GlickArts

Proof

2011-12-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

How important was music education to your life? Now that school budgets are being slashed and states are mandating that test score excellence be pinned to academics only, how can we explain why the arts should continue to play a major role in our schools?

I got a glimpse of the profound and lasting importance of learning music in public schools a few weeks ago.

My personal love of music began early. I was fortunate to attend a high school in Cleveland Heights, Ohio where a high level of music performance in bands, orchestra and choirs was valued and nurtured.

Many of my high school buddies went on to receive degrees and thriving careers in music. Composers served residences in my high school (called simply “Heights”), we played basic repertoire symphonic music and the top groups went on concert tours during spring break.

Heights always had a tradition of great teacher/conductors. Ralph Rush and Mark Hindsley both left Heights to become important names at the University of Illinois and UCLA.

One such teacher was John F. Farinacci. This larger than life character was the band and orchestra head between 1949-62. Although his students are now in their 60’s 70’s and even 80’s and Mr. F passed away five years ago, the alumni who played under him embarked on a mission to honor him and acknowledge his legacy with a unique reunion event.

During the 11/11/11 weekend the Band and Orchestra reunion (two years of planning) honoring Farinacci took place. The weekend was surprising, emotional and heartfelt.

I have attended a couple of high school reunions in the past but found them all dull and meaningless. The saving grace to those events was that the band and orchestra folks usually found each other, searched out a quiet table and talked about how important the Heights music program was to all of us.

This reunion was decidedly different. At the opening gala dinner, Farinacci’s grey- haired and retired students paid tribute to him in glowing verbiage. Now lawyers, professors, doctors, teachers, these men and women told moving stories about how playing violin or clarinet or trombone under Farinacci changed their lives forever.

Mr. F was not an easy guy – he was highly disciplined, had a fiery temper and was not good at hiding his anger. He expected his students to work hard and to not accept anything less than excellence. He would often bellow his concocted and fake Italian epithet “tabbo sessenam beeza”. Yes, we were all scared to death of him and loved him at the same time. And we had no idea what that crazy sentence meant.

This was not a typical high school reunion where small talk is exchanged over drinks. The 200 people who attended this gathering were desperate to share their life-long love of music with their friends of 50 years ago.

The alums regaled us with funny and nostalgic stories, but also poignant remembrances about how this tough Italian taught them how to work hard, roll with the punches and how to take the bitter pill if you deserved it. But everyone spoke about how their lifelong love of music was due to Farinacci.

Can you imagine people getting together fifty years later to honor a math teacher?

One speaker was a professional violist who recently retired after a career with the Toronto Symphony. He described when the feared conductor asked him to stop over to his house one Saturday morning. Mr. F. had collected a pile of LPs for the young musician to listen to – the Mozart Symphonia Concertante for Viola and Violin and many others. The 66-year old violist remembers that listening to those recordings was a revelation. “I never knew the viola could sound like that,” he said. Somehow, Farinacci identified some real talent in this kid.

Also in attendance was a bassoonist who played in the Cleveland and San Francisco orchestras, a conductor with the Buffalo Philharmonic, and an attorney who is on the Executive Board of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Mr. F’s family was well represented – his 92-year-old wife Alice was there as well as four of his five children.

Maybe the most moving element of the weekend was the joint concert that took place with the idealistic old codgers and the current Heights band and orchestra students.

At the time we attended Heights, the school was mainly Jewish and Italian. Today Heights is in a changing neighborhood with a 75% minority student population. We all heard horror stories about the current Heights High School: metal detectors, violence, low performance levels.

I am thrilled to report that we saw none of that on our brief visits to the old high school.

Sitting with the current high school students during our music making was one of the high points of the weekend. These kids were not cynical and tied to their iphones, but were enthusiastic about the music and - miraculously – excited about playing with us old geezers. The horn player next to me was a terrific player and full of laughs to boot.

Kids and oldsters got to know each other playing in the same depression-era auditorium that we grew up in. There is a Hebrew expression – L’dor Vador, “generation to generation”. This rehearsal and concert was clearly a l’dor vador experience

Many of the alums had not touched their horns for the past 50 years or so, and did so on this weekend with great reluctance and fear. On that Saturday afternoon we rehearsed the combined alum/student orchestra (Beethoven’s Egmont was the music of choice) and band. One of the band’s selections was Buglers’ Holiday and the soloists were the original trumpet trio that played together in 1957.

