Emerson String
Quartet to Perform at Carnegie Hall with Pianist Yefim Bronfman. Concert Also Includes Violinist Paul
Neubauer and Cellist Colin Carr
The Emerson String Quartet will perform at Carnegie Hall
Tuesday, November 6 with internationally acclaimed pianist Yefim Bronfman in an
all-Brahms program. The Quartet will perform select Brahms works for three
different instrumentations: string quartet, string sextet and piano quintet.
This performance marks the first of two Carnegie Hall appearances the Emerson
String Quartet makes in the 2012-2013 season—the second being part of Renée
Fleming's Perspectives series in May.
Johannes Brahms reportedly destroyed as many as 20 string
quartets before the Op. 51 quartets were published in 1873. Even with only
three surviving string quartets, Brahms's contribution to chamber music was
substantial. The second quartet (in A minor) from Op. 51 appears on the program,
along with the composer's String Sextet No. 2, composed in 1864–1865. Longtime
Emerson collaborators Paul Neubauer and Colin Carr fill out the instrumentation
(viola and cello, respectively) for this work. The final work on the program,
Brahms's Piano Quintet, Op. 34, saw a varied instrumentation throughout its
development: it began as a string quintet with two cellos in 1862 and was later
recast as a two-piano sonata—the piano quintet form was published in 1865.
Celebrated pianist Yefim Bronfman joins the Quartet for this final piece.
About the Emerson String Quartet
The Emerson String Quartet stands alone in the history of
string quartets with an unparalleled list of achievements over three decades:
over thirty acclaimed recordings since 1987, nine Grammy® Awards (including two
for Best Classical Album, an unprecedented honor for a chamber music group),
three Gramophone Awards, the coveted Avery Fisher Prize and cycles of the
complete Beethoven, Bartók, Mendelssohn and Shostakovich string quartets in the
world’s musical capitals.
In March 2011, Sony Classical announced an exclusive
agreement with the Emerson String Quartet. The Quartet's debut album for the
label was released in October 2011 to coincide with a series of concerts at
Wigmore Hall in London and Alice Tully Hall in New York City. In June 2012, the
Emerson embarked on its first tour of China which included performances in
Shenzhen, Tianjin and Beijing. In 2012-2013, its 36th season as an ensemble,
the Emerson performs extensively throughout North America and Europe with
appearances in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern
Auditorium and Paris's Musée du Louvre.
Formed in 1976 and based in New York City, the Emerson
String Quartet took its name from the American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo
Emerson. The Emerson continues its residency at the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington, D.C. and is Quartet-in-Residence at Stony Brook University. The
ensemble recently announced what will be its first member change in 34 years,
when cellist Paul Watkins replaces David Finckel at the end of the 2012-2013
concert season.
Emerson String Quartet:
Eugene Drucker, violin
Philip Setzer, violin
Lawrence Dutton, viola
David Finckel, cello
with Yefim Bronfman, piano
Paul Neubauer, viola
Colin Carr, cello
Brahms: String Quartet in A minor, Op. 51, No. 2
Brahms: String Sextet in G major, Op. 36
Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34
Single tickets starting at $16:
http://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2012/11/6/0800/PM/Emerson-String-Quartet-Yefim-Bronfman
Carnegie Hall
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
881 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
--Patrick Gullo, Kirshbaum Demler & Associates
Music Institute
Welcomes Families for Nutcracker Musical Battle December 8; Instrument Petting
Zoo, Jazz and Classical Nutcrackers “Duke” It Out
The Music Institute of Chicago welcomes families for a
musical open house followed by a concert of dueling Nutcracker performances Saturday, December 8, 9 a.m. at Nichols
Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.
Families begin this morning of music with an open house
featuring Musikgarten early childhood demos and an Instrument Petting Zoo,
where kids can try out playing a variety of instruments. At 10 a.m., a
performance of “The Nutcracker SWEET” pits the classical (Tchaikovsky) and jazz
(Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn) versions of the holiday favorite, performed by
Music Institute Ensembles-in-Residence Axiom Brass and Quintet Attacca and
choreographed by Ronn Stewart, artistic director of Foster Dance Studios. The
Ellington/Strayhorn transcription is by James Stephenson.
