Merkin Concert Hall News Archive
Carter’s First Hundred Years
I particularly like the title above because at 99 Elliott Carter doesn’t seem to be slowing down. In fact, he has written more and varied works (an opera, more symphonic works, etc.). There is an embarrassment of riches in his output for winds. His chamber music has been where most of his watershed works have come from, and the opportunity for Elliott’s orchestration to really shine comes from the unusual combinations of wind music that can be heard throughout his career. In the charming and slightly challenging Quintet for Winds (1948) we hear a young voice aligning himself with what’s come before by marrying elements of both American and European sensibilities. This was de rigueur for much of the new American composers, especially those who studied abroad in Nadia Boulanger’s Paris studio (Carter, Copland, Thomson and many others). The forms are classical for the most part with a nod to American popular dance music in the rondo that is the last movement.
Dialects: Thoughts on Crossover Jazz
Omer Klein gave us a new piece on September 18 that really went beyond my expectations of what a young composer might come up with for jazz combo plus string quartet. It was a wonderful mixture of instruments but not a huge glut of styles as many “crossover” pieces often become. Nor was it an extension of either his keyboard or the rhythm section. Rather, it was an engaging, very tightly composed work of about ten minutes that featured a lively dance-like theme with some nice improvised solo passages for piano and bass most prominently.
Joan Tower Celebrates her 70th!
Joan Tower celebrates her 70th birthday at Merkin Concert Hall on the actual date. Her output after a successful career on the piano lead her to the heights of Grammy, Gravemeyer, etc. and she adds yet another feather to her cap with the American Music Center’s Letter of Distinction to be presented by their board president, Ed Yim.
My Thoughts on Musically Speaking
Musically Speaking is the beginning of many sentences in my day to day.
“Voila!"—Summer Musical Theater Workshop Focuses on French Music
This year’s Summer Musical Theater Workshop––a month-long summer camp for ages 6–15––focused on classic French tales and modern stories. The final performances, which this year took place July 30–31, gave students a chance to shine on stage for their loved ones.
Fourth Grade Teacher Reviews Broadway Playhouse’s “Tribute to Cole Porter”
We were happy to receive this letter from one of the teachers who came to our “Tribute to Cole Porter” event at Merkin Concert Hall:
Re-opening of Goodman House Celebrated by Critics
With its eight-month, $17 million renovation project finished on schedule and on budget, Kaufman Center lit up 67th Street last winter, as friends and critics both toasted a New York City cultural landmark.
