Podcasts about saint paul chamber orchestra

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter, Allen Vizzutti, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. You can also watch this interview on Youtube. About Allen: Equally at home in a multitude of musical idioms, Allen Vizzutti has visited 70 countries, Japan 49 times, and every state in the union to perform with a rainbow of artists and ensembles including Chick Corea, Doc; Severinsen, the NBC Tonight Show Band, the Airmen Of Note, the Army Blues and Army Symphony Orchestra, Chuck Mangione, Woody Herman, Japan's NHK Orchestra and the New Tokyo Philharmonic, the Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Leipzig Wind Symphony, the Slovenian National Orchestra and the Kosei Wind Orchestra. Performing as a classical and a jazz artist, often in the same evening, he has appeared as guest soloist with symphony orchestras in Japan, Germany, St. Louis, Seattle, Rochester N.Y., Dallas, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Phoenix, Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle and Minnesota to name a few. Music lovers in Germany, Poland, England, Sweden, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Australia and the United States have heard his brilliant sound over the airwaves of national television. Allen's status as an artist has led to solo performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Newport Jazz Festival, Banff Center for the Performing Arts, Montreaux Jazz Festival, the Teton, Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge Music Festivals, the Charles Ives Center, Suntory Hall & Opera City Hall in Tokyo and Lincoln Center in New York City. From his home in Seattle Washington, Allen's current career activities embody an impressive schedule of recitals, concerts, recording and composing. His continued commitment to music education and the value of music in everyday life results in an extensive schedule of guest appearances throughout North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia, Asia and New Zealand. Allen's many recordings include “Ritzville” featuring Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke,(available at www. vizzutti.com and on iTunes). Other solo jazz recordings include “Trumpet Summit” and “Skyrocket” from Summit Records. Classical recordings currently available (DeHaske Classical Recordings), are “The Emerald Concerto and Other Gems”, with the Budapest Radio Orchestra, “Vizzutti Plays Vizzutti” and “Vizzutti and Soli On Tour”. His “High Class Brass”, (on iTunes), is a wonderfully unique classical and jazz blend co-produced, co-written and performed with fellow trumpet artist, composer and conductor, Jeff Tyzik along with a 90-piece studio orchestra. (on iTunes) Other outstanding Vizzutti recordings are “Baroque and Beyond”, (CBS/Sony), “The Carnival of Venus”, (Summit Records), and “A Trumpeter's Dream, (Ludwig Music Publishing). As Artist in Residence, Allen has taught at the Eastman School of Music, the University of North Texas, the University of South Carolina, the Banff Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas State University, Ohio State University, West Texas State University, the Skidmore Jazz Institute, and the Trompeten Akademie of Bremen Germany. His extensive treatise, “The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method” and his “New Concepts for Trumpet”, (Alfred Music Publishing), have become standards works for trumpet study worldwide. Many more of Allen's jazz and classical books, play along recordings, and student and recital compositions are published by DeHaske/Hal Leonard, BIM Switzerland, and Village Place Music. His writing includes solo pieces for piano, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trombone, tuba, and harp, chamber groups, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and symphony orchestra. Allen's love of expression through composition has led to premier performances by the LosAngeles Philharmonic, Budapest Radio Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic of London, the Nuremberg Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Syracuse Symphony, London Symphony, the renowned Summit Brass, the Royal Philharmonic Brass and others. After the world premier of his “Emerald Concerto” with the Syracuse Symphony Allen's writing was described in review: “The Emerald Concerto sparkles!...a vivacious treatment which speaks well for both his dramatic instinct and technical prowess as a composer.” While growing up in Montana, Allen was taught by his father, a self taught musician and trumpet player, until he left home to attend the Eastman School of Music on full scholarship. There he earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees, a Performer's Certificate, a chair in the Eastman Brass Quintet faculty ensemble, and the first Artist's Diploma ever awarded a wind player in Eastman's history. Allen has performed on over 150 motion picture sound tracks, (such as Back To The Futureand Star Trek), as well as countless TV shows, commercials and recordings with such artists as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Chick Corea, the Commodores and Prince. His soaring sound can be heard on recent the movies, “Mirror, Mirror”, “Furry Vengeance”, “40 Days and 40 Nights”, “Unfaithfully Yours”, “Gridiron Gang”, “Scary Movie Four”, “The Hulk” and the “Medal of Honor”, “Gears of War”, “World of Warcraft” ,and “Halo” video games. More information is available at www.vizzutti.com  Allen Vizzutti is a Yamaha Performing Artist

There aren't many jobs for people who play viola, let alone top viola jobs. The Twin Cities is rare for having two professional orchestras with viola sections. That's what makes it possible for Maiya Papach and Rebecca Albers to chase their music dreams and create a life together in Minnesota. Maiya Papach is principal violist of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Rebecca Albers is the principal violist of the Minnesota Orchestra.  Coming up at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, MPR News host Angela Davis talks with the latest couple in her Power Pairs series about how to gracefully play a supporting role in music and in marriage.

In this episode of One Symphony, conductor Devin Patrick Hughes sits down with renowned composer Pierre Jalbert to explore Jalbert's musical journey, creative process, and the spiritual influences that shape his work. Jalbert shares intimate stories about his childhood in Vermont, his collaborations with world-class musicians, and the importance of resonance and reverberation in his compositions. He also pays tribute to his mentor, the late Larry Rachleff, and discusses his genre-bending project with the Apollo Chamber Players. Throughout the interview, Jalbert offers insights into the challenges and rewards of writing for both chamber groups and large ensembles and reveals how he strives to create music that serves the audience. Join us for a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of today's best composers. Earning widespread notice for his richly colored and superbly crafted scores, Pierre Jalbert's music has been described as “immediately captures one's attention with its strong gesture and vitality” by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  Among his many honors are the Rome Prize, the BBC Masterprize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Fromm Foundation commission.   Jalbert's music has been performed worldwide in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Barbican.  Recent orchestral performances include those by the Boston Symphony, the National Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.    He has served as Composer-in-Residence with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the California Symphony, and Music in the Loft in Chicago. Select chamber music commissions and performances include those of the Ying, Borromeo, Maia, Enso, Chiara, Escher, Del Sol, and Emerson String Quartets, as well as violinist Midori.  Three new CDs of his music have been recently released:  Violin Concerto, Piano Quintet and Secret Alchemy, and Piano Trio No. 2.   Jalbert is Professor of Music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music in Houston, and he is a co-founder of Musiqa, a Houston-based new music collective.  His music is published by Schott Helicon Music Corporation, New York.   Thank you for joining us on One Symphony. Thanks to Pierre Jalbert for sharing her music and stories. You can find more info at https://www.pierrejalbert.com.   Pierre Jalbert composed all music featured in this episode, with one exception.   String Theory was performed live by the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra.   Mystical and With Great Energy, from Secret Alchemy, from the album Music From Copland House performed by Curtis Macomber, Danielle Farina, Alexis Pia Gerlach and Michael Boriskin.   The first movement from From Dusk to Starry Night “The Night in Silence” on a text by Walt Whitman features Sasha Cooke and the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.   Violin Concerto, featuring Steven Copes on violin. Performed by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with Thomas Zehetmair as the conductor.    “Fiddle Dance” from L'espirit du nord. Performed by the Apollo Chamber Players.    Mozart Piano Concerto K488 in A major, first movement improvised cadenza performed by Robert Levin with the Cluj-Nacopa Philharmonic in Romania with Nicole Moldovenau as the conductor.    “Chanson de Lisette” from Le'spirit du nord. Performed by the Apollo Chamber Players.   “Music of air and fire” performed by the Houston Youth Symphony conducted by Michael Isadore.   You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you'd like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!  

