Jeffrey Williams | New York Concert Review, Inc.

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents True Concord Voices and Orchestra in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents True Concord Voices and Orchestra

True Concord Voices and Orchestra; Eric Holtan, music director and conductor

Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, NY

September 11, 2015

September 11, 2001 is a day that will be forever etched in the minds of those who were witness to its horrors. On the 14^th anniversary of 9/11, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert in remembrance, featuring the True Concord Voices and Orchestra. The program consisted of two works, Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626, and the New York Premiere of Prayers and Remembrances by American composer Stephen Paulus (1949-2014).

True Concord Voices and Orchestra hail from Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 2004, their original name was the Tucson Chamber Artists. On their name change in 2015, music director Eric Holtan explained that, “The original 14^th century meaning of concord is ‘hearts together.’ Shakespeare later described the emotional impact of music as ‘true concord’- something we strive to achieve among composers, performers, and listeners.”

True Concord Voices and Orchestra — Photo Credit: Nan Melville Photography/DCINY Production.

Mr. Holtan took to the stage to lead the ensemble in Mozart’s Requiem. The story behind the creation of this masterpiece is so well known that the program had no notes at all, save for a “completed by Süssmayr” designation. I leave it for the reader to do his own investigations if he wishes to learn more. Mr. Holtan led a skillful, highly polished performance. It was at once obvious that these musicians brought considerable talents to this work, and had refined their interpretation from continued performances. The relatively small forces of this ensemble lent a sense of intimacy and immediacy, in contrast with the bombast of some performances by larger forces. It was a sound on a scale that I was unaccustomed to hearing, but one I found to be compelling in its nuance. Special mention must be made of the Tuba Mirum’s excellent trombone soloist, who played with amazing clarity and tone, and to the vocal soloists, soprano Megan Chartrand, mezzo-soprano Margaret Lias, tenor Charles Blandy, and bass Paul Max Tipton, for their excellent work. What was especially gratifying was that each soloist was a member of the chorus, and not a “special guest” recruited for the performance. When it was all over, the large audience shouted their approval in a way one does not expect for this work – a clear indication that the many friends and supporters of the True Concord Voices and Orchestra were in attendance to support them. It was a well-earned and justifiable reaction.

After intermission, Mr. Holtan returned to the stage. He shared with the audience the story behind the commissioning of Prayers and Remembrances, and how closely Stephen Paulus worked with the ensemble in the recording of this work in 2013. Tragically, Mr. Paulus suffered a massive stroke six weeks after the recording and never recovered (Mr. Paulus passed away on October 19, 2014). The loss to music was immeasurable, but we can be grateful for the hundreds of works Mr. Paulus created.

Prayers and Remembrances is a seven-movement work, each movement using carefully selected poems, both secular and non-secular, that all touched on the concept of grief, but also recovery and spirituality in living. Quoting Mr. Paulus, “My concern was to write a work that would not only honor the 9/11 tragedy and all those who perished, but also one that would address the memories, the grieving and the recovery for anyone dealing with a circumstance in which loved ones had perished.” The scoring is similar to that of the Mozart, with the addition of flute, oboe, horns, harp, and percussion (with the clear idea of being paired in performance with the Mozart). The music is tonal, with harmonic language that is familiar sounding, yet somehow distinct without resorting to cheap effects. The melodies are often poignant and moving, but never lapsing into mawkish sentimentality. The addition of the extra percussion added a layer of dramatic tension that deepened the already compelling musical effect.

Mr. Holtan led with total commitment, his gestures seemingly coaxing the utmost from his ensemble in a performance that held this listener’s complete attention for the work’s entire thirty-five plus minutes. I would love to talk extensively about all seven movements, but I will just mention the fifth movement, In Beauty It Walks, with text from Traditional Navaho Prayer, as my favorite. The simple but moving text is set with consummate skill, and the orchestral writing has a radiance that shines upon the vocal with powerful effect. It is a shame that Mr. Paulus was not with us this night, as I am sure he would have been pleased with the results. Prayers and Remembrances is an outstanding work, and it should be a centerpiece at any 9/11 memorial concert, or any concert for that matter. As with the Mozart, featured vocal soloists were also members of the chorus, a different set of four this time. Congratulations go to soprano Margot Rood, alto Emily Marvosh, tenor Patrick Muehleise, and bass David Farwig, for matching the high standards of their colleagues from the first half. The very quiet ending was something the audience was not expecting, but once the last sounds faded away, they reacted with an increasing amount of applause, as if each second made them realize what a unique work they had just heard.

For those who were not in attendance, but are interested in hearing Prayers and Remembrance, the recording that Mr. Holtan spoke about has been released. Called Far in the Heavens – Choral Music of Stephen Paulus, (Reference Recordings FR-716– click on the link for more information), it also features other works by Mr. Paulus that are equally worthy of attention.

Congratulations to the True Concord Voices and Orchestra for living up to the ideals of their name and for the wonderful performance.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Future Vibrations in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Future Vibrations

The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra, Amy Goeser Kolb, founder/executive director; Julia Bastuscheck, Eddy Robinson, directors

Vancouver Pops Orchestra, Tom Kuo, director

Distinguished Concerts Singers International, Francisco Núñez, guest conductor; Jon Holden Piano

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 14, 2015

On June 14, 2015 at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert called Future Vibrations, featuring two youth orchestras and a choir consisting solely of treble voices from Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. I am always very interested in hearing young people display their musical talents, so I was looking forward to this afternoon’s concert.

Opening the concert was The Central Oregon Youth Orchestra. Before mentioning anything else, I want credit the members of the orchestra wrote the program notes for the works they played. Full of youthful enthusiasm, they coupled some personal thoughts with history and background, making these notes a delight to read. Congratulations to Nathan Hughes, Reagan Lithgow, Gabrielle Sarao, Isaac Spackman, and Alyssa Clark for a job well done!

