Tag Archive for: Classical Music

Sophie Mathieu – The Draylen Mason Composer in Residence

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Imagine what it’s like to actually be doing the job you love so much. 

It’s a feeling that Sophie Mathieu knows well.  She’s KMFA’s Draylen Mason Composer In Residence for 2024. 

Mathieu, a cellist, with a Masters from the Butler School of Music, is also the first local composer who’s been chosen for the program. Since the announcement in January, she’s been taking part in educational events, public and private workshops of her work with Austin Unconducted and various other activities.  This is in addition to working on her new piece.  Sophie is pretty sure she’’ll call it “Night Poem” when it premieres on September 22nd. 

Mount Rainier’s Composer in Residence   

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Stephen Lias always has music on his mind. He’s the Dean’s Circle Endowed Professor Of Composition at Stephen F Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.  Lias is also an outdoor kind of guy.  Over the years, he’s composed music for a variety of national parks either on commission or just because.  Now he’s been named Washington State’s Mount Rainier National Park’s first-ever composer in residence. His composition will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the park but won’t premiere until 2026.

The Organic Result – The New York Études  

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New York City can have quite an effect on you and so can Multiple Sclerosis.  Grammy winning composer Jeff Beal (House of Cards) deals with both in his new album:  The New York Etudes.  These solo piano works are somewhat of a departure from his compositions for TV and Film and that’s the way he wanted it. Beal says The New York Etudes is like a quiet place to land and recharge after a long day or the last few years.

Songs in Three Languages With A Tribute To Dad By Richard Danielpour

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Many classical artists are now releasing some of the works they composed during the pandemic. Composer Richard Danielpour is one of them.  He’s released a new album: Songs in Three Languages, sung by Soprano Hila Plitmann.  One section of the album pays tribute to Danielpour’s Father who wrote love poems to his wife. Then there’s the opera he composed called The Grand Hotel Tartarus.   

A Love Letter To Home, Wherever It May Be

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There’s no place like home.  A familiar line from a familiar movie and so very true.  The Miro Quartet, The University of Texas String Quartet In Residence with an international reputation and a GRAMMY nomination, honed in on the theme with their latest album Home. They illustrated the essence of Home with a video of their performance of Over The Rainbow. 

Daniel Ching, one of the founding members of the group says Home is a love letter to and appreciation of all the things they call home. 

Meet Andre Dowell, the Sphinx Organization’s new Programming Chief  

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The Sphinx Organization, the group that’s been fostering diversity in classical music since 1996, has a new programming chief.  Andre Dowell is new to the job but not to the Sphinx organization. In his new job, he says he wants Sphinx to keep moving forward in diversifying the classical music community via the organization’s many programs.

Colour of Music Festival – Chamber Music Quartet & Quintet with Elizabeth Hill

Applications for the Seventeenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition 

Conspirare Celebrates The End Of Their 30th Season.

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As the end of most performing arts seasons come to an end, the Grammy winning choir, Conspirare is going out with a blast of three programs featuring a 30th anniversary event and the post pandemic return of Conspirare’s Symphonic Choir.   Founder and Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson is celebrating the end of their 30th season with a musical bash.  

Music Might Be Best With Your Medication

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There may come a time when classical music and other types of music will be “prescribed” along with your medication.  A Canadian Pharmaceutical expert and researcher, Dr. Tony Kiang, is taking up a study to determine if listening to music while taking your medication would improve its effectiveness. 

The Eclipse Is Coming and So Are The Concerts

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The upcoming Solar Eclipse will darken the sky for a few minutes on April 8th.  Texas orchestras are providing the soundtrack with concerts celebrating the celestial event.  The Waco Symphony is having it’s ‘Sci-Fi Spectacular’  Sun, Moon and Superstars concert.  The East Texas Symphony has collaborated with Tyler Junior College for a musical and visual feast.  Here are other eclipse related music events.   

Hearts Beating As One

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When most of us attend classical music concerts, we’re most likely not thinking about how our fellow patrons are enjoying the music.  Apparently, we’re all affected by the performance at the same rate called Embodied Cognition. 

That’s according to a study by Dr. Wolfgang Tschacher,  Professor Emeritus at the University of Bern in Switzerland.  He and his team at the Experimental Concert Research Project found that our heart and breathing rates become the same during the concert.