But soon, some unexpected drama occurred. During the band rehearsal in the afternoon, chills went through the band when it became apparent that the conductor from our alumni group was having difficulty conducting the Host 2nd Suite – basic repertoire in the band world. The band stumbled miserably through the music that is littered with difficult meter and tempo changes. The old pride of performance came through as the band recognized that we may embarrass ourselves during the concert that night, something we dreaded.

Suddenly, after the rehearsal I was asked to take over the baton. Even though I would not get time to rehearse the group, I accepted the task with trepidation. Later that afternoon, I pored over the score to make sure that I gave the group SOME element of correct direction.

One piece of music that the alums demanded we play was the Sousa favorite, Stars and Stripes Forever. In our day there was a beloved performance ritual that occurred with the playing of Stars and Stripes. The piccolos stood up and marched to the front to play their solo and for the final grandioso the trumpets and trombones marched to the front to join the pics while a huge American flag was dropped from the ceiling at the rear of the stage. Everyone loved this corny spectacle and waited for it to be played at the conclusion of every concert.

When planning for this concert, our organizer (Dick Rose) asked the present Heights band directors if we could do the Stars and Stripes in the old manner. The directors had no idea what we meant. After Dick explained the drill to them, they set out to look for the flag.

A stage hand finally found it but the old flag was disintegrated and not ready for prime time. Dick immediately ordered another oversized flag and had it next-day shipped, in time to be prepared for the performance.

The concert that night began with the high school band and orchestra playing their pieces as well as a couple of selections from the fall high school musical, Sound of Music. All the performances were excellent and it was heartwarming to see that the great traditions of performance excellence at Heights were continued.

The old and young musicians finally assembled for their part in the concert. The old wrinkled chops came back to life and grandparents were playing like kids again. When it was time for the Holst Suite to be played, I realized how crazy I was to attempt this conducting chore. The band was shocked to see me on the podium instead of in the horn section. As I looked out in their faces, I sensed that they were saying, “OK Ken, we’re with you and we’re going to make this happen.” And they did. I was sweating buckets, but they were concentrating and somehow it worked. It was a great moment of everyone working together.

After the Holst, the final Stars and Stripes was played and emotions were high. Arthritic hips and knees prevented the old players from standing up as quickly as 50 years before, but there they were, proudly playing Sousa and pretending to be young again. They didn’t march up to the front but stood in place, magically the brand new flag was dropped at the right time, and those shiny brass instruments were raised and did their thing.

It was a thrilling moment for all. People in the audience cried and Alice Farinacci jumped out of her wheel chair to whoop and holler. The old magic of the Farinacci days came back, if just for a few hours.

Sadly there are no test scores for bands and orchestras to prove how good schools perform, but usually schools with excellent performing groups usually have great academics as well.

The Heights music program taught us discipline, pride, hard work and the importance of art in our lives.

The weekend in November is still being discussed and remembered by all of its participants. It was a perfect way to honor not only Mr. John F. Farinacci, but the profound importance that music and arts plays in our public schools.

Grapes of Wrath, the opera

2011-04-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

The Michigan State University Opera Theater made a grand statement over the weekend, by mounting a production of the new opera by acclaimed composer Ricky Ian Gordon, "Grapes of Wrath".

Steinbeck's classic novel is the searing story of a poor Oklahoma family during the dust-bowl Depression period of the 30s, as they trek to California to find work, stay alive and remain a family unit.

This emotional and monumental story is perfect for an opera. Gordon's work (written for the Minnesota Opera) is almost four hours long and paints with the large musical brush used by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner and others.

Director Melanie Helton should be given kudos for attemping this challenging, contemporary music with her students. The music is filled with rich chords layered with close and tight harmonies. It takes a while to adjust your ear to understand the music language, but as the opera continues and the story unfolds, the music becomes ever more listenable, moving and powerful.

In general, however, the tempos rarely get beyond the ballad-style that is the majority of the opera. There were a few up-beat scenes, like the barker-like car salesmen and the cute restaurant sequence, but they were few and far between. The first act especially was slow with little stage action and there were many sleepers in the audience.

Zachary Campbell designed a stunning three-story set, with a wonderfully conceived truck that took the entire Joad clan out West. But the huge set was placed very close to the front of the stage, giving the actors little room to play their scenes. Also, that impressive truck was stuck inside the set, limiting its visual effectiveness.