Loki Karuna chats with Maestro Kwamé Ryan who has been recently appointed as Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony. Loki offers updates on his travels and work, and offers thoughts on the recent drama at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Kwamé Ryan"Portrait of Trinidad" - National Steel Symphony Orchestra of Trinidad and TobagoHenri Dutilleux : Symphony No. 2 "Le Double" conducted by Kwamé RyanSister Souljah Interview at The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 (11/11/2015) ★ Support this podcast ★

Acclaimed international jazz artist Jose James has a composure about him that one might compare to James Bond.   The Minneapolis native claims he was one of the least talented artists in his music circles growing up, yet he ultimately attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. His first album, The Dreamer, debuted in 2008. Since then, he's gone on to play at the Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl, Ancienne Belgique, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Melbourne Symphony and has recorded 11 more records including his latest which dropped April 5—the stunning album 1978, named for the year of his birth.   Along the way, he's picked up honor after honor in establishing himself as an extraordinary jazz singer/songwriter—but one built for the hip-hop generation. Pitchfork called him, “one of the suavest vocal improvisers on the scene,” and it's been said his arrangements and approach are “in deep conversation with funk, R&B, and hip-hop.”   Despite oozing cool, he's not really all about himself. You quickly understand that James lives for the collaboration and building art that he loves with others.   “I really grew up with this idea that you make music with a band, with other people,” he told me recently on The Load Out Music Podcast.  He grew up feeling the diverse vibes of bands ranging from the Ohio Players and Peter, Paul and Mary found in his mother's record collection; the funky global beats of his multi-instrumentalist father's band, Ipso Facto; the western church music of his Catholic school and diverse artists such as Nirvana, 10,000 Maniacs, De la Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Grammy-winner Bobby McFerrin who was the creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for a time in the early 1990s. When he was 17, James attended a McFerrin concert with the noted jazz pianist Chick Corea. It was then that he was hooked on the idea that a career in music was inevitable—but he still was surprised that others saw it as well. “Wow,” James said. “People see something in me that I might not see. I didn't really go to college. I didn't want to do the traditional route. I was like, I can have a coffee shop job and pay my rent and see what happens. This is where my spirit is taking me.” Despite a love for jazz, early on James understood that jazz could be limiting and wanted to explore the boundaries of the genre. “There is a strong jazz radio, but it's pretty strict about what they play,” he said, noting that listeners essentially find smooth or classic jazz on radio, but the parameters are narrow. Thus, he approaches each record with the understanding that he must keep certain singles within the ditches, producing them to be radio friendly, while stretching boundaries on other tracks with dance, pop and hip-hop beats. “I think it's more frustrating that jazz, in general, is not more popular in America,” he muses, despite his voice not elevating to indicate any semblance of anger. “You go to Tokyo, go to any shopping mall, restaurant, they are playing jazz.” As James' star has risen, he's realized two principal realities about his chosen career: That money and power still drive the industry and that he would be little without the graciousness of other artists.  “It's not just about talent, James said. “It's about who's pushing you and how much money.” This became apparent to him when he released a single independently in 2012 to little fanfare. However, the same single was included on his first album for the vaunted Blue Note label and it became a sensational hit, landing him appearances on David Letterman's and Conan O'Brien's late-night shows.  James credits his success to mentors who have given him their time including legendary jazz pianist McCoy Tyner (who worked with John Coltrane), singer Anita Baker, composer Christian McBride, band leader Chico Hamilton and even former late-night host Jay Leno. “There's so much generosity going around,” he said. “You have to take the wins.” As for 1978, James said that it is, “The first time I've really gotten personal in a concrete way. I'm going to reveal more about myself and where I'm from.”  He points to the racial politics of Minnesota and efforts to bring to bear a range of influences including Prince, Michael Jackson and even Bob Dylan. “I call it party and politics because, to me, that's what the 70s kind of resonates with. People knew how to party. They could throw down. But they were also famous for taking a stand.” Thus, the first half of the album is what he calls “party,” while the second half focuses on “politics,” including pieces written in the memories of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin. “I don't really worry about it,” James said of injecting politics into his art. “I've definitely gotten some of that—the shut up and sing kind of vibe. If it's important to you, I think you've got to talk about it. If people don't like it, that's kind of fine.” It's important to Jose James indeed. Enjoy a tremendous episode of The Load Out Music Podcast with the acclaimed jazz maestro. 

Chillout Classic w Radiu Spin #33 "Autumn Leaves". Idealna muzyka na jesienny wieczór i tańczące liście. 1. J.S.Bach - Aria z Wariacji Golbergowskich, Lang Lang. 2. F. Chopin - Nocturne nr 15 f-moll op.55 nr 1, Maria João Pire. 3. F. Chopin - Nocturne nr 15 f-moll, John Di Martino's Romantic Jazz Trio. 4. F. Chopin - Mazurek a-moll op.17 nr 4, Novi Singers. 5. Joseph Kosma - Autumn Leaves, Yehudi Menuhin, Stephane Grappelli. 6. J. Kosma - Autumn Leaves, Nat King Cole. 7. Philip Glass - Etiuda nr 2 , Jacopo Salvatori. 8. J. Kosma - Autumn Leaves, Miles Davis. 9. W.A.Mozart - Koncert fortepianowy A-dur KV 488, cz.2, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. 10. J. Kosma - Autumn Leaves, Frank Sinatra.

SynopsisToday's date in 1931 marks the birthday of the first notable Native American composer of concert music. His name was Louis Ballard, and he was born in Devil's Promenade in Oklahoma. His father was Cherokee, and his mother Quapaw.   As a young boy Ballard attended – but managed not to be irreparably damaged by – one of those notorious boarding schools where Native American students were taught to forget everything about their own language and culture. Ballard somehow remained rooted in Quapaw language and traditions at the same time his interest in European classical music developed, and in 1962 became first American Indian to receive a graduate degree in music composition.Inspired by the example of Bela Bartok, who incorporated the folk music of Eastern Europe in his works, Ballard attempted to do the same with Native American source material in concert works both large and small. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1971 and in 1974 his orchestral piece Incident at Wounded Knee was performed at Carnegie Hall and taken on an Eastern European tour by Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, who had commissioned the work.This Louis Ballard chamber piece for two winds and piano is entitled “Mid-Winter Fires.”Music Played in Today's ProgramLouis Ballard (1931-2007): Mid-Winter Fires (Amy Morris, f; Mark Serrup, ob; Mary Goetz, p.) Indande Records 52352

Synopsis These days composer John J. Becker is almost totally forgotten, but back in the 1930s his name was linked with Charles Ives, Carl Ruggles, Henry Cowell, and Wallingford Riegger as one of the so-called "American Five" composers of what was dubbed "ultra-modern" music. From 1928 to 1935, Becker taught at the College of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and briefly assembled a "Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra" to give Midwest premieres of works by Ives and other ultra-modernists. From 1935 to 1941, Becker was the Minnesota State director of the Federal Music Project, one of President Roosevelt's initiatives to provide work for American musicians during the Depression years. On today's date in 1937, at the old St. Paul Auditorium, Becker conducted the Federal Music Project's Twin Cities Orchestra in a program that included the premiere performance of his own Symphony No. 3, subtitled "Symphonia Brevis." This "ultra-modern" symphony was met with an "ultra-conservative" review in The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, whose critic wrote: "It consists of spasmodic little excursions… percussive barrages… ideas that seem to run out before the score comes to a close, with the consequent suggestion of that spurious vitality exhibited by decapitated fowls." Decades later, three years before his death in 1961, Becker, along with a few other surviving members of the "American Five," was invited to take a bow from the stage of Carnegie Hall at one of Leonard Bernstein's New York Philharmonic concerts which featured his "Sinfonia Brevis." Music Played in Today's Program John J. Becker (1886 - 1961) Sinfonia Brevis (Symphony No. 3) Louisville Orchestra; Jorge Mester, conductor. Albany TROY-027

Synopsis Today marks the anniversary of the birth of the American composer and pianist Dave Brubeck. Born in Concord, California on December 6th, 1920, Dave Brubeck would become one of the most famous jazz performers of our time—and one of the most successful at fusing elements of jazz and classical music. Brubeck studied with Schoenberg and Milhaud, and in the late 1940's and '50's formed a jazz quartet incorporating Baroque-style counterpoint and unusual time signatures into a style that came to be known as "West Coast" or "cool" jazz, culminating in the 1960 release of a landmark jazz album for Columbia Records titled Time Out. This album produced two Hit Parade singles: Blue Rondo à la Turk and Take Five. Ironically, Brubeck had to fight to convince Columbia to release an album composed totally of original material with no familiar "standards" to help sales! In addition to works for chamber-sized jazz combos, Brubeck has written a number of large-scale sacred works, among them a 1975 Christmas Choral Pageant titled La Fiesta de la Posada, or, The Festival of the Inn. Originally written to celebrate the restoration of a Spanish mission in California, it wound up being premiered in Hawaii by the Honolulu Symphony. Since its premiere, La Fiesta de la Posada has been performed by both professional and amateur ensembles, ranging from symphony orchestras to mariachi bands. Its premiere recording was made by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Dale Warland Singers, with Dennis Russell Davies conducting. Music Played in Today's Program Dave Brubeck (1920 - 2012) Blue Rondo a la Turk The Dave Brubeck Quartet Columbia 40585 Dave Brubeck La Fiesta del Posada Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Dennis Russell Davies, conductor. Columbia Legacy 64669

