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
As the semester comes to a close and the holidays approach, vocal and choral music is always the order of the day – or week – at both the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music and Edgewood College.
UW-MADISON WINTER CONCERTS
On this coming Sunday afternoon, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the remaining six choirs from the UW-Madison choral program will present their annual winter concerts at Luther Memorial Church (below), 1021 University Avenue, in Madison.
The one-hour concert features individual pieces from Chorale and the Madrigal Singers (Bruce Gladstone conductor); the University Chorus (Andrew Voth, conductor); Women’s Chorus (below, Michael Johnson, conductor); Masters Singers (Andrew Voth and Michael Johnson co-conductors); and the Concert Choir (Beverly Taylor conductor).
There are two pieces in which all choirs sing.
Plus, the audience is invited to join in some seasonal carols.
The concerts are FREE and no tickets are required.
A free-will offering is accepted at the end of the program with proceeds after expenses donated to “The Road Home,” an organization that provides housing and food to homeless families.
Says Beverly Taylor, the director of choral activities at the UW-Madison who will retire this spring: “The program is designed as a concert and not a service. Seats go fast!”
For more information, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/choral-concerts-at-luther-memorial-church/2019-12-08/
EDGEWOOD COLLEGE CHRISTMAS CONCERT
This Saturday night, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., Edgewood College will present its 92nd annual Christmas Concert.
The concert will take place in the college’s new McKinley Performing Arts Center (below and at bottom), 2219 Monroe Street., in Madison.
This yearly tradition features the Edgewood College choirs and Concert Band, along with audience sing-alongs, the Guitar Ensemble, and a post-concert reception featuring the Jazz Ensemble.
Tickets are $10, and seating is limited for this very popular annual event. Please purchase tickets online in advance.
All proceeds from this performance benefit students at Edgewood College through the Edward Walters Music Scholarship Fund.
Tickets are available online until noon on Thursday, Dec. 5, or until the performance sells out.
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.
ALERT: This Friday night, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. in Mills Hall, the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra, under conductor Kyle Knox, will present a concert with two guest artists performing the Wisconsin premiere of the Double Concerto for Clarinet and Bassoon composed for them by American composer Jonathan Leshnoff, who is known for his lyricism. (Sorry, there is no word about other works on the program.) Tickets are $10, $5 for 18 years and under, and are available at the door starting at 6:15 p.m.)
The two soloists are principals with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The bassoonist is Nancy Goeres, a Lodi native who is a returning WYSO alumna. If you want to read an interview with her and get more background, you can’t do better for a preview than the piece by Greg Hettmansberger for Madison Magazine and Channel 3000. Here is a link: https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/arts-and-culture/wisconsin-youth-symphony-welcomes-two-special-guests/1143372727
By Jacob Stockinger
At 8 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 22, in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, the UW-Madison Concert Choir (below) will perform its first solo concert in the new Hamel Music Center.
Conductor Beverly Taylor (below), the director of choral activities at the UW-Madison who will retire at the end of this academic year, sent the following announcement:
“The a cappella program is entitled “Fall Favorites: Houses and Homecomings.”
“This year I’m particularly picking some of the pieces I like the best from my years here, although I’ll still add a few new things.
“The “Houses” part is primarily “Behold I Build an House” by American composer Lukas Foss (below), which was written for the dedication of Marsh Chapel at Boston University, and which I thought was a good piece for the opening of the Hamel Music Center.
“We’re also performing the wonderful -and difficult —“Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing,” which British composer Herbert Howells (below top) wrote in memory of John F. Kennedy (below bottom). You’ll notice our concert is also on Nov. 22, the same day in 1963 when JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. (You can hear the Howells work in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
“Besides these two big works are wonderful motets by Orlando di Lasso, Maurice Duruflé, Heinrich Schütz and Melchior Vulpius, plus some African, American and African-American folk songs.”
PLEASE HELP THE EAR. 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.
