Russian Dolls - The Violinist's Art of Compartmentalization
After watching Ray Chen play the Four Seasons with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, I had witnessed a perfect display of impulsive bowing and dynamic acrobatics. Not afraid to exploit Vivaldi to the nth degree, Ray changed on a dime. He made it look easy because he knows how quickly music changes direction and emotion. The Philharmonic knows all the tricks of the trade, and the conductor had the skill to show the music’s shapes and boundaries with his hands and gestures. The icing on the cake was the smile on Ray’s face and the sheer sense of fun that he exuded. I don’t care what anyone says about smiling on the stage. As Billy Bigelow sings in “Soliloquy“ from Carousel, “Of course, it takes talent to do that well.” I’m not going to try it. Have you ever seen anyone smiling inappropriately in an orchestra concert? It isn’t pretty. Keep reading...
The Week in Reviews, Op. 285: Itzhak Perlman; Gil Shaham; Robert McDuffie
In an effort to promote the coverage of live violin performance, Violinist.com each week presents links to reviews of notable concerts and recitals around the world.
Itzhak Perlman performed Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia.
- Chicago Tribune: "From Perlman’s opening notes there was no mistaking the singing, soaring quality of his tone, the urgency of his high notes and, of course, his characteristically fleet technique. In Perlman’s hands, the adagio movement spoke with unmistakable melodic clarity and moments of intimacy and stillness not easily achieved in an outdoor setting. Perlman threw off the finale’s technically challenging passages finale with apparent ease, and with a welcome musicality. The ardor of his final pages inspired many ovations, which were merited."
V.com weekend vote: How is your local professional orchestra doing?
The presence of professional orchestra in a city or community can have a profound effect on that community's artistic life, educational opportunities and cultural profile. How is your local professional orchestra doing? Do you still have one in your community? Is it troubled, or is it thriving? What would make it thrive even more?
For this vote, I'd just like a report from everyone on their local professional orchestra. Please answer the poll as best as you can, and then please fill us in on these kinds of questions: First, what is the name of your local orchestra (s)? About how many concerts does your local orchestra give in a year? Is there a summer season? Are there "big" concerts, with a lot of musicians and community involvement, or do they tend to be pretty scaled-back? Are there public disputes and problems, such as financial problems, strikes, etc.? Have you been to one of the concerts recently? How is the quality of the ensemble? Has it improved over time, gone downhill, or remained the same? Does it feel like the orchestra has a presence in the community - is it marketing itself well? Does it do educational programs? Anything else?
Comments (28)
For the Record, Op. 91: Fabiola Kim's '1939'
Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!
1939
Fabiola Kim, violin
Munich Symphony Orchestra, Kevin John Edusei conducting
The year 1939 saw Europe on the eve of a second world war -- some did not want to believe it would happen, some guessed it, and some were fatalistic or even euphoric. On this album, violinist Fabiola Kim performs three violin concertos all composed in that year -- by Béla Bartók, Karl Amadeus Hartmann and Sir William Walton. Born into a musical family, Kim has a special relationship with The Juilliard School, where her parents first met as students. She herself earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Juilliard, where she studied with Sylvia Rosenberg and Ronald Copes. Her former teachers and mentors include Kyung Wha Chung, Namyun Kim and Choongjin Chang. She also studied at the Colburn School with Robert Lipsett and is currently a faculty member at the Colburn School of Performing Arts. BELOW: Preview of Fabiola Kim's new album 1939:
Keep reading...
Comments (1)
Violinist.com is made possible by...
Dimitri Musafia, Master Maker of Violin and Viola Cases
