Opera Classical Music Movies Blog

Toimes.com on Facebook come visit blog about New York City

2011-06-01T09:09:00.002-04:00

Someone to Watch over me

2009-10-12T11:00:00.002-04:00

New Blog: Celebrity News, arts, politics, technology

2007-10-23T12:38:00.000-04:00

We Have Moved: (Go there now) and shifted emphasis from random reviews and rants to a Four Section Newspaper about New York City. We has also moved away from the bizarre address (stuffedkoala.blogspot.com) to a much more logical location come on, click here.
The paper will focus upon The Arts, Politics, Technology for the common man or woman, and Manhattan Celebrity News.

Carmen Visits the Lord of the Rings

2007-10-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

Last night Rinat Shaham swept on to the stage of world's newest production of CARMEN, inaugurating the Southern Hemisphere's brand new Opera Company: Southern Opera, whose patron is Placido Domingo.

Shaham (Rini) "lit up the stage when she appeared and sang with passion and conviction throughout, a fiery, defiant Carmen but also quite calculating" said this morning's review by Patrick Shepherd in Christchurch's main paper.

The hype has been building in the press with in-depth interviews pictures and TV spots (watch a pirated version).

I felt that Rini's performance was her most riveting to date, even better than her Glyndebourne triumph (read some reviews) in 2004. We thinks it might be the Southern Hemisphere that has distilled her passion into a pure Carmen alter-ego, well on-stage that is.

Rini's Colleagues have enriched her stay in New Zealand and rehearsal time such that a return to perform is entirely possible.

Covent Garden Street Entertainers video

2007-09-09T18:41:00.000-04:00

DJ Paul Van Dyk plays to full house in Central Park

2007-08-20T15:09:00.000-04:00

German DJ, Paul van Dyk enjoyed a huge crowd, most wearing sunglasses to conceal their drugged state. Various guests appeared with their vocal lines and really bad 'stage dress sense', but seemed to enjoy themselves and reveled in the hi hand dancing of those over dosing mainly on ecstacy by the looks...

His new album: In Between is avail on the internet for sale...

Van Dyk grew up in East Berlin, where he kept in touch with the world beyond the Berlin Wall by secretly listening to the popular but forbidden Western radio stations RIAS and SFB and mixtapes occasionally smuggled into the country copied among school friends.
See image

Upper West Side neighborhood Video

2007-08-09T15:19:00.000-04:00

Tom Chiu's subway violin shows up

2007-08-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

ERIC KONIGSBERG, reporting for the New York Times interviewed violinist Tom Chiu about his stolen fiddle and his nightmare subway ride: Read the Original

Asleep on a subway platform waiting for his train home after giving a concert, Tom Chiu awoke to find that his belongings, including his 1913 violin by Scarampella valued at over $100,000 had been stolen.

At Brooklyn Heights' Clark Street station, after playing at Bargemusic with the Flux Quartet, Tom's gear was nicked, including the fiddle and and his laptop. “I was paralyzed,” Tom said yesterday of his initial realization that his violin had been taken. “Actually, it was a weird combination of paralysis and denial. I’ve played this violin since I was 23, essentially all my adult life. It grew into an extension of my body. It was very traumatic not only to me but to my family and the rest of the group.”

Tom told the cops immediately, and through the help of Christophe Landon, a rare-violin dealer in Manhattan, he sent a mass e-mail to others in the musical-antiques trade, giving "all the aspects about my violin,” Mr. Chiu said. “If somebody showed up trying to sell it, they’d know instantly that it was mine, and stolen.”

Tom says he's always been wary about letting people know how much the Scarampella cost. “I was calling my parents the whole time about whether or not to declare the value of the violin. I was afraid that if whoever took it found out what it’s worth, they’d hold it for ransom or something.”

On Friday, Tom’s management company (Colbert Artists) contacted members of the music press. Four days later the NYPD issued a statement asking anybody with information to call a toll-free line. Stories went out on the wires, on television, in the newspapers.

Tom's cell rang with a call from a transit official at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. “He asked if I was missing something,” he said. “I described the contents of the violin case. He said there was also a bunch of bow ties in it and I knew it was mine.”

The official told him that the violin had been sitting on a desk at the station for a while — perhaps days. “He found something with my name and address on it inside the violin case and figured it must mean something to somebody, so he called me.”

Tom said: “My thief had broken the zipper on the side pouch of the case, so he’d taken out all the sheet music, programs, a bunch of CDs and placed them in a plastic bag so he didn't lose them. The only things he held onto were the laptop and my backpack.”

When Tom arrived at the subway station to retrieve the violin, workers on the night shift asked for an impromptu concert, so he played a few numbers.

“I played Vivaldi, because one of them requested it,” he said. “And then the theme from ‘The Godfather.’ I don’t think most people expect that sort of thing from a classically trained violinist. It’s usually played on an accordion.”

tomorrow's news: Wednesday's Central Park Concert with NY Phil rained upon

2007-07-10T14:03:00.001-04:00

As the Philharmonic churned through it's outdoor program of Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky, New Yorkers clung to their umbrellas as heavy rain bucketed upon them.
The alcohol in many of them stayed their urge to flee, but many wandered home after getting wet bums or running out of bourbon.
I decided not to go.

Phil in the Park wednesday Night

2007-07-09T15:19:00.000-04:00

New York Philharmonic
Wednesday, July 11, 8:00 pm
Great Lawn

Mid-Park from 79th to 85th Streets
Ludovic Morlot will conduct the New York Philharomonic
• Berlioz: Le Corsaire Overture
• Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto featuring soloist Stefan Jackiw
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, "Pathéthique"
The concert will be followed by a Fireworks display

See Central Park Activities

Will sings Phantom...

2007-07-07T14:27:00.000-04:00

This is funny: Watch it on Youtube

Maazel gives it to the critics

2007-06-26T09:01:00.000-04:00

New York Philharmonic's music director: Lorin Maazel gave Milan's Corriere della Sera his opinion on music critics....

"When [Leonard Bernstein] was director of the New York Philharmonic, critics attacked him in a shameful manner, asking him to resign, but American critics are ignorant. If they wrote about sports they'd have gotten fired a thousand times already, but classical music is a niche field and newspaper editors don't know anything about music. ... Great music, music beloved by all, that's what critics hate the most: mediocrities cannot stand those who are talented. Puccini, Bizet, Tchaikovsky get panned while some 20th century composers who are impossible to listen to get all the praise.

Even a hardliner like [Bruno] Maderna, close to death, realised that the only opera he really wanted to conduct was Don Giovanni."

He seems angry for some reason...

LONDON: Hagai Shaham plays Menuhin's violin. 26th June

2007-06-26T08:41:00.000-04:00

London
Tuesday 26 June, 2007
7.30pm

Hagai Shaham ( Youtube) will perform with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing the Mendelsson concerto on Yehudi Menuhin's violin.

Dalia Atlas: conductor.

Programme:
Schubert: Rosamunde Overture
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
Bloch: Symphony in C sharp minor.

Mendelssohn's Concerto: one of the gems of the violin repertoire, a much-loved piece full of warmth, poetic melodies and dazzling high spirits.

Tickets
£35, £28, £20, £10

Getting to the venue: nearest underground station is Sloane Square (2 minutes walk away).
For bus information please call 020 7222 1234. Cadogan Hall, Sloane Terrace, London SW1.

