The Fate of America's Orchestras?

Everyone predicted that the current labor and financial issues facing the Detroit Symphony Orchestra would translate into a long strike. However, it is still sad news as the DSO management recently cancelled more concerts as the latest round of talks ended in failure. And now the strike is eight weeks long. No end in sight.

The eyes of the entire American orchestra world are fixed on Detroit. One management consultant who specializes in orchestras claims, "They know that they may be next. Cleveland and Indianapolis are both in trouble". In fact Louisville is near to bankruptcy now.

The problems in Detroit are not unique to Detroit, although they are magnified. The severe economic problems in Michigan and especially in Detroit are causing a lack of audiences and a lack of funds. They are now facing a $9 million budget shortfall.

However, when the laid off auto worker is pounding the pavement looking for work, I am sure he has little sympathy for classical musicians who make about $104,000 per year right out of school. DSO's management is asking them to take a pay cut of almost 30% plus some major changes in work rules.

While some observers are concerned that the highly praised Detroit Symphony will lose its status as America's 10th best orchestra, others have darker thoughts. Will the DSO survive? The motor city's population has drastically dropped and the once mighty auto industry is only now starting to come to life again.

Can Detroit, a shadow of its former self, support an orchestra at the level of the DSO? Do they even want to?

As the world conjures the future of this great orchestra, I think that we must all look very seriously at the future of ALL great orchestras. And the US has many.

Over the years drastic changes have occured in music performance - Ipods, sophisticated amplification, hi-tech lighting, video screens, less formality,etc. But, for some reason orchestras find it very difficult to change. The orchestra players of the 18th century would find little difference between them and an orchestra of 2010.

They both sit on a stage with no amplification, stagnant lighting, rigid audience rules and they even wear the same clothing - black tails. And the worst thing is, the music programs are the same. Most orchestras play the music their audiences want- rarely a work written after 1920.

Can this stodgy, unchanging organization stay alive in today's world?

Fewer kids are taught acoustic music in schools and are so busy multitasking with computers, cell phones and ipods, that the chore of listening to a 45 minutes piece of music is a real challenge.

America has never fully accepted having public money pay for the arts (although they have no problem with governments building sports stadiums). And now, more then ever, the populace is fighting against elitism which symphony orchestras and art museums are.

However, all great cities have great arts institutions. When those metropolitan areas lack the funding to continue those institutions, will they still be great cities? That question is being tested right now.

The Michigan State legislature is currently considering some tax programs to rescue not only the DSO but also the venerable Detroit Institute of the Arts. Although this is a good use of public money, I still question the long-standing model of a major symphony orchestra.

Not all orchestras are the same. A regional orchestra such as the Lansing Symphony, has a far different operating structure. All the musicians have other full time jobs and are paid on a fee-for-service basis. The conductor and a few staff members are full time employees but the musicians are not.

The players rehearse for one week prior to each concert. Now, the budget of the Lansing Symphony is far less than the DSO (app. $900,000 vs. $29 million)but the sound and quality of the two orchestras are not even comparable. But maybe the DSO is a Cadillac orchestra for a family whose budget should have a Chevy instead.

If orchestras begin changing the way they approach their audiences, public support may change; such as: Going out into the neighborhoods, playing in shopping areas, using better production techniques, different clothes, working with school children, use enhanced video screens, have more creative music programming, speak to and engage the audiences more, have the soloists within the ensemble stand up for their special moment (like a jazz band), etc.

What is the future for the American symphony orchestra? Frankly I don't know. I am a traditionalist and love the huge and glorious sound of a great symphonic ensemble. But, I have a degree in music, still perform my French horn and few people are like me.

If the Detroit Symphony is going to survive, they should "re-engineer the corporation" - be creative and re-think the entire mission.

Mary's Magic at Wharton

Those of us of a certain age remember when the movie Mary Poppins burst forth into American culture (1964). The great talent and charisma of Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke along with the mind-blowing high tech effect of combining live action with animation was astounding back then.

I am surprised that it took this long to convert that great screen success to a Broadway musical. But Disney along with Cameron Mackintosh finally did it. And they were successful.

Now playing at East Lansing's Wharton Center until November 21, Poppins beguiles with magic galore, great talent and charm.

The stage production keeps most of our movie memories intact (although I wish they could have found a way to add the delightful Ed Wynn "I love to Laugh" scene, when he and Van Dyke float to the ceiling in non-stop chuckles). We still revel in the beloved songs of "A Spoonful of Sugar, "Supercali...", etc, but there are also some additions: a bad nanny has been inserted, as well as a magical Caribbean sorcerer.