ALERT: Word arrived late last night that the respected longtime music critic John W. Barker, a retired UW-Madison professor of medieval history, died Thursday morning. He wrote locally for Isthmus, The Capital Times and this blog. Details will be shared when they are known.
By Jacob Stockinger
This weekend, Oct. 25-27, marks the official gala opening of the new Hamel Music Center (below, in a photo by Bryce Richter for University Communications) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music. It is located at 740 University Ave., next to the new wing of the Chazen Museum of Art, which has a special exhibit relating to the new music center.
The impressive $58-million structure, which has taken many years to fund (completely privately) and then to build, will celebrate its opening tonight, Saturday night (while the 14th annual Halloween FreakFest on State Street is happening) and Sunday afternoon.
The performers will include distinguished alumni, faculty members and students.
Here is a link to an overall schedule as published on the School of Music’s home website: https://www.music.wisc.edu/hamel-music-center-opening-schedule/
Thanks to an astute reader who found what The Ear couldn’t find, here is a complete schedule — long, varied and impressive — of works and performers: https://www.music.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191025-Hamel-Music-Center-Opening-Weekend.pdf
And here is a link to the official UW-Madison press release with more background and details about the building: https://news.wisc.edu/mead-witter-school-of-musics-hamel-music-center-opening-this-fall/
UW-Madison composer Laura Schwendinger (below) has been commissioned to write a Fanfare that will receive its world premiere tonight.
The opening promises to be a success, complete with receptions at the end of each performance.
In fact, the public has signed on enough that the FREE tickets to all events are SOLD OUT, according to the School of Music’s home website.
Taste is personal and varies, and The Ear has heard mixed reviews of the new building. (For the special occasion, you can hear “The Consecration of the House” Overture by Beethoven, performed by the La Scala opera house orchestra in Milan under Riccardo Muti, in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
Basically, people seem to agree that the acoustics are much improved over Mills Hall and Morphy Recital Hall in the old Humanities Building.
But public opinion seems more divided over other aspects, from the overall external architecture and interior design to the smaller size of the big hall, the seats and seating layout, and the restrooms.
So if you go – or have already gone – let the rest of us know what you think about those various aspects of the new building and about the various performers and programs.
As a warm-up preview, here are photos of the main halls or spaces, all taken by Bryce Richter for University Communications:
Here is the 660-seat Mead Witter Concert Hall:
Here is the 300-seat Collins Recital Hall:
And here is the Lee/Kaufman Rehearsal Hall:
But what do you say? You be the critic.
The Ear and others hope to see COMMENTS from listeners and especially performers. What is it like to perform there? Or to sit and listen?
What does the public think of the new building and concert halls? Are you satisfied? What do you like and what don’t you like?
Should some things have been done – or not done – in your opinion?
Does the building and do the concert halls live up to the expectations and hype?
The Ear wants to hear.
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
Get out your datebooks and calendars.
Here is a complete listing for major concerts and events at the University of Wisconsin Mead Witter School of Music during the new 2019-20 season.
The calendar starts with the FREE season-opening 40th annual Karp Family Labor Day Concert this coming Tuesday night, Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Mills Hall. The program features chamber music by Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann and Dvorak. For more information about the program and performers, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/40th-karp-family-concert/
Using the search engine on this blog, you could also consult whenever individual or group you want. You could print it out and have it in hand instead of the usual brochure, which will not be printed this year. See a previous blog post: https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2019/08/19/classical-music-the-uw-madison-school-of-music-will-not-have-a-complete-brochure-for-the-new-season-go-to-the-website-and-sign-up-for-an-email-newsletter-the-30th-karp-family-labor-day-concert-is-s/
Most concerts this season will take place in the new Hamel Music Center (below), which has a three-day opening celebration Oct. 25-27.