Nichols Concert Hall:
The 2012–13 season marks the 10th anniversary of Nichols
Concert Hall, originally designed by noted architect Solon S. Beman as the
architecturally and acoustically magnificent First Church of Christ, Scientist,
located at 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, in 1912 (celebrating its
centennial). Restored in 2003, the building has become Nichols Concert Hall, a
state-of-the-art, 550-seat performance space and music education destination,
which annually reaches approximately 15,000 people and hosts a world-class
chamber music series, workshops and master classes, student recitals, and
special events.
Other highlights of the Music Institute’s 10th anniversary
season at Nichols include the internationally acclaimed Pacifica Quartet in
February and pianist Sergei Babayan in April. Noteworthy annual events include
Family Concerts in December and March; the Martin Luther King, Jr. concert with
the Brotherhood Chorale in January; the Four Score Festival of contemporary
music in March; and the third annual Emilio del Rosario Distinguished Alumni
Concert, this year featuring violinist Rachel Barton Pine and pianist Matthew
Hagle in May.
Music Institute of Chicago:
The Music Institute of Chicago believes that music has the
power to sustain and nourish the human spirit; therefore, our mission is to
provide the foundation for lifelong engagement with music. As one of the three
largest and most respected community music schools in the nation, the Music
Institute offers musical excellence built on the strength of its distinguished
faculty, commitment to quality, and breadth of programs and services. Founded
in 1931 and one of the oldest community music schools in Illinois, the Music Institute
is a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts and
accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Each year, the
Music Institute’s world-class music teachers and arts therapists provide the
highest quality arts education, reaching more than 10,000 students of all
ability levels, from birth to 102 years of age, at campuses in Evanston,
Highland Park, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Winnetka, and Downers Grove and
through its longstanding partnership with the Chicago Public Schools. The Music
Institute also offers lessons and programs at the Steinway of Chicago store in
Northbrook and early childhood and community engagement programs throughout the
Chicago area and the North Shore. The Music Institute offers lessons, classes, and
programs through four distinct areas: Community School, The Academy, Creative
Arts Therapy (Institute for Therapy through the Arts), and Nichols Concert
Hall.
The Music Institute of Chicago’s family open house and
“Nutcracker SWEET” concert takes place Saturday, December 8 at 9 a.m. at
Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston. Tickets are $10 per family
(up to six family members), available online or 847.905.1500 ext. 108. For more
information visit musicinst.org.
--Jill Chukerman, JAC Communications
Jeff Tyzik Named
Principal Pop Conductor of the Seattle Symphony
Esteemed U.S. conductor-arranger assumes role for the
orchestra’s 2013–2014 season. Tyzik will conduct two Pops concerts during the
current 2012–2013 season, including Holiday Pops, stepping in for the late
Marvin Hamlisch.
At a special event for Seattle Pops subscribers and
Seattle Symphony donors, Executive Director Simon Woods announced that Grammy
Award winner Jeff Tyzik has been named the Seattle Symphony’s Principal Pops
Conductor. Tyzik’s contract will be for three years, for the 2013–2014,
2014–2015 and 2015–2016 seasons. Tyzik, who has earned a reputation as one of
America's most innovative pops conductors, is recognized for his brilliant
arrangements, original programming and engaging rapport with audiences of all
ages. He has served as Principal Pops Conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra for 19 years; he also serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the
Oregon and Vancouver symphonies and The Florida Orchestra. His appointment will
begin September 1, 2013.
Tyzik has guest conducted numerous Seattle Pops programs
since 1999, and is scheduled to guest conduct two Pops programs during the
Orchestra’s current 2012–2013 season, including December’s Holiday Pops
concerts that were originally scheduled to be conducted by the late Marvin
Hamlisch. Hamlisch, who was the Orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor since
2008, passed away suddenly on August 6, 2012. Next June, Tyzik will conduct A
Night at the Cotton Club. (See below for more information on the remaining
2012–2013 Seattle Pops programs.)
Woods commented, “In Jeff Tyzik we have found the
consummate musician to continue the tradition of great Seattle Pops
performances following the sad loss of Marvin Hamlisch. We welcome Jeff into
our Symphony family of conductors. He is an incredible musician and a great
entertainer. But what makes him unique is that he has a real love of music of
all styles and genres, and an infectious ability to share his enthusiasm. I
know that Seattle audiences are going to take him instantly to their hearts!”
