Rorianne Schrade | New York Concert Review, Inc.

Fryderyk Chopin Society of Texas presents Dzmitry Ulasiuk in Review

Winners of the 25th (2017) International Chopin Piano Competition

Dzmitry Ulasiuk, pianist

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

September 17, 2018

As a Winner of the 2017 International Chopin Piano Competition of the Fryderyk Chopin Society of Texas (Corpus Christi), Belarus-born pianist Dzmitry Ulasiuk (www.dzmitryulasiuk.com) took the stage of Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall for his half of the winners’ concert with what amounted to a full program in itself. Expectations were high, naturally, but he met and surpassed them with exceptional artistry.

Mr. Ulasiuk chose to open with Ten Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75, a thirty-five-minute set of Prokofiev’s own piano arrangements from his famous ballet. The rest of the pianist’s program was Scriabin, including the Sonata No. 9, Op. 68 (“Black Mass”), and the Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp Major, Op. 53 as his finale. Shorter offerings included the Nocturne for the Left Hand, Op. 9, No. 2, two Etudes from Op. 42 (No. 4 in F-sharp Major and No. 5 in C-sharp minor), and three Mazurkas (Op. 3, Nos. 7 and 9, and Op. 25, No. 3).

Curiously, for this Chopin-inspired competition, Mr. Ulasiuk played no Chopin, but, as he noted following his gracious opening remarks, “Chopin exists here between the lines” – referring to the great piano legacy of Chopin which can be felt in all piano compositions following in the Romantic period and beyond. Particularly in the Scriabin Mazurkas one felt – for obvious reasons – the strong connection to Chopin; when one plays Russian music as well as Mr. Ulasiuk does, however, any names, nationalities, or needs to justify repertoire tend to disappear.

It should be noted that Mr. Ulasiuk began his portion of the program around 9:45pm. The first part of the program, already close to 90 minutes long, had been lengthened by an encore requested of the first winner by one of the contest’s administrators – Chopin’s Polonaise Op. 53, no less! Mr. Ulasiuk proved himself to be a consummate professional, showing not the slightest bit of fatigue. In fact, this listener was already starting to flag due to the late hour but was immediately rejuvenated by the first notes of his intense musicianship.

The Romeo and Juliet pieces were superb. First of all, Mr. Ulasiuk projects quite easily the huge and well-balanced sonorities that reach every corner of a concert hall. One couldn’t help thinking, through the thundering bellicose Montagues and Capulets and the balletic Masks, how ideally suited he must be for Prokofiev’s Third Concerto – but back to the pieces at hand! Along with ample power and technique, Mr. Ulasiuk revealed sensitivity and soulfulness at all the right times, giving a hallowed feeling to Friar Lawrence (with the perfect amount of breathing in his phrasing!) and creating beautifully delicate shadings in his haunting rendition of the Dance of the Girls with Lilies. He captured the character of each dance expertly, making Mercutio spring to life and weaving a spell in Young Juliet. The final dance, Romeo and Juliet before Parting, conveyed more heartbreak than Shakespeare’s own words could. Mr Ulasiuk is an artist of depth and mastery, with unwavering conceptions which capture his listener. His conception of Romeo and Juliet was one to remember, and one hopes he will consider recording the set.

There are times when a reviewer simply decides to put pencil and paper away and enjoy the music, and this was one of those times. The remainder of this well-crafted program only confirmed one’s initial impression that Mr. Ulasiuk is an exceptional artist. Scriabin’s Nocturne for the Left Hand was controlled beautifully, with only occasional differences of opinion on the pedaling (it would seem on the verge of being too much, but all did make sense ultimately). In the Etude in C-sharp, oddly, one wanted a bit more pedal to help enhance the expansive harmonies, and basses in particular, but again these were matters of personal preference, and his interpretations were never less than persuasive. His playing always had direction and dramatic shape.

Scriabin’s “Black Mass” Sonata was one of the high points of the Scriabin selections, and it has never been this reviewer’s favorite, so kudos are in order! Again, Mr. Ulasiuk had a cogent and cohesive interpretation. Poetic renditions of three Mazurkas followed as a musical buffer before the Sonata, No. 5, which was given a performance emphasizing its inherent jolts and extremes.

The Fifth Sonata is viewed as a transitional work between Scriabin’s early period, in which the kinship with Chopin is felt strongly, and the late period, with its wild, mystical explorations. Mr. Ulasiuk’s performance favored the edginess of the latter. One imagines that there must have been some cross-pollination happening during his work on the Ninth Sonata, which on the other hand felt more rooted in tradition and graspable than usual – a refreshing surprise. In any case, both performances were nigh impossible to fault, save for the occasional near-negligible smudge, and both were thought-provoking and compelling.

In summary, it was a brilliant recital by an artist whom one will certainly want to follow. Bravo!

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Presents Spirit Journey in Review

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra/Distinguished Concerts Singers International;

Pepper Choplin, Composer/Conductor; Mark Hayes, DCINY Composer-In-Residence;

Kevin McBeth and Andy Waggoner, Guest Conductors;

Leslie Mabe and Rachel Schutz, Sopranos; John Robert Green, Baritone; Steve Coldiron, Narrator

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presented yet another large-scale concert last weekend at Carnegie Hall, and as has often been the case, it was more than a concert. Entitled “Spirit Journey,” the event centered on choral music of prayer and faith by Mark Hayes and Pepper Choplin, and there were moments when one needed to pinch oneself to remember that one was at Carnegie Hall and not in a church. Naturally, many of Western music’s most profound creations have sprung from faith or have been dedicated to it, and one thinks of (among others) the colossal contributions of J. S. Bach, with his initialing of SDG, Soli Deo Gloria (“To God Alone be the Glory”) at the end of many masterpieces; this concert, though, was much more overt in its religiosity and even included the interspersing of miniature sermon-like introductions between movements of one work, recited by narrator Steve Coldiron. The homilies were an interesting touch, but neither enhancing nor detracting from the musical experience for which this listener came.

Mark Hayes and Pepper Choplin are two composers who are quite well-known to DCINY. This concert marked Pepper Choplin’s fifth appearance with DCINY, and Mark Hayes is currently the composer-in-residence for DCINY. Their compositional styles made for a simpatico pairing, though with distinct differences here due to the contrasting selections, Mr. Choplin’s chosen work being overall a bit more sweetly hymn-like, while the contributions of Mr. Hayes emphasized a more rhythmic earthiness in Spirit Suites I and II and selected arrangements of spirituals.

Mr. Choplin’s sole work of the evening, Our Father: A Journey through the Lord’s Prayer made up the first half and was conducted energetically by its composer. The conception itself struck this listener as ingenious, with its nine movements each centering on a different phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. Considering such fertile material, though, this listener wanted a bit more harmonic or contrapuntal variety. The Lead Us Not into Temptation movement was appropriately troubled in its minor tonality and rhythmic urgency, and there were elements of despair and struggle in the Let Your Kingdom Come movement as well, but a certain sweet glossiness verging on commercialism tended to dominate some other movements. The influence of non-classical genres was apparent in a way that this listener, at the risk of sounding overly traditional, found a bit off-puttingly schmaltzy for such a hallowed text. Some parts even brought to mind a nightclub sort of flavor, including Holy Be Thy Name (which, on each successive repetition of the descending major sixth on the word “Holy” had this listener thinking more and more of Patsy Cline in Crazy).

High points among the Choplin movements included Forgive Us with its sigh-like motive bringing it a stirring and genuinely plaintive quality. Particularly successful as well was the introduction (later reprised) of We Are Not Alone, a movement set to those words in an excited rhythmic whisper, creating the backdrop for the prayer itself. The reprise of it was creatively handled, and all was given an excellent performance by the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International. Leslie Mabe, soprano and also director of one of the choirs (the St. Paul United Methodist Church, from Virginia) sang her solo part with a pure and beautiful tone.

Mr. Choplin is a composer with unquestionable experience, popularity, and a prolific output. He is the composer of over 275 anthems for church and school choir, with 19 church cantatas, a book of piano arrangements and over a hundred commissions. His works have sold several million copies since 1991. He obviously has a “secret recipe” that brings delight to many, and the large audience seemed to revel in the experience.

After intermission we heard two suites of spirituals and several individual spiritual arrangements by Mark Hayes. Mr. Hayes is an award-winning pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor with a personal catalog of over 1000 published works. He has conducted his own major works at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and in a festival of sacred music sponsored by none other than the Vatican.