But all in all, this is a fun-loving and endearing production that features a set that is constantly changing and surprising, without wasting a minute.

Caroline Sheen as the mysterious nanny called Mary, displays a light and lovely voice, but best of all manages to telegraph a wonderful twinkle in her eye that says, "don't take me too seriously". As Bert the lovable chimney sweep, Nicolas Droman is like an old-fashioned English music hall chap - tap dancing with glee and mugging through every scene.

But I was particularly infatuated with 9-year-old Cade Canon Ball as Michael Banks. His voice is pitch-perfect and he captures the audience with his comic acting and dancing.

The other star of the show is the production itself. The sets and special effects are complex, creative and masterful but don't take away from the story or the talent on the stage. Disney at its best!

As by current Broadway standards, the show flies along at a breakneck speed. At times it was a problem. I would have liked a bit more time spent (and slower tempos) with "Feed The Birds" and "Let's Go Fly A Kite".

Some new songs are added and they are almost as good as the original spectacular score by brothers Richard and Robert Sherman.

Without question, the best part of the evening was watching the excited faces of the all the kids in the audience who were entranced by the whole spectacle - especially when Mary Poppins was flying. Yes, it was true theater magic.

Muffitt's Triple

Timothy Muffitt began the Lansing Symphony’s season opening concert Saturday night with an old chestnut, Overture to Donna Diana by Reznicek. This used to be standard concert fare but is now rarely heard. The overture was a joy. It was spirited and Muffitt’s very fast tempo left the audience (and orchestra, I suspect) breathless. It was a bit ragged at times, but that didn’t diminish the fun the piece communicated. What a rousing way to begin the season!
The excitement for the evening, however, was the homecoming of Lansing wunderkind cellist, Tanya Ell. A graduate of Okemos High School, the 32-year-old Ell now plays with the Cleveland Orchestra. She formed a piano trio with two musical friends (Diana Cohen, violin and Renana Gutman, piano) and the Trio Terzetto made a CD and has many gigs. They were the featured artists in the LSO performing of the Beethoven Triple Concerto in C Major.
Ell was impressive when she displayed her wonderful and intense cello tone. Each individual member of the trio had a time to show “her stuff” during the Beethoven and the entire ensemble was tight and expressive. Cohen’s violin playing was vibrant and Gutman’s piano skills were strong and musical. She acted as the catalyst between the orchestra and the soloists.
The piece itself, however, was unimpressive. Maybe three instruments are too clumsy to be the soloists for a concerto, or maybe Beethoven had gone back to an earlier model of the orchestra simply playing oom-pa-pas for the accompaniment. Also, Wharton Center (at least from the balcony) was not kind in showing the clarity of the ensemble. Toward the end of the piece, I wanted to just hear the fine Trio Terzetto without the orchestra.
The program ended with the sublime Brahms Symphony No 2, and in comparison to the Beethoven it was even more emotional and expressive than I remember. In addition to the long melodic lines, Muffitt also strengthened the inner voices which added texture to the work.
The low strings were warm and dark in those unforgettable Brahms’ chords. Muffitt had hornist Janine Gabory take a special bow at the end, but I feel flutist Richard Sherman and oboist Jan Eberle should have stood also.
The overall sound of the LSO was confident and balanced and Muffitt led them through a highly nuanced reading of the Brahms. Everything pointed to another great Lansing Symphony season.

My Soggy Weekend in Nashville

My friends in Nashville had been imploring me to come visit their beloved Nashville Symphony in its new hall, the spectacular Schermerhorn Symphony Center, for years.

As luck would have it, the weekend that I took them up on their offer was the weekend of the largest flood in Nashville's recent history. Despite 36 hours of torrential rains and another 36 hours of living with no electricity, it was a surprisingly memorable weekend on many levels.

Nashville is a beautiful city, nestled amongst green hills, horse farms, and - yes - rivers. Many folks think that Nashville is the home of country music ONLY. Let me firmly say: that is not the truth! The mid-south city calls itself Music City for a reason. The symphony orchestra is impressive and there is chamber music, jazz, ragtime and of course country music galore. It seems like everybody within the city limits makes music in some fashion.

The town is justifiably proud of its four-year old concert hall. Named for the orchestra's recently deceased, long-time conductor, the $120 million (paid off) Schermerhorn Center is a neo-classical building with a stunning interior. It opened in 2006 to rave reviews from across the country for its acoustics and technical innovations. The 1800-seat main hall is a "shoe-box" design which is known for excellent acoustics.