Please note that just a few programs are listed. For other programs, and for information about any admission charge, you can go to the School of Music’s home website closer to the event and click on Concerts and Events: https://www.music.wisc.edu/events/
Tuesday, Sep 3, 2019 |
Karp Family Concert |
7:30 PM |
Mills Hall |
Sunday, September 29, 2019, |
Jessica Martin & John O’Brien – Nordic song recital |
4:00 PM |
Morphy Hall |
Monday, Sept. 30, 2019 |
Beth Wiese, Tuba, Guest Artist Recital |
7:30 PM |
Morphy Hall |
Friday, October 4, 2019 |
Pro Arte Quartet |
8:00 PM |
Mills Hall |
Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019 |
Chanticleer |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019 |
Wind Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Friday, October 11, 2019 |
UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sunday, October 13, 2019 |
University Bands |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 |
Contemporary Jazz & Blue Note Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Wednesday, October 16, 2019 |
Wisconsin Brass Quintet – Faculty Concert Series |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Thursday, October 17 |
Jazz Faculty Quintet with special guest Michael Dudley, trumpet |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Monday, October 21, 2019 |
Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble and UW Jazz Orchestra |
7:30 PM |
Play Circle |
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 |
Concert Band |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Wed, October 23, 2019 |
Jazz Composers Group & Jazz Standards |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Thu, October 24, 2019 |
Parry Karp with Eli Kalman, piano |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Friday, October 25, 2019 |
Opening Celebration Weekend: Hamel Music Center. Please check our website for details. |
All Day |
740 University Avenue |
Saturday, October 26, 2019 |
Opening Celebration Weekend: Hamel Music Center. Please check our website for details. |
All Day |
740 University Avenue |
Sunday, October 27, 2019 |
Opening Celebration Weekend: Hamel Music Center. Featured Event: Collins Fellows Concert |
1:00 PM |
Collins Recital Hall, Hamel Music Center |
Wed, October 30, 2019 |
Master Class with Violist Nobuko Imai |
6:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Thu, October 31, 2019 |
Violist Nobuko Imai with Pro Arte Quartet |
12:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, November 1, 2019
|
Madrigal Singers |
8:00 PM
|
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, November 2, 2019 |
Alicia Lee, faculty clarinet |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sun, November 3, 2019 |
Wind Ensemble |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, November 8, 2019 |
Wingra Wind Quintet |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sat, November 9, 2019 |
UW Chorale |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Thu, November 14, 2019 |
UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, November 15, 2019 |
University Opera: Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Sun, November 17, 2019 |
University Opera: Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
2:00 PM |
Music Hall |
Tue, November 19, 2019 |
University Opera: Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Sat, November 16, 2019 |
Low Brass Ensemble |
4:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sat, November 16, 2019 |
Combined Choirs |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, November 16, 2019 |
Timothy Hagen, faculty flute |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, November 22, 2019 |
UW Concert Choir |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, November 22, 2019 |
Pro Arte Quartet |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, November 22, 2019 |
UW Jazz Orchestra |
5:00-7:00 PM |
Rathskeller |
Saturday, Nov 23, 2019 |
Undergrad Audition Day |
All day |
|
Sat, November 23, 2019 |
World Percussion Ensemble |
12:00 PM |
Music Hall |
Sat, November 23, 2019 |
Brass Ensembles |
1:00 PM |
?? |
Sun, November 24, 2019 |
UW Concert Band with Winds of Wisconsin |
5:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Mon, November 25, 2019 |
Chamber Percussion Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mills Hall |
Tue, November 26, 2019 |
Opera Scenes |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Mon, December 2, 2019 |
Piano Studio Recital |
6:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Tue, December 3, 2019 |
Jazz Composers & Contemporary Jazz Ensembles |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Wed, December 4, 2019
|
Jazz Standards Ensemble & Afro-Cuban Jazz |
7:30 PM
|
Collins Hall |
Thu, December 5, 2019 |
UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra & UW Wind Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, December 6, 2019 |
Saxophonist Greg Ward with the Blue Note Ensemble and UW jazz faculty |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sat, December 7, 2019 |
UW & Madison Metropolitan Jazz Festival |
Final Concert, 3:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, December 7, 2019 |
Choral Union: Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “A Sea Symphony” |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, December 8, 2019 |
University Bands |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, December 8, 2019 |
Choral Concerts at Luther Memorial Church |
