The Well-Tempered Ear
Classical music: The Madison Choral Project performs “Finding Our Path” this Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Plus, the Madison New Music Ensemble performs a FREE concert this Friday night
1 Comment
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
This weekend, the critically acclaimed Madison Choral Project (below) will give two performances – in two different venues this year — of its seventh annual holiday program.
The MCP was founded and is directed and conducted by Albert Pinsonneault (below), who taught at Edgewood College and now works at Northwestern University. The group’s stated goal is to inspire, enhance and improve life through music. (You can hear them singing the Octet from Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Elijah” in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
In keeping with a format that you often find in places of worship — think Scripture and hymns — the MCP once again uses a holiday formula that remains popular and works very effectively by combining the spoken word with choral music.
This year’s theme is “Finding Our Path” and features music and texts on the theme of feeling adrift, seeking guidance and finding our path.
Performances are on this Friday night, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Atrium Auditorium of the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive; and this Saturday afternoon, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m. in the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1609 University Avenue, near Camp Randall Stadium.
Noah Ovshinsky (below), the news editor at Wisconsin Public Radio, will once again serve as the narrator.
Unfortunately, The Ear has seen no word about the works or composers in the musical part of the program, except that two commissions, including a world premiere by MCP composer-in-residence Justin Merritt, will be performed.
PREFERRED SEATING has a limit of 20 per concert. A reserved seat is in an acoustically “prime” spot in the house (center, about a third of the way back from the stage) and costs $40.
GENERAL ADMISSION is $28 purchased in advance and online or $32 at the door.
STUDENT TICKETS are $10 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Please show valid student ID at will-call to redeem the ticket.
To purchase tickets online, go to: http://themcp.org/tickets
For more information, including a list of other concerts this season as well as recordings and videos, go to: http://themcp.org/concerts-2
MADISON NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE
This Friday night, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. the Madison New Music Ensemble (below) will perform a FREE concert at the Capitol Lakes Auditorium, 333 W. Main St., in downtown Madison, two blocks off the Capitol Square.
Parking is available in the ramp across from Capitol Lakes.
The concert features music by Joseph Koykkar (below), a Madison-based composer who teaches at the UW-Madison; Gabriela Lena Frank; Gareth Farr; Astor Piazzolla; and Paul Harvey.
Performers in the Madison New Music Ensemble are: Danielle Breisach, Amy Harr, Xinyi Jiang, Elena Ross, Joseph Ross and Bethany Schultz.
For more information, go to the Madison New Music Ensemble on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madisonnewmusicensemble/
Or go to the YouTube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oehEnNWbA0Q
Tags: #AlbertPinsonneault, #AstorPiazzolla, #AtriumAuditorium, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CampRandall, #CampRandallStadium, #CapitalLakesRetirement Community, #CapitolSquare, #ChamberMusic, #ChoralMusic, #ChristianChurch, #CommissionedMusic, #Composer-in-Residence, #EdgewoodCollege, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FelixMendelssohn, #FirstCongregationalUnitedChurchofChrist, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #Fridaynight, #GabrielaLenaFrank, #GarethFarr, #HolidayMusic, #HolyBible, #HousesofWorship, #JosephKoykkar, #JosephRoss, #LivingComposers, #MadisonChoralProject, #MadisonNewMusicEnsemble, #NewMusic, #NewsEditor, #NoahOvshinsky, #NorthwesternUniversity, #PaulHarvey, #PlacesofWorship, #RetirementCenter, #SaturdayAfternoon, #SaturdayNight, #SpokenWord, #TheEar, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #WisconsinPublicRadio, #WorldPremiere, #YouTubevideo, acoustics, admission, adrift, afternoon, Albert Pinsonneault, annual, Arts, Atrium Auditorium, Ástor Piazzolla, Bible, blog, Camp Randall, Camp Randall Stadium, Capitol Lakes Retirement Center, Capitol Lakes Retirement Community, Capitol Square, Chamber music, choral music, Christian, Christianity, church, Classical music, commission, composer, Concert, conductor, Edgewood College, editor, Elijah, enhance, Facebook, feeling, Felix Mendelssohn, First Congregational United Church of Christ, First Unitarian Society of Madison, format, formula, free, Friday night, Gabriela Lena Frank, Gareth Farr, general, goal, guidance, Holiday, House, houses of worship, hymns, ID, improve, inspiration, inspire, Jacob Stockinger, Joseph Koykkaar, Joseph Ross, life, living composers, Madison, Madison Choral Project, Madison New Music Ensemble, Mendelssohn, Music, narrator, new, New Music, news, night, Noah Ovshinsky, Northwestern University, Octet, online, oratorio, parking, path, Paul Harvey, place, place of worship, popular, post, posting, program, public, reading, Recordings, Retirement, Scripture, Season, seating, seek, Singing, spoken word, stage, Student, text, The Ear, theme, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW-Madison, venue, vocal music, Wisconsin, wisconsin public radio, work, works, world premiere, worship, year, YouTube, YouTube video
Classical music: The fourth annual Madison New Music Festival takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It features Wisconsin composers and several world premieres
2 Comments
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
The fourth season of the Madison New Music Festival (below, in a photo from 2017 by Max Schmidt) will take place this coming Friday, Aug. 9, through Sunday, Aug. 11.
