#WingraWindQuintet | The Well-Tempered Ear

A busy weekend of online concerts features the UW Symphony, Edgewood College, Madison Opera, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Bach Around the Clock and more

March 25, 2021
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By Jacob Stockinger

With only a little over a month left before the academic year ends at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it’s not surprising that the last weekend in March is very busy with noteworthy – and competing – online concerts.

Each morning at 8 through Friday, Bach Around the Clock will release the last concerts of its 10-day online festival. You can find the programs – including the finale Friday night at 7 with Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 — and link for streaming here: https://bachclock.com/concert-schedule

The weekend starts tonight with one of The Ear’s favorite groups during the Pandemic Year: the UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra

Here is a day-by-day lineup. All times are Central Daylight Time:

TONIGHT, MARCH 25

The UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra (below) performs a FREE virtual online concert TONIGHT starting at 7:30 p.m.

The concert will be preceded by a 7 p.m. talk about Igor Stravinsky with modern musicologist and Penn State Professor Maureen Carr as well as conductor Oriol Sans and Susan Cook, UW musicologist and director of the Mead Witter School of Music.

The program is: Suite from the opera “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell, with student conductor Alison Norris; Duet for Two Violins and String Orchestra by the contemporary American composer Steve Reich; and the Neo-Classical “Apollon musagète” (Apollo, Leader of the Muses) by Stravinsky. (In the YouTube video at the bottom, you can hear an excerpt of the Stravinsky played by the Berlin Philharmonic with Simon Rattle conducting.)

Here is the link to the talk and concert. Click on more and you can also see the members of the orchestra and the two violin soloists: https://youtu.be/2rgHQ4lWTV8

For more information about the program, including notes, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/uw-madison-symphony-orchestra/

FRIDAY, MARCH 26

At 7:30 p.m. the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra will post for three days the third of its four online chamber music concerts (below). There will be excerpts of music by Beethoven and Brahms as well as complete works by Jessie Montgomery and Alyssa Morris.

Tickets to the online on-demand event are $30, with some discounts available, and are good through Monday evening.

Here is a link to more about this concert, including program notes by conductor and music director Andrew Sewell, and how to purchase tickets: https://wcoconcerts.org/events/winter-chamber-series-no-iii

At 8 p.m., the music department at Edgewood College will give a FREE online Spring Celebration concert. It will be livestreamed via music.edgewood.edu

The performers include: the Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Sergei Pavlov (below); the Guitar Ensemble, under the direction of Nathan Wysock; and the Chamber Winds, directed by Carrie Backman.

Highlights include the Guitar Ensemble’s performance of Wish You Were Here, by David Gilmour and Rogers Waters, and the Chamber Winds epic Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Chamber Orchestra, which will perform live, will feature Musical moment No. 3, by Franz Schubert and Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg.

SATURDAY, MARCH 27

At noon, in Grace Episcopal Church on the Capitol Square downtown, there will be a FREE online concert. Grace Presents: “A Patient Enduring”: This early music program of medieval conductus (a musical setting of metrical Latin texts) and ballade, English lute song, and duets from the early Italian Baroque features two sopranos, Grammy-winnner Sarah Brailey (below) and Kristina Boerger, with Brandon Acker on lute and theorbo.

Here is a link: YouTube.com/GracePresentsConcerts

You can also go to this webpage for a link: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/grace-presents-a-patient-enduring/

At 3 p.m. the Perlman Trio, a piano trio that is made up of UW-Madison graduate students, will give a FREE online concert. The program includes piano trios by Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert.

Here is a link to the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/EAjK0DfWB3A

Here is a link to the complete program plus background, names and photos of the performers as well as to the performance: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/perlman-piano-trio/

At 7 p.m. the UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quntet (below) will perform a FREE pre-recorded online concert. Here is a link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn7eobSnfr8

And here is a link to the page with more background information about the faculty members – including bassoonist Marc Vallon (below top) and flutist Conor Nelson (below bottom) – and to the complete program: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/wingra-wind-quintet/

SUNDAY, MARCH 28

From 4 to 5:30 p.m., guest mezzo-soprano Julia Ubank (below) will give a free online recital with pianist Thomas Kasdorf.

The program features songs by Mahler, Debussy, deFalla, Jake Heggie and Ellen Cogen.

Here is the complete program plus a link to the recital: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/julia-urbank-voice-recital/

From 4 to 5:30 p.m. the Madison Opera will host a Opera Up Close cocktail hour discussion with four general directors of opera companies. Here is the website’s description:

“Four opera general directors walk into a chat room…. Stepping outside the Madison Opera family, Kathryn Smith (below, in a photo by James Gill) is joined by three colleagues: Michael Egel of Des Moines Metro Opera, Ashley Magnus of Chicago Opera Theater, and Lee Anne Myslewski of Wolf Trap Opera.

“From how they got into opera, to the ups and downs of running an opera company, their favorite productions, funniest moments, and more, it will be a unique and entertaining afternoon.

Here is a link with more information including the cost of a subscription: https://www.madisonopera.org/class/general-directors/?wcs_timestamp=1616947200

At 6 p.m., Rachel Reese, a UW-Madison doctoral student in violin, will give a lecture-concert about the Violin Concerto No. 2 by the rediscovered African-American composer Florence Price (below). She will be accompanied by pianist Aubrie Jacobson.

Here is a link to the concert plus background about Rachel Reese: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/rachel-reese-lecture-recital/

Posted in Classical music
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The UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quintet performs a FREE online virtual concert this Wednesday night. Plus, local music critic Greg Hettmansberger has died

December 8, 2020
4 Comments

NEWS ALERT: Local music critic and blogger Greg Hettmansberger (below) was killed in a car accident on Dec. 2, near Wichita, Kansas. Hettmansberger, 65, was driving when he hit a deer and then another car hit him. His wife survived but remains hospitalized in Wichita in critical condition. Here is a link to a news account: https://www.kake.com/story/42993718/man-dies-in-crash-caused-by-deer-in-pratt-county

By Jacob Stockinger

This Wednesday night, Dec. 9, the UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quintet (below, in 2017) will perform a FREE virtual online concert from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Here is a direct link to the pre-recorded video premiere on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/e1NhVZJW2cA

Due to the pandemic, the Wingra Wind Quintet has been unable to perform chamber music in a traditional way since March 2020. (You can hear the quintet play “On, Wisconsin” in the YouTube video at the bottom.)

