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New York Concert Artists and Associates: Evenings of Piano Concerti, Season V in Review

New York Concert Artists and Associates: Evenings of Piano Concerti, Season V

Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian Church, New York, N.Y.

May 24, 2013

New York Concert Artists and Associates continued its fifth season of concerto evenings with four staples of the piano concerto repertoire – the Schumann Concerto, the Saint-Saëns No. 2, and the 3rd and 5th by Beethoven. Combining forces with the NYCA Symphony Orchestra under excellent conductor, Eduard Zilberkant, were four young female pianists, all with impressive lists of accolades and all pursuing a doctorate or having earned one. If one needed an evidence of the difficulty of distinguishing oneself in classical music these days, one would need to look no further than the collective biographies of these young pianists. The proliferation of credentials and increased need for opportunities today underscore the value of NYCA’s mission to promote the next generation’s performers. While this evening was not one of the best in memory by this organization, one did come away thinking that the valuable orchestral experience was bound to enrich and refine the playing of each of the soloists.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous review, there are hazards in presenting so many concerti in one evening, not the least of which is a sense of haste that can beset even the most seasoned performers. There was just such a sense of haste, on this occasion, which seemed to affect all of the performances in some way or other.

Yu Jung Park, began the evening with Beethoven’s Concerto No. 3 in C minor. A work requiring a dark intensity and drama, it also requires a fierce impetus in the opening scales of the first movement; it is easy, though, to go overboard into the realm of rushing, and this seemed to be what happened. What at first was a minor discrepancy of tempo between soloist and orchestra escalated into a generally unsettled feeling that eventually took the movement off the rails. All was recovered expertly, but it is hard to recover completely from the general skittishness that results from such an occurrence. In and out of it all, one appreciated the pianist’s excellent finger work, and where she was alone, for example in the cadenza of the first movement, she seemed to find her comfort zone. It will be a joy to hear this pianist again, because she has much to offer. Her slow movement displayed beautiful sensitivity to harmonic changes, and she finished the work in fine form. She is currently working toward a DMA at Temple University, having already attended Peabody and the Korean National University of Arts. Her wide-ranging musical interests currently include Dutilleux and Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven.

The next performer, Sarah Chan, also has run the gamut credential-wise. She has earned Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, Peabody, and Eastman (where she obtained her doctorate), with additional studies at Le Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and at the University of Michigan. She has pursued and extra-musical education at the Sorbonne, Columbia University, and the University of Michigan, and she currently teaches music and French courses at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. Her Schumann Concerto had much to admire but also did not seem impervious to the spirit of dispatch that pervaded the evening. Some minor glitches, which appeared in an otherwise exciting performance, could have been avoided with just a bit more breathing room, and some climaxes could have been more potent if achieved through dynamic building rather than acceleration. Inevitably with more performance of this work there will emerge a bit more dovetailing as the lead role is passed from piano to orchestra and back, but it showed plenty of spirit and pianism, ending the first half well.

Perhaps the strongest contribution of the evening in terms of neatness and technical reliability was from Hyojung Huh, in the Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Again, listing myriad credentials, including degrees from Seoul National University, Westminster Choir College, Indiana University, and the University of Wisconsin (in subjects including choral conducting and sacred music), she demonstrated a thoroughness and seriousness of approach that carried her from start to brilliant finish. One might have wanted a bit more power to balance the orchestra, less understatement in the first movement’s effusive melodies, and a bit more joie de vivre in the work’s jaunty scherzando movement, but all in all one received the “bang for the buck” that one hopes for in this delightful piece.

The final performer of the evening was Do Haeng Jung in Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major (the “Emperor”). One appreciated from the start the fact that this performer took considerable time before and during the opening. This piece requires mature pacing, and it received it. It also received a big, full sound that set the tone for the nobility in this piece. Sure enough, there was again the almost obligatory snag in the first movement, but the pianist recovered to regain complete composure in the two next movements. Glancing through Ms. Jung’s biography, one reads that she has degrees from the Seoul National University and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, the latter where she is also pursuing her doctorate. What catches one’s eye is the mention of awards in collaborative performance, in addition to the usual solo prizes; indeed, Ms. Jung demonstrated a flexibility which helped hold the performance together and will continue to serve her in good stead as a concerto soloist. She ended the evening with a solid and bravura performance, receiving generous applause that undoubtedly was intended to include the cumulative efforts of the night and the close to a fine NYCA season.

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

Hee-Youn Choue in Review

Hee-Youn Choue, piano

Merkin Concert Hall, New York, N.Y.

May 21, 2013

As a seven-year music reviewer in New York, I’ve become so spoiled by the bounty of pianistic offerings in the various concert halls that occasionally it is an interesting test to ask myself, “what will I remember of this evening ten years from now?” Occasionally one may remember just the bad weather or the difficult cab ride, but there is no chance of that happening with a recent concert of pianist Hee-Youn Choue, whose final work, Concert Suite from “The Nutcracker” Op.71a (Tchaikovsky, transcribed by Mikhail Pletnev) was not to be forgotten. The pianist displayed in this work some of the most delightful pianism I’ve heard in recent live recital. I’ll especially remember her hummingbird-fast repeated notes in the March, the wonderfully zesty Trepak, and the witty and all too brief Chinese Dance – pieces I’ve heard often enough to want never to hear them again, though here they refreshed, as if new. I’ll remember with a measure of perplexity the sight of the less than full hall – this pianist deserves so much more. Then, with a bit of annoyance I’ll remember a nearby audience member, who apparently did not know about clapping, but saved all her expressions of appreciation for a bus stop cellphone call afterwards – about what an amazing performance her friend had missed! Amazing it was. We can at least hope that if everyone who was there gabs equally, the next recital will be jam-packed.

