Richmond Symphony All Access

BEHIND THE MUSIC: Classical Guitarist Jason Vieaux

2012-01-10T13:03:00.001-05:00

Classical guitarist Jason Vieaux will be performing with the Richmond Symphony this Saturday and Sunday, for Altria Masterworks: Piazzolla and Rodrigo. Here is a small preview of his playing (via NPR). Below, his notes on Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, which he will play this weekend.

So many people are familiar with this wonderful work for guitar and orchestra, and there are many others who may not know it by name but certainly know the 2 ^nd movement tune. That theme has been in movies and commercials, interpreted by jazz musicians like Miles Davis and Chick Corea, and even featured during extended improvisations by Led Zeppelin during their 1977 tour.

If you would have asked Rodrigo what the profoundly sad music of the 2 ^nd movement “meant”, he would probably have replied that all three movements of the Concierto simply represented his thoughts, feelings and inspirations surrounding the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, a honeymoon location for Rodrigo and his wife, Victoria. But Victoria would later reveal in her autobiography that the 2^ndmovement was composed quickly by Rodrigo, in an outpouring of emotion over the loss of their firstborn during childbirth. Guitarist Pepe Romero reports that the final upper-register notes that the guitarist plays to finish the movement represent the child’s soul ascending to heaven.

I’ve probably performed Aranjuez well over 100 times at this point in my career, but the experience of performing it for a live audience only gets richer and more meaningful for me with each concert season. I look forward to working with Maestro Smith and the Richmond Symphony in sharing this great music with you all this January in Richmond.

Best,

Jason

BEHIND THE MUSIC: Carter Brey's thoughts on the Dvorak Cello Concerto

2011-10-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

“On February 8, 1895, Antonin Dvorak inserted this terse note into the manuscript of the cello concerto that he was working on at the time:

"Today on February 8 very cold in New York and a blizzard." Dvorak, nearing the end of a three-year stay in America, was living in a Gramercy Park brownstone while performing his duties as Director of the National Conservatory of Music (now the Juilliard School). He was overcome with homesickness and longed to return to his homeland, Bohemia. During the composition of the Concerto he learned of the serious illness of his sister-in-law, Josefina, for whom as a young man he had cherished an unrequited love, and gave to the solo cello in the slow movement a quotation from one of his songs ("Leave Me Alone," Opus 82) which had been a favorite of hers.

I had known this about him for many years before the first time I visited Prague, but my first sight of this fairy tale city on the banks of its river, nestled and protected between the hills of Central Europe, brought these words immediately to mind and in that instant I understood the source of the sweet melancholy that pervades this score. Being a New Yorker, I have no trouble conjuring the bitter unwelcoming conditions of February in my city; when I picture that unhappy man, untethered from his roots and his family, probably overworked and struggling in an unfamiliar language, bent over his desk in an effort to sublimate his nostalgia into little black notes on lined paper while the gales of midwinter swirled outside his window, I believe I can approach him closely as a human being through his music.

Following his return to Bohemia, news of Josefina's death reached him and he completely reworked the ending to the Concerto, quoting another part of the same song (the music this time appearing in the solo violin) and extending the coda into an agonized dying away before the stormy and joyous last bars. Like most cellists, I struggle with this passage each time I perform it, looking for the way to express the love and loss of the composer without descending into bathos. Like all great art, this music touches us not through its biographical specificity but through its universality.”

-Carter Brey

Carter Brey will perform with the Richmond Symphony this weekend (October 15-16, 2011).

A note from Associate Conductor Erin Freeman about this Sunday’s concert

2011-09-21T14:57:00.001-04:00

Connections.

On September 11, 2001, my conducting seminar class was kicked out of the building. School was shut down, and we were told to go home to our families. I was new to town, and my brand new husband was a few states away. Like many, I didn’t know what to do, but somehow I was drawn to Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier. I spent the rest of the late morning and early afternoon playing through both books of this masterpiece. I chalked it up to needing beauty and order in my life during this time of despair and chaos. What’s more perfect than Bach for those two human needs? On one end of the spectrum is the first C Major Prelude,

one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, even though it lacks a melody! On the other end of the spectrum is the complex and structured fugue, like the one in B-flat minor from book 2.

However, just a few days ago in a rehearsal for this upcoming Metro Collection concert, featuring music of Bach, as well as Kernis and Mendelssohn, the reason for my choice of activity became crystal clear. The Richmond Symphony Chamber Chorus and I were working on the second movement of the Bach Mass in F major, and I heard something in the music I had never heard before – a brief interplay of notes between the tenors, altos, and sopranos. This kind of discovery happens often with great music, but somehow this time I felt like we were instantly brought back to the moment Bach came up with this creative turn of the phrase. I was a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing (who knew that 9 notes could change someone’s outlook?). I’m sure the chorus thought I was a bit nuts when I stopped to cherish this moment of real connection. The singers, our pianist Michael Simpson, and the stage crew that set up the room made that moment happen, and I didn’t want to forget that bond.

That terrible day in 2011, I certainly needed beauty and order, but what I needed most was connection – connection to the past so that I knew that the future would be just fine. I found that solace of humanity and perspective in Bach.

This Sunday’s concert, at the Richmond Symphony’s second home of Randolph Macon College, shows us just how interconnected we are – and how far back in time these connections go. Bach wouldn’t have written his Mass in F without the inspiration of Medieval chant. (You’ll hear a few snippets of chant in the first movement of this delightful miniature mass:

– it’s a bit hidden in the bass. I’ll point it out on Sunday.) Mendelssohn relied on the model of Bach to add an intellectual component to his otherwise youthful and springy Italian Symphony. Listen to the last movement, and you may hear a little bit of Bach peeking through. (You’ll hear it at about 2:30 in this huge, over the top rendition by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra.)

Of course, we wouldn’t even know much about Bach if it weren’t for Mendelssohn’s discovery of the St. Matthew Passion in 1829! Thank you to Felix, and the connection he made for us! In addition, Aaron Jay Kernis, whose music is fresh, new, and current, has relied on the model of his predecessors. A favorite of his is Bach, but in this particular piece, Musica Celestis, he relies on the spacious chants of Hildegard von Bingen. (Listen to these stunningly beautiful phrases – you’ll hear this type of sound come through in the Kernis.)

The connections in this concert aren’t confined to the inspirations and interweaving stories of these three composers, or to the performers during those cherished “aha-moments” in rehearsal. We are only a small part of the joining together of several centuries of humanity and culture. YOU, the audience members, are instrumental (so to speak) in making this music, this history, and this bond live in the present day and carry into the future.

I hope to see you this Sunday, September 25th at 3pm at Randolph Macon College for a treat for the ears, brain, and soul. Bring a friend and deepen the connection that music can bring! (Come at 2pm for a preconcert discussion with me and Jim Doering, professor of music at RMC).

Cheers!

Erin

Musician Profile: Ellen Cockerham, Current Acting Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin

2011-05-24T09:14:00.000-04:00

Can you speak a little about your responsibilities being Principal Second Violin as well as your current role as acting concertmaster? How do the two compare?

It certainly has been interesting to switch between the two positions. Both present their own challenges and require different creative energies, but I think I enjoy both equally. When I am concertmaster, I am constantly making decisions that will affect the entire string section (and sometimes the entire orchestra). Principal second violin is a unique position within the orchestra in that it is the head of a section (the second violins), but it is also part of a larger section (the violins). When I am principal second, I am constantly working to maintain a balance between supporting the first violins and fearlessly leading the seconds.

My responsibilities as acting concertmaster include certain housekeeping tasks, such as making sure the orchestra tunes. Then there are the behind-the-scenes duties, such as determining what bowings to use. All of the string principals have to do this, but the concertmaster's decisions are copied throughout the strings section for uniformity. And people aren't just looking to me to know which direction to move the bow, they are watching to see what kind of bowstroke I am using, when to start or end a note, which string I am playing on, even what kind of vibrato I am using. It is also my responsibility to make sure that everyone is, in fact, paying attention to all of these details. And occasionally, I must emerge from the section to play a solo.

As principal second, I also have the (very) occasional solo, but I keep a lower profile in general. My role is to confirm everything the concertmaster is doing and to provide grounding for the stratospheric first violin lines. The big challenge is to know when to break away from the firsts and become an independent section. When I study a score in preparation for being principal second, I pay close attention to the ever-changing relationship between the first and second violins. Are we playing the same thing? Do we enter a measure before them? Is this an inner-voice (violas and second violins) figuration? Are the second violins the lead voice here? This is why, when I am principal second, you will see my eyes darting around from concertmaster to conductor to the other string principals. And sometimes to my music.

When did you first become interested in music?

I became obsessed with the idea of playing the violin at the age of 5. I went to a concert that featured a violin soloist and it stirred something in me that hasn't gone away since. I do love music, but I can't really see myself playing a different instrument. I've always felt a special connection with the violin.

What pieces or composers do you find most inspiring?

I think I am most inspired by music of great clarity (Bach cello suites, Schubert Symphony No. 5, Stravinsky L'histoire du Soldat) and music which sounds natural and improvised (Mahler symphonies, Bartok string quartets). And I will be eternally fascinated by the string quartets of Beethoven, which sound absolutely divine yet so utterly human.

What do you enjoy doing besides playing music?

I love riding my bike around town. I even ride to rehearsals when the weather is nice! I also love to write, so I am trying to nurture that hobby by reading a lot and keeping a blog. I recently started a container garden outside my Carytown apartment, which is something I've always wanted to do. And, of course, I love to cook. My favorite kitchen projects are things which you might not think of making at home such as peanut butter, ricotta cheese, clarified butter, bread, alfalfa sprouts and lattes. Speaking of which, if I'm not at home or at work, you can find me sipping coffee at Lamplighter Roasting Company.

