The American Symphony Orchestra will be lead by music director Leon Botstein on March 24 in a tribute to the great Duke Ellington. The Duke Ellington tribute will be an all-Ellington symphonic concert at Carnegie Hall. The event will also feature American jazz pianist, Marcus Roberts and Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell.
The performance was originally scheduled for March of 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. In response to the pandemic, Marcus Roberts collaborated with the ASO on the short filmtitled United We Play which released in December of 2020. The film features three world premieres commissioned by the ASO and composed by Roberts.
Duke Ellington employs a unique blend of classical and jazz compositional techniques that also combine improvisation with written works. As a result, this makes him one of the most influential jazz composers of all time.
Featured acts for the March 24th tribute concert include Leon Botstein, conductor Marcus Roberts Trio Marcus Roberts, Pianist, Rodney Jordan, Bassist, Jason Marsalis, Drummer, Catherine Russell, singer All-Ellington program Black, Brown, and Beige Suite (Arr. Maurice Peress) Satin Doll (Arr. Chuck Israels) Harlem (Arr. Luther Henderson & Maurice Peress) Sophisticated Lady (Arr. Morton Gould) Night Creature for Jazz Band and Orchestra (Arr. Luther Henderson, Ed. Gunther Schuller) New World A Comin’ (Arr. Maurice Peress) Three Black Kings (Completed by Mercer Ellington, Arr. Luther Henderson)
Tickets are available at carnegiehall.org. You can also visit the box office at 57th St & 7th Ave.
As Russia continues their advance on Ukraine, many organizations are choosing to cut ties with Russian government allies. The Met has joined this list by cutting ties with artists and institutions that support or are supported by Putin.
New York‘s iconic opera house has issued a statement regarding Putin’s invasion, standing in solidarity with Ukraine and supporting their resistance efforts. As an international opera company, the Met hopes to use their status to raise awareness and urge government officials to condemn Putin’s actions.
The Met’s general manager, Peter Gelb, didn’t specify which artists and institutions would be cut, but according to NPR, there are three figures that could be at risk. The Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, conductor Valery Gergiev and soprano Anna Netrebko have all been allied with Putin in the past.
It’s terrible that artistic relationships, at least temporarily, are the collateral damage of these actions by Putin.
Met General Manager, Peter Gelb
They will also be staging a March 14th concert to raise funds for Ukraine. The opera will be performing the Ukrainian national anthem, as well as “Prayer for Ukraine” by composer Valentin Silvestrov. Other organizations, including City Winery and New York’s College of Performing Arts, will be hosting their own charity events.
Caroga Arts Collective have recently announced their spring residency featuring KASA quartet and CLMF artists Brian Shank and Geoff Saunders. They will hold four concerts from March 24-27.
“KASA quartet : An Evening of Music and Friendship” will highlight chamber music’s ability to bring listeners together. The group will perform pieces from films and Broadway, as well popular arrangements from Frank Churchill, Jacob Collier and more.
Originally founded in 2016, KASA quartet uses multiple styles to create their unique performances. With members Andy Liang, Aaron Schwartz, Kyle Price and Stephanie Price-Wong, the quartet has taught and performed at a number of places including Ravinia Festival, SPAC and Chamber Music Connection.
Eddie Barbash
The KASA quartet will also do a special NYC showcase with Eddie Barbash on 3/22. Alongside performances, the group have been working on their debut album with a number of talented collaborators like Glenn Zaleski, WARP trio and Empire Wild.
Two concerts, 3/24 and 3/26, will have free attendance, but optional donations can be made. RSVP will be required for the 3/25 show and the 3/27 show will require a ticket purchase. Tickets can be found here. More information can be found on the Caroga Arts website.
This summer The Sembrich in Bolton Landing, NY, will be hosting a unique Reimagining the Classics, from the classics to the rhapsodies.
Artistic Director Richard Wargo spoke about how delighted he is to present the festival.
Reimagining the Classics will explore all manner of reinvention and present a variety of refreshing new takes on classical favorites. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to reimagine many aspects of life, including the way we present and experience music. This summer’s festival will incorporate the best of those bold reinventions, including the introduction of our new outdoor Promenade Series.
The festival will explore reinvention, from arrangements and transcriptions of classics to rhapsodies and variations of popular composers. There are many highlights of the festival.