Spirit Suite I was conducted charismatically by Kevin McBeth and opened with a rousing rhythmic rendition of the song, In That Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’. The soloist for all three songs in this suite was soprano Rachel Schutz, who gave exceptionally fine performances. This reviewer frequently opts not to read performers’ biographical notes before a concert, preferring to take the interpretations on their own merits, but some performers send one flipping quickly to the back of a program to find out “who is this giving such an amazing performance?” Ms. Schutz inspired this reaction. Especially in the song, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, she shone, handling its unaccompanied iterations with heartbreaking feeling. Mr. Hayes had varied the main melody beautifully, sending the elaborations skyward, and Ms. Schutz rose to the challenge with effortless grace. Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel? closed the set with exuberance, and despite brass, percussion, and strings in full force, the soprano voice penetrated with impressive clarity.

It is rare to have two such remarkable singers in one night, but it was a lucky night. Spirit Suite II, conducted expertly by Andy Waggoner, enlisted the talents of baritone John Robert Green, who was perfectly suited to this repertoire, with a rich and deep sound, robust and regal. He gave Little David, Play on Your Harp an infectious energy, and imbued the perennial favorite, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, with such pure emotion that a number of tissues were spotted being pulled from pockets and purses. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho, as Mr. Hayes has arranged it, is irresistibly dance-like, and Mr. Green, with the chorus and orchestra, captured the spirit to perfection.

Kevin McBeth returned to the stage to conduct a winning performance of I Want Jesus to Walk with Me, leaving Mr. Waggoner to conduct the New York Premiere of Deep River, given a full-blown treatment worthy of a Hollywood film score. A rollicking rendition of Ain’t that Good News (also a Mark Hayes New York Premiere) made for a high-spirited close to the program.

The audience stood and gave a loud ovation, many members apparently excited to be present for their loved ones in the choruses from Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Brazil, and Canada. Kudos once again to DCINY!

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Alexander and Buono Foundation Presents Thomas Nickell and the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago in Review

Thomas Nickell, piano; The Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, Mina Zikri, Conductor

Jeff Glor, Anchor, CBS Evening News, Honorary Chair and Host

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 3, 2018

This past Sunday at Carnegie Hall brought some concert “firsts” for this reviewer (not counting the challenges of parades, protests, and resultant chaos throughout Manhattan, unfortunately not firsts).

It was this listener’s first time hearing a touring orchestra from Chicago that was not the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but rather the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, named, one assumes, after the great violinist David Oistrakh, an auspicious homage indeed. Under the leadership of excellent conductor Mina Zikri, this orchestra (founded in 2005 of largely young professionals) proved itself to be a commendable ensemble – undoubtedly a welcome addition to the “Windy City” and beyond.

It was also this listener’s first time hearing promising young pianist and composer, Thomas Nickell, age nineteen, in a program that included, among other works, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 19, and Totentanz of Franz Liszt, both works that often get overlooked in favor of their more popular relatives (Beethoven’s Concertos 1,3, 4, and 5, and Liszt’s Concertos 1 and 2). It was a pleasure to see the two being programmed, and it was a pleasure to discover a young musician who is set apart in many ways from his peers.

The concert opened, rather unusually, with just the first movement, the Allegro con brio, of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (the “Eroica”). It was odd to hear this portion of a masterpiece almost relegated to the role of an overture, but in terms of playing, aside from the need for more power in the lower strings, what one heard was excellent, played with regal spirit. Beethoven devotees may be disappointed by such excerpting, this listener included, but there seemed to be other priorities for the concert, particularly the featuring of Mr. Nickell, who followed with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

Mr. Nickell, who has concertized actively for several years, is currently studying at the Mannes College of Music where he is a double major in piano and composition. He has many admirable qualities as a performer, including an engaging and professional stage presence, overall technical mastery, the ability to respond with individuality to a musical score, and the ability to express that response with conviction. These are no small advantages.

Mr. Nickell also possesses a quality one finds endemic to composer-pianists, namely a pronounced tendency to favor the “big picture” over local detail – an asset and a potential liability all at once. He clearly grasps the overall architecture of what he plays, with none of the myopia of the mere technician, thankfully, but with such an aerial view that some finer elements are occasionally obscured. In his Beethoven, there were harmonies warranting extra intensity that were glossed over, thus losing expressiveness, as well as melodic phrases that needed more time for details to be articulated and to project the music’s full spirit and character. Perhaps the excitement of the occasion led to these issues, or perhaps they were viewed as pesky “details” – though one uses quotation marks, because the “details” in great music can be so important. In any case a slightly slower tempo in the first movement might have benefited the interpretation while probably enhancing the clarity in some of the left-hand passagework as well.

The above is not to say that Mr. Nickell lacks technical facility – he does not, and at times he displayed the light and fleet finger-work that reminded one of some of Glenn Gould’s recordings – but it struck this listener that Mr. Nickel, as a composer, may be so immersed in his own musical sound world that it may be hard to commit himself fully to the world of another composer, including historical milieu, philosophy, style, and notation (including the dynamics, which tended to need more attention in this performance). This speculation seemed supported by Mr. Nickell’s cadenza, which did not emerge as enhancing Beethoven’s concerto in this listener’s opinion. Though a cadenza’s traditional role does involve spotlighting the soloist, it should also serve the body of the work and not dissipate or dilute the momentum and tension of the movement, as it seemed to here.

Elsewhere, where Mr. Nickell took time, he was well rewarded. A highlight of his Beethoven, and perhaps the entire concert, was the hallowed Adagio movement. Mr. Nickell is unafraid of extremes of softness and slowness, and he savors the heart-stopping lulls more than many players. Thus, where Beethoven marked con gran espressione, Mr. Nickell maximized the moment, creating such a spell of quietude that one found oneself glowering at a neighboring audience member for breathing too loudly. The Rondo movement closed with plenty of sparkle, so much so that one wondered whether there had simply been a need to warm up during the first movement.

After intermission, the program became a virtual mini-recital for the pianist alone, without orchestra. Orchestra members (alas – having traveled a significant distance to play!) simply waited offstage, while Mr. Nickell played an eclectic variety of works. Again, the raison d’être for the program seems to have been to showcase Mr. Nickel. We heard him in works by Henry Cowell, Frédéric Chopin, and also by Thomas Nickell himself (with Philip Glass Etude No. 2 on the printed program but canceled). All of that came before the orchestra rejoined him for Totentanz, making for quite a demanding afternoon.

Two of Cowell’s best-known works opened the second half, The Tides of Manaunaun, with its growling bass forearm clusters, and Aeolian Harp, with its ethereal harmonies and glissandi on the strings inside the piano. It will be interesting to see whether Mr. Nickell will choose a niche (not that one must necessarily choose), but this listener’s guess is that he will fare the best with repertoire of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. He played the Cowell pair sensitively and with dedication, without pause. He then launched into Chopin’s Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44, arguably one of Chopin’s more difficult works interpretively. Again, one heard artistry with a broad brushstroke and some ensuing messiness, but the most that one really wants to suggest to such a maverick is slowing down to smell some of the roses (and not just in the slow movements as many extremists do).

Mr. Nickell’s own composition, Innisfree, followed. A piano transcription of a song he composed, it revealed the influence of Cowell and possibly Crumb in its extended techniques, all while expressing a mood of meditation and mystery that seems to reflect the beginnings of his own individual style. One eagerly awaits hearing his future compositions.

Totentanz concluded the concert with an ease that belied its difficulty. Effective emphasis of rests and pauses maximized the ponderous qualities, but there was room for more biting pianistic brilliance. One wants to be spellbound by this piece, but the drama wasn’t quite full force. What was missing was a sense of the terror of the Dies Irae (or “Day of Wrath” in Latin – oddly misspelled in the program notes as “Das Irie”).

Will there be time for this pianist to practice sufficiently to make such Romantic virtuoso works truly scorching, while also inhabiting Beethoven’s world, devouring Cowell and Glass, and creating his own music? Time will tell, but in this year of remembering Leonard Bernstein, the quintessential multitasker, one should rule out nothing.

There are also many years ahead to fine-tune Mr. Nickell’s considerable gifts. Though there is no mention in his biography of his teachers at Mannes (an unusual thing, given his age), it is possible, in this current burst of career activity, that Mr. Nickell’s presenters consider that he has transcended such student matters. Hopefully such is not the case, as there is a lifetime of learning involved in maturing as a musician. Just as a single musical work can benefit from a slow burn, so can a musician’s evolution.

Among many elements in his favor, Mr. Nickell has a remarkably strong support base, and it includes prominently Barry Alexander (of the presenting Alexander and Buono Foundation), who gave the elegant spoken introductions. Mr. Nickell also had many fans in his audience, and they applauded him heartily, bringing him back to the stage for repeated bows. One looks forward to following the further development of this young artist.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Huizi Zhang Presents Hreizleriana in Review

Huizi Zhang, piano and toy piano

Marc A. Scorca Hall, The National Opera Center,

New York, NY

May 26, 2018

The National Opera Center was the setting this weekend for a fascinating program by excellent young pianist, Huizi Zhang (www.huizizhang.com). Five recently composed works by four young composers with whom I’m not familiar – including three premieres – preceded a performance of the deservedly familiar Kreisleriana, Op. 16, one of Robert Schumann’s great masterpieces. It was a thoroughly stimulating evening, pairing discovery with rediscovery.