In response to his appointment, Tyzik stated “I'm thrilled
to have the opportunity to make magnificent music with the Seattle Symphony,
and to follow in the footsteps of the late Marvin Hamlisch. I have admired the
Seattle Symphony for many years and have thoroughly enjoyed every time we have
performed together during the past decade. I love the city of Seattle and I
look forward to creating wonderful programs that will not only excite current
Pops concertgoers, but will also interest new audiences to come and experience
this great Orchestra. I'm also excited about the opportunity to work with Music
Director Ludovic Morlot. His ideas of how to connect the musicians and the
community are extraordinary, and I'm so glad to be a part of it all.”
Seattle Symphony Music Director Ludovic Morlot also shared
his enthusiasm for the appointment: “I know that our musicians are really
excited to work with Jeff, and our dedicated Seattle Pops audiences are going
to be terrific partners for him as he brings his magic and the great canon of
American popular music to our wonderful Hall. I look forward to welcoming him
to Seattle.”
Jeff Tyzik:
Grammy Award winner Jeff Tyzik is recognized as one of
America's most innovative pops conductors. Described by the Rochester Democrat
and Chronicle as “among the best pops conductors in America,” Tyzik is known
for his brilliant arrangements, original programming and engaging rapport with
audiences of all ages. Now in his 19th season as Principal Pops Conductor of
the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Tyzik also currently serves as Principal
Pops Conductor of the Oregon Symphony and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In
2012, he became the Principal Pops Conductor of the Florida Orchestra.
In his nineteen years with the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra (RPO), Tyzik has developed an incredible relationship with devoted
Rochester audiences who appreciate his creative pops programming. Over the
course of his tenure, he has written over 180 works for the orchestra. A
consummate musician, Tyzik is so appreciated in Rochester that the RPO has
taken the unusual step of inviting him to appear as a guest conductor in the
orchestra’s classical subscription series calendar on a regular basis. On his
classical series concerts, Tyzik has performed works by some of the greatest
American composers to critical acclaim. He has also been commissioned to
compose original works for orchestra, including his Trombone Concerto, which
was funded by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts and subsequently
performed at Carnegie Hall. His Timpani Concerto, commissioned by the RPO, was
premiered in January 2010. Tyzik led the world premiere of his original work
New York Cityscapes with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in June 2010. In
May 2007, the Harmonia Mundi label released his recording of works by Gershwin
with pianist Jon Nakamatsu and the RPO; the recording stayed in the Top 10 on
the Billboard Classical chart for over 3 months. Alex Ross, music critic for
The New Yorker, called it “one of the snappiest Gershwin discs in years.” In the 2012–2013 season, Tyzik will conduct
the RPO on the subscription series in the world premiere of his new suite:
Images: Musical Impressions of an Art Gallery.
Highly sought after as a guest conductor, Tyzik has
recently appeared with orchestras including the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati
Pops, the New York Pops, The Philadelphia Orchestra at the Saratoga Performing
Arts Center, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Dallas
Symphony at the Vail Valley Music Festival. In addition to his commitments in
Rochester, Oregon, Florida and Vancouver, during the 2012–2013 season he
performs with orchestras across North America including the Detroit, Milwaukee
and Toronto symphony orchestras. In June 2010, Tyzik made his UK debut in
Edinburgh and Glasgow with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a
three-week series of four popular programs.
A native of Hyde Park, New York, Tyzik began his life in
music at nine years of age, when he first picked up a cornet. He studied both
classical and jazz throughout high school, and went on to earn both his
bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he
studied composition and arranging with Radio City Music Hall’s Ray Wright and
jazz studies with the great band leader Chuck Mangione, both of whom profoundly
influenced him as a musician. He also studied composition with American
composer Samuel Adler who has greatly influenced his broad musical perspective.
Tyzik spent the 1970s working with Mangione, soaking in every part of the music
business. He became a skilled record producer and key member of Mangione's
musical dynasty. He also wrote arrangements for the Maynard Ferguson and Woody
Herman orchestras; and, later met and became an arranger and producer for the
legendary Doc Severinsen.