The Madison New Music Festival is an annual, weekend-long celebration for the Madison community of classical works written by contemporary composers.
In four concerts – three with admission and one free — the festival will showcase Wisconsin-based composers and performers of new music, as well as world premiere performances by guest artists.
Tickets for each concert are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Subscriptions to all three concerts are available for $35. For more information, go to http://madisonnewmusic.org or to Facebook (@Madison New Music Festival) or Instagram (@madisonnewmusic).
Here is the line-up:
Concert 1: Music from Wisconsin – Friday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (227 State St.)
What: In anticipation of this fall’s Wisconsin Triennial and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, this concert spotlights all Wisconsin-born, -based, or -educated composers, curated by pianist Robert Fleitz (below, with a toy piano he often performs on), whom The New York Times called “mesmerizing.” Joined by young local musicians, Fleitz explores music created right here in their own backyard.
Concert 2: World Premieres – Saturday, Aug. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: First Unitarian Society of Madison’s Atrium Auditorium (900 University Bay Drive)
What: Internationally acclaimed violist Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti and Wisconsin-born pianist Karl Larson (below top) will give the world premieres of new viola sonatas from three of the world’s leading composers: Andrew Norman, Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Scott Wollschleger. In addition, local cellist James Waldo will kick off the evening with a premiere of a work for solo cello by University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Les Thimmig (below bottom).
Concert 3: SistaStrings – Sunday, Aug. 11, at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Robinia Courtyard (829 East Washington Avenue)
What: The concert features the Milwaukee-based sister duo SistaStrings (below, in a photo by Adam Ryan Morris). Violinist Chauntee Ross and cellist Monique LaDora Ross blend their training as accomplished classical instrumentalists with “R&B and a touch of gospel influence that culminates in a vibey, lush sound.” The sisters will play tracks from their new and acclaimed Extended Play recording in the cozy courtyard. (You can hear them in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Partner concert: Madison New Music Ensemble (FREE concert) – Sunday, Aug. 11, at 5 p.m.
Where: Memorial Union Terrace (800 Langdon Street, below)
What: Join the newly formed Madison New Music Ensemble (below top), led by UW-Madison composer Joseph Koykkar (below bottom), at the Memorial Union Terrace as part of their Summer Serenade series. The group will perform works by Koykkar, Ian Clarke, Gabriela Lena Frank, Gareth Farr and Kirsten Volness.