In response, the quintet put together a program that allowed each member to record parts separately and have those parts edited together.

Current faculty members (below) are: Conor Nelson, flute; Lindsay Flowers, oboe; Alicia Lee, clarinet; Marc Vallon, bassoon; and Devin Cobleigh-Morrison, horn

The engineer/producer is Kris Saebo.

The program is:

The first piece “Allegro scherzando” from Three Pieces by Walter Piston (below, 1894-1976)

The Chaconne from the First Suite in E-flat for Military Band by Gustav Holst (below, 1874-1934)

“Retracing” by Elliott Carter (below, 1908-2012)

Selections from “Mikrokosmos” by Bela Bartok (below, 1881-1945)

“A 6 letter letter” by Elliott Carter

Intermezzo from the First Suite in E-flat for Military Band by Gustav Holst

“Esprit rude/esprit doux” by Elliott Carter

Since its formation in 1965, the Wingra Wind Quintet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music has established a tradition of artistic and teaching excellence.

The ensemble has been featured in performance at national conferences such as MENC (Miami), MTNA (Kansas City), and the International Double Reed Society (Minneapolis).

The quintet also presented an invitational concert on the prestigious Dame Myra Hess series at the Chicago Public Library, broadcast live on radio station WFMT.

In addition to its extensive home state touring, the quintet has been invited to perform at numerous college campuses, including the universities of Alaska-Fairbanks, Northwestern, Chicago, Nebraska, Western Michigan, Florida State, Cornell, the Interlochen Arts Academy, and the Paris Conservatoire, where quintet members offered master classes.

The Wingra Wind Quintet has recorded for Golden Crest, Spectrum, and the UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music recording series and is featured on an educational video entitled Developing Woodwind Ensembles.

Always on the lookout for new music of merit, the Wingra has premiered new works of Hilmar Luckhardt, Vern Reynolds, Alec Wilder, Edith Boroff, James Christensen and David Ott. The group recently gave the Midwest regional premiere of William Bolcom’s “Five Fold Five,” a sextet for woodwind quintet and piano, with UW-Madison pianist Christopher Taylor (below).

New York Times critic Peter Davis, in reviewing the ensemble’s Carnegie Hall appearance, stated “The performances were consistently sophisticated, sensitive and thoroughly vital.”

The Wingra Wind Quintet is one of three faculty chamber ensembles in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music.

Deeply committed to the spirit of the Wisconsin Idea, the group travels widely to offer its concerts and educational services to students and the public in all corners of the state. (Editor’s note: For more about the Wisconsin Idea, which seems more relevant today than ever, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_Idea.)

Portions of this recording were made at the Hamel Music Center, a venue of the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Posted in Classical music
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Classical music: Meet Conor Nelson, the new flute professor at the UW-Madison

August 13, 2020
8 Comments

By Jacob Stockinger

The UW-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music has a new flute professor who follows Timothy Hagen in taking the place of retired longtime predecessor Stephanie Jutt, who continues to perform locally with the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society..

He is Conor Nelson (below) and he starts later this month at the UW-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music.

Here is the biography — impressive for both his performing and his teaching –that the university released:

“Praised for his “long-breathed phrases and luscious tone” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Canadian flutist Conor Nelson is established as a leading flutist and pedagogue of his generation.

“Since his New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, he has frequently appeared as soloist and recitalist throughout the United States and abroad.

“Solo engagements include concertos with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Flint Symphony, and numerous other orchestras.

“In addition to being the only wind player to win the Grand Prize at the WAMSO (Minnesota Orchestra) Young Artist Competition, he won first prize at the William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition. He also received top prizes at the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition, the Haynes International Flute Competition as well as the Fischoff, Coleman and Yellow Springs chamber music competitions. (Editor’s note: In the YouTube video at the bottom, you can hear Conor Nelson perform the second and third movements of the Flute Sonata by French composer Francis Poulenc.)

“With percussionist Ayano Kataoka (below left, with Nelson), he performed at Merkin Concert Hall, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Hall and Izumi Hall. A recital at the Tokyo Opera City Hall received numerous broadcasts on NHK Television. Their CD entitled, “Breaking Training” was released on New Focus Recordings (NYC). His second CD, “Nataraja,” with pianist Thomas Rosenkranz, is also available on New Focus.

“He has collaborated with pianist Claude Frank on the Schneider concert series in New York City and appeared at numerous chamber music festivals across the country including the OK Mozart, Bennington, Skaneateles, Yellow Barn, Cooperstown, Salt Bay, Look and Listen (NYC), Norfolk (Yale), Green Mountain, Chesapeake, and the Chamber Music Quad Cities series.

“He is the Principal Flutist of the New Orchestra of Washington in Washington, D.C., and has performed with the Detroit, Toledo and Tulsa Symphony Orchestras. He also performed as guest principal with A Far Cry, Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, and the Conceirtos de la Villa de Santo Domingo.

“A respected pedagogue, Dr. Nelson has given master classes at over 100 colleges, universities and conservatories.

“Prior to his appointment at UW-Madison, he served as the flute professor at Bowling Green State University for nine years and as the Assistant Professor of Flute at Oklahoma State University from 2007-2011.

“His recent residencies include Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea; the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China; the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico; and the Associacao Brasileira de Flautistas in Sao Paulo.

“He is also a regular guest of the Texas Summer Flute Symposium and has been the featured guest artist for 11 flute associations across the country. His former students can be found performing in orchestras, as well as teaching at colleges, universities and public schools nationwide. They have also amassed over 60 prizes in young artist competitions, concerto competitions and flute association competitions.