Tyzik worked closely with Severinsen on many projects
including orchestrating many of the great bandleader’s symphony orchestra
programs. Tyzik produced a Grammy Award–winning album, The Tonight Show Band
with Doc Severinsen, Vol. 1, as well as four other recordings for Severinsen,
which were honored with three additional Grammy nominations.
As an accomplished composer and arranger, Tyzik has had
his compositions recorded by ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra,
the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Summit Brass, and his arrangements
have been recorded by groups including Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops
Orchestra, the RPO, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and Doc Severinsen with
the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. He has also produced and composed
theme music for many of the major television networks, including ABC, NBC, HBO
and Cinemax, and released six of his own albums on Capitol, Polygram and
Amherst Records.
Committed to performing music of all genres, Tyzik has
collaborated with such diverse artists as Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Dawn
Upshaw, Marilyn Horne, Arturo Sandoval, Wynonna Judd, The Chieftains, Mark
O'Connor, Doc Severinsen, John Pizzarelli, Billy Taylor and Lou Rawls, and has
created original programs that include the greatest music from jazz and
classical to Motown and swing. He has recently conducted several orchestra
programs for jazz superstar Chris Botti.
Actively sharing his passion for music with others, Tyzik
has been recognized for his community service and educational work by Rotary
International, the Monroe County Music Educators and the Rochester Philharmonic
League. He is also the recipient of the Arts and Cultural Council for Greater
Rochester 2002 Performing Artist Award. He has received the Distinguished
Alumni Award from the Eastman School of Music and was elected to the first ever
class of the Rochester Musicians Hall of Fame in 2012.
Tyzik currently serves on the Board of Managers of the
Eastman School of Music. He lives in Rochester, New York, with his wife Jill.
--Patrick Gullo, Kirshbaum Demler & Associates
Violinist Chad Hoopes to Perform for
Crohn's Benefit, November 1, 2012, 7:30 pm,
Rose Wagner
Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Chad Hoopes, the 18-year old violinist who plays far
beyond his years, is using his talent for good. On November 1, 2012 at 7:30 pm
at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City, UT, he will be
lighting up the stage with an incredible repertoire all in the name of raising
money for Crohn’s and Colitis Disease. Tickets are $20-50 and can be purchased
by calling 355-ARTS.
This event will benefit the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
of America (CCFA), which is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to
research and curing Crohn’s and Colitis disease. Founded in 1967, this
volunteer-driven organization has contributed to the growing body of research
and information used to help cure those suffering from Crohn’s. CCFA hosts
fundraising events all around America, but this is a rare and exciting
opportunity to help the cause and hear an incredible young musician share his
gift to raise awareness for CCFA.
This event is close to home for Hoopes, whose family
friend suffers from the disease. Says the violinist, “Blair Bowen, an 11 year
old family acquaintance, has been fighting Crohn's disease her whole life. I am
playing at this particular fundraiser for her and also to put more emphasis on
this under recognized disease. I try to take every opportunity possible to help
and serve others. I feel the need to do this because I am blessed to be healthy
and I want to reach out to those who are suffering from this disease.”
Chad Hoopes will wow the audience with his generosity and
his musical prowess. He will be performing his virtuosic interpretation of
Ravel’s “Tzigane,” the captivating Sonata in A Major by Cesar Franck and
Tchaikovsky’s “Mélodie”. He is bound to impress with these two works that he
has mastered under the spotlight. His stunning musicality and rich sound have
caught the attention of critics everywhere. As the Charlotte Observer noted, he plays “…with a young person’s
enthusiasm combined with a veteran’s confidence” (Charlotte Observer, February 2012).
He gained fame at just 13 when he won the Yehudi Menuhin
International Violin Competition in Wales. It has been a whirlwind ever since,
with a performance on PBS’s From the Top at Carnegie Hall, a concert with
Robert Redford, and a solo for an Emmy-winning commercial under his belt. He is
a violinist possessing vibrant virtuosity "with an inspiring blend of
emotional expression and technical ease" (Press Democrat), and his mastery is described as "way beyond
his years" (Press Democrat).
Chad was born in Naples, Florida, in 1994 and at the age
of four began his violin studies in Minneapolis. He later studied at the
Cleveland Institute of Music under David Cerone and Joel Smirnoff and has
additionally studied at Ottawa's NAC Young Artists Program. Chad is living in
Cleveland where he is in his final year of high school.