Tags: #AndrewNorman, #AnnaThorvaldsdottir, #ArtisticWork, #AtriumAuditorium, #BarabooWisconsin, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ChamberMusic, #ChaunteeRoss, #ContemporaryComposers, #ContemporaryMusic, #CriticallyAcclaimed, #EPrecording, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #GabrielaLenaFrank, #GarethFarr, #GospelMusic, #GuestArtist, #IanClarke, #InstagramPost, #JacobStockinger, #James Waldo, #JamesWaldo, #JosephKoykkar, #KirstenVolness, #LesThimmig, #LivingComposers, #MadisonMuseumofContemporaryArt, #MadisonNewMusicEnsemble, #MadisonNewMusicFestival, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MemorialUnion, #MilwaukeeWisconsin, #MoniqueLaDoraRoss, #NewMusic, #R&BMusic, #RobertFleitz, #RobiniaCourtyard, #ScottWollschleger, #SistaStrings, #SummerSerenade, #TheNewYorkTImes, #ToyPiano, #UnionTerrace, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #ViolaSonata, #WisconsinTriennial, #WisconsinUnionTerrace, #WorldPremiere, #YouTubevideo, acclaimed, admission, adult, Andrew Norman, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, annual, Art, Arts, Atrium Auditorium, audience, backyard, based, blend, blog, celebration, cellist, Cello, Chamber music, Chauntee Ross, Classical, Classical music, classicalmusic, community, composer, Concert, concerts, contemporary composers, contemporary music, courtyard, critically acclaimed, curated, educated, EP, event, explore, extended play, Facebook, festival, First Unitarian Society of Madison, forward, free, Friday, Gabriela Lena Frank, Gareth Farr, Goodbye, gospel, guest artist, Ian Clarke, influence, Instagram, instrumentalist, international, Jacob Stockinger, Joseph Koykkar, Karl Larson, KarlLarson, Kirsten Volness, Les Thimmig, like, link, living composers, local, Madison, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison New Music Ensemble, Madison New Music Festival, Mead Witter School of Music, Memorial Union, mesmerizing, Milwaukee, Monique LaDora Ross, Museum, Music, new, New Music, performer, Pianist, Piano, post, posting, R&B, read, recording, Robert Fleitz, Robinia Courtyard, Saturday, Scott Wollschleger, Season, series, share, showcase, solo, Student, subscriber, Summer Serenade, Sunday, tag, talent, The New York Times, ticket, toy, toy piano, training, Union Terrace, Unitarian, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Viola, Violin, violinist, violist, Website, weekend, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Triennial, Wisconsin Union Terrace, work, world, world premiere, young, YouTube, YouTube video
Classical music: Starting Wednesday, the second LunART Festival will again spotlight women in the performing and creative arts. Here is the first of a two-part preview
Leave a Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear has received a long and detailed announcement about the upcoming second LunART Festival. Here is Part 1 with background and participants. Tomorrow will be Part 2 with more information about new music and a schedule of events.
The LunART Festival is back for its second season from this Wednesday, June 5, through Sunday, June 9, and will continue its mission of supporting, inspiring, promoting and celebrating women in the arts.
The 2019 season brings 10 events to eight venues in the Madison area, providing accessible, high-quality, engaging concerts and events with diverse programming from various arts fields.
The festival will showcase over 100 artists this season, including many familiar local artists and performers as well as guest artists hailing from Missouri to Texas, Minnesota to Florida and as far away as Peru.
LunART’s inaugural 2018 season was a success on numerous fronts. From showcasing a wide variety of artists and arts disciplines to building lasting relationships and collaborations, LunART has distinguished itself from other arts events in Madison.
Both artists and audiences have commented that the LunART atmosphere is one of camaraderie, love and acceptance. Festival directors Iva Ugrcic and Laura Medisky (below right and left, respectively) have set this season to come back even stronger, with expanded dates and more diverse programming.
Like last year, the three ticketed evening gala concerts are centered on classical chamber music. Other art forms — including contemporary and aerial dance, poetry, spoken word and visual arts — are interwoven throughout the programs to create a unique atmosphere for performers, artists and audiences.
This year’s Grammy-nominated composer-in-residence is flutist Valerie Coleman (below), a former member of Imani Winds, who was described as one of the “Top 35 Female Composers in Classical Music” by The Washington Post.
Coleman embodies LunART’s vision by challenging norms and being a strong advocate for diversity in the arts. Her rich compositional output infuses elements of jazz and African secular music into the Western classical tradition, creating a soundscape that honors both worlds. (In the YouTube video at the bottom, you can hear Valerie Coleman playing her own composition “Fanmi Imen” at the 2018 convention of the National Flute Association.)
Coleman’s music will be featured throughout the festival among the works of other remarkable women who shaped music history, from Baroque composer Barbara Strozzi to Romantic composer Clara Schumann to living composer Missy Mazzoli.
Drawing from Madison’s rich arts scene and community, LunART 2019 features local artists including: former Madison poet laureate Andrea Musher (below); actor and theater artist Deborah Hearst; choreographers and dancers Liz Sexe and Kimi Evelyn; and aerial dancer Linda DiRaimondo.