Ms. Choue has just about everything – technical brilliance, intelligence, poetry, poise, artful programming, and a beautiful stage presence. In addition, she has caught the attention of New York Concert Artists and Associates, under whose auspices she has performed several times. She is gaining momentum and deserves to go far.

Her opening work, Haydn’s Piano Sonata in C Major, Hob.XVI: 50, impressed with its beautifully differentiated articulations. It was delicate and crisp in touch, though thankfully never becoming too precious. The robust spirit of Haydn emerged especially in some of the bolder bass parts (also well suited to this hall’s piano). The last movement pointed up Haydn’s humorous surprises well, and Ms. Choue seemed quite at home stylistically. Minutest reservations arose in the second movement, where improvisatory adornments seemed a bit too glossy and pedaled to feel truly Haydnesque – to me their almost impressionistic sweep obscured the vocal relationship to the main melodies, but of course that is a matter of personal taste.

Schumann’s Fantasiestucke Op.12 followed. All was well thought through and polished, with special highlights being the hearty “Grillen,” and dazzling “Traumes Wirren.” The opening “Des Abends” was beautiful in tone and phrasing, but for my taste started to show too much of the Romantic tendency of left hand-preceding-right hand. That style is one way of wringing the tenderness from the harmonies, but Ms. Choue’s translucent sound, sensitive dynamic gradations, and pedaling (which was at times very generous) could probably achieve the desired effect without such stretching, which occasionally risks sounding mannered.

After Intermission, Chopin’s Nocturne in B Major, Op. 32, No.1, and Scherzo No. 4 in E Major were a beautiful pairing. Clearly Ms. Choue savored the tonal relationship between the two and, by projecting the connection physically, she successfully prevented applause from separating them. The Scherzo was another highlight of the evening, filled with silken streaming passagework and beautifully fluid melodic lines. The Nocturne I enjoyed less, simply wanting more attention to tonal continuity (or was there a voicing inconsistency issue with the piano?) – an anomaly in an otherwise stellar evening.

The Tchaikovsky which followed – I’ll just repeat myself here – was worth the trip all by itself. It should become a signature piece by Ms. Choue, though undoubtedly she will find many of those.

An encore of Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in A Major (K. 113, L. 345) brought more of the precise delicacy one heard earlier in the Haydn, capping off the evening perfectly. Brava!

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

Sergei Kvitko in Review

Sergei Kvitko, piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, N.Y.

May 23, 2013

Sergei Kvitko, pianist

The solo piano debut of Sergei Kvitko at Weill Hall was a heartwarming occasion – even a love-fest – for many reasons that became clear throughout the evening. As a bit of background, the Russian-born resident of Lansing, Michigan is no average pianist. Having come to the U.S. to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Michigan State University under the tutelage of Ralph Votapek, he has become a highly successful recording engineer and producer, with accolades for his work from numerous musical reviewers and a loyal following of musicians whom he has helped in their career paths. Beyond this, he is a composer and transcriber, as evidenced by several remarkable contributions on the evening’s program. He gives one hundred percent when he performs, and his energy is inspiring. In addition, he has an engaging personality, full of humor, something that showed in his commentary throughout the evening.

Mr. Kvitko opened with his own original transcription of Bach’s Prelude in C Major (from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I). The title was listed on the program as “Prelude in C Major with a Few Added Notes.” A few, indeed! Roughly as Charles Gounod had been inspired by this Bach work to add melody above, Mr. Kvitko took things farther, using the Prelude as a bass (entirely played by his left hand) and adding a florid quasi-improvisatory right hand part which built virtuosically to a large climax. I always appreciate new inspirations coming from this beloved piece, and this was a fresh one.

My first reaction to seeing that Kvitko had also programmed his own transcription of Ysaÿe’s Third Sonata for Violin (also known as “Ballade”) was to ask “why?” – because in my opinion the Ysaÿe still could stand a few more decades of hearings as written before it becomes the foundation for a “fresh perspective” transcription. Well, that question was quickly negated by what emerged as a captivating expansion upon the original. Starting off with a note-for-note statement taken from the violin work, Kvitko continued the original but with fleshed-out and reinforced harmonizations, octave doublings, and in general heightened drama via his own elaborations. Rather than obscuring Ysaÿe’s work, the transcription became an elucidation of it. I must confess to understanding the original better than I had before – and how great it was to hear it without any intonation problems! Just as each of the Ysaÿe Sonatas was dedicated to a great violinist (this one originally to Enescu) Mr. Kvitko dedicated this transcription to “the most important violinist” in his life, his mother. It was a special moment.

Another question “why?” might be elicited by the engagement of dancers for the Escenas Románticas by Granados, because those of us spoiled by the suave elegance of, say, Alicia De Larrocha’s renditions of these solo pieces may feel that the music says more than enough without visual distraction; Mr. Kvitko, however, clearly thinks outside such boxes. It also may even be silly to ask “why” when creative spirits such as he simply DO – a quality for which we may usually be thankful!

Kvitko’s interpretation was an expansive one, even if not as nuanced as I’d like. His playing maximized the drama, as the whole ballet concept encouraged it to do. The dancers, Lucas Segovia and Kara Zimmerman of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, offered what amounted to a half-ballet and half-pantomime creation of various scenes of love, including the first glance, the rebuff, the seduction, the celebration, and finally the settling of passions into lasting love. Some of the earlier pantomiming (including props of newspaper, chairs, and flowers), while charming, seemed to undermine the intimacy that I treasure in this musical set, but the last movement, the heartfelt and Chopinesque Epilogo, was quite moving. It was also interesting to behold dancers at Weill Hall, something I’ve not experienced before.