Curtains Up on New Zealand's Southern Opera

2007-06-22T06:51:00.000-04:00

MEDIA RELEASE
2007
Curtains up on Southern Opera
Carmen will be the highlight of the inaugural season of Southern Opera, New Zealand's Christchurch-based opera company located at the Isaac Theatre Royal.

“Opera has a proud 21 year history in Christchurch" says Southern Opera's Executive Chair, Christoper Doig,
A Corporate Gala Evening to celebrate Southern Opera’s beginnings was held in the Christchurch Town Hall of Performing Arts in June.

On August 16th, an Evening of Opera arias and duets with some of the city’s favourite sons returning home from triumphs overseas. Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Simon O’Neill joined sopranos, Suzanne Prain and Dorothee Jansen in concert with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
The Southern Opera’s first major production, Carmen, will open on 4 October for six performances at the Isaac Theatre Royal.

“We have assembled an outstanding cast: Stunning Israeli mezzo soprano, Rini Shaham, who is one of the greatest Carmens in the world, will head a quality cast that includes world-leading tenor Vinson Cole as Don Jose, Australian Joshua Bloom as Escamillo and New Zealand’s Suzanne Prain as Micaela. Elric Hooper will direct and Brian Law will lead the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra,” Christopher Doig says.

“The resurrection of opera in this region will be a major boost to the local arts industry.

Set and costumes for Carmen will be built in New Zealand under the guidance of the company’s new production manager, Rob Peters.

Buying Tickets: Click here, but website still not selling yet!

Try calling +61 3 377 8899

Harp Player Bridget Kibbey's cd gets rave review

2007-06-22T05:18:00.001-04:00

Original Article by Steve Smith (Read his Blog ), heavily chopped for personal gain and short attention span by Peter Bucknell: (Read the original Timeout New York Review )

Bridget Kibbey, one of New York's best known harp players (whom has played Carnegie Hall alongside the likes of Ian Bostridge and Dawn Upshaw, and performs astounding feats on a regular basis with the International Contemporary Ensemble (Watch them on Youtube).... and the New York Harp Trio Also on Youtube here...) has a brilliant new cd out:
"Love Is Come Again" which attests to Kibbey’s professionalism and inspiration in this program of works by innovative composers moved to write for the instrument after encountering a major player.

The first of André Caplet’s Divertissements: "À la Française", offers the frilly ripples one would expect in a solo-harp recital, and Kibbey’s range of touch in the second, À l’Espagnole, forecasts subtler pleasures ahead.

Performances of Germaine Tailleferre’s Sonata, Benjamin Britten’s Suite for Harp and Elliott Carter’s Bariolage are technically assured and full of character. In Every Lover Is a Warrior,composer Kati Agócs spins folk materials into a powerful, ruminative suite.

Add it all up, and calling this a strong contender for the year’s most distinguished debut CD doesn’t seem like an overstatement.
Buy it at CD Baby
Go to BridgetKibbey.com for more info.

Miranda Keys: Finalist in Singer of the World Competition

2007-06-18T06:27:00.000-04:00

Miranda Keys, Australian soprano accepted flowers from the Queen more than 10 years ago, and she's back in the English Press now after her thrilling performances in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.

Chosen to represent my beer drinking and loutish Country: Striya; Miranda dedicated her performance to her brave Mum who is recovering from serious illness.

Her BBCprofile shows the foundations of what will become a huge career. She's lots of fun and very down to earth. I have some fun footage of her with my wife backstage at Glyndebourne during the flute solo before the curtain went up on the smuggling scene of Carmen.... but you should watch the Video Clip of the her in the final of the competition. It's very impressive.

MirandaKeys.com

Tower Bridge footage from the engine room

2007-06-17T09:08:00.000-04:00

The Tower Bridge 3 minute doco for Discovery is well on it's way.
They were nice enough to take me into the bowels of the engine room before it opened to the public, so lots of interesting footage.

Discovery will distribute the film on their mobile phone network when it's finished.

Watch some short films

Doo Wop O Mio Babbino Caro

2007-06-15T07:03:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting version of O Mio Babbino Caro

Greg Maldonado's Birthday celebrated in California

2007-06-08T16:22:00.002-04:00

Greg Maldonado baroque violinist and conductor was born on this day a certain number of years ago.

Maldonado's presence in Los Angeles has been felt throughout the early music community for many years. He has purchased instruments and lent them to musicians, organized concert series, taught at several of LA's most prestigious music schools including USC (University of spoilt children), and led the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra for many years.

We wish him many happy returns, and a rich and rewarding life. Play on:

DUKE:
If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.--
That strain again;--it had a dying fall;
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour.--Enough; no more;
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!
That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,
Of what validity and pitch soever,
But falls into abatement and low price
Even in a minute! so full of shapes is fancy,
That it alone is high-fantastical.

Guardian Review of Glyndebourne's Cosi, 29th May

2007-05-29T14:44:00.000-04:00

Martin Kettle
Tuesday May 29, 2007 (Read Original review)

Absence of directorial ego pays dividends in Glyndebourne's fine production of Cosi Fan Tutte. By allowing Mozart and his librettist Da Ponte to make their case with almost traditional staging, Nicholas Hytner draws his audience deeply into the opera's layers and fragilities.

In the closing sextet, the principals tell us that calm and reason will guide humans through all emotional challenges. But as they stare at each other with wild surmise, it is clear that these young lovers are the opposite of calm and have just been through an experience that is anything but reasonable.

The young men are especially strong. Pavol Breslik proves Ferrando is most effective when sung by a tenor with more vocal weight than is fashionable, while Stephane Degout brought baritonal sensuality to Guglielmo's role.

Rinat Shaham was his perfect counterpart as Dorabella, while Rachel Harnisch was as affectingly sincere a Fiordiligi as one could wish.

In the pit, Robin Ticciati drew satisfying period sounds from the London Philharmonic and was sensitive to his singers. An auspicious Glyndebourne debut to cap a don't-miss show.

Rinat Shaham, groped in Glyndebourne

2007-05-24T14:20:00.000-04:00

Rinat Shaham and her groper of the Month: Stéphane Degout in performance at Glyndebourne's "Cosi Fan Tutte" production.
Book Tickets (if you happen to be in the UK vicinity)

The Evening Standard said:
Rachel Harnisch's earnest Fiordiligi and Rinat Shaham's effervescent Dorabella convey the whole gamut of flirtation, sorrow, guilt, regret, provoking sympathy and gentle laughter. At the end, feelings are unresolved and, the lovers tell us by their troubled expressions, life will never be the same again. Mozart's masterpiece has rarely made its point so expressively or cogently. Read the whole Review

Here is another review...

Philomel: Outstanding last week; in review

2007-05-24T11:15:00.000-04:00

Review by MICHAEL CARUSO (Unedited version, click here...)

Led by the stunningly gracious flutist and recorder player: Elissa Berardi, the Philomel Baroque Orchestra ended its concert season at a the packed Episcopal Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Chestnut Hill, Phili on May 13th with a program of substantial music by Bach and Telemann.

Sandra Miller was the guest flutist, but violist Peter Bucknell was a second addition to the regular complement of Philomel players. Both made their presence felt through their own individual playing as well as through their involvement as integral parts of the ensemble. (I didn't put that in I promise, P.)

Bach’s B minor Suite (No. 2) so beautifully highlights the flute line throughout its seven movements that it’s something of a flute concerto nestled within the larger structure of an overture and six dances.