“This Missa’s a Mutha” – Robert Shaw

2011-05-17T11:31:00.001-04:00

I’m eagerly (and anxiously) anticipating our final Masterworks concert of the 10-11 season, featuring the Richmond Symphony and Chorus in a rare performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. I have been interested in (okay, obsessed with) Beethoven’s monumental Missa since I first heard it at the age of 18. I was a freshman at Northwestern, and I thought I would buy myself a ticket to go hear the Chicago Symphony and George Solti do some Beethoven.

Here’s my great confession: I walked away from that performance a bit confused. It was a powerful 90 minutes, that’s for sure, but I didn’t really “get it,” and I wanted to know why! It was only a few years later that the piece clicked.

What made the difference, you ask?

Beethoven.

You see, I came to Northwestern knowing a lot about choral music. I had sung many of the masterpieces of the symphonic-choral repertoire – even Mahler’s Symphony of 1,000! But, I had never really heard a Beethoven Symphony, a Beethoven Violin Concerto, a Beethoven String Quartet, or Fidelio. Once I heard all these individually, then listened to the Missa again, I finally “got it!” In the Missa Solemnis, Beethoven put everything he had – psychologically, spiritually, and musically.

It’s difficult to describe how his soul appears in this music – that’s more easily felt in a live performance. But, I can at least try to prepare you for some of what you will hear musically.

You’ll hear a master orchestrator – one for whom the woodwinds were just as important as the ever -present strings.
The opening of his Seventh Symphony, for example, features full orchestral chords, followed by lyrical woodwind solos.

You’ll hear a lover of the dramatic potential and lyrical vocalism inherent in opera.
Listen to these two excerpts from Fidelio - the passion of the first and the long, vocal lines of the second appear throughout the Missa Solemnis.

Duet: “O namenlose Freude”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g-mW8E8RbM&feature=related

Prisoners Chorus: (which you heard in the January Masterworks)

You’ll hear the compositional skill of a technical genius in the many (many!) fugues.
In a nod to the Baroque genius Bach, Beethoven takes the fugue to new heights. (A fugue is a complex round or canon – like “Row Row Row Your Boat” with a PhD). His most famous fugues can be found in his string quartets, like this one:

Opus 59, #3 – last movement:

You’ll hear a concerto composer who could get into the soul of a soloist.
Here’s the second movement of his Violin Concerto, which opens our 2011-2012 Masterworks season, and which also has a kinship to the Benedictus movement of the Missa Solemnis.

These are but a few of the many examples of how the Missa Solemnis encapsulates the powerful, emotional, and intricate voice of Ludwig van Beethoven.

We here at the Richmond Symphony always feel humbled and honored to be able to delve into the music of Beethoven, whether it’s his first symphony or his final mass. And, it is a truly a privilege to share that experience with you - the listener. I hope this blog post helps you get in the musical mindset of this genius. We look forward to seeing you at the concerts on May 21st and May 22nd. Remember to come early for the pre-concert discussion, where we’ll tie all this together and explore why Robert Shaw called this piece one “Mutha” of a “Missa.”

See you at CenterStage!

Erin
Associate Conductor and James Erb Choral Chair

2011-04-19T12:35:00.002-04:00

Tai Murray, Violinist

Looking for something fun and exciting to do on the weekend of April 30? Acclaimed as "superb" by The New York Times, (twenty-eight year old) violinist Tai Murray will be performing with the Richmond Symphony on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.

Murray is a rising young star within the world of classical music, and only in her early 20s, she has already been rising for over a decade. Known for her beautiful, mature phrasing and graceful bow work, Murray has received critical acclaim from coast to coast. She has also drawn attention as one of the few African-American musicians involved in classical music.

Murray first asked to play the violin when she was just two years old. Finally, just before her fifth birthday, Murray received her first violin. She began to take lessons at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music in Chicago "because I wanted to," she told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I started asking at a younger age, but my mother thought I should wait until I was older. I've always been drawn to music."

Despite her intense practice and performance schedule, Murray finds time to enjoy life. She loves dance, both as an observer and a participant, including tango, salsa, ballet, swing, and modern. She also likes to read, knit, and spend time with her friends. In an interview with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, she described a typical day: "I like to get in two or three hours of practicing as soon as I get out of bed.… Late afternoon I might take a walk or read a book. I'm a bit of a night owl so after dinner…I like to practice into the wee hours of the morning." Her advice to young musicians: "Practice makes perfect, and quality over quantity."

Check out Tai Murray's Barber Concerto Presto:

Find more Tai Murray songs at Myspace Music

For ticket information, please call our Patron Services Hot line at 804.788.1212

Why Sing In the Richmond Symphony Chorus?

2011-04-14T15:48:00.000-04:00

This season we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Richmond Symphony Chorus. It's an all-volunteer ensemble that you must audition for...so they're pretty good! Read a couple of reflections from members of the Richmond Symphony Chorus on why they love it!

"Why do I sing with the Symphony Chorus? At least two reasons. First, because I love to wrassle. Emily Dickinson, in a poem set by Elliott Carter that we’ve sung with the Symphony, wrote that “Musicians wrestle everywhere.” I know that’s true here in Richmond; the Chorus is in the Rhythm Hall most Tuesday evenings, grappling with music for upcoming concerts. We are privileged, highly, to learn, polish and perfect compositions that are well-worth the struggle, pieces that repay the hard work many times over. The Richmond Symphony Chorus—a great wrestling squad.

Second, we get absolutely the greatest seats in the house. The Chorus is perched back there over the players’ shoulders, and we see up-close the effort, the physicality, and the tremendous skill that they devote to bringing music from the score, right there, in the moment. And yet quiet moments are some of my most favorite. For many concerts over the past two decades, I’ve sat just behind Jim Jacobson, our superlative timpanist. He commands the most room-shaking instrument, but I love to watch him work during passages when the kettledrums aren’t called upon at all. Timpani must be frequently retuned; the temperature and humidity in the room—the insistent breathing of all those darn singers—are critical and ever-changing factors to which Jim must react. Watch closely, and you’ll see him, bent low over a drum, cheek nearly grazing the surface, tapping the drumhead ever so lightly with his fingertips, listening and tuning, listening and tuning. The contrast between those watchmaker-fine adjustments and the bomb-burst explosions that follow continues to delight me." ~Andrew J. Dolson, Bass

"The joy of singing with the Richmond Symphony Chorus centers around the talented singers and our conductor. It's stirring to hear the other sections polish up their parts in rehearsal. It adds incentive to one's own preparation. Erin's deep understanding of Beethoven's Missa brings great excellence to the process of preparing it. She is helping us merge our goals with those of the composer. It's humbling to be in the presence of such genius, both now and from the 19th Century." ~Bob Blinn, Tenor

Hear the Richmond Symphony Chorus at the Carpenter Theatre in the last concert of the 2010-11 season sing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis on Saturday, May 21 at 8PM or Sunday, May 22 at 3PM.

An Update from Down Under

2011-04-12T10:49:00.003-04:00

In January, musician Mary Bowden was ecstatic to announce that she had won a position with the “Youtube Symphony” and would be going to Sydney, Australia in March to perform with Michael Tilson Thomas. We were eager to catch up with her and get an update from down under!

"Last month, I had the opportunity to perform with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The live streamed Grand Finale was the largest stream ever on YouTube-the previous leader was U2 live on YouTube. Here you can see the concert as well as clips from the week and interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/user/symphony

Musicians from 33 different countries came together for this week in Sydney, some even taking leave from their current orchestra jobs for a week. The orchestra was a very high level, and rehearsals were intense and often all day. I performed in two ensemble concerts during the week as. You can read my longer story on my blog:

http://marybowdentrumpet.blogspot.com/2011/04/australia-2011.html

I'm really happy that this event generated a lot of excitement for classical music. The orchestra got a lot of exposure and I hope that it sparks the interest of some people who may not have paid attention to orchestras before."

Trust, Respect and Engagement

2011-03-25T14:21:00.001-04:00

A Harmonious Experience

Kelly Hart, Intern at the Richmond Symphony

Sometimes getting along with your coworkers can be a grueling task. Following orders from a totalitarian leader who doesn't care about you is beyond frustrating. Working with people who get by with the skin of their teeth is enough to make you go insane. Why do so many organizations have these problems in the first place? It's always easy to point the finger and place the blame, but a chunk of the problem is missing the big picture. The view from the top is significantly different from the office cubical.

So the real question is, how do we see the big picture and create a more pleasant work environment?

The Music Paradigm, a nationally known workshop program initiated by conductor Roger Nierenberg, is a truly unique, interactive professional and leadership development opportunity that can benefit professionals from any field. The dynamics of a symphony orchestra are used to bring a variety of workplace issues to life.

On Tuesday March 22, participants were able to sit among the musicians of the Richmond Symphony onstage at the Carpenter Theatre.

As a previous musician and current intern with the Richmond Symphony, I was able to sit back and watch as the audience members experienced the power music has to offer. In my adolescence I played numerous instruments including the guitar, piano and clarinet. Of all the instruments, my passion was the clarinet and I played it for ten years. When I graduated high school and moved on to VCU, my clarinet stayed at home and collected dust. It wasn't until three months ago, when I started interning with the Richmond Symphony, that I realized how much I missed playing music.

I find that there are a lot of misconceptions about musicians and often a negative stereotype of being "nerdy." But what people don't understand is the intelligence, passion and brilliance that musicians must have to create music. What interested me most about the Music Paradigm was the fact that non-musicians could really witness the creativity and genius it takes to be a musician. From the sidelines, I smiled as the audience members went through exercises to help them understand what being a team player is all about.

One exercise the audience members were asked to do was pick a musician, watch them as they played, and analyze what they were doing. One woman said it was almost as if the instrument was part of the musician; it was a very intimate experience.