Reimagining The Classics: Breaking Operatic Traditions – Michael Capasso, New York City Opera General Director, shares his insights on favorite works by Verdi and Puccini, and explores many productions and performance practices from the past 150 years.
Promenade Series – New in 2022 – This is a new outdoor series, modeled after the famous proms of London, and features a lot of musical styles, like classical and jazz. Comedians will also be featured here as well.
The Sembrich Film Series – This year’s films focus on reinvention and adaptations of the popular musicals Dear Evan Hansen (2021), West Side Story (2021), and In the Heights (2021). Several films, including Dracula (1931) will have live musical scores.
Masterwork Series – Performances for this series will be held in The Sembrich studio, with evening performances of monumental classical works.
These, and more, will be happening at The Sembrich this summer, and tickets can be found here.
The New York Youth Symphony have worked throughout the pandemic to create their first studio recording, set to release on April 8th. The recording features four pieces by Florence Price, Valerie Coleman and Jessie Montgomery.
The New York Youth Symphony has achieved something remarkable by creating and releasing their first studio recording. It features a number of member premieres, as well as work from three talented Black women composers. Recorded in the midst of the pandemic at the DiMenna Center in Manhattan, the orchestra had to be socially distanced, with one section recording at a time. The set up was created by Grammy winning producer, Judith Sherman.
A majority of the recording centers itself around different aspects of the Black experience. Price’s pieces blend African American folk with the European Romantic tradition she was trained in. Coleman transformed a simple song meant for a women’s chorus into an orchestral piece while maintaining the feel of a traditional drum circle. NYYS alum, Montgomery drew inspiration from MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech to create her piece, ‘Soul Force’.
The symphony is made up of some of the most talented young musicians available, ranging from ages 12 to 22. While focus is on the performance aspect of the orchestra, at its’ core, the NYYS is here to contribute to the musical education of young musicians. Executive Director, Shauna Quill cites the recording process as “an important and invaluable skill” for students to learn.
“We put a lot of thought and energy into creating a special project that NYYS students could accomplish during this difficult time. I couldn’t be prouder to have led this amazing orchestra in these performances, and for the resiliency of the students who always play at such a high level and with incredible spirit.”
Conductor Michael Repper
In addition to the new release, NYYS will be returning to the stage with performances at Dizzy’s Club on 3/7, Carnegie Hall on 3/13, Scandinavia House on 5/4 and the Times Center on 5/9. More information can be found here.
Composers and instrumentalists Vicente Hansen Atria and Mat Muntz are set to release their new album “The Vex Collection”, releasing on Carrier Records February 18. With a grand combination of jazz, world, contemporary classical, and experimental rock, these two trendsetters have experimented with traditional instruments to devise unforgettable musical experiences.
Atria and Muntz grew straight out of NYC’s The Shed Open Call commissioning program. This establishment is a cultural institution that welcomes and molds 21st century art and ideas. The Shed cultivates creativity in fields ranging from pop to classical music, painting to digital media, theater to literature, and sculpture to dance. Their mutual interest in double reeds, which are by far one of the most ancient musical technologies that produce intense ranging sounds, were intertwined with newly invented technology, known as live electronics that were developed through 3-D-printing.
In addition to the two composers, others joined the musical journey to mesh traditional and new sounds to produce “The Vex Collection”. Gamin, played the Korean double reed instruments the piri and taepyeongso, while Matthew Welch, specialized in the great highland bagpipe. Additionally, musician Neo, plays the carnyx, bombard, and dozaleh.
These instruments were deeply rooted in Korea and Scotland, some being one of the first to have a substantial impact in their respective cultures. Atria and Muntz made sure not to alter the natural sounds of the traditional music, but rather allowed it to clash with the live electronics on one song and flow smoothly on the next. The newer instruments that intertwined with the old, ranged from distorted guitars to aggressive synthesizers and detailed microtonality. Ultimately, the group proved that older music is still apart of today’s culture, just with an advanced technological twist.
“The Vex Collection” has pushed passed the social norms within the music industry, as we know it today. This album is full of improvisations of music between two distinct time periods, that go above and beyond what listeners could have imagined.
To check out their latest single “Fugue”, visit Foxy Digitalis. For more information about Atria and Muntz, as well as “The Vex Collection”, visit these sites: Mat Muntz, Vincent Hansen.