Conductor Julia Bastuscheck took the podium and led a spirited, if not altogether tight performance of An American in Paris. Maybe it was nervousness, but the intonation was at times lacking, and there was a feeling of the ensemble struggling to be in synch. After a shift of the violinists (in what was to occur after each work, seemingly to give different players the opportunity of occupying the coveted concertmaster chair) conductor Eddy Robinson took the podium for the next three works, the Bacchanale from Saint-Saëns’ opera Samson et Deliah, the New York premiere of DCINY favorite Christopher Tin’s Iza Ngomso, an orchestra-only arrangement of a movement from A Drop That Contained the Sea, and a short version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. The Bacchanale was the highlight of Mr. Robinson’s work with the orchestra- it was played impressively with a well-defined sense of the nature of the piece itself. Iza Ngomso and 1812 were given solid readings.

Ms. Bastuscheck returned to conduct the last work, the Pines of the Appian Way, from Respighi’s Pines of Rome. The slow build-up was done well, with special mention going to the oboe soloist, whose playing was simply outstanding, easily up to the standard of many professional players. What would have made this good performance great would have been more vigor in the triumphant last section (I want to hear that gong loud and clear- I saw it struck, but never heard it). After the last chord, their many supporters in the audience gave them a loud standing ovation. After the intermission, a large number of the members of the orchestra were seated all around me. I witnessed countless proud parents and friends coming to hug their star with beaming smiles in congratulations. These young players were having the time of their lives, and it was touching to see all of this unfold. This is a group filled with many talented individuals, as was evidenced by the high level of playing from the soloists, but there is still room for elevating the level of the entire ensemble. More consistency in intonation, both within sections and the entire ensemble, a little more boldness from the strings, and a little less of the same from the brass will make all the difference.

After a short break, the Vancouver Pops Orchestra took the stage. Led by Tom Kuo, they offered four medleys from the hit movies My Neighbor Totoro, How to Train Your Dragon, Star Trek: Into Darkness, and Aladdin. Mr. Kuo was a dynamic leader, and the orchestra responded well to his direction in four polished performances. There were fleeting issues with intonation, but these issues never became a distraction. The highlight of their selections was Star Trek, which was played enterprisingly (no pun intended…well, maybe a little pun intended!). The program notes stated the Pops was dedicating the performance to the late Leonard Nimoy, and I suspect that Mr. Spock would have found the presentation to be “most logical.” After the last notes of the delightful Aladdin, the large audience gave them a well-earned standing ovation for their outstanding playing.

After intermission, the multi-talented composer and conductor Francisco Núñez led the 119-member strong Distinguished Concerts International Singers, which consisted of only treble range voices. They offered selections from Mozart (Papageno-Papagena duet from The Magic Flute), Jim Papoulis (Sih’r Khalaq – Creative Magic), and three of Mr. Núñez’s own works, Misa Pequeña para Niños (A Children’s Mass), Pinwheels, and La Sopa de Isabel (Elizabeth’s Soup). A few folks songs were thrown in for good measure, Dobrú Noc (Good Night) and Love Lies Under the Old Oak Tree). It was unfortunate that an excellent violin soloist was uncredited, as were a cellist, percussionist, and guitarist in their appearances.

The highlights of the half were Mr. Núñez’s three works. Mr. Núñez has a definite gift for bring the very best out of his young singers. His energy radiates to the young musicians, and they radiate it right back with joy. His compositions show his expertise in writing for young voices in a way that not only lies within their developing capabilities, but also gives them a sound beyond their years. This is most apparent in his Misa Pequeña para Niños, which was performed with a surprising level of sophistication. Pinwheels was poignant both in the message and the music. La Sopa de Isabel brought the house down as the young singers spun around multiple times, while Mr. Núñez turned to the audience to get them to join in by clapping along, which of course they did with gusto! Mr. Núñez swayed back and forth with dance-like movements, and soon after, the chorus members paired up, joined hands, and began dancing with each other. The audience laughed in complete delight, and when it was all over, they leapt to their feet in a raucous standing ovation. It was a delightful end to a delightful afternoon. Congratulations to all!

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Requiem À Deux in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Requiem À Deux

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Jonathan Griffith, Music Director/conductor

Iris Derke, flute

Craig Jessop, conductor laureate

Erica Miller, soprano; Stephen Lancaster, baritone; Leah de Gruyl, mezzo-soprano

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 7, 2015

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is well known for their presentation of theme-related concerts. The concept of multiple requiems in a single concert is one DCINY has used before, in fact, the very first concert I reviewed for New York Concert Review, Requiem X 2, featuring Mozart and René Clausen, used this plan. On June 7, 2015 at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, Requiem À Deux, with requiems from Gabriel Fauré and Maurice Duruflé, including a New York premiere of Dinos Constantinides’ Homage – A Folk Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, was the program. With singers from California, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, British Columbia, Ontario, France (including Ensemble Vocal Maurice Duruflé!), Mexico, Spain, and “individuals from around the globe,”(the program listed 433 singers!) it was an impressive assemblage.

The first half opened with Homage- A Folk Concerto for Flute and Orchestra (1988) by Greek-American composer Dinos Constantinides (b. 1929). As I had written in an earlier review, Mr. Constatinides is a stylistically eclectic composer, but one who is particularly adept in his Greek-influenced writing. This characteristic showed to great advantage in the Homage. Scored for flute soloist and string orchestra, plus two oboes and two French horns, the three-movement Homage draws on folk-like material of the Greek Islands (without using any actual folk material). The writing is highly idiomatic for the flutist. DCINY Co-founder and General Director Iris Derke was the flute soloist. Ms. Derke has an impressive list of appearances as a soloist throughout the world, and after hearing her performance, it is easy to understand why. Ms. Derke handled the challenges with ease, with quick passage work precisely articulated, rapid descending figures rendered with clarity (and not with the quasi-glissandi effects that one often hears from less skilled players), and excellent intonation, especially in the “danger zone” of the extreme high register. The second movement, Idyll, which is basically an extended cadenza, was the highlight of her performance, but the third movement, Dance, was a very close second. Conductor Jonathan Griffith was an able and attentive collaborator, showing that he excels with small ensembles as well as the large. The composer joined Ms. Derke and Maestro Griffith on-stage, and all took their bows to the applause of the appreciative audience.