The program’s title Hreizleriana, and its subtitle, “…a journey into madness and music,” made reference to two works of art, the E. T. A Hoffmann novel, Kreisleriana, about a mad genius conductor named Kreisler, and Kreisleriana, Schumann’s magnificent piano work which the Kreisler character inspired, heard as this program’s finale. Ms. Zhang’s program subtitle was fitting for a concert that would have touches of madness throughout (beyond those of the Schumann’s own mercurial qualities). As for Ms. Zhang’s spelling of Kreisleriana as Hreizleriana, one can only guess that it was a way of including her own initials – a playful touch which Schumann, cryptogram devotee, might have appreciated.

Beyond the interesting program concept, the execution is naturally always paramount, and Ms. Zhang’s playing was nearly uncriticizable. She conveyed a firm belief in each piece, honoring the composers with her thoroughness and interpreting their music with vibrancy and sensitivity. Her Schumann was exemplary, capturing all the fluctuations of Schumann’s widely contrasting moods and with rarely a glitch. With such a pillar of the standard repertoire beautifully in hand, Ms. Zhang could build many similar musical journeys “into madness” using this Schumann as the foundation and finale. Though her emotional projection was never “over the top” into the realm of madness, itself, she demonstrated expert control as the vehicle for the madness of others.

Four Movements for Solo Piano (2016) by Jacob Wilkinson (www.jwiki222.wixsite.com/jacobwilkinson) opened the program. Born in 1997, Mr. Wilkinson was the youngest of the composers presented. His four movements, entitled Prelude, Incantation, Lullaby, and Circle Dance, offered expressive and intelligently crafted writing, idiomatically written for the piano. Some of it sounded like a Scriabin-inspired improvisation (with hints of Messiaen), though the last movement, with its short, repeated dance motives, brought to mind the brilliance of Ginastera (also Villa-Lobos, a thought possibly triggered by its name, Circle Dance). Invoking names of famous composers, by the way, is not an implication that this music is derivative, but rather a shortcut in characterizing what can take too long to describe; that said, if one were to be derivative, one could do much worse than to have such composers as models! As for the Scriabin similarity, there are similarly craggy and urgent impulses felt in the middle and late work of the Russian master, sometimes attributed to encroaching madness – again fitting right in with Ms. Zhang’s theme. In sum, Mr. Wilkinson is a promising young artist, and he is fortunate to have attracted the advocacy of such a fine pianist as Ms. Zhang.

Following came Six Preludes for Piano (2013) by Colombian-born Fabian Beltran (www.fabianbeltranmusic.com). These were direct, communicative pieces showing a strong ability to capture varied emotions in fluent and vivid pianistic writing. The nocturne-like movement Grave e dolente was particularly captivating in its lyricism, and the set was rounded out with brilliant, though occasionally strident, performances of the two final movements, Vivace and Con brio. Brash major triads concluded the set rather incongruously after some of the tonal complexity which had preceded, and one could only guess that they were meant to be summarily facetious. As the comments from the pianist onstage were not quite decipherable, one missed that extra bit of guidance that might have informed the experience – one could make out from the introduction that these pieces were composed each in a single night during a period of emotional instability, but not much more. Luckily, the work stood on its own merits. It had wide dramatic range, and on a madness-and-music-themed program, it was another well-placed work. One eagerly awaits hearing more from this talented composer.

What followed was Passage 2 (2018, premiere), by Singaporean composer, Gu Wei (www.guweimusic.com). The first of two works by Mr. Wei (the second coming after intermission), it employed gentle repeated figures to create a mesmerizing quasi-minimalist effect which initially brought to mind some music that is carelessly dubbed “New Age”; it did so, however, in a manner that this listener (not a New Age fan) found quite appealing. Especially intriguing was the way isolated tones emerged from the texture of repeated figures according to shifting metric placement, forming additional layers and textures. One could visualize a warp and weft subtly forming within the music, creating additional patterns between them. As with the other pieces (except, of course, the Schumann, played from memory), Ms. Zhang handled it all capably reading from the score.

In marked contrast to Passage 2 came Mr. Wei’s other featured work, Madman’s Diary for toy piano (2018, premiere). This toy piano work is a musical setting of seven selections from an allegory entitled Madman’s Diary (1918) by Chinese writer Lu Xun. Full of nightmarish references to cannibalism, the text provided the quintessential springboard for musical madness, with the eerie childlike sounds of a toy piano evoking alternately the sneakiness, obsessiveness, indecision, stealth, and panic of Lu Xun’s world in which one must eat or be eaten. Especially effective was the use of nursery rhyme-like symmetry of phrase, which, when interrupted towards the end, expressed perfectly the text’s last line, “save the children.” Ms. Zhang delivered this frightening work superbly and is to be commended for making the tiny toy piano so expressive, especially right before taking command of the house Yamaha grand for Schumann’s Kreisleriana – a striking juxtaposition indeed!

Before all this, though, to close the first half, one heard music by Ramteen Sazegari (www.ramteensazegari.com), in particular a piece entitled 20, 30 pg. for prepared piano and electronics. Some of the prefatory remarks were a bit muffled, but, in any case, one is uncertain how the title 20,30 pg. relates to what one heard. We were told something about a reference to purgatory (the possible origin of the “pg” part?), but we were largely in the dark. This issue will be addressed later.

Meanwhile, any misgivings about hearing electronic music evoking purgatory were quickly dispelled by what turned out to be an engaging piece. There was a fascinating blend of live piano sonorities with recorded ones, and one’s imagination was taken on an interesting ride. One audience member afterwards did express an aversion to some overwhelmingly loud bass tones in the electronic part, but this reviewer would have to argue that the suggested subject matter probably called for it. It was, again, a welcome addition to the program’s overarching theme of madness. In a way one couldn’t help musing what a great catchall this theme of madness could be for works defying specific interpretation, but certainly there were more specifics at play in Ms. Zhang’s conception.

This reviewer’s chief quibble for the evening was that, especially with new music, there needs to be better extra-musical communication to an audience, both from the composer and from the performer. Puzzles and hidden meanings can be a delight with some hints, but there is something off-putting about titles and prefaces that are unhelpful or worse. Having sat for decades through literally thousands of performances of compositions given such titles as Obfuscations 87.4 and the like, this reviewer can safely say that such cryptic cleverness (if it is that) gets old fast, becoming annoying rather than fascinating. Do musicians want to bring audiences closer to their musical hearts and minds or drive them away? And would the same musicians return to a restaurant serving food that had to be located via scavenger hunt, or on tables five feet above reach? Such presentation would be considered contemptuous.

Meanwhile, Ms. Zhang, quite soft-spoken, chose to read her introductions in haste from a small paper which drew her voice downwards. If projection is an issue, then one needs to use a microphone, to speak from the heart, to slow down, or to distribute printed program notes. Granted, it may take a listener some effort and repeated hearings to delve deeply into a masterpiece, but should it take extraordinary mental leaps to grasp even the basics of compositional intent during a first hearing? This musician says no. Note to composers: create some program notes that communicate – they will not have a “spoiler” effect! You do not need to present a theoretical analysis or a treatise on the philosophy behind it – just a bit of guidance for the ear and mind. Remember also that there may be lay people present.

If the above seems to be a bit of a rant, this reviewer has simply seen too much of this problem. Musicians, perhaps because they work long hours in solitude or in academia, are too often simply oblivious to the world that will hear them, as if they don’t even care whether an audience comes. On that note, despite the originality and appeal of Ms. Zhang’s program, Saturday’s audience amounted to fewer than twenty people, including the composers themselves and this reviewer and a guest. Surely there could have been more of an effort to reach out to prospective listeners who probably could have enjoyed it.

One learned after this recital that Ms. Zhang will be performing September 29, 2018 in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall (Carnegie Hall calendar 9/29/2018). No program is listed yet at the Carnegie website, but one hopes it will be largely the same, by then just a bit riper. It should be a rewarding evening if just two pieces of advice are followed. To Ms. Zhang and company: do more reaching out, both before the concert and during! To music-lovers, art-lovers, and thinkers everywhere: go hear Huizi Zhang in September – she is an outstanding pianist with a gift for interesting programming.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

AADGT Presents The Passion of Music Winners in Review

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 13, 2018

Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, the American Association for the Development of the Gifted and Talented (AADGT) under the direction of founder Elena Rossman has provided vital support to the early careers of some outstanding young musicians. Their most recent concert, fittingly held on Mother’s Day, suggests that their musical nurturing is still going strong.

