The Gathering Note

Eduardo Chama as Falstaff. Rozarii Lynch Photography

Seattle Opera’s 2009/2010 season began with the spectacle of Wagner’s Ring and will end with the uncertainty of a new opera – Daron Hagen’s Amelia – the first commission for the company in decades. In between, a series of three Verdi operas have provided reliable entertainment and an overview of Verdi’s output. The Verdi festival comes to an end this month with a production of Verdi’s last opera – Falstaff.

Read the rest of this entry »

By R.M. Campbell

The last time Jean-Yves Thibaudet played in Seattle was as soprano Renee Fleming’s pianist. He was a genuine partner to her and she, in addition, gave him some solo time. a rare gesture from a singer. Still, he was second banana. On Sunday afternoon, also at Benaroya Hall, part of the Seattle Symphony’s Distinguished Artists Series, he was first banana and what a banana.

It is something of a commonplace to say the French pianist is a musician of great accomplishment. But after Sunday’s performance, it seems like an understatement. He has always been a pianist of elegance and authority and subtlety. More so on Sunday, with technical brilliance and probing musicianship.

Read the rest of this entry »

By R.M. Campbell

Few would argue that Zakir Hussain is one of the most important drummers of the late 20th and early 21st century. A steady presence in the United States since the 1970’s, he has often, well, maybe not often, appeared in Seattle in various venues with various other Indian musicians. On Thursday he returned to Seattle for a concert titled “Masters of Percussion,” presented by the Seattle Theatre Group at the Moore Theatre.

It was a program of his own creation in which he invited leading drummers, as well as the eminent violinists Ganesh & Kumaresh, for a tour of North America. Seattle was the first stop. The house was near capacity and enthusiastic for this show with its multiplicity of talent and offerings.

Read the rest of this entry »

The contest for the free Yo Yo Ma Mendelssohn CD ended on Monday. I received a slew of entries, but the winner — drawn at random from everyone who sent me an email or joined our Facebook page — is Walter Campbell. Campbell is a self professed “budding classical music enthusiast” who also enjoys Irish traditional music. Congratulations Walter.

In case you are wondering, here are the correct answers needed to be entered in the drawing.

1. What Orchestra was Yo-Yo Ma appointed Creative Consultant to at the end of last year?
Chicago Symphony Orchestra

2. What College / University is Emanuel Ax currently a teacher at?
Julliard School

3. What President Awarded the “National Medal of Arts” award to Itzhak Perlman?
Bill Clinton

By R.M. Campbell

Since its founding in 1924, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia has become one of the most important music conservatories in the United States. Its list of alumni, as well as faculty, represent some of the most celebrated names in music. They are everywhere, including a number in the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, like principal violist Susan Gulkis. However, the school is not as well-known to the general public as the Juilliard School in New York. Curtis on Tour, hopes to correct that and give its young, talented students an early crack on the professional stage. It made its Seattle debut last year at the Henry Chapel in the Highlands. It returned Tuesday night, with different students accompanied by two eminent faculty members — violinist Ida Kavafian and cellist Peter Wiley — and its eminent president Roberto Diaz, who was principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra until his appointment to Curtis. Kavafian and Wiley played. Diaz did not, a pity, because he is such a fine musician (he played at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival the year of his appointment), although his student, Hyo Bi Sim, did, and acquitted herself with honor.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Lorin Wilkerson

On Wednesday night at the Clinton Street Theater in SE Portland, Opera Theater Oregon debuted what must surely be the world premier of any Wagner opera to be set as an episode of the once-popular, vapid TV series Baywatch. Das Rheingold may not seem at first like a suitable thematic partner for a show whose main claim to fame was a horde of buxom young women and bronzed, muscled men running around the beach (often in slow motion) rescuing people, preventing crime, and solving mysteries, but glimpse underneath the surface dissimilarities and a surprising mesh occurs.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Peter A. Klein

Elisa Barston, the Seattle Symphony’s principal second violinist, was the featured soloist in three all-Mozart concerts this past weekend. With everything else going on in town, Benaroya Hall was not full, but still comfortably well-populated on Saturday evening. Those in attendance were treated to some fine playing, with Music Director Gerard Schwarz’ many years as a Mozart conductor informing the proceedings.

Read the rest of this entry »

Composer Michiel Mensingh

With the first official weekend of Icebreaker V over, no one can accuse the Seattle Chamber Players of being timid or short on vision. SCP’s Icebreaker festivals have become important staples for Seattle’s new music scene. Each festival has gone beyond the one before. Two years ago, the emphasis was on American music and SCP brought in music gurus Kyle Gann and Alex Ross to curate a festival of their favorite American composers. There were the premieres and commissions SCP is known for, but the festival was largely a contained event, neatly filling three days with musical activities.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Gigi Yellen

David White is a great performer! At the keyboard, he is a crisp, athletic artist, defining an energetic musical rapport among his fellow players that, in turn, keeps an audience on the edge of its seat.