Synopsis 1991 was a big year for American composer John Corigliano. The Metropolitan Opera premiered his opera “The Ghosts of Versailles” and the 53-year old composer won two Grammys and the Grawemeyer Award for his Symphony No. 1. Corigliano was increasingly recognized as one of the leading American composers of his generation, and was deluged with commissions for new works. But about 10 years before all that, guitarist Sharon Isbin had asked Corigliano to write a concerto for her, and kept on asking him. On today's date in 1993, her persistence paid off when, with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and conductor Hugh Wolff, she gave the premiere performance of Corigliano's “Troubadours — Variations for Guitar and Orchestra.” This piece was inspired by the courtly love tradition of the medieval troubadours, whose songs combined sophisticated word play with simple but elegantly communicative melodies. “For composers the idea of true simplicity — in contrast to chic simple-mindedness — is mistrusted and scorned,” wrote Corigliano. “But the guitar has a natural innocence about it… So the idea of a guitar concerto was, for me, like a nostalgic return to all the feelings I had when I started composing — before the commissions and deadlines and reviews. A time when discovery and optimistic enthusiasm ruled my senses… Troubadours is a lyrical concerto.” Music Played in Today's Program John Corigliano (b. 1938) Troubadours Sharon Isbin, guitar; Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Hugh Wolff, cond. Virgin 55083 On This Day Births 1870 - French composer and organist Louis Vierne, in Poitiers; 1930 - Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, in Tokyo; 1953 - English composer Robert Saxon, in London; Deaths 1834 - French composer François Boieldieu, age 58, in Jarcy; Premieres 1903 - Nielsen: "Helios" Overture, in Copenhagen; 1943 - Stravinsky: "Ode" (in memory of Natalie Koussevitzky), by the Boston Symphony conducted by Serge Koussevitzky; 1960 - Prokofiev: opera "The Story of a Real Man" (posthumously) at the Bolshoi in Moscow; A semi-public performance of this opera was given in Leningrad on Dec. 3, 1948, but the opera was rejected by Soviet authorities for subsequent performances during the composer's lifetime; 1966 - Stravinsky: "Requiem Canticles," in Princeton, with Robert Craft conducting; 1992 - Ligeti: Violin Concerto, in Cologne, by the Ensemble Moderne conducted by Peter Eötvös, and Saschko Gawriloff the soloist; 1993 - Corigliano: "Troubadours (Variations for Guitar and Orchestra)," at the Ordway Music Theater in St. Paul, with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra conducted by Hugh Wolff, and guitar soloist Sharon Isbin; 1999 - Kernis: "Garden of Light" and Torke: "Four Seasons" (both commissioned by the Disney Company at the urging of its Chief Executive, Michael Eisner), for the Millennium season of the New York Philharmonic, with Kurt Masur conducting the orchestra, vocal soloists, and choirs in both pieces; Others 1739 - Handel completes in London his Concerto Grosso in a, Op. 6, no. 4 (Gregorian date: Oct. 19); 1898 - The first issue of the magazine "Musical America" is published. Links and Resources On John Corigliano On Sharon Isbin

Kinan performed three musical pieces and spoke about his work as a composer.Originally from Damascus, Syria Kinan Azmeh is a soloist, composer, and improvisor. He has performed in places such as the Opera Bastille, Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, Damascus Opera House, and more. Kinan's compositions include several works for solo, chamber, and orchestral music, as well as music for film, live illustration, and electronics. His resent works were commissioned by The New York Philharmonic, The Seattle Symphony, The Knights Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Elbphilharmonie, etc. He has appeared as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, the Dusseldorf Symphony, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, the Qatar Philharmonic and the Syrian Symphony Orchestra among others, and has shared the stage with such musical luminaries as Yo-Yo Ma, Daniel Barenboim, Marcel Khalife, John McLaughlin, Francois Rabbath Aynur and Jivan Gasparian. Kinan Azmeh is a graduate of New York's Juilliard School as a student of Charles Neidich, and of both the Damascus High institute of Music where he studied with Shukry Sahwki, Nicolay Viovanof and Anatoly Moratof, and Damascus University's School of Electrical Engineering. Kinan earned his doctorate degree in music from the City University of New York in 2013. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Quartertones:QuarterTones is a music show. It is an opportunity to listen to music, across genres, from musicians of and from the Arab world. This series is similar to NPR's All Songs Considered that is focused on the Arab world. afikra will be inviting musicians of all genres, as well as music historians, to help better understand the music that they perform or study. In this series, the guests will be invited to talk about their work and play their music, whether live or recorded, in three segments. The series will host current musicians who play contemporary and modern, including alternative scene or hip-hop, electronic, classical music, among other genres. The musicians will also be from different geographies.Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Hear the eerie, arresting, co-composed electro-orchestral pop from Minneapolis electro band POLIÇA and Berlin new-music outfit stargaze, led by conductor André de Ridder. The two groups have worked together since the 2015-2016 season, in a “virtual residence,” commissioned by Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series. They have arranged and adapted Steve Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood as well as co-creating their latest, a long-form work inspired by ideas and themes in James Kunstler's book The Long Emergency. On their 2018 record Music For the Long Emergency, sweeps of strings, French horn, flute and oboe, along with synth bass, industrial electro-percussion, and jarring electronic textures are arrayed in support of often electronically-altered vocal lines. Hear some of this music, in-studio, which Poliça frontwoman Channy Leaneagh describes in National Sawdust Log as “not a pill to swallow that calms us down.” (From the Archives, 2018.) Read more about the long-distance collaborative romance via this interview in the National Sawdust Log. Watch the 2018 session:

Synopsis On today's date in 1950, the orchestra of the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla, California gave the premiere performance of this music by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu. The "Sinfonietta La Jolla" was Martinu's response to the Society's call for a tuneful and approachable piece of new music for their chamber orchestra. Martinu modeled his 20th century work on the 18th century symphonies of Haydn, a composer he very much admired. In fact, in 1890, when Martinu was born, his native Bohemia was still a part of the Austria-Hungarian empire in which Haydn had lived and worked a hundred years earlier. Martinu's music blends the modernism of 20th century composers like Stravinsky with the rich 19th century tradition of Czech national composers like Dvořák – but Martinu's relations with his native land were anything but smooth. He was twice kicked out of the Prague Conservatory for his supposed lack of academic discipline, and instead established himself as a freelance composer in France and Switzerland. Then, just as his music began to receive some recognition and performances back in Prague, the Nazi invasion of World War II led to his works being banned. In 1941, Martinu settled in the United States, where his music was very well received. In 1948, Martinu returned briefly to Prague, but found the new Communist government there as distasteful to him as the Nazis. Martinu's "Sinfonietta La Jolla" was written shortly after he returned to the United States. Music Played in Today's Program Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) –Sinfonietta "La Jolla" (Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Christopher Hogwood, cond.) London 433 660

In this episode we provide a sneak peek look at our commission consortium pieces! For our interview, we welcome Cassie Pilgrim, Principal Oboist of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. This episode is brought to you by Barton Cane (https://www.bartoncane.com/), Ugly Duckling Oboes (uglyducklingoboes.com/), Chemical City Double Reeds (www.chemicalcityreeds.com/)and Oboe Chicago (www.oboechicago.com). Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

