News stories tagged with "classical"

(01/31/12) Todd Moe talks with Jennifer Choi, the violinist from the eclectic string quartet, Ethel. They're artists-in-residence at the Crane School of Music this week and will present a concert in Potsdam at Hosmer Hall Thursday night (7:30). They have a cool name and the young musicians like to play music influenced by pop and jazz. Ethel will perform its "Present Beauty" program featuring music by Philip Glass from the movie, The Hours. Choi says the four musicians have backgrounds in the classical genre, but the group prefers adventurous music.

(01/19/12) The Canadian play, 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, has played on five continents and in more than 150 cities since it first opened 15 years ago. Its success worldwide is due to its universal themes of dreams and discipline.

The set consists of two grand pianos, and the cast is just two actors. It's a simple show, ostensibly about piano lessons, that's moving, profound and lots of fun. It was written and first performed by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, both brilliant actors and pianists. They're back on stage at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa this month for the farewell tour.

2 Pianos, 4 Hands continues through Saturday, January 28th at the National Arts Centre's English Theatre. NCPR's resident theater critic Connie Meng and Todd Moe share a review of the show.

(12/28/11) Crane School of Music professor of piano Paul Wyse has mastered two art forms. He's a classically trained concert pianist and also paints portraits. Earlier this month, he unveiled a full-length portrait of "piano man" Billy Joel in New York City. The artist joined the bestselling musician to unveil the painting at Steinway Hall. Paul Wyse was commissioned by Steinway and Sons to paint Joel's portrait. Two of Wyse's portraits of award-winning pianist and conductor Leon Fleischer are part of the Smithsonian's permanent collection in Washington D.C.

Wyse has performed at the piano on the concert stage around the world and his oil portraits hang in public and private collections and appear in national publications.

So, how does a classically trained concert pianist become an award winning visual artist? "It's hard to explain," says Wyse. But he adds that it's not uncommon for musicians who study the structure of a symphony to use those same skills in the visual arts.

During a visit to his portrait studio in his home near Prescott, Ontario, he told Todd Moe that the mystery of transforming cloth and pigment into something that is looking back at you is powerful, alluring, and part of the compulsion to paint.

(08/09/11) One of the newest arts festivals in the Lake George region kicks off next week. Student and professional musicians from around the world will gather in Lake George village for a new series of classical music concerts. The three concerts will be performed at area churches next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The concerts are free.

Todd Moe spoke with Alexander Lombard, founder of the Lake George Summer Music Festival, who says the idea came after a visit to the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. Lombard says one of the appealing aspects of next week's festival in Lake George will be student and professional musicians performing together.

(03/23/11) The Reese Project is an unlikely pairing of Jazz flute and Classical cello. Laurie and Tom Reese reside in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country. She is classically trained cellist and he is a lifelong jazz artist. They'll be in Saranac Lake this weekend to perform at Saranac Village at Will Rogers with their jazz trio. The concert is titled "Bach, Bolling and Bop". Todd Moe and Barb Heller have this preview.

(10/20/10) The Orchestra of Northern New York will pay tribute to three composers in Potsdam's Hosmer Hall on Saturday night. The concert, titled A Mozart, Barber and Schumann Celebration, also features Jon Manasse, one of the world's finest clarinetists. Manasse will perform Mozart's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, which is considered one of the best wind concertos written by Mozart and a challenging piece for soloists. Todd Moe spoke with Manasse, who admits that he wasn't an instant fan of the clarinet.

(09/10/10) This weekend some of the finest young pianists in the world will be in Potsdam for the 5th Julia Crane International Piano Competition. Joel Hurd talked with Artistic Director Dr. Paul Wyse and has a preview.

(07/02/08) This evening in Potsdam, the Orchestra of Northern New York will hold their annual celebration of Canada Day and the 4th of July with a concert of largely patriotic music. But the concert will also be the setting for the premiere of a piece that already has an interesting history, and it hasn't even been played for the public yet. Joel Hurd tells us more.

(03/26/06) The Church in the Hollow in Saranac NY hosts the Hill and Hollow Music series. One of this season's finest performances was by The Biava Quartet. In this live concert excerpt recorded March 26, 2006, we hear them perform the String Quartet, Op. 74 #3, "The Rider," by Franz Joseph Haydn.

(08/06/02) Todd Moe talks with Julian Armour, Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, one of Canada's major cultural events. Crowds are lining up at venues throughout Ottawa this week to hear some of the world's best chamber and classical musicians.