Of all the metaphoric examples that were shown, one woman's comment stuck with me the most. In this woman's particular company, their core values are trust, respect and engagement. Listening to the symphony perform together with such ease left her thinking that these three values, which are often put on the back burner, can be used effectively to help an organization build a stronger connection.

Trust:

Can you build a harmonious workplace without trust? The answer is, no.
The Richmond Symphony uses trust to carry each other through when there is no leader (conductor).
As the symphony demonstrated, the musicians were able to perform a piece without a conductor. How did they do this? They trusted each other. The musicians have enough confidence in each other that they are able to lean on one another for support.

Respect:

Leadership is about giving back. If the leader is not respectful of their employees, there is no order.
In the symphony, respect is acknowledged throughout the performance by listening to others and creating one voice.
In order to create one voice, the musicians must be respectful of each others own unique sound.
If there is a problem, approach it with curiosity. Asking questions like, "What is the deal?" or "Why are you messing up?" are not effective ways to get an appropriate answer. Rewording them with curiosity allows the leader and the worker to talk rationally. Examples, "How can I help you fix the problem?" or "I feel that something is off, are you OK?"

Engagement:

I feel that this value is often neglected in the workplace.
Often times, people are so focused on being an individual and receiving praise, they forget how important working as a team is.
To get things done effectively, you must communicate

Creating Harmony in Your Business (The Music Paradigm)

2011-03-25T13:02:00.001-04:00

My Music Paradigm Experience with the Richmond Symphony

Bobbie Barajas
Music Director, WCVE Public Radio

I have attended concerts by and have “conducted” (Celebrity Maestro) the Richmond Symphony. I have hosted live broadcasts by my favorite orchestra. I’m happy to say I’ve even become personal friends with members of the orchestra and its staff. My last symphony wish was to one day sit within the body of the orchestra as they played. On March 22, 2011, my wish came true when I experienced The Music Paradigm with the Richmond Symphony.

What is The Music Paradigm? In a nutshell, it proves what I have always believed; that there are lessons to be learned through music and music makers and that these lessons can be applied to every aspect of our lives including our careers. Conductor Roger Nierenberg, the creator of The Music Paradigm, recognized this too and created a program to help businesses learn to “play” as sweetly as any talented orchestra. The analogies between orchestra and conductor to business staff and managers are tremendous and obvious to all who attended, whether musically inclined or not.

Here’s how it worked. Attendees were invited to sit in designated chairs spread throughout the body of the orchestra. We weren’t sitting along the perimeter of the orchestra; we sat elbow to elbow with musicians. From this vantage point, we could appreciate the skill of the individual. At the encouragement of Maestro Nierenberg, one noticed the skill of each section. You could see the non-verbal communication that takes place between players. It became apparent to the eye and ear that each section took turns supporting the other when the whole of the orchestra made way, for example, for the flutist to take her solo. Most of all, you began to realize that although playing very different parts, the individuality of the players came together in perfect harmony to create the kinds of sounds that can transform the soul. Once you snapped out of the musical trance, you couldn’t help but think of your office. Do we communicate well? Do we reference our managers? Do we support each other and our fellow departments allowing them to shine? Is the work we do as a team transformative to our companies and to the communities we serve?

Standing on the podium leading both orchestra and audience was Roger Nierenberg, who demonstrated different management styles through his craft as a conductor. We all spotted the micro-manager in an instant when Nierenberg conducted each and every beat while exaggerating every accent played by every single player. Annoying! The lackadaisical “there-in-body-only” manager made an appearance and was quickly recognized. Members of the orchestra were asked to comment on the various styles of conducting (managing) and the response to this style was “I just started to ignore you and think about lunch.” It’s easy to laugh about a comment like that in this situation but then you remember why you’re there and wonder “how many of my employees have been thinking about lunch because I wasn’t truly present in a meeting?” Not so funny anymore.

The biggest lesson for me was that a leader should be able to provide their staff with a clear vision of where the team is going, providing guidance when necessary, but otherwise, trusting the team to do the job they were hired to do. In theory, we all know this but when you see it come to life through The Music Paradigm, it’s a whole new ball game.

Other blog posts of interest on The Music Paradigm experience:
John Bryan, President, CultureWorks
http://www.richmondcultureworks.org/Blog/tabid/85/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/160/Paradigm-Shift.aspx

Olga Molnar, Research Manager, Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc.
http://www.businessfirstrichmond.com/blog/leadership-and-the-music-paradigm/

What's A Good Read or Listen? Steven Smith's Recommendations on Books and Recordings

2011-02-24T13:19:00.003-05:00

The Greater Richmond Barnes and Noble store locations will be hosting a bookfair to support the Richmond Symphony this weekend - so if there's that book you've been meaning to buy but haven't had the chance to yet, here's your chance to get it and help your favorite symphony in the process! (To obtain a bookfair voucher or online code, visit the Richmond Symphony's event page: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/events_details.asp?id=164.)

However, if you don't know what to read or listen to next, Music Director Steven Smith gives you a list of his favorite books and recordings to consider:

For music-related books:

The Letters of Mozart
The Memoirs of Hector Berlioz
Life of Beethoven by Alexander Thayer
The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
Big Bangs: Five Musical Revolutions by Howard Goodall

For other favorite books:

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Recordings:

Brahms Symphonies, Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony
Haydn, Symphonies Nos. 92, 94, 96: George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra
Berlioz, Les Troyens; Sir Colin Davis, London Symphony
Dvorak, Symphony No. 7 & 8; Cristoph von Dohnanyi, Cleveland Orchestra
Money Jungle; Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Max Roach
Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley; Nancy Wislon, Cannonball Adderley
Nonesuch Explorer Series; Bali - Gamelan and Kecak
Graceland; Paul Simon

Don't miss your chance to meet Music Director Steven Smith and Richmond Symphony musicians at the Brandermill Barnes & Noble location! Try out an instrument for yourself at our instrument petting zoo as well!

Behind the Sound: Creating Music Made For You

Friday, February 25 - 7 PM
Barnes & Noble - Brandermill Store
Richmond Symphony Music Director Steven Smith will speak on his position as Music Director and his vision for the Richmond Symphony. He will be available after the talk to meet and interact with the audience.

Richmond Symphony Comes to Barnes & Noble
Saturday, February 26 - 10:00 AM - 3 PM
Barnes & Noble - Brandermill Store

The Richmond Symphony Woodwind Quintet will perform at Barnes & Noble, starting at 10 AM and 11 AM. The Richmond Symphony Instrument Petting Zoo will also be set up in the children's area of Barnes & Noble from 12-3 PM. Children of all ages will be able to see and handle a variety of musical instruments! Don't miss this opportunity to see the Richmond Symphony out in your community!

Erin's Love of Francis Poulenc: A Preview of This Weekend's Metro Collection Reflections

2011-02-22T13:22:00.000-05:00

Francis Poulenc – French Composer, 1899-1963

Okay – I’ll say it. I love Francis Poulenc. Sure, he’s been criticized. Some have found his music to be too campy. After all, his uncle was involved in the Parisian theatre and apparently exposed him to “less prim manifestations” of that life. (Can you say “Can-Can”?) *** Others have compared him to his immediate predecessors Debussy and Ravel. (How can you not pale in comparison to such stalwarts of turn-of-the-century French music?) Still more have considered his music simply too simple. Poulenc was not known for complex harmonic transitions or subtlety of orchestral color – qualities you might find in the music of Richard Strauss or Gustav Mahler. When he wanted to change the mood, well…he just changed it.

I however, find Poulenc’s music energetic (not campy), uniquely colorful (not impressionistic, per say, but certainly inspired by the myriad of colors that Ravel and Debussy cultivated), and refreshingly straight forward.

I’m also quite inspired by its variety.

This composer – who hung with a band of French composers known as Les Six (including Honneger and Milhaud) – started as a “mom-taught” pianist. Much of his music reflects this first exposure to music. Here is his Mouvements Perpétuels, the first by Poulenc I ever played - or heard, come to think of it. Listen to the quick change of mood around 1:43; the rhythmic, pianistic accompaniment throughout; the uncomplicated bits of melody; and at 3:12 the joyous conclusion with startling but unpretentious juxtapositions of character. Is this humor or naiveté?

Poulenc also had a great love for woodwind instruments, and is responsible for torturing, er…I mean inspiring, countless oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and flute players. Here’s the Clarinet sonata. Again – several fast changes of character, dynamics, key, and range.

Early on in his career, he experienced a spiritual awakening and began to find inspiration in the music of the church, specifically the a cappella music of the middle ages and the Renaissance. This is one of my all time favorite choral works – Poulenc’s O Magnum Mysterium. No campiness, no pianistic accompaniment, no fast melismas (runs). Still, even in the beautiful, chant-inspired lines, you will hear quick changes of phrase and mood. Here, these changes of mood aren’t merely composed on whim - they help highlight and clarify the text.

And, he had an affinity for theatre music. (One writer I read called his theatre music “absurd.” Okay…I won’t disagree, but there’s really nothing wrong with absurd, right?) Here’s a film of La voix humaine: a “40-minute solo scena, one side of the telephone conversation between a young woman and the lover who is abandoning her.” Here, his ability to change mood in an instant helps him portray the despair and emotional imbalance of the main character.

Of course, one thing that makes his music so brilliant is his ability to combine all of these styles. The Gloria, for example, is a sacred piece with elements of the Moulin Rouge, tied together with a pianistic-style chordal accompaniment and inspired woodwind writing. Here’s the Laudamus Te:

All of this styling can be found in his Sinfonietta, which we’re performing this Friday at Bon Air Baptist, Saturday in Staunton, and Sunday at Randolph Macon.

No YouTubes for the Sinfonietta – you’ll just have to come hear it.