This reviewer first wrote about AADGT in October, 2006 (when New York Concert Review was still a print periodical). One of their young winners, Aimi Kobayashi had been a mere eleven years old, and I admired her “performances that were stunning for a pianist so young.” She has since won accolades, performed, and recorded (EMI) worldwide, with a new CD/DVD release coming out just this year. Similar stories can be reported about other AADGT winners, counting recognition from competitions and organizations such as the National YoungArts Foundation in 2018 (Max Bobby, Ray Ushikubo), and the Lang Lang Foundation (Anna Larsen, Charlie Liu, Derek Wong, Jasper Heymann), leading conservatories and festivals (Juilliard, Aspen, Curtis) and feature programs such as “The World’s Most Talented Kids” (The Oprah Winfrey Show, 2009), and Arabs Got Talent (2015). Other winners of AADGT’s prize have included Yoav Levanon, Nadia Azzi, Annie Zhou, and Solene Le Van. The AADGT website (www.aadgt.org) also mentions two much more well-known names, Ilya Itin winner of Leeds 1996, and Nobuyuki Tsujii, winner of Van Cliburn, 2009 (though few details are given as to their prizes from AADGT); high praises from Lang Lang, Martha Argerich, and Evgeny Kissin, are among the testimonials.

This year’s concert, not surprisingly, differed greatly from the one I heard in 2006. First of all, this year’s program was in Weill Recital Hall, as opposed to the larger Stern Auditorium – seemingly a wise move for soloists so young. Also, in 2006 there were 6 winners presented, each in substantial sections of the program, while this year there were 32 performers (ages 5-26), some in rather short works. While it was interesting to behold such a large array of young performers (thirty pianists, two violinists), it did make for a program of nearly three hours.

In these days of “safe spaces” for the young, it was good to see the fruits of unrelenting commitment and diligence – and how brave the very young musicians were to perform at such a venue, with Carnegie Hall’s stages being not what one would call “safe” for trial and error performance! The performers were overall quite well-prepared, technically accomplished, and clearly mindful of high artistic standards. This review is not the medium for delving into the playing of every single player – which would be unfair, given the vast disparity of ages and repertoire levels, and the fact that some performers had to wait over two hours to play; that said, some highlights are in order.

The program opened with Evelyn Liu (Age 5-6 Group) playing Tchaikovsky’s Song of the Lark from Children’s Album, Op.39, No. 22, and showing remarkably crisp articulations and digital facility for one so young. She radiated delight upon finishing, and it set lovely tone for the day.

Isabel Liu (age 7-8 Group) followed with excellent renditions of two pieces by William Gillock, Sarabande and Mission Bells. The Sarabande showed an admirable sense of nuance, with lovely pianissimo shading. Mission Bells was sonorous and well-balanced against a gentler accompaniment in the right hand. Dynamics were somewhat exaggerated (approaching fortissimo where marked mezzoforte), but that is generally preferable to a lack of projection, and the playing was always communicative.

In the same age group one heard Vivian Zhang in more Gillock, now the steady rocking of Silver Bells, and Phatsacha Leowattana (Thailand) in Clementi’s Sonatina Op.36 No.1. The Sonatina was well played in all three movements, showing complete focus and maturity. Occasionally one wanted more sound in the right-hand balancing the left, but the slow movement was especially lovely with sensitivity and clarity in the melodic line.

In the age 9-10 category, we heard some surprisingly difficult repertoire, including Chopin’s Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat Op. 29, played very well by Emma Liu and the same composer’s Valse, Op.64 No.2 in the able hands of Phatthicha Leowattana (Thailand). Both players showed a high level of polish and a sense of style which will undoubtedly feel even more natural as they mature. If the two performers with the surname Leowattana are related (one can only guess, but should not assume), they have a built-in two-piano team in the offing!

We also heard in the age 9-10 category Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, No. 2, the same Nocturne that we heard in the age 7-8 category. Rather than delve into the comparative merits of the performances (though it is a challenging piece for both age groups, and both fared well), I must express my disagreement with the practice of presenting different performers playing the same piece on the same program – it is trying for audience and performers alike and really should not be necessary if there has been a wide enough selection submitted. The same duplication occurred with two pianists playing Rachmaninoff’s Polichinelle, and though both pianists were impressive for their age groups, this should be a concert and not a competition, so one will refrain from further comment.

Among other minor objections of the day was the omission by one youngster of the A-major octaves in Mozart’s Rondo alla Turca (from Mozart’s Sonata in A major K. 331) probably due to hand size. For such a distinguished venue, I felt that such a piece ought not to be subjected to such shortcuts, as there are many other pieces that could be chosen to be played exactly as written.

Among other programming complaints was the change, from one performer, to Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccio instead of the originally programmed work. One’s guess is that there was a Plan A vs. Plan B situation, but such things are a risky proposition. There were various technical challenges unmet, and it simply needed more time, as did several other performers’ works.

In a pleasant break from the typical fare, Gina Park played the third movement Aram Khatchaturian’s Sonatina. It is a demanding movement, with rapid and chromatic fingerwork, and Ms. Park handled its challenges with aplomb.

In the age 11-12 category, Adriel Aguilar played Haydn’s Arietta with Variations with some stylish staccatos, good repeated notes, and a fine sense of Haydn’s humor. Also in this category was Erika Suyama (Japan), playing Chopin’s Bolero, Op. 19. She projected its many moods with sensitivity and played with excellent precision through its rapid passagework, from opening to the brisk polonaise and through to the heroic ending.

Moving to the age 13-14 category, there were several highlights. Stephanie Liao was exceptional in Lowell Liebermann’s Nocturne No. 4, Op. 38, not only for sustaining the hypnotic mood of the opening, but for sustaining the momentum and power building to its thunderous climax. Exceptional as well was Jasper Heymann, playing the third movement of Mendelssohn’s Fantasia, Op. 28. He kept the piece’s character and clarity throughout the fleetest finger-work.

Joanna Wang showed impressive maturity and sensitivity in Chopin’s Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9, No. 1, and Yali Levy Schwartz, showed much technical confidence in the bravura variations of the Paganini-Liszt Etude No. 6 (with just a bit more attention needed for precision in the theme itself).

Elizabeth Tsitron, one of only two violinist winners, added a different timbre in Wieniawski’s Legende and played with a good sense of its Romantic spirit and some deft technique.

Closest to being at a high professional level (in the age 16-18 category) was Kyrie McIntosh whose Prokofiev Sonata No. 3 in A minor had all the ingredients it needs for a powerhouse performance – biting chordal playing, firm grasp of its structure, tonal and emotional variety, and polish. Also excellent was the Brahms Capriccio in G minor (No. 3 from the Fantasien, Op. 116) as played by Chutikan Chaikittiwatana (in the age 18+ category) . Playing after so much demonstrative pianism, her straightforward but genuine musicality was much appreciated in this noble work.

There was so much that was good in the program that it may be best to lump the less good aspects into some brief generalizations. Overall, the awkward context of a group recital does invite the spirit of competition, so there was a tendency among many to exaggerate contrasts, to indulge in unnecessary hand gestures, and to resort to other extra-musical mannerisms – as if to say, “please notice me!” It is unfortunate to subject musicians, or the music, to this need. With just a bit more time between works (and necessarily fewer works) the performers and audience could feel the psychic space to appreciate each work on its own terms, as pieces of music, absolute and incomparable.

A benefit of the above approach might also be less of the all-too-common “on/off” switch mentality about dynamics, in which extreme louds and softs obliterate the middle ground, with crescendos not sustained and climaxes coming prematurely without depth. In any case, one ought not to think of passages as “loud” or “soft” but as the character, emotion, or concept that gave rise to those dynamics – all then starts to make more sense. Even memorization improves! Nerves are inevitable, but greater focus on the messages or meanings behind each work might have helped keep a few performances on course.

All in all, though, Sunday’s concert offered an impressive array of young musicians, including some stars of tomorrow. Congratulations are in order not just to the performers but to their mentors and families. Congratulations are of course in order to AADGT: Cheers to 25 years!

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

The Oratorio Society of New York Presents Premieres of Behzad Ranjbaran and Paul Moravec

The Oratorio Society of New York, Chorus and Orchestra; Kent Tritle, Music Director

Laquita Mitchell, soprano; Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano

Joshua Blue, tenor; Malcolm J. Merriweather, baritone;

Dashon Burton, bass-baritone

Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 7, 2018

Two knockout world premieres were offered at Carnegie Hall this week by the Oratorio Society of New York, under the masterful direction of Kent Tritle. Brand new large-scale works by Behzad Ranjbaran and Paul Moravec were introduced to the public with enormously appreciative reception, and it is a safe bet that they will become ensconced in the repertoires of whatever choruses (with orchestra) can take them on. It didn’t hurt to have five superb soloists, but the chorus and orchestra were also in fine form, handling music that was not only new but challenging in matters of ensemble and multiple languages.