After a short break, the stage was set for Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. Fauré began writing the Requiem in 1877, but did not complete it in its final orchestration until 1900. One of the best-loved works in this form, Fauré’s vision of death as a “happy deliverance…rather than a mournful passing,” did not find favor with his employers at La Madeleine, one of the largest churches in Paris. One of the clerics there tartly remarked, “Monsieur Fauré, we do not need these novelties. The Madeleine’s repertoire is quite rich enough.” No doubt his omission of the fearful Dies Irae, the core of the Latin requiem mass, had something to do with this remark. One can say that Fauré won in the end, as this serene work continues to enchant listeners with its beauty.

Conductor Laureate Craig Jessop took the podium. He was tasked with leading a chorus of over 200 singers, which he did his utmost to do, coaxing the maximum from them. One has to note that, in spite of his efforts, there were still problematic issues. Intonation from the sopranos in the more exposed sections of the Introitus et Kyrie was at times quite shaky, and their ensemble in the same section suffered from a lack of a cohesive feeling. Perhaps it was jitters, but nonetheless, it was an uneasy moment that periodically recurred throughout the entire work. Maestro Jessop did show excellent rapport with the orchestra, with the Sanctus and In Paradisum being especially well done. Soprano Erica Miller voice soared in the Pie Jesu, and baritone Stephen Lancaster projected the pathos of the Libera me with great strength.

The overall performance was solid – the orchestra taking the lion’s share of the kudos along with the soloists. The chorus was uneven, and this is what made what had the potential to be an outstanding performance into what was merely a good one. I do not wish to be overly critical, but I truly was hoping for more. The audience did not share my reservations, as many of them responded with a standing ovation.

After intermission, Jonathan Griffith returned to the podium to conduct the Requiem, Op. 9, of French organist, pedagogue, and composer, Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986) in the original 1947 version. Like Fauré’s Requiem, this serene work is largely devoid of the fearsome elements of the requiem mass (it also omits the Dies Irae).

Whatever misgivings I might have had about the Fauré were more than offset by the first-rate performance of the Duruflé. The orchestra playing was excellent, but especially bold and decisive in the Domine Jesu Christe in a way that filled the hall with sound, which was a thrilling thing to hear! Mezzo-soprano soloist Leah de Gruyl captured the beauty of the Pie Jesu with her exquisite voice, and baritone Stephen Lancaster was back to deliver the Libera me with power as in the Fauré. The chorus was outstanding as well. Once again, one must tip one’s hat to Maestro Griffith, who “delivered the goods” in what this reviewer has come to expect as the norm when he conducts the large DCINY forces.

The last notes of the In Paradisum had barely faded away before the audience sounded a loud and immediate standing ovation that went on for close to five minutes. It was a justly deserved reaction for a truly superior performance.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass

Navo Middle School Varsity Treble Choir: Mary Margaret Sadler, director; Denise Stephens, accompanist

Tim Sharp, composer/conductor

The Chuck Nation Band: Chuck Nation, fiddle/mandolin; Susan Nation, acoustic bass; Libby Nation-Whitehead, mandolin/guitar; Jody Hughes, guitar/banjo; Steve Vincent, drums

Distinguished Concerts International Singers

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 22, 2015

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert entitled A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass: From the Voice Comes Inspiration on May 22, 2015 at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. Featuring the Navo Middle School Varsity Treble Choir, singers from Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and special guests The Chuck Nation Band, it was to prove to be a most enjoyable evening for all in attendance.

The thirty-six-member Navo Middle School Varsity Treble Choir took the stage for the first half. Their eleven pieces were quite eclectic, with works from Handel and Mozart mingled with Stephen Foster, Samuel Barber, and more recent, popular works from Greg Gilpin and others. Each selection was introduced with a special quote in the program, which the reader can find here: Program Notes. Led by Mary Margaret Sadler, the choristers proved to be mature beyond their years. Most Middle School ensembles struggle with single-line and full-unison singing, but these young ladies handled complex works with confidence and precision. One would have liked more projection, but this is a minor quibble, and one that can easily be attributed to the still developing voices of the young singers. Highlights included an arrangement of the Adagio movement of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, K. 622, with the chorus taking the clarinet melody and clarinet soloist Perry Phillips playing in a quasi-improvisatory style in accompaniment, a delightful Oh! Susanna, in a Mark Hayes arrangement with violinist Julianne Booth, and the haunting Ose Shalom from John Leavitt, with Mr. Phillips and Ms. Booth. Ending with an energetic Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet from Greg Gilpin, their many supporters in the audience rewarded the young singers with a standing ovation. To see thirty-six beaming faces when it was all done was the highlight of the evening to this listener.

After intermission, The Chuck Nation Band took the stage and offered works composed by Susan Nation, Chuck Nation, and legends such as JJ Cale and Hank Williams, Sr. Between pieces, Chuck Nation bantered a bit with the audience as he introduced his band members, including a funny story about his own song If You Leave Me, written especially for his wife, Susan. (“If you leave me, I’m coming with you!”). The seven-piece set showcased their considerable talents as singers and instrumentalists. Ending with a red-hot Orange Blossom Special, that old classic where “Paganini meets Bluegrass” in a rousing display of fiddling pyrotechnics at breakneck speed, Chuck Nation “burned the house down” as the sparks flew off his bow in a jaw-dropping virtuosic fiddling display. The audience loved it and roared in approval.