“Nelson received degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Yale University and Stony Brook University where he was the winner of the school-wide concerto competitions at all three institutions. He is also a recipient of the Thomas Nyfenger Prize, the Samuel Baron Prize and the Presser Award.

“His principal teachers include Carol Wincenc, Ransom Wilson, Linda Chesis, Susan Hoeppner and Amy Hamilton. Nelson is a Powell Flutes artist and is the Assistant Professor of Flute at UW-Madison where he performs with the Wingra Wind Quintet.”

Posted in Classical music
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Classical music: A busy week brings FREE concerts of violin, orchestra, percussion, band, cello and bassoon music to the UW-Madison

February 16, 2020
2 Comments

ALERT: This afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in Overture Hall is your last chance to hear John DeMain lead the Madison Symphony Orchestra with guest soloists violinist Pinchas Zukerman and cellist Amanda Forsyth in music by Brahms, Berlioz and Copland. Here is a positive review from Michael Muckian for Isthmus: https://isthmus.com/music/masterful-sounds-on-a-miserably-cold-night/

For more information about the program, soloists and tickets, go to: https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2020/02/10/classical-music-this-weekend-the-madison-symphony-orchestra-celebrates-valentines-day-with-violinist-pinchas-zukerman-and-cellist-amanda-forsyth-in-the-romantic-double-concerto/

By Jacob Stockinger

The coming week at the UW-Madison will be busy with FREE concerts of violin, orchestral, percussion, band, cello and bassoon music.

Here is the lineup:

MONDAY

At 6:30 p.m. in the Collins Recital Hall at the new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave., you can hear a FREE performance of the popular Violin Concerto by Beethoven.

It is a student performance of the entire Beethoven Violin Concerto with the orchestra. The conductor is doctoral candidate Ji Hyun Yim (below) who is studying with UW conducting professor Oriol Sans. It is a concert of friends who enjoy playing together. The violinist soloist is Rachel Reese.

Then at 7:30 p.m. in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, the Chamber Percussion Ensemble (below) – formerly the Western Percussion Ensemble – will give a FREE concert of contemporary music.

The conductor is director and UW-Madison percussion professor Anthony DiSanza, who is also the principal percussionist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.

The program is “A Forest from a Seed.” Featured is post-minimalist music by composers not named Steve Reich. No specific works or composers are named.

Says DiSanza (below, in a photo by Katherine Esposito): “From the seed of minimalism (1964-1972), a deep and exhilarating repertoire has blossomed. Join us as we explore 40 years of diverse and engaging post-minimalist percussion chamber music.”

The Chamber Percussion Ensemble, he adds, “is dedicated to the performance of significant and engaging works for the Western percussion ensemble tradition, emphasizing core repertoire and works by emerging composers.”

TUESDAY (not Wednesday, as originally and incorrectly posted)

At 7:30 in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, the UW Concert Band (below) will give a FREE concert under director and conductor Corey Pompey. For the complete program, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/uw-concert-band-3/

THURSDAY

At 7:30 p.m. in Collins Recital Hall, UW cello professor Parry Karp (below), who plays in the UW’s Pro Arte Quartet, will give a FREE recital.

Piano accompanists are Bill Lutes; Martha Fischer; Frances Karp, the mother of Parry Karp; and Thomas Kasdorf.

The program is:

Robert Schumann: “Five Pieces in Folk Style” for Piano and Cello, Op. 102 (You can hear the first of the five pieces in the YouTube video at the bottom.)

Johannes Brahms: Sonata in F Minor for Piano and Clarinet, Op. 120 No. 1 (arranged for piano and cello by Parry Karp)

Robert Kahn (below): Three Pieces for Piano and Cello, Op. 25

Richard Strauss: Andante from “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” (The Bourgeois Gentleman), Op. 60

Ernest Bloch: “Schelomo” – a Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra

FRIDAY

At 8 p.m. in Collins Recital Hall, UW-Madison bassoon professor Marc Vallon (below) and friends – fellow faculty members and students — will perform a FREE concert of chamber music.

Joining Vallon, who plays in the acclaimed UW Wingra Wind Quintet, are: pianist Satoko Hayami; percussionist Todd Hammes; bassoonist Midori Samson; flutist Iva Ugrcic, clarinetist Alicia Lee; trumpeters Jean Laurenz and Gilson Luis Da Silva; trombonist Cole Bartels; and Travis Cooke.

Composers to be performed are: Robert Schumann; Alexander Ouzounoff; Sophia Gubaidulina (below); and Igor Stravinsky. No word about titles of specific works on the program.

