Three recent articles on the state of arts journalism in general and music criticism in particular. These are perceptive pieces, one and all, and not quick reads. The first article takes off from my appointment here at Pacific Symphony to
Van Cliburn winner to visit Pacific Symphony
This year’s gold medalist in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Yekwon Sunwoo, the first Korean to take the top prize, will perform with Carl St.Clair and Pacific Symphony on Sept. 9 at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa. His
First classical record
My memory is a little foggy on some of the details. I was in high school, already a burgeoning trombonist, and already getting in amongst my mother’s collection of classical LPs. At some point, though, I decided to buy one
Lesson Four: Age and Aptitude
My fourth piano lesson at OCMD … Lesson Four: Age and Aptitude. OC Music & Dance blog, Aug. 3, 2017.
Video: Yuja Wang plays ‘Tritsch-Tratsch Polka’
How is this even humanly possible? Yuja Wang plays the “Tritsch-Tratsch Polka” by Johann Strauss, Jr., as arranged by Gyorgy Cziffra.
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Lesson Three: Commitment
My third piano lesson … Lesson Three: Commitment. OC Music & Dance blog, July 31, 2017.
Neglected Symphony: Symphony No. 8 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1955)
Here’s another in my occasional series. I love the use of bells and percussion in this piece. Sir Adrian Boult conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1972.
Miscellany
(News and views from around the internet.) Legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully narrates Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” at the Hollywood Bowl…. Here’s why orchestras tune to a pitch of A 440 Hz…. Singing in a choir is good for your health,
Audio: Stravinsky: Andante
Stravinsky’s music is often thought of as a relentlessly bold, spiky and angular, but he also wrote in gentle pastels. Here’s one such piece, his Andante for piano four hands (which I’m learning at the moment). And now listen to