Synopsis On today's date in 1968, a 72-year-old Italian-born American composer named Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco died in Beverley Hills. As a young man, Castelnuovo-Tedesco was already known as a rising composer, concert pianist, music critic and essayist. In 1939 he left Mussolini's Italy and came to America, and like a lot of European musicians of the time, he found work writing film scores for major Hollywood studios. Castelnuovo-Tedesco became an American citizen, and eventually taught at the Los Angeles Conservatory, where his pupils included many famous names from the next generation of film composers, including Jerry Goldsmith, Henry Mancini, Andre Previn, Nelson Riddle and John Williams. In addition to film scores, Castelnuovo-Tedesco composed a signifigant body of concert music, including concertos for the likes of Heifetz and Segovia. A number of Castelnuovo-Tedesco's works are directly related to his Jewish faith, including a choral work from 1947, entitled “Naomi and Ruth.”  The composer's mother was named Naomi, and he claimed the faithful Ruth in the Biblical story reminded him of his own wife, Clara. “In a certain sense,” he wrote, “it was really my symbolic autobiography, existing before I decided to write – to open my heart – in these pages.” Music Played in Today's Program Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968) — Naomi and Ruth (St.Martin's Academy and Chorus; Sir Neville Marriner, cond.) Naxos 8.559404 On This Day Births 1937 - American composer David Del Tredici, in Cloverdale, Calif.; Deaths 1736 - Italian composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, age 26 (of consumption), in Pozzuoli; 1881 - Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky (Gregorian date: Mar. 28) 1968 - Italian-born American composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, age 62, in Los Angeles; 1985 - American composer Roger Sessions, age 88, in Princeton, N.J.; Premieres 1735 - Handel: Organ Concertos Op. 4, nos. 2-3 (Julian date: March 5); 1750 - Handel: oratorio "Theodora," in London at the Covent Garden Theater; At the same event, the possible premiere of Handel's Organ Concerto Op. 7, no. 5, as well (Gregorian date: March 27); 1751 - Handel: oratorio "The Choice of Hercules" in London at the Covent Garden Theater; At the same event, Handel's Organ Concerto Op. 7, no. 3 premieres following Act II of a revival performance of Handel's cantata "Alexander's Feast" on the same program (Gregorian date: March 27); 1833 - Bellini: opera "Beatrice di Tenda" in Venice at the Teatro la Fenice; 1870 - Tchaikovsky: fantasy-overture "Romeo and Juliet," in Moscow, with Nicolas Rubinstien conducting (Julian date: Mar. 4); 1871 - Tchaikovsky: String Quartet in D, Op. 11, in Moscow, by members of the Russian Musical Society (Gregorian date: Mar. 28); 1879 - Dvorák: choral setting of Psalm No. 149, Op. 79, in Prague; 1888 - American premiere of the revised version of Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 ("Romantic"), with New York Philharmonic-Society conducted by Anton Seidl; In the preface to a book on Bruckner, the elderly conductor Walter Damrosch claimed he conducted the American premiere of this symphony (His memory played him false: Damrosch led the first American performance of Bruckner's THIRD Symphony; 1894 - Massenet: opera "Thaïs," at the Paris Opéra; 1938 - Martinu: opera "Julietta," in Prague at the National Theater; 1942 - Martinu: "Sinfonietta giocosa," for piano and chamber orchestra, in New York City; 2002 - Paul Schoenfield: "Nocturne" for solo cello, oboe and strings, by cellist Peter Howard, with oboist Kathryn Greenbank and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Gilbert Varga conducting. Links and Resources On Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

In February 2022, Opera Parallèle presents the one-act opera, Sophia's Forest, at Grace Cathedral. It is the story of a young girl who has recently immigrated to the United States, having survived a traumatic journey through the chaos of a civil war in her homeland. With music by Lembit Beecher, Sophia's Forest is an exploration of both the lasting effects on families of the immigrant experience, and the ways in which children use their imaginations to deal with trauma.   Composer Lembit Beecher's music has been praised as “hauntingly lovely and deeply personal,” combining vividly imaginative colors with striking emotional immediacy. Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist, opera stage director and science communicator across all mediums. Malaak Malikyar Sills is a leader in the Afghan diaspora. Each year the cathedral chooses a theme for inspiration and reflection, and in 2022 our theme is connection. Join Dean Malcolm Clemens Young for a conversation with Beecher, Viskontas and Sills about the lasting effects on families of the refugee/immigrant experience, the ways in which children use their imaginations to cope with trauma, and how art can help us connect with ourselves and with others. You can help us bring the arts to life at Grace with a gift today to The Forum. gracecathedral.org/givetograce.   About the Guests Noted for his collaborative spirit and “ingenious” interdisciplinary projects (The Wall Street Journal), Lembit Beecher is currently the composer-in-residence of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, having previously served a three-year term as the inaugural composer-in-residence of Opera Philadelphia. Recent premieres include Sky on Swings, a chamber opera for Opera Philadelphia starring Frederica von Stade and Marietta Simpson, which was nominated for Best World Premiere at the 2019 International Opera Awards. Many of his latest projects involve the incorporation of untraditional elements into opera, symphonic works and chamber music, including baroque instruments, sampled interviews, animation, and technology. Malaak Malikyar Sills is a leader in the Afghan diaspora. She works to make visible and connect ideas, people and initiatives towards a common purpose. She does this through her role as a trustee of the Sills Family Foundation, where she works with refugee and immigrant communities, survivors of human trafficking, families affected by incarceration and environmental advocates. She further serves as an advisor on the Welcome.US fund and Board Chair of Refugee and Immigrant Transitions, where she previously worked as Afghan Community Senior Advisor. Her prior work at the International Rescue Committee, coupled with her lived experience, inform her understanding of the systemic barriers newcomers face. As a result, Malaak works on advancing deep engagement and solidarity work with refugee communities. She continues to serve as a volunteer case manager for newcomer Afghans. Indre Viskontas is a neuroscientist, opera stage director and science communicator across all mediums. Combining a passion for music with scientific curiosity, she is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of San Francisco where she runs The Creative Brain Lab, and the Creative Director of Pasadena Opera. She leads the Communications Core at the Sound Health Network, promoting research and public awareness of the impact music can have on our health and well-being. She directed Kat'a Kabanova at the California Shakespeare Theater for West Edge Opera in the summer of 2021. About the Moderator The Very Rev. Malcolm Clemens Young, ThD,  is the dean of Grace Cathedral. He is the author of The Spiritual Journal of Henry David Thoreau and The Invisible Hand in Wilderness: Economics, Ecology, and God, and is a regular contributor on religion to the Huffington Post and San Francisco Examiner.   About  The  Forum  The Forum is a series of stimulating conversations about faith and ethics in relation to the important issues of our day. We invite inspiring and illustrious people to sit down for a real conversation with the Forum's host and with you. Our guests range from artists, inventors and philosophers to pop culturists and elected officials, but the point of The Forum is singular: civil, sophisticated discourse that engages minds and hearts to think in new ways about the world.  gracecathedral.org/forum.

We sat down for a talk with conductor Paul McCreesh. First established as the Artistic Director of Gabrieli Consort & Players, he now guest-conducts some of the world's finest orchestras including the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Bergen Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and Dallas Symphony. He is a former Principal Conductor and Artistic Director at the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon, and served for six seasons as Artistic Director of the Wratislavia Cantans festival in Wrocław, Poland.

Synopsis Many political deals started in smoke-filled rooms, but not many piano trios can claim such a venue for their inspiration. On today's date in 1987, composer and pianist Paul Schoenfield joined a violinist and cellist from the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for the premiere of one of them: a new piano trio the orchestra had commissioned, a work Schoenfield titled “Café Music.” Here's how Schoenfield explains it: “The idea came to me in 1985 after sitting in one night for the pianist at Murray's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge in Minneapolis. Murray's employed a house trio which played entertaining dinner music in a wide variety of styles. My intention was to compose a kind of high-class dinner music – music which could be played at a restaurant but might also (just barely) find its way into a concert hall.” Much to Schoenfield's surprise, “Cafe Music” did indeed become a concert hall hit. Schoenfield said he had two lasting memories of that night he filled in at Murray's: first, a realization of what hard work it was to play dinner music for hours on end, and second – in the days before smoke-free restaurants – how his clothes smelled of cigars and cigarettes for days afterwards! Music Played in Today's Program Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947) — Café Music (Eroica Trio) EMI 56482

Joining Michael, Sky and Sui Lin today on Episode Nine of the TAMS Percussion Podcast is Earl Yowell! Earl Yowell was the Professor of Percussion Studies at Shenandoah Conservatory from 2007-2021. In addition to teaching during his time at Shenandoah, he has also been a featured soloist with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. Prior to his appointment at Shenandoah, he performed for 20 seasons as the principal timpanist and percussionist of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He toured extensively with the SPCO throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He was a featured soloist with internationally famous percussionist Evelyn Glennie in the SPCO performances of Andrzej Panufnik's “Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings” and was timpani soloist in the Chamber Orchestra's premier performances of Johann Carl Christian Fischer's “Symphony for Eight Obbligato Timpani.” In 2006 and 2007 he has appeared as a Chamber music soloist with the SPCO. His performance of Marta Ptaszynskas multiple percussion solo Spiderwalk in 2007 received both audience and critical acclaim. He was also a regular performer with the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota where in 2001 he premiered, with cellist Yo Yo Ma, a concert of new chamber music works. The making of this concert was the subject of a PBS television production. In addition to participating in numerous recordings with the SPCO. Yowell has also played on two Grammy A ward-winning albums: “The Art of Arleen Auger” and Samuel Barber's ”Antony and Cleopatra.” He has appeared on Minnesota Public Radio's “Saint Paul Sunday” and “Prairie Home Companion” programs. More recently in 2010, he was a guest clinician for the Atlanta International Timpani Seminar. In 2011, Yowell was invited to be a guest artist at the 9th International Patagonia Percussion festival in Argentina. He was also in 2011 a featured Timpani clinician at the 50th Anniversary International Percussive Arts Society Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2012, Yowell served as a judge for the Mock Percussion Audition at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference held in Indianapolis, Indiana. While teaching he has also maintained an active performing schedule. Performing solo and chamber works and with orchestras. He performed as timpanist with the Atlanta Symphony in 2008 and 2011 and percussionist with the Maryland Symphony 2009. In 2010 he also performed with the internationally acclaimed percussion group, Nexus. In the fall of 2008, he performed the world premiere of William Cahn's “Night Ride for Timpani and Orchestra.” Additionally, in 2008 he co-founded the Ear Candy Contemporary Music Series. He also served on the Symphonic Committee of the Percussive Arts Society. More modernly, you can find Earl Yowell working on crafting timpani mallets and writing new music for percussion solos and ensembles! You can help us over at TAMS by following us on Instagram @tamspercpodcast and ask any questions you wish via email @ tamspercussion@gmail.com