Bach’s suites, either for solo instruments, or for full ensemble, recall the image of their courtly dances and even suggest to the listener that even the most cynical of aristocrats who danced them felt and expressed the emotions that course through Bach’s sublime music.

The marvel of Sunday evening’s performance by Miller, Bucknell, violinists Nancy Wilson and Vita Wallace, cellist Vivian Dozor, violinist Jack Kulowitsch and harpsichordist Bruce Bekker was the timbral fullness, elegant yet vibrant phrasing, and energetic rhythmic intensity that characterized the playing. The slow opening of the Overture was stately yet muscular, full in texture from top to bottom because of the refined clarity of Miller’s wooden flute and the tenor resonance of Bucknell’s viola.

With the change to a faster tempo, Dozor’s cello playing was especially energizing, helping to project a full spectrum of complementary voices, from Kulowitsch’s violone in the bass to Miller’s flute in the soprano.

Rebel and Trinity Choir Record again!

2007-05-20T08:06:00.000-04:00

The Lord Nelson Mass fell to it's knees defeated as the members of the Rebel Baroque Orchestra and the Trinity Choir left the church on Wall street to go home for a well earned bottle of hard liquor and a back rub from Klaus or Olga.

Buy the latest Haydn release here.. it seems to be the cheapest.

Watch the service online now...

Inquirer reviews Philomel May 2007

2007-05-19T11:57:00.000-04:00

David Patrick Stearns wrote in the Inquirer (Read the real review) some of what appears below....

Rick Davis Photography
Philomel - (from left) guest artist Sandra Miller, Bruce Bekker, Elissa Berardi, Vivian Barton Dozor (seated), Pete Bucknell, Nancy Wilson, Vita Wallace, and Jack Kulowitsch - played in Chestnut Hill.

Sunday's concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Chestnut Hill was as up as I've ever heard the group. Guest artist Sandra Miller paired with co-artistic director Elissa Berardi most notably in Telemann's Concerto in E minor It was the essence of a baroque music experience.

Flutist, Miller's sense of line was firm, full-bodied, and with phrasing that highlighted key notes in florid passagework. Berardi has the less extroverted temperament of an ensemble player, her recorder matched Miller phrase for phrase, punctuated by Nancy Wilson's achingly beautiful violin cadenzas played with flair. The performance was a frame for performance personalities, and was filled with all manner of fascinating incident.

The audience was on it's feet on several occasions during the concert, and not to leave actually, but to applaude the musicians which is rather nice I must say.

Keep an eye on Philomel's calendar for their next concerts.
I think the next one involves the beautiful Laura Heimes:

June 8th and 12th Imaginary Folk Music in NY

2007-05-14T16:04:00.000-04:00

Admission free:

Friday June 8
7:00 pm
"BIG FOUR"
performing perform jazz and imaginary folk.

at:
The Austrian Cultural Forum
11 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022

ph: (212) 319 5300 ext. 222
(reservations might be required)
desk@acfny.org

Max Nagl: saxophone www.maxnagl.at
Steve Bernstein: trumpet
Noel Akchoté: guitar
Brad Jones: bass

and

Tuesday June 12
7:00 pm
"Wumm Zack" fusing traditional Austrian folk tunes with jazz,
making music full of humor, and groove.

Max Nagl: alto sax
Clemens Salesny: alto sax
Alex Meissl: bass
Herbert Pirker: drums

Philadelphia Concerts Mothers' Day Weekend

2007-05-13T09:32:00.000-04:00

Philomel Baroque Ensemble Concerts:
Bach's B Minor Suite and
Telemann's Double Concerto for flute and recorder

Featured guest flutist Sandra Miller.

8pm Friday 11th May:
Christ Church in the old part of Phili: 2nd and Market streets, ;

8pm Saturday 12th May
St. Paul's, Oakland Avenue and Pine Street, Doylestown.

7 p.m. Sunday 13th May,
St. Martin's in the Fields, 8000 St. Martin's Lane, Chestnut Hill

$25-$40
Call 215-487-2344, or book on line at Philomel.org .

Peter will also be there...

Google "Philomel"

May 29th Concert in NYC :

2007-05-10T19:08:00.000-04:00

Tickets: Carnegie Hall Box Office$40

THE CLARION MUSIC SOCIETY PRESENTS:

RUSSIAN JEWELS FROM THE COURT OF CATHERINE THE GREAT

On Tuesday, May 29th,
at 8:00 pm
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall:

Steven Fox conducts the Clarion Chamber Ensemble and Choir.

The golden age of Russian music: gems from the court of Catherine the Great, some never heard outside Russia, several haven't been heard anywhere in over 200 years.

Catherine the Great had lured illustrious European musicians to be her ‘Court Composer': Cimarosa, Manfredini, Galuppi, Paisiello, Sarti. We'll aslo be hearing from some of their best students: Fomin, Berezovsky and Bortniansky, who had in turn become great composers.

Clarion will perform chamber works, opera arias and choral works by both the native Russian composers and the foreign composers working in the Imperial Court; including the modern premiere of Sarti’s arrangement of Berezovsky’s setting of Psalm 51, discovered in London by the director: Steven Fox.

Clarion will be joined for this event by violinist Igor Rukhadze, concertmaster of Musica Antiqua St. Petersburg,
and harpsichordist Ilya Poletaev.

Berezovsky – ‘Do Not Forget Me in My Old Age’
Galuppi – Sonata for Cembalo in C minor
Berezovsky – Psalm 51 arr. Sarti for Choir and String Quartet
Arias from: Bortniansky’s Le fils rival &
Fomin’s Yamchiki na Podstave
and other works by Tietz, Prac, Pashkevich and Bortniansky

Lead underwriting generously provided by Bank of America

Hagai Shaham on Youtube

2007-05-06T16:20:00.000-04:00

Click here to see some phenominal violin playing from Rini's brother:Hagai Shaham

Tan Dun Ghost Opera December in Syracuse.

2007-05-05T02:31:00.000-04:00

Tan Dun's Ghost Opera which is written for string quartet and Pipa ( to be played by Wu Man) will be performed in Syracuse in December....so it's back to playing with my evil friends again. These days they play in a band called "Real Quiet".The three members - percussionist David Cossin, cellist Felix Fan and pianist Andrew Russo- are each soloists and chamber musicians dedicated to the advancement of contemporary music and having a good time at all times.
"Tight Sweater" is on sale, or you can listen first.

Glyndebourne rehearsal period

2007-05-05T01:45:00.000-04:00

Rini's rehearsing Cosi fan Tutte in Glyndebourne. I'm here with no editing equipment, just a skateboard.. roaming freely with the purpose of doing nothing and going nowhere.

Summer's normally a relaxed time but there's been a flurry of commercials and the Sydney Opera House documentary which weighed heavily because of all the paperwork and borrowing of equipment. Doing that sort of thing solo is extremely challenging. Next is the Tower Bridge in June (very exciting).The good news is that I now have access to the best camera on the market, at all times, so the filming is going to get even better. The commercial clients have higher budgets than the artists, but I don't think I'll get completely caught up in that side of it, for now anyway. It is more interesting as I have to write and perform film scores so as not to breach any copyright rules. (Watch some)

Massimo Giordano Kicks some Butt at the Met in NYC

2007-04-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

Massimo the great Italian Tenor hit New York with his family recently.