Universal themes of freedom, peace, mutual understanding, and human dignity marked the evening, and the 50^th anniversary year of the assassination of Martin Luther King was honored in several ways, from the fifth and final text of Mr. Ranjbaran’s work, We Are One (the words of We Shall Overcome) to the central focus of Mr. Moravec’s work, Sanctuary Road: An Oratorio Based on the Writings of William Still, a Conductor for the Underground Railroad.

For those not steeped in contemporary music, the pairing of two such prominent composers as Mr. Ranjbaran and Mr. Moravec makes for quite an exciting concert – many presenters would be quite proud to premiere a work from just one of these composers, but this was a high-voltage evening, and the excitement in the hall was palpable.

As a bit of background, Mr. Ranjbaran (b. 1955) is a Tehran native who came to the US in 1974 and studied at Juilliard, where he obtained his doctorate in composition and is now on the faculty. He has served as composer in residence for the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, and other prominent orchestras, and has heard his music performed by soloists such as Joshua Bell, Renee Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, and other outstanding performers worldwide. His music draws frequent inspiration (as his biography states) “from his cultural roots and Persian heritage.”

Mr. Moravec (b. 1957), recipient of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize in Music, as well as Rome Prize Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous other distinctions, attended Harvard College and Columbia University and has taught at Columbia, Dartmouth, Hunter, and Adelphi, where he is currently University Professor. He has received frequent commissions from major musical institutions and has written over a hundred compositions, with two other major works of his having been performed by the Oratorio Society (in 2008 and 2013).

The first “half” (just over thirty minutes) was devoted to Mr. Ranjbaran’s music, We Are One. Set to texts in five different languages in its five continuous movements (Spanish, Persian, Hebrew, Arabic, and English), it was described in the notes as “an expression of our shared desire for respect, justice, freedom, and peace” drawing messages “from different cultures, religions, and time periods.” It also reiterates the word “peace” in twenty different languages, thus representing more than one hundred countries.

The work opened with a movement, Paz (Peace), set to a quotation of Benito Juárez about peace being respect for the rights of others. It was clear from its bold, defiant start that this music would speak more about the determination to reach peace than about peace itself. The music brought to mind the strong declarative phrases and sonorities of the opening of O Fortuna from Orff’s Carmina Burana, and there was a similar spirit of dark urgency running through the entire work.

Brief interludes of harp and flute led to the movement entitled Bani Âdam, on a text from Sa’di (c1210-1291) about human beings being all of one family. It started more gently but grew in anguish, closing with the admonition that, “to not feel sympathy for human suffering is to be less than human.” The closest to a mood of peace and calm came with the third movement, Shalom, sung in Hebrew. An Arabic text followed, Sal m (by Ibn Arabi, 1165-1240), centered on religious tolerance and love, and leading to the percussive blows announcing the finale, entitled We Shall Overcome (and bearing no musical resemblance to the anthem many know, except in the words). It was a powerful close to a very moving composition, and this listener, certainly among others, would like to hear it again. Mr. Ranjbaran took several well-earned bows from the stage amid a spirit of triumph.

After intermission came Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road, an oratorio set to a text based on the writings of Underground Railroad conductor, William Still. Chronicling the life events of some of the slaves whom Still helped rescue, these texts were adapted with extreme skill by Mark Campbell. Starting heartbreakingly with the list of slaves’ names and moving to the highly personal and varied individual stories of fear, frustration, sorrow, love, and ultimately freedom, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Moravec had crafted an extremely moving musical drama.

A colleague commented that it all felt a bit long, at just over an hour, but this reviewer cannot agree. There was the perfect combination of momentum – building to a frenzy in the heart-pounding episodes entitled “Run” – alternating with more introspective narratives, bitter recollections, and daydreams of love and freedom. The choral writing was perfectly handled to help narrate the drama as well as intensify its emotions. There was no dull moment.

The soloists were exceptional, all five. They navigated tricky recitative-like passages through wide ranges and difficult intervals, always with a sure sense of expressivity. With unfamiliar music there is always the question of whether some moments were meant to be quite as dissonant as they emerged, but there was no such question when they were anchored harmonically to the chorus and orchestra, and in the tutti sections especially, the effect was mesmerizing. Maestro Tritle was nothing short of heroic in bringing it all together.

Among stirring solo moments, Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano, sent chills down to one’s toes with her performance of The Same Train – Ellen Craft. She conveyed perfectly her protagonist’s dream of Philadelphia, as she coped with the fear of her master’s brother being on The Same Train. Laquita Mitchell, soprano, was especially moving in her final stratospheric utterance “I’ll dance,” as she dreamt of dancing in the rain as a free woman – another breathtaking performance.

Joshua Blue was stellar throughout with his powerful golden tone, as well as his superlative diction which penetrated even through the full choral and orchestral sections. Malcolm J. Merriweather, baritone, was also excellent, especially in his solo as Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped in a crate marked “this side up” but spent twenty-six hours upside down and tossed about. In one of the rare moments of sardonic humor, he sung with eloquence his final line “if only these fools could read.” Together this quartet created many memorable moments, with and without the chorus and orchestra; weaving it all together, though, was Dashon Burton, bass-baritone, as William Still, with a voice as steady, true, and profound as one imagines the voice of a deity to be. He was possibly the “MVP” winner of the evening.

The final movement of Sanctuary Road closed the evening with one of the most uplifting choral experiences in memory, leaving the word “free” resounding in the air for just a second before thunderous applause burst forth. It was one of those very powerful concert experiences which no one present will be apt to forget. Mr. Moravec and Mr. Campbell took well-earned bows, along with all the other valiant musicians who made it all possible.

Bravi tutti!

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Daniel Le in Review

Daniel Le, Pianist: Anzac Day Celebration Recital

Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 24, 2018

Brilliant young Australian pianist Daniel Le performed a richly satisfying recital this Tuesday at Bruno Walter Auditorium. Along with music by Schubert and Rachmaninoff, Mr. Le included music of his compatriots Carl Vine, Percy Grainger, and Andrew Howes, in commemoration of Anzac Day.

Mr. Le needs no special occasion as a premise to share his many gifts or those of his countrymen, but it was certainly fitting for an Australian pianist to offer such a program on the eve of Anzac Day, a day of great significance to Australians and New Zealanders. Initiated on April 25, 1916 to commemorate the 1915 landing in Gallipoli by the ANZACS (Australian and New Zealand forces in WW1), Anzac Day has since come to pay tribute more broadly to all Australians and New Zealanders who served in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Mr. Le’s Australian program choices made for a meaningful tribute, though perhaps a brief New Zealand piece or two could have been added, as there are many fine ones (after all, without NZ it would be merely “Aac Day”)! That is not a criticism so much as a suggestion for future commemorations, because, given Mr. Le’s gifts for presentation, programming and performing, such a concert could certainly become an annual event. The program was enhanced by two poetry recitations by actor Jack D. Martin, first Wilfred Owen’s Spring Offensive and in the second half, Everyone Sang, by Siegfried Sassoon, both read with simple, sincere delivery to allow the moving words their own power and resonance.

As for the music, Mr. Le opened with Schubert’s Sonata in A major, D. 664 (often called “the little A major” to distinguish it from the later larger A major Sonata). He gave it a fittingly unaffected rendition, and though there were a few balance and voicing issues, which might have related to his initial adjustment to the piano (more on that later), it was a lovely opening. To try to draw specific connections from Schubert’s Sonata to themes of Anzac Day may be tenuous (and there were no program notes), but it certainly established the tone of bucolic lyricism from the composer’s less troubled times, while also establishing a poignantly peaceful backdrop to the Wilfred Owen recitation that followed.

The fireworks of the first half came with Carl Vine’s wonderful Sonata No. 1 (1990). This reviewer has long been a fan of this piece, which does not need to be categorized as a major Australian work from the twentieth century, but simply as a major twentieth-century work, period. Mr. Le handled its pianistic challenges and wide-ranging drama with mastery, from the brooding atmospheric chordal opening to the motoric driving sections which build to almost a frenzied jubilance at the climax. Mr. Le was more than a match for all of the virtuosic demands of the exciting first movement, and the toccata-like second movement was equally impressive. The voicing in this piece is layered in such a way that jazzy cross-rhythms emerge from the accentuation of melodic tops, and this pianist brought them all out brilliantly.