After this, it was time for the featured work- Come Away to the Skies: A High, Lonesome Mass. A few words of explanation about the title might be helpful here. High lonesome is a style that Bill Monroe, the “Father of Bluegrass,” popularized. It features the lead voice in the middle, while the highest voice sings in an often dissonant tone (“the high, lonesome sound”). Composer Tim Sharp combined this idea with a play on the term “High Mass,” including the Introit, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Angus Dei, set with carefully selected folk hymns. I recommend referring to the excellent Program Notes for a more detailed explanation. Guitarist Harry Musselwhite joined with The Chuck Nation Band to add his talents to the mix and tenor Nollie Moore was to have a featured role.

As I watched the Distinguished Concerts International Singers take the stage, I must admit to feeling some reservations about the idea of another “Bluegrass Mass.” Based upon an earlier concert featuring a different bluegrass mass in which the joining of “classical” and “bluegrass” was not entirely satisfying to either genre, I was hoping this would not be the case here. Happily, those reservations were dispelled almost immediately. Come Away to the Skies: A High, Lonesome Mass works, because it is unfailingly true to itself, lacking in pretense, simple, direct, and heartfelt.

Composer Tim Sharp came to the stage carrying a banjo. After placing the banjo on a stand, he took the podium and directed with unflagging energy. It was a dynamic, crowd-pleasing performance. The combination of the Distinguished Concerts International Singers with the Chuck Nation Band was a winning pairing that had the audience breaking convention by applauding enthusiastically after each movement of the Mass.

Special credit to the chorus for the high-speed rendering of the words Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatatis Gloria with such clear diction!

The audience burst into a prolonged standing ovation as the chorus and the Chuck Nation band took their well-earned bows. Mr. Sharp took up his banjo and joined all playing the Credo as an encore. The audience excitedly clapped in rhythm, and many even sang along. It was a joyful end to the night.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Ensemble 212 and Multicultural Sonic Evolution (MuSE) present Voices in Harmony in Review

Ensemble 212 and Multicultural Sonic Evolution (MuSE) present Voices in Harmony

Ensemble 212- Kyunghun Kim and Yoon Jae Lee, conductors

MuSE Chorus- Yuti Kitamura and Hirona Amamiya, choral directors

Julia Gebhardt, soprano; Mio Kanehara, mezzo-soprano; Christian Davakis, tenor; Jeffrey Goble, baritone

Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, New York, NY

May 20, 2015

Ensemble 212, a New York based orchestra, and Multicultural Sonic Evolution (MuSE) joined forces on May 20, 2015, in presenting a concert entitled Voices in Harmony. Featuring two world premieres, performances by Co-Grand Prize Winners of the Ensemble 212 2014-15 Young Artist Competition, William Chen and Alyssa Kim, a selection from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass, it was a program with “something for everyone.” The combination of these two fine ensembles proved to be an inspired pairing. Kyunghun Kim and Yoon Jae Lee conducted.

While this review will cover the entire event, the primary focus will be on the conductor Kyunghun Kim. This reviewer has had the pleasure of reviewing Mr. Kim’s work in the past (Kyunghun Kim,conductor in review) and was looking forward to hearing his work with Ensemble 212 and MuSE.

Mr. Kim took the podium for the first half of the program. Leading off with Mozart’s C major Mass, K. 317, the Coronation, he led a well-conceived and tautly executed performance. The orchestra playing was crisp and precise, balance between chorus and orchestra was excellent, and the four soloists were uniformly outstanding in their roles. It was a fine start to the night. The Song and Chorus from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a charming piece – at times witty, and at other moments poignant. Mr. Kim gave this short, light-hearted work the same attention to detail as he did the Mozart. Ending the half was the world premiere of Song for the Earth, which was introduced by the composer, Yui Kitamura (b. 1983). In her excitement and obvious enthusiasm, Ms. Kitamura spoke much too quickly and not quite loudly enough for one to get the maximum understanding about her piece. Song for the Earth is a highly effective combination of the folk sounds and harmonies of the East co-mingling with those of the West. The text for the chorus is in Japanese and suggests that we ask the Earth to be temperate and indulge us (the human race) with patience and understanding. Mr. Kim proved again to be striving to the utmost to explore all the subtleties in a fine reading of this interesting work.

Upon hearing Mr. Kim in 2012 with a non-professional orchestra, this reviewer had found his conducting style to be extremely physically demonstrative, not surprisingly. One might have expected a more economical approach with these more accomplished players, however Mr. Kim maintains the same expansive and expressive style that served him well in my last encounter with him at the helm. He is a fully involved and extroverted leader, with a gift for nurturing developing ensembles and coaxing extra effort from highly skilled players.

After intermission, Yoon Jae Lee took the podium to lead the second half. The first work, Orche-mino, (another world premiere) was introduced by Texu Kim (b.1980), the composer. The title is a contraction of “orchestra” and “domino”, and the work itself was inspired by a YouTube video of domino tricks. The video Insane Domino Tricks (click to view) was projected as the work was played. The music cleverly captured the various tricks in what was a whimsical three-and-half-minute romp.

While the stage was being readied for the young soloists, Mr. Lee explained that Ensemble 212 uses a multimedia approach to reach a wide audience. Definitions and explanations of basic music terms and forms in simple language, background information about the composition being played, and interesting facts about the composer are projected on a screen as the works are being played. This is an approach I find myself to be much in favor of, and would like to see it utilized more often.

The co-winners of the Ensemble 212 2014-15 Young Artist Competition, eleven-year-old William Chen, who played the first movement of Chopin’s F minor Piano Concerto, and fourteen year old Alyssa Kim, who played the finale of Saint-Saens’s Third Violin Concerto, are talents to watch in the coming years. Mr. Lee was an attentive and steadying influence for the young soloists.