*** my quotations come from the amazingly useful New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, a 20 volume set of academic articles on music. Consider buying it for the music lover in your life!

...and a word from one of our sponsors, The Cordial Cricket!

2011-02-15T16:16:00.001-05:00

What a pleasure it is to write a guest blog post for the Richmond Symphony blog. My name is Elizabeth Howard and I am the owner of retail boutique, The Cordial Cricket, located in Chester, Virginia. Our boutique specializes in custom invitations, stationery and unique gifts for children and adults. We are proud to partner with the Richmond Symphony to sponsor their upcoming LolliPops Concert Green Eggs & Ham on Saturday, February 19th.

In addition to operating a retail store, I also work as a trained etiquette consultant with people and groups of all ages. It works very much in tandem with what we offer at the store since etiquette plays an important role in the proper use of invitations and stationery. We are delighted to share an important etiquette skill with the children and families who attend the upcoming Green Eggs & Ham concert during the pre-concert festival activities. Making sure that children know the idea and concepts behind writing a proper thank you note is something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Please be sure to stop by our booth during the pre-concert festival for a fun thank you note primer for your kids, a thank you note activity they can complete and of course a treat! Kids and adults alike can even write a short thank you to the Richmond Symphony musicians to share their appreciation of the concert and festival fun!

As a local independent business owner, it is very important to us to partner with other local organizations that have a positive impact on our community. We are pleased to be a part of this great event for families, and look forward to partnering with the Richmond Symphony during future events. If you would like to know more about our store or etiquette consulting for your organization, school or group please visit our pre-concert festival booth for more information. See you at Green Eggs & Ham!

Elizabeth Howard
The Cordial Cricket
http://www.thecordialcricket.com/

Musician Profile: Ann Choomack, Piccolo

2011-01-27T11:24:00.001-05:00

Ann Choomack, Piccolo Soloist for this weekend's Metro Collection concert

Describe yourself in five words.
Silly, shy, competitive, animal lover

What’s the first song you ever remember hearing?
Take Me Home Country Roads written by John Denver, sung by my Dad

If you could only play one composition for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh how awful! There is so much great music out there to pick just one! But I suppose if I had to pick one it would the Partita in A minor by J.S. Bach.

What do you enjoy most when not performing music?
I enjoy eating (and occasionally cooking) good food with good friends.

Which composer (dead or alive) would you like to have dinner with?
I would like to have dinner with my old friend and wonderful composer Matt Fuerst. It’s so inspiring to be around people actively creating new music.

Currently, what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a musician?
At the moment, I seem to be most drawn to music that has lush harmonies.

Which composer (dead or alive) do you believe deserves more recognition for their achievements?
I think that the music of Erwin Schulhoff deserves more recognition. He wrote such interesting collections of instruments, including the piccolo, which do not get nearly enough attention!

As a faculty member at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro and maintain a private teaching studio, what inspires you to help foster music talents?
What inspires me about teaching is that moment of realization when a student “gets it”. After a period of really hard work, everything comes together and they can really feel the difference. That feeling of accomplishment is so exciting and I feel lucky to be a part of that experience.

Musician Profile: Mary Bowden, Trumpet

2011-01-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

Mary Bowden, Trumpet

Describe yourself in four words.
Motivated, goofy, quirky, tall

When did you first become interested in music?
My two older brothers played horn and trombone, so when I was 10, I decided to join band and picked the cornet so we could have a brass trio. We had a wonderful first teacher, Tim Jones. He would spend hours at our house every Saturday and took us to many Chicago Symphony concerts, brass concerts, and master classes. We were very lucky. I left school in the middle of 8th grade to attend community college and I had a lot of time to practice since I made my own schedule. During this time, I studied with Kari Lee-it was very inspirational to study with a driven talented woman trumpeter. She encouraged me to work on pieces that I at first thought were too challenging and really pushed me to improve. I played in Chicago Youth Symphony before attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Describe your favorite concert with the RSO:
During my first season when I was acting second, we performed one of my favorite pieces of all time, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. It was a very exciting performance, and also special because Sarah Hatsuko Hicks conducted (I’ve know her since 2000 when she was conducting the Curtis Orchestra!)

What artists influence your work?
To me, sound quality is the most important aspect of a trumpeter. My teacher, David Bilger, at the Curtis Institute of Music and principal trumpeter of Philadelphia Orchestra, has a very beautiful refined tone. Not only does he sound amazing in orchestra, but his solo work is inspiring too. I also played for Swedish trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger, one of my favorite trumpeters this past summer. I’ve grown up listening to his recordings, and playing for him was very stressful because of this, but I learned so much from him. Other favorite trumpeters are Allan Dean (my teacher at Yale University), Chet Baker, and Giuliano Sommerhalder. Ok, enough about trumpet! I don’t JUST listen to trumpeters-I’m also a huge opera fan. I feel that I am always trying to imitate the voice through the trumpet (strange to try to do this through a piece of metal!) I love Birgit Nilsson, Maria Callas, and Karita Mattila. Regina Spektor, Radiohead, Wilhelm Kempff, and David Bowie are also favorites on my ipod.

Playing for Hakan Hardenberger in a masterclass at Chosen Vale Trumpet Seminar, Summer 2010

What piece of music do you find most inspiring?

I love Mahler Symphony No. 9 - really any Mahler Symphony. While performing in Switzerland with the Lucerne Festival Academy this past summer, I was fortunate to hear a live performance of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado. It is amazing when 100% of the orchestra are giving their all for a concert. At the end, Abbado was silent, and the audience was silent for a good 15 seconds. Such a beautiful moment.

Describe something interesting that happened to you recently.

I recently won a position with the “Youtube Symphony” and will be going to Sydney, Australia in March for performances with Michael Tilson Thomas. The audition process what much different than a real audition-most auditions are done blind-our auditions were posted on the internet for the whole world to see! Then the public was given a chance to vote on their favorites, and the conductor picked the final winners. Here you can see my introduction video:

This is a wonderful tool to promote classical music. The members of the orchestra will be making films along the way before our trip to Sydney, so please feel free to visit my youtube site.

What do you enjoy doing besides playing music?

I am officially a travel addict. Since June, I’ve been all along the east coast, Santa Fe, Banff, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Chicago, Florida, and this coming spring I have big trips planned to Belgium, Amsterdam, and Australia. Of course, the trumpet brings me to those places! I’ve started Bikram yoga, which has really helped with my focus. I also enjoy running, reading, spending time with my family in Chicago, writing, hiking, and spending time with my cat and boyfriend in Naples, Florida.

What inspires you to keep yourself motivated?
I have a lot of goals as a musician, and there are still many pieces I want to perform. I like having projects so I never get bored with music. Since I am third trumpet here in Richmond, I have the flexibility to pursue and solo and chamber career as well. I like that I will never reach a point of satisfaction with the trumpet. There will always be aspects to improve, new music to learn, new ideas…

Performing chamber music at the Marlboro Music Festival

What do you have coming up in the future?
At the end of this month I am traveling to Belgium for a trumpet competition in Antwerp. When I return, I am performing the Haydn Concerto with Richmond Youth Symphony w/Erin Freeman on February 19th at the Carpenter Theater! Please come!

Also visit my website at http://www.marybowden.com/ for more upcoming events!

Mary Bowden with Pierre Boulez at the Lucerne Festival Academy in Switzerland, performing principal trumpet on Mahler 6 and Scriabin's Poem of Ecstasy

Erin Freeman's Preview of "An Evening at the Opera"

2011-01-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Voice and the Orchestra

Sneak preview of "An Evening at the Opera"

By Erin R. Freeman

It's me again, Erin Freeman! I am Associate Conductor and Director of the Richmond Symphony Chorus!

What a unique treat we have with this weekend’s masterworks program – all music inspired by the original instrument – the human voice (again, I’m biased). On the first half, we have Benjamin Britten’s, “Four Sea Interludes” (orchestra only) from the opera Peter Grimes and Maurice Ravel’s Sheherazade* for soprano and orchestra; and after intermission, we’ll perform selections from great operas by Bizet, Beethoven, Verdi, and more!

You will probably recognize much of the second half, with music such as the Triumphal March from Aida (sorry…no elephants), the languid Cigarette Girls Chorus from Carmen, and “Va Pensiero” from Nabucco. Plus, you’ll get to hear one of my favorite all time opera choruses – the Prisoner’s Chorus from Fidelio. Those of you who think Beethoven’s vocal writing is all about shouting as loudly as possible will come away from this stunningly internal portrayal of freedom thinking that maybe Beethoven did know how to write for singers after all! Check out this YouTube of a Metropolitan Opera production from 2000.

As for the first half, you may not be familiar with this music. These are two underplayed but strikingly beautiful and powerful representatives of the orchestral repertoire. In these pieces, there is a lot to which you, your soul, and your intellect can connect. For example….

You will love the Britten “Four Sea Interludes” if you like…

Lush harmonies: Like those in Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams.
Clean lines: Like those found in Britten’s other operas (my favorites are the chamber operas: Albert Herring and Rape of Lucretia)
Big, romantic, fiery, full orchestral sound: As in Strauss’ Don Juan or Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet (boy…the last movement of the Britten will knock your orchestral socks off!)
Storm Scenes: Beethoven Symphony 6 “Pastoral”, Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony, Debussy La Mer
Peaceful moments of inner beauty: The third movement (“Moonlight”) is truly one of the more beautiful pieces for orchestra I’ve heard. It reminds me of the most serene moments of a Mahler symphony – perhaps the choral entrance in his “Resurrection” symphony (no. 2) or moments of simplicity in Kindertotenlieder.
Creative Orchestration: If you love the gratifying orchestral colors in works by Ravel (Daphnis et Chloe, perhaps), you will be enchanted by Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes”.

