“In a split week, the radio series At Home With… features celebrated pianist Yuja Wang and Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Thomas Wilkins, coming to you from their respective homes. Interviewed by KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen, they will offer their reflections on the music they have chosen to share.” “At Home With Yuja Wang can be heard Tuesday…
LA Phil 100: The Los Angeles Philharmonic Centennial Birthday Gala recorded at Walt Disney Concert Hall on October 24, 2019, aired May 8, 2020 as part of PBS’ Great Performances series. Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Gustavo Dudamel conducted performances of the LA Phil. I had recollections beyond the PBS’ Great Performances program…
POLITICS of MUSIC MARGARET GARNER Opera was co-commissioned by the Michigan Opera Theatre, Cincinnati Opera and Opera Philadelphia, it premièred on 7 May 2005 at the Detroit Opera House in Detroit, Michigan with Denyce Graves in the title role. As the Cincinnati Opera approach 100th birthday, please see comment by Katie Syroney, Director of Communication:: MARGARET GARNER, 2005 “There are so many extraordinary…
The recent murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a person of African descent who was shot to death, while jogging in Georgia bring to mind composer Joel Thompson ‘SEVEN LAST WORDS of the UNARMED’, a multi-movement work honoring the lives of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Kenneth Chamberlain, Amadou Diallo, and John Crawford.…
Each day, the KUSC Classical Radio “Play On, California!” blog is updated to reflect new digital content being produced up and down the state, small and large https://www.kusc.org/culture/staff-blog/play-on-california/ I have followed the amateur and professional career of soprano Julia Bullock with amazement. Julia Bullock recently posted a home performance of ONE BY ONE with…
Diversity in classical music must overcome the history of WHITE Supremacy embedded in the United States as a matter of foundational law. See Birth of A White Nation book by Dr. Jacqueline Battalora http://sbpra.com/jacquelinebattalora/ and lecture:
POLITICS of MUSIC Violinist Annelle Kazumi Gregory and other qualified violinist/violist remain steadfast to break the glass ceiling with top tier American orchestras. See Annelle Kazumi Gregory bio http://annelleviolin.com/about.html Please see Annelle Kazumi Gregory performance with collaborative pianist Richard Thompson, at age 17, during Sep. 22, 2012 Emancipation Proclamation concert in Los Angeles Also…
Nikole Hannah-Jones wins Pulitzer Prize (Journalism-Commentary) for 1619 Project. Please see https://pulitzercenter.org/blog/nikole-hannah-jones-wins-pulitzer-prize-1619-project and interview with Nikole Hannah-Jones:
Politics of Music Composer Anthony Davis wins Pulitzer Prize for contemporary Central Park Five Opera. Long Beach Opera premiered Central Park Five. See https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2020-05-04/anthony-davis-wins-pulitzer-prize-for-the-central-park-five-the-uc-san-diego-professors-fiery-opera and https://www.npr.org/2020/05/04/850166148/anthony-davis-wins-pulitzer-prize-for-his-opera-the-central-park-five
POLITICS of MUSIC The top American orchestras historically and currently do not program violin concertos by composers of African decent or program violinist or violist of African descent to perform music of any composer. One notable exception was the Philadelphia Orchestra performance of George Walker’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra featuring Gregory Walker, son of…