But the singers (chorus and soloists - about 45 in number) were all excellent and sang this evocative piece with great conviction. Katie Ross was superb as Ma Joad, and Joshua Baum made a real impression as Jim Casey, the defrocked preacher (There were double casts during the weekend).

Everyone in America knows the story of Grapes of Wrath and they know that it is a dark story with little sunshine for the audience to enjoy. Gordon (with librettist Michael Korie) wrote a great opera that challenges the singers as well as the audience, but pacing and lighting could have improved the flow of the piece. Despite those problems, this was a production that MSU and Melanie Helton can be proud of. It packed an emotional punch and told a rich story. For sure, it was an unforgettable educational experience for the students.

DSO Update

2011-04-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

On April 4th, an announcement was made that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its musicians reached a tentative agreement, likely ending a six-month strike.

The agreement did not happen soon enough to save the ailing orchestra, however. After the previous breakdown of talks in January, the entire percussion section quit - some left for other orchestras, some just left. The DSO also lost principal flutist and Ann Arbor native Philip Dikeman who became a professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

It takes great musicians to make great orchestras, and the loss of these valuable musicians is critical to its quality. Orchestras take great care and many years to choose its musicians. And then it takes even more years for the established ensemble to wrap itself around the new player.

Mark Stryker, from the Detroit Free Press, wrote, "The strike has taken an enormous tool. The DSO has lost millions in ticket income. Subscriptions have fallen to their lowest level in decades and it could take years to woo back audiences - and donors. The strike has also cost each musician at least $55,000."

What is the future of the Detroit Symphony? There are too many factors in play to give a good answer. We only have further questions:

In the current economic climate, can suffering Detroit support an orchestra of this reputation?

With less music taught in schools, is there still an audience for great acoustic symphonic music?

Should orchestras look at themselves more objectively - the style of the concerts, the music that is programmed, and the pay of the administrators and musicians - to make their survival more assured?

Are there more creative ways to finance orchestras?

One thing is clear: The once-proud Detroit Symphony Orchestra has been dealt a severe blow. Their future is still uncertain.

Great Stravinsky!

2011-02-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

On February 5th, guest conductor Raphael Jimenez did an outstanding job leading the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra in a program of 20th century music.

Although Jimenez (associate conductor of the orchestra) and his student musicians were very good with the works of Bartok and Debussy, they were astounding with the challenging Stravinsky ballet, "Petrushka". Jimenez, who conducts with no score, was riveted to each musician - cuing each entrance, cajoling each musical phrase, and generating lots of energy.

Stravinsky's music never stopped moving. Although written almost 100 years ago, "Petrushka" still is exciting and magical. Like a painter, Stravinsky uses the instruments to bring every possible color combination to the music.

Jimenez was a joy to watch. His face was communicating his joy in the music and his body swung with the rhythms as if he were about to sweep one of the violinists off her chair to join him in a dance.

This "Petrushka" was one of the finest performances I have every heard from the MSU Symphony Orchestra.

It's All About The Actors

2011-02-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

As a theater critic I am always wrestling with the question: who/what is responsible for the quality of a performance? The director, the production value (sets, lighting, special effects), or the play itself?

I found the answer to that age old question when I was recently visiting Dallas, a city that has a new appreciation of its arts institutions. Despite the poor financial health of many of the US's arts institutions, Dallas is busy building a huge art complex in the city's downtown area.

The newest addition (Nasher Sculpture Center, Meyerson Symphony Hall and other small theaters are already there) is the stunning Winspear Opera House, named for the donors, Margot and Bill Winspear. They donated $42 mil that made the project possible.

The 2200-seat hall is bit big, but the horseshoe shape makes everybody close to the action and the acoustics seem excellent (although I heard an amplified show). It's a gorgeous facility and the stage is high tech in every way.

When I was there I saw the roadshow for the Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein". What was interesting is that I saw the exact same company with the exact same show in Lansing one year before.

The only difference between the Dallas and Lansing version were a few of the lead roles. But that one change made a huge difference in the performance.

In Lansing, Roger Bart played Young Frankenstein, and Shuler Hensley was the monster. The Dallas production starred Christopher Ryan and Dave Schoonover in those parts.

The Dallas production was excellent - the direction was the same and the production was exactly the same. Even the actors were excellent. On the whole, I liked it very much, but something was missing - it didn't have that spark of personality and humor that jumps of the stage in a great production.

