Rhapsody in Blue

KUSC is broadcasting the ninth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2015-2016 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Simone Dinnerstein.

Charles Ives:  Symphony No. 2

Maurice Ravel:  Concerto in G Major for Piano and Orchestra

George Gershwin:  Rhapsody in Blue

We went to the Sunday performance, which featured the two piano pieces.  A reminder, this concert's Rhapsody in Blue is Ferde Grofé's version, equipped with 3 saxophones and a banjo!

Tchaikovsky's Fifth

KUSC is broadcasting the eighth concert of the Pacific Symphony's 2015-2016 classical concert series tonight at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Manuel López-Gómez conducted with guitarist Pablo Villegas.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov:  Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34

Joaquìn Rodrigo:  Fantasía para un gentilhombre (Fantasy for a Nobleman)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, TH 29

I've never heard the Rodrigo piece before, so that's something to look forward to.  :)

Andre Watts Plays Beethoven

We went to the Pacific Symphony's open rehearsal, Saturday concert, and going again today for the Sunday concert!  :)

The Saturday concert had a Plaza-cast, hosted by Rich Capparela.  I didn't actually see him, but I'm glad he's OK, as I haven't heard Rich since the last KUSC membership drive.

This performance will broadcast on KUSC on Sunday, July 31 at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist André Watts.

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Concerto No. 4 in G Major for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 58

Hector Berlioz:  Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14

The preview talk has given by Alan Chapman again.  André Watts join in the second half, sharing his experience with the Beethoven 4th.  And his performance was awesome!!  I loved the cadenza, and looking forward to listening again on the KUSC broadcast.  :)

The hall itself was themed with opium Symphonie Fantastique, and you could participate in Berlioz's world.

I couldn't tell who these two were.  Maybe the artist and his love?

Dancers from the ball.

The shepherd.

The executioner.

The witch.

Vivaldi's Four Seasons

We went to the Saturday Pacific Symphony concert last night.

This performance will broadcast on KUSC on Sunday, July 24 at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with violinist Philippe Quint, who also lead the Vivaldi.

Antonio Vivaldi:  The Four Seasons, Op. 8

Richard Strauss:  An Alpine Symphony, TrV 233, Op. 64

Assistant conductor Roger Kalia did the pre-concert lecture again, and interviewed Philippe Quint.

A student of Dorothy DeLay, Philippe shared some experiences about her teaching methods.

He said she was a great psychologist, and stayed very positive.  For example, if she saw a problem with an intonation, she would ask "What is your concept of F#?".  A sharp contrast from is experience in Russia, where there would be hollering, insulting, etc.  Back there, he would hear stories of music flies out, the instrument flies out, and the student flies out.  :)

Dorothy's students are also all unique, as she shared her knowledge without imposing her persona.

His performance was awesome, I haven't seen anybody play so happily since Itzhak Perlman!

[Car tune] Con el chola y el changuito

Rich Capparela's car tune.

"... it's like my old grandmother used to say to me, "Jeff," she didn't wear glasses and she got us confused.  "Jeff", she would say, "nothing takes her mind off a bad traffic jam like an indigenous Andean shepherd"..."



"Con el chola y el changuito" by Angel Lasala
Performance by Stephanie Jutt, flute, Elena Abend, piano.

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(disclosure)

Midori & The Planets

We went to the Saturday Pacific Symphony concert last night.

This performance will broadcast on KUSC on Sunday, July 17 at 7 PM (PST).

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

Guest conductor Bramwell Tovey lead violinist Midori and the Women of Pacific Chorale.

Claude Debussy (Arr. Leopold Stokowski):  Clair de Lune

Erich Wolfgang Korngold:  Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35

Gustav Holst:  The Planets

Assistant conductor Roger Kalia filled in for Alan Chapman in the pre-concert lecture.  He interviewed Midori and Bramwell Tovey.

Bramwell was hilarious, he also shared some thoughts about the pieces during the concert after the Clair de Lune, so don't miss the KUSC broadcast!  :)

Rhapsody in Blue Connections

We went to the Sunday connections concert by the Pacific Symphony.

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.