Kyunghun Kim returned to lead an encore of Amazing Grace, which to this listener was too hackneyed in its “showstopper” arrangement. The audience members were encouraged to sing along, which many did. Conductors, composers, and soloists joined together for well-deserved bows from the appreciative audience.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Ring of Fire: Pacific Sounds in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Ring of Fire: Pacific Sounds

Distinguished Concerts Singers international, Anthony Giles, director

Inglemoor High School Orchestra, James Rice, conductor

Inglemoor High School Wind Ensemble, Ted Christensen, conductor

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 13, 2015

Distinguished Concerts International (DCINY) presented a concert entitled Ring of Fire: Pacific Sounds at Avery Fisher Hall on Monday, April 13, 2015. The first half was to feature the “Spice, Magic, and Mystique” of the choral music of Southeast Asia, focusing on Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan. The second half was to showcase the talents of the Inglemoor High School Orchestra and Wind Ensemble (from the Inglemoor High School in Washington State).

As the hall filled, the singers from Washington, China, Indonesia, and Thailand, took to the stage. Led by Anthony Giles, their six selections proved to be filled with charm, humor, playfulness, and simple beauty. A nice touch was that pieces were introduced by selected members of the chorus, who came to the front of the stage to introduce themselves and the pieces. The order did not follow the printed program, so this was not only a nice touch, but helpful!

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Ring of Fire: Pacific Sounds

The opening piece, Phra met ta, a setting of verses from Psalm 25 in Thai, was given a refined and reverential performance, with the sounds of plainchant in pentatonic being especially effective. A surge of latecomers delayed the start of the third work for at least five minutes. As the ushers herded the masses of the chronometrically challenged to their seats, Mr. Giles quipped “It’s so nice that so many people want to come to hear our concert!” which drew a roar of laughter from the audience. Finally, order was restored, and what followed was, to this listener, the highlight of the half, the Taiwanese song Diu diu dang a. This is a song about a train, complete with whistles and the sounds of a locomotive, gaining momentum and finally arriving at its destination with a final burst of steam as the train slows to a stop. It was done with a great sense of play, but without resorting to overt silliness that would have spoiled the effect- it was delightful. The chorus then took on the challenges of Janger, with its extended vocal techniques and mimicry of the sounds of a Balinese gamelan orchestra, giving it a tightly focused performance with seeming ease. They ended the half with Dumbele, a tribute to the rain god of the same name, handling the complexities of sound and style effortlessly. Mr. Giles proved himself an able leader who had prepared his singers well.

After intermission, the Inglemoor High School String Orchestra took to the stage. The first thing one noticed was the large number of players (16-24-16-16-6!!), which would be the envy of many an orchestra at any level! Led by James Rice, they led off with Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite for String Orchestra, Op. 29, No. 2. One can hear bits of Jupiter (amongst other movements from The Planets) in this 1913 work. The opening movement (Jig) was at times a bit muddled in attacks, not unsurprising with forty violinists playing at once, but the overall effect was well done, with good intonation and balance. The final movement features a “mash-up” of the Dargason and Greensleeves, which brought smiles to the faces of many in the audience. The third movement (Meditation) of Serenade for Strings by Jack Jarrett followed and showed the quality of these young players in what was a sensitive and mature reading of a poignant work. Ending with two movements from Concerto Grosso. No. 1 for String Orchestra with Piano Obbligato (I. Prelude, IV. Fugue), from Ernest Bloch, the orchestra played incisively, with just the right amount of uneasy tension, not a simple thing to accomplish, something that impressed this listener.

After a brief pause, the Inglemoor Wind Ensemble took to the stage. As any regular reader of this journal would know, this listener is a huge fan of the wind ensemble and has a keen interest in hearing ensembles of young players, so I was eagerly looking forward to this part of the concert.

Like the String Orchestra, this ensemble has a large number of players and not overly heavy in the usual sections (i.e. trumpet, flute, etc.). Conductor Ted Christensen took the podium and launched his ensemble into a carefully played Dedicatory Fanfare, by William Cherry, which, while well played, was lacking volume and intensity. This careful approach paid handsome dividends in a wonderful performance of J.S, Bach’s Bist Du Bei Mir. The intonation and balance was excellent throughout, and there are ample opportunities for any issues with both to be glaringly obvious. Next came Timothy Mahr’s Endurance, a work about Shackelton’s 1914 ill-fated Antarctic expedition (named after his ship, Endurance). It is a work that would challenge any ensemble, but these young players rose to the occasion with a polished performance. Even Mr. Christensen was delighted, to judge by his fist-pumping celebration at the end of the work! Ending with what must be one of their signature pieces, The Florentiner, a grand march in the Italian style by the legendary band composer Julius Fučik, the ensemble unleashed a performance that had the audience respond with enthusiastic applause. It was also the highlight of their selections to this listener.

One general reservation for this listener was that the opportunity to project a truly big sound was lost. It is rarity at this level to boast forces that are not only large but well-balanced in proportion and ability, with an amount of lower brass that has the potential to shake the walls of the hall! I wanted to be blown out of my seat with a wall of sound, and it never happened, nor was it even close to happening. When you are on the stage of one of the most famous concert halls in the world, is not the time for a well-mannered performance! Lest anyone think I am suggesting that wind ensembles are all about being loud and bombastic, be assured that that is not the case, but why have seventy-four players if you aren’t going to take advantage of your resources? To do less is akin to using a sports car to pull a trailer. Please take this all as some friendly advice from a life-long band geek- Leave it all out there, always give it your all, and go big or don’t go at all!