This month, just in time for Valentine’s Day, Albany Symphony pianists return for a verity of concerts. Wei Lou, piano soloist, will perform a Valentine’s concert on February 12th. Later in the month, Gershwin virtuoso and Kevin Cole will play Rhapsody in Blue in Troy. The Valentine’s Weekend program also includes Tchaikovsky’s expert Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique,” and New York City-based British composer Hannah Kendall’s The Spark Catchers.
Albany Symphony Orchestra
Music Director David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony welcome back two favorite virtuoso pianists for weekends of thrilling music sure to make for a perfect Valentine’s romance.
Albany Symphony Orchestra’s conductor, David Alan Miller
At the Palace Theatre and streaming live online, Wei Luo performs Serge Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Luo made her acclaimed premiere with the Symphony in 2017.
“I am beyond excited to be back with Albany Symphony to perform this masterpiece,” said Luo. “The Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto is one of the most powerful yet beautiful concertos of all time with touching melodies, percussive sounds, and electrifying rhythms. It will be a blast!”
Albany Symphony Pianist, Wei Lou
“I’m thrilled to welcome Wei Luo back to play one of my all-time favorite piano concertos, Prokofiev’s glorious Third, along with the most romantic, passionate, life-affirming Russian symphony in the repertoire, Tchaikovsky’s Sixth, the ‘Pathétique,’ Miller said. “We’re also delighted to feature a brilliant recent work by composer Hannah Kendall. All the music on this program crackles with warmth and love; it is the perfect antidote for a cold winter’s night, and a musical Valentine you won’t want to miss.”
Albany Symphony Pianist, Wei Lou
Gershwin in the Roaring 20s, Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7:30pm and Sunday, Feb. 27 at 3pm at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.
Kevin Cole, the foremost interpreter of the music of George Gershwin, makes his long-awaited return for a special program including a rare presentation of an iconic favorite.
Albany Symphony Pianist, Kevin Cole
“We’re delighted to welcome Kevin Cole back for a gorgeous evening of Gershwin classics from the 1920s, including ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ performed in its seldom heard original jazz band version, and some of Kevin’s own dazzling Gershwin improvisations,” Miller said. “Don’t miss this concert; it will be unforgettable!”
Albany Symphony Pianist, Kevin Cole
The original event was one scheduled as a one-night-only performance, but a Sunday afternoon matinee was recently added to Gershwin Weekend and a virtual livestream has also been added for the Saturday night performance by popular demand. According to Cole, the appreciation is mutual:
“Every time I perform with Conductor David Alan Miller and Albany Symphony it’s an electrifying event! We have always been in syncopated synchronization with Gershwin. After more than 20 years of David and I performing together we’ve found a beautiful balance of lush romanticism layered with roller coaster thrills!”
Albany Symphony Orchestra’s conductor, David Alan Miller
Albany Symphony Orchestra presents a classical series throughout the region. Throughout leading Albany Symphony to its success, David Alan Miller has established a reputation as one of the leading American conductors of his generation. Often recognized as one of the American’s most innovative and creative orchestras, the two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning Albany Symphony is renowned for accomplished performances featuring classic orchestral favorites, lesser-heard masterworks, and an array of contemporary music from emerging voices of today.
Albany Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1930 in New York’s Capital Region, the Albany Symphony serves a diverse regional in the creation, performance, and recording of new orchestral music. The Albany Symphony is constantly reshaping the nation’s musical legacy. The Albany Symphony celebrates our living musical heritage through its adventurous programming, commissioning, and recording of new work, and broad community engagement beyond the concert hall.
Albany Symphony Orchestra
Tickets range from $20 to $62; livestream tickets are on sale now for $37 at (518) 694-3300 and albanysymphony.com. Saturday night Gershwin availability is limited.
As the XXIV Olympic Winter Games take place in Beijing, China, we look back 42 years to the XIII Olympic Winter Games held in Lake Placid from February 13, 1980 to February 24, 1980. Home of the Miracle on Ice and speedskater Eric Heiden winning five gold medals, the Lake Placid Winter Olympics brought together 1,072 athletes from 37 countries to take part in 38 official events in February 1980.