The second half opened (after the reading of Sassoon’s poem, Everyone Sang) with the world premiere of a work entitled Bird Songs (2018) by young Australian composer Andrew Howes (b. 1992). It was a powerful juxtaposition, with the line “As prisoned birds must find in freedom” still ringing in one’s ears at the start of the piano work. The movements, entitled Morning Song, Fisher Song, Empty Sky, High-branches Song, and Sky Song were beautifully idiomatic for the piano, billowing with fluid passagework which sounded like inspired improvisations. The music contained very little that one would liken to the language of birds in the way that, say, Ravel did in Oiseaux Tristes or Messiaen in his various Oiseaux, but they suggested more abstractly the soaring, the bleakness, and the grandeur of branches, the sky, and the aerial world, conceivably as related to human experience. This reviewer is completely new to the work of Mr. Howes, but he appears to be a musician well worth following. Mr. Le realized his music imaginatively and with a naturalness that was remarkable in what was announced to be his “iPad debut” using one of the relatively new page-turning technologies.

Veering back to familiar (and non-Australian) territory, the program continued with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No.2 in B-flat minor Op.36 (1931 revised). Mr. Le’s excellent technique served him well in this powerhouse piece, and it finished the program proper with ample fire, drawing cheers from his audience. This reviewer was quite fond of Mr. Le’s elasticity of phrase and tempo in the piece and had only rather minor reservations. There was for this listener a perhaps too generous use of the left-before-right quasi-rolled approach, which, aside from the actual marked rolled chords, can approach schmaltz if overdone. There was also the occasional quibble about voicing, including some excessive favoring of the treble in the slow movement, at the expense of the full texture, and what seemed to be an occasional miscalculation of voices in the first movement (in which as a result the opening treble chords almost sounded like an ascending rather than descending third in the top voice).

On the subject of voicing, there was the opposite favoritism in the Schubert, where the long treble lines occasionally paled against a slightly dominating bass. Without enough tone in the longer melodic notes, subsequent shorter notes occasionally seemed blurted out, resulting in some choppy lines. One wondered at first whether the piano was suffering from imbalanced registers, but when the Vine was then given such superb voicing and balance, that theory seemed implausible. Clearly this young pianist can do just about anything he wishes to do, but the demands of Schubert are never to be underestimated!

Following the Rachmaninoff, Mr. Le’s program listed “Percy Grainger Song Arrangements” – almost as built-in encores. To everyone’s delight he offered Gershwin’s The Man I Love and the popular favorite Country Gardens. It is a special pianist who can play Country Gardens perfectly, and Daniel Le is one who can and did. Deceptively tricky, the piece requires a large stretch and some rather unwieldy chord jumps – but the target practice must be done with the blithe ease of a small child picking daisies. It was all there, a delicious close to a fine evening, perhaps best likened to the classic “down under” dessert of Pavlova.

Mr. Le generously thanked a large number of people, including his teacher at the Manhattan School of Music, André-Michel Schub, who was present and, one imagines, justifiably proud.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Presents the King’s Singers 50th Anniversary in Review

Bob Chilcott, Guest Conductor; Simon Carrington, Guest Conductor

Special Guests- The King’s Singers: Patrick Dunachie, countertenor; Timothy Wayne-Wright, countertenor; Julian Gregory, tenor; Christopher Bruerton, baritone; Christopher Gabbitas, baritone; Jonathan Howard, bass
Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

April 22, 2018

The Golden Anniversary (50th!) of the a cappella group, the King’s Singers, was marked by a concert at Carnegie Hall this weekend, and it would have been momentous if it had simply marked that milestone; it was, however much more than a milestone, and it re-affirmed this ensemble’s continued stature among the preeminent ensembles of the world.

Established in 1968 at King’s College in Cambridge, the King’s Singers have since performed on all the world’s great stages, garnering distinctions too numerous to name but which have included two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame, and premieres of works by the leading composers of today.

As a cappella singing has experienced a resurgence in recent years, with groups such as Pentatonix and Voces8 gaining enormous popularity, the King’s Singers have simply remained unwaveringly true to their origins by presenting diverse music (from the Renaissance to folk and popular styles) at an extremely high level. Despite inevitable change of personnel from time to time, there has been remarkable consistency in sound, particularly in their distinctive balance of voices, including always two countertenors (currently Patrick Dunachie and Timothy Wayne-Wright), one tenor (Julian Gregory), two baritones (Christopher Bruerton and Christopher Gabbitas), and one bass (Jonathan Howard). Though some of the current group’s singers have joined as recently as a few years ago, the standards hold fast, and Sunday’s concert was fortunate as well to have two long-term members join as distinguished guest conductors, both Simon Carrington (who was a co-founder and 25-year member) and Bob Chilcott (a member for twelve years). Mr. Chilcott (b. 1955) was also featured on this program as composer and arranger of several works, including the opening one.

We Are, composed by Mr. Chilcott especially for the King’s Singers’ 50^th anniversary, was a perfect opener. Set to a poem from The Human Family, by Maya Angelou, Mr. Chilcott found much inspiration in this text, with a focus on the recurring line, “we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” The multiplicity of voices intertwining – from both the King’s Singers and the Distinguished Concerts Singers International – created a musical depiction of diversity itself, and their ultimate convergence was dramatic. It was a brilliant conception, performed expertly under the composer’s fine conducting.

To continue thriving after 50 years, a musical group does well to intertwine the old and the new, and the King’s Singers did just that with the premiere of We Are, as well as a new work by Nico Muhly (b. 1981), To stand in this House. Mr. Muhly’s work, also commissioned to honor the King’s Singers’ 50^th anniversary, employs four texts, two prayerful ones from the 15^th and 17^th centuries (including oneby Henry VI, founder of King’s College, Cambridge, and one by Bishop Thomas Ken) and ending with two more troubled ones from Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) and Zadie Smith (b. 1975), the latter two being notable alumni of King’s College. Mr. Muhly tapped a wide range of musical language to communicate the changing views of time, from the stately polyphony of the first two to the more plaintive third and angst-ridden fourth. The musicians gave devout and passionate readings under the skillful conducting of Simon Carrington.

On a side note, the two newly commissioned works were in some ways opposites. The Chilcott work seemed to bring many widely disparate musical voices into one, while the Muhly piece went the other direction, with the final Zadie Smith text underscoring that even “Individual citizens are internally plural.” Both texts seemed destined to be set to music – essentially a compliment to both composers – though they had strongly different approaches and emotions, and the inclusion of both was quite thought-provoking.

Other newer works on the program included two works commissioned for the King’s Singers 40^th anniversary in 2008, including The Stolen Child (text by W.B. Yeats) by Eric Whitacre, a rather eerie tale of magic, and what might think of as a musical prequel, the same composer’s setting of Alone (text of Edgar Allen Poe). Simon Carrington was the superb conductor for these.

Also from among the 40^thanniversary commissions was Bob Chilcott’s High Flight, based on two texts, one by Henry Vaughan, 1621-95, and one by pilot John Gillespie Magree, 1922-41. It was another remarkable musical journey through time, composed with a profound understanding of a choir’s potential. One hears in the piece the composer’s years of familiarity with Tavener, Whitacre, and other famed choral composers, but his music naturally carries his own unique voice and gifts. High Flight felt altogether appropriate for this landmark occasion (as it must have for the singers’ 40^th), and the close with the famous words “[I’ve] … put out my hand and touched the face of God” was incredibly stirring. The composer conducted the choir and King’s Singers with a spirit of exultation.

More traditional fare included a set entitled “Renaissance Pioneers” including Das G’läut zu Speyer by Ludwig Senfl, with wonderful use of imitation and full of bell sounds, and the heartbreaking Lágrimas de mi Consuelo by Juan Vásquez. Some levity came in the form of Dessus le marché d’Arras by Orlandus Lassus. A rather suggestive text about the purchase of “wares” at a market elicited some fun comments in the singers’ introduction to the effect that “we think we know what she’s selling, but because we’re British we’d rather not say.” The audience loved it. A similarly comical and suggestive Lamorna (traditional arr. Goff Richards) came later as part of a folk song group that included Danny Boy (traditional, arr. Peter Knight) and Bobby Shaftoe (traditional, arr. Gordon Langford).

Other memorable inclusions on the program were Thou, my love, art fair, another inspired beauty by Bob Chilcott (and conducted by the composer), My Soul There is a Country, by famous British composer Hubert Parry, and Moonlight Music, by Eric Barnum (set to texts from Shakespeare’s The Tempest). The glories of England were never far in this program.

Though there were many substantial musical offerings, the audience would undoubtedly have been disappointed without some of the King’s Singers’ more “crowd-grabbing” fare, which included That Lonesome Road of James Taylor, It’s a New World, by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin (in an arrangement by Richard Rodney Bennett), and an uproarious version of the Overture from William Tell (Rossini), with some lingual wizardry by the incredible six. The adoring crowd applauded until an encore was granted, And So It Goes, of Billy Joel in a meltingly beautiful arrangement by Mr. Chilcott. There was probably not a dry eye in the house, but this reviewer couldn’t quite see clearly herself to check.