That all being said, these were outstanding young players and they especially impressed in terms of balance – no one section dominated. This is almost unheard of at the high school level. Mr. Rice and Mr. Christensen are to be congratulated for the fine musical program at Inglemoor that they both have been so instrumental in developing. With the huge numbers of participants, and the high level at which they play, one should expect continuing successes for this excellent program. Congratulations to all.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Capps-Primakov-Lavrova: Passion-Romance-Fire in Review

Capps-Primakov-Lavrova: Passion-Romance-Fire

Ben Capps, cello; Vassily Primakov, piano; Natalia Lavrova, piano

Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Music Center, New York, NY

March 14, 2015

Take one New York cellist, two Russian pianists, and a South African composer, and you have the beginnings of a rather unusual recipe for a concert. Serve generous amounts of Rachmaninoff and Chopin, plus a premiere for zing, and one can satisfy a full house for approximately two hours. With champagne afterwards to complete the party atmosphere, this was the recipe for Passion-Romance-Fire, a concert featuring cellist Ben Capps, pianists Vassily Primakov and Natalia Lavrova, and composer Braam van Eeden, presented by the artists at Merkin Concert Hall on March 14, 2015. Unusual as the recipe was, it made perfect sense in light of the friendships among these musicians, and the rapport was quite apparent.

Mr. Primakov and Ms. Lavrova opened the evening with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s 1894 work, the Six Morceaux for piano four-hands, Op. 11. Telling native Russians the “proper” way to play Rachmaninoff may seem a bit like telling the sun how to rise, but I would like to express one reservation I had, and that was that the Barcarolle was a bit on the heavy-handed side. This minor matter notwithstanding, it was a stunning performance one would expect from two such highly accomplished pianists.

Abraham van Eeden (b. 1989), or Braam, as he prefers to be called, hails from South Africa. Mr. van Eeden is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Pretoria in piano and compostion and theory. He is currently studying composition in New York City with one of America’s finest composers, Lowell Liebermann. It is already paying dividends, judging by the quality of the work presented at this performance. Variations on a theme by Schumann, for cello and piano four hands, written especially for Mr. Capps, Mr. Primakov, and Ms. Lavrova, was given its world premiere. The theme, Fast zu Ernst, is from Kinderszenen. There are ten variations with a closing section. Cellist Ben Capps described this work as “Shostakovich and Piazzolla had a baby,” a humorous, but apt analysis. This is a highly dramatic and effective work, filled with eerie moments and excitement, all brought to a finish that Mr. van Eeden likens to an explosion. Mr. Capps, Mr. Primakov, and Ms. Lavrova wrung out every last drop of drama in a superb performance that was the highlight of the evening for this listener. Mr. van Eeden was in attendance, and stood to acknowledge the cheers of the appreciative audience.

The unusual scoring will likely limit extensive performances. It might be a good idea for Mr. van Eeden to work out a version for cello and piano, two hands, as well.

It is indisputable that Mr. van Eeden is a natural talent with seemingly limitless potential, given his youth. What remains to be seen is if he can fully develop those gifts and grow into a composer with a truly distinctive voice. The preliminary indications are looking favorable, as the Variations on a theme by Schumann is a leap forward from some of his earlier works.

Cellist Ben Capps offered two of the warhorses of the repertoire, Chopin’s Sonata for cello and piano in G minor, Op 65, and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata for cello and piano in G minor, Op .19. Expectations are high for any cellist who programs these masterpieces. Woe be to any cellist who is not up to the mark, as these works are so well known that even the average listener will easily detect flaws. There were no worries about this, as Mr. Capps “delivered the goods” with assurance in dynamic performances, further enhanced by the technical wizardry of Mr. Primakov, who made child’s play of the ferociously difficult piano parts. This is a pairing of talents with great potential! Interested listeners would be well-advised to seek out the CD of these works that Mr. Capps and Mr. Primakov recorded, which will be released on April 15, 2015- go to LP Classics for details.

Mr. Capps is all business in his demeanor- there is none of the incessant undulating that so many performers seem to feel is necessary (note to such performers: It isn’t). Playing a 1782 cello made by William Forester, Mr. Capp produces a tone that is rich, warm, and full-bodied, without any stridency in loud passages. He makes the most difficult passagework seem effortless. The closing of the Rachmaninoff sonata was scintillating and brought the audience to their feet. It was a fine end to a fine concert. Bravo to all!

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents a cappella NEXT in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents a cappella NEXT

Harmonia Chamber Singers, Robert Pacillo, director; Choeur de Chambre du Québec, Robert Ingari, director; Elore Festival Singers, Noel Edison, director

Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

March 13, 2015

For the superstitious, the idea of a concert on Friday the 13th might be considered to be an ill-advised undertaking to be avoided at all costs. While those with paraskevidekatriaphobia stayed home, the hall was filled with those intrepid souls who refuse to subscribe to such beliefs, and they were rewarded with a truly outstanding concert. On March 13, 2015, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented a concert entitled a cappella NEXT, an evening dedicated to contemporary choral chamber music. Featuring the talents of three choruses, one from New York and two from Canada, it was a night filled with the sounds of some old classics and exciting new works.

I had the privilege of reviewing the 2014 a cappella NEXT concert ( a cappella NEXT 2014 review), so I was looking forward to this year’s edition. Without taking anything away from the talented ensembles that sang so well in 2014, the three ensembles this year not only met the high standards of their predecessors, but moved the bar up several levels.

The Harmonia Chamber singers opened the concert. Led by Robert Pacillo, this New York based ensemble got the night off to a fine start with a rock-solid performance of My Soul, There is a Country, an anthem by the composer best known for Jerusalem, Hubert Parry. Eulogy, by Rob Deemer, with text by Brian Turner, followed. Eulogy is a written account of a solider’s suicide in Iraq. With pitch bends and near bi-tonality at times, suggestive of the waves of heat on the battefield, the pause after the solider shoots himself, and the tight harmonies as the work ends in almost a whisper, Eulogy is hauntingly moving. Mr. Deemer was present in the audience and must have been pleased by the superb performance of his piece. The next work, She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron, was skillfully set by Jeffrey Trenchard, a member of the ensemble. Mr. Trenchard was visibly moved to tears when he stepped forward to acknowledge the audience after a lovely performance. Goin’ Home, using the Largo movement from Dvořák’s Symphony No.9 “From the New World” and a playful Nelly Bly by Stephen Foster brought the Harmonia Chamber Singers’ portion of the program to a close. An appreciative audience loudly cheered for this fine ensemble.