Posted in Classical music
Tags: #AaronCopland, #AlexanderOuzounoff, #AliciaLee, #AmandaForsyth, #BassoonMusic, #BillLutes, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CelloSonata, #ChamberMusic, #ChamberPercussionEnsemble, #ClarinetMusic, #ColeBartels, #CollaborativePIano, #CollinsRecitalHall, #ConcertBand, #ContemporaryComposer, #ContemporaryMusic, #CoreyPompey, #CriticallyAcclaimed, #EmergingComposers, #ErnestBloch, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyConcert, #FacultyMember, #FolkStyle, #FrancesKarp, #GilsonLuisDaSilva, #GraduateStudent, #HamelMusicCenter, #HebraicMusic, #HectorBerlioz, #IgorStravinsky, #IsthmusMagazine, #IsthmusNewspaper, #IvaUgrcic, #JacobStockinger, #JeanLaurenz, #JiHyunYim, #JohannesBrahms, #JohnDeMain, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonSymphonyOrchestra, #MarcVallon, #MarthaFischer, #MeadWitterFoundationConcertHall, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MichaelMuckian, #MinimalistMusic, #MusicProfessors, #MusicReview, #NewMusic, #OrchestralMusic, #OriolSans, #ParryKarp, #PercussionMusic, #PianoAccompanist, #PinchasZukerman, #ProArteQuartet, #RichardStrauss, #RobertKahn, #RobertSchumann, #SatokoHayami, #SofiaGubaidulina, #SteveReich, #StringQuartet, #TheEar, #ThomasKasdorf, #ToddHammes, #TravisCooke, #TromboneMusic, #TrumpetMusic, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWConcertBand, #ViolinConcerto, #WesternPercussionEnsemble, #WindQuintet, #WingraWindQuintet, #YouTubevideo, Aaron Copland, acclaimed, accompaniment, accompanist, afternoon, Alexander Ouzounoff, Alicia Lee, Amanda Forsyth, Andante, arrangement, Arts, audience, band, Bassoon, bassoonist, Beethoven, Berlioz, Bill Lutes, blog, blossom, bourgeois, Brahms, busy, candidate, cellist, Cello, Chamber music, Chamber Percussion Ensemble, chance, choral music, clarinet, Classical music, Cole Bartels, Collins Recital Hall, composer, Concert, Concert Band, concert hall, concerto, conductor, contemporary, core, Corey Pompey, critically acclaimed, dedicated, deep, director, diverse, doctoral, emerging composers, engaging, ensemble, Ernest Bloch, event, exhilarating, Facebook, faculty member, flute, flutist, folk style, forest, forward, Frances Karp, free, friends, gentleman, Gilson Luis Da Silva, graduate student, Gubaidulina, guest, Hamel Music Center, Hebraic, Hebrew, Hector Berlioz, Hyun, Igor Stravinsky, information, Isthmus, Iva Ugrcic, Jacob Stockinger, Jean Laurenz, Ji, Ji-Hyun Yim, Johannes Brahms, John DeMain, like, link, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Marc Vallon, Martha Fischer, Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Mead Witter School of Music, Michael Muckian, minimalism, minimalist, Music, music faculty, New Music, Orchestra, orchestral, Oriol Sans, Parry Karp, percussion, percussionist, performer, Pianist, Piano, pieces, Pinchas Zukerman, playing, positive, post, post-minimalist, posting, principal, Pro Arte Quartet, professor, program, recital, repertoire, repertory, review, rhapsody, Richard Strauss, Robert Kahn, Robert Schumann, Satoko Hayami, Schelomo, Schumann, seed, share, significant, Sofia Gubaidulina, soloist, Sonata, Steve Reich, Stravinsky, String quartet, Student, tag, The Ear, Thomas Kasdorf, ticket, tickets, Todd Hammes, together, transcription, Travis Cooke, Trombone, Trumpet, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW, UW Concert Band, UW-Madison, Violin, Violin concerto, violinist, Western, western Percussion Ensemble, Wind quintet, Wings Wind Quintet, Wisconsin, works, years, Yim, YouTube

Classical music: This week the UW-Madison hosts a faculty horn recital and two orchestral concerts – one by the visiting and innovative chamber orchestra The Knights and the other by UW students

February 4, 2020
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By Jacob Stockinger

This week is a busy one at the UW-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music with concerts on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

There are also FREE and PUBLIC master classes on Friday.

Here are details:

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5

At 7:30 p.m. in the Collins Recital Hall of the new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave., UW horn professor Daniel Grabois (below, in a photo by James Gill) – a member of the acclaimed Wisconsin Brass Quintet – will perform a FREE faculty recital.

Grabois will be accompanied by pianist Shuk-Ki Wong.

No specific program has been posted. But composers on the program include Eugene Bozza, Charles Gounod, Francis Poulenc, Wolfgang Plagge and a world premiere by Daniel Kessner.

THURSDAY, FEB. 6

At 7:30 p.m. in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, also in the Hamel Music Center, the UW Symphony Orchestra (below, with the UW Choral Union in the background) will give a FREE concert.

UW professor Oriol Sans (below), who is new to campus this year, will be the main conductor with Michael Dolan serving as a guest conductor.

The program is the “Appalachian Spring” Suite by Aaron Copland and the Symphony No. 9 by Dmitri Shostakovich.

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

At 8 p.m. in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, guest artists The Knights will give a concert that features UW clarinetist Alicia Lee (below), who is a member of the Wingra Wind Quintet and who toured with The Knights chamber orchestra during the decade she lived and worked in New York City.

Says Lee: “We are excited to bring a group with a fresh perspective that is run in perhaps a less traditional way,” Lee says of the residency. “This is a group of people with interesting, diverse approaches to a life in music. Many have been making music together for nearly 20 years, so the roots of both friendship and musical values run very deep.”

On Friday, Feb. 7, The Knights (below) will offer a one-day, on-campus residency that is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Opportunities include access to strings, wind, percussion and horn master classes; a workshop on music business; a side-by-side orchestral reading; and attendance at their rehearsal. All activities will take place in the Hamel Music Center. For a day-long schedule, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/the-knights/

You can hear rehearsals and commentaries by The Knights in the YouTube video at the bottom.

According to program notes: “The Knights is a collective of adventurous musicians, dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audiences and music.

“Driven by an open-minded spirit of camaraderie and exploration, they inspire listeners with vibrant programs that encompass their roots in the classical tradition and passion for artistic discovery.

“The orchestra has toured and recorded with renowned soloists including Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Bela Fleck and Gil Shaham, and have performed at Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood and the Vienna Musikverein. Read more at: https://theknightsnyc.com”

The program for The Kreutzer Project concert on Saturday night is:

Colin Jacobsen: World premiere of a new work

Ludwig van Beethoven: Kreutzer Concerto  (based on the famous Kreutzer Sonata) arranged by The Knights for solo violin and chamber orchestra

INTERMISSION

Leos Janacek: The “Kreutzer Sonata”  String Quartet arranged by The Knights for chamber orchestra

Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dances  arranged by The Knights for chamber orchestra

General admission tickets are $30 and are available at the Campus Ticketing Office in the Memorial Union and by calling (608) 265-ARTS (2787) or visiting: https://artsticketing.wisc.edu/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=83A6D957-B006-4ABC-AFB2-6485A8C4D94C.