Read more news about the Italian Stallion

Mothers' day concert, Weill hall NYC: Zachary Johnson

2007-04-20T04:55:00.000-04:00

Sunday, May 13, 2007 (Mother's Day) at 8:30 pm
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
Music of M. Zachary Johnson
watch him on Youtube Brian Horner: Saxophone
Alex Richardson: Tenor
Elizabeth Wolynec: Piano
Erin Horner: Horn
More details...
Tickets: call Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800

New York festival of Song Triumph

2007-03-16T10:39:00.000-04:00

Originally written by By ALLAN KOZINN
Published: March 16, 2007
Viciously edited by P Wentworth Bucknell of the New York Toimes. (sorry for the slashing Al)
Click here to sign in to the original article
Steve Blier and Michael Barrett have created a cottage industry out of the art song repertory more similar in spirit to old-fashioned salon evenings than to modern recitals. The theme last night: "Island Journeys", presented at Weill Hall.

Young singers taking turns in the spotlight, Blier and Barrett at the piano, the first port of call was Ireland, and "The Foggy Dew," was sung with an attractive straightforwardness by Soprano: Leena Chopra.

Tenor, Paul Appleby gave a lively reading of W. Houston Collison's "Eileen Og," and in "Mountains of Mourne". Leena Chopra moved on to even stronger performances, including a duet with Matthew Worth in Steve Blier’s arrangement of "The Palatine"s Daughter."

The best vocal moments were in the more exotic song groups. Most notably, Rinat Shaham put her supple mezzo-soprano to fine use as an engine of both drama and sensuality, in Ravel's "Chansons Madecasses," (sheet music avail here)for which she was joined by Marco Granados on flute and Ed Arron, cello and Mr. Barrett at the piano.

In Hahn’s "My Ship and I," Shaham's phrasing suggested both the sheer innocence of the Robert Louis Stevenson poem, and the child narrator's excitement as the fantasy grows more detailed.

The New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) will offer a program of Spanish and Latin American music at Weill Hall on April 11&12; (646) 230-8380.

New Trout Quintet and Schumann Piano Quintet release

2007-03-02T00:21:00.000-05:00

New CD on sale now: read the CD Info page.
Schumann and Schubert
Piano Quintets, Op.44 & "The Trout"

"The two most admired piano quintets of the early nineteenth century plus the song that inspired one of them, performed by some of today's legendary specialists in historical performance".

Buy it direct for $12 !
but first:
Listen to a sample

Jaap Schroder (violin), Peter Bucknell (viola), Etienne Abelin (violin), Enid Sutherland (cello), Anne Trout (bass), Max van Egmond (baritone) and Penelope Crawford (fortepiano).

ICE plays live at Columbia

2007-02-24T19:08:00.000-05:00

Click here to have a look at a bit of the footage from the International Contemporary Ensemble's Bridget Kibbey and Claire Chase perform Takemitsu's "Toward the Sea".

( I filmed and edited it, and can do the same for you. )

Fright of the valkyries (this will make you smile)

2007-02-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

Listen to what happens when you frighten a valkyrie...

Instrument purchases

2007-01-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

After thinking about it for about 10 years, I bought my first electric guitar. It was $199 with free shipping, and plugs into a little amp my friend Max found on the street (which crackles a bit).

First attempt recording on the guitara bit rough..

IAJE : International Association for Jazz Education

2007-01-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

These guys are called PULSE and they write music. Come and hear us play their new compositions on:

Thursday January 11, 2007, at 5:00 PM

In the Empire Ballroom -
New York Sheraton Hotel
2nd Floor
(in mid-town Manhattan).

It is part of the International Association for Jazz Education
January 10-13, 2007

Peter Bucknell will also be there (playing with PULSE)

info@iaje.org

Phone: 785-776-8744
Fax: 785-776-6190

Listen to Darcy James Argue's music.

Saturday 30th Dec NYC Max Sharam

2006-12-30T11:51:00.000-05:00

Come and hear Max Sharam sing and be acidic to the audience....
Peter Bucknellwill also be there.....

Aussie Choir in Manhattan: Wednesday Jan 10

2006-12-29T11:50:00.000-05:00

Nominated for 'best classical recording in Australia', the Choir of Christ Church St. Laurence, from Sydney, Australia, will perform in Manhattan:

on Wed, January 10, at 7:30 P.M.

Neil McEwan will direct the finest liturgical choir in Australia (and one of the oldest continuing choral groups)

Recent tours have included Westminster Abbey, Germany, France and Italy. An invitation resulted in returning this year to Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral as well as churches and cathedrals in the USA.

Tickets:
$25 at the door
Little Church site
'The Little Church Around the Corner'
1 East 29th Street
New York, NY 10016-7405

Christmas Eve in NYC webcast

2006-12-24T14:40:00.000-05:00

Click here after 9:30pm East Coast time on Christmas Eve to watch the Trinity Choir and orchestra do the baby Jesus, Mary and Jophess stuff.

Messiah Review from the other New York Times

2006-12-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

This Messiah Has Location and More... watch the webcast

By STEVE SMITH (edited by P Wentworth Bucknell while drinking Vodka Martini's in front of the Tele)

Published: December 19, 2006
Trinity Church claims pride of place among performances of Handel's Messiah. First performed in Dublin in 1742, it received its US premiere in 1770 on Wall st. On Sunday the Trinity Choir and Rebel Baroque Orchestra reminded us why this performance is always of more than merely of historical interest.

Handel's true achievement in the work had less to do with describing the Nativity and passion of Jesus than with evoking the enduring faith of believers or recruiting non- believers and violists.

Owen Burdick conducted 'Rebel', led by the violinist Jorg-Michael Schwarz, performing on 18th century instruments, or replicas, or not.

Burdick's tempos were well judged. In telling details like the quicksilver shocks and sparks that accompanied the line "For He is like a refiner's fire' and the shadow that fell across the arioso "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth," he demonstrated the insight that distinguishes a truly fine Handel performance from a routine one.

Solo parts were taken by members of the choir: tenor Daniel Mutlu opened with an ardent, inviting 'Comfort ye'. Nacole Palmer, a soprano, offered a precise, brightly projected 'Rejoice greatly'.

In 'He was despised', Hai-Ting Chinn's fierce intensity and dark, plaintive throb of a voice ideally underscored Handel's theater-honed text settings packed with palpable emotional impact.

Peter Bucknell was also there,*ucking up only on a couple of occasions.

Amusing School Orchestra video of Bach Double

2006-12-18T03:59:00.000-05:00

Here's some kid's School Orchestra rehearsing the Bach Double......

Carmen murdered in Rome

2006-12-17T11:26:00.000-05:00

Marcello Giordani's Don Jose stabbed my wife to death on 3 occasions last week in a jealous rage at the Theatra dell'Opera di Roma.

" Rinat Shaham sings 'L'amour est enfant de Boheme' with coaxing sensuality, and without the slightest hint of vulgarity But what she asks for and offers is not so much sex as freedom from every rule, which is what leads to José's ruin... A huge and much-deserved success. "
(Mya Tannenbaum, Corriere della Sera , December 9, 2006)

Watch the Card Aria (filmed in Montreal)

Messiah returns despite Bush Bash

2006-12-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

....later at the Whitehouse...the President remembered Trinity Church's Music Director, having been urged by him (Dr. Owen Burdick) at a previous meeting at St Paul's Church near ground zero to bring the troops home.

Earlier: George and Laura at St Paul's Church listening to Dr. Burdick direct the Trinity Choir...