After a short break, Choeur de Chambre du Québec took the stage. As one would expect from an ensemble from Québec, their entire portion (dix chansons) of the program was sung in French. The details of their entire set, plus translations, can be viewed by clicking the following link: a cappella NEXT program 2015. Conductor Robert Ingari not only led his ensemble with careful attention to details of timbre, but proved to be an accomplished composer as well. His settings of the poetry of Paul Verlaine in Chanson d’automne and Soleils Couchants were compelling. Not to be overshadowed by their maître, ensemble members Guillaume Boulay and Jean-Charles Côté contributed fine works as well, all performed with flawless intonation, balance, and style. French, and French-Canadian composers (Debussy, Poulenc, Lionel Daunais, and Mark Sirett) rounded out their program. Choeur de Chambre du Québec sang these works with the native flair that a non-francophone would be hard pressed to emulate. After the last sounds of Sirett’s ravishing Ce beau printemps faded away, the audience reacted with a standing ovation for this first-rate ensemble. Bien joué, Choeur de Chambre du Québec!

After another short break, the Elora Fesitval Singers took the stage for the last set. Based in Elora, Canada, they are led by the able Noel Edison. Their opening piece, Immortality, by Timothy Corlis, was for this listener, the highlight of the evening. A crowd-pleaser from start to finish, it is a work with something for everyone- driving energy, brilliance, spine-tingling moments, sublime beauty, and a build-up to a climax that explodes before fading away. It was a great lead-off work, but I believe this placement was a tactical error- it should have been the last work on their program. Two well-known and popular works from Eric Whitacre followed- Sleep and Her Spirit Soars. The close harmonies that are so characteristic of Whitacre, were delivered precisely by the ensemble, making for a truly wonderful performance. Gloria Deo per immensa Saecula, by Healey Willan, closed the concert. This motet was the product of a challenge from a colleague about the lack of new five-part works (two other examples of similar challenges readily come to mind J.S. Bach’s Musical Offering and Thomas Tallis’s Spem in alium). It is a remarkable work and was given a remarkable performance- a real tour-de-force that might be better appreciated by choral specialists than by the average lay listener. In any case, my reservations about sequence are a matter of preference, and in no way detract anything from the fine performances. The audience gave the Elora Festival Singers a well-earned standing ovation.

Congratulations to all three ensembles. It was a lucky Friday the 13th indeed!

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Mirror Visions Ensemble presents Journeys in Review

Mirror Visions Ensemble presents Journeys

Mirror Visions Ensemble- Vira Slywotzky, soprano

Scott Murphree, tenor

Jesse Blumberg, baritone

Grant Wenaus, piano

SubCulture, New York, NY

March 10, 2015

To celebrate the upcoming release of their CD entitled The Three-Paneled Mirror (Centaur Records CRC 3381/3382), comprised entirely of commissioned works, Mirror Visions Ensemble presented a program called Journeys at SubCulture in New York City. Featuring works from the standard repertoire paired with premiered commissioned works from contemporary composers (not included on their CD), it proved to be a trip filled with wonder and whimsy.

Mirror Visions Ensemble, directed by Tobé Malawista, has stated their mission as “performing and commissioning musical ‘mirror images’- multiple settings of the same text by one or more composers,” and presenting programs that are “built around themes and always include new works commissioned by the ensemble.” Each member of Mirror Visions has an impressive list of accomplishments and credentials as soloist and was featured as such in at least one work in the program.

Journeys included works about exploring the sea, islands, and forests, letters from friends, as well as visits to churches and several hotels. There were sixteen works total on the program with the earlier being songs from Hugo Wolf, Hector Berlioz, Joseph Haydn, Felice Blangini, Henri Duparc, 20^th century masters Samuel Barber and Francis Poulenc, and popular composers Cole Porter and Stephen Schwartz. The newer were commissioned works by Gilda Lyons, Scott Wheeler, Deborah Fischer Teason, Tom Cipullo, and William Ryden.

As much as I would like to give a detailed account of all the songs, I will concentrate mostly on the commissioned works. For the older works, I will mention three highlights: Baritone Jesse Blumberg dynamic, full-bodied performance of Hugo Wolf’s Auf einer Wanderung, tenor Scott Murphree’s hilarious take on Cole Porter’s Tale of the Oyster, which had the audience roaring with laughter, and Samuel Barber’s setting of James Joyce in Solitary Hotel performed in Film Noir style, with soprano Vira Slywotzky taking the part of the femme fatale as she slinked to the front of the stage – it was campy to be sure, but how very effective it was!

Moving on to the commissioned works, Great Barrier Reef by Gilda Lyons, from “recent studies, adapted by the composer,” featured swirling sounds of the waves, as the music “flowed” from one performer to the next in rapid sequence, and with some added sound effects. It was an ingenious work given a polished performance.

Letters to Isabella, by Scott Wheeler, uses the texts of three letters written to art collector and museum founder Isabella Stewart Gardner. The first from Henry James (for tenor), the second from Paul Bourget (for soprano), and the last (for baritone) from Kakuzo Okakura, ostensibly written to his cat, who was “visiting” with Ms. Gardner. Mr. Wheeler expertly captured the tone of each letter, from the longing sighs of James, to the world-weary Bourget (who found Florida especially odious), and the playful teasing of Okakura, and the performers projected those qualities with consummate grace.

The Bells at Saint-Aignan by Deborah Fischer Teason, using text from Jeffrey Greene, was to this listener the highlight of the commissioned works. As told in the program, each bell at this church has three names, the first the name of a noble woman, the second after bees or wasps, and the third for the notes they sounded. This commemorative piece was conveyed with haunting tonal ambiguity in both the vocal and piano writing, never straying too far toward atonality, but remaining unsettled throughout. It was a mesmerizing effect, given an equally mesmerizing performance.

