On November 9th, the Berliner Philharmoniker gave a memorial concert to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall precisely 25 years ago. In remembrance of the victims of the Wall, the orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, performed Karol Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater followed by Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Berliner Philharmonie. Digital microphones from Sennheiser and Neumann were used to record this special event in the highest audio quality for subsequent processing in 3D sound.
Read More...As a gong strikes, sounds from 5,000 year old Chinese instruments rise to blend with a 40-piece Western orchestra. Sixty dancers take the stage in front of a 30-foot tall video backdrop as audiences embark on an adventure to long-ago dynasties through the all-new Shen Yun 2015. Shen Yun Performing Arts creates a new production every year with five separate casts that tour the world. Shen Yun returns to Las Vegas this March.
Read More...In three concerts Thursday, January 22nd-Saturday, January 24th conducted by rising Ossetian conductor Tugan Sokhiev – principal conductor and artistic director of Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – young German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser joins the Boston Symphony Orchestra as soloist in Saint-Saen’s Cello Concerto No. 1, structured in one continuous movement.
Also on the program are Berlioz’s Le Corsaire Overture, inspired by pirate novels and the turquoise Mediterranean waters in Nice, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s ever-popular Scheherazade, a musical depiction of the Thousand and One nights.
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Given the widely publicized financial hardship in recent years at renowned classical music institutions across the U.S. — including orchestras and opera houses in Philadelphia,New York, San Francisco, Detroit, St. Louis, Nashville, San Diego, and a host of other locations — there is a clear imperative that these organizations must adapt in order to survive. Faced with shrinking audiences and an aging fanbase, the institutions that have remained successful are the ones that have put a renewed emphasis on their social mission: their dedication to reach out to schools, to young people, and to the communities in which they reside.
Read More...As far as public school music programs go, Garfield High School has something pretty special going on. Building on a legacy that stretches from notable alumni like Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix (who was expelled his junior year) to current hip-hop artist Macklemore, this Seattle school music department has garnered more than its fair share of acclaim. In particular, its orchestra and jazz programs stand out, both of which are consistently among the best in their respective genres at top national festivals and competitions. Marcus Tsutakawa (known as “Mr. Tsut” to his students) has been directing the Garfield Orchestras since 1985. While many might point to the numerous trophies, awards, and accolades that ensembles have garnered under his watch, when asked about his most significant achievements, Tsutakawa is quick to mention the array of fantastic literature he’s been able to share with his students. What it boils down to, for him, is pretty simple: “My goal is to perform often, learn as much new repertoire as possible, and play fun gigs.”
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