Nov.
20
2019
Interview: Kirke Mechem
Kirke Mechem is in town this week to see the staged premiere of his new opera Pride and Prejudice, of course based on the Jane Austen classic. I had a talk with him about how he thinks as a composer.
John Scherch
Oct.
31
2019
First Impression: November is apparently New Music Month
Man, is there a lot going on this month. I’m sure not complaining. Let’s get to it! OCCASIONAL SYMPHONY HALLOWEEN SHOW This is tonight at 7:30, which is why I’m posting it a day early (and you may bump into some WBJC folks there!); Occasional Symphony presents a live scoring of the 1920 silent film […]
Oct.
01
2019
First Impression: Improvising and Composing
As part of last month’s annual High Zero Festival, a series of performances of improvised music, I attended a talk on improvisation itself. Discussions were had about how improvisation played a role in the panel’s music, whether it was composed or performed. Thinking about how improvisation plays a role in composition, there have been in […]
Sep.
18
2019
Interviews: Tim Nelson, IN Series
IN Series presents their new angle on Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, simply titled Butterfly, at Baltimore Theatre Project on September 28th and 29th. If you’re seeing this before that week, you can still go see the performance in DC at the Source Theater, where there will also be a performance in English. I talked with artistic […]
Sep.
17
2019
First Impression: Marilyn Nonken, on her new book
You may have seen in this month’s First Impression an allusion to an interview I did with Marilyn Nonken, the author of the excellent and important new book Identity and Diversity in New Music. Here that is; listen and then go read!
Sep.
03
2019
First Impression: You Should Really Read This Book
I read a book recently that sums up quite a few of the problems that new music has connecting with wider audiences, specifically regarding diversity. NYU Director of Piano Studies Marilyn Nonken’s new book Identity and Diversity in New Music: The New Complexities can be found here and, after you’ve read up on what’s going […]
Aug.
01
2019
First Impression: One More Before the New Season
The final lull before the resumption of the concert season in full will hopefully bring more to talk about; there was an excellent meeting of the minds in the new music community, bringing together composers, creative leaders, and musicians from within and outside of the classical music community. I have events for you to look […]
Jul.
01
2019
First Impression: The Off-Season
Here we are in summer, where there is somewhat of a dearth of goings-on in music. We had things to look forward to, but alas… anyway, there are things happening this month, so take the time to check them out! CONTRASTS Soprano Alissa Roca and pianist/composer Jason Mulligan present a program of songs that contrast […]
Jun.
07
2019
First Impression: The Tale of Serse
The In Series has had an excellent season in artistic director Tim Nelson’s first year, and he closes the season by stage and music directing his own interpretation of Handel’s Serse, which ends its DC run this weekend (June 8-9) at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, and comes to Baltimore Theater Project June 14-16. I […]
Jun.
01
2019
First Impression: …that was a thing
I don’t think, at this point, I need to expand on what’s been going on with the BSO. Needless to say, this is not the news I expected to give when I said there would be more about the BSO New Music Festival coming up, which is of course no longer coming up. I have […]