I remember very clearly the unique comic acting of Roger Bart in the lead role: Small understated actions, quirky expressions, quick and targeted reactions to other actors. And when it came to dancing, he was smooth and effortless.

And playing off Bart, Shuler Hensley was an outrageous monster. He was loud, large and very funny. He was hysterical during the "Puttin' on the Ritz" scene at the end.

If you hadn't seen Bart and Hensley in those roles, you would have been more than happy with Ryan and Schoonover as Frankenstein and his human invention. But what I witnessed that evening was the difference between good acting and superb acting. It is the stuff that makes a very good performance an exceptional one. It's the actors.

I witnessed a similar experience when I saw the roadshow of the Lincoln Center hit production of "South Pacific". I also saw the original cast (same director, similar sets) on a PBS special presentation. When Paulo Szot sang "You've Got To Be Taught" he did so with intense conviction and emotion. You sat up to take notice. Much different than the 'only good' roadshow acting and singing.

Great performers make great productions.

Ordinary Days

2011-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

After Chad Badgero's directing triumph with the challenging "Caroline or Change" at Riverwalk Theater early in the season, he scores again with "Ordinary Days" through his own Peppermint Creek Theatre Company.

There was magic in the air as we stood in line on a cold night at Creole Gallery in Lansing's Old Town waiting for tickets for "Ordinary Days". The small but charming venue was totally sold out (word of mouth is still the best advertiser) and everyone was excited about seeing the show.

"Days" is a small musical with four characters and a piano. It's the story of four young people trying to make it in the Big Apple, but are all going through their own problems of finding their path in life and love. Badgero also designed the imaginative set, with a modernistic New York skyline depicted in colorful dots.

Written by Adam Gwon, Days is a marvelously entertaining play (entirely sung). The music is Sondheim lite with some Avenue Q thrown in and the lyrics are urbane, witty, and human with wonderful rhymes. Badgero gets a high level of energy from his four fine actors (Joseph Quick, Leah Gerstel, Rusty Broughton and Amanda Whitehead). The songs are difficult, but each and every actor spits out every word with conviction and somehow nails the angular melodies.

Leah Gerstel impresses with her acting that really shows how her troubled character changes through the story. Amanda Whitehead sings the climactic song towards the end of the show that leaves the entire audience crying.

Although the venue is small (92 seats), each actor was miked and the sound mix was just right. Edric Haleen played keyboard and I am sure prepared the singers as well, excellently. Too bad the show closes tonight, it is a winner.

Corktown at Purple Rose

2011-02-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

The Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea is celebrating its 20th season by presenting four original plays by Michigan playwrights.

Now on stage until March 5 is Corktown by Michael Brian Ogden, a bloody, violent and funny modern mob tale. Instead of the Italian mafiosos we love so much, Ogden introduces us to a modern Irish crime story which takes place in the tough Irish neighborhood of Detroit - Corktown.

In this story, the modern hitmen are Army veterans of the Iraq war. They're tough, brutal and workaday murderers - following orders to perform misery on people they don't even know. One of them, Joey, is beginning to second guess his chosen profession. His partner Laurence (acted by playwright Ogden) doesn't understand his anxieties but loves him like a brother nonethless.

The action takes place in a modern apartment designed by Bartley Bauer, and is amazingly realistic. A full kitchen (with running water), living room and bathroom with all of the amenities adorn the stage.

There's a lot to like in this play. The language and story are gritty but also funny. Don't take the kiddies to this one. There's blood (gallons of it) and dead bodies everywhere.

The big hole in the plot is the unlikely romance that develops between Joey (wonderfully played by Matthew David) and a woman who he was supposed to kill but amazingly comes back to life (Stacie Hadgikosti) in his apartment. A relationship ensues and although the dialogue is entertaining and the acting superb, it just does not ring true and the flaw weakens the entire play.

Guy Sanville has the directing honors here and he is excellent at choreographing the very realistic fight and murder scenes. There's plenty of high energy and aggression on the stage. The actors go for it full throttle.

The directing is tight and the acting is all top drawer so, despite the plot weakness, you will likely still have an evening of fun entertainment at Corktown.

LSO And Muffitt Continue to Impress

2011-01-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons for Music Director Timothy Muffitt's continued success with the Lansing Symphony is his imaginative and thoughtful programming. Muffitt has the rare ability to put together a concert with pieces that complement each other while giving the audience and evening of variety and interest.