2:00 PM |
Luther Memorial Church |
Sun, December 8, 2019 |
Choral Concerts at Luther Memorial Church |
4:00 PM |
Luther Memorial Church |
Sun, December 8, 2019 |
All-University Strings |
4:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
BEGIN 2020 |
|||
Sun, January 26, 2020 |
Annual Schubertiade |
3:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, February 1, 2020 |
Christopher Taylor and Friends — Beethoven Symphony Extravaganza |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Wed, February 5, 2020 |
Daniel Grabois, horn |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Thu, February 6, 2020 |
UW Symphony Orchestra |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, February 8, 2020 |
The Knights |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, February 16, 2020 |
UW Wind Ensemble |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Monday, February 17, 2020 |
Chamber Percussion Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mills Hall |
Tue, February 18, 2020 |
Concert Band |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Thu, February 20, 2020 |
Parry Karp, faculty recital |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, February 21, 2020 |
Marc Vallon & Friends |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sunday, Feb 23, 2020 |
Les Thimmig, faculty recital |
2:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sat, April 18, 2020 |
Low Brass Ensemble |
4:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, February 28, 2020
|
Pro Arte Quartet |
8:00 PM
|
Collins Hall |
Sat, February 29, 2020 |
Wingra Wind Quintet |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, February 28, 2020, |
University Opera – Mozart’s Così fan tutte |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Sun, March 1, 2020 |
University Opera – Mozart’s Così fan tutte |
2:00 PM |
Music Hall |
Tue, March 3, 2020 |
University Opera – Mozart’s Così fan tutte |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Sun, March 1, 2020 |
Winds of Wisconsin |
5:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Wed, March 4, 2020 |
Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble & Jazz Composers Group |
7:30 |
Collins Hall |
Thu, March 5, 2020 |
Blue Note Ensemble & Jazz Standards Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sat, March 7, 2020 |
UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra with guest pianist Wu Han |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, March 8, 2020 |
University Bands |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Tue, March 10, 2020 |
Percussion Department Recital |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Weds March 11, 2020 |
UW Jazz Orchestra |
7:30 PM |
Play Circle |
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 |
Wisconsin Brass Quintet – Faculty Concert Series |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Thu, March 12, 2020 |
UW Wind Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, March 27, 2020 |
Le Domaine Musicale with Marc Vallon and Friends |
8:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sun, March 29, 2020 |
Concert Band |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, April 5, 2020 |
Beethoven Competition Winners’ Recital |
3:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Sun, April 5, 2020 |
“Symphony Showcase” Concerto Winners’ Solo Concert |
7:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, April 11, 2020 |
Chorale |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Fri, April 12, 2019 |
Perlman Trio Chamber Concert |
3:00 PM |
Collins Hall |
Tue, April 14, 2020 |
Opera Scenes |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Wed, April 15, 2020 |
Contested Homes: Migrant Liberation Movement Suite |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Thu, April 16, 2020 |
Pro Arte Quartet |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Fri, April 17, 2020 |
Combined Choirs |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, April 18, 2020 |
Low Brass Ensemble |
4:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, April 18, 2020
|
UW-Madison Choral Reunion concert featuring Concert Choir, Madrigals and alumni |
8:00 PM
|
Mead Witter Hall |
Mon, April 20, 2020 |
Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble & Blue Note Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Tue, April 21, 2020 |
Jazz Standards Ensemble & Jazz Composers Group |
7:30 PM |
Collins Hall |
Wed, April 22, 2020 |
Chamber Percussion Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mills Hall |
Thu, April 23, 2020 |
UW Jazz Orchestra with the UW Honors Jazz Band |
7:30 PM |
Music Hall |
Fri, April 24, 2020 |
Concert Band and Wind Ensemble |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, April 25, 2020 |
All-University Strings |
2:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sat, April 25, 2020 |
Choral Union: Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem” |
8:00 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, April 26, 2020 |
Choral Union: Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem” |
7:30 PM |
Mead Witter Hall |
Sun, April 26, 2020
|
University Bands | 2 PM | Mead Witter Hall |
ALERTS: University of Wisconsin-Madison piano student Hailey O’Neil, who won an Honorable Mention, will fill in for the injured winner Oxana Khramova at the Beethoven Sonata Competition winners’ FREE recital today at 3:30 p.m. in Morphy Hall. O’Neil will play the lovely “Pastoral Sonata, Op. 28, by Beethoven.