Similar to the Dallas Meyerson Symphony Hall, the orchestra sits out in the audience, with about 200 seats behind the orchestra and in front of the 3500-pipe organ.

While most modern halls make a daring architectural statement, the new Schermerhorn is staid, classic and understated - and in a way the designers took a chance. Most donors want to see a bang for their buck and 120 million is quite a lot of bucks - especially since the orchestra only has a budget of (give or take) $12 million (by contrast, Detroit is $29 mil.).

But the fact that the hall was built and paid for shows a great commitment to the arts by the city of Nashville and reveals the substantial financial health of the community.

The interior of the hall is open, sunny (yes there are windows that allow natural light to creep in) and comfortable. And let's not forget about the acoustics. The music sounds immediate, live and the notes pop out at the audience. Although the sound is balanced and warm, it may be a bit too resonant - I would have to hear more music in there to say for sure.

The concert I heard featured the orchestra's new conductor, the energetic Giancarlo Guerrero conducting a program of Chopin and Mahler.

The Piano Concerto No. 2 of Chopin featured young pianist Ingrid Fliter, playing fluidly and with passion. I was quite disappointed in the music however, as the orchestra had little material to communicate with the soloist. It did not compare with the great concertos of Brahms or Beethoven. Guerrero did not seem to be engaged either. The timpanist's (positioned directed opposite the conductor and hard to miss) playing lacked definition and tone quality.

Following the concerto, the stage's elevator stealthy lowered the $130 thousand Hamburg Steinway grand to the lower level, making the orchestra set up for the Mahler easy.

After intermission, the orchestra was superb as they performed the demanding Symphony No. 5 by Mahler. Challenging the ensemble at every level, the Mahler was exciting and dramatic. It revealed a confident brass section, but a relatively weak violin section. This is Guerrero's first year. I am certain changes will be made.

Mahler's music is raucous, romantic, Klezmerish, and soloistic. Guerrero brought forth grand musical gestures and great passion.

As we left the concert, exiting into the non-stop rain, we went to our friends' house which is perched on a hill. Another couple joined us for dessert, leaving afterward to return to their house. 30 minutes later they rang the doorbell saying that the roads were under water - could they sleep over?

So for the next two days, three couples shared one house with no electricity, heat, air-conditioning, TV, Internet, or land-line phones. The grocery store located nearby was being run on generators, so dozens of people were sitting on their lawn chairs on the outside of the store, using the outside outlets to plug in powerstrips and give juice to their laptops and charge their phones.

Sadly we heard that the two gorgeous grand pianos and the organ console stored in the basement of the Schermerhorn Center were destroyed by the flood waters. The hall was closed until further notice.

Meanwhile back at the house, the three couples found ways to amuse ourselves. We were forced to connect - to talk with each other without interruption, take walks, read, play music and play cards. We had no choice but to relax. The gas stove and propane grill provided food and we all got to know each other again, for the first time.

When the lights burst open after 35 hours of darkness, we made a pact to get together next year, on the first weekend of May, to have three days of quiet and peace.

It was a weekend I won't soon forget.

Old Town Surprise

What a lovely way to spend a Friday evening!

Richard Sherman, flutist extraordinaire (principal flute Lansing Symphony; professor of flute, MSU, etc.), created a series of chamber music concerts which takes place at Absolute Gallery in Old Town, Lansing. Aptly, the series is called Absolute Music.

This, its first season, had six concerts, featuring all manner of chamber music; piano four hands, woodwind music, voice, narration, and others. The concert I heard featured ICARUS, a trio made up flute, piano and cello - an ensemble you don't hear often.

The music was played in large area which is part of Absolute Gallery. The atmosphere was perfect for chamber music with the room's old brick walls, art of various types festooning the walls, and the building's original tin ceiling (probably from at the turn of the century) completing the look. The sound was a bit of a problem, though. It was very live and sometimes harsh because the only soft things in the room were our bodies and clothes.

But the music and the performances were sublime. Besides Sherman, Robert deMaine, cellist, is principal chair for the Detroit Symphony and pianist James Wilhelmsen, who received at DMA from U of M is in charge of the Clarkston Conservatory.

As an ensemble, Icarus was passionate, virtuosic and driven. The programming featured the works of Hummel, Saint-Saens (four pieces by Saint-Saens - but lots of variety) and the best, a piece by American composer Normal Dello-Joio. And the exciting encore featured a pulsating tango by Astor Piazzolla, the modern king of tangos.