On Saturday's (1/8/11) concert, dubbed "Exotic Sketches", Muffitt gave us music by Rossini, two harp showpieces - one by Argentinian composer Ginastera and another by the impressionist Debussy. He ended the program with the blockbuster Pines of Rome by Respighi. It made for an concert of surprises and excitement.

Of course the most unique aspect of the evening were the two harp pieces, featuring virtuoso harpist Yolanda Kondonassis. I would wager that fewer that 5% of the audience has ever heard a harp concerto.

And Kondonassis was the perfect person to introduce this elegant and lovely instrument to Lansing audiences. A long limbed and confident woman, Kondonassis showed us the difference between a soloist and a player. She is a true soloist - dramatic and confident who takes control of the stage and performs with flair and rubato. The four-movement Ginastera was a smorgasbord of sounds and rhythms. The orchestra was on the edge of their seat, making the most of the Latin personality of the music while the harp blended and contrasted with unusual groupings of instruments.

The audience was mesmerized as Kondonassis worked her magic on her golden harp - beautiful glissandi, snappy plucking and every other effect the instrument is capable of giving.

The short Debussy piece was more of what the audience expected from the harp, which seems be an instrument created for impressionist music. Yes, we've all heard a harp glissando before, but I have never heard it with so many inflections and colors as I heard on Saturday.

For the concert opener, Muffitt gave us the tried and true Rossini overture, La Gazza Ladra. Always a crowd pleaser, the Rossini was played with a clean and fresh style, with great work by the woodwinds. The opening snare drum roll was different - Muffitt had two snare drummers standing on either side of the orchestra creating an antiphonal effect. It added some intrigue to a piece that is familiar to everyone.

But the real fireworks was saved for the end of the concert - the rousing Pines of Rome. Respighi pulled out all of the stops for this piece, especially the huge and majestic Pines of the Appian Way movement. Respighi wanted a big sound for the orchestra and he got it.

He scored it for full orchestra and then some: for good measure, he added piano, harp, organ, contra bassoon, euphonium, bass clarinet and extra brass players stationed in the audience. Muffitt conducted without a score a brought out the full sonic glory of the Lansing Symphony.

There were some wonderful individual solo parts, especially an absolutely liquid and lovely clarinet solo by Emmanuel Toledo and an ethereal English horn solo by LSO veteran, Gretchen Morse.

But what everyone remembers about the Pine of Rome was the over-the-top ending, and the orchestra and Maestro Muffitt give was what we wanted. I could swear that my seat was vibrating or maybe it was Wharton Center's entire floor.

The Fate of America's Orchestras?

2010-12-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

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

2010-09-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

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.

It's A New World For Symphony Orchestras

2009-10-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Both the left and the right coasts of the US are helping to usher in a new world for symphonic music.

American orchestras have never really been able to make the medium its own. The conductors are almost always European old guys, and the music is heavy on the side of romantic standard classics.

But now, New York and Los Angeles are helping us to embrace the 21st century. Both orchestras have welcomed new conductors this season and I predict they will change the face of American symphonic music forever.

The venerable NY Phil choose to follow aging Lorin Maazel with the 42-year-old, American born, Alan Gilbert. Few people have heard of him although he has built a nice career in Europe. Both his mother and father have played in the Phil so the orchestra felt like he was one of theirs.

The LA Phil went off-shore to shock the work by hiring a fiery conductor of a mere 28 years of age. Gustavo Dudamel has conducted the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra in his native Venezuela. If you go to You-Tube, you'll be able to see this intense conductor with his exciting orchestra of kids. They've also cut some CDs that sound like a professional ensemble.

Although both conductors will be a fresh of breath air blowing away the cobwebs of orchestra concerts, my money is on Dudamel for sending a shock wave through the country. He will not only bring a new energy to this never-changing medium, but will also show the US what can be done with youth orchestras. He might bring back public school music education from the near-dead. His opening concert will be on PBS on October 21. Watch for it.

So far the critics have been kind to Gilbert, and absolutely swooning for Dudamel. Let's wait and see how the music world changes in the next few years.

The Patter Boy

2009-10-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 10, the newly enlarged Wharton Center (at a cost of $18.5 mil) had its grand opening featuring pianist/singer Michael Feinstein.

