Exciting & Inexpensive Live Performances This Week

This is it. You’re packing up your dorm room, storing your notes for further study (or shredding them, depending on how your academic semester went), and saying goodbye to friends for the summer. Maybe you’re graduating, excited to take it easy for the summer or to do just the opposite – jet set.

Before you take off, we recommend you attend any of these awesome live performances in and around DC. From the Millenium Stage to the 9:30 Club to the Bach Sinfonia – there’s something for everyone!

Nuevo Mundo Barocco! (New Baroque), presented by the Bach Sinfonia

Sunday May 5 at 3pm

Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring

7995 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring MD 20910 (Directions here)

* Metro accessible via Red Line to Silver Spring! *

“Latin flair meets Baroque majesty on Cinco de Mayo! Over the past three decades researches have uncovered a treasure trove of music in the Cathedral cities and missions of Mexico and South America. Both Jesuit missionaries from the old world Europe as well as native composers produced radiant music for liturgical services and civic occasions. A chance to hear some great 17th and 18th century music of the ‘Other Americas’.”

Jennifer Ellis Kampani, soprano

Richard Savino, baroque guitar

Daniel Abraham, artistic director

Tickets only $15 for students and can be ordered online or can be purchased at the venue

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Millenium Stage Performances at the Kennedy Center

FREE Performances every day, no ticket required!

All performances are at 6pm

Upcoming Performances include The Old Bay Ceili Band (Tuesday May 7) and a showcase from the Levine School of Music (Wednesday May 8)

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Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra at Bohemian Caverns

Monday May 6,  8:00-11:00pm

2001 11th St. NW

* A necessary DC experience! * $10 cover

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Bela Fleck and the Marcus Roberts Trio

Friday May 10 at 8:00 pm

The Music Center at Strathmore

5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda MD 20852

Tickets $28 and Up

From Strathmore: “Béla Fleck has been nominated in more Grammy categories than anyone in history, and has taken home 14 of the statuettes, wandering gleefully across genres and bringing together eclectic and utterly amazing groups of musicians. This season, Strathmore favorite Fleck brings a brilliant collaboration with one of today’s most lauded jazz ensembles, with Marcus Roberts on piano, Jason Marsalis on drums and Rodney Jordan on bass. “There was an improvisational, what’s going-to-happen-next feeling to the entire show. After a stunning rendition of ‘Lullaby of Birdland,’ Fleck picked up a microphone: ‘I’ve never been terrified in such a friendly way before.’” (Savannah Unplugged).”

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The Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2013

Saturday May 11 – Sunday May 12, 10am-6pm

* Located at Woodmont Triangle, less than 6 blocks from Bethesda Metro Station *

It’s not necessarily a musical performance but outdoor craft markets are wonderful!

Staff Picks:

It’s been over a year since we started writing up staff picks and with over a hundred CDs have been recommended. Therefore, one might think that we would be running out of recommendations.

Not so!

For my sixth staff picks post, I have a nice collection of awesome CDs including one of my favorite recordings

of…

all…

time…

Let’s get started then!

Arvo Pärt: Tabula Rasa

CD 5948

I first took out this CD two years ago on a whim. The name was really cool, and I had heard good things about this “Arvo Pärt” person. I then promptly forgot about it. A week later I drove up to Massachusetts overnight (to avoid the traffic from a few major cities) and discovered it on the seat next to me. It was something about the desolation of Interstate 84 in Connecticut at 4 a.m. mixed with the distant lamentations of the CD that stays with me to this day.  I can’t really describe it any other way, this is one of my favorite recordings.

Arvo Pärt: Te Deum

CD 5901

There is not much I can say about this CD other than that it is worth listening to.

Seriously…

Do it…

Kronos Quartet: Uniko

CD 5887

I don’t think there is ground left to tread that the Kronos Quartet has not already stomped all over. Anyway, get ready for this; Kronos Quartet collaborates with Finnish composers Samuli Kosminen and Kimmo Pohjonen to create a studio album that blends a string quartet with electronics and accordion. Yeah, I thought so too…

Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass

CD 6835

Now who doesnt love some arpeggiated triads?

Copland Conducts Copland

CD 3412

This CD is worth picking up for Lincoln Portrait alone. It’s perhaps one of the most famous recordings of the work and features Henry Fonda as the narrator. However, you also throw in Billy the Kid and the original Appalachian Spring ballet edition…

and Copland conducting????

Yes.

Upcoming Performances!

It’s Spring! More recitals are popping up, the musical is running over at Greenberg theater, and ensembles are starting to perform their semester’s work. Take a break from the final projects and last month of school stress to unwind with some fabulous student-performed music.