Also featured are musicians from arts organizations such as Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Fresco Opera Theatre, Arbor Ensemble, Madison New Music Ensemble and Sound Out Loud Contemporary Music Collective. Under the direction of Edgewood College professor Kathleen Otterson, Madison’s only women’s choir ARTemis Ensemble returns in greater numbers and will present a work by LunART 2018 “From Page to Stage” alum Meg Huskin among others.
Visual art will have a stronger presence in the 2019 Festival. From May 11-July 7, Overture’s Playhouse Gallery will house “Women Against Hate United by Love,” a collaborative, traveling art exhibition and multi-step “anti-hate” campaign united against bigotry, intolerance and racism, created by J. Leigh Garcia (below), Rachael Griffin and Kelly Parks Snider.
A gallery reception on Wednesday, June 5, serves as LunART’s opening event, in which Snider will give a talk about the exhibit and her use of art to educate communities about targeted issues in the hopes of shaking up the status quo. This engaging and thought-provoking exhibit is meant to provide a meaningful and hopeful community experience for all who attend.
In collaboration with Studio 84 and ArtWorking, two nonprofit art studios specializing in the creative development of people with disabilities, the final Gala concert at First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, on Saturday, June 8, will showcase 40 artworks. This exhibit will feature 20 women artists whose works will be displayed, flanking the Atrium Auditorium stage as well as in the lobby.
Tomorrow: New music to be premiered, comedy and the full schedule of events
Tags: #AfricanMusic, #AndreaMusher, #ArborEnsemble, #ARTemisEnsemble, #ArtExhibit, #ArtExhibition, #ArtForm, #ArtWorking, #ArtWorks, #AtriumAuditorium, #BarbaraStrozzi, #BaroqueMusic, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CelebratingWomen, #ChamberMusic, #ClaraSchumann, #Composer-in-Residence, #ContemporaryMusic, #CulturalDiversity, #DeborahHearst, #EdgewoodCollege, #EthnicDiversity, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FemaleComposer, #FeministArt, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #FluteMusic, #FrescoOperaTheatre, #FromPagetoStage, #GenderDiversity, #GrammyAward, #GrammyNominations, #GuestArtist, #High-Quality, #ImaniWinds, #J.LeighGarcia, #JazzMusic, #KathleenOtterson, #KellyParksSnider, #KimiEvelyn, #LindaDiRaimondo, #LivingComposer, #LizSexe, #LunARTFestival, #MadisonNewMusicEnsemble, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MegHuskin, #MeToo, #MeToomovement, #MissyMazzoli, #MusicHistory, #NationalFluteAssociation, #NewMusic, #NonprofitOrganization, #OpeningNight, #OvertureCenter, #PoetLaureate, #RachelGriffin, #RomanticMusic, #SaturdayNight, #SecularMusic, #SoundOutLoud, #SpokenWord, #StatusQuo, #Studio84, #TheEar, #ThePlayhouse, #TheWashingtonPost, #ThoughtProvoking, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #ValerieColeman, #VisualArts, #WindMusic, #WisconsinChamberOrchestra, #Women'sChoir, #WomenArtists, #YouTubevideo, accessible, accpetance, Actor, actress, advocate, aerial, African, all-women, alum, alumna, Andrea Musher, announcement, Arbor Ensemble, area, art exhibition, art form, Art Works, ARTemis Ensemble, artists, Arts, atmosphere, Atrium Auditorium, audience, background, Barbara Strozzi, Baroque, bigotry, blog, camaraderie, campaign, celebrating, Cello, challenging, Chamber music, choral music, choreographer, Clara Schumann, Classical music, classicalmusic, collaborative, comedy, community, composer, Composition, Concert, contemporary, contemporary music, convention, create, dance, dancer, dates, Deborah Hearst, detail, disabilities, disciplines, diverse, diversity, Early music, Edgewood College, educate, engaging, ethnic, evening, event, exhibit, expand, experience, Facebook, female, female composer, feminism, feminist, fina, final gala, First Unitarian Society of Madison, Florida, flute, flutist, forward, Fresco Opera Theatre, From Page to Stage, fronts, gala, gallery, gender, Grammy, Grammy Award, guest artist, hate, History, honor, hope, hopeful, Imani Winds, information, inspiring, intolerance, J. Lee Garcia, Jacob Stockinger, Jazz, Kathleen Otterson, Kelly Parks Snider, Kimi Evelyn, like, Linda DiRaimondo, link, Living composer, Liz Sexe, lobby, local, Love, LunART Festival, Madison, Madison New Music Ensemble, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Me Too, Mead Witter School of Music, Meg Huskin, Minnesota, mission, Missouri, Missy Mazzoli, Music, music