Opening ceremony photo courtesy Lake Placid Olympic Sites
The games also featured a theme song, in the form of Rochester Jazz legend Chuck Mangione’s “Give it All You Got,” a tune released a week before the games, that would chart as high as #1 on the Adult Contemporary, #18 on the Billboard 100 and #32 on the R&B chart, and recently named by Billboard as the #1 Olympics theme song of all time. ”Give it All You Got” was Mangione’s second single to reach #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, after “Feels So Good” achieved that feat in 1978.
Mangione was asked by Roone Arledge, then ABC Sports president, to craft a song for the Winter Olympiad. ABC had used Mangione’s recordings, including “Chase The Clouds Away,” four years earlier during their coverage of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Featuring a lineup of Charles Meks (bass), James Bradley Jr. (drums), Grant Geissman (guitar), and Chris Vadalla (saxophone), Mangione, America’s most famous flugelhorn player wrote the Grammy-nominated song for his 1979 album Fun and Games.
This is fusion jazz at its most peppy and pristine, the network TV version of “gritty.” Mangione and saxophonist Chris Vadala volley the theme back and forth for nearly half the track’s six-minute runtime, content to let that breezy melody do most of the work. There’s some inspired composition going on beneath the surface: the way the chord structure keeps dancing between major and minor, the spots where flugelhorn and sax each converge in twin harmony. Throw in Charles Meeks’ slippery bassline and some Nile-Rodgers-style rhythm work from Geissman, and you’ve got the perfect soundtrack for cruising L.A. in a ’74 Stingray convertible.
Mangione told Wesley Hyatt for his 1999 book The Billboard Book of No. 1 Adult Contemporary Hits about the process of composing the music for the instrumental, saying:
(my) vision was to think about the athletes and their efforts to do their best now. They’re giving it all they’ve got. And we almost got to be like the athletes because we also got to perform the song at the ceremonies.
“Give It All You Got” was nominated for best instrumental composition at the 1981 Grammy Awards, losing out to John Williams’ score for The Empire Strikes Back.
Mangione would perform “Give it All You Got” live at the Winter Olympics closing ceremony (as well as the song “Pina Colada”) on Sunday, February 24, 1980, just hours after the conclusion of the gold medal hockey victory for Team USA over Finland along with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra from Ontario, Canada.
In addition to Mangione, the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam contributed to the Lake Placid Winter Olympics as well. A 600-member Olympic chorus and orchestra, a 50 member wind ensemble and three Olympic bands of 50 members each, who were bused in daily and wore weather appropriate parkas and boots, instead of the typical tuxedos and gowns. Brass performers tested their instruments in the meat freezer of the local supermarket in Potsdam as they prepared for the Games.
photo by Christopher Lenney
Feb. 9, 1980 featured the Collegiate Singers, directed by Brock McElheran, as they performed for the International Olympic Committee, along with visiting dignitaries from participating nations.
photo via the Crane School of Music
Four Crane School of Music faculty members composed original works for the Olympic Games, including Elliot Del Borgo, Arthur Frackenpohl, William Maul and Robert Washburn. When American gold medal winners, including speedskater Eric Heiden, received their medals, they were accompanied by an arrangement of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Frackenpohl, who also arranged the Greek and Yugoslavian national anthems. Washburn composed “Parade of Nations” for the opening ceremonies, while Del Borgo wrote the piece played during the closing, “When Dreams Are Dreamed and Dreams Are Won,” and Maul composed “March of the Athletes,” used for the closing ceremonies.
photo via the Crane School of Music
Crane School bands would provide music for the award ceremonies each evening, with Professor Emerita Rebekah Covell leading the Crane Symphonic Band for 14 performances over 14 days. With an added degree of difficulty, Covell and the musicians would often have less than an hour to rehearse national anthems needed for the medal award ceremonies, prior to playing the songs outdoors, often in freezing temperatures. Notably, Robert Mero, a former technical assistant at Crane, came out of retirement to assist musicians with technical services during the Games, per Robert Gibbs, a professor and emeritus member of the Crane School alumni board.
Between Chuck Mangione and students and faculty at the Crane School of Music, all music for the 1980 Winter Olympics can be credited to talented born and/or raised New Yorkers. Here’s to the Winter Olympics returning to Lake Placid in the coming years, perhaps split with Montreal.
In honor of Black History Month, Bardavon Presents in Poughkeepsie has announced several events. Two of these events are announced as a way to educate and promote conversation surrounding race for kids and teens K-12, with other events celebrating Black history also scheduled.