Come and hear the world famous choir and the Rebel Baroque Orchestra:
Tuesday, December 19th 2006 at 6pm (Part of the Trinity on Wall street series)

Messiah
George Frederic Handel
REBEL Baroque Orchestra

"...all the Messiah outings to come in the next two weeks will have to work hard to match this one."-- Bernard Holland, The Real New York Times

The Trinity Choir's Messiah was named the performance to beat by the New York Times in 2005. Messiah has a meaningful history with Trinity Church having received its "New World" premiere at Trinity in 1770, just 28 years after it was written.

If you live outside New York City, watch the webcast

Listen to a bit.. or buy it on Amazon

Philomel review

2006-11-29T19:56:00.000-05:00

NOTEWORTHY/Chestnut Hill LOCAL by Michael Caruso for 11/30/2006

Philomel opened its 31st season this past weekend with 3 concerts highlighted by performances of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons."

"The Seasons" can sound perfectly convincing when played on modern instruments but it never comes across quite as effectively as it does on period instruments. The timbral tone painting and the coloristic theatricality intended by the composer can be seriously muted by the more homogeneous tones of modern instruments.
There's a silvery yet tawny clarity to gut-strung strings that their vibrato-laden metal-strung descendents simply cannot duplicate.
The eight members of Philomel gave sterling renditions of "The Seaons". My favorite of the lot was "Summer," in which Nancy Wilson played with technical wizardry and consumate musicianship.

It also featured the loveliest baroque viola playing, from Peter Bucknell, I've ever heard at a Philomel concert. The tone was full throated and the phrasing was elegant.

"Spring" was characterized by rhythmic exuberance and shimmering textures, "Autumn" throbbed with nostalgia and regret, and "Winter" rustled to a chilled wind.

Nestled in each half of the program were two delightful concerti featuring Elissa Berardi as recorder soloist. Her intepretation of Handel's Concerto in F major was exquisite in its lyricism and ravishing in its pyrotechnique. Berardi literally sang Handel's beguiling melodies in the two slow movements yet lit up the room in its faster sections.

Philomel rocks the house

2006-11-27T01:08:00.000-05:00

Heard the Four Seasons too many times? The Philomel Baroque Orchestra played it with a vivacity and sparkle that stood apart; delivering a freshness of approach in matters of tempo (bracing) and texture (X-ray clear), finding a lithe soundscape that makes the music sound new and adventurous in surprising ways. Read the whole article

The soloist for these performances was Nancy Wilson, one of our best baroque violinists, and a longtime collaborator with Philomel.
(by Peter Burwasser, haphazardly edited by Peter Bucknell - whom was also there)

Call 215-487-2344 to get tickets for 2007 concerts selling out fast.

NYC viola recital: Jennifer Stumm Dec 6

2006-11-17T11:44:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, December 6th at 7:30 pm
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
Jennifer Stumm, viola
She'll be playing works by Beethoven, Faure, Schubert, Britten and Prokofiev

If you are free on December 6th, a Wednesday night, go and hear the Winner of the last Concert Artists Guild Competition
She also won the Primrose Viola Competition which is a big deal.
(read her Bio)
Listen to her Schumann, or for more information, Google her..

Cheap student tickets, please call 212.333.5200 Ext 20 or email jhadler@concertartists.org

Dec 12th 5pm Columbian Music NYC

2006-11-08T14:04:00.000-05:00

New Yorkers: Come down to Varick Street thisa Sunday.
I'll be filming the
4th Annual Encounter of
Colombian Musicians in New York
Organized by Pablo Mayor

Watch a 30 second Promo for Folklore Urbano

Featuring:
Hector Martignon
Edmar Castaneda
Marta Gomez
Pablo Mayor-Folklore Urbano
Coba with Lucia Pulido
Samuel Torres
La Cumbiamba eNeYe
Harold Gutierrez
Kosta Samurindo
Ricardo Gallo (Sativasur)
Trinidad Guitar Duo

Doors: 4:30PM
Show: 5:00PM
Admission: $35

See Details

Shin attacks Mozart at Museum

2006-10-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

Dong Sok Shin, master early Keyboard player and circus strongman, will be attacking an all Mozart Program in a recital.

Wednesday, Nov 1,
at 3:30 p.m.
At the Metropolitan Museum (Musical Instrument Collection).

This is a free 45 minute concert (you have to pay for museum admission, which can be any amount) with limited seating.

He will be performing on a fortepiano made in about 1790 by Ferdinand Hofmann (1756 - 1829) of Vienna, Austria. Since this very fine instrument was made while Mozart was still alive. Maybe Mozart's mitts tinkled these ivories...(woods?)

The program includes:
Fantasie in d minor, K 397;
Sonata in C Major, K 330 (K 300h);
12 Variations on the French song, "Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman", K 265 (K 300e).

Phili concerts (4 Seasons): November 24, 25 and 26

2006-10-24T11:46:00.000-04:00

VIVALDI'S FOUR SEASONS Philomel Baroque Orchestra, with Nancy Wilson, violin
Ms. Wilson, a leading baroque violinist in the United States, and Philomel breathe life into these audience favorites with engagingly innovative performances of Vivaldi's most popular concertos.

Buy Tickets online

Friday, November 24, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Christ Church, 2nd & Market, Old City, Phila., PA

Saturday, November 25, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oakland Ave. at Pine St., Doylestown, PA

Sunday, November 26, 2006, 4:00 p.m.
The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 8000 Martins Lane, Chestnut Hill, PA

Last Chance to hear Shaham sing Carmen

2006-10-16T18:01:00.000-04:00

If anyone in New York wants to catch one of Rini's last two performances of Carmen at New York City Opera, you can usually buy tickets at the door half an hour before.

October 18 at 7:30
October 22 (matinee)1:30

Sun King happy with performance despite peasant's review

2006-10-14T06:02:00.000-04:00

Read the New York Times review, she's a bit of a unwieldy peasant about the lovely dancers, but who gives a rat's arse what the peasants think?

Le Roi Soleil (or as we refer to him in Australia: 'Lou') refrained from throwing old food at the trendy New York Collegium last night at the Lincoln Center.

France's longest serving King arrived late bearing rotten fruit because of fears that the artist formally known as Giovanni Lully may have conspired with his lyric writer and long term drinking buddy Phil Quinault to portray Lou's current mistress in a bad way.... but he needn't have bothered.
The ex-page boy, Lully, had even thrown in some of the King's favourite rustic diversions: among other things a Hurdy Gurdy (hurdy = a person's backside + gurdy = a reel with a crank - my favouite definition of any instrument)

Led by Andrew Parrot (who recently had his tetanus shots just to be on the safe side....

the vocal moxie of the Collegium's songbirds and tight ensemble work of the East Coast instrumental outfit pleased the young early music crowd (young at heart), and the sheer beauty of the poignant instrumental interludes was heart attack material.

The whole thing made one want to don a mask and run into central park in the dead of night, or maybe just down to the Chelsea.

Purcell on Tues Oct 17: Trinity Wall Street

2006-10-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

The Trinity Choir will perform Purcell's Opera Dioclesian with the REBEL Baroque Orchestra and Soloists from the Choir.
Conducted by Owen Burdick
--------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, October 17th, 2006 at 6pm (Web cast Video will also be up
Directions

Premiering in 1690 at Queen’s Theatre, Dorset Garden, the most famous scene in this “semi opera” is the final masque, a self-contained pastoral which remained popular into the eighteenth century.

