The Saturday performance will broadcast on KUSC on Sunday, July 10 at 7 PM (PST). Didn't realize until Sunday morning, but they aired live on Saturday!!
Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.
Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Simone Dinnerstein.
Maurice Ravel: Concerto in G Major for Piano and Orchestra
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
There was a pre-concert lecture by artistic adviser Joseph Horowitz and Professor Wendy Salmond from Chapman University. They discussed Gershwin the artist (as in painter). Seems like he had lots of talents! Also found out that Joseph Horowitz wrote a book about Gershwin.
During the performance, Carl talked with Simone, and other musicians like principal harpist Mindy Ball and principal bassoonist Rose Corrigan. Here's some trivia for you. :)
Asked about the second movement of the Ravel, Simona said the composer might have been inspired by the Russian electronic instrument, Theremin, for the trills.
And of course, the usual suspects, Sati and Mozart.
Rose uses a special mouthpiece for her bassoon for this piece, because it has a c-sharp, a half note higher than the infamous opening of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring! It has a little hole on the top, which helps with the high notes.
Mindy played the harp cadenza from the Ravel piece and gave a small lecture on the harp. She had to tune an extra harp for this! This is one reason we go to the Sunday concerts, even if we attend the preceding night concert as well,
This concert's Rhapsody in Blue is Ferde Grofé's version, equipped with 3 saxophones and a banjo.
Simone & bass clarinetist Joshua Ranz played Rhapsody in Blue 30 years ago in a trio for a piano competition.
Talking about the various candenzas, Simone said her challenge was to play it as if it was improvised.
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