The second half opened with the pianist’s own transcription of Trepak from Mussorgsky’s “Songs and Dances of Death” (dedicated to the composer Ricky Ian Gordon, who was present). It was another miniature one would hear nowhere else, to me an asset to any recital. In the story behind the music, the protagonist dies, so the music was that of tragedy – or as Kvitko wryly introduced it, “it’s Russian.” It was well transcribed and performed, and a good introduction to the rest of the program.

The substance of the second half was Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (the pictures being a nice parallel to the “Escenas” aspect of the first half). It is a work that Mr. Kvitko has recorded, to very favorable critical response. This evening’s performance was an “over the top” one, with almost unremitting massive and prolonged fortes, a test to the pianist’s staying power. Even the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks was larger than life, raising concerns about how the Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba-Yaga) would top it – but as it turned out, Mr. Kvitko had more than enough stamina to follow the genetically modified chicks with steroidal hens! Where some wonderful piano dynamics did impress was in the end of “Bydlo” where one could imagine cattle carts disappearing into the distance: the fadeout was so well paced in fine gradations that one guessed that such a conception might have been helped by Mr. Kvitko’s experience with the wonders of audio technology. To hear that effect transferred to a perfect extended diminuendo on the piano was a treat. One can be confident that Mr. Kvitko has more of such treats in store, in whatever pursuits he undertakes, whether in producing, composing, or performing.

The end of the Great Gate of Kiev was met with rousing applause, bravos, and a standing ovation. Encores included another ballet performance (to a Piazzollaesque piano work) and a lightning-fast Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum by Debussy.

Piano Transcription of Solo Violin Sonata No. 3 “Ballade”

http://youtu.be/L5cumr1a32Q

Pianist Sergei Kvitko with Lucas Segovia & Kara Zimmerman of Joffrey Ballet of Chicago perform last movement of Enrique Granados’ Escenas Románticas – Epílogo.
Filmed live at Cook Recital Hall of College of Music, Michigan State University.

http://youtu.be/GJ64-aaqQRU

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

Caleb Chapman’s Crescent Super Band in Review (DCINY)

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents

Caleb Chapman’s Crescent Super Band

Featuring The Voodoo Orchestra and La Onda Caribena

Guest Artists David Sanborn, saxophone; Wayne Bergeron, trumpet; Russell Schmidt, piano

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

May 21, 2013

Caleb Chapman’s Crescent Super Band at Carnegie Hall

Caleb Chapman is a young man in a hurry. Not yet forty years old, he is the Director of eleven ensembles, published author, and award- winning musician. He was invited by Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) to bring to Carnegie Hall his elite Crescent Super Band, The Voodoo Orchestra, and La Onda Caribeña. All three groups consist of players from the ages of fifteen to eighteen in the state of Utah. Special guests David Sanborn, Wayne Bergeron, and Russell Schmidt were also to have featured roles.

Founded in 2001 and with a list of honors a mile long, including countless accolades from Downbeat magazine, ten Best of State awards, product endorsements and sponsors, the Crescent Super Band is, on paper, a very impressive group. I must admit that I was somewhat wary of this build-up. While I am a huge fan of youth concerts and particularly enjoy the big band and jazz styles, I also have high expectations for the same based upon my own performing experiences (from the years 19…uh…well, never mind when!). I would have to wait until the second half to see.

Meanwhile, The Voodoo Orchestra took to the stage to open the night. Any ideas I might have had about this ensemble being a time-filler opening group were immediately obliterated by a super-stylish and slick performance of Spider-Man. I could not believe I was hearing players that were fifteen to eighteen years old! This was playing at a level to rival any professional group. The Voodoo Orchestra takes the best of the 30’s and 40’s big bands swing era and combines it with the cool sophistication and swagger of the Rat Pack. They have the entire package; the “hot” playing, the smooth vocalists, and the choreographed movements of the players with their instruments. Ending their set with a smoking hot world premiere of Brian Setzer’s Hoodoo Voodoo Doll, it was a fantastic start to the evening.

La Onda Caribeña followed with the flavors of Salsa and Latin-tinged jazz. Opening with Hector Lavoe’s and Willie Colon’s Llego La Banda, this ensemble showed that they were the “real deal” as well. Passion, brilliance, supercharged rhythmic vitality, and beguiling vocalists make La Onda Caribeña un grupo ganador. Victor Lopez’s Salsa Caribeña, written especially for La Onda Caribeña is sure to be a signature piece for them. They closed their set and the first half with a scintillating performance of Tito Puente’s Para Los Rumberos.

After intermission, the Crescent Super Band was ready to be unleashed. Just when I thought there was no possible way the bar could get set any higher, it did! I can still scarcely believe that this group is not filled with old established “ringers”, but such incredibly talented youth. If The Voodoo Orchestra and La Onda Caribeña lit the flames, then the Crescent Super Band stoked the flames into an inferno. From the infectious drive of Tightrope, to an ultra-hip arrangement of Paul McCartney’s Can’t Buy Me Love, to Bill Readies “take-no-prisoners” arrangement of Leonard Bernstein in West Side Story Medley, to the deceptively simple charms of Harold Arlen’s Down With Love, the Crescent Super Band could do no wrong. They “burned the place down” with a jaw-dropping performance Louis Prima’s Sing Sing Sing to end the concert. The audience, already worked into a frenzy, sprang to their feet with a well-deserved and prolonged ovation.