In summary, it was a great evening and a perfect way to honor not only the King’s Singers’ anniversary but also the 10^th anniversary of Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY), for which the festivities have been ongoing all season. Singers had included groups from Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, United Kingdom, and (as DCINY words it) “individual singers from around the globe.” One can only guess that it was an experience well worth the trips for them – it surely was for the audience!

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Music of Eric Whitacre in Review

Eric Whitacre, composer/conductor

Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, piano

Sara Jean Ford, soprano

Jad Abumrad, special guest

Distinguished Concerts Singers International

David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 15, 2018

Fierce rain, wind, and tax deadlines could not stop throngs of music-lovers and fans of Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) from coming to hear the music of Eric Whitacre and friends at David Geffen Hall, Sunday April 15, at 8pm. Nor could the fact that the same program (with different choirs) was heard the previous week at Carnegie Hall (for that review, go to DCINY The Music of Eric Whitacre April 8, 2018). In fact, thanks to the concert being live-streamed on Facebook, there was little to prevent virtually anyone (no pun intended) from hearing it, though nothing tops the unique excitement of live music, especially under the leadership of someone as charismatic as Eric Whitacre.

This reviewer first had the pleasure of hearing and reviewing the music of Eric Whitacre back in 2009, when New York Concert Review was still a print periodical rather than an online one. Mr. Whitacre was already in great demand but there was clearly much more coming. My description of his music as “ingenious” and “inspired” is as true now as then, and expectations that his musical commentary “could make him a real Pied Piper” appear to have been fulfilled and surpassed (not that any special credit is claimed for these observations – rather like observing that water is wet).

Mr. Whitacre (b. 1970) is a bit young to be having anything resembling a retrospective, but this concert allowed his fans to hear music spanning nearly three decades, some “greatest hits” alongside some newer works, plus a few friends’ works and arrangements tossed into the mix. Adding to the firepower were the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, unfailing collaborative pianist Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, fine soprano Sara Jean Ford, radio host and sound designer Jad Abumrad, and some five-hundred singers hailing from Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Canada, and (as DCINY’s written material states) “individual singers from around the globe.”

Mr. Whitacre’s entrance with the pianist, Ms. Lin, was greeted with cheering, as one expects from rock stars, and with characteristic energy he leapt puckishly to the podium. As an opening greeting, he led the choir in his own arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner by John Stafford-Smith. The gesture was appreciated by many in the audience who stood up, with hands on hearts. Some traditionalists might not take to all of it – this listener is still on the fence – but it was certainly interesting to hear the old familiar phrases treated with Mr. Whitacre’s signature sound – the added major and minor seconds coloring basic triadic sonorities.

Moving on to Mr. Whitacre’s strictly original works, the program continued with his very famous piece Lux Aurumque (2000), translated as “Light and Gold” (the latter being also the name of his Grammy-winning album from 2012). It was beautifully executed by the massive choir. Thanks to some alchemy of the composer’s, the voices do seem to shimmer in this, and depending on the dynamics of each individual voice, a harmony pulsates between consonance and dissonance, producing the illusion of the choir being a single vibrating organism. The combined choirs, which had met only a few days before, gave a beautiful performance.

Five Hebrew Love Songs (1995) followed, short evocative pieces on texts written by Hila Plitmann and given sensitive accompaniment by a string quartet who also played the quiet introduction. Temuná was pensive, rendered with a folk-like simplicity, followed by Kalá Kallám, which resembled a plaintive sicilienne in the lower voices before breaking into exultant dance music in the higher voices, with tambourine accents. It was quite impressive to see so many young people singing from memory in various languages, in this case Hebrew, and it was a credit to their directors who undoubtedly worked for many months to achieve such a high level. The last three songs included Lárov, appropriately brief to suit a text about love diminishing distances, and Eyze shéleg! an exquisite musical evocation of falling snow. Rakút, gently closed with the strings just as they had opened the set.

Little Birds (1992), next, was evidence that Mr. Whitacre’s flair for unusual effects in choral music started early. Set to an enchanting poem on birds by Octavio Paz, it includes bird whistles from the choristers and a fluttering descent of white pages at the close, suggesting the rusting of birds among the trees.

To mix things up, and because the composer John Mackey is a good friend and colleague of Mr. Whitacre’s, this concert included the New York premiere of Mr. Mackey’s piece The Rumor of a Secret King (premiere if one counts this Geffen Hall performance as an extension of last week’s Carnegie Hall premiere, the actual first). Mr. Mackey needs little introduction to new music circles, but this piece, reportedly his first foray into choral music (set to a text by his wife A. E. Jaques), met all expectations. Filled with a sense of anticipation built on repeated syllables blending with the text to a final climactic Alleluia, it was conducted precisely and winningly. At the end, Mr. Whitacre remarked, “I hope John was watching on Facebook” – then looked at the camera and quipped, “Wassup, John?”

Returning to his own composition briefly, Mr. Whitacre conducted The Seal Lullaby (set to text of Rudyard Kipling), a touching piece composed originally for film, before conducting two arrangements by another friend, Moses Hogan (1957-2003), the spirituals Elijah Rock and The Battle of Jericho, both performed with infectious spirit and wonderful rhythmic energy. (A third spiritual, I want Jesus to Walk with Me, was listed on the printed program but was omitted.) What a great close to the first half!

After intermission, we heard only work of Mr. Whitacre himself. First came his enchanting setting of Goodnight Moon (text by Margaret Wise Brown) sung beautifully by the chorus, with the voice of soprano Sara Jean Ford soaring like a dream over all, and following it was the setting of the stunning poem, I carry your heart, by E.E. Cummings, a piece dedicated to the marriage of two friends. As Mr. Whitacre recounted, it took much searching to find the right music for the latter gem – but the good news is that he did, and with great soulfulness. The performance by these newly convened choruses was again remarkably sensitive.

Cloudburst (1991) was a welcome rain after the great emotional weight invested in the prior pieces. Much loved and imitated by now, notably for the striking finger-snapping, clapping and other effects to simulate a storm, it was a joy to revisit since my first hearing in 2009. The effects were so persuasive (and the audience cooperated) that one really wanted to grab a towel and dry off! Home, from The Sacred Veil was then given its Lincoln Center Premiere. Part of a new work that Mr. Whitacre says needed adjusting as recently as the day before this concert, it is set to a text by Charles Anthony Silvestri on the large matters of life, death and the thin veil between them. For this work, the composer drew upon the electronic expertise of Jad Abumrad in creating sounds of surf. It is a deeply moving piece about finding one’s spiritual “home” in one’s true love.

Another high point of the program was The City and The Sea (premiered in 2010 by DCINY), a set of five more E.E. Cummings poems of varying emotions and scenes. The music matched and magnified the texts’ moods, from the sanguine i walked the boulevard to the melancholic the moon is hiding in her hair. At the heart were maggie and milly and molly and may and as is the sea marvelous, both set with a sense of youthful wonder and sung accordingly. Perhaps the most memorable though was the final one, little man in a hurry, enlivened by Mr. Whitacre’s dance-like conducting style. He led his attentive singers in a precise and comically frenzied performance.

From this point, emotions took a plunge in Mr. Whitacre’s arrangement of the extremely dark song, Hurt by Trent Reznor (b. 1965), sung in the nineties by the group Nine Inch Nails, later Johnny Cash, and also by Mr. Reznor himself. The lyrics (including “I will let you down,” “I will bring you pain,” and, “everyone I know goes away in the end”) speak of profound depression. It is not easy, in this listener’s opinion, to convey through the angelic voices of several hundred well-coached choristers the kind of raw loneliness and despair that one once heard in the gravelly voice of the lone, weather-beaten Johnny Cash as he sang it, but Mr. Whitacre’s setting was truly painful in a completely different, stylized way. Soprano Sara Jean Ford sang the agonizing words against a faint choral hum at first, joined later in the devastating lyrics by all. At times, Ms. Ford’s voice reached otherworldly heights, sounding almost wailing over the other voices, and the overall effect was excruciating.

Not much can follow such pain except sleep, and the song Sleep (2000) followed, closing on a soft note what was Whitacre’s 15^th concert with DCINY. The audience rallied from the depths to applaud and cheer the musicians and the music. Bravo once again to DCINY and to Eric Whitacre.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) Presents Dreamweaver in Review

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International, James M. Meaders, DCINY Conductor

Ola Gjeilo, Composer-in-residence and Piano

Miran Vaupotić, Guest Conductor

Meredith Lustig, Soprano

Jessica Grigg, Alto

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

April 15, 2018

Once again Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) demonstrated the power of music on a massive scale in their recent concert at Carnegie Hall. It was another extravaganza.

Behind it all, of course, is a mission of encouraging music far and wide through performance and education, and in tribute to one who devoted decades to this mission, James M. Meaders, DCINY Conductor, presented the DCINY Educator Laureate Award to conductor, arranger, author, and educator, Dr. Milburn Price at the program’s opening. It set a tone of reverence to start off the evening.