Come see this phenomenal young musician and support this
important cause.
--Amanda Sweet, BuckleSweet Media
Opera Parallele and
Drew School Present Ronald Perera’s The
Araboolies of Liberty Street November 2 and 3 at Drew School, San Francisco
As part of Opera Parallèle’s season of expanded community
engagement activities and support for Opera America’s National Opera Week, the
opera company joins efforts with Drew School to present a collaborative
production of the children's opera The
Araboolies of Liberty Street by Ronald Pererato at selected elementary
schools November 1 and 2 and for family members and the general public 7:30 PM
November 2 and 3 at Drew School's Samuel M. Cuddeback Theater, San Francisco.
“We are thrilled to work with the young students from Drew
School,” said Artistic Director Nicole Paiement, “and it is a wonderful
opportunity for Opera Parallèle and the young professionals to step off the
stage and into the community. We hope the Hands-on Opera Program will expand
knowledge and appreciation of this art form in younger audiences.”
Artistic direction will be handled by staging intern
Brendan Hartnett, Drew School's Music Director James Garrison and music teacher
Lara Greene, under the guidance of Opera Parallele's resident Stage Director
Brian Staufenbiel and Artistic Director/Conductor Nicole Paiement. Harnett is
joined by soprano Maya Kherani, Opera Parallele's intern in education; pianist
Ian Scarfe and percussionist McKenzie Camp to lead Drew School students in the
preparation and performance of The
Araboolies of Liberty Street.
Perera’s children’s opera, with libretto by Constance
Congdon, is based on the popular book by Sam Swope. The opera unfolds as the
mean General Pinch keeps strict order on Liberty Street by threatening the
residents with the possibility of an army invasion because they look different.
The people live under a shadow of fear and gloom until the colorful Araboolies
move in and shake things up. The children join forces to help the Araboolies
and hatch a plan of revolution to bring liberty to Liberty Street.
One of Opera Parallèle’s primary ambitions is to attract
new and younger audiences for opera through intimate performances of
contemporary masterworks given in settings appropriate to the music and
staging.
Opera Parallèle is a professional opera
company-in-residence at San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the only
organization in the Bay Area that presents contemporary opera exclusively. Most
recently, Opera Parallèle presented the world premiere of Jacques Desjardins’s
re-orchestration of John Harbison's The
Great Gatsby. In collaboration with SFMOMA, the company presented the
critically acclaimed production of the rarely performed Four Saints in Three Acts by composer Virgil Thompson and
librettist Gertrude Stein and the world premiere of Luciano Chessa’s A Heavenly Act. In spring 2011 the group
produced the Bay Area premiere of Philip Glass’ Orphée and in 2010, the chamber version of Alban Berg’s 20th
century masterpiece Wozzeck. In
February 2007, Opera Parallèle presented the world premiere of Lou Harrison’s
opera Young Caesar in conjunction
with what would have been the late composer’s 90th birthday. In prior years,
with its mission more broadly focused on contemporary music, Opera Parallèle
presented 125 performances including 28 world premieres, released 12 recordings
and commissioned 19 new works.
As a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts institution, Opera Parallèle
must raise support and funds throughout the year to be able to present
contemporary opera to a wide audience at affordable prices. This year, for the
second time, Opera Parallèle is among the rank of noteworthy arts organizations
that receive funding from San Francisco’s Grants for the Arts. Other
foundational support comes from the Columbia Foundation, Zellerbach, and
Fleishhacker. Additional information is available at operaparallele.org.
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Opera
Parallèle’s, Ronald Perera’s The
Araboolies of Liberty Street 7:30 PM on November 2 and 3 at Drew School,
San Francisco. Tickets to the performances are free but must be reserved in
advance. Please visit drewarts.ticketleap.com
to reserve your tickets now.
Hands-on Opera Program: The Araboolies of Liberty Street
Music by Ronald Perera, libretto by Constance Congdon,
based on the popular book by Sam Swope.
Drew School's Samuel M. Cuddeback Theater, 2901 California
Street, San Francisco.
November 2 and 3 at 7:30 PM.
Tickets: Free and open to the public.
--Karen Ames Communications