For more information, visit:
Of course the Beethoven Sonata concert unfortunately conflicts with the last performance (at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall at the Overture Center) by the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (below, in a photo by Greg Anderson) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem and Joseph Jongen’s “Symphonie Concertante” with organ soloist Nathan Laube, all under the baton of guest conductor Julian Wachner. Here is a positive review by critic John W. Barker for Isthmus:
http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=42448&sid=16e141d4e100c8abeb61a0720e30e06d
By Jacob Stockinger
Tomorrow, Monday, April 7, opens a busy week at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music.
It starts with opera and chamber music for oboe, then expands to include contemporary music by guest artists from the University of Iowa’s acclaimed Center for New Music; piano and string music” the Adagio from Joseph Haydn’s Piano Trio No. 22; Franz Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in Flat Major; and Antonin Dvorak’s Piano Quintet by the UW’s Perlman Piano Trio and guest performers (all below in a photo by Katherine Esposito) ; three performances by the University Opera of Hector Berlioz’ opera “Beatrice et Benedict”; and one performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. John Passion”’ done by the UW Concert Choir and UW Chamber Orchestra under conductor Beverly Taylor.
For full details, go to www.musc.wisc.edu and click on Events Calendar.
Here is how the week starts out:
METROPOLITAN OPERA STAR SUSANNE MENTZER
On Monday from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. in 1321 Humanities Building, opera star mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer (below) will be offering a master class to UW-Madison voice and opera students
This event is free and open to the public. Mentzer will be working one-on-one with students, performing a signature aria for the class, conducting a “Q&A session, and staying to meet and greet all attendees.
Mentzer is in Madison to perform as Mrs. Patrick DeRocher in Madison Opera‘s production of “Dead Man Walking,” conducted by Madison Symphony Orchestra and Madison Opera maestro John DeMain, April 25 and April 27 in Overture Hall. For more information, visit:
http://www.madisonopera.org/performances-2013-2014/dead_man_walking/
Internationally known mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer enjoys a significant opera, concert and recital career of over 30 years. She has appeared on four continents at nearly every great opera house and with every great orchestra. She has been a guest artist at the Metropolitan Opera (below) in leading roles since 1989.
Her extensive discography includes over 25 CDs of opera and oratorio. She has recorded two recitals she often performs in concert: “The Eternal Feminine,” a recital of music by women composers (Koch International Classics), which includes the premiere of Libby Larsen’s “Love After 1950” with her long-time pianist, Craig Rutenberg; and her personal favorite, “Wayfaring Stranger” (Erato), a collection of international folksongs arranged for voice and guitar with Grammy Award winning Sharon Isbin.
She also received a Grammy nomination for her work as Colombina in Busoni’s Arlecchino. She is on the recent releases of Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking” and “Plump Jack” by Gordon Getty. Mentzer appears on DVDs of “The Tales of Hoffman” (Opéra de Paris), Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” (La Scala), and Grammy-nominated “The First Emperor” by Tan Dun (Metropolitan Opera), and Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” (Metropolitan Opera).