Guest Artist Kelley Nassief, Soprano

Speaking of Ravel, you may love Scheherazade, if you love:

French Flute Solos: The second movement is basically a duet for Flute and Soprano. Think Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faune with a bit more action.
Pieces for Soprano and Orchestra: Although from different countries, pieces such as Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs and the final movement of Mahler’s 4th symphony have a kinship to this work by Ravel. The soprano is more than just a soloist - she becomes a part of the orchestra.
Impressionist music: Like the Ravel orchestration of the Debussy Sarabande (performed earlier this year on Masterworks 2).
Exotic orchestral colors: During Ravel’s time, there was a fascination with “The East,” a fairly unknown region of the world. This fascination was often misguided and filled with stereotypes, but it led to the inclusion of some harmonies and orchestral colors that were new to “Western” ears at the time. Another example of what is called “Orientalism” is Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, written 5 years before the Ravel. You’ll definitely hear some similarities. (Want to know more about “Orientalism”? Check out the scholar Edward Said.)
Stories related to Sheherazade: Okay – so Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade is an entirely different musical bird, as is Nielsen’s Aladdin, but if you are a folk tale buff and have an affinity for anything related to the stories that kept the King Shahryar from killing his new bride Scheherazade night after night for, well, 1001 Nights, then this piece may be for you! Poetry is by Tristan Klingsor, who lived around the same time as Ravel.
* By the way, Ravel spelled it Sheherazade, while we usually spell the Rimsky-Korsakov version with a C: Scheherazade.

The Nutcracker Suite From The Pit

2010-12-08T16:31:00.002-05:00

The Richmond Ballet's Nutcracker is opening this Friday and the Richmond Symphony provides live orchestral music for the production. For any symphony musician, it seems playing the Nutcracker Suite is par for the course. Here is one perspective about playing the Nutcracker Suite every year during the holiday season from clarinetist Jared Davis:

Playing The Nutcracker every year is bittersweet because it is very rewarding, yet challenging to play at the same time. Tchaikovsky was a master orchestrator, meaning he knew how to use the instruments of the orchestra in various combinations to achieve a sound that is rich, colorful, and unmistakable. Another way to explain it, is that it just feels good to play. Also, he could write a melody that sticks in one's mind forever. Everyone I know can whistle or sing a tune from The Nutcracker! It is rewarding, yet challenging in the sense that there are moments in the music that are very demanding of the musicians. No matter how times I've played it, I always have to practice certain parts leading up to the performances.

As rewarding as it is to play, the phrase "too much of a good thing" applies here just a bit, as we perform the piece at least 12 times every December. During my tenure in the RSO, I've performed it about 72-80 times! Every year after about the 5th show, I find myself looking for ways to make the next seven shows more exciting. I suppose it would help if I could actually see what happens on stage. My position in the orchestra pit is underneath the lip of the stage where seeing any part of the production is impossible. I've yet to see the actual production in all my time here in Richmond! But, I hear it is fabulous!

All in all, it is a wonderful experience. The music is satisfying, the dancers and ballet staff are very easy to work with, and there is great support from the Richmond community. Large audiences fill the Carpenter Theater year after year. This collaboration with the Ballet is great exposure for the Symphony, and I'm happy to be a part of it.

6 Reasons to See Let It Snow!

2010-12-03T15:03:00.001-05:00

6 - It'll get you into the holiday spirit!

5 - There's a chance it might actually snow a little for the concert.

4 - Two awesome groups will be singing and performing outside prior to the concert: the VCU Notochords on Saturday night and TubaChristmas on Sunday afternoon. The VCU Notochords is Virginia Commonwealth University's premiere co-ed a cappella group. TubaChristmas is an all-volunteer ensemble featuring tuba, euphonium, baritone, and other similar low press that performs popular holiday songs - definitely Christmas like you've never heard it before!

3 - You get your own jingle bell to ring during the songs and take home after the concert!

Over 1600 bells were made this week for all of the children coming to Let It Snow!

Here are just a few of the bells that have been made!

2 - You'll get to sing Christmas carols with the Richmond Symphony Chorus and 1500 of your closest friends!

1 - Santa's coming...(why would you want to miss Santa?!)

Top Ten Reasons to Perform Handel’s Messiah Every Year

2010-12-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Every year, the members of the Richmond Symphony Chorus pull out their score to Messiah. These scores are orange, 257 pages long, well worn, and covered with hundreds, if not thousands, of pencil marks. You would think that after so many years of performing Handel’s masterpiece that we would tire of singing the same old notes over and over again. But, alas, we don’t. In fact, it is one of our favorite times of the year. Because we know the piece so well, we get to discover things we’ve never heard before, we get to try new ways of interpreting the work, and we get to revel in the fact that we are an important part of musical history. Below is something I put together for the chorus a few years ago – something to remind them why we do continue this beloved tradition.

-- Erin

Top Ten Reasons to Perform Handel’s Messiah Every Year

10) We have an historic responsibility to do so – to continue the annual performance tradition that began in 1742. That’s 268 consecutive years! That’s even better than Cats!

9) To fulfill the musical and dramatic expectations set-up in the first four movements (The Overture, “Comfort Ye”, “Ev’ry Valley Shall be Exalted”, and “And the Glory of the Lord”). (Come listen to the performance and you’ll see what I mean…These four movements set the stage for the drama that is to come!)

8) This work contains a great variety of musical colors – from melismas (super fast runs) to majestic chords, from renaissance timbres to dramatic, opera-inspired moments. Really – what more could you want?

7) For the message – whatever you interpret that to be.

6) We can. ‘Nuff said.

5) It brings to mind treasured (and often hilarious) memories of previous performances and rehearsals. (Mine? The way the chorus learns those wicked runs in “All We Like Sheep.” Think “Baroque Samba.”)

4) You can do it differently every year – so it’s always new.

3) While it’s as familiar as a favorite sweater, it’s always a challenge, and there’s always something new to find.

2) It’s a physical workout. No need to go to the gym that day. Seriously! If you’re not sweating by the time you get to the Hallelujah Chorus, there’s something wrong!

1) Your favorite place – that moment or movement you can’t wait to sing, and you mourn a bit when it has passed. (Mine? The first measure, because the rest is still to come!)

What is St. John's on Church Hill?

2010-11-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

A few words about the new piece making its premiere at Sunday's Come & Play event in the words of the composer, D.J. Sparr...

The new piece is called “St. John’s on Church Hill” and it is a three-minute long fanfare. The work was inspired by the historical events that took place at the church in the time preceding the American Revolution… most notably the March 23, 1775 speech by Patrick Henry. It begins with long sustaining chords from the large section of strings and harps which is then build upon by the winds. Eventually, the brass come in with a melodic fanfare. This repeats three times getting shorter and more intense with each recapitulation. It is definitely an “American” sounding piece…If one likes Copland or Barber, this will be a good match. When I arrange the other works for come and play, it is really about reducing the parts that are already there to something that is playable by a performer of any level, but in writing this new work, I could actually compose into the music parts that were easy to play but were structural to the piece. For instance, the chord that the strings play is performed by the participants. It uses all open strings, and the melody in the brass is based on notes from all of the open strings. An instrument like the harp will play easy glissandos, but the harp will be tuned to glissandos that are related to the chords structure of the piece. This forms the basis of what the more experienced players will play over, with the fanfare motive and climax.

A glance of what D.J. Sparr sees while composing his pieces...

Special thanks to Erin Freeman, Megan Osborne, Aimee Halbruner, Matt Gold, and Teka Phan for all of their help in this process.

Come & Play: What It's Really Like...

2010-11-18T09:33:00.000-05:00

COME AND PLAY – from the perspective of a member of the crowd

Aaron Ellerbrock

Crowds!! I normally hate them. I mean come on, who doesn’t? I spend my life packed into a little sardine can flying from one end of the world to the other. So why does the fall season, with its promise of one of the biggest crowds I will encounter, make me as giddy and excited as Ralphie of A Christmas Story awaiting his Red Ryder BB Gun? The answer is because of the Richmond Symphony’s annual Come and Play!

I have had the pleasure of playing in this fantastic concert every year since Erin Freeman and the RSO Education Team came up with the concept 4 years ago. I have watched it grow from a huge ensemble its first year to something of epic proportions this year. It is crazy to think that I am playing in an orchestra that is 6, 7, 8 times the size of a normal one. Who gets to do that?

Seeing all the young musicians at Come and Play, helping them tune, maybe even giving them a tip on how to play a certain passage, gives me the opportunity to pay back my debt to all those who inspired me to make music a life long journey. (Thank you, Mrs. Krug and Mrs. Coffey). Listening to the more “mature players” (a much nicer way to refer to us older folks) share stories about how music has shaped their lives fills me with such excitement that the unheard of happens…I can’t wait for the crowd to get even bigger.

I have lived in several cities that are known for their outstanding orchestras; DC, New York, Cincinnati. I have sat mesmerized and totally immersed in the beautiful music they play as my mind draws images that helps the music tell a story. However, I truly believe the Richmond Symphony with its Come and Play has the greatest story ever to be told. It is a story full of energy, mystery, anticipation, love, commitment, and caring. No matter if you are playing in the ensemble or participating as a listener you can’t help but be drawn into the story. And the great thing is: it is always a happy ending.

Playing in this ensemble has given me so much. I think the most important thing is that I feel a true sense of community. Each year I become more a part of Richmond, of music education, and of feeling pride in one of our city’s greatest treasures, the Richmond Symphony. So bring on the crowds! May they continue to grow every year. Let’s fill the Siegel Center to capacity and make history as Dr. Freeman conducts the largest orchestra the world has ever seen! Who knows, maybe next year we can play something from The Music Man and actually have 76 trombones! OK…now I must sign off as the airline tries to figure out how to fit 175 passengers onto a 160 seat plane. Crowds!!!!!