Jess Gillam and horn player Felix Klieser share the music they love, with some sumptuous early Prokofiev, Kate Bush, Sidney Bechet, Piazzolla and Sting. Playlist: Mozart - Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat Major, K. 495; III. Rondo, Allegro vivace [Hermann Baumann (horn), Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Pinchas Zukermann] Piazzolla - Four Seasons of Buenos Aires - Verano Porteno The Police - Every Breath You Take Prokofiev - Autumnal Sketch [Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Karabits] Kate Bush - Pi Sidney Bechet - Petite Fleur Saint-Saens - Romance in F major, Op. 36 R. 195 [Mischa Maisky (cello), Orpheus Chamber Orchestra] Olafur Arnalds - Respite

David Cooper is hosting the Late Showgram for Jim Richards who is away this week. An inspiring story from  David Cooper, Principal Horn for the Chicago Symphony. Prior to his appointment to the CSO by Zell Music Director Riccardo Muti in 2019, Cooper served as principal horn of the Dallas Symphony, a position he held since May 2013 after joining the symphony as third horn in 2011. He also served as principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2017–18; acting principal horn with the Victoria Symphony in Victoria, British Columbia, from 2006–08; and co-associate principal horn of the Fort Worth Symphony from 2008–11. He has been guest principal horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Liceu Opera in Barcelona, Spain. Cooper is an avid chamber musician and performs as soloist all over the world. He has also served as music director of the Avant Chamber Ballet in Dallas. Orchestra.

Jeremy Denk & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra — Mozart Piano Concertos (Nonesuch) Jump to giveaway form Pianist Jeremy Denk has finally had the space and time to finish his forthcoming memoir Every Good Boy Does Fine, which will resonate with you if you took piano lessons as a kid. It releases this February, and its timing coincides beautifully with his new album featuring the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Mozart Piano Concertos. How has Mozart shaped you? “Actually, both the first and the last chapters of my book are about Mozart. The first chapter is about me listening to the piece Sinfonia Concerto. When I was 12, that piece rocked my world. At the end of the book, I'm recovering from personal loss and burnout. I'm also about to record an album of Mozart concertos with the SPCO.” Can you talk about Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25 and how it is different from his other piano concertos? “It's a piece that starts very clearly with a blaze of light that's in a major key. You don't think it's going to be this sunny, grand, triumphant piece, but within 20 seconds it switches to a tragic opera of utter uncertainty in the terrifying key of C minor. All through the first tutti-section and orchestral passage you feel the music keeps switching at unpredictable intervals between these two perspectives.” What do you look forward to when you're playing this concerto? “My favorite moment is in the last movement. In the middle, you have this love sextet between the piano and the woodwinds. We work really hard on that section between the orchestra and the winds. They become opera characters in their own right. “It is an innocent song at first, but it takes on this intensity, while it loops where you never would expect. It then takes on an unbelievable tragic tone that turns back into light, while it expands in an ecstatic way. It all dissolves back to the theme. That transition is one of the greatest passages of all time.” Why do you think the Piano Concerto in D Minor is more popular? “The first and last movements are the most vivid and shockingly iconic music that Mozart ever wrote. It's the most romantic work that Mozart composed. It's not in the classical style, but you hear the romantic era waiting to explode out. “The most striking passages in this piece come in the beginning of the last scene where the piano plays the theme and the orchestra starts up after. Usually in Mozart concertos they just repeat the theme that the piano played. But in this case, the orchestra begins to develop and alter the material in a way that is unrecognizable. “It becomes possessed by the spirit of modulation and the idea leaps all over the orchestra. That passage has an incredible quality to it.” 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 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 Jeremy Denk & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra — Mozart Piano Concertos (Amazon) Jeremy Denk & the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra — Mozart Piano Concertos (Nonesuch Store) Jeremy Denk (official site) Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (official site)

Thomas Hooten, Principal Trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is one of the world's most prominent classical trumpeters today. He can be heard on numerous recordings with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the National Brass Ensemble. Tom began his career in 2000 with a trumpet/cornet position in “The President's Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C., where he was often a featured soloist. He went on to join the Indianapolis Symphony as Assistant Principal Trumpet in 2004, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Principal Trumpet in 2006, and the LA Philharmonic in 2012. He released “Trumpet Call,” his first solo album, in 2011. Thomas is an active soloist and has appeared with many groups, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, “The President's Own” US Marine Band, United States Air Force Band, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra. As an orchestral and chamber musician, he has performed with ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival, Harrisburg Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony. Here's what you'll hear in this episode with Tom Hooten: -What has Tom fired up about trumpet, life, and how the two intersect...01:30 -Why success can be terrifying...12:40 -Discoveries made producing the album https://amzn.to/3oSZU08 (Trumpet Call)...15:40 -How one grows as a teacher as he grows as a person...21:44 -Knowing when to teach, and when to let the student learn to teach themselves...30:51 -Geeking out on the new concerto to be performed w/ the L.A. Phil...42:22 -How a younger Tom Hooten would have responded to the challenges the present-day Tom Hooten embraces with fire in the eyes...45:15 https://amzn.to/3FC4NR7 (The Big Leap) https://amzn.to/3FAso4T (Zero to One by Peter Thiel) https://www.gabrielecassone.it/ (Gabriel Cassone) https://amzn.to/3aruMfZ (Time to Think) and https://amzn.to/2X1rDAg (More Time to Think) by Mary Klein Credits: Trumpet Dynamics: The Story of the Trumpet, In the Words of Those Who Play It Host: James Newcomb Guest: http://tomhooten.com/ (Tom Hooten) Opening music: "Folklore" by https://bigbigtrain.com/ (Big Big Train) Closing music: "Creepin' With Clark" written and performed by Mike Vax Audio editing by: James Newcomb Show notes prepared by: http://podcastartistry.com/ (Podcast Artistry™)

Composer Viet Cuong joins us to discuss the role that marching band played in his formative years and the impact it continues to have on his current career. He shares his approach to composing for small ensembles, preparing students to take advantage of new and innovative tools, and the skills vital for success as a freelance musician. We finish with a conversation about what it means to “sound like tomorrow”. Called “alluring” and “wildly inventive” by The New York Times, the “irresistible” (San Francisco Chronicle) music of American composer Viet Cuong (b. 1990) has been commissioned and performed on six continents by musicians and ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Sō Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, Atlanta Symphony, Sandbox Percussion, Albany Symphony, PRISM Quartet, Orchestra of St. Luke's, and Dallas Winds, among many others. Viet's music has been featured in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art, and Library of Congress, and his works for wind ensemble have amassed hundreds of performances worldwide, including at Midwest, WASBE, and CBDNA conferences. He was recently featured in The Washington Post‘s “21 for '21: Composers and performers who sound like tomorrow.” In his music Viet enjoys exploring the unexpected and whimsical, and he is often drawn to projects where he can make peculiar combinations and sounds feel enchanting or oddly satisfying. His recent works thus include a percussion quartet concerto, tuba concerto, snare drum solo, and, most recently, a concerto for two oboes. This eclecticism extends to the range of musical groups he writes for, and he has worked with ensembles ranging from middle school bands to Grammy-winning orchestras and chamber groups. Viet is also passionate about bringing different facets of the contemporary music community together, and he will have opportunities to do so with an upcoming concerto for Eighth Blackbird with the United States Navy Band. He recently began his tenure as the California Symphony's 2020-2023 Young American Composer-in-Residence, where he and the symphony will develop three new orchestral works together over three years. Viet is currently on the music theory and composition faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He holds degrees in music composition from the Curtis Institute of Music (Artist Diploma), Princeton University (MFA), and the Peabody Conservatory (BM/MM). His mentors include Jennifer Higdon, David Serkin Ludwig, Donnacha Dennehy, Steve Mackey, Dan Trueman, Dmitri Tymoczko, Kevin Puts, and Oscar Bettison. During his studies, he held the Daniel W. Dietrich II Composition Fellowship at Curtis, Naumburg and Roger Sessions Fellowships at Princeton, and Evergreen House Foundation scholarship at Peabody, where he was also awarded the Peabody Alumni Award (the Valedictorian honor) and Gustav Klemm Award. The transcript for this episode can be found here. For more information about Viet Cuong, please visit his website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

Garrett McQueen is a bassoonist who has performed with orchestras across the country, including the Knoxville Symphony, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Today, Garrett works as a producer of digital and broadcast media, with content featured on the Public Radio Exchange (PRX) and local public radio stations across the country. In 2017, Current named McQueen a Black talent in public media “that you may not know, but should,” and in 2021 the New York Times noted his weekly podcast, TRILLOQUY, as "a standout" that's "required listening for industry leaders and listeners alike.” In addition to working as the Executive Producer and co-host of the TRILLOQUY podcast, Garrett works as an equity consultant, guest speaker, curator, and presenter at the intersection of race and "classical" music. He serves on the board of the American Composers Forum as the Equity Committee Chair and is on the leadership teams of the Black Opera Alliance, the Gateways Music Festival, and the International Society for Black Musicians.