Caleb Chapman roamed the stage like a big cat stalking his prey. This hyper-energetic leader would wander into sections of the groups to encourage his players, cajoling them into greatness, then turn to the audience with a “can you believe how amazing these kids are?” expression on his face. He’d adjust microphones for soloists, and then race back to the front to conduct. His energy was like rocket fuel for all; the personnel changes between numbers were always at high-speed, with players running on and off stage. Not satisfied just leading these three groups, he lent his own considerable skills on saxophone as a featured soloist in Victor Young’s When I Fall in Love, which he dedicated to his parents. Now would be a good time to thank Mr. Chapman’s mother for sending him to music camp, instead of soccer camp, as Mr. Chapman related from the stage as he spoke of his parents. Whatever soccer might have lost, music more than gained.

One would be remiss in not mentioning the guest artists. Russell Schmidt joined The Crescent Super Band on the piano in the premiere of his work Percolating, which it certainly was! Wayne Bergeron, well known to the trumpet world from his days with Maynard Ferguson, was a presence with all three ensembles, and as a featured soloist in Horn of Puente, written for him by Gordon Goodwin, with La Onda Caribeña. His playing in the extreme upper register, which trumpet players call “screaming”, continues to amaze. I would imagine it would be inspiring to the young players to play alongside someone who can bust off double high C’s at will! Finally, David Sanborn joined the Crescent Super Band for an unforgettable performance of I Put a Spell on You by Edward Harcourt in an arrangement by John Clayton. In Bang Bang, which followed, a Crescent Super Band saxophonist joined Mr. Sanborn at the stage front. What a thrill it must have been for a young sax player to jam on the stage of Carnegie Hall with the living legend David Sanborn. He more than held his own, and getting a “high-five” from Mr. Sanborn was something this youngster will remember forever.

If I had had my trumpet with me, I would have found a way to get on stage to join in. Luckily for security, I somehow lacked the foresight to bring my instrument with me, but I cannot guarantee that if Mr. Chapman brings his groups back to New York that I will not give in to temptation.

If you ever have the opportunity to hear The Voodoo Orchestra, La Onda Caribeña, the Crescent Super Band, or any group lead by Caleb Chapman, do not hesitate to do so. Do not walk, but run to the box office and get your tickets before they sell out. It is truly the experience of a lifetime.

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

New York Concert Artists & Associates in Review

New York Concert Artists & Associates: Evenings of Piano Concerti, Season V

Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian Church, New York, N.Y.

May 17, 2013

To attend one of NYCA’s Evenings of Piano Concerti is to feel part of something quite special, and the concerts are clearly on the upswing if one can judge by full halls. A recent evening was typical in some ways, in its abundance of exciting virtuoso repertoire and passionate soloists (and orchestra), including some at beginnings of their careers plus those farther along in forging worldwide reputations. The more widely known name on this evening’s program was Alessio Bax, scheduled to perform the Piano Concerto, Op. 38 of Samuel Barber – an exciting prospect indeed – though in a last minute decision that was not explained, the Barber was replaced by Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. This substitution may have had something to do with another change, the replacement of scheduled conductor Matthew Oberstein by guest conductor Miriam Burns, but it’s anyone’s guess. In a way, such changes make for an even more edge-of-the-seat intensity than usual (which is saying a lot), but emotions were certainly running high.

You know it will be a high voltage evening when the “starter” work is Liszt’s E-flat Piano Concerto, often reserved for the final splash. In the hands of Jeanette Aufiero it was full of high drama, setting the tone for an evening of virtuosity. Ms. Aufiero produces warm lyrical lines and an enormous sound for raging octaves and arpeggios, just as this piece requires. It must have been a joy for this NYCA Orchestra’s exuberant brass section to be able to let loose without having to play “tiptoe around the soloist.” It was a performance of contagious energy, ablaze with passion that threw caution to the winds. There are those who deplore this piece as a muscle-flexing vehicle, but even the most diehard Lisztophobes would have found the infectious spirit hard to resist. The program included no soloist biographies, but did list that Ms. Aufiero won the 2012 NYCA Rising Artists Concerto Presentation.

Conductor Miriam Burns was simply amazing throughout in her responses to the work’s quicksilver changes, while drawing empathetic collaboration from the orchestra – especially in view of the short notice! A quadruple-concerto evening is something of a herculean feat – ask any conductor about the extra dimensions and concerns brought in by a soloist, and multiply by four! Maestra Burns nonetheless brought tireless and balletic energy to it all.

The excellent young soloist in the Rachmaninoff First Concerto was Saskia Giorgioni, who sailed through the piece’s technical challenges while bringing genuine tenderness to its yearning phrases. One of the wonderful aspects of these multi-soloist evenings is that they are like multiple debuts, each pianist in the spotlight geared to the highest degree of polish and living each note as if it were the last. Ms. Giorgioni clearly knew each note of this demanding piece inside and out and invested herself in each one. She was able to handle nearly all the ensemble surprises that came her way (an inevitable challenge in this work) and to bend accordingly. At the same time she showed an assured solo presence that should guarantee her similar engagements in the future. She was listed as having also won the 2012 NYCA Rising Artists Concerto Presentation.

If one had to make a suggestion on the format of these evenings, it might be that the number of concerti be reduced to, say, three (depending on length) with perhaps a short orchestra work thrown in. While it is an amazing feast to hear four fine soloists in a row, there is an inevitable disservice done to one or two of them. After two or more “no holds barred” performances, the edge of one’s musical appetite is somewhat dulled, and the ears need a break not quite provided by intermission. Presumably the Beethoven Concerto No. 2 after intermission provided the sonic palate cleanser, but one doesn’t usually like to think of Beethoven as such.