Listen to the Rebel and choir now... They perform a bit of Haydn for you in this mp3

For more information, contact Richard Lippold at rlippold@trinitywallstreet.org or 212-602-0873.

Beethoven 2nd Symphony, NYC: Oct 11th

2006-09-27T13:41:00.000-04:00

8:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 11, 2006
Church of St. Ignatius Loyola
980 Park Avenue at 84th Street,
New York

New York Times Review

Beethoven's:
Symphony No. 2
Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt, Op. 112
Mass in C, Op. 86

The Period-Instrument Orchestra and Choir of Clarion Music Society
Steven Fox, conductor

with
Anna Dennis soprano
Kirsten Sollek alto
Greg Mercer tenor
Craig Phillips bass

$40, $30, $20 (students and seniors)

$100 package includes private pre-concert reception,
lecture by Steven Fox, and choice preferred seating

For information and tickets, please call 212.714.5360

Instrumental Sheet Music!

Peter Bucknell will be playing the viola...

The New York Sun review: Rinat Shaham's "Carmen"

2006-09-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

By Jay Nordlinger

September 18, 2006

Can the world, particularly New York, use another "Carmen"? Yes, the same way we can use another pepperoni pizza. As long as it's good . . . And City Opera has a good "Carmen," as proven Thursday night. Bizet's opera can't fail to appeal, if done faithfully, attentively, and full-heartedly.

The title role was sung by Rinat Shaham, an Israeli mezzo. (How exotic that is to write: "Israeli mezzo"! "Israeli violinist" is far more ordinary.) You may remember Ms. Shaham from two years ago, when she sang Blanche in City Opera's "Dialogues of the Carmelites" (Poulenc). She was splendid then; I included her in my Best of Season roundup. And she is a boffo Carmen.

For starters, she is fearless, a necessary quality for that character. She takes the stage and never doubts that it is her own. Second, Ms. Shaham does not ham it up — a temptation for any Carmen. She is actually believable in this role, which is remarkable.

Her bottom register is mezzo smoky — Carmen smoky. And her top is wonderfully free. A big B in the Séguidille was a joy. Even that quick, concluding B was right-on — and virtually every Carmen misses that.

Finally, I might make one, not-quite-musical point about Ms. Shaham: nice gams. Really, really nice gams. The stage director (or someone) made sure she displayed them all night .

Portraying Micaëla was Latonia Moore, who owns a live, ear-catching soprano. She was accurate with that instrument, too. I couldn't understand a word out of her mouth, but that was okay: We know the libretto regardless.

Incidentally, there is a lot of spoken dialogue in this "Carmen" — and none of the cast members can speak anything like French (except for the Israeli).

The production is that of Jonathan Eaton, and I would call it a "classic ‘Carmen.'" That is no disparagement, believe me. This production is colorful, vibrant, and true to the opera. There aren't as many bells and whistles here as in Franco Zeffirelli's show for the Met. (Instead of bells and whistles, maybe I should say dogs and donkeys.) But it is no skimpfest.

If you like "Carmen" — and you should — see this one. And I don't care that Rinat Shaham is not on the stage of the Met. She is a star.

You can Read the entire article as I edited this one down for length a bit.

My 911 memorial Movie, shot at the flag park

2006-09-09T04:59:00.000-04:00

It's getting about 100 views a day:
Watch FLAGS

Rinat Shaham rehearses Carmen at New York City Opera

2006-08-31T16:08:00.000-04:00

Rini's castanets fly as she is put through the paces of the title role of Carmen which opens on September 9th (sold out). Check her performance dates before booking.

See more photos.

World Premiere a huge success

2006-08-28T16:47:00.000-04:00

The New York Harp Trio performed Cuban composer Jose Raul Bernardo's new Trio for an appreciative New York audience in Treadwell.

An intelligent audience attended the Trio's challenging concert of works chosen mostly from the last decade, including Rob Paterson's "Embracing the Wind", which the Trio intends to record next year.

New York Harp Trio: in Treadwell: Sunday, Aug 27th

2006-08-24T14:05:00.000-04:00

NYHT site

Opening Night Carmen deal: Sept 9th $25

2006-08-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

If you call : 212 721 6500, or 212 870 7787 :you might still be able to get good seats for $25 each to Rini's opening night. It's called "Opera for All".
September 9th is not listed on the official website.

New Ear training program pretty cheap

2006-08-09T23:43:00.000-04:00

Click here to see the mac program for eartraining music students.

Max Hits Sydney Opera House in starring Role

2006-08-05T05:06:00.000-04:00

Read Max's latest Interview. I saw the dress rehearsal. She's fabulous as usual.

Rinat Shaham with the Philadelphia Orchestra

2006-07-01T10:31:00.000-04:00

A thunderous Thursday night saw a superb performance of the Jeremiah symphony with the ever beautiful Rini singing the hebrew mezzo line. Read the review.

Article about New York Harp Trio's concert

2006-06-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

Harp Music makes a come back.

Free Concert Thursday 29th June NYC Harp Flute Viola

2006-06-25T05:17:00.000-04:00

Free Concert:
Thursday 29th June at: 7:30pm
52nd St. between 2nd and 3rd Ave. (south side of the street)
Turtle Bay Music School

The New York Harp Trio will be doing a rare New York City performance next week!!!
The trio consists of a unique combination of flute, harp, and viola
3 stunning musicians-
dynamite harpist Bridget Kibbey, drunkard Australian violist Peter Bucknell, and sizzling Anna Povich de Mayor on flute.

It's in preparation for a series of concerts we will be doing up in the Catskills.

It is FREE (donations gladly accepted)

-go in the main doors and they will direct you to the recital hall, which is downstairs

It is a fantastic program, featuring works by
Claude Debussy, Astor Piazzolla, Toru Takemitsu

as well as other lesser known works by living composers like Donald Crocket, Bulgarian Roumi Petrova, and our good friend Rob Paterson

our website:newyorkharptrio.com

New York Harp Trio: in Treadwell: Sunday July 2nd at 3pm

2006-06-22T21:34:00.000-04:00

Sunday July 2nd at 3 PM, Bright Hill presents: The New York Harp Trio.
at the Bright Hill Center,
94 Church St.,
Treadwell, NY 13846.

Presented by Jose Raul Bernardo.
Ph: 607-829-5055
wordthur@stny.rr.com.

Admission: $10 & 5, free 12 and under.

Works by Debussy, Takemitsu, Donald Crockett, Rob Paterson, Piazzolla, and Jose Raul Bernardo.

Go to the Trio's site

Violinist on Acid

2006-06-20T17:55:00.000-04:00

Watch this video of a Violinist on Acid

Judith Ingolfsson jumps in

2006-06-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

Star violisist, and winner of the prestigious International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Judith Ingolfsson joins Raw Fish at the New Haven Festival of Arts and Ideas

Pop cd on sale now : Sarah Fimm

2006-06-13T12:33:00.000-04:00

Have a listen to this young lady's cd (Some violin and viola tracks from me too) Sarah Fimm's Album

Dance Project: June 2, 3 and 4 at 8:30pm

2006-06-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

Danspace Project
St. Mark's Church
131 East 10th Street
(10th Street at Second Avenue)
www.danspaceproject.org

Hear my string Quartet: "RAW FISH" perform some early Beethoven on stage in New York City with dance production "Migrations" by Allyson Green.