A concerto, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is “a piece for one or more soloists and orchestra with three contrasting movements.” And for most Classical Music fans, “concerto” means one of big Romantic ones by Beethoven or Tchaikovsky, works in which there is a kind of dramatic struggle between soloist and orchestra. But on today’s date in 2003, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and its concertmaster Stephen Copes premiered a Violin Concerto that didn’t quite fit that mold. For starters, it had FOUR movements, and this Violin Concerto No. 2 by American composer George Tsontakis was more “democratic” than Romantic–meaning the solo violinist seems to invite the other members of the orchestra to join in the fun, rather than hogging all the show. This concerto is more like a friendly, playful game than a life-and-death contest, and Tsontakis even titles his second movement “Gioco” or “Games.” The new Concerto proved a winner, being selected for the prestigious 2005 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. Even so, George Tsontakis confesses to being a little shy when sitting in the audience as his music is played, knowing full well, he says, that most people came to hear the Beethoven or Tchaikovsky, and not him.

A concerto, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is “a piece for one or more soloists and orchestra with three contrasting movements.” And for most Classical Music fans, “concerto” means one of big Romantic ones by Beethoven or Tchaikovsky, works in which there is a kind of dramatic struggle between soloist and orchestra. But on today’s date in 2003, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and its concertmaster Stephen Copes premiered a Violin Concerto that didn’t quite fit that mold. For starters, it had FOUR movements, and this Violin Concerto No. 2 by American composer George Tsontakis was more “democratic” than Romantic–meaning the solo violinist seems to invite the other members of the orchestra to join in the fun, rather than hogging all the show. This concerto is more like a friendly, playful game than a life-and-death contest, and Tsontakis even titles his second movement “Gioco” or “Games.” The new Concerto proved a winner, being selected for the prestigious 2005 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. Even so, George Tsontakis confesses to being a little shy when sitting in the audience as his music is played, knowing full well, he says, that most people came to hear the Beethoven or Tchaikovsky, and not him.

Maria Schneider's music has been hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, imaginative, revelatory, riveting, daring, and beyond categorization.” Blurring the lines between genres, her varied commissioners stretch from Jazz at Lincoln Center, to The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, to the American Dance Festival, and include collaboration with David Bowie. She is among a small few to receive GRAMMYS in multiple genres, having received the award in jazz and classical, as well as for her work with David Bowie. At the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, held March 14, Maria was honored with twice: Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for “Data Lords,” and Best Instrumental Composition for “Sputnik.”

In this episode I'll be talking to one of the greatest living orchestral violinists my colleague Nathan Cole, who is an author, a podcaster, a trailblazer in the online teaching space, and happens to be the First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He's kind of a busy guy. We're going to cover how technology has impacted our perception of perfectionism, going into debt to get a music degree, how being an orchestral musician is a lot like being a professional basketball player, and how many hours it actually takes to record 60 seconds of music. Nathan is even going to hook you up with his favorite barbeque resource, so you are going to want to listen all the way to the end of this one. About Nathan First Associate Concertmaster NATHAN COLE, who joined the LA Phil in 2011, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York's Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. Nathan's articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. Visit natesviolin.com for the complete collection. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Links Website: https://www.natesviolin.com/ Facebook: Nates Violin Instagram: @natesviolin   Honesty Pill Links Free Resource Library Facebook Group Mailing List

On today’s date in 2008 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra gave the first performance of a new song-cycle titled “Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories.” Its composer, Maria Schneider, conducted the premiere. Drummond was one of Brazil’s greatest poets, and Schneider came to know his work though English translations by Mark Strand. “Drummond’s poetry struck me as deeply Brazilian, and Brazil is a country for which I’ve long felt an affinity.” The Minneapolis premiere was something of a homecoming for Schneider, who was born in Minnesota and studied composition at its University before heading off to the Eastman School and after graduation being hired by the great jazz orchestrator Gil Evans as his assistant. In 1992 she formed her own jazz orchestra and won a Grammy Award with them in 2004. Soprano Dawn Upshaw is a big fan of Schneider’s work, and in 2011 they collaborated on a second song-cycle premiere, titled “Winter Morning Walks,” based on poems of Ted Kooser. "I knew that no matter what she was going to write,” said Upshaw, “it was going to be a joyful experience."

On today’s date in 2008 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis soprano Dawn Upshaw and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra gave the first performance of a new song-cycle titled “Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories.” Its composer, Maria Schneider, conducted the premiere. Drummond was one of Brazil’s greatest poets, and Schneider came to know his work though English translations by Mark Strand. “Drummond’s poetry struck me as deeply Brazilian, and Brazil is a country for which I’ve long felt an affinity.” The Minneapolis premiere was something of a homecoming for Schneider, who was born in Minnesota and studied composition at its University before heading off to the Eastman School and after graduation being hired by the great jazz orchestrator Gil Evans as his assistant. In 1992 she formed her own jazz orchestra and won a Grammy Award with them in 2004. Soprano Dawn Upshaw is a big fan of Schneider’s work, and in 2011 they collaborated on a second song-cycle premiere, titled “Winter Morning Walks,” based on poems of Ted Kooser. "I knew that no matter what she was going to write,” said Upshaw, “it was going to be a joyful experience."

In 2019, PaviElle French decided to engage both her native Saint Paul community and her hometown orchestra by writing her first “classical” composition. The result was a touching ode to her mother called A Requiem for Zula. At its premiere, Garrett noticed something very interesting – the audience was more diverse than he’d ever seen! In this opus, Garrett and Scott kick off Black History Month in a chat with PaviElle about how this performance served as a catalyst to strengthen the relationship between Saint Paul’s communities of color and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. The three also go into the impact her mother made on her as a musician and what it means to find freedom as a creative artist. In the prelude, Garrett and Scott introduce the question they’ve planned to ask each February guest, and Garrett addresses one organization’s discomfort with his life philosophy. Episode Playlist Prince (arr. Stringspace Quartet) – “When Doves Cry” Gary Clark Jr. – “This Land”

These days composer John J. Becker is almost totally forgotten, but back in the 1930s his name was linked with Charles Ives, Carl Ruggles, Henry Cowell, and Wallingford Riegger as one of the so-called "American Five" composers of what was dubbed "ultra-modern" music. From 1928 to 1935, Becker taught at the College of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and briefly assembled a "Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra" to give Midwest premieres of works by Ives and other ultra-modernists. From 1935 to 1941, Becker was the Minnesota State director of the Federal Music Project, one of President Roosevelt's initiatives to provide work for American musicians during the Depression years. On today's date in 1937, at the old St. Paul Auditorium, Becker conducted the Federal Music Project's Twin Cities Orchestra in a program that included the premiere performance of his own Symphony No. 3, subtitled "Symphonia Brevis." This "ultra-modern" symphony was met with an "ultra-conservative" review in The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, whose critic wrote: "It consists of spasmodic little excursions… percussive barrages… ideas that seem to run out before the score comes to a close, with the consequent suggestion of that spurious vitality exhibited by decapitated fowls." Decades later, three years before his death in 1961, Becker, along with a few other surviving members of the "American Five," was invited to take a bow from the stage of Carnegie Hall at one of Leonard Bernstein's New York Philharmonic concerts which featured his "Sinfonia Brevis."