Free rush tickets for UW-Madison students and music faculty are subject to availability. Visit the Hamel box office one hour before the concert.

Posted in Classical music
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Classical music: Today at noon you can hear Japanese marimba music. At the UW-Madison, tonight offers a FREE concert of Eastern European music by the Wingra Wind Quintet. Tomorrow night is a FREE concert of vocal music by UW Chorale

November 8, 2019
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ALERT: TODAY, Nov. 8, from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the FREE Friday Noon Musicale at the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive, the veteran international marimbist Rebecca Kite (below) — who teaches and concertizes — will perform a program that features music of Handel, herself and contemporary Japanese composers including Keiko Abe and Minoru Miki. Kite recently moved to Madison.

By Jacob Stockinger

Tonight and tomorrow night feature two noteworthy and FREE concerts of chamber music for winds and choral music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Mead Witter School of Music.

Here are details:

WINGRA WIND QUINTET

TONIGHT, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. in the Collins Recital Hall of the new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave., the UW-Madison’s Wingra Wind Quintet performs a FREE concert of music from Eastern Europe.

Works by Bela Bartok, Leos Janacek, Gyorgy Kurtag and Endre Szervanszky will be featured.

The guest artist is clarinetist Brian Gnojek (below).

For more information about the concert, the works on the program and background of the Wingra Wind Quintet (below, in 2018, in a photo by Katrin Talbot) as an acclaimed faculty chamber music ensemble, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/wingra-wind-quintet-2/2019-11-08/

UW CHORALE

This Saturday night, Nov. 9, in the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall of the Hamel Music Center, the UW Chorale (below) will perform a FREE concert with an eclectic theme.

The program is called “How to Spice Up Your Life.” Selections include works about music, dance, chat, sports, love, outings and cooking.

The concert includes a performance of PDQ Bach’s The Seasonings, a parody of baroque oratorios, featuring faculty soloists Julia Rottmayer and Paul Rowe with student soloists Angela Peterson and Charles Hancin. (You can hear Part I of “The Seasonings” in the YouTube video at the bottom.)

For more information, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/uw-chorale-3/

Posted in Classical music
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Classical music: This Saturday night, pianist Emanuel Ax returns to the Wisconsin Union Theater in an all-Beethoven recital, and also is in a FREE and PUBLIC Q&A that afternoon. That same night, UW-Madison professor Alicia Lee gives a free clarinet recital

November 1, 2019
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By Jacob Stockinger

This Saturday night, Nov. 2, brings two separate but noteworthy recitals by Grammy-winning pianist Emanuel Ax and by UW-Madison clarinetist Alicia Lee.

Here are details:

EMANUEL AX

Emanuel Ax and Madison go way back.

Since 1974, the Wisconsin Union Theater has often seen Emanuel Ax (below, in a photo by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco) perform both as a soloist and a chamber musician with the legendary violinist Nathan Milstein and the superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who is also a close friend. (Ax has also performed with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra at the old Civic Center and with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in the Overture Center.)

This Saturday night, Nov. 2, Emanuel Ax returns again to help celebrate the centennial of the Union Theater’s Concert Series and to help kick off the Beethoven Year in 2020, which marks the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

The concert is at 7:30 p.m. in Shannon Hall with a pre-concert lecture, given by Andrea Fowler, a UW-Madison graduate student in musicology. Her lecture is at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Play Circle.

The program centers on the first three piano sonatas, Op. 2, by Beethoven (below) plus two rarely heard sets of theme-and-variations. In addition, he will start the performance with the popular “Für Elise” Bagatelle known to so many piano students, their parents and the public. (You can hear “Für Elise” and see a graphic depiction of it in the YouTube video at the bottom.)

Tickets run from $15 for UW-Madison students to $70. For more information about tickets, Emanuel Ax, the program, sample reviews and links to Ax’s website, go to:

https://union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/emanuel-ax/

NOTE: This time, there will also be a special event as part of his appearance.

On Saturday afternoon from 1 to 2 p.m. in Collins Recital Hall at the new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Ave., Ax will participate in a FREE and public Q&A.

Here is a publicity blurb about that event: “Join us for a Q&A with Grammy Award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax. Now is your chance to ask how he selects repertoire, what his practice schedule is like, if he has any pre-recital rituals, or whatever you would like to know!”

“This event is intended for UW-Madison students and UW campus community, however the Madison community is welcome.”

For more information about the Q&A, go to: https://union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/q-and-a-with-emanuel-ax/

ALICIA LEE

At 8 p.m. in Collins Recital Hall, UW-Madison clarinetist Alicia Lee (below), who also plays in the UW Wingra Wind Quintet, will give a FREE recital of chamber music.

The program includes music by Robert Schumann, Bela Bartok, Isang Yun, Eugene Bozza and Shulamit Ran.

Two faculty colleagues will join Lee: pianist Christopher Taylor and violinist Soh-Hyun Park Altino.