At the Windermere Hotel, by Tom Cipullo, with text from Nightmare at the Windermere Hotel by Edna St. Vincent Millay, was a sure-fire crowd pleaser. The audience was in stitches as the quest for an elusive cup of coffee from room service took an absurdly comic route. Even pianist Grant Wenaus got into the act – when he called out “Kitchen Speaking,” the audience howled in laughter. This was just pure fun and Mirror Visions played it for all it was worth.

William Ryden’s The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, using Edward Lear’s verses, was a delight and brought the program to a successful finish.

It was gratifying that all the composers of the commissioned works were in attendance and able to be acknowledged for their compositions by the appreciative audience.

The Ghost of Madame de Sévigné at the Carnavalet, by Christopher Berg, was offered as an encore, after which the Ensemble greeted the many people who wished to see them. Mirror Visions Ensemble is not only highly accomplished musically, but also pulls in their listeners with their winning personalities on both the individual and group level. Add those qualities to the great service they do for contemporary composers by their continual commissioning and performing of new works, and the end result is a win for everyone. I look forward to hearing more from and about Mirror Visions Ensemble.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Two Cultures, One Dream in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Two Cultures, One Dream

Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and principal conductor; Jie Yi, Debut Conductor

Earnestine Rodgers Robinson, visiting composer; Heather Sorenson, arranger, orchestrator and accompanist

Ana Isabel Lazo, soprano; Ting Li, tenor; Tshombe Selby, tenor; Chai-Lun Yueh, baritone; Brian Wahlstrom, baritone and narrator; James T. Meeks and Michelle R. McKissack, narrators; Jiaju Shen, pipa

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra; Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

February 16, 2015

Two Cultures, One Dream was the title of the concert presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) on February 16, 2015. While the “two cultures” were only implied as East and West, the “one dream” was explicit – freedom from oppression and the triumph of the people against their oppressors. With singers from Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Canada, China, New Zealand, Taiwan, and “individuals from around the globe,” the stage was set for that at which DCINY excels – the “big show.”

The first half of the program was the Yellow River Cantata (which was reworked in 1969 at the instigation of Madame Mao into the well-known Yellow River Piano Concerto, by a “committee” of five Chinese composers) by Xian Xinghai (1905-1945). Xian was one of the first Chinese composers to have adopted western influences, having studied composition with Vincent D’Indy and Paul Dukas in Paris, and no doubt with Soviet composers during his time in the Soviet Union in the 1940s. Given the honorific “The People’s Composer” by Mao Zedong, Xian’s legacy rests largely his with his more “populist” works, the Yellow River Cantata being his best-known work with western influences.

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Two Cultures, One Dream

The “original” Yellow River Cantata was written in 1939, which, according to Xian’s daughter, took only six days to complete. Using the poetry of Guang Weiran as the text, there are four performed versions, with seven to nine movements. The version performed on this occasion is the most frequently played, with seven movements. The writing is tonal and bears the influences of Mr. Xian’s western studies, sometimes in a derivative way. The melodic material is largely folk-influenced and uncomplicated. The work is to exhort the Chinese people to resist and repel the Japanese invaders who were occupying China at the time (1939). The idea of a musical work to rally the people is not unique (Shostakovich’s Symphony No.7 “Leningrad” being one of the most obvious examples), but it is chiefly this context that makes Yellow River Cantata effective. Each movement begins with a male narrator exhorting the people to action, using the Yellow River as a symbol of Chinese identity.

Now, after all this background, it is time to talk about the actual performance. This was one of the most energetic performances of any work I have seen in many years! There were no half-measures at any time; it was full tilt from start to finish by all. It was especially interesting to see how involved the chorus was in performance. It was obvious they were giving it their all, with evident pride, as if to say “This is our music, and we are proud to share it with you.” Conductor Jie Yi was a force of nature, with boundless energy and enthusiasm that won the day. Mr. Jie has star potential and charisma that reminds one of Gustavo Dudamel and the young Leonard Bernstein. The soloists were outstanding as well. Baritone Chai-Lun Yueh was confident and projected with both strength and dignity, tenor Ting Li and baritone Brian Wahlstrom in duet were well matched as Jiaju Shen set the mood with accompaniment on the pipa, while soprano Ana Isabel Lazo captured the heartbreak in “Lament of the Yellow River” with perfection. Finally, Mr. Wahlstrom’s narration was excellent, in both English and Chinese, as his voice filled the hall. The net result was, to this listener, a rare occasion where the quality of the performance exceeded the actual intrinsic value of the work itself.

After intermission, it was time for the world premiere of Exodus, a four-part oratorio depicting the story of the Israelites being held in captivity in Egypt, their ultimate escape, and their triumph in reaching the Promised Land. The story is so well known that I will not recount it here. The composer, Earnestine Rodgers Robinson, has written two other critically acclaimed oratorios, The Crucifixion and The Nativity. It is highly likely that Exodus will join these two works in similar esteem, as it is a piece of great power, worthy of the subject matter and never losing its hold on the listener in its nearly one-hour length. The vocal writing is highly effective and the first-rate orchestrations by Heather Sorenson serve to strengthen the work even more. I would like to make special mention of the setting of Psalm 23 in Part IV, which has been set by some “heavy hitters” in musical history. Ms. Robinson’s version can hold its own with any of them.

With the dynamic narrations from Pastor James T. Meeks and Michelle R. McKissack (a daughter of Ms. Robinson), the talented tenor Tshombe Selby, the return of Ms. Lazo with the hard-working Mr. Wohlstrom, and the passionate and well-prepared chorus, it was a winning performance. Led by the supremely able Jonathan Griffith, who has made an art form of leading forces of several hundred, and the fine Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, it was a great end to the evening. The audience obviously found this to be so, given the ovation and the cheers for Ms. Robinson when she came to the stage. Congratulations to all for a great concert.

by Jeffrey Williams for New York Concert Review; New York, NY