A Youth Orchestra Student Reflects on Side-by-Side

2010-11-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

This week is an exciting one for our education department. In addition to the now 4^thannual Come and Play, we also have our Side by Side concert, where the students in our top youth orchestra play with the Richmond Symphony. The concert is Friday night at 7pm at the glorious CenterStage, and it’s FREE! You should definitely check out this concert and be inspired by the talented kids
of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. The concert, however, just the tip of the iceburg for this project. All fall, the students have worked intensively with the orchestra members, learning their music and the tricks of the trade.

Our principal flutist, Hannah, has been involved in this event for several years running. Here are her thoughts:

Many RSYO students are interested in pursuing music as a career. Playing Side-by-Side with the Richmond Symphony players gives us a taste of life in a professional orchestra. We are exposed to the level of mature musicianship that inspires us to improve our technique and artistry. The symphony players take this concert just a seriously as they would any other, and demonstrate appropriate conduct both in full orchestra and sectional rehearsals that inspires us to do the same. We are able to tackle more challenging repertoire for this concert since we are doubling parts with the symphony players. Through the challenge, the students are introduced to new musical concepts that are improved upon through the rehearsal process. While the final product may not be perfect, since the symphony players are supporting us, we are confident in our performance. Many of the symphony players serve as private teachers for RSYO students, and playing alongside them offers a new set of challenges and rewards. For those who do not study privately with the symphony members, the rehearsals present the opportunity to develop relationships with them who help shape us as musicians through this concert. I have been influenced most by the three women in the flute section. They have supported me during my years in RSYO and have encouraged me to continue growing not only as a solo artist, but also as a strong member of the orchestra. They have given me
direct advice about leadership in an orchestra and their presence has motivated me to become a better principal player. Being surrounded by the rich fullness of an orchestra double the size of what we are normally a part of is a privilege I look forward to every year. It is rare for a youth orchestra to have the opportunity to rehearse and perform as one with a professional orchestra.

Latest Adventure of Ludwig van Beethoven

2010-11-12T10:13:00.011-05:00

We've been sending Mr. Beethoven to all sorts of events in hopes the he will entice folks for the 2010 Transformation Campaign. The goal is to attract 2,010 new supporters to the Symphony during the 2010-11 season, including new subscribers, new individual donors and new business support.
Here is the latest photo from Mr. Beethoven!

In other news....Richmond Symphony was featured in a couple of news stories this week.

One in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about our concert tomorrow, Jefferson, In His Own Words, and the commission of that title piece. Other pieces that will be performed this Saturday (8pm) and Sunday (3pm) will be Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 2 featuring principal cellist Neal Cary, and Dvorak's Symphony No. 6. Read the article here.

The other in Style Weekly on our departing concertmaster Karen Johnson, who is off to a new position next year as a member in the President's Own Marine band. Definitely a very exciting opportunity for her. She speaks with Don Harrison about her experiences as concertmaster. This weekend's concerts will be one of the last times you will be able to see her as concertmaster in Richmond. Read the article here.

Halloween's a-Brewing!

2010-10-29T14:46:00.021-04:00

Ready to see the Richmond Symphony musicians in costume? First, here's a little context...

Tomorrow we have our first Union First Market Bank LolliPops concert, Phantoms of the Orchestra. Appropriately themed since it's going to be on the day before Halloween. Last year, the LolliPops series debuted with The Composer is Dead at Halloween time. Before all LolliPops concerts, we have a pre-concert festival with educational games and activities, including the instrument petting zoo, where kids can try out different musical instruments. For Halloween, the staff and musicians dress in costume and the kids participate in a costume contest and parade.

It's Hermione from the Harry Potter books!

Oh wait...maybe not...

Who is it?
...
...
If you guessed, Erin R. Freeman, the Richmond Symphony's Associate Conductor, you are absolutely correct!

Harry Potter himself also made an appearance. Check him out giving the violin a test run.

Here is principal cellist Neal Cary playing the triangle, dressed like the DEVIL!

Neal Cary will be one of the featured soloist for our third Altria Masterworks series concert in two weeks, playing Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 2.

I bet we probably couldn't convince him to wear this costume for his cello solo THAT weekend! :)

Here are some other fun costumes from last year's Halloween pre-concert festival! Hope to see you tomorrow in your best costume!

Composer-In-Residence? What's that?

2010-10-26T15:44:00.016-04:00

Meet D.J. Sparr, the Richmond Symphony's Composer-in-Residence

What does the composer-in-residence do for an orchestra?

Most composers’ residences are not in the city where they live, so for my work with the RSO Education and Community Engagement department, this means I write music for some of their ensembles as well as teach a class called “Creative Composition” where students from the youth orchestra program write and perform original works.

I see myself as a liaison between living composers and the Richmond community. Hopefully, working with a composer will become a normal part of the performers’ musical lives…or perhaps the members of the youth orchestras will grow up to become entrepreneurs who will support the creation of new works of art.

A new trend has started where composers also work with the orchestra to do outreach, help program modern works, and even curate a new music series. For instance, our own homegrown phenomenon Mason Bates will be in residence with the Pittsburgh Symphony where he will write two new works for them as well as assist in creating a non-traditional concert series. I hope to move in a direction with future residencies where I can incorporate my background managing an indie record label in Los Angeles as well my experience being-in and running various rock-n-roll bands.

What made you want to be a composer?

Ever since I started playing guitar at age five, I wrote songs. Each week that I learned a new chord, I would write a new song using that chord. (Topical to the month of October, one of my first songs was about a haunted house...) I wrote country music songs from first to fourth grade and in a Beach Boys style from fifth or so through eighth. It all went haywire when I was introduced to the craziness of rock guitar through Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and Frank Zappa. Though those influences lay dormant, the glam still flares up here and there in my own music to this very day.

I went to the Baltimore School for the Arts High School where I studied Jazz (pick-style) guitar and classical music. My parents bought me a Fostex X-26 four track recorder and I spent hours and hours a week writing and recording songs in my room, such as “The Martians are Coming” and “Pretzels on the Floor” which guest starred my sister. (The influence for the latter song was about pretzels which had fallen on the floor of my basement, but I do not have a recollection of greeting any Martians at that time.)

During the summers, I attended The Walden School and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. This was integral in becoming a composer because they were the first places that I wrote and heard music I wrote for instruments other than the guitar.

I had always wanted to go to college for music, and over the course of high school, I made the decision to apply for music school for composition rather than guitar. This led to the Eastman School of Music and graduate school at the University of Michigan.

All of this can be summed up by saying that I always loved to create and perform music with whatever I was learning at the time. I even tried a 12-tone piece once…lucky for all of us that I was no good with that material.

How would you describe your music?

I try to write music that has a lot of beauty and melody… but sometimes it has a bit of an edge. At times, the instruments work like parts of a clock which create an overall texture. At other times, there are long sheen-like sonorities. My favorite music, and I suppose what influences my writing, is baroque music, minimalist (both real and post), the neo-classical works of Stravinsky, and any great song from any musical genre.

I try very hard to write music that will be engaging for the audience of the performers for whom I am writing. A lot of composers have “imaginary listeners” with whom they “consult” while they are composing. (This is similar to Stephen King, who has what he calls the “constant reader.”) I imagine myself sitting in the audience listening to the piece with the audience. If I write something that I think will make people cringe for too long, or be bored… then I cringe and I am bored. If I write something they like, then I will probably like being there with them to hear it! I am not a big fan of working for months and months on something only to sit in a concert-hall full of discomforted people.

This all started with a piece I wrote called “Wrought Hocket.” A lot of the piece involved orchestral blasts followed by long silences. In one performance I attended, an older gentleman in front of me would lean over to his wife and make flatulent noises during the pauses after the tuba played its very loud low notes. I was laughing too, because he was a very funny guy and I still have a child-like sense of humor about many things. I’ll never forget his face when he saw me sit down behind him after I took a bow on stage! It was in that moment in Los Angeles in 1998 that I changed my approach to considering the audience when I write music. It’s not a premise that goes over very well when you talk to some other composers, but…each to his own I suppose.

What are you working on now?

For the RSO, I am in the very last stages (the worst part…proofreading!) of a new work for the Come & Play concert, “St. John’s on Church Hill” which will be performed with upwards of four-hundred amateur musicians performing alongside the symphony on the floor of the VCU basketball stadium on November 21st. Of course, the work is inspired by the famous landmark in Richmond which is near where we just bought our house. I am also working on a piece which will combine the Camerata Strings and the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra. It is based on ideas from parallel universes and weirdly, extra terrestrials. I would write a piece about pretzels again, but since we have two dogs, when they are dropped, they disappear very quickly!

In the electric guitar department, I am playing with Eighth Blackbird at University of Richmond’s Third Practice Festival on November 5th and Steve Mackey’s electric guitar concerto “Deal” in Washington, DC in December. I have two new works being premiered by the Williamsburg Symphonia and the Dayton Philharmonic in the second half of this season. It’s very busy, but busy is good.

On a side note, I’ve never been happier with any collaboration with performers as I am with the Richmond Symphony’s education and community engagement department. I have all of these wild ideas, and they keep helping me figure out how to make them happen.

Thanks for reading this long blog… I am looking forward to sitting with everyone at the concerts.

As an extra treat, here are some audio clips of some of D.J.'s work!
www.djsparr.com/mp3/Sparr_GreenDolphinStreet_BSFA.mp3 (Excerpt from Recital at Baltimore School for the Arts)

www.djsparr.com/mp3/GtrExpt_HDYD_Solo.mp3 (Excerpt of guitar solo from old band)

www.djsparr.com/daccadeccagaffa.htm (DACCA:DECCA:GaFfA)

The Odyssey to Staunton

2010-10-18T12:15:00.009-04:00

Last weekend, we had our second Altria Masterworks concert, Rachmaninoff & Stravinsky. In case you didn't already know, the Richmond Symphony also performs in various concerts around Virginia. So last Friday afternoon, the Richmond Symphony musicians, Operations staff, and Music Director Steven Smith were heading for such a concert in Staunton, Virginia. Here is where the mayhem begins...