history, National Flute Association, New Music, nominations, nonprofit, norms, numbers, opening, Overture Center, page, part, participants, People, performer, Peru, Piano, Playhouse, Poet laureate, Poetry, professor, programming, race, Rachel Griffin, racism, reception, rich, Romantic, Romanticism, Saturday, scene, schedule, second, secular, shake up, share, showcase, Sound Out Loud, soundscape, spoken word, stage, status quo, strong, studio, Studio 84, success, supporting, tag, talk, target, Texas, The Ear, The Washington Post, thought provoking, ticket, tomorrow, tradition, traveling, united, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, VALERIE COLEMAN, venue, Viola, Violin, vision, visual arts, vocal music, Wednesday, Western, winds, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, women, women artists, women;s choir, world, YouTube
Classical music: The Madison New Music Ensemble makes its debut this Friday night. A FREE harpsichord recital is Friday at noon
Leave a Comment
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
ALERT: This Friday’s FREE Noon Musicale at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, features harpsichordist Faythe Vollrath (below). She has been hailed by the Wall Street Journal for her “subtly varied tempo and rhythm that sounds like breathing.” Her programs do not focus solely on early music, but also incorporate new music written for historic instruments. The concert runs from 12:15 to 1 p.m. (In the YouTube video at the bottom, you can hear and see her playing the 1993 “Toccata” by Emma Lou Diemer.)
By Jacob Stockinger
On this coming Friday night, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, the Madison New Music Ensemble will give its debut concert.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Only cash and personal checks will be accepted at the door.
The program features music by the group’s artistic director and Madison-based composer Joseph Koykkar — the director of music in the Dance Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison — Robert Muczynski, Ed Martin, Lennon/McCartney and others.
Special guests are The Vine Street Trio, a faculty trio from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, playing works by contemporary composers and saxophonist Peterson Ross.
Members of the Madison New Music Ensemble (below, from left) are: Danielle Breisach; Joseph Koykkar; Monica Jiang; Joseph Ross; Amy Harr; Elena Ross; and Bethany Schultz
For more information about the performers and the group, go to the Madison New Music Ensemble page on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/madisonnewmusicensemble/
Tags: #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #ClarinetMusic, #ContemporaryComposer, #EdMartin, #EmmaLouDiemer, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyMember, #FaytheVollrath, #FirstUnitarianSocietyofMadison, #HarpsichordMusic, #JohnLennon, #JosephKoykkar, #MadisonNewMusicEnsemble, #NewMusic, #NoonMusicale, #PaulMcCartney, #PercussionMusic, #PeriodInstrument, #PetersonRoss, #PianoMusic, #RobertMuczynski, #SeniorCitizen, #TheBeatles, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UniversityofWisconsin-Oshkosh, #VineStreetTrio, #VocalMusic, #WallStreetJournal, #YouTubevideo, adult, alert, antiquity, Arts, audience, Baroque, blog, breathing, cash, Cello, Chamber music, clarinet, Classical music, composer, Concert, contemporary composer, dance, debjt, debut, department, Early music, earlymusic, Ed Martin, Emma Lou Diemer, Facebook, faculty, Faith Vollrath, First Unitarian Society of Madison, flute, free, Friday, harpsichord, historic instrument, Jacob Stockinger, John Lennon, Joseph Koykkar, like, link, Madison New Music Ensemble, Music, New Music, night, Noon Musicale, Oboe, Paul McCartney, percussion, performer, period-instrument, personal check, Peterson Ross, Pianist, Piano, post, professor, program, recital, rhythm, Robert Muczynski, Saxophone, saxophonist, senior, senior citizen, share, Sound, Student, subtle, tag, temp, The Beatles, toccata, United States, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, UW-Oshkosh, varied, Vine Street Trio, Viola, Violin, vocal music, Wall Street Journal, Wisconsin, YouTube
Recent Comments
 | Ronnie on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | welltemperedear on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | Polly Kuelbs on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
| welltemperedear on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
 | Ann Boyer on How do post-pandemic concert a… |
The Well-Tempered Ear 