Here's hoping that next year they will be able to add some kind of platform for the musicians to play on. As of now, only the first few rows of the audience were able to see the players do their magic.

Besides the ensemble, we also got a chance to hear two solo pieces played by deMaine, and two played by Sherman.

The live acoustics of the hall sometimes had a detrimental effect on the music. Although Wilhelmsen is an excellent pianist, his playing was often very loud and even bangy. This was caused, no doubt, by the acoustics, since he was very musical otherwise. Sometimes in the Hummel especially, the flute was hidden entirely.

During the refreshing Dello Joio, however, the orchestration was so elegant that each instrument was able to shine without being encumbered, despite the hall.

Throughout the concert, I was impressed by the ravishing tone and probing musicianship of cellist deMaine. Although I have heard Saint-Saens' The Swan countless times, under his fingers the music had new life and new emotions.

The hall was packed with about 70 listeners, the grand piano was donated by Marshall Music, and the food at intermission was from Noodles and Company. And the best part is that Sherman announced that Absolute Music has enough funding to continue for another year. BRAVO!

Chamber music is tough to do. It needs the right hall, the right musicians, and the right audience. Sherman hit a home run on all three counts. I'll announce next year's season as soon as I hear.

Chorus Line Review

Back in 1975 (Gerald Ford was President) when it opened on Broadway, A Chorus Line was a sensation. It was the dancers' anthem. However when I saw it at the MSU University Auditorium sometime in the late 70s I was disappointed. No sets to speak of, no relationships between people, no costume changes. What was all the fuss about?

Last night began a week-long run of the national company of the 2006 arrival and I saw much more in it that I did back then. Maybe I'm older and wiser and maybe I know the music better, but I found the show to be full of moving personal stories and pathos.

Yes, the show is still unique - surely a singular sensation. The well-known story is about a stage full of dancers auditioning for a Broadway show. They are quickly winnowed down to 24. During the screening process, the director proceeds to ask them to share stories about themselves.

The director is unseen, but we hear his voice asking questions to the quivering candidates. It is fascinating how his character is developed and how important he is to the story, although we very rarely see him.

Each would-be dancer tells why dancing and performing is crucial to his or her life. The stories are compelling and real, the lighting is dramatic, and the other dancers act as props, scenery and audience.

The show speaks to all of us. When the characters cry "Oh God, I need this job", and "Who am I? Am I my resume?" we think of all the millions of American looking for work.

Although the cast is largely young and inexperienced , they are all passionate about the show and their characters. On opening night, the sound was very amateurish. The pit band (backstage) was not mixed well, often blanketing the voices, which appeared thin and unsupported.

It was a two hour, no intermission production which was good. The story and the great music (Marvin Hamlisch) grabs you and the evening is over before you know it.

Some standouts were Selina Verastigui who stopped the show with "What I Did For Love" and "At the Ballet"; Andy Mills for everyone's favorite "I Can Do That" and Derek Hanson as the driven but sensitive director, Zach.

Rebecca Riker who plays the fallen showgirl, Cassie lacked the edge the character needed. In Chorus Line terms I'd give her a Voice: 9, Dance: 3. In her memorable solo piece, her dance is meant to project what a superstar she is on the stage - one who can never be in a chorus line. Instead, it lacked energy, excitement and star quality.

Yes, this 30-year old show has some elements of "datedness", but over all it remains a real and dramatic window into the world of dancers (or actors or musicians or accountants) in trying to find a place for themselves in the adult world.

PEAKE: The Rest Of The Story

An abbreviated version of this story appeared in the Lansing State Journal on Monday, 3/22/10. Now, please enjoy the full story of Nathaniel Peake winning the coveted MET audition.

It's been less than two years that tenor Nathaniel Peake was singing on the stage at Fairchild Theater as a member of the Michigan State University Opera Theatre. He received his masters of music at MSU in May of 2008. Yet on March 14, Nathaniel was striding the most important opera stage in the world - the boards of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. It was his final audition for the MET's 2010 National Council Grand Finals.

28-year-old Peake from Humble Texas said, "I walked on the stage and the chandeliers looked like stars. It was a full house that day and when I looked out at the hall, I imagined that this is how a place in heaven would look."

Peake's MSU vocal teacher Richard Fracker said, "When I saw who got into the finals, I thought that he had a really great chance. I knew his musicianship was going to shine. You've got ten minutes to make your case."

