestra Asia-Japan, pianist Douglas Aschcraft and Peter Askim as conductor and bassist. Links: http://www.idyllwildarts.org/ http://peteraskim.com

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).