First a word about Wharton. The new face of the 27-year-old hall looks beautiful, although most of the additions will not be seen my the majority of the concert going public. The administrative offices are greatly expanded, but so are the backstage areas, dressing rooms, green room and donor entertaining areas. The rest of us get to see the lovely ticket space and the massive gift shop - which are great.

The Great Hall and its lobby have not been changed, and they look a bit shabby next to the opulence of the newly restored areas. I am sure the main concert hall will be refurbished soon.

Now for Feinstein. I felt the publicity for the Feinstein show did give the full story. Anyone who knows Michael Feinstein knows his performing style, and there was nothing from Wharton to expect anything different.

Michael Feinstein always appears by himself, alone with his trusted Steinway grand. He sings the songs of Gershwin and Berlin, et al, in his lovely tenor voice, sitting at the keyboard with his head turned toward the audience.

For this show, dubbed "The Sinatra Project", the perky Feinstein appeared on stage in front of a 17-piece kick-butt big band. I've rarely seen him without the piano on his lap.

This was a different Michael Feinstein. The Wharton concert program made no mention of the band, let alone the brilliant arranger and band leader, Bill Elliot. However, the band was so superb that I was often pulled away from the headliner just to listen to this terrific, highly professional band.

But even though Feinstein was in an unfamiliar space, he always knows how to please an audience. He has the best patter of any performer I know. The crooner tells wonderful, memorable stories and his charming manner makes you think that he sincerely wants to be here to entertain you.

At 52 years old, Feinstein still has a boyish appearence that is engaging and endearing. Also, he has a wonderfully light voice, that gives the Sinatra canon a sincere quality it never had before.

So, it was hard not to be enchanted by the concert, even though it was something that no one really expected.

Brouhaha @ Boarshead

2009-08-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

When Lansing's theater community was all atwitter earlier in the summer because Boarshead Theater let popular artistic director Kristine Thatcher go, a little noticed event was occurring in Grand Rapids.

On June 17th, Opera Grand Rapids broke ground for a $2 million opera center. The new building will sport 14,000 sq ft. for rehearsals, practice rooms, costume shops and storage facilities. It will be named the Betty Van Andel Opera Center.

Boarshead decision makers have taken the brunt of much criticism for the Thatcher decision, demonstrated by the many letters-to-the-editor sent to the Lansing State Journal as well as the City Pulse. Irate long time subscribers have shown their pique by refusing to re up for the 2009-10 season. John Dale Smith, executive director, has unfairly been singled out as the bad guy by many.

In speaking to board members, it appears that the release of Thatcher from her contract was a financial decision only. With benefits, she cost the theater company approximately $77,000 per year, a princely sum for an arts organization under sever financial pressure.

The issue at Boarshead is not Thatcher, but Lansing's difficulty in supporting its arts organizations. And the outcry over Thatcher's dismissal was more emotional than objective.

We remember Kristie Thatcher as the cute ingenue who starred in musicals, comedies, and dramas throughout Lansing. As a young adult she left for Chicago and continued her acting career and become a playwright of note. To our delight, Kristie decided to come back to her home town to be the artistic director at Boarshead. Everyone was thrilled.

Although cutting Thatcher loose was probably the correct financial decision to make, the board obviously did not understand the strong support and affection the charismatic personalty has in Lansing.

Now back to our western Michigan neighbors: The Van Andels gave $1 million as the lead gift for the Grand Rapids opera building (Lansing doesn't have a local opera) and the community responded by raising the other $4 million and surpassed its goal by $75,000.

Sadly, Lansing has no sugar daddies who can cough up million dollar gifts like the Van Andels - although Lansing always manages to find money for a baseball stadium, a new city market and other developments. Michigan's capitol city has no performing arts center or a suitable building for its only professional theater. Midland, a much smaller city, has had a lovely arts facility for several decades.

In contrast, Boarshead sits on a lonely corner on the south end of downtown Lansing, across from the bus station and the State Journal. There are no restaurants , coffee shops or gathering places nearby for patrons to socialize after the plays. Boarshead's building used to be a car dealership and was purchased by the city in hopes that it could become a parking lot some day.

Clearly, downtown Lansing is not a friendly place for the arts. The Lansing Symphony performs on the MSU campus in East Lansing, and the Lansing Concert Band plays in various venues throughout Ingham county (as well as Dart Auditorium at LCC) but without a more substantial arts presence in Lansing it seems like the award-winning Boarshead will always be fighting for survival. Lansing remains the only state capitol I am aware of that does not have a performing arts center near downtown.