The young tenor had tried the MET auditions before, but never made it beyond the district level. In this year, nearly 1500 singers participated in 45 districts and 15 regionals throughout the US and Canada. This highly competitive audition process was featured in the acclaimed documentary "The Audition" that was shown on PBS and is now on DVD.

Instead of being ravaged by nerves for his final audition, Peake decided to enjoy the moment. "I knew I wouldn't get it, so I wasn't even thinking about the competition. I just decided to enjoy the moment; singing with the awesome MET orchestra in front of a house that included every opera decision maker in the world. The thrill could be addictive.

"I watched the athletes during the Olympics and thought that you can let the situation control you, or you can control the situation. Also I was aware of all the people, family and friends, who were supporting me. I just sang from my heart."

After he sang his arias, Peake was standing backstage listening to presenters, he thought, read off the names of the final nine participants. What was happening, however, was the reading of the winners of the ultimate prize. And his name was read.

"I seriously could not believe it and still can't.'

Melanie Helton, director of the MSU Opera Theatre can believe. "I first heard Nathaniel when he was 18 in Houston. And even then, he had a sound that was melting. Now, Nathaniel is one of the most musical singers I've ever known. And since he left MSU, he hasn't stopped working, which is quite an achievement for a young singer."

Upon graduation, Nathaniel was accepted at the San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program, is now with the Houston Grand Opera Studio and will join the Wolf Trap Opera this summer.

Fracker, himself a MET tenor who has been on that hallowed stage for 168 performances said, "This will change Nathaniel's life. He is ready. He's the right age, the right time and right experience."

MSU's Opera Theatre, under Helton's leadership, has been growing in reputation and quality over the years. Peake's prize will add another trophy. Helton says, "We're on a role. We were just ranked up with the best opera programs in the country - along with Indiana, Eastman, Julliard and the rest."

"It's a tremendous thing for the MSU program," agrees Fracker. "It doesn't get any bigger than this."

Melton remembers when Peake first came to MSU, he was not only dedicated to learn to be a great singer, but he also knew that he was very overweight and needed to shed some pounds to make it on stage. Melton says, "Nathaniel lost 160 pounds in the two years he was here. He signed up for Weight Watchers his first week. I told him that I thought he was a leading man whatever his body weight was."

Fracker spoke less about his weight and more about the singer. "You could tell right away that he had great potential - you could hear his sensitivity and vulnerability. But he had no confidence. He had no idea how good he was.

"But boy, when he began to understand, he really started to make sounds!"

Peake grew up in a small town hear Houston from a family that knew nothing about music. "My parents never went to concerts, but have supported me every inch of the way." He sang in school choirs since the 5th grade and also played French horn throughout junior and high school. "I didn't know what I wanted to major in - horn or voice."

Although Peake never heard an opera until he was 20, he is now in love with the art form. "I love the characters and the truth of it all and the history. And when these great characters are singing the most beautiful melodies every written, nothing can be better."

Although Peake was offered full scholarships to several other schools, he was happy that he chose MSU.

"It's an awesome school. It's so collegial between the faculty, and Professor Fracker is one of the greatest tenor teachers in the US. He was a therapist before he was a singer, so he has great insights into the mental aspect of singing. He helped me find focus. His words come back in my head before an audition.

"Also Melanie has a great understanding of the opera stage and giving instruction on how to act. And as a conductor, Rafael Jimenez is one of the best I've ever worked with anywhere."

What happens now? Peake received a $15,000 prize and is being asked to audition everywhere. "It's not like I ever thought this was going to happen. I'm still in shock."

Play - Don't Listen.

Last Saturday, twelve concert bands from across Michigan converged on Okemos High school to participate in the Red Cedar Festival of Community Bands. Carolyn Sherrill, conductor of the Meridian Community Band had the bright idea of a community band festival fifteen years ago, and she and her committee have been running it ever since.

It was an inspirational day, watching bands (50-90 musicians each) earnestly play their 40-minute concerts and dutifully leaving the stage to make way for the next group. The bands were made of octogenarians and teenagers and everything in between. Factory workers, homemakers, retirees, professors, stockbrokers, business owners, nurses, doctors - every profession you can imagine played their music with surprising accuracy and musicianship.

All these amateur musicians have in common is their love of music. Some have music degrees and some have no degrees, but they all do it for the love of playing their horns.

It's one of the only activities I can think of that combines such a variety of ages, professions, nationalities and abilities into one performing organization. In Lansing alone, there are four community bands.