April 4 – 6: Cabaret @ Greenberg Theater. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm.

April 5: Metamorphosis @ Recital Hall. Workshop Ensemble performance, Friday at 8pm.

April 6: Follow Your Heart @ Kay Spiritual Life Center. Ian Uriola’s Junior Recital, Saturday at 4pm.

April 8: The Flying Jays @ The Davenport Coffee Lounge. Monday at 7pm.

Carley’s Staff Picks!

In recent months I have been fueled by Beethoven. Piano sonatas, string quartets, symphonies, concertos, everything. So, my first staff pick is the excellent documentary In Search of Beethoven. There are too many prominent ensembles, conductors and pianists featured in the film to count. The documentary truly takes the viewer on a journey. It catalogs his works and gives us some insight into Beethoven’s remarkable personality and his empathy for humanity.

In Search of Beethoven: A film by Phil Grabsky  ~  DVD 202

Chamber music. There’s so much of it! I think Mendelssohn is a good place to start. His piano trios are remarkable (the man DID write “Songs without Words”).

Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor was written in 1839, the year before Schumann experienced his most prolific year of songwriting. I love that Schumann viewed Mendelssohn as the Mozart of the 19th century, saying that he was the “most of illuminating of musicians”. High praise.

The Piano Trios of Felix Mendelssohn  ~  CD 9069

2013 is the bicentennial of Verdi and Wagner! Orchestras and Opera companies all over the world are celebrating with seasons dedicated to performing great works, from the most famous to the lesser-known. The AUSO began the celebration in March with the overture from  Die Meistersinger von Nurmberg and they will be joined by the AU Chorus in a couple of weeks to keep the party going with Verdi’s Four Sacre Pezzi.

Simon Boccanegra  ~  CD 8802

Birgit Nilsson Sings Wagner Arias with Hans Hotter and Leopold Ludwig  ~  CD 8173

This one’s for Robert:

Meredith Monk: Turtle Dreams  ~  CD 9697

First day of spring means … recital season!

It’s spring at the music library. The flowers are blooming, it’s senior and junior recital season, and the last of the midterms are finishing up.

Now would be the perfect time to head over and learn some music to sing while you spring clean … Or, if you’re looking for something to do, you could attend any one of the exciting student and staff performances coming up soon!

• Friday 3/22 – Logan Sutherlands Senior Recital, 8pm @ Kay Spiritual Life Center
• Friday 3/22 – Carly DeFranco’s Senior Recital, 8pm @ Abramson Family Recital Hall
• Saturday 3/23 – The Gorenman Piano Project: Chopin Edition, Yulia Gorenman in Concert, 8pm @ Abramson Family Recital Hall
• Sunday 3/24 – Alex Witt’s Senior Recital, 2pm @ Abramson Family Recital Hall
• Sunday 3/24 – Allie Martin’s Junior Recital, 7pm @ Abramson Family Recital Hall

Happy first day of spring!

Concerts in the Neighborhood – Tristan Pfaff this Friday

One of the great things about being in upper Northwest D.C. is the wealth of cultural events available through the multitude of embassies located in this area.

One such event is happening this Friday at the Hungarian Embassy. They’re partnering with Alliance Francaise to bring in the pianist Tristan Pfaff for a (nearly) all-Liszt program. The concert kicks off at 7pm. Additional program information and tickets are available from the Alliance Francaise event page. The Hungarian Embassy is located on Tilden St. NW as you head down towards Pierce Mill – just a hop, skip, and jump from Howard Law and the Levine School of Music.

For future reference, you can find out what’s going on at the embassies by searching “embassy” over at Cultural Tourism DC.

 

Carley’s Staff Picks, for your enjoyment

To me, ’tis the season for Opera. For some reason I feel like I’m being bombarded with it. Are all of the HD Live-from-the-Met broadcasts contributing to a sort of comeback for the art? This live 1955 recording of Lucia di Lammermoor features Maria Callas in the role that she was born to perform. From its thematic depiction of the Scottish highlands in the overture through its perfect mad scene and finale, this is an unforgettable recording.

Lucia di Lammermoor – Donizetti -  CD 8254

No plot could be more devastating and tragic than Lucia’s, right? Wrong. Enter Susannah. If you’re not familiar with this mid-20th century American masterpiece you’re in for a wild ride.

Ready the Kleenex.

Susannah – Carlisle Floyd – CD 8401

The World So Wide – Dawn Upshaw – CD 7897

I was looking for a recording of Copland’s The Tenderland and I came across Dawn Upshaw, which doesn’t surprise me at all. Upshaw is a controversial artist. Her distinct and lyrical voice is especially light for the repertoire in which she specializes yet she is unarguably a defining voice of her generation.