The Boarshead Thatcher problem is not a Boarshead problem, it's a Lansing arts problem. If Mayor Virg Bernero wants to build a world class capitol city, he must see the importance of an arts center downtown with two performance spaces - a theater, and a 1000-1200 seat auditorium.

Ironically, to attract new students in the era of "schools of choice", area high schools are adding beautiful auditoria throughout the Lansing area. If high schools can build these impressive houses of music and art, why can't the city of Lansing?

Chamber Heaven

2009-03-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

We don't have enough chamber music in Lansing

The only two outlets for small instrumental ensembles seem to be the Lansing Symphony Chamber Concerts and Michigan State University School of Music's faculty and student concerts.

Maybe because of chamber music's infrequency here is why March 20th's concert at the music school's auditorium seemed like such a miraculous gift.

The program was part of the 12th annual Cello Plus weekend, organized by MSU cello professor Suren Bagratuni.

There were concerts on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, but regretfully I only attended
Friday's concert. On this particular evening, Bagratuni only programmed two chamber works: the rarely heard String Quintet Op 111 in G major by Brahms and the famous Souvenir de Florence, a string sextet, but Tchaikovsky.

We must begin by talking about the extraordinary musicians - none of whom were born in the US. Sitting in the first violin chair throughout evening was Ilya Kaler, a brilliant Russian who has been compared to Heifitz both in style and perfection and I must that that the comparison is apt.

Literally on second fiddle was a 27-year-old graduate student (Walter Verdehr, teacher), Carlota Amargos Rubio, a strong impressive violinist who kept up this crowd of strong, dominant players. Two superb violists were Yizhak Schotten, viola professor at U of M and MSU's new plum in the string faculty, violist Yuri Gandelsman who served as principal viola in the Israel Philharmonic. Rounding out the group was Suren Bagratuni, virtuoso cellist and his student, Victor Coo (Tchaikovsky only).

The Brahms is a forceful and heavy piece that challenges the mind and the heart. These strong players displayed wondrous technique and musicianship. With just one more instrument than a string quartet (a viola), it was amazing how the music sounded so totally different, almost like a full orchestra. The orchestration was dense and although they played superbly, the ensemble was sometimes overly gruff and aggressive. It was almost like the world-class string players were trying to out-do one another.

But everything came together in the ravishing Souvenir de Florence. This beautifully romantic work was played with spectacular technique but also with great warmth and delicacy. Violist Gandelsman stunned the audience with his full and sensuous tone. Kaler, who was impressive through the concert, was astounding in this piece. Often, The Souvenir can sound sugary and sweet, but in the hands of these musicians, the music transcended the slurpy factor. The true, dark Russian soul of the Tchaikovsky came through.

The ensemble playing was masterful The melodic lines were passed from one play to next with playfulness and sensitivity. The audience sprang to its feet when the music ended and would not let the musicians leave the stage. They were brought back for five or six ovations. Everyone in the auditorium knew that they had hears something very special that night.

Musicals, etc.

2008-08-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

MAMMA MIA

Movies come from a myriad of different sources: plays, novels, TV shows, even comic books – each one requiring a careful melding of style and venue. But the most difficult transformation seems to be from the Broadway musical to the silver screen. Especially today. With modern technology, audiences expect to see total reality on the screen. Musicals are steeped in fantasy, not reality.

The latest attempt of that renovation is “Mamma Mia”, a pastiche of a musical with a story slapped together from the songs of the 70’s musical sensation, ABBA. The stage show is phenomenally successful, so they made a movie starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard and others.

ABBA’s music is fun, danceable and utterly joyful. But as the kids would say, “It’s SOOO 70’s”. Before you hand over your money to see “Mamma Mia”, you should be somewhat aware of ABBA’s music and be prepared for its simplicity and predictability.

That said, the "Mamma Mia" movie will likely delight you. The setting is a gloriously beautiful Greek Island and has a goofily funny plot. A 20-year-old woman (Amanda Seyfield) is getting married and she invites three men, any of whom COULD be her father. Her mom (Meryl Streep) owns a small inn on the island and was a free-wheeling hippy 21 years before.

The movie is fun, fun, fun and totally mindless. Meryl Streep, that actress who wowed us in “Kramer vs. Kramer”, “Sophie’s Choice”, “The Devil Wears Prada” and dozens of others, shows here that she has no limits. Meryl Streep takes over her role and the entire film. Her voice, which teased us in “Postcards From the Edge” and “Prairie Home Companion” is terrific and her acting puts everyone else to shame.