Playing amateur music together used to be a very common practice. Back in the day, every house had a piano and there were reams of sheet music on the bookshelves. It was not uncommon to have people come over to play music together on a Saturday night. Now, with CDs TV, and professional concerts we have become too intimidated to perform in public.

But playing music is good for the soul, for the brain and for social interaction. In fact, new studies are being published that say that the old idea of having your baby listen to Mozart to expand their little brains cells is all bunk. The studies are now showing that the key to building strong bodies and strong brains is to play music, not listen to it. The concentration, memorization and physical focus of perfoming music develops intelligence and guards against memory loss for oldsters like me.

One of the most entertaining parts of the Red Cedar was the appearance of a nine-year old phenom cornet player. Geoffrey Gallante performs all over the country and played Bugler's Holiday with two 80+ year old trumpet players with the Meridian Band. It was wonderful. And age wasn't an issue.

So if you have an old clarinet or trombone or fiddle gathering dust in your attic, don't sell it, play it. You'll feel better and you may just keep your memory sharp.

A Rare Occurance

While Wharton Center lavishes Lansing with plenty of splashy musicals, it's rare for them to bring a straight dramatic play to the Great Hall.. Therefore it was a special to have the Tony Award Winning August: Osage County make a stop here.

Most plays we see these days have small casts - 2-4 actors on the stage is about average. But August has a whopping thirteen characters in this dark, family drama.

I should really say the play had fourteen characters, because the imposing three-story set of a large family house was so intriguing that it was like a character unto itself. The various lighting, use of props and groupings of the characters brought life to the rambling house.

Staring in the title role of the drug addled and mean spirited matriarch of the brood was Academy Award Winner, Estelle Parsons. Although 82 years of age, Parsons gave this totally un-likeable character great personality and spunk. You hated her, but in the end you understood her.

Although the play deals with the everyday tragedies of large families, it does so with razor sharp, biting humor that makes its 3+ hours length palatable. Also the acting was, across the board, superb. Playwright Tracey Letts gave each character its own distinct voice, and the actors transformed them into real people.

August is not for the faint of heart. It deals with suicide, drug addiction, and uses language that is raw and angry.

The most searing performance of all was Shannon Cochran, as the oldest daughter. She lashes out at everyone because of her failed marriage, pot-smoking 14-year-old daughter and her psychotic mother, among other things. Cochran is riveting in her portrayal and gives everything to the role.

August is written with sensitivity and a fine ear for pitch perfect dialogue. Howver, this is not a happy go lucky night at the theater. But it is, without a doubt, magnificent theater.

LSO: 2 out of 3 Ain't Bad

It's a good thing that by the time the Lansing Symphony concert ended last night with the transcendent performance of Brahms Double Concerto, the audience already forgot the disappointing opening work, Mendelssohn's Suite from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The Mendelssohn was a downer, because usually it is music that is filled with romance, gaiety and spunk. With shades of Rossini, it begins with a series of lovely chords from the woodwinds. And here is where the problems began.

Those glorious chords were sloppy and often out of tune. To make matters worse, every time they appeared, they were always the same. Whether it was conductor Timothy Muffitt's soft downbeat or just a lack of rehearsal time, those musical flaws seem to have an effect on the entire piece.

Happily, the LSO came back in full blush for the rousing Don Juan by Strauss. Muffitt drove the orchestra through this exciting work with force and triumph. The horn section seemed to blow the roof off Wharton Center with the memorable, macho, signature horn solo. The ensemble performing Don Juan seemed like a different LSO.

But everything truly came together with the reading of the Brahms Double Concerto in A minor, with Ilya Kaler, violin and Ami Peled, cello. A truly unique work in the classical repertoire, the Brahms was perfomed with great passion and beauty. It is rare to hear the piece better than last night.

Kaler and Peled, who play in a piano trio together, communicated like they were in a deeply moving conversation. And Muffitt was right on their wave length. The performance was almost like a trio, with Muffitt accompanying Kaler and Peled like one instrument. Muffit kept the orchestra under the soloists, and brought out the woodwind solo sections to merge with violin and cello perfectly. He was sensitive to the soloist's every musical nuance. Chamber music with a symphony orchestra. Amazing!

Peled's lovely cello tone sang Brahms' melodies and Kaler added his sweet and focused violin tone to the mix. There was no "I'm better than you" going on here. These two great artists were there to make music together and probe the wonders of Brahms with grace and elegance.

The respect and affection that flowed between Muffitt, Peled and Kaler was apparent - making this Brahms Double was one of the great LSO performances ever.