She has appeared numerous times on PBS as part of the “Live from Lincoln Center” and “Live from the Met” programs and Live From the Met satellite cinema broadcast. Mentzer is a mentor to young singers. She recently relocated to the San Francisco area where she teaches privately after 12 years in academia as a Professor at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and DePaul University in Chicago. She has also served as faculty at the Aspen Music Festival and School and has been a guest teacher at the San Francisco Opera Merola program, the Castleton Festival and frequently gives master classes in conjunction with her engagements.
To read more about Susanne Mentzer, go to her website, www.susannementzer.com.
OBOIST KOSTAS TILIAKOS
On Monday night, at 7:30 in Morphy Recital Hall, pianist Christopher Taylor and flutist Stephanie Jutt will accompany Kostas Tiliakos on oboe and English horn in his only solo recital on the Faculty Concert Series this year.
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
His program will consist of works by composers Minas Alexiadis, Anastassis Philippakopoulos, Theodore Antoniou, Jurgis Juozapaitis, and Thea Musgrave.
A native of Athens, Greece, Kostas Tiliakos (below in a photo by Katherine Esposito) has been principal oboist in the Greek National Opera Orchestra in Athens since 1997. Previous to that, he held the position of Solo English Horn for eight years.
An avid lover of contemporary music, Tiliakos has been a member of the Hellenic Ensemble for Contemporary Music since 1990 and has premiered and recorded works by contemporary composers, many of which he was a dedicatee.
He has also recorded solo and chamber music works on Wandelweiser (Germany), Lyra and Irida Classics (Greece) and has been broadcast on radio and television throughout Europe.
Internationally, he has appeared as soloist throughout Europe, Africa, Canada and the U.S. During his time in Greece, Kostas was a sought-after music journalist and editing consultant with Lambrakis Press SA and 4pi Special Editions, the two largest publishing organizations in Greece. Kostas studied Biology at Athens University and holds a BA in European Cultural Studies.
He received his Masters of Music from UW-Madison under Marc Fink where he was a Paul Collins Wisconsin Distinguished Fellow. His principal teachers have included Marc Fink, Claude Chieulet, Didier Pateau. He has also studied with Paul Dombrecht and Hansjörg Schellenberger.
Most recently, Kostas was selected for the position of Visiting Associate Professor of Oboe at UW-Madison. The Ear understands that he has been renewed to do the same next academic year.
By Jacob Stockinger
The Ear’s friends at the Madison Symphony Orchestra have sent in the following announcement:
“Can you name all the different distinctly American choral traditions?
“Director Beverly Taylor (below, in a photo by Katrin Talbot) and the Madison Symphony Chorus will answer that question this Sunday afternoon, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m., when they’ll appear in “Apple Pie America: A Slice of Choral Americana” in Promenade Hall at the Overture Center for the Arts. (Taylor is also the head of the choral department at the university of Wisconsin-Madison, where she directs the UW Choral Union and UW Concert Choir, and is the assistant conductor of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. And sorry, I have so specific titles of works on the program but I have been told that the concert is closing in on being sold-out, with only a few tickets remaining.)
The concert will start with classical music selections from Charles Pachelbel, Lukas Foss, Randall Thompson and others, while the second half will be dedicated to folk songs, hymns, and spirituals.
Many of the works will be accompanied by Madison Symphony Orchestra principal pianist Daniel Lyons (below).
Tickets are $15, and are available at http://madisonsymphony.org/Americana or at the Overture Center Box Office at (608) 258-4141 or 201 State Street.
Formed in 1927, the Madison Symphony Chorus (below, in a photo by Greg Anderson) gave its first public performance in 1928 and has performed regularly with the Madison Symphony Orchestra ever since.
It was featured at the popular Madison Symphony Christmas concerts in December, and it will be joined by four soloists for the MSO’s performance of Mozart’s Requiem on April 4, 5 and 6.
The Chorus is comprised of more than 125 volunteer musicians from all walks of life who enjoy combining their artistic talent, and new members are always welcome. Visit http://madisonsymphony.org/chorus for more information.
CATCHING UP WITH THE GRAMMY WINNERS
Last Sunday was the Grammy Awards.