For more information about the event, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/alicia-lee-faculty-clarinet/

For an extensive biography of Alicia Lee, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/alicia-lee/

Posted in Classical music
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Classical music: Here is a year-long list of concerts at the University of Wisconsin Mead Witter School of Music. They start Tuesday night with the 40th annual Karp Family Labor Day Concert

September 1, 2019
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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

Posted in Classical music
Tags: #AliciaLee, #All-UniversityStrings, #AntoninDvorak, #ASeaSymphony, #BandMusic, #BassoonMusic, #BeethovenSymphony, #BenjaminBritten, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BrassMusic, #BrassQuintet, #CelloMusic, #ChamberMusic, #ChoralMusic, #ChoralUnion, #ChristianChurch, #ChristopherKarp, #ChristopherTaylor, #ClarinetMusic, #ConcertBand, #ConcertChoir, #ContemporaryMusic, #CosifanTutte, #DanielGrabois, #EliKalman, #EmailNewsletter, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyConcert, #FacultyMember, #FluteMusic, #FrancesKarp, #FranzSchubert, #GiuseppeVerdi, #GuestArtist, #HamelMusicCenter, #HornMusic, #JazzMusic, #KarpFamily, #KatoPerlman, #KatrinTalbot, #LaborDay, #LesThimmig, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #LutherMemorialChurch, #MadrigalSingers, #MarcVallon, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MidsummerNight'sDream, #MillsHall, #NobukoImai, #OperaMusic, #OperaScenes, #OperaSinger, #OrchestralMusic, #ParryKarp, #PaulCollins, #PerlmanTrio, #PianoAccompaniment, #PianoAccompanist, #PianoConcerto, #PianoMusic, #PianoQuartet, #PianoTrio, #ProArteQuartet, #RalphVaughan-Williams, #RalphVaughanWilliams, #RecitalHall, #RobertSchumann, #SaxophoneMusic, #Schubertiadeconcert, #StringMusic, #StringQuartet, #SuzanneBeia, #TheKnights, #TimothyHagen, #TrumpetMusic, #TubaMusic, #UniversityBands, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UniversityofWisconsin-Oshkosh, #UniversityOpera, #UWChorale, #UWChoralUnion, #UWSchubertiade, #UWSymphonyOrchestra, #ViolaMusic, #ViolinMusic, #VocalMusic, #WilliamShakespeare, #WindMusic, #WindsofWisconsin, #WingraWindQuintet, #WisconsinBrassQuintet, #WolfgangAmadeusMozart, #WorldPercussionEnsemble, #WuHan, A Sea Symphony, admission, Afro, Afro-Cuban, All-University Strings, alumni, Antonín Dvořák, audience, audition, band, Bassoon, Beethoven, Beethoven symphony, Benjamin Britten, blog, brass music, Brass quintet, brochure, calendar, celebration, Cello, cello music, Chamber music, Chanticleer, Choir, choral music, Choral Union, Chorale, Christian, Christian church, Christopher Karp, Christopher Taylor, church, clarinet, clarinet music, Classical music, classicalmusic, Competition, Concert, Concert Band, Concert Choir, concerto, contemporary music, contested, Cuban, Daniel Grabois, datebook, details, Dvorak, Eli Kalman, email, ensemble, event, extravaganza, Facebook, faculty, Family, flute, flute music, forward, Frances Karp, Franz Schubert, friends, Giuseppe Verdi, guest artist, Hamel Music Center, Home, Horn, Jazz, Karp Family, Kato Perlman, Katrin Talbot, Les Thimmig, liberation, like, link, Ludwig van Beethoven, Luther, Luther Memorial Church, Lutheran, madrigal, Marc Vallon, master class, masterclass, Mead Witter School of Music, Midsummer Night's Dream, migrant, Mills Hall, Mozart, Music, newsletter, Nobuko Imai, Nordic, opening, opera, opera scenes, opera singer, orchestral music, Oshkosh, Parry Karp, Paul Collins, percussion, performer, Pianist, Piano, Piano concerto, Piano Quartet, Piano Trio, post, posting, Pro Arte Quartet, program, quintet, Ralph Vaughan Williams, reader, recital, recital hall, Requiem, Robert Schumann, Saxophone, scenes, Schubert, Schubertiade, Schumann, sea, Shakespeare, share, showcase, singer, song, string, string music, String quartet, studio, subscriber, Suzanne Beia, symphony, symphony orchestra, tag, The Knights, Timothy Hagen, Trumpet, Tuba, undergraduate, university, University Bands, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, University Opera, UW, UW Concert Band, UW Concert Choir, UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, Verdi, Viola, Violin, violinist, vocal music, Website, weekend, William Shakespeare, wind music, Wind quintet, winds, Winds of Wisconsin, Wingra Wind Quintet, winner, Wisconsin Brass Quintet, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, World Percussion Ensemble, Wu Han, year

Classical music: Meet UW-Madison bassoonist Marc Vallon who performs with the Willy Street Chamber Players on Friday night

July 17, 2019
2 Comments

By Jacob Stockinger

Who is Marc Vallon (below, in a photo by James Gill)?

This week, he is the bassoonist who will perform Franz Danzi’s Quartet for Bassoon and Strings in D minor, Op. 40, No. 2 (ca. 1820), this coming Friday night, July 19, with the acclaimed Willy Street Chamber Players (below), who will also be joined by pianist Jason Kutz and violist Sharon Tenhundfeld..

(The concert is at 6 p.m. in Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1021 Spaight Street. The program includes: the Allegretto for Piano Trio by Ludwig van Beethoven (1812); “Dark Wood” by American composer Jennifer Higdon (2001); and the rarely heard String Quartet No. 1 (1948) by Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera. Admission is $15.)

A native of France, Vallon is one of the busiest musicians in Madison. He teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music, where he also performs individually, with faculty and student colleagues, and as a member of the Wingra Wind Quintet. He also frequently performs and conducts Baroque music with the Madison Bach Musicians.

Vallon attended the Paris Conservatory, where he won first prizes in bassoon and chamber music, and also earned a philosopher degree at the Sorbonne or University of Paris.

A versatile musician, Vallon played with famed avant-garde French composer Pierre Boulez and for more than 20 years was the principal bassoon of the well-known Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He has also performed with major modern orchestras and conductors as well as with many period-instrument groups.

He gives master classes worldwide and also composes.

For a more extended and detailed biography, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/faculty/marc-vallon/

Vallon recently did an email Q&A interview with The Ear:

What drew you to the bassoon (below) over, say, the piano or singing, over strings, brass or other woodwinds?

I played the piano as young kid but was not very interested in the mechanics of it, even if I had a strong passion for music. It was the day that my piano teacher brought to my lesson a friend of his to do a bassoon demo that I found the right medium for my passion.