These days composer John J. Becker is almost totally forgotten, but back in the 1930s his name was linked with Charles Ives, Carl Ruggles, Henry Cowell, and Wallingford Riegger as one of the so-called "American Five" composers of what was dubbed "ultra-modern" music. From 1928 to 1935, Becker taught at the College of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and briefly assembled a "Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra" to give Midwest premieres of works by Ives and other ultra-modernists. From 1935 to 1941, Becker was the Minnesota State director of the Federal Music Project, one of President Roosevelt's initiatives to provide work for American musicians during the Depression years. On today's date in 1937, at the old St. Paul Auditorium, Becker conducted the Federal Music Project's Twin Cities Orchestra in a program that included the premiere performance of his own Symphony No. 3, subtitled "Symphonia Brevis." This "ultra-modern" symphony was met with an "ultra-conservative" review in The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, whose critic wrote: "It consists of spasmodic little excursions… percussive barrages… ideas that seem to run out before the score comes to a close, with the consequent suggestion of that spurious vitality exhibited by decapitated fowls." Decades later, three years before his death in 1961, Becker, along with a few other surviving members of the "American Five," was invited to take a bow from the stage of Carnegie Hall at one of Leonard Bernstein's New York Philharmonic concerts which featured his "Sinfonia Brevis."

Why is representation in classical music important? What does it feel like for black millennials in the concert hall? How is the music experience unique at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs)? Garrett and Scott explore those topics, and more, before hearing from Marion Dooley, who reached out to Garrett after seeing him perform with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Marion shares his perspectives, and offers insight into a world he thinks more people should know about.

Thomas Rolfs, Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, began his career with the BSO in 1991 under Seiji Ozawa. He served first as 4th trumpet, and was later promoted by Ozawa to Associate Principal Trumpet. He was promoted to Principal Trumpet by James Levine. As a student, Mr. Rolfs was a Tanglewood Music Center Fellow in 1978, earned his bachelor of music degree from the University of Minnesota, and received his master of music degree from Northwestern University. He returned to Minnesota for a five-year tenure with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist, Rolfs has performed with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, as well as performing the posthorn solo in Mahler's Symphony No. 3 with the Dallas Symphony. At the request of John Williams, he was a featured soloist on the composer's Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the Academy Award-winning film Saving Private Ryan. He was also soloist in Williams's Summon the Heroes for the nationally televised Boston Pops concert on the Esplanade on July 4, 2001, under Keith Lockhart's direction. His varied performance background also includes appearances withthe National Brass Ensemble, Minnesota Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Empire Brass, Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the American Ballet Orchestra. Rolfs is a founding member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, which is in residence at Boston University. As an educator, Rolfs has presented masterclasses throughout the world, including North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. He has served on the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center since 1998, regularly coaches the New World Symphony, and teaches at both the New England Conservatory and Boston University.Support the show (https://thatsnotspit.com/support/)

How do you know when you have a passion for something? Anna made her solo piano debut at age seven at the Special Central Music School in Moscow, Russia. Daughter of professional musicians, Anna and her twin sister started when they were only 5. Her parents being professional musicians, she only knew a life of musical training.  Immigrating to the US in 1990, this teenager quickly learned that not all teenagers where so focused. Believing that she wanted more, Anna enrolled herself into the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music. Read on and you will get an idea of her passion, talent and work that she does inspiring so many through music. Her most important role, being a single mom to a delightful 6 year old daughter. We’ve included a sample of Anna’s music in this episode. Anna has appeared with the Moscow Virtuosi, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, just to name a few. She’s collaborated with Yo-Yo-Ma, David Shifrin and Peter Wiley, just to name a few. Anna has given concerts in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall’s Stern, just to name a few. And let’s not forget, Anna tours extensively throughout the US, Europe and Asia. Anna is a frequent guest at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She is a recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award.

First Associate Concertmaster with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the creative mind behind Natesviolin, Nathan Cole has incredible insight on practice and performance preparation!  In this episode, he discusses:   His path, from Suzuki beginner, to Curtis student, to the LA Phil, via the St-Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony How he organizes his time for productivity The importance of scheduling Utilize small pockets of time Know when you are the most productive How he prepares for practice – the importance of having the right environment Not separating the warm up from “playing” Not separating practicing from performing The importance of paying attention every time you are about to start a note The importance of choosing repertoire suited to our level How he takes a piece from start to ready The importance of practicing etudes and to understand what the point of each etude is so we can focus on the proper skill to be worked on How he problem-solves difficult passages The importance of paying close attention to how things sound and feel – being present Why it's important to develop good communication skills with colleagues   ALL ABOUT guest: Website: https://www.natesviolin.com/ Podcast Stand Partners for Life: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stand-partners-for-life/id1328799919?mt=2 Nathan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natesviolin/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natesviolin/ The Inner Game of Golf by W. Timothy Gallwey The Inner Game of Tennis, also by Gallwey The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green     Nathan Cole, First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, KY, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York's Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. While in Chicago, Nathan taught at Roosevelt University and coached the Chicago Civic Orchestra. He is currently on the faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan's articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan is married to Akiko Tarumoto, the LA Phil's Assistant Concertmaster. Together they host the weekly podcast Stand Partners for Life, an inside look at orchestra life, which can be heard at standpartnersforlife.com. Nathan and Akiko live in Pasadena with their three children.   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.)

“All music was new music once,” we often have to remind ourselves, and the same is true of conductors: they were all young once upon a time. But what does age have to do with a conductor's artistic vision, or prowess with a baton? That's what we figure out in today's episode. Just how necessary is a conductor in the first place? Well, maybe not strictly necessary, but pretty important, as Akiko and the Chicago Symphony found out back in 2010 when Riccardo Muti fell ill just an hour before the season-opening gala! The orchestra and soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter went ahead with the Beethoven violin concerto and a Mozart symphony without anyone on the podium. It was hair-raising stuff, and anything but easy. Nathan talks about his first job, in the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where conductor-less weeks were (and remain) a feature, not a bug. We get into how conductors were trained in the old days (and the old countries), versus how they're brought up now. Hint: it's faster now, and that leads to consequences both good and bad for orchestras. Back when Nathan was at Curtis, the conducting teacher Otto-Werner Mueller stuck to the old ways when he selected his students. Only the cream of the analytical crop survived his grueling tests and earned the right to conduct Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring under his watchful eye at the audition finals. But not all them instinctively knew how to use the baton. We recall our (still young) boss, Gustavo Dudamel, making his first appearance with us and the Chicago Symphony while he was still in his 20s. A senior member of the orchestra challenged him in rehearsal, and the way Dudamel handled himself set the tone for his illustrious career. Likewise, Daniel Harding has appeared with us both in Chicago and in Los Angeles. We take our own remembrances of those not-always-happy meetings, and combine them with Harding's own interview on the subject, to discover what experience taught him about orchestras. Here's the link to the 2011 New York Times interview with Harding: Prodigy Ages into a Merely Young Conductor Finally, we round up the things young conductors can do, or not do, to start off on the right foot with a new group. There's a lot to be said for trust, in both directions!

“All music was new music once,” we often have to remind ourselves, and the same is true of conductors: they were all young once upon a time. But what does age have to do with a conductor’s artistic vision, or prowess with a baton? That’s what we figure out in today’s episode. Just how necessary is a conductor in the first place? Well, maybe not strictly necessary, but pretty important, as Akiko and the Chicago Symphony found out back in 2010 when Riccardo Muti fell ill just an hour before the season-opening gala! The orchestra and soloist Anne-Sophie Mutter went ahead with the Beethoven violin concerto and a Mozart symphony without anyone on the podium. It was hair-raising stuff, and anything but easy. Nathan talks about his first job, in the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, where conductor-less weeks were (and remain) a feature, not a bug. We get into how conductors were trained in the old days (and the old countries), versus how they’re brought up now. Hint: it’s faster now, and that leads to consequences both good and bad for orchestras. Back when Nathan was at Curtis, the conducting teacher Otto-Werner Mueller stuck to the old ways when he selected his students. Only the cream of the analytical crop survived his grueling tests and earned the right to conduct Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring under his watchful eye at the audition finals. But not all them instinctively knew how to use the baton. We recall our (still young) boss, Gustavo Dudamel, making his first appearance with us and the Chicago Symphony while he was still in his 20s. A senior member of the orchestra challenged him in rehearsal, and the way Dudamel handled himself set the tone for his illustrious career. Likewise, Daniel Harding has appeared with us both in Chicago and in Los Angeles. We take our own remembrances of those not-always-happy meetings, and combine them with Harding’s own interview on the subject, to discover what experience taught him about orchestras. Here’s the link to the 2011 New York Times interview with Harding: Prodigy Ages into a Merely Young Conductor Finally, we round up the things young conductors can do, or not do, to start off on the right foot with a new group. There’s a lot to be said for trust, in both directions!