For the music itself, Norwegian Ola Gjeilo and American Dan Forrest were the two featured composers whose major works were presented, alongside shorter works by Michael J. Evans, Joseph Deems Taylor, Dwight Beckham, and Matej Meštrović. Mr. Gjeilo and Mr. Forrest share some remarkable similarities in some ways. Both happen to have been born in 1978, and both write music that employs rather conservative tonality in exploring spiritual themes. Both are part of a growing wave of choral music that often hearkens back to days of chant, while freely tapping into multicultural or folk material, the simple harmonies and spare textures of New Age music, and some cinematic orchestral elements. Both composers are, perhaps needless to say, immensely popular.

Whatever one’s musical style preferences might be, it is hard not to admire the passion with which several hundred choir members on Sunday embraced both composer’s works. The Distinguished Concerts Singers International, the core group, along with the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, set the stage for committed performances by choruses from the states of California, Florida, Georgia Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, as well as Australia, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and (as DCINY’s printed material states) “individuals from around the globe.” Wow!

Mr. Gjeilo, known as the composer-in-residence with the well-loved group, Voces8 (heard on Decca with the choir, Tenebrae), has composed for other notable groups as well, such as the Phoenix Chorale, whose bestselling Northern Lights collection on Chandos was named iTunes Best Classical Vocal Album of 2012. Mr. Gjeilo has also released crossover piano albums Stone Rose and Piano Improvisations, parts of which this listener has heard and would characterize as “New Age.” As a disclaimer, New Age is not a style of which this listener is terribly fond in general, though, Mr. Gjeilo’s persuasive gifts make that stance difficult.

The first work we heard on Sunday was Mr. Ojeilo’s set of seven choral pieces called Dreamweaver, including movements, Prologue, Dreamsong, The Bridge, Intermezzo, Paradise, Dominion, and Epilogues. Mr. Ojeilo’s biography states that “his music often draws inspiration from movies and cinematic music” – and one could certainly hear that marked influence on Sunday. In the movement entitled Bridge, built largely on a rhythmically driving repeated bass note beneath surging crescendi, one could easily imagine a film hero engaged in desperate struggle, and indeed, the text of Dreamweaver features its own hero. It is based on the Norwegian medieval folk poem, Draumkvedet (with translated text by Charles Anthony Silvestri) in which its protagonist, after a thirteen-day sleep, recounts his dreams of “brave, beautiful, terrifying, and ultimately redeeming journey through the afterlife” (in the composer’s words).

The alternation of hymn-like calm and robust cinematic flourishes made for immediately gratifying dramatic episodes, even if occasionally one felt a yearning for the slower burn of a work by Beethoven or Brahms. Highlights were expressive solos from the string principals and some subtle chordal surprises in the opening movement Prologue.

Mr. Gjielo’s Song of the Universal followed, set to a text of Walt Whitman. Opening with a quiet choral hum, the music built to ecstatic peaks. The piano alternated between providing glassy rhythmic treble timbres and simply underscoring the basic harmonies. A personal reservation from this listener was that occasionally when the piano served merely to outline or double the harmonies, it detracted from, rather than adding to, the transcendent effect as a whole, lending things a more pedestrian feeling. Overall, though, Gjeilo’s pieces – and their performances – emerged as music that should engage this increasingly “attention deficit” world. Maestro James M. Meaders conducted with marvelous mastery and energy, as he did again later in the Dan Forrest work.

One would be remiss not to mention the superb soprano, Meredith Lustig, whose sound soared with great purity with and above the chorus. She also sang in the second half to grace the Forrest work, as did exceptional alto, Jessica Grigg.

Dan Forrest, whose Jubilate Deo closed the program, is known as the acclaimed composer of choral, orchestral, instrumental, and wind band works, which, through several publishers, have sold in the millions of copies and become firmly ensconced in the repertoires of musicians around the world. Mr. Forrest’s Requiem for the Living, given its New York premiere under the auspices of DCINY in 2014, was reviewed quite favorably in New York Concert Review here: DCINY Life and Liberty In Review.

Jubilate Deo is a remarkably potent work. Employing texts in Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, Mandarin, Zulu, and Spanish, it marks a growing trend towards a “globalized” choral style seen also in some of the music of Karl Jenkins, Christopher Tin, and others. The sheer numbers onstage were so large that, even in the hands of expert conductor Meaders, they threatened to encumber the tempo stability and ensemble; thankfully, however, they never quite did. With the steel resolve and training by so many choral directors from all over the world, these singers held their own in what was ultimately a triumph.

Especially moving was the second piece, a duet sung in Hebrew and Arabic simultaneously by Ms. Grigg and Ms. Lustig, intended to symbolize (in the words of the composer) “the unity between these cultures.” It was extremely stirring. Other highlights included the rousing Zulu movement, Ngokujabula!, which is so infectiously joyful that it will surely be a favorite with choruses as a standalone piece. This listener could not shake the tune for much of the day, despite inability to pronounce the word! Bravo to all!

Sandwiched between the Gjeilo and the Forrest was a string of shorter works for orchestra alone under the direction of excellent guest conductor Miran Vaupotić. The group started with Into the Woods by American composer Michael J. Evans (b. 1964), a musical celebration inspired by a Celtic fertility festival. It was played with exotic sensual relish.

Next came a work by American Joseph Deems Taylor (1885-1966), known more commonly as simply Deems Taylor and remembered today more for his music criticism and eponymous award in music criticism than for his compositions. Despite (or perhaps because of) his relative obscurity as a composer, it was a joy to hear a composition of his, a well-constructed, thoughtful movement of stately mood. Mr. Vaupotić is to be commended for looking outside of the more commonly played fare.

Also unknown to this listener was a work by American Dwight Beckham (b. 1931), entitled Memorial Ode. Based on the beautiful Ralph Vaughan Williams tune Sine Nomine, it is enhanced by timpani and snare drum rhythms yielded by the initials HR in International Morse Code (for the dedicatee Harold Romoser) – an intriguing compositional feature. It is a regal work and was given a fine performance.

Last of this set before intermission was a performance of Danube Rhapsody by Croatian Matej Meštrović (b. 1969), with the composer at the piano in two flashy concerto-type movements which brought to mind some of the festive crowd-pleasers of André Rieu or other crossover artists. It was clearly a joyous moment for the performers, particularly Mr. Meštrović, who took several selfies and blew kisses to the audience!

The evening was all in all quite a success. The audience appeared to love every minute. In this day of decrying empty seats in concert halls, DCINY apparently has their answer to that problem.

by Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

Winners of the 25th (2017) International Chopin Piano Competition

Dzmitry Ulasiuk, pianist

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

September 17, 2018

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra/Distinguished Concerts Singers International;

Pepper Choplin, Composer/Conductor; Mark Hayes, DCINY Composer-In-Residence;

Kevin McBeth and Andy Waggoner, Guest Conductors;

Leslie Mabe and Rachel Schutz, Sopranos; John Robert Green, Baritone; Steve Coldiron, Narrator

Thomas Nickell, piano; The Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, Mina Zikri, Conductor

Jeff Glor, Anchor, CBS Evening News, Honorary Chair and Host

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

June 3, 2018

Huizi Zhang, piano and toy piano

Marc A. Scorca Hall, The National Opera Center,

New York, NY

May 26, 2018

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 13, 2018

The Oratorio Society of New York, Chorus and Orchestra; Kent Tritle, Music Director

Laquita Mitchell, soprano; Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano

Joshua Blue, tenor; Malcolm J. Merriweather, baritone;

Dashon Burton, bass-baritone

Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 7, 2018

Daniel Le, Pianist: Anzac Day Celebration Recital

Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 24, 2018

Bob Chilcott, Guest Conductor; Simon Carrington, Guest Conductor

Special Guests- The King’s Singers: Patrick Dunachie, countertenor; Timothy Wayne-Wright, countertenor; Julian Gregory, tenor; Christopher Bruerton, baritone; Christopher Gabbitas, baritone; Jonathan Howard, bass Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

April 22, 2018

Eric Whitacre, composer/conductor

Kelly Yu-Chieh Lin, piano

Sara Jean Ford, soprano

Jad Abumrad, special guest

Distinguished Concerts Singers International

David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

April 15, 2018

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International, James M. Meaders, DCINY Conductor

Ola Gjeilo, Composer-in-residence and Piano

Miran Vaupotić, Guest Conductor

Meredith Lustig, Soprano

Jessica Grigg, Alto

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

April 15, 2018

Special Guests- The King’s Singers: Patrick Dunachie, countertenor; Timothy Wayne-Wright, countertenor; Julian Gregory, tenor; Christopher Bruerton, baritone; Christopher Gabbitas, baritone; Jonathan Howard, bass
Distinguished Concerts Singers International