"En route, we found that I-64 West was a parking lot as we approached Charlottesville. The buses rerouted around Charlottesville as a lot of the rest of us made it about 2 miles in about 2 hours while others, including Steven, tried to reroute themselves (I take responsibility for making Steven drive about 2 hours out of his way). The buses arrived in Staunton about 10 minutes before the show which was slated to begin at 7:30 pm. I arrived at the school around 7:35 pm. On entering the school, the Ops team were setting the stage and on the phone consulting with musicians still en route. At about 7:40 pm, I walked on stage to begin a pre-concert (the concert was supposed to have already started!). At about 8 pm, I was told that some of our musicians were ready to give an impromptu chamber concert in the lobby. I announced this to the audience and they went into the lobby. In the meantime, we consulted with the rest of the musicians who were present and decided to perform the Debussy Sarabande unconducted. After about 15 – 20 minutes, we were able to get those present on stage and play the Debussy. Then the Brass players agreed to play the Fanfare sans conductor. As they began, Steven walked in the door. In three minutes, Steven gathered himself, grabbed his score and walked on stage to perform a shortened version of Firebird.

We then took a break to reset the stage and allow Steven to change into concert attire and were able to perform the entire Rachmaninoff piano concerto (while the victorious Robert E. Lee football team returned and took over the locker rooms just outside the stage). At the end, there was a standing ovation and only one disgruntled patron (that I know of)."

~Laura Adams, Director of Orchestral Operations

Fantasia Picks Classics, and So Do We

2010-10-11T15:38:00.010-04:00

This weekend, we are having our second Altria Masterworks concert, Rachmaninoff & Stravinsky. To me, this concert is full of amazing symphony classics that are great for newcomers to symphonic music, especially because you've probably already heard this music without even realizing it.

The movie Fantasia was one of those great Disney movies that I remember growing up to. One of the most famous sequences in that movie is probably"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Paul Dukas (see below). This weekend, we are going to be performing the Fanfare from Dukas' last major work, a ballet called La Péri.

The original Fantasia included the extraordinary Igor Stravinsky piece, The Rite of Spring. But Fantasia 2000 concludes with this beautiful animation (see below) to the music of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (1919), which is the piece we will be performing this weekend!

Closing our program is Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 - sometimes considered the hardest piece composed for piano! Eep!

This concert is going to be intense and thrilling and I can't wait to see it myself this weekend. Hope you enjoy these videos and look forward to seeing the orchestra play the strings off their instruments!

~Teka

How Do They Do That?!

2010-10-11T09:21:00.027-04:00

On Saturday, we had the highly anticipated Cirque de la Symphonie performance, and honestly, it was a spectacular visual and auditory adventure! Even though I've seen a Cirque du Soleil show before, the opportunity to see people who can fly around, bend and twist through the air, and perform impressive feats of strength never loses its allure.

I had a chance to sit and chat quickly with Ralph Skiano (clarinet), Ann Choomack (piccolo), and Gustav Highstein (oboe) to see what they thought of it from their perspective. "Cool" and "distracting [from their music in front of them]" were the two words most used by them. Gus commented as well that it was probably the most enjoyable for him as a musician, because they were still able to perform orchestral works and share that music with the audience in partnership with such a cool visual component.

Erin R. Freeman, Associate Conductor, also told me that it was awesome to see how the music was paired with the visuals. The two gold strongmen were making very slow and deliberate moves while paired to the frantic pace of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. It made you see the music in a new way!

For me, Alexander Streltsov's aerial performance to the music from Star Wars was especially touching. The Red Harlequin mime/juggler (Vladimir Tsarkov) was hilarious -- though I suspect that Music Director Steven Smith was chasing him down for his wallet for quite a while after the concert!

~Teka

A few Richmond Symphony staff reactions:

Danielle Ripperton (Individual Giving Officer): "Simply AMAZING - I was on the edge of my seat the whole time with wonder, awe, amazement and even fright! How on earth does one bend like that?!"

Cheryl Yancey (Richmond Symphony Foundation): "Henry [Cheryl's husband] and I thought they were awesome! Young and old alike were thrilled with the performance."

As well as a few reactions from the concert from the Richmond Symphony's Facebook and Twitter page:

@RVAREGal - Wow! Richmond Symphony Pops concert tonight Cirque de la Symphonie was amazing! Great music & terrific talent from Cirque performers! @RichmondSymph I'm still thinking about how tangled I'd be in all of that fabric if I was agile enough to attempt those moves! :)

@hadarvc wrote a blog about the performance here: http://www.opticality.com/blog/2010/10/10/cirque-de-la-symphonie-at-richmond-centerstage/

@firedancerk8 - @RichmondSymph My mouth was literally hanging open for the entire duration of the Gold Guys' performance. WOW!!!!!

Mary Maupai - The performance on Saturday....It was amazing, had not idea the body could do such awe inspiring things.! A performance I will not soon forget! Thank you!

Our next Genworth Financial Symphony Pops concert is Let It Snow! on December 4 & 5. The Contours Featuring Sylvester Potts: Celebrating 50 Years of Motown will be on January 22 and the Music of James Bond will be on March 12.

Cirque is All Around Us!

2010-10-04T14:11:00.007-04:00

Over the last few weeks, I have been noticing that I am seeing a lot of Cirque-like acts on television. It seems like this is a growing trend throughout the country to either include cirque acts in their shows or to implement cirque in their own businesses. Below are a few examples of what I'm talking about:

The Macy's: Stars of Dance segment during the Results show of Dancing with the Stars

Michael Lipari & Ashleigh Dejon, aerialists from the Wild Card Show of America's Got Talent

Aerial Bartenders on "My Fair Wedding with David Tutera"

As our first Genworth Financial Symphony Pops concert, Cirque de la Symphonie approaches, I think to myself, I can't wait to be able to actually see some aerialists fly right around in the Carpenter Theatre. Definitely an exciting performance to see and bring to Richmond. Hope to see you there on Saturday too!

~Teka

Goochland - What's In a Name?

2010-09-28T15:04:00.008-04:00

Although the Richmond Symphony has the beautiful Carpenter Theatre at CenterStage to call home for most of its concerts, keeping in touch with our neighbors outside of the City of Richmond is important. One way we do this is through the Metro Collection - a series of concerts that take place in venues across the metro Richmond area.

The first concert of this year's Metro Collection series is coming up this Friday at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Goochland.

Yep, Goochland.

Now, I am not a native to Central Virginia and since moving here three years ago, I have been both fascinated and amused by this county name. To be sure, there are plenty of interesting names around the Richmond region - Chippenham Parkway, Midlothian, Powhite Parkway (pronounced pow-height or po-white? The debate rages on!), and the like. But Goochland has always struck me as the most peculiar.

So, in honor of our first Metro Collection series concert of the season, I decided to find out exactly how Goochland got its strange moniker and share it with all of you.

Turns out that the origin of this unusual name is a man: Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1727-1749. In 1727, Sir Gooch petitioned the House of Burgesses to create a new county named to honor himself - and thus Goochland was born.

Naming counties, towns - even states after oneself wasn't unusual in the Colonial period. In fact, Sir Gooch eventually married Rebecca Staunton who - you guessed it - had her own city named after her: Staunton, Virignia.

Hope to see you all in Sir Gooch's former stomping grounds this Friday, October 1 for the Metro Collection Series concert!

~Kathryn

home sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com

40 years and going strong!

2010-09-17T15:12:00.005-04:00

The experience of the Richmond Symphony would not be complete without our wonderful chorus. This chorus is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Yes, in 1971, a young man named James Erb prepared the first ever chorus of the Richmond Symphony to sing Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis under the direction of the great conductor Robert Shaw. You’ll have to come back in May to experience our recreation of that event on our 8th Masterworks concert.

Each and every member of the Richmond Symphony Chorus is a volunteer. During the day, they are teachers, lawyers, managers, entrepreneurs, and more! According to our calculations, each singer donates about 55 rehearsals or performances a year. At 2.5 hours per rehearsal, that’s 137.5 hours per year (not including at-home study time, driving time, or the chorus parties!). Times that by an average of 130 singers per year, and that’s 17,875 hours of donated time per year. Times THAT by 40years, and you get 715,000 hours of donated time!

On Sept 25th as the chorus walks on stage to perform Beethoven's 9th, they will be joining forces with the orchestra to celebrate a wonderful 40 years of collaborative and mutual love of music. Here's a quick slideshow of some of the wonderful members of the chorus on and off stage. Congrats folks on 40 wonderful years!

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com

Ode To Joy!

2010-09-16T10:41:00.011-04:00

The Richmond Symphony's season-opening concert will feature Beethoven's 9th and its big hit! Ode To Joy is one of the most iconic orchestral and choral pieces of all time. This composition has become one of the most recognizable pieces of music of all time! We could go on and on as to why, but in order to grasp the scope of how important a piece this is we thought we'd let you see its many uses in our lives throughout the years.

Enjoy!

John McClane is no stranger to this piece of music

Road to Joy!

meep meep

Beethoven's Wineth?

At the forefront of technology

Ed, Edd, and Eddy!

This one's just too cute to not put up!

Come catch this epic piece performed live by our fantastic orchestra and chorus on Sept 25th and 26th only!!!