La Traviata – Giuseppe Verdi – CD 3576

Anna Netrebko is another of our contemporaries who is constantly criticized for her timbre and overtly sexualized performances and I really love her gusto. I’m going to propose that La Traviata is perhaps the best we have heard from this powerful singer yet.

Upcoming Live Performance Events!

As we dive deeper into the Holiday season live music events continue to ramp up throughout the city. Here are some awesome events in the coming days (free & very cheap) that you shouldn’t miss!

American University Chorus: Sing a New Song

with Laura M. Petravage, conductor

Dana Scott, piano

Friday November 30th and Saturday December, 8 pm

Abramson Family Recital Hall, Katzen Arts Center, American University

$10 for AU Community, seniors; $15 general admission

The AU Chorus will give you a guided tour of American choral literature with their eclectic and nostalgic Fall program. It includes arrangements of folk-favorites “Bile them cabbage down” and “Cindy”, spirituals, classic Copland settings and more.

The highlight of the program is Samuel Barber’s Reincarnations for a capella chorus.The Reincarnations are rarely performed in their entirety as they are both complex and demanding. In their rendition the AU Chorus proves their remarkable musicianship and attention to detail under Laura Petravage’s brave leadership. Their enthusiasm is a rare treat and this weekend’s performances will not disappoint!

Jake Shimabukoro, ukulele virtuoso

Screening of “Life on Four Strings” and personal appearance by Mr. Shimabukoro

Monday December 3, 6:30 – 8:30 pm * FREE

Rasmuson Theater, National Museum of the American Indian

4th Street and Independence Ave SW, Washington DC 20024

This FREE event is presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and promises to be a great time. “Life on four strings” is a documentary about Jake Shimabukoro, a ukulele-virtuoso who was recently declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone. Shimabukoro is truly an amazing musician.

Check out his website and watch his YouTube videos for more info!

Performances on campus this weekend!

If you find yourself in search of some musical entertainment this weekend, why not check out some of our talented student ensembles!

AU Arts | Jazz Workshop: On Time

Noah Getz, conductor
Sunday, November 18, at 3 p.m.
Abramson Family Recital Hall, Katzen Arts Center
Tickets: $10 regular admission, $5 AU community and seniors; www.american.tix.com

“One of the most important and compelling aspects of music is how it moves through time. Elements of rhythm inform all popular music styles including jazz, rock, and fusion. This semester the Workshop will explore how rhythm and time are represented in a variety of musical styles.”

AU Arts | AUSO in Concert: ENCOUNTERS

Yaniv Dinur, conductor
Friday, November 16, & Saturday, November 17, at 8 p.m.
Abramson Family Recital Hall, Katzen Arts Center
Tickets: $15 regular admission, $10 AU community and seniors; www.american.tix.com

“With a new face leading the AU Symphony Orchestra this year, this program brings together music from different countries, styles, and times. The first half of this concert includes music from the two Americas. It opens with the intoxicating rhythms and sounds of Latin America in Arturo Márquez’s Danzón no. 2. It is followed by the touching and virtuosic violin concerto of the Pennsylvania born Samuel Barber. Robert Schumann’s third Symphony, which is nicknamed after the Rhine river in Germany, will conclude the concert. It is a stirring piece divided between secular and religious colors.”

Robert’s Staff Picks!

 

My staff picks are all over the place this week.

DVD 327 - The Audition:  This is a great DVD for those who enjoy opera or are training to be opera singers.  The documentary offers a look at the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions, where each year thousands of hopefuls face their fears and compete for a cash prize, the chance to sing on the Met stage–and the opportunity to launch a major operatic career.

CD 9808- Intuitivo:  The music on this CD was composed by AU’s own Fernando Benadon.  Professor Benadon describes this CD as “A collage of free improvisations.  My goal was to shape the players’ raw individual ideas into a spontaneously ‘coherent’ whole, all the while preserving and highlighting their unique subtleties of time and timbre.”

DVD 166 – Def Leppard/Hysteria – I really enjoy listening to Def Leppard when I’m not listening to classical music.  This is a really great track-by-track review of Def Leppard’s Hysteria album.

CD 5138 – Elvis at Sun (Studios) -  I’m pretty sure this has been on my staff picks before, but I can’t get enough Elvis. Take this CD home and listen to it over the weekend!

I also encourage everyone to check out Medici TV so you can watch Dr. Atomic!!! Use our databases!!!