Week of Events
Experimental Instruments In Negrón Premiere
Angélica Negrón is a Puerto Rican composer and performer who works with experimental instruments. During the world premiere of some new songs by Negrón, at the Kaufmann Music Center on Jan. 18, she will use “playable sculptures” co-created by botanical artist Sophie Parker. https://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/angelica-negron-sophie-parker/
Joseph Bologne Featured In Indy
Two works by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St-Georges, will be on the Jan. 19-20 program by the Indianapolis Symphony. In an arrangement by Derek Bermel, clarinetist Anthony McGill will play the Chevalier’s Violin Concerto, and soprano Sonya Headlam will sing an aria from L’amant anonyme. With Jeannette Sorrell conducting, the program also includes several works […]
Trio of World Premiere Mini-Operas
On Jan. 19, the Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative will perform the world premieres of three 20-minute operas by paired teams of young composers and librettists and performed by young artists in this mentorship program’s 11th year. A chamber orchestra made up of musicians from the WNO Orchestra will accompany. https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2023-2024/aoi-20-minute-operas/
‘Touch’ Tells Helen Keller Story
The inspiring story of Helen Keller’s life will be told in the world premiere of Touch at Opera Birmingham on Jan. 19-21. Carla Lucero is the composer as well as co-librettist along with Marianna Mott Newirth. https://www.operabirmingham.org/touch
New Work Rejoices In Immigrants
A new work by Rob Kapilow, called We Came to America, will receive its world premiere with the New Jersey Symphony, featuring the JCC Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer, Young People’s Chorus of New York City, and Ember Choral Arts. Music director Xian Zhang will also conduct William Grant Still’s Darker America and two pieces […]
World Premiere Of ‘Anne Frank’s Tree’
Victoria Bond has written a new work called Anne Frank’s Tree, which will receive its world premiere on Jan. 20. The Indianapolis Chamber Music program called Silenced Voices will also include some music banned by the Nazis by Korngold and Franz Schreker. Julian Rhee is the soloist for the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. https://www.icomusic.org/concerts/silenced-voices/
Songs Celebrate Asian-American Women
As a special production on Jan. 20, Piedmont Opera will offer a program called Girls of Yellow Diamonds. This song recital, hosted and largely composed by Alice Chung and Helen Huang, celebrates Asian-American women. https://www.piedmontopera.org/calendar
Aaron Diehl Brings Jazz to SLSO
During the 20th century, jazz and classical music were blended into some exceptional creations. Several of those will be on display from the St. Louis Symphony and conductor Leonard Slatkin on Jan. 21. The program opens with Paul Turok’s tribute to a pioneer of jazz/classical crossover, A Joplin Overture. Then jazz piano master Aaron Diehl […]
Rare War-Themed Opera ‘Soldaten’
On Jan. 21, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, music director François-Xavier Roth and stage director Calixto Bieito will present a semi-staged concert production of Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s 1965 opera Die Soldaten at the Elbphilharmonie. This rarely heard work is a largely autobiographical account of Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz, upon whose 1776 play it was based. https://www.elbphilharmonie.de/en/whats-on/zimmermann-die-soldaten/20233
Balourdet Brings New Quartet To San Antonio
In 2022, with funding from Chamber Music America, the Balourdet Quartet commissioned and premiered Strange Machines by Canadian-American composer Karim Al-Zand. In the 2023-24 season, they are touring the work, including their Jan. 21 stop at the San Antonio Chamber Music Society. The program also includes Mozart’s 15th Quartet and Beethoven’s Op. 59, No. 1. […]