Here is a complete list of the nominees and the winners. It makes for a good listening list or buying list.
WINNER Roomful Of Teeth
77. BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO
78. BEST CLASSICAL VOCAL SOLO
80. BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION
Archives
Blog Stats
Recent Comments
Tags
#BlogPost #BlogPosting #ChamberMusic #FacebookPost #FacebookPosting #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic #TheEar #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison #YouTubevideo Arts audience Bach Baroque Beethoven blog Cello Chamber music choral music Classical music Compact Disc composer Concert concerto conductor Early music Facebook forward Franz Schubert George Frideric Handel Jacob Stockinger Johannes Brahms Johann Sebastian Bach John DeMain like link Ludwig van Beethoven Madison Madison Opera Madison Symphony Orchestra Mozart Music New Music New York City New York Times NPR opera Orchestra Overture Center performer Pianist Piano post posting program share singer Sonata song soprano String quartet Student symphony tag The Ear United States University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music University of Wisconsin–Madison Viola Violin vocal music Wisconsin Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra wisconsin public radio Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart YouTube
Classical music: Meet Mariana Farah, the new choral director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Leave a 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
Following a national search, Mariana Farah (below) has been chosen to succeed Beverly Taylor as the new director of choral activities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music.
Due to prior commitments, Farah cannot start her duties until the fall of 2021. But the delay is understandable given that the coronavirus pandemic continues and group singing remains a particularly hazardous or high-risk activity during the public health crisis. (See her comments about choral singing during Covid-19 in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
(In case you are wondering, Taylor, who retired from the UW-Madison last spring, will continue as director of the Madison Symphony Chorus. One wonders if she will still have a chance to do performances of the requiems by Verdi and Dvorak, both of which were canceled due to Covid-19.)
At a time when more focus is being placed on diversity, the Brazilian-born Farah (below) seems an especially apt choice.
Here is the official UW press release about Farah’s appointment along with much biographical material:
“Mariana Farah is the Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where she teaches courses in graduate choral literature and conducting, directs the university’s Concert Choir and Women’s Chorale (below bottom), and helps oversee all aspects of the choral program.
Born in Brazil, Farah received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas; her Master’s degree from the University of Iowa; and her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Her choirs have successfully performed at the Missouri and Kansas Music Educators Association conventions and at the 2008 and 2018 Southwestern ACDA conferences.
Farah’s research focuses on Brazilian choral music, particularly the a cappella choral works of Ernani Aguiar (b. 1950, below). Her edition of Aguiar’s “Três Motetinos No. 2” has been published by Earthsongs, and she expects to introduce more of his music to the United States through performances, recordings, editions and future publications of his unknown choral literature.
In addition to her work at KU, Farah (below) maintains an active schedule as a clinician for festivals in Brazil and in the U.S., where she is often sought out for her expertise in Brazilian choral music.
Farah has presented at several conferences for the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors Association.
Recent engagements include appearances as a conductor at the 2019 Northwest Kansas Music Educators Association High School Honor Choir; the 2018 Southwestern ACDA conference, 2016 and 2014 Kansas Music Educators Association Convention; Universidade de São Paulo-Ribeirão Preto; Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Universidade Estadual de Maringá; Festival de Música de Londrina; Adams State Honor Choir Festival; the 2015 Kantorei Summer Choral Institute, a residency with the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum; and the 2014 Idaho All-State Treble Choir.
Farah is the music director at First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence, Kansas, where she directs the Chancel Choir and oversees a thriving music program. She also serves as the interim 2019-20 conductor for the Wichita Chamber Chorale (below) and as a board member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization.
She has served as the president elect (2018-2020) and R&R Chair for Ethnic and Multicultural Perspectives (2014-2018) for the ACDA Southwestern Division.
As a singer, Farah performed with the Kansas City Te Deum Chamber Choir (2015-2018) and participated in their 2016 recording of Brahms’ “A German Requiem” (Centaur Records). The recording was recognized by The American Prize, naming Te Deum a semi-finalist for best Choral Performance (community division) for the 2019-20 contest.