Or catch us at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in
New Haven, CT
Fri June/16 8:00pm
Sat June/17 8:00pm

Read the Village Voicereview

Brahms songs live recording

2006-05-19T17:31:00.000-04:00

As I rifled through a mystery cardboard box in the back room, I found an old live recording of the Brahms Songs with my wife (and me on viola) which is fun to have as it was our first stage appearance together.
Here is the first song... Hope you enjoy it.

Rebel recording at Trinity on Wall street again.

2006-05-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

Haydn's 'St.Bernardi' and 'Heilig' Masses are on the menu next week for New York's own immaculate chamber orchestra: REBEL. Another in a series of top-of-the-heap recordings with the Trinity Choir.

You can hear an appetizer of this program at the noon service on Thursday May 25th of May.
TRINITY CHURCH
Wall Street

If you didn't get to hear April's Mozart Mass, or see the webcast, here is your chance.

Read a review of one of the Trinity Choir's cds with REBEL, (a recording of 2 other Masses of HAYDN).

Mendelssohn Recording Out now

2006-05-16T11:34:00.000-04:00

The recording with Jaap Schroder of the Mendelssohn Piano Sextet is on sale now from Peter Watchorn's record label.

If you have never heard this piece on period instruments, it's worth having. It's quite a special recording.

Tuesday May 16th Concert NYC upper east side

2006-05-13T14:55:00.000-04:00

Come and hear Jolle Greenleaf and others sing; as we use the "Cantata to the Oratorio" theme to present more Bach with the Choir of Men and Boys in Saint Thomas Church.
Listen to her sing it's quite lovely, you'll see.
It should prove to be a great Concert if you like JS Bach, which most likely you do.

Come say hello, I'll be on stage playing eighth notes as usual...... but it won't be boring

PROGRAM:
Cantata 106
Cantata 118
Motet: Der Gerechte kommt um
Oster Oratorium

The Period Orchestra as usual will be Concert Royal, but not this concert Royal, they are in England.

Superman in NY Collegium

2006-05-05T00:27:00.000-04:00

Click here to see the thrilling conclusion of Superman and the screeching viola players.

New York Collegium Review May 5th 2006 BACH

2006-05-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

A packed Church perfected acoustics for a bright Bach bash.
Drinks flowed after intense clapping at the last Collegium concert for this season.
Soloists were all happy, even the imported trumpeter: David Blackadder who has to take home crappy American dollars to exchange for fat pounds sterling. Maybe he went shopping out here and saved some money on clothes.., I know they charged him $9 for a beer yesterday near Grand Central, bastards.

Robert Meally took control of Bill Monical's piccolo violin, which seems to come out of the cupboard for every Brandenburg 1 on the East Coast.... Bill should put a big ad on the back of it for the rests...

A fun evening of superb music making, let's see what Maestro Parrott comes up with for next season. I see French people.

Most famous cello in the world copied

2006-04-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

My friend recently commissioned a copy of the oldest and most famous cello in existence. Have a look at the pictures and see why he did it

Tickets to hear Rini sing CARMEN in NYC later this year: Sept 14 through November 18

2006-04-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

Click purchase tickets if you want to go and hear Rini sing Carmen at the New York City Opera:

Selective dates: Sept 14 through November 18

Click here to see the first review

To Purchase Tickets By Phone (Single tickets from $25 and up)
For Single Tickets
Call CenterCharge at (212) 721-6500.

For Group Sales
Call (212) 870-5618, Monday through Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm.

Escamillo grabs my wife's leg

2006-04-12T16:03:00.000-04:00

FRANCO POMPONI, Baritone in (April 22, 25, 29, May 6, 12, 14) Florida Grand Opera's production of Carmen
grabs my wife's leg

Carmen Promo Photos: all rights reserved 2006 Deborah Gray Mitchell
4/7/06
deb@dgmfoto.com

Jaap Schroder and Peter between recording sessions waiting for beer..

2006-04-12T11:41:00.000-04:00

See and hear the Mendelssohn CD

Friday May 5th Concert Bach Brandenburgs

2006-04-11T21:37:00.000-04:00

Andrew Parrot directs the New York Collegium in two of Bach's Masses. Hearing these seldom heard choral works with renowned singers of The New York Collegium will be an uncommon musical treat.

Kirsten Sollek will be one of the soloists.

J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concertos nos. 1 & 2 (bwv 1046-1047)
Bach Masses (bwv 233 & 234)

Friday May 05, 2006 8:00 PM
St. Vincent Ferrer
152 E 66th St at Lexington Ave.

Peter Bucknell will also be there.

Audience member shot at close range by angry violist

2006-04-09T14:43:00.000-04:00

Masterfully conducted by the great choral master Andrew McGill, the Westminster Choir College group blew the audience away with passionate and committed singing.

The orchestra lovingly accompanied the soloists in this heart wrenching performance.

I wanted to blow away one member of the audience who kept whispering her comments to her arse of a husband who coughed in all the quiet moments.

Monteverdi Vespers this Saturday Night

2006-04-07T16:17:00.000-04:00

Monteverdi Vespers

April 8th at 8pm
in New York City
at the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church,
213 West 82nd St

All Welcome, tickets at the door

Webcast of Mozart's Mass in C Minor : Rebel and Trinity Choir

2006-03-31T19:35:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, the 2nd of April will see the return of Robert Levin's 'completion talents' as the period instrument band REBEL and the Trinity Choir perform Levin's new version of Mozarts Mass in C Minor led by Jorg Michael Schwartz under the baton of Owen Burdick.

Click here to see the webcast.

New York Collegium Photos and links

2006-03-27T00:16:00.000-05:00

Claire, Dana, Amie and Judson in rehearsal.

edgeio-key: 2d77bee48588364a7bea42e677c63df9de9c3d69

During a tour to Savannah Georgia in March.

New York Collegium Concert: Friday March 24th

2006-03-20T08:32:00.000-05:00

Friday March 24, 2006 8:00 PM
St. Vincent Ferrer
152 E 66th St at Lexington Ave.

Students $20

Although they rarely had time to get pissed together, Telemann and Handel were mates for nearly 60 years. Both men had a tumultuous effect on the concert scene at the time. Big stars.

Telemann's "Donner-Ode" commemorates the victims of the earthquake and Tsunami in Lisbon in 1755.

Fred Renz Concert

2006-03-20T08:12:00.000-05:00

A superb evening of string playing under the baton of New York's own Fred Renz was enjoyed by a large crowd at St James Church on Madison. Works by some of the Bach family whose own audiences thought that they pushed the compositional envelope more than their old-school dad.

Expertly led by beloved New York 'scroll-merchant': Robert Meally, the band was tight and robust, and at times hauntingly delicate despite some awkward facial expressions from the principal violist who could have taken a step closer to the razor that morning, oh shit, that was me. Well I had a shocking hangover from Saint Patrick's day.

Order CDs here

Listen to the BBC Broadcast of Figaro

2006-02-27T09:50:00.000-05:00

The Royal Opera House's latest brilliant production of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" on the web: click on the links to listen.

Figaro part 1 with Intro

Figaro part 2

Figaro part 3

(My wife is singing the part of Cherubino)

Comments about Rebel's Handel

2006-02-17T11:22:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all the comments about the little Inwood Movie (click here if you haven't seen it). Everyone seems to really like Rebel's live recording of the Water music. The whole concert tour was edited into one cd by Mr. Shin, and is for sale if anyone would like it: you can go to the REBEL site and email them.