I started practicing like a maniac and knew by the age of 14 that I was going to be a professional bassoonist.

What would you like the public to know about the bassoon, perhaps about the challenges of playing it and about the repertoire for it?

The bassoon does not offer more challenges than other wind instruments, but it is safe to say that an absolute perfectionist person should probably not play it.

It is an instrument capable of true beauties, yet it has its own character. You don’t conquer it, you work with it like you would work with a wonderful but temperamental colleague.

Bassoonists sometimes complain that our solo repertoire is not as rich in masterpieces as the clarinet’s or the flute’s. True, but in its 350 years of existence, the bassoon has amassed enough wonderful music to keep us busy for several lifetimes.

What would you like to tell the public about the specific Bassoon Quartet by Franz Danzi that you will perform, and about Danzi and his music in general?

The bassoon and strings quartet became popular in the last decades of the 18th century, a trend that lasted well into the Romantic era.

Sadly, many of these quartets are basically show-off pieces for the bassoonist while the strings players have to suffer through some often very dull accompaniment parts.

I like this one by Danzi (below) because it features the strings on the same musical level as the bassoon, creating an enjoyable musical conversation rather than a cocky bassoon monologue. (You can hear that musical conversation in the opening movement of the Bassoon Quartet by Danzi in the YouTube video at the bottom.)

As a performer and conductor, you are well–known for championing baroque music as well as modern and contemporary music. Do you have a preference? Do they feed each other in your experience?

What I always have enjoyed about playing contemporary music is the possibility to work with living composers because I often realized how flexible they are with their own music and how much they like the performer’s input. They’re often ready to compromise and veer away from the strict notation.

The approach when playing composers from the past is actually very similar in the sense that we have to remember how approximate music notation is. Baroque composers are not here anymore obviously, but the 17th and 18th centuries sources tell us clearly how much flexibility we, modern performers, have in our approach to their music.

When it comes to music pre-1800, we basically have a sketch on our music stands. I always want to remember this. (Below is a manuscript page of a cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach.)

Do you have big projects coming up next season?

Always! I am putting together a contemporary program on March 27 in our new concert hall on campus. It is called ”Opening Statements” and will feature early works from major 20th-century composers.

On period instruments, I have Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,” Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” and more Bach on my calendar.

Is there something else you would like to say?

A big Thank You to you, Jake, for being such a relentless and informed advocate of the Madison musical scene!

Posted in Classical music
Tags: #17thCentury, #18thCentury, #19thCentury, #20thCentury, #AcademicCalendar, #AlbertoGinastera, #AmsterdamBaroqueOrchestra, #ArgentineanComposer, #BaroqueChamberMusic, #BaroqueMusic, #BassoonMusic, #BassoonQuartet, #BlogInterview, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #BrassMusic, #ChamberMusic, #ChoralMusic, #ChristianChurch, #ChristmasOratorio, #ClarinetMusic, #ConcertHall, #ContemporaryComposers, #ContemporaryMusic, #DarkWood, #EventsCalendar, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyMember, #FelixMendelssohn, #FirstPrize, #FluteMusic, #FranzDanzi, #Fridaynight, #HistoricallyInformedPerformancePractices, #ImmanuelLutheranChurch, #JasonKutz, #JenniferHigdon, #JohannSebastianBach, #LivingComposers, #LudwigVanBeethoven, #MadisonBachMusicians, #MarcVallon, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #ModernMusic, #Musicfaculty, #MusicNotation, #OpeningStatement, #ParisConservatory, #PeriodInstrument, #PIanoTeacher, #PianoTrio, #PierreBoulez, #PopularMusic, #PracticingMusic, #PrincipalBassoon, #ProfessionalMusician, #RomanticEra, #RomanticMusic, #RomanticPeriod, #StringMusic, #StringQuartet, #ThankYou, #TheEar, #TheSorbonne, #UniversityofParis, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #WillyStreetChamberPlayers, #WingraWindQuintet, #YouTubevideo, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th-century, 20th-century music, accompaniment, admission, advocate, age, Alberto Ginastera, always, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, approach, approximate, Argentina, Argentinean, Arts, audience, away, Bach, Baroque, Baroque music, Bassoon, bassoonist, beauties, beauty, Beethoven, biography, blog, brass, calendar, Campus, Cello, challenge, challenges, Chamber music, champion, choral music, Christian, Christmas Oratorio, church, clarinet, Classical music, classicalmusic, cocky, colleague, composer, compromise, Concert, concert hall, conduct, conductor, conquer, contemporary composer, contemporary music, conversation, dark, Dark Wood, decades, degree, demo, dull, early, Early music, Elijah, email, era, existence, Facebook, faculty, Felix Mendelssohn, first prize, flexible, flute, France, Franz Danzi, French, Friday, friend, historically informed performance practices, Immanuel Lutheran Church, informed, input, instrument, interview, Jacob Stockinger, Jazon Kutz, Jennifer Higdon, Johann Sebastian Bach, kid, knew, know, level, lifetime, like, link, living composers, Ludwig van Beethoven, Madison, Madison Bach Musicians, major, maniac, manuscript, Marc Vallon, masterpiece, Mead Witter School of Music, mechanics, medium, member, modern, modern music, monologue, Music, music notation, new, night, notation, opening statement, oratorio, Orchestra, page, Paris, Paris Conservatory, Passion, perfectionist, perform, performer, period instruments, person, philosophy, Pianist, Piano, piano teacher, Piano Trio, Pierre Boulez, play, popular, practicing, prinicipal, professional, professor, program, project, Q&A, reader, relentless, repertoire, right, Romantic, Romantic era, safe, same, say, share, Sharon Tenhundfeld, show-off, Singing, sketch, solo, Sorbonne, sources, spread, strict, string, String quartet, strings, Student, subscriber, suffer, symphony, tag, Teacher, temperamental, thank you, The Ear, trend, trio, true, United States, university, University of Paris, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW-Madison, veer, versatile, Viola, Violin, violinist, violist, way, week, Willy Street Chamber Players, Wingra Wind Quintet, Wisconsin, wonderful, wood, woodwind, word, work, young, YouTube

Classical music: The world premiere of John Harbison’s Sonata for Viola and Piano this Sunday night headlines a busy weekend at the UW that includes wind music and band music

February 16, 2019
2 Comments

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

This is a big and busy weekend at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music.

