Tag Archive for: Austin

The Texas International Piano Festival in South Korea

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This is a very exciting time for the Texas State International Piano Festival.  They are holding this year’s event in Seoul, South Korea.  It is the first time they will be “off campus” for the 15 year old competition. 

It’s usually held at Texas State University in San Marcos, but it’s always been a dream of the co-founder Dr. Jason Kwak and some of his colleagues,  Dr. SungEun Park and Dr. Martin Kesuma to hold the competition in Seoul.

 

The Texas State International Piano Festival gets underway June 24th and runs until July 6th. 

They Honor The Fallen With Their Words And Music

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There will be many honors this Memorial Day week for the military men and women who lost their lives while serving their country.  Music will be a large part of that. 

One of them is the world premiere recording of the opera An American Soldier.  It’s the true story of the young Chinese-American Army Pvt. Danny Chen who committed suicide because he was beaten every day by his fellow soldiers and a superior officer during his service in Afghanistan.

There is also a new version of  Symphony For Vietnam Veterans.   Composer and retired U.S. Army Captain James Kimo Williams has released a string orchestra version of his orchestral piece about his time in war.

Finding Peace Amid The Storm

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A Cancer diagnosis changes everything. 

Pianist Yoko Misumi knows that first hand, which led to the album she and her colleague from the Greenwich Trio, cellist Heather Tuach curated and produced.  It’s called IN THE MIRROR, an emotional journey born of reflection, healing, and hope.

There are original works and new arrangements by 11 composers, all women on the album.  They include Jennifer Higdon, Dobrinka Tabakova and Jessie Montgomery. 

The La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors

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Applications are now open for the La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors. It takes place in Paris every two years.  It is a competition that is fast becoming THE place where women conductors can be seen, heard, and hired. Even for those who don’t win or place, there’s an Academy co-directed by the Philharmonie de Paris and the Paris Mozart Orchestra led by Claire Gibault and Olivier Mantei.

Claire Gibault

The percentage of women conductors has increased worldwide to 8%. A big increase considering it was only 4.3% in 2018. It still wasn’t enough for Gibault. She started the competition to increase the visibility of women conductors and to showcase their talent.

The competition is also the subject of a documentary Maestra, now streaming on Netflix.

Meet The Composers Of Some Of Your Favorite Video Games

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If you are a gamer who likes to listen to the music of video games, this event is for you. 

POWER UP:  THE ART OF VIDEO GAME MUSIC presented by Density 5-1-2 of Austin, is covering all of the bases when it comes to composing and recording music for video games.

Perhaps the music for the video games Walkabout Mini Golf by Mighty Coconut or The (evil) Baby in Yellow composed by Virginia Leo or the ABZÛ score by Austin Wintory captivates you as a player and as a fan of orchestral music.

Artistic Director Jacob Aaron Schnitzer says the event shows that Video game music has emerged as a gateway to symphonic music which draws younger audiences to orchestral performances.

Power Up:  The Art of Video Game Music takes place Friday, March 14th during SXSW at KMFA.

The String Quartet Smackdown

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After a two year break, Golden Hornet’s String Quartet Smackdown is on again.  This is the competition that uses the bracket system of March Madness with a live audience to determine the winner. Among the 16 finalists is Evan Blaché of Cedar Park, who won the competition two years ago. 

The String Quartet Smackdown is Saturday, February 22nd at The Baker Center.

That same weekend, the Austin Symphony Orchestra gives a nod to Black History Month with its American Splendor concert.  It features Duke Ellington and Luther Henderson’s evocative Three Black Kings,  the world premiere of Sam Lipman’s poignant Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra. Also on program, Leonard Bernstein’s vibrant On the Town: Three Dance Episodes and George Gershwin’s iconic An American in Paris

Julia Perry’s Catalog of Music Is Finally Available  

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African-American composer Julia Perry died in 1979 without a will, after an illustrious career in classical music that started in the 1950’s. Then she and her works fell into obscurity. Nearly 50 decades later, Perry’s music is back in part because it is finally legally available for musicians to perform.

That’s thanks to Dr. Louise Toppin, the Director of Vidamus, a group promoting concert works by under-presented composers. Vidamus has joined with Boosey and Hawkes, to distribute Perry’s music.  Now they’re looking for more of her “lost” compositions. 

How the Orchestras Are Coping Amid The LA Wildfires

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What a great loss!! 

The Wildfires in the Los Angeles area are still burning.  The loss of life and homes is immeasurable. 

Orchestras in the area are suffering their own losses, personal and professional. The League of American Orchestras says their disaster website is full of information on places to go for help.

There’s very bad news for the music of composer Arnold Schoenberg.  Much of his orchestral scores were destroyed in the Pacific Palisades fire.

A Happy New You In 2025

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Did you make a New Year’s Resolution for 2025?

YouGov.com says the most common resolutions for 30- to 44-year-olds are saving more money (31%) and improving mental health (23%).  Generally speaking, being happy is on the list of resolutions for all age groups.  Researchers believe they’ve found a way to treat one of the most serious mental health issues: Treat Resistant Depression. It seems music therapy is the key.

Here is the link to Sophie Mathieu’s “Night Poem” performed by Austin Unconducted.

It’s Time To Apply For Summer Music Programs

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This might be a good time for your high school or college musician to apply for some summer music programs.  There are so many available and applying for each one can be expensive and time consuming.  Equity Arc to the rescue with their Common Application for Summer Study for students in underrepresented communities.

Magee Capsouto the Associate Director of Equity Arc says applicants using the Common Application won’t have to pay the application fees. Another perk: You’ll only need to fill out the application once, no matter how many programs for which you’re applying.