It may have been the intense awareness of what preceded (Liszt and Rachmaninoff) that lent an extra edge to the performance of the Beethoven by Jingyi Zhang. She is an outstanding young player of considerable achievement and polish; somehow, though, for this piece I wanted a slightly more settled classical restraint. Her playing was admirable in its brilliant pearly passagework, but it occasionally seemed to press ahead too restlessly for this listener, approaching breathlessness at times. The bright sound from the hall’s piano and live acoustics also helped bring the piece into the realm of slightly later Romantic works, and one couldn’t help imagining how wonderful this pianist would sound playing Mendelssohn or Grieg here. It seems highly likely that we will hear more from this pianist, so I look forward to hearing her again in a variety of repertoire. Ms. Zhang is listed as Winner of 2012 NYCA’s International Concerto Competition for Pianists.

Alessio Bax, the featured headliner of the evening, is enjoying a burgeoning career helped along by First Prize at the Leeds and the Hamamatsu International Piano Competitions and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Having never heard him live, I was looking forward to this, as he is widely considered an artist to watch. The experience did not disappoint. While I would have preferred hearing him in the less-frequently performed Barber Concerto, he has much to bring to Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, which says a lot given this piece’s enormous popularity. One could argue with some points, including his rather straitlaced interpretation of the second movement’s octave lines – but such decisions are easily justifiable, if not universally embraced. All in all, it was a performance of considerable poetry and brilliance, which one would never guess was “last minute” – except possibly in a few last movement ensemble hiccups. Though his restrained interpretation may have been somewhat undercut by the high decibel levels of the evening’s earlier performances, he emerged as a sincere and individual player with a formidable technique, just as one would expect.

Kudos go to all the performers and to Klara Min, the founder and Artistic Director. These evenings are a gargantuan achievement.

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

Shattered Glass Ensemble in Review

Rondo Music Society presents

Shattered Glass Ensemble

Elizabeth Woo, violin soloist

Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall; New York, NY

May 7, 2013

Shattered Glass Ensemble at Carnegie Hall; photo credit: Brian Hatton

Shattered Glass, a sixteen member string orchestra sans conductor, is very much a product of the 21^st century -marketing themselves with a professionally produced website and all the elements of social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram). The players hail from all around the globe, but they all met and joined together while attending the Manhattan School of Music. In addition to having a wide mainstream repertoire, Shattered Glass has been active in crossover collaborations with pop and hip-hop artists. Mentored by the noted violinist, teacher, and composer Albert Markov, this group is poised to make its mark on the music world by reaching out to as wide an audience as possible.

Violinist Elizabeth Woo, artistic director of Shattered Glass and highly acclaimed artist in her own right, headlined a program featuring her as a soloist in works by Vivaldi, Sarasate, and Albert Markov. The program opened with the Concerto for Three Violins in F major, RV 551 of Vivaldi, with violin soloists Elizabeth Woo, Holly Jenkins, and Tina Bouey. The opening Allegro movement got off to a problematic start, with intermittent intonation issues and tentative playing. The question that arose was whether this was something borne of nerves or was it going to be an endemic problem throughout. The answer was forthcoming in the Andante, where the playing was solid, and the final Allegro, which proved that any jitters were gone. The playing was confident, with good ensemble balance and precise intonation. The second work, the Ricercar a 6 from The Musical Offering by J.S. Bach was composed on what amounted to a challenge by Frederick the Great. On May 7, 1747, Frederick gave Bach a theme with the task to improvise a three-part fugue on the spot. When Bach made short work of that, Frederick demanded a six-part fugue. Bach asked leave to write out the work and The Musical Offering was the end result. On the 266^th anniversary of this meeting, Shattered Glass played the Ricercar a 6 in an arrangement by young composer Qin Dang for twelve players (six violins, three violas, two cellos, and a double-bass). Her arrangement uses as inspiration Anton Webern’s Klangfarbenmelodie approach to the same work (though the latter included winds, brass, and harp). As violist Michael Davis said in his comments before playing, “making connections is the biggest challenge,” in the work. That challenge was successfully met – the interplay between the twelve musicians was excellent; at no time was any single player dominating over the others in what was a perfect rendering of the Klangfarbenmelodie style. To end the first half, Shattered Glass offered the String Symphony No. 7 in D minor, MWV N 7, a remarkably mature work composed by Felix Mendelssohn at the age of thirteen (!). For the first time, all sixteen players took to the stage. Bass player Max Jacob provided a moment of levity when he abruptly hustled off the stage only to return a moment later with a huge grin and his missing bow, much to the amusement of the audience. Now that all players were properly equipped, they launched into a spirited reading. The precision of attack in the opening Allegro and superb dynamic control, especially the pianissimos in the Andante, were striking. The playful, almost sinister colors of the Menuetto and finally the energetic Allegro molto contributed to a winning performance.

Sinfonietta Per Archi ( Sinfonietta No. 1 for Strings), composed in 1992 by Krzysztof Penderecki (b. 1933), opened the second half. This work alternates from the strident to the nostalgic throughout while making virtuosic demands in both solo and ensemble. Shattered Glass seems to possess a particular affinity for this work. The playing was exceptional from start to finish in what was the highlight of the concert to this listener. Special mention must be made of the soloists; violinist Elizabeth Woo, violist Celia Hatton, and cellist Grace Ho for their exceptional playing. After the thorny Penderecki, Pablo de Sarasate’s Spanish Dances – Playera, Zapateado, and Habanera, were a surefire way to lighten the mood. In an arrangement by Mr. Markov where the piano accompaniment was transcribed for strings, Elizabeth Woo took center stage in the soloist’s role. Ms. Woo has the requisite technique and gave these crowd-pleasing works a virtuosic performance. The large and enthusiastic audience roared its approval. As much as I detest histrionics and admire control, I found myself wishing for a bit less restraint from Ms. Woo. To close, Ms. Woo performed the world premiere of Rhapsody No. 6, “Korean”, written especially for her by her teacher Albert Markov (b.1933). Inspired by a visit to Gangwon Province in South Korea, this work uses traditional Korean folk melodies in an “East meets West” fashion. Ms. Woo was a shining star in this highly effective and charming work. The audience responded with a standing ovation for Ms. Woo, Mr. Markov, and the ensemble. This work will no doubt become a cornerstone in the music festival in Gangwon Province that the dynamic Ms. Woo founded and where Shattered Glass will also perform.

