Here’s the YouTube preview of Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony’s new CD release of Music for a Time of War. This PentaTone recording hit the Classical Billboard chart in its first week!
Herbie Hancock & Revisit of Jazz Violin Concerto
Audio link: [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Routenberg: Concerto For Jazz Violin and Orchestra 1. Blue Reel Glenn Basham, violin Michael Krajewski, conductor Naples Philharmonic Thank you, Herbie Hancock, for performing with the Oregon Symphony and inspiring me to revisit a concerto that I commissioned! I admire musicians like Hancock who stretch their…
Strauss Don Juan
This weekend’s program at the symphony features Richard Strauss’ Don Juan, a brilliant, virtuosic piece for orchestra, and especially for the violins. A little secret: Violinists preparing for national orchestra auditions are expected to play Don Juan (first violin part) and therefore they have spent years mastering it. I do not care to count how…
Violinist Karen Gomyo: Random Tidbits
The fantabulous violinist Karen Gomyo join forces with the Oregon Symphony to perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto this week. Get to know her a bit more! Some random tidbits about Karen: About the Beethoven Violin Concerto: I tried to stay away from the Beethoven Violin Concerto when I was younger. I learned it (went through…
Natasha Paremski Steps In for Yefim Bronfman
Quick post to say that pianist Natasha Paremski, the heroine who got the call with less than 48 hours notice to step in for the indisposed Yefim Bronfman, is playing the youthful Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 splendidly. When I asked Paremski what her reaction was when she got the call to play last-minute, she…
Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey
Just heard that Rick Steves, that famous American traveler who is frequently on public television, will partner with the Cascade Symphony in Edmonds, WA for a symphonic journey that is sure to be enjoyable. What a great idea! But it gets better. The performances will be filmed, edited and aired on public television. The resulting…
Violin Masterclass Wednesday: Ana Chumachenko
Since Elina Vähälä is coming to Portland this week, I decided to feature Ana Chumachenko, one of Vähälä’s violin mentors. Chumachenko is an active soloist, recitalist and chamber musician who also teaches at the illustrious Kronberg Academy Masters in Germany. Those who attended Chamber Music Northwest concerts this year should note that violinist Christian Tetzlaff and…