Review of St Thomas 'Haydn Creation'

2006-02-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Jim Richman's period instrument ensemble 'Concert Royal' ripped into Haydn's Die Schopfung (The Creation) on Tuesday Night at St Thomas Church on 5th Avenue, led by the beautiful and sexy Cynthia Roberts. And yes you should use that as a quote if you ever get around to turning a computer on Cynthia....

Haydn apparently had worked on the project to the point of exhaustion, and collapsed into a period of illness after he had finally conducted the premiere performance. That's how I felt after playing the viola part. I really need to stop drinking so much before going to work.

The forces for the public premiere in Vienna numbered about 120 instrumentalists and 60 singers.
That would cost well over $100,000 to put on today, but luckily Haydn was friendly with a bunch of rich guys.
Jim Richman isn't a richman, but does well with what he's got, and his wife is pretty so it doesn't fucking matter anyway.

As usual, most of the audience brought their own liquor to the concert, which hastened a standing ovation at the completion of this master work. No Tomatoes thrown on this occasion.

An inexpensive version of the score (not reflecting most recent scholarship) is available from Dover Publications, ISBN 048641907X

Stay tuned for a review of REBEL's Sunday concert taking place:

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2006 at 3 PM
Bedford Presbyterian Church
STABAT MATER; Music for Lent by Pergolesi, Handel, Hasse, Vivaldi
with Ann Hoyt, soprano & Kirsten Sollek, alto

Concert Royal in rehearsal

2006-02-06T20:38:00.000-05:00

Concert Royal rehearses for tomorrow night's performance (see below for details.
Tickets available at the door.
Look at other comics

Haydn's "Creation" Feb 7th at 7:30pm

2006-02-03T12:36:00.000-05:00

THE CREATION by Haydn
Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue and 53rd St.
Tickets at the door if you are early:

The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys
with Concert Royal

Ava Pine, Soprano
Alan Bennett, Tenor
Christopheren Nomura, Bass

Christine Gunmere and Judson Griffin at rehearsal.

Review of Rini's Royal Opera House debut

2006-02-01T08:54:00.000-05:00

Favourable words in the first Review of this new Covent garden Production of "The Marriage of Figaro"

The second Cheeky and Charming review wasn't bad either.

Read all reviews from last week

50 things to do (in the UK)

2006-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Rini's 'Figaro' made the London Observer's list of 50 things to do this winter:coming in at number
4: Mozart's 250th anniversary

Year-long celebrations begin in January with a new David McVicar production of The Marriage of Figaro for the Royal Opera. Gerald Finley and Dorothea Roschmann sing the Count and Countess, with Uruguayan-born baritone Erwin Schrott in the title role. Miah Persson as Susanna and Rinat Shaham as Cherubino are supported by house favourites in lesser roles under Antonio Pappano's baton. Sir Colin Davis will conduct a new cast in June. AH

Royal Opera House, London WC2, 31 January-9 July.

020 7304 4000

Hagai Shaham in New York Feb 19th

2006-01-26T05:56:00.000-05:00

Hear Rini's Brother : Hagai Shaham play chamber Music

Sunday February 19, 2 PM Concert Weill Recital Hall
at Carnegie Hall

Join us for our New York debut as artistic director,
Ara Gregorian, and guest artists perform at Weill
Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in a concert featuring
Mendelssohn's String Quintet in B Flat Major,
and Dvorak's "American" Quintet.

Featured Repertoire:
Sonate pour Violon et Piano
Claude Debussy

String Quintet in B Flat Major, Op. 87
Felix Mendelssohn

String Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 97 "American"
Antonin Dvorak

Artists:
Hagai Shaham, violin
Xiao-Dong Wang, violin
Ara Gregorian, violin, viola
Maria Lambros, viola
Zvi Plesser, cello
Thomas Sauer, piano

Concert Today

2006-01-17T22:34:00.000-05:00

The orchestra is in excellent shape.
Robert Mealy, Steven Fox and Theresa Solomen take a moment to relax during rehearsals...

Thursday Jan 19th at 8pm Mozart

2006-01-17T10:25:00.000-05:00

If in New York, come and see the newly reformed "Clarion Music Society" rip into some Mozart in the most vicious way on January 19th

8:00 pm
Thursday, January 19, 2006
St. Ignatius Loyola Church
980 Park Avenue at 84th Street
New York, NY

The professional choir and period-instrument
orchestra of Clarion Music Society
Steven Fox, conductor

For further information and tickets, please call 212-714-5360.

Musica Pacifica

2006-01-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

After 5 days of serious recording at the luxurious 'Ayrshire Farm' in Loudoun County, Virginia with Dan Swenberg, Robert Mealy, Elizabeth Bloomenstock, Bill Skeen, Claire Jolivet, Judy Linsenberg, Charles Sherman, Michael McCraw and Josh, Musica Pacifica has laid down what promises to be a great album.
Sono Luminus has taken over from Dorian, so let's hope it's super.

Rebel Messiah Review

2006-01-08T19:36:00.000-05:00

By BERNARD HOLLAND
Published: December 13, 2005
The words "Christmas" and "Messiah" used in the same sentence can cause music critics to sweat involuntarily. But then we go to do our duty, sit in our seats and are once again drawn irresistibly to a piece that defies its ubiquity and will never be a cliché. It was Trinity Church's turn on Sunday afternoon, with a performance by the Trinity Choir and the Rebel Baroque Orchestra. All the "Messiah" outings to come in the next two weeks will have to work hard to match this one.

Forum: Classical Music
It is not churchliness that draws people to Handel's celebrated oratorio. "Messiah" is more operatic than liturgical. The emotions cut to the bone; the biblical scenes are pure theater made of tones and words. Perhaps its closest equivalent is Verdi's Requiem, also a dramatic extravagance evoking the stage more than white surplices and choir stalls.

Owen Burdick, Trinity's director of music, conducted this performance, and his program notes about historical performance practice quickly shot down early-music "authenticity" authorities before they could get their weapons out.

Handel and his colleagues, Dr. Burdick tells us, rewrote, reorchestrated and repopulated their music according to where it was being played and who was around to play it. The sacrosanctity of the ur-text is a much more recent invention. For the record, this performance featured a choir of 24, brisk but elastic tempos, vibrato judiciously reserved for accent and emphasis and a fine 21-member orchestra of 18th-century instruments or reconstructions of them.

"Messiah" does find a sympathetic home in churches, although it does not thrive in big ones. Trinity Church gave the New World's first "Messiah" performance in 1770. (The premiere was in Dublin in 1742.) And not only does this parish house the ghosts of Washington and Hamilton and a good part of early American history; it is also a good place for this music. The space is relatively narrow and not terribly deep. The high ceilings give off just enough echo to remind us where we are without distorting Handel's startling use of harmony.

Sunday's soloists stepped out of the choir: by my count, 15 of them. Some were clearly individual talents; others had pure, trained voices elevated just above ensemble status. There was no separation of star singer from backup chorus; individuals took turns speaking for the rest. It was a touching effect. My deepest respect goes to Dr. Burdick, both for the carefully prepared agreements on phrasing and dynamics and for the utter sincerity with which they were realized by all involved.

I particularly liked Ann Hoyt's soprano in Handel's famous sequence of shepherds, flocks by night and angelic proclamation. The tenor Marc Molomot's introductory "Comfort Ye" was also touching, not so much for its vocal beauty as for its care and intensity. Richard Lippold, a baritone, sang more than most and very well. Jörg-Michael Schwarz's violin playing led Rebel's fine performance.

Peter Bucknell was also there..