The timelessness of 'Eroica'
It's fun to imagine the kind of kid who would fall in love with Beethoven's monumental "Eroica" symphony — that jolt, eyes lighting up, smile growing wide. "It's one of the first pieces I ever loved as a child," says Courtney Lewis, who will guest conduct the Rochester Philharmonic in a program headlined by Beethoven's "Eroica" symphony this weekend.
By Paloma Capanna
Apr 17, 2013
Classical, RPO, Rochester Philharmonic, Orchestra, Classical, Beethoven, Eroica, Stradivarius, conductor, violin, composer, Eastman Theatre, Hochstein
Moving into the future, through the door marked "1969"
They're calling it a "Rochester homecoming" on the Alarm Will Sound website. Indeed, for founding members of the ensemble, Alan Pierson and Gavin Chuck, the February 19 concert is precisely this.
By Paloma Capanna
Feb 13, 2013
Classical
Pianist Elinor Freer is candid about what draws her to Beethoven. "I find him to be one of the most difficult composers to perform," she says.
By Paloma Capanna
Jan 23, 2013
Classical
The rhythms of time
"It's weird to talk about him in the past tense." With that heart-felt sentiment, conductor Brad Lubman references the recent death of legendary American composer Elliott Carter.
By Paloma Capanna
Dec 12, 2012
Classical
Classical holiday concerts
UPDATE 11/30/12: Corrected date of Michael Unger's concert at Memorial Art Gallery; it takes place December 16. This time of year is filled with wonder and with dread.
By Paloma Capanna
Nov 28, 2012
Classical
The conductor as composer
You may have seen him wandering recently through the Memorial Art Gallery. Tallish.
By Paloma Capanna
Nov 7, 2012
Classical
Sins of the past
For its first production of the season Eastman Opera Theatre presents Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia,” a classic tragedy transposed to the haughty Hamptons.
By Paloma Capanna
Oct 24, 2012
Classical
"The Prismatic Debussy"
Fans of the works of Claude Debussy (1862-1918) should be sure to invite themselves to the "Prismatic Debussy" Festival, a month-long series of concerts, lectures, and displays taking place at the Eastman School of Music, held to celebrate the composer's 150th birthday. Highlights include premieres of recently discovered Debussy songs, new compositions inspired by Debussy's works, and the display of original manuscripts.
By Paloma Capanna
Oct 3, 2012
Classical
Bach to life, Bach to reality
For Professor David Higgs of the Eastman School of Music, Bach is a genius that sets his pulse a flutter. "Bach's genius transcends time," says Higgs.
By Paloma Capanna
Sep 26, 2012
Classical
Eastman Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia tackles Britten's controversial "Les Illuminations"
"I associate Britten with good, heavy, German classics," says
conductor Neil Varon. "I know he's not, but I do.
By Paloma Capanna
Sep 21, 2012
Classical, Classical Music, Eastman School of Music
Canandaigua LakeMusic Festival
To hear baritone Michael Kelly of SongFusion speak about art songs is to hear in spoken words the heartfelt emotion he will pour into his upcoming performance at the Canandaigua LakeMusic Festival this weekend in a program titled "L'invitation au voyage" ("Invitation to a Voyage"). "The song 'L'invitation au Voyage' by Duparc speaks so specifically to feelings.
By Paloma Capanna
Aug 15, 2012
Classical
The 13th Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition
While the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will be held on Friday, July 27, something like a piano version of the Olympics will have its opening recital a day later at Kilbourn Hall in the Eastman School of Music. Starting on Saturday, July 28, 20 classical pianists from eight countries, all aged 15 to 18, will begin six straight days of performances for a chance to win more than $500,000 in cash prizes and scholarships to Rochester's world-renowned music school.
By Paloma Capanna
Jul 25, 2012
Classical, saturday, July 28, sunday, July 29, monday, July 30, tuesday, July 31, wednesday, August 1, thursday, August 2, saturday, August 4
Mikaela Davis
If heaven has an orchestra of harp-strumming angels, someone should probably take a head count. Twenty-year-old Mikaela Davis began playing the harp in third grade.
By David Yockel, Jr.
Jun 27, 2012
Classical
Sarah McLachlan
"The way to pull something off like this is to do your homework before you get on the stage and to hire great symphonies. These are all A-list players that are used to sight reading and playing things right the first time.
By Paloma Capanna
Jun 20, 2012
Classical