We’re chatting with violinist Nathan Cole on today’s podcast.  Nathan is a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has just released a new podcast called Stand Partners for Life.  Nathan and his wife Akiko (also a member of the LA Phil) have all sorts of exciting plans for this new venture.  We dig into Nathan’s journey through music, getting into tech, the motivations behind launching a podcast, and much more.  Enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to this new podcast! About Nathan Cole: First Associate Concertmaster Nathan Cole, who joined the LA Phil in 2011, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, KY, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York’s Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. Nathan’s articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. Visit natesviolin.com for the complete collection. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan is married to Akiko Tarumoto, the LA Phil’s Assistant Concertmaster. Together they host the podcast Stand Partners for Life, which is a weekly “inside look” at the symphony life. Visit standpartnersforlife.com to listen. Nathan and Akiko live in Pasadena with their three children Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle! Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: Robertson & Sons Violins For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow. D'Addario Strings This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Kaplan strings, which have versatility and control throughout the dynamic spectrum, rich tonal color palette, superb bow response, and beautiful balance. Upton Bass String Instrument Company Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players. A440 Violin Shop An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

Jocelyn Hagen composes music that has been described as “simply magical” (Fanfare Magazine) and “dramatic and deeply moving” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis/St. Paul). Her first forays into composition were via songwriting, and this is very evident in her work. The majority of her compositional output is for the voice: solo, chamber and choral. In 2006 she co-founded Graphite Publishing with fellow composer Timothy C. Takach. Timothy C. Takach has been commissioned by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the St. Olaf Band, VocalEssence, and Lorelei Ensemble among others, and his music has been performed on A Prairie Home Companion and The Boston Pops holiday tour, and at venues including Alice Tully Hall and Kennedy Center. He is a co-creator of the theatrical production of All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914, a co-founder of the ensemble Cantus and Graphite Publishing. Join The Portfolio Composer community and support the creation of the platform on Patreon. Just $1/month to enable the creation of more great content to help you build your career! Composers and entrepreneurs Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy Takach discuss Graphite Publishing, marketing, and becoming a professional. Topics discussed in this episode: Life balance Being married to a composer Competition Becoming a professional Knowing you've made it Taking the leap of faith into composition Telling people what you want to do Stacking work in the pipeline Graphite Publishing Seeing a problem & solving it Not being a vanity press Publishing Marketing your music Making the music look presentable Making it easy for the conductor and performer Brand Conferences Direct marketing The reason why Music is a service Websites: jocelynhagen.com timothyctakach.com graphitepublishing.com Recommended Listening: Ugis Praulins, The Nightingale Tori Amos, Under the Pink Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Can't Hold Us Recommended Reading: David McNally & Karl D Speak, Be Your Own Brand: Achieve More of What You Want by Being More of Who You Are Daniel Ladinsky, Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West Give The Portfolio Composer podcast a Rating and Review! This post contains affiliate links.

April 15, 2016. Composer Maria Schneider discusses her Library of Congress commission, "Data Lords," with Larry Appelbaum of the Music Division. "Data Lords," made possible by the Reva and David Logan Foundation, was premiered at the Library by the Maria Schneider Orchestra on April 15, 2016. Speaker Biography: Maria Schneider is an award-winning jazz composer and big band leader. She has received multiple Grammy awards, including the 2016 award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album (for "The Thompson Fields," a collaboration with David Bowie). Schneider has received commissions from the Library of Congress, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, among others. Her album, "Concert in the Garden" (2004), was the first recording to receive a Grammy after being released solely online. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7401

Today's episode features Houston Symphony principal bassist Robin Kesselman.  Robin studied with David Allen Moore and Paul Ellison at the Coburn School of Music and the University of Southern California, and with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer at the Curtis Institute of Music.  He has also performed as Guest Principal Bass with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, travelled internationally with both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and performed with the National, Atlanta, and Baltimore Symphonies. During Robin’s time at USC, he sustained a playing injury that took him out of commission for a prolonged period.  We dig into how Robin ultimately recovered from this and how it changed his approach to practicing and performing on the bass, and how he practiced while he was out of commission.  This was a left arm injury, and Robin continued to practice open string and harmonics with the bow, going into his lessons and working on the Bottesini Concerto on open strings.  We also discuss how Robin approaches the audition process: his preparation strategies, his musical goals for an audition, and using visualization techniques. We also feature excerpts from Krzysztof Penderecki's Duo Concertante with Eunice Kim on violin.  Enjoy! Interview Highlights Discoveries During Playing Injury: sitting in practice room - “this hurts, but it also still sounds bad” - the mistake of pushing through pain this time spent not using his left hand ultimately took his bow game to a new level - he spent large amounts of time just practicing with the right hand - playing solos and excerpts on open strings / harmonics in lessons! “the building blocks with which I was making my shapes were not completely honest” - referring to the bow arm mental practice / visualization - he got into this during this time period learning the difference between an ache and something more serious Thoughts on Auditioning: there’s nothing that isn’t practicable timing and pulse mathematical pulse/note division vs. feeling right the fallacy of perfect audition rounds similarities between prepping for an audition and a recital auditions have to be an artistic endeavor and about musical expression if you walk out and your whole goal is to play notes that are even and in tune, the second that one note isn’t exactly the same as another note you officially have nothing left to offer, because your single goal has crumbled if your goal is to make lines and to make shapes and be expressive, it’s ok if one note is a little shorter than the others philosophy from David: as soon as you come in and things are in tune and in time, you are officially at zero The Audition Process in Detail: record constantly during this whole process -throughout the whole day first 50% of the interval really hibernate and work things super slow - considerably under 50% tempo move something up 40 clicks over a period of weeks A and B lists that kind of parallel each other (one Mozart Symphony on one and one on the other, for example) doesn’t play for anyone during this time - nothing’s put together - it’s all really cut up at this point next 25% buff out the edges, smooth out the music, give it a shine playing with recordings, getting the flow right last 25% take the show on the road, play for anybody and everybody, start setting up mock auditions and lessons with other (non-bass) instrumentalists the last week go back to “hibernating" stop playing for people - running rounds - 4-5 excerpts in a row hours wise it’s similar through he whole process, but the hours are being used differently all the way until audition time, there was never a day/time when he could not continue to make things better have a specific game plan for those 20 minutes of warm-up once you arrive at the hall bass players don’t hire bassists - committees of other instrumentalists do

We are featuring Andrew Raciti on this week’s show.  Andy is the acting principal bass of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He is also the head of the double bass studio of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Before joining the Milwaukee Symphony in 2006, Mr Raciti was associate principal bass of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in Australia. He has also performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.   We talk about Andy’s experiences growing up in Milwaukee, studying at UW-Madison, studying with Paul at Rice, the Sydney Symphony, the Northwestern University bass studio, how Andy approaches lessons, the Laborie endpin, his Tester bass, and several other topics.  We also feature excerpts from Zivojin Glisic’s Concerto for Double Bass and String Orchestra with Andy and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chamber Orchestra. Enjoy!   About Andrew:   Andrew Raciti is the acting principal bass of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He is also the head of the double bass studio of the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Before joining the Milwaukee Symphony in 2006, Mr Raciti was associate principal bass of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in Australia. He has also performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.   In the summers he has been the principal bass of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and performs orchestral and chamber music at the Grand Teton Music Festival. He is also a regular professor of the Filharmonica Joven de Colombia in South America. In 2011 he performed the United States premiere of the Concerto for Double Bass and String Orchestra by Macedonian composer Zivoin Glisic. A recognized authority in bass pedagogy and performance, Mr Raciti has published articles in the quarterly for the International Society of Bassists. He is currently involved with the  BATUTA foundation of Colombia, South America, where he is developing the bass portion of a comprehensive string pedagogy that will be used throughout its 17,000 member nationwide network.   Visit Andrew Raciti's Double Bass Studio Facebook Page

The lead of management's negotiating team discusses the labor stalemate with The SPCO's locked-out musicians.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer John Adams will read from his autobiography, "Hallelujah Junction." Speaker Biography: As a composer, conductor, and creative thinker, Adams occupies a unique position in the world of classical music. His works, both operatic and symphonic, stand out among contemporary classical compositions for their depth of expression, brilliance of sound, and the profoundly humanist nature of their themes. Notable works include the milestone operas "Nixon in China" and "The Death of Klinghoffer." Adams has also received critical acclaim for his creative programming, founding the "In Your Ear" festival at Carnegie Hall, curating festivals and concerts for such prominent musical institutions as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cabrillo Festival, and the BBC Proms concerts, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his piece "On the Transmigration of Souls," which commemorated the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. He has been widely honored by leading arts institutions, receiving the Harvard Arts Medal, honorary doctorates by the University of Cambridge and Northwestern University, and more recently, the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors Award.