by Taylor Hollyer | May 7, 2018
Respighi celebrated the past and present beauties of his beloved adopted city in three tone poems or suites: Fountains of Rome (1916), Pines of Rome (1924), and Roman Festivals (1928). He attached a preface to the score of Roman Festivals, setting out the scenes he...
by Taylor Hollyer | May 7, 2018
Renée Fleming is one of the most acclaimed singers of our time. In 2013, President Obama awarded her America’s highest honor for an artist, the National Medal of Arts. In 2014, she became the first classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl....
by Taylor Hollyer | Mar 28, 2018 | News
Born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1923, Pressler fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and emigrated to Israel. Pressler’s world renowned career was launched after he was awarded first prize at the Debussy International Piano Competition in San Francisco in 1946. This was followed by...
by Taylor Hollyer | Mar 28, 2018 | News
Shostakovich was only 26 when he completed Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District(1934). The opera featured a racy plot set to avant-garde music and premiered to critical and popular acclaim. Two years later, three different productions were running in Moscow. Then...
by Taylor Hollyer | Feb 26, 2018 | News
We’re packing the stage with three choirs, two soloists and more than 100 outstanding musicians for our biggest and boldest concert ever – Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. “Our 20th anniversary is a huge cause for celebration,” Scott...
by Taylor Hollyer | Feb 26, 2018 | News
Within its span of an hour and a half, Mahler’s Second Symphony conveys pretty much everything that is essential to understanding his brave conception of the symphony as a genre. Here we have the immense scale Mahler was intent on harnessing, represented by not only...
by Taylor Hollyer | Jan 29, 2018 | News
2017 Grammy Award-Winning Zuill Bailey grew up in Northern Virginia, where he was influenced and inspired by Rostropovich, who was then Director of the National Symphony. His parents are musicians; his mother is a pianist and his father has a Doctorate in both music...
by Taylor Hollyer | Jan 29, 2018 | News
More than a decade after the Enigma Variations were composed, Elgar reflectively stated in 1911 that the variations started “in a spirit of humour, and continued in deep seriousness.” The story goes that after a long, grueling day of teaching, Elgar returned home and...
by Taylor Hollyer | Dec 15, 2017 | News
Violinist Chee-Yun’s flawless technique, dazzling tone and compelling artistry have enraptured audiences on five continents. Charming, charismatic and deeply passionate about her art, Chee-Yun continues to carve a unique place for herself in the ever-evolving...
by Taylor Hollyer | Dec 14, 2017 | News
Vivaldi’s busy and productive career as composer, violinist and teacher drew its due share of acclaim. One measure of his success is the fact that Johann Sebastian Bach did him the honor of transcribing several of his concertos. He played a major role in several...