The most publicized event this week, justifiably, is the world premiere of a new Sonata for Viola and Piano by composer John Harbison, who has won many awards and honors including a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur “genius” Fellowship. The guest pianist, from Minnesota, is Timothy Lovelace.

The premiere takes place in Mills Hall on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. The Pro Arte Quartet will also play the “Sunrise” Quartet by Franz Joseph Haydn and “Four Encores for Stan” by Harbison. Pro Arte violist Sally Chisholm (below, in a photo by Rick Langer) will perform the new work that was written for her. It was commissioned by an anonymous patron to mark the composer’s 80th birthday.

Admission is $25.

For more information about the concert, the piece and tickets, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/2018/12/17/world-premiere-of-john-harbisons-viola-sonata/

In addition, Harbison (below) will give a free and public master class on Monday, Feb. 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Mills Music Library Seminar Room (Room B162G in the Memorial Library).

But that is far from the only important or noteworthy event going on.

Here is a day-by-day schedule, not including the concert by the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Youth Orchestra with guest clarinetist Amitai Vardi that takes place TODAY in Mills Hall at 4 p.m. Here is a link to more about the WYSO concert:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/classical-music-wisconsin-youth-symphony-orchestras-wyso-to-perform-the-annual-winterfest-concerts-this-saturday-and-march-2/

TODAY

At 3 p.m. in Morphy Hall, the winners’ FREE concert of the Irving Shain Woodwind-Piano Duo Competition will take place. To see the four winners and their complete programs, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/irving-shain-woodwind-piano-duo-competition-winners-recital-2/

At 7:30 p.m., faculty member bassoonist Marc Vallon (below, in a photo by James Gill), who plays with the Wingra Wind Quintet, and friends will give a FREE concert. Music to be performed includes works by Robert Schumann, John Harbison, Ida Gotkowsky, Emmanuel Chabrier, Georges Bizet, Jules Massenet and Marc Vallon, although specific titles are not listed. For more information, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/faculty-recital-marc-vallon-bassoon-2/

SUNDAY

At 2 p.m. in Mills Hall, a FREE concert will be the inaugural Wind Ensemble Concerto Competition and its winner Midori Samson (below). Scott Teeple is the faculty conductor, and Cole Hairston and Ross Wolf are graduate student conductors. The concert will be STREAMED LIVE. Here is a link to the streaming portal, which also has an archive of other streamed concerts: https://www.music.wisc.edu/video/

At 4 p.m. in Mills Hall, the UW Concert Band will perform a FREE concert under the baton of its retiring director Mike Leckrone (below).

The program, subject to change, include: “Nessum Dorma” by Giacomo Puccini; “Universal Judgment” by Camille de Nardis; “Psalm for Band” by Vincent Persichetti; “La Boutique Fantastique” by Gioacchino Rossini, arranged by Ottorino Respighi; and “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine” by John Philip Sousa.

Here is a link to the program: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/uw-concert-band/

Posted in Classical music
Tags: #AmitaiVardi, #BandMusic, #BlogPost, #BlogPosting, #CamilledeNardis, #ClarinetConcerto, #ConcertBand, #ConcertoCompetition, #EmmanuelChabrier, #FacebookPost, #FacebookPosting, #FacultyMember, #FranzJosephHaydn, #GeorgesBizet, #GiacomoPuccini, #GioachinoRossini, #GuestArtist, #IdaGotkowsky, #IrvingShain, #JohnHarbison, #JohnPhilipSousa, #JulesMassenet, #LiveStreaming, #MacArthurFellow, #MarcVallon, #MeadWitterSchoolofMusic, #MemorialLibrary, #MidoriSamson, #MikeLeckrone, #MillsMusicLibrary, #MusicEducation, #NessumDorma, #NewMusic, #OttorinoRespighi, #ProArteQuartet, #RobertSchumann, #SallyChisholm, #SunriseQuartet, #TimothyLovelace, #UniversityofWisconsin-Madison, #UWConcertBand, #VincentPersichetti, #WingraWindQuintet, #WisconsinYouthSymphonyOrchestras, #WoodwindInstruments, #WoodwindMusic, #WorldPremiere, admission, Amitai Vardi, anonymous, archive, Arts, audience, band, band music, Bassoon, birthday, blog, Camille de Nardis, Chamber music, clarine concerto, Classical music, commission, composer, Concert, Concert Band, concerto, concerto competition, conductor, donor, duo, Emmanuel Chabrier, event, Facebook, faculty member, fellowship, Franz Joseph Haydn, free, fund, genius, Georges Bizet, Giacomo Puccini, gues, guest artist, Ida Gotkowsky, important, information, Irving Shain, Jacob Stockinger, John Harbison, John Philip Sousa, Jules Massenet, library, like, link, live streaming, live-stream, livestream, Livestreamed, Lovelace, MacArthur Fellow, Madison, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Marc Vallon, master class, masterclass, Mead Witter School of Music, Memorial Library, Midori Samson, Mike Leckrone, Mills Music Library, Minnesota, Music, Music education, Nessum Dorma, New Music, noteworthy, Orchestra, patron, performer, Pianist, Piano, portal, post, posting, Pro Arte Qartet, program, psalm, public, Pulitzer Prize, Respighi, Robert Schumann, Rossini, Sally Chisholm, Sunrise Quartet, symphony, tag, ticket, title, today, United States, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music, University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW Concert Band, Vincent Persichetti, Viola, Violin, Wings Wind Quartet, winner, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, woodwind, works, world premiere, YouTube

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