Shattered Glass is a promising ensemble. With a core of such talented and enthusiastic young players, the future should be bright. With the growing popularity of such groups with similar missions, such as Brooklyn Rider and Alarm Will Sound, there is every reason to believe that Shattered Glass will enjoy commercial and artistic success. I look forward to hearing them again in the future.

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

Misoon Ghim, mezzo-soprano in Review

Misoon Ghim, mezzo-soprano

Amy Yang, piano

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall

April 22, 2013

What an auspicious New York debut vocal recital, as two wonderful performers, mezzo soprano Misoon Ghim and pianist Amy Yang, presented songs from five stylistic periods, sung beautifully in five languages. I was most impressed by the high quality of the music they chose, and how these works allowed both performers to exhibit the many aspects of their fine technique and deep musicality.

And what better way to open a program than with the words “Music for a while/ Shall all your cares beguile,” the opening lines of Henry Purcell’s setting of John Dryden’s poem “Music for a while.” I was pleased that the performers chose an edition with a stylistically correct keyboard part, rather than one with the souped-up accompaniments so often used by singers who aren’t Baroque specialists. Ms. Ghim possesses a beautiful bright voice which is produced with great ease. (Darker vocal colors were to appear later in the concert.) Another Purcell work, “Dido’s Lament,” followed. Most moving was her heartfelt singing of the words “remember me” which showcased her thrilling upper register. I did wonder why Ms. Ghim chose to ornament repeated lines during “Dido’s Lament,” while failing to decorate the da capo of “Music for a while.”

Next we heard four songs by Brahms. During these works Ms. Ghim produced many vocal colors to express the meaning of the words. Most memorable was her performance of “Die Mainacht” where we first heard her moving dark sound. Pianist Amy Yang, very much an accompanist during the Purcell, was given her first chance to shine during these songs. Her rapid finger work imitating the sound of spinning wheels during “Mädchenlied” and her stormy accompaniment during “Mein Liebe ist grun” gave us a foretaste of many pleasures to come.

The first half ended with a superb performance of Mozart’s Concert Aria “Ch’io mi scordi di te?” As the accompaniment of this work was originally scored for orchestra with obbligato piano, one could think of this piece as a concerto for voice and piano. It was therefore exciting to hear both of these fine musicians vie for our attention. That Ms. Ghim has been a success on the opera stage was vividly shown by her expert performance of the expressive opening recitative, the lyrical first section of the aria and then its thrilling dramatic conclusion. This was wonderful singing. Equally wonderful as both accompanist and second soloist was pianist Amy Yang.

That the recital’s second half would maintain the high quality of the first half was made clear during the opening moments of the first of Mahler’s “Fünf Rückertlieder,” “Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft!” as Ms. Ghim spun out a most ravishing phrase. And at the climax of the intimate “Liebst du um Schönheit” she was very much the singing actress, as she lovingly caressed the words “o ja, mich liebe” (“oh yes, love me.”) “Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder” allowed Ms. Ghim to show off her dark lower register and Ms. Yang to offer a sensitive accompaniment featuring a beautifully played left hand. Both performers shone during the very slow and quiet “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.” But what sticks in my mind was Ms. Yang’s beautiful tone color and subtle phrasing, especially during the piano’s introduction, interludes and postlude. The last verse of “Um Mitternacht” brought the set to a goose-bump-producing- climax. For this listener, these Mahler songs were the highest point of a concert with many high points.

After a fine performance of Debussy’s “Fêtes galantes 1”, the program ended with “Cinco Cancione Negras” (“Five Black Songs”) by the Catalan composer Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002.) Employing Spanish and West Indian rhythms and themes, these songs lightened the mood and showed us another side of Ms. Ghim’s artistry. She and Ms. Yang brought the concert to a jolly conclusion with a wild rendition of the last song, “Canto negro.”

Thanks to the Korean Music Foundation for bringing these wonderful artists before a very appreciative New York audience.

by Harry Saltzman for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

West Chester University of Pennsylvania School of Music Presents: Faculty Recital in Review

West Chester University of Pennsylvania School of Music Presents: Faculty Recital

Vincent Craig, piano, Stephen Ng, tenor, Dan K. Kurland, piano

Steinway Hall; New York, NY

April 18, 2013

In a performance originally cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy, West Chester University of Pennsylvania presented two of its faculty members in a shared recital at Steinway Hall. Vincent Craig is an assistant professor of piano and Stephen Ng is an assistant professor of voice.

