Classical Music

Orion Ensemble Celebrates Women’s History Month with Guest Soprano Patrice Michaels

March 5, 2013

The all-female Orion Ensemble (Kathryne Pirtle, clarinet; Florentina Ramniceanu, violin; Diana Schmück, piano; Judy Stone, cello; and Jennifer Marlas, viola)will celebrate Women’s History Month with their “A Voice from Heaven” program featuring guest soprano Patrice Michaels. The concerts will feature Michaels singing three arias from her CD Divas of Mozart’s Time including selections by Mozart, Vincenzo [...]

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Classical Music FTW in 2013 Super Bowl Commercials

February 4, 2013

This year, classical music added humor, excitement, and gravitas to three of 2013′s most unforgettable commercials. Brian Wise identified some of the music in a post on WQXR’s blog. One of the night’s funniest commercials, Doritos’ “Fashionista Daddy”, featured a dad playing dress-up with his daughter after she offers him Doritos. The 30-second spot flounces [...]

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Virtuoso: Finally a Game for Classical Musicians to Geek Out?

January 29, 2013

Well, maybe. The game isn’t available just yet, but Caleb Heisey, the designer behind the game, conceived the idea for a graduate design project. Virtuoso is a music theory board game. Players compete against each other by successfully answering trivia questions about music history, composition, listening comprehension, and theory. Not for the faint of heart, Virtuoso is a [...]

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Stravinsky goes ‘Gangnam Style’

January 3, 2013

I pride myself on being one of the only people in the universe who has not seen 2012′s viral music video, PSY’s “Gangnam Style“. But when the Violin Channel’s Facebook page shared a video clip of “Gangnam Style” set to the “Sacrificial Dance” from Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, I couldn’t resist watching it. Stravinsky’s [...]

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Spektral Quartet’s Free Performance as part of Chicago’s Latino Music Festival

December 5, 2012

Chicago string ensemble The Spektral Quartet is renowned for its dedication to new music and collaborations with other artists. This weekend, concert-goers have the opportunity to attend a free performance by the quartet as part of Chicago’s Latino Music Festival. Spektral is joining forces with vocalist Julia Bentley to present rarely-heard South American compositions on [...]

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10 Classical DVD/Blu-Ray Gift Ideas for the Music Lover in Your Life

November 30, 2012

Trying to find a gift for the classical music lover in your life? Here are 10 DVD/Blu-ray documentaries and performances guaranteed to bring a smile to his or her face. Click on the images for additional information. 1. Sir Georg Solti Conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra The perfect gift for any Chicago Symphony Orchestra fan, [...]

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Chicago Ensemble’s 2012-2013 Season Offers Enticing Mix of Chamber Music

November 8, 2012

The Chicago Ensemble has begun its 2012-2013 season. The group’s upcoming concerts offer an enticing mix of classic chamber music works, rarely-performed gems, and pieces by contemporary composers. The performances feature different ensembles including string trios, piano quintets, and wind quintets. Each concert includes a complimentary reception beginning 30 minutes before the performance. Performances are [...]

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Jennifer Koh Explores History of Solo Violin Repertoire in “Bach & Beyond”

October 31, 2012

Chicago native Jennifer Koh‘s ambitious solo violin album, Bach & Beyond Part 1, was released on CD by Cedille records on October 30 and is also available on digital download. It is the first in a three-part series of recordings which stem from Koh’s world-wide recital series exploring the history of the solo violin repertoire [...]

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Classical Music Meets Classical Literature in “Ephemeris/Voyages in DwReam”

July 5, 2012

As a voracious reader and classical musician, I was intrigued by a new book which merges classical music with classical literature. William Jay’s The Ephemeris/Voyages in DwReam (Book 288 pgs, $54.95; Audio: 7 CDs, 8 hrs, $34.95; Book & Audio Bundle $69.95, published by Music of Words) comes with its own original musical score. The [...]

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Kid Rock Jams with Detroit Symphony Orchestra for Fundraiser

May 15, 2012

I’ve come across some untraditional collaborations between rock musicians and orchestras, but this one has to be the most unusual. Brian McCollum of the Detroit Free Press wrote a post about Detroit native Kid Rock‘s performance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on May 12. The event was a fundraiser, which, according to a DSO press [...]