The first of these events is Virtual Step Afrika! The event is a 5-part series designed to educate the youth on stepping and its history. Stepping is a form of dancing that originated in African American colleges in the early 20th century. Steppers use their bodies as an instrument and often follow polyrhythmic time signatures. By doing so, the dance form created a way for people to musically express themselves through their bodies. Schools and teachers can register for Virtual Step Afrika! from now until Friday, February 18th.
Step Afrika!
Bardavon Presents will also host Virtual Rhapsody in Black. The event is a one-man show written and performed by LeLand Gantt and developed at NYC’s Actors Studio by Estelle Parsons. The show follows Gantt’s personal journey to understand and eventually transcend racism in America. Teachers It seeks to stimulate deep and uncomfortable, yet necessary conversations about race. A free stream of the performance will be available starting Monday, February 7th til Friday, February 18th.
Rhapsody in Black
On Friday, February 25th, a dual screening of Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, will be shown at both the Bardavon and Ulster Performing Arts Center. The classic 1989 film featuring Spike Lee, Martin Lawrence, Samuel L. Jackson, and Giancarlo Esposito, explores the racial tension in a Brooklyn neighborhood between African Americans and Italian-Americans. The movie has received unanimous positive reception in the way that it explores its themes, so much so that it has been admitted to the National Film Registry. Tickets for the screening start at just $6.
Do the Right Thing
On February 18th at 8 PM, BardavonPresents will host a free stream on their YouTube page. This stream will be a part of their HVP: Behind the Music series. The episode will focus on the Hudson Valley Philharmonic’s March 5th concert, which shines a spotlight on female composers. Notably, Composer Nkeiru Okoye will discuss her piece “Songs of Harriet Tubman,” dedicated to the abolitionist woman who helped free an estimated 70 slaves. The steam will also explore the broader title theme, Underground Figures. More information is available here.
The Mike Block Trio is back again for their first tour of 2022 and they plan to play at Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, on February 11th. This American Roots group recorded an album last month and have lots of new tunes to share.
Mike Block Trio Press Photo
The trio consists of Joe K. Walsh (mandolin/vocals), Zachariah Hickman (bass/vocals), and led by Mike Block (cello/vocals), they are a supergroup of unique and virtuosic players. Using their American roots music with contemporary and international influences, they bring a personal perspective to their acoustic music. For example, all members of the band are heavily experienced in music and have brought an equally professional perspective their songs. Their music is artfully compoed and pleasant to listen to.
Mike Block Trio Press Photos
Mike Block is a pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator. He is committed to inspiring individuals and connecting with individuals across communities. Using his patented design, The Block Strap, Mike was the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall. Touring extensively throughout the world, he has been featured in shows as a cellist and vocal soloist. Likewise, he has contributed arrangements and compositions, and even earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for the album, “Sing Me Home.” The NY Times characterized the performance as, “Breathless … Half dance, half dare.”
Joe K. Walsh is a Bluegrass mandolin player and singer known for his work with the legendary Gibson Brothers band. Furthermore, the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has named The Gibson Brothers Band winner of awards for Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and Song of the Year. After being the first mandolinist to graduate from the Berklee College of Music on the mandolin, Joe returned to Berklee in 2011 as both a mandolin instructor and as a Managing Director of the “American Roots Music Program.”
Mike Block Trio Press Photos
Zachariah Hickman is a double bassist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer based out of Boston, MA. In addition, he received his formal training in jazz performance and composition from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Similarly, as a producer, Zachariah as made records with many talented singers including Rose Cousins (for which he won a Canadian JUNO award), Mark Erelli, Laura Cortese, Miss Tess, and his own bluegrass band Barnstar. He has even made Television appearances including five David Letterman appearances, Conan O’brien, Ellen Degeneres, and Late Night with Jools Holland for the BBC.
The Mike Block Trio has also collaborated with musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, a popular American cellist. Mike is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble (SRE), having joined in 2005 while a student at The Juilliard School.
Mike Block Trio are working alongside the finest venues to do everything they can to make sure it’s safe for their fans to go out to their upcoming shows. As a result of these safety precautions, all shows will require masks and proof of vaccination. Tour dates and more info can be found on their website. Tickets to the Caffe Lena show can be found here.