Opening with J.S. Bach’s English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808, Dr. Craig showed he has a strong affinity for this work. The playing was everything one hopes for in Bach- attention to detail, clear articulation, balanced voicing, and a steady rhythmic sense. It was excellent throughout, and the highlight of his performances to this listener. His Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor was solid, but reflected a somewhat undifferentiated interpretation. The 2005 work Actions and Resonances by composer Alex Miller (b. 1982) followed. The composer writes, “the title describes the texture of the piece, which frequently features crisp, percussive gestures followed by pauses in which the sound is left to resonate momentarily before moving on.” Dr. Craig gave this interesting work a reading that was mostly in line with Miller’s description. There were some moments when it was not entirely clear that all was according to plan, and there were some rather awkward page turns that could have been avoided by having a page turner. In the end, the composer, who was in attendance, signaled his approval with demonstrative applause. Ending with Liszt’s St. Francis of Paulus Walking on the Waves, Dr. Craig captured the dramatic sense of this work without falling into the trap of making it bombastic. If anything, it was a bit too understated for my liking, but I did admire Dr. Craig’s consistency of style. The virtuosic elements were dispatched with ease in a performance that brought the audience to their feet in excitement. Dr. Craig is a thoughtful, meticulous player who does not “showboat”. Clarity of lines and attention to inner voices were features of his playing throughout. His students are fortunate to have a teacher with the ability not only to verbalize, but to demonstrate clearly his ideas and approaches to the music.

Dr. Ng began his selections with “Sweeter Than Roses” from Henry Purcell, accompanied by Dan K. Kurland. The music’s demands were well met with Dr. Ng’s sure technique in a highly polished performance. It was an auspicious beginning. Benedetto sia’l giorno and Pace non tovo from Liszt’s Tre sonetti del Petrarca, S.158 were then offered. These highly effective songs tax the pianist and the vocalist to the utmost in Liszt’s characteristic virtuosic writing. Dr. Ng was up to the challenge, with a soaring voice in the extreme registers that could be simply described as amazing. Mr. Kurland was commendable in his own right, navigating the challenges with skill. Nine selections from Clairières dans le ciel (Clearings in the Sky), a thirteen-song cycle taken from poet Francis Jamme’s Tristesses by Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) followed. Given the astonishing maturity of this work from Boulanger at age twenty, one cannot help but lament what might have been if not for her tragically early death at age twenty-four. Dr. Ng fashioned a performance that was mesmerizing from Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie to the ending, Demain fera un an. It is regrettable that Dr. Ng did not do the entire set, as he did in recital February 11, 2013 at West Chester University. It is a set that highlights his talents to the maximum, and I would highly recommend that any music lover hear him perform this song cycle. To close the program was Lensky’s Aria, Куда, куда вы удалились, весны моей златые дни (Where, where, have you gone, spring of my golden days?), from Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin. Dr. Ng’s performance of it closed with the same energy and commitment with which he began. He is a superb singer and one whom West Chester University can be proud to call their own. It was gratifying to see the support from the West Chester University community and administration for both of these fine musicians.

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

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents Calling All Dawns in Review

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents

Calling All Dawns

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra, Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Jonathan Griffith, Music Director; Eric A. Johnson, Geoffrey Paul Boers; Guest Conductors

Anonymous 4, Guest Artists

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center; New York, NY

April 7, 2013

Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) is an organization that gives talented musicians and vocalists an opportunity to perform in world-class venues, often performing new works of both established composers and up-and-coming talents. Today’s concert was no exception; works from Mozart, Haydn, and John Rutter, with the New York premiere of Calling All Dawns, from new talent Christopher Tin, were on the program.

In what might have been called a pre-concert performance, Anonymous 4 opened with a set of six pieces done with the skill that has made then renowned. Possibly in keeping with the “anonymous” ideal, any information about these six pieces was withheld. It was a serious omission not to have the works named, in spite of the program noting “selections to be called from the stage”. In this day and age when everything should be done to enlighten audiences and enhance the concert experience, a golden opportunity to foster further interest was lost.

Mozart’s Regina Coeli K. 276 is a jubilant work that honors the Virgin Mary. The trumpets and timpani lend the otherwise largely string orchestration a festive quality that is in keeping with the celebration of Easter. There is a strong reminder of Handel’s Hallelujah chorus, although it is not known whether Mozart had seen Handel’s score prior the composition. Guest conductor Eric A. Johnson led a solid performance that featured High School and University singers from Illinois, Oregon, and California. Next came the Te Deum for the Empress Marie Therese of Franz Joseph Haydn. Johnson styled this performance with skill, conveying the work’s regal air and showing considerable attention to detail. The transitions to C minor and back to C major were particularly sensitively done. It seemed that conductor, orchestra, and chorus gained in confidence as the performance progressed.

John Rutter (b. 1945) describes his Gloria as a three-movement symphony that is “exalted, devotional, and jubilant by turns”. Guest Conductor Geoffrey Paul Boers took the podium and wielded his baton with the demeanor of a wizard preparing to hurl thunderbolts. From the arresting opening bars, one was put on notice that the Distinguished Concerts orchestra was pulling out all the stops, from the stunning brilliance of the brass playing to the electric energy in the percussion. It was especially enjoyable for this listener to hear these players shine so brightly, as I have almost always found them to be the equals of any I have heard anywhere. The exuberant orchestra overshadowed the chorus in the outer movements, where the latter simply did not project enough volume. Interestingly enough, the singers’ than full sound turned out to be a blessing in the 2^nd movement, where the chorus was actually quite radiant. In spite of these issues, it was an exciting, dynamic, and passionate performance that ended the half with a splash.