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

Sonic Panoply

2010-09-16T10:19:00.014-04:00

son·ic /ˈsɒnɪk/ [son-ik]
–adjective
1. of or pertaining to sound.

pan·o·ply /ˈpænəpli/
[pan-uh-plee]
–noun, plural -plies.
1. a wide-ranging and impressive array or display: the dazzling panoply of the maharaja's procession; the panoply of European history.
2. a complete suit of armor.

Mason Bates is a river-city native and is coming back to town for the world premier of his latest orchestral creation, Sonic Panoply!

Mason has received praises from all over the country on his blending of orchestral and electronica music. For the opening concert on Sept 25, 2010 Mason has composed a brand new piece that will be heard for the first time by a full orchestra. We asked Mason to share some of this thoughts on this project.

"What's it like creating a piece for the orchestra that ignited my passion for the orchestra as a kid? It's like having your hair set on fire. Inspiration was not playing coy: instantly I had a panoply of ideas hit me. So I christened the piece Sonic Panoply, attracted to the word's two definitions of 'magnificent abundance' and 'ceremonial armor.' And now we have a piece - can't wait to hear it!"

Y-E-S!! We can’t wait to hear it either Mason! See you in a few weeks as we kick open our season with this world premier!

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

Violin time!

2010-09-09T12:32:00.013-04:00

Here's a little info about our fun friend, the violin.

Did you know:

The violin was officially designed by Andrea Amati, an Italian lute maker. Amati was asked to build the violin as a lighter alternative to the lyre. Then along came Antonio Stradivari! He is responsible for creating possibly the best violin in the world, aptly named the Stradivarius. Since all this was happening in the mid 1500s there are no photos of Mr. Stradivari. Regardless, his work on his creation has lasted over 500 years! Many classical musicians prefer to play these violins still!

Here's Antonio hard at work!

Moving forward to today though, modern violins are still being made all the time. The average violin is made of either spruce or maple and consists of about 70 pieces of wood! The Richmond Symphony uses several violins in all of our concerts including 96 violins at last season's "Come and Play" concert. That means at one time we had 384 strings being plucked and bowed! And that's just the violins. That's a lot of strings!!

We've had some pretty amazing violinists come through and perform with us too. For example, last season we were honored to have Gil Shaham perform with the orchestra. Mr. Shaham performs all over the world and we were so glad to have him as a part of our season. Check out this clip to see the master at work.

The season starts in 16 days. Come check out our violin section and see what 500 years worth of work has lead to right here in Richmond, VA

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

Meet Erin R. Freeman

2010-09-07T09:46:00.010-04:00

Hi! I’m Erin, and I’m the Associate Conductor of the Richmond Symphony!

Generally, my job is to conduct a lot of concerts with the Richmond Symphony, lead the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, and conduct and prepare the Richmond Symphony Chorus. Also, I spend a lot of my time sitting in rehearsals, watching and listening while the music director conducts. Officially, I’m “covering” – waiting for that moment when the conductor on the podium gets sick and I have to dramatically step in and save the day. (I like Steven, however, so I would never wish him unwell.)

Our recent production of Beethoven Lives Upstairs – part of our 2009-2010 Lollipops series. This year, we kick off the series with “Phantoms of the Orchestra.”

But, enough of what I do while I’m at CenterStage. You can just come to a concert and check it out in person! Here’s what I do in my off time:

I study – According to one teacher I had, it takes one hour of study time to learn one minute of music – and that’s if the music is straight forward, has no solo part, and doesn’t have words to learn. So, a typical Beethoven symphony would take about 40 full hours to learn. A Masterworks concert would take a minimum 90 hours to learn. If you have a 40-minute complex high Romantic or Modern piece (think Strauss or Mahler), add at least 20 hours. If you have text, add 10 – 20 hours depending on the language and number of words, etc.

Me studying Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis for our May 2011 performance. You see my iPhone (it’s never far from my side) and two scores. The small one is mine. The large one is the one Robert Shaw used when he conducted the first performance of the Richmond Symphony Chorus in 1971!

I cook – a lot – for a lot of people. My favorites are spicy sausage and broccoli rabe pasta, salmon with couscous, and anything with Swiss Chard (see below). I particularly enjoy the local produce that is available here in Virginia!

Here’s a dinner I cooked a while ago. Notice: it’s served on a stack of music. (I think that’s Brahms in the orange!)

And… I kick people – no, not the patrons or the musicians – but my fellow practitioners of taekwondo. I workout with the George Washington University club in DC, and I help teach a class here at VCU when I have time. I actually find a lot of similarities between the two arts – conducting and taekwondo, but perhaps I’ll save that for another post. In fact, a paper I wrote on that very idea is about to be published in the University of California at Berkeley Martial Arts Monograph!

Here I am in my other world: doing a flying kick in West Virginia a while back, and in the George Washington University gym celebrating receiving my black belt. (With me are a business woman, a structural engineer, and a lawyer. That’s a scary group!)

So, that’s about all. Now, I’m off to hear some Youth Orchestra auditions and prepare for the second rehearsal of the Symphony Chorus. Oh, and I have to finish that Chicken I’m cooking.

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

All The Single Tickets!

2010-08-30T14:53:00.007-04:00

Beyonce made it a point to talk about Single Ladies, but we need to let you know about Single Tickets. So, put your hands up! We have a pretty amazing season lined up and single tickets are officially on sale!!!

So, if you're looking for a concert or two to consider picking up tickets for check out these links below and grab 'em while they're hot! Get Tickets here!

Beethoven's Ninth - Sept 25 & 26, 2010

Cirque De La Symphonie - Sat Oct 9, 2010

The Music Of James Bond - Sat March 12, 2011
These are just a few examples of the season! Check out the mainpage richmondsymphony.com for more information and a full list of upcoming concerts!

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

...and we have lift off!

2010-08-30T11:13:00.018-04:00

Thank you so much for making our launch a fun event! Sorry if you missed the party, but stay tuned for future RSO All Access events to be announced a bit later! In the meantime, look at the fun we had!

homepage sweet homepage: http://www.richmondsymphony.com

An Introduction

2010-08-18T10:44:00.012-04:00

Welcome to RSO All Access. This is a blog dedicated to the nooks and crannies of life surrounding the Richmond Symphony. Before we get started we want to thank you for stopping by our little portion of this great big digital world. We hope you will find the content of this page to be entertaining and informative. So, thank you for clicking your way here!

Since its founding in 1957, the Richmond Symphony has grown into a vital part of the world of arts and entertainment in central Virginia. This non-profit organization makes over 200 public performances each season and has collaborated with the likes of Itzhak Perlman, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Jeremy Denk, Christopher O'Riley, Gil Shaham, and many others in the past fifty three years.

The Richmond Symphony is about to open its 54th season under the newly appointed leadership of Maestro Steven Smith. We hope you will enjoy this peek into the inner workings of the orchestra and all of the people who work every day to bring the music to you.

Here we go!

homepage sweet homepage- http://www.richmondsymphony.com

There's No Place Like Home!

2010-08-18T10:43:00.006-04:00

We wanted to give you guys a look at our home, Richmond CenterStage. This recently renovated venue is home to several performing arts organizations including the Richmond Symphony. We have asked one of the symphony's oldest friends to give you a tour. So please sit back and enjoy this virtual tour of our lovely home with your tour guide Mr. Ludwig van Beethoven!

homepage sweet homepage- http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

A Letter From Steven Smith

2010-08-10T14:12:00.012-04:00

Can't wait to get to Richmond!

The anticipation is exhilarating since it's been a long time coming. The cross country drive from New Mexico in a few weeks will be a great way to ponder this next step in life's journey.

I've been learning so much about the vibrancy of the arts in Richmond. There is such a buzz of energy about the galleries, museums, schools and the performing arts. It really underlies the interplay and richness of the arts about which I feel very strongly. I'm very excited about the prospects of finding ways to bring artistic expression and the many creative spirits we have in town together in engaging, thought-provoking and entertaining projects.

CenterStage is such a fantastic new hot spot in the downtown scene. It transcends the idea of a single concert hall, encompassing many cool spaces. I want to see CenterStage and its resident organizations, especially the Symphony, send out waves of imagination and creativity from our core throughout the region. Being a part of First Fridays expanding east is a great step. but beyond that, I hope that those of us that work and play there can harness the energy and enthusiasm we have and unite with others to collectively dream of new possibilities.

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on..." as ol' Bill Shakespeare says in "The Tempest." It is a thought that at once captures life's fleeting nature and the hopefulness for making the most of it all the time. Composers from Tchaikovsky to Duke Ellington to Sting have been inspired by these thoughts. Connections like that between literature, visual arts, drama and music are the possibilities we can dream on.

What a fantastic place to be! See y'all soon...

homepage sweet homepage- http://www.richmondsymphony.com/

Meet The Bloggers

2010-08-05T16:49:00.032-04:00

Hi,

We thought we'd take a moment to say hello and introduce ourselves. We look forward to updating this page as often as possible.

Hi, I’m Kathryn. Why do I love working at the Richmond Symphony? Because it has allowed me to parlay my nearly 20 years as a full-fledged band geek into a full time career. I work in the Advancement and Patron Communications department as a fundraiser. Outside of the symphony I’m a defunct flutist, a wanna-be runner, and can’t live without a daily dose of Dave Matthews Band.

Hi-ya! Teka here. I work in the Advancement and Patron Communications department, mostly with marketing, where I get to create/edit cool ads and brochures for you all to see and hear. I especially like eating yummy foods and browsing quaint little markets and events around town. Sound effects are also fun – meep meep!

Name's Prabir. I like electric guitars and things that go real fast! I work in the Operations department where I get to combine my nerdy passion of planning with my even nerdier passion for chord progressions.

Hi! I’m Katie and I am the Assistant Director for Patron Services. I have been with the symphony for 11 years and handle all things TICKETS! In my free time I chase around my 2 year old daughter

homepage sweet homepage- http://www.richmondsymphony.com/