From the category archives:

Classical Music

Classical Music Relaxes Babies and Cats?

June 2, 2011

We’ve all heard about those studies which investigate the positive effects of classical music on the human brain. Well now, two separate research projects are exploring the benefits of classical music in calming anxiety in newborn babies and cats. British website Mail Online reports on a clinic in Slovakia which is using classical music to [...]

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Three Chicagoland High School Students to Perform Side by Side Concert with Chicago Philharmonic

May 12, 2011

Three Chicago-area high school students will get a taste of life as a professional musician as part of the Chicago Philharmonic‘s Side by Side program. John Lin, Ben Wagner, and Shea Acott were invited to participate in the program which pairs high school musicians with seasoned orchestra members. The program will culminate when the students [...]

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Review: DEATH AND THE POWERS, THE ROBOTS’ OPERA by Tod Machover at Chicago Opera Theater

April 6, 2011

What do you get when you combine incredible singers, dynamic music, and a chorus of robotic Operabots? A jaw-dropping performance of Tod Machover‘s Death and the Powers, The Robots’ Opera at the Chicago Opera Theater (COT). Contrapuntist and I attended the Midwest premiere of this opera on April 2 at the Harris Theater, thanks to [...]

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Two Berlin Orchestras Join Forces to Raise Money for Japan

March 30, 2011

On March 29, the Berlin Philharmoniker and Staatskapelle Berlin performed on the same stage at the Berlin Philharmonike to raise funds for UNICEF‘s children’s emergency fund in Japan. The concert was also webcast in the Berlin Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall. Daniel Barenboim led the Staatskapelle Berlin’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Six Symphony, Pathétique; Sir Simon Rattle [...]

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Could the YouTube Symphony Become the Super Bowl of Classical Music?

March 23, 2011

The Second YouTube Symphony just concluded over the weekend by giving a grand performance led by Michael Tilson Thomas at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The occasion brought together 101 young musicians from 33 countries and five continents. While many elitist classical music critics prefer to complain about what the YouTube Symphony is not, [...]

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Chicago/Milwaukee Musicians Join the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011

March 18, 2011

The 2011 YouTube Symphony Orchestra performance will take place March 20th in Sydney, Australia at the Sydney Opera House at 8:00 PM (that’s 4:00 AM CDT). You can watch the concert live if you’re an early riser, but it will also be rebroadcast throughout the day. The concert will feature a wide variety of music [...]

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Set for an outstanding 2011-12 Season

February 22, 2011

It is unfortunate that Riccardo Muti’s first season has been marred with health issues.  The maestro’s vision is bold.  His presence off the stage year is quite impressive, despite not being able to conduct on stage.  If the Muti can stay healthy, the 2011/12 season will prove that classical music and the CSO are alive [...]

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Classical Music Entertains Students At Sleepytime

February 15, 2011

Sometimes I come across separate stories which relate to each other in an unusual way. Today, I came across two posts about classical musicians hoping to reach new audiences by entertaining pajama-clad college students and restless toddlers. On the ColumbiaSpectator.com, Cydney Hedgpeth wrote about late-night concerts by Columbia University’s in-residence string quartet, the Daedalus Quartet. [...]

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Music Lovers of All Ages Can Spring into March with Offerings from the Music Institute of Chicago

February 10, 2011

The Music Institute of Chicago (MIC) is not only one of the oldest community music schools in Illinois but also one of the most respected in the nation. MIC will spring into March with offerings to delight music lovers of all ages – an adult music appreciation class entitled “The Art of Listening” beginning March [...]

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Concert Review: Venezuelan Pianist Gabriela Montero at the Harris Theater

February 6, 2011

Thanks to the Harris Theatre for providing us with tickets. Like many people in the US, the first time I heard of Gabriela Montero was during President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Her recent success is due in large part to her mimed ensemble performance with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, clarinetist Anthony McGill and violinist Itzhak Perlman. Prior [...]

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