It must be a unique occurrence for a large-scale work to have its genesis from a theme written for a video game, but this is the case for Calling All Dawns, which was the only work on the second half. In conversation with Jonathan Griffith, composer Christopher Tin (b. 1976) told the story of how Calling All Dawns came to be. The opening movement, Baba Yetu, was composed as the theme for the computer game Civilizations IV. It was so popular in the gaming world that the music went “viral”, with countless requests for more pieces from the composer. Tin was inspired to write a large work that he described as a “four-year labor of love”. Calling All Dawns is a forty-five minute, twelve-movement work, with each movement in a different language (Swahili, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, French, Latin, Irish, Polish, Hebrew, Farsi, Sanskrit, and Maori). The idea of a multi-cultural world where we are more similar than different was Mr. Tin’s stated goal. Mr. Tin has a gift for writing music that is immediately accessible in its tonal consonance, rhythmically vital, and appealing to the emotions. It is easy to understand why his music is so popular. One can detect similarities to other composers’ work (e.g. Karl Jenkins, Henryk Górecki in his Third Symphony, and Mike Oldfield, especially his Music of the Spheres), which might cause some to suggest the music is derivative, but I prefer the idea of a composer finding his voice. All these caveats aside, the pairing of Tin and DCINY is an ideal partnership, and it will be interesting to hear Mr. Tin’s next work, which DCINY will be premiering in 2014.

Conductor Jonathan Griffith was the master of the situation, as is the norm for this consummate leader and musician. Any composer should be thrilled to have him at the helm when his works are played. The orchestra had already been excellent this afternoon, but they saved the best for the last in a performance that was done with style and grace. The supporting chorus, with singers from Australia, the United Kingdom, Vermont, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York, was vibrant throughout with a strong performance that was not wanting in volume or passion. It was a joy to see the constantly changing soloists, from Anonymous 4, to others including members of the chorus who came forward and offered passionate performances. They were all stars today. When two Maori in tribal dress entered the stage in the final movement and not only chanted the Maori lyrics, but did a ritual dance, it was that special DCINY “touch” that I have come to expect from this fine organization. The audience reacted after the final notes with the loudest and longest standing ovation I have ever heard at any concert. Mr. Tin was called to the stage and the ovation became deafening. It must have been one of the proudest moments in his life and it was wonderful to see. It’s an image I will not soon forget. Congratulations to DCINY for another winning performance.

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

The Catalyst String Quartet in Review

The Catalyst String Quartet

Karla Donehew Perez, violin

Christopher Jenkins, viola

Karlos Rodriguez, cello

The American Bible Society; New York, NY

April 5, 2013

In sponsoring this superb concert by The Catalyst String Quartet in the Conference Center of The American Bible Society’s New York headquarters, Musica da Camara continued its policy of presenting performances in non-traditional concert venues. Even though the room was fairly large, the fact that there was no stage and both audience and performers were on the same level made for a more intimate chamber music experience. All the members of the quartet are top Laureates and alumni of the Sphinx Competition, an annual competition for young black and Latino string players. That the Sphinx Organization thinks highly of these players is shown by the fact that their quartet is called “A Sphinx Ensemble.”

First we heard “Sturm,” a work by one of the quartet’s violinists, Jesse Montgomery. Written in 2006 for string quintet, it was arranged for quartet in 2008 and again revised for The Catalyst String Quartet in 2012. Very well constructed, this was a great opener. The beginning melody, especially its first three notes, served as the basis for much of the work’s melodic material. And I loved the strumming pizzicati which permeated the piece. The performers’ rhythmic energy, their polyphonic clarity and tight ensemble–playing were to continue throughout the evening.

With spoken comments, Ms. Montgomery then introduced Osvaldo Golijov’s “Tenebrae.” She demonstrated the sound of sul ponticello (bowing close to the violin’s bridge which creates a glassy sound and emphasizes the higher harmonics) and told us that the score instructs her to tune the violin’s G-string down a third. The use of sul ponticello added to otherworldly character of this work, and the lowered G-string darkened the sound of the quartet–tenebrae is the Latin word for shadow. The quartet gave us a beautifully wrought, lucid and committed performance of this most moving composition. Each player shone, both as collaborators in a like-thinking ensemble and as lyric “soloists.” Both violinists, Karla Donehew Perez and Jesse Montgomery, spun out luscious melodies on their violin’s lowest string; violist Christopher Jenkins played what sounded like Hebraic chants with soulful mournfulness; and cellist Karlos Rodriguez sailed around the cello’s high register with ease. (He would attain stratospheric heights in the concert’s second half.)

The last work on the first half was one that few in the audience have heard in its entirety, Samuel Barber’s String Quartet, Opus 11. But most people are familiar with the arrangement for string orchestra of the quartet’s second movement, the “Adagio for Strings.” Surrounding this beloved lyrical movement are two much more dissonant and rhythmically complex pieces which the quartet played with as much assurance and ease as they did the lyrical adagio. I was very impressed by the many string colors that the quartet created. (Most memorable were the passages in the first and second movements played with little or no vibrato.) In fact I was very impressed by every aspect of the quartet’s playing on the first half of this concert.

But I was awed by their performance of Alberto Ginastera’s fiendishly difficult String Quartet No.2, Opus 26! This work makes incredible technical demands, and the Catalyst players were up to all of them. One marveled at their perfect sense of ensemble during the unison passages and complex rhythms of the first movement. During the second movement, one luxuriated in the luscious tone of violist Christopher Jenkins. The mysterious sounds of the third movement, marked Presto magico, were flawlessly produced by using string techniques such as glissandi, harmonics, col legno (touching the strings with the wooden part of the bow) and the aforementioned sul ponticello. During the fourth movement cellist Karlos Rodriguez essayed his instrument’s highest notes with abandon. The concert was brought to a thrilling conclusion by the wild final movement, aptly marked furioso.

We were then treated to a delightful encore, the quartet’s arrangement of a children’s song from Puerto Rico, “El Coqui.” The audience left smiling.

by Harry Saltzman for New York Concert Review; New York, NY