Do you have an observation or words of welcome to say?
Please use the Comment section.
The Ear wants to hear.
Share this:
Like this:
Tags: #ACappella, #ACappellaMusic, #AGermanRequiem, #All-State, #AmericanChoralDirectorsAssociation, #AmericanPrize, #AntoninDvorak, #AssociateDirector, #BachelorofMusic, #BeverlyTaylor, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BoardMember, #BrazilianComposer, #BrazilianMusic, #CentaurRecords, #ChamberChoir, #ChancelChoir, #ChoralDirector, #ChoralUnion, #ChoralWorks, #ChristianChurch, #CoronavirusPandemic, #COVID-19, #CulturalDiversity, #DoctorofMusicalArts, #ErnaniAguiar, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FirstPresbyterianChurch, #GiuseppeVerdi, #GraduateSchool, #Harvard-RadcliffeCollegiumMusicum, #HarvardUniversity, #JacobStockinger, #JohannesBrahms, #KansasCity, #KansasCityTeDeumChamberChoir, #LivingComposer, #MadisonSymphonyChorus, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MarianaFarah, #Master'sDegree, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MusicDirector, #MusicEducation, #MusicEducators, #Musicfaculty, #NationalAssociationforMusicEducation, #NationalCollegiateChoralOrganization, #NewMusic, #PortugueseLanguage, #PressRelease, #RadcliffeCollege, #SaoPaulo, #TeDeum, #TheEar, #TheU.S., #UnitedStates, #UniversityofIowa, #UniversityofKansas-Lawrence, #UniversityofMissouri, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWConcertChoir, #VerdiRequiem, #VocalMusic, #WichitaChhmaberChorale, #WichitaKansas, #Women'sChorale, #WomenPerformers, #YouTubevideo, 2021, a cappella, A German Requiem, active, American Choral Directors Association, American Prize, Antonín Dvořák, APT, aspects, associate director, Bachelor of Music, best, Beverly Taylor, biography, blog, board member, born, Brahms, Brazil, Brazilian, Brazilian composer, Brazilian music, Centaur Records, chair, Chamber choir, chance, Chancel Choir, choice, Choir, choral, choral director, choral music, Choral Union, choral works, Chorale, chorus, church, Classical music, clinican, comment, community, composer, Concert, Concert Choir, Conducting, contest, convention, coronavirus, courses, cultural diversity, delay, direct, director, director]activities, directs, diversity, division, Doctor of Musical Arts, duties, Dvorak, Earthsongs, edition, educator, Ernani Aguiar, expertise, Facebook, fall, female, festival, First Presbyterian Church, Focus, forward, future, Giuseppe Verdi, Graduate School, group, Harvard University, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, hazardous, high-risk, Idaho, Institute, introduce, Jacob Stockinger, Johannes Brahms, Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas City Te Deum Chamber Choir, Lawrence, like, link, Living composer, Madison Symphony Chorus, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Mariana Farah, masters degree, Mead Witter School of Music, motet, MSO, multicultural, Music, Music director, Music education, music educators, music faculty, national, National Association for Music Education, National Collegiate Choral Organization, new, New Music, next season, next year, nominated, northwest, observation, official, oversee, pandemic, performances, performers, perspective, Portuguese, post, posting, President-elect, press release, program, publication, publish, Publishing, Radcliffe College, recognize, recording, Requiem, research, retired, Sao Paulo, schedule, search, Season, semi-finalist, share, singer, Singing, southwestern, Spring, start, summer, tag, Te Deum, teach, The Ear, U.S., United States, university, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Kansas-Lawrence, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, unknown, UW, UW Concert Choir, UW-Madison, Verdi, Verdi Requiem, vocal music, welcome, Wichita, Wichita Chamber Chorale, women, women's, Women's Chorale, words, YouTube