But he’s more than that: he’s a gifted and entertaining speaker, whose pre-concert energy added great value to the experience of the small crowd of cognoscenti gathered at Town Hall for this Sunday afternoon concert of Haydn and Mendelssohn chamber music. Onyx continues its 2009-10 season commemorating the dual bicentennials of Joseph Haydn (died in 1809) and Felix Mendelssohn (born in 1809). The newly-reconstituted Onyx is White, violinist James Garlick, and cellist Meg Brennand.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Harlan Glotzer

Entering the Chapel at the Good Shepherd Center this evening, I was struck with the calm and focus of a dedicated artistic space. This was largely due to the beautiful ambiance of the stage and sonic arena created by the Fisher Ensemble for the world premiere of the piece At the Hawk’s Well even before it officially began. I was greeted by a stage, though stark, not lacking in visual interest. Two paper masks created by Louise McCagg sat atop three blocks arranged in a stair pattern, which was in turn flanked by two white screens lit from behind. Simple blacks and whites, but I couldn’t help but follow my eyes around the set three or four times before I felt satisfied that I had truly seen the initial image. The strong but soothing angles were accompanied by prerecorded recitation. I could not quite make out what I was hearing, but the male voice on the PA was smooth and low. I could pick out a word or two here and there, but it seemed less important what was being said and more the flavor of how the sounds filled the architecture of the stage. All this before the music even started! I knew I was in for a treat.
Read the rest of this entry »

Soprano Agata Zubel

You can watch/read the live blog of Mikhail Shmidt and Agata Zubel’s performance of Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments” here (after the jump) starting at 7:30 pm PST.

Read the rest of this entry »

By R.M. Campbell

Joni Mitchell, who made her name in the late 1960s and 1970’s as a folk singer, has spent most of her career in the United States. However, she was born in Canada and is still recognized as a Canadian artist. A few years ago Jean Grand-Maitre, artistic director of Alberta Ballet, approached Mitchell with the idea of setting a ballet on some of her songs. After some negotiations between the two, songs from the 1980’s were selected by Mitchell, most of which, she writes in the program “were poorly received in the 1980’s.” To that collection, she added a trio of songs, two of which have texts not by Mitchell — Rudyard Kipling and William Butler Yeats. In addition, the decor is a series of primarily abstract images created by Mitchell that are replicated on a disc suspended over the stage.

Tuesday night’s performance at the Paramount was the production’s American premiere.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here is my second interview with Mikhail Shmidt.  In this video Shmidt talks about Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments,” a piece he will perform this Saturday as part of Icebreaker V.  “Kafka Fragments” is no ordinary piece; it is one of Kurtag’s most important works and one of his most difficult.  People describe it as part song cycle and part autobiography.  Based on my own survey of the piece and Shmidt’s assessment, “Fragments” is daunting for musicians and listeners.  Saturday’s performance may end up as one of the best concerts so far this year.

Mikhail Shmidt discusses Kafka Fragments from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Following on TGN’s successful live blog of “Drums Along the Pacific,” I will be live blogging “Kafka Fragments.”  “Fragments” is well suited for live blogging.  Songs tend to be short, many lasting less than a minute.  Perfect for snap judgments and short bursts of commentary.

If you can’t attend the performance of “Kafka Fragments,” do the next best thing and check out the live blog on the Live Blogs page.  Closer to the event, I will set up a dedicated post where you can follow the live blog.

Information for the concert can be found at www.ontheboards.org

By R.M. Campbell

Joshua Bell discovered some years ago that being a very good violinist was not sufficient to earn fame. So, he turned his attractive personality and boyish looks into a populist appeal. He appeared on television in all sorts of roles, did soundtracks, to name a few. The music world had already noticed his playing, now a wider audience discovered him. One might think he had cheapened himself somewhat in the process, but he didn’t. He continued to play with an immaculate tone, clean technique and appreciation for the music at hand, regardless of its origins.

Read the rest of this entry »

Starting Friday, the Seattle Chamber Players embark on their fifth Icebreaker festival – “Love and War.” While other Icebreakers have focused on American, Russian, and Baltic contemporary music, the latest festival centers on Western Europe. Mikhail Shmidt, one of SCP’s founding members spoke with me about the festival. You can watch and hear Shmidt’s thoughts below.

Mikhail Shmidt discusses SCP’s Icebreaker V from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Read the rest of this entry »