Pierce Brosnan is a fine actor and proves those skills here, but his singing is average at best. Seyfield, is lovely to look at and her voice has warmth and emotion. The other folks who round out this excellent cast is Julie Walters (remember “Educating Rita”?) and Christine Baranski who team up with Streep to be the three amigos. The three middle-age women sing and dance up a storm and have great chemistry.

The dancing is unremarkable and unsophisticated but suits the setting fine and jumps forth with good humor. They often use chunky island women to dance in the chorus which gives the entire affair a realistic look. The music is mixed well and doesn’t sound overly loud, as some movie musicals do.

However, it is Meryl Streep’s movie (along with the breathtaking views of the Mediterranean). She’s marvelous and displays, once again, that she’s the greatest actress on the planet.

PANHANDLE SLIM & THE OKLAHOMA KID

The Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea has a giant hit on its hands, with the newest Jeff Daniel’s offering: “Panhandle Slim & The Oklahoma Kid”. It’s been extended to the middle of September.

But I’m not sure what the fuss is all about. The play takes place in 1894. We see a man drag another man on stage, hog tied and bleeding profusely from a stomach shotgun wound. This poor guy’s about to die. He’s Panhandle Slim (Tom Whalen).

Then, in gallops The Oklahoma Kid (John Seibert) – all smiles, happy and bubbly. Oh yes, his horse is invisible. One more thing. He doesn’t wear a gun, but travels everywhere with a guitar.

Mr. Slim is the definition of a slime ball. He has lived a horrible life of killing people senselessly and robbing banks and has no regrets.

What ensues is a musical morality tale, with Mr. Kid convincing Mr. Slim that love and goodness lead to a happy life and after-life. What makes the play interesting and unique is that it is almost a musical.

The Kid takes his guitar everywhere and sings six songs to the rascal, Slim (and sometimes with Slim). The songs are written by Daniels and they are good – cowboy-type songs with clever lyrics and sung with very nice voices.

This 90-minute play, about life, death and love, could have been written by Mitch Albom, a man who makes his living writing plays and books about such topics.

The acting in PS/OK is superb and it’s hard to believe how Whalen can act the entire play tied up in that awful, impossible position. And he sings quite well, too.

Director Guy Sanville does an excellent job of pulling so much from such limited material. Dennis Crawley’s set of a desert landscape is amazingly effective, and Daniels’ direction of the musical numbers adds much to the play.

In fact, one could say that Daniels’ message here is how important the curative power of music is to living a happy, love-filled life.

MOT's "Traviata" at Wharton

2008-05-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Lansing is blessed with a wonderful symphony orchestra, several fine choirs, a host of excellent theater companies (professional and amateur), ballet and even community bands. But what the city has struggled with over the years is creating and maintaining an opera company.

Under Melanie Helton’s leadership, Michigan State University has grown a fine opera department which presents very good student opera performances, but the Lansing community has never been able to put the money together along with resources and talent to sustain a company of its own.

Lansing opera lovers have had to listen to the FM radio on Saturday afternoon, drive to Detroit or Chicago, or take a chance with the traveling shows that came to Wharton Center – with uneven quality.

But for the last couple of years, Wharton’s Executive Director Mike Brand, tried to fill the void. He has brought in Detroit’s Michigan Opera Theater to the Great Hall for a one-show-only production each season. The MOT is a superb company that is housed in an extraordinary, new (well, ten years old) opera house across from Comerica Park.

The Lansing productions are not “road shows”, then, but rather the complete opera (soloists, chorus, full orchestra and sets) that was just performed on the Detroit Opera House stage. They tear down the set and rebuild it on the Wharton stage. The addition of the MOT/Wharton shows has been a welcome success in Lansing.

This year (5/22/08), the MOT brought one of the opera world’s most beloved works, Verdi’s “La Traviata”, to town. Just having seen two sumptuous NY MET operas on the movie screen (“Daughter of the Regiment” and “La Boheme” – see previous posting) I was interested to see if an old fashioned stage opera still holds up.

My answer is an unequivocal, “Yes”. The movie screen operas, a new innovation in the opera world, have great sound, acting, voices, sets and backstage goodies, but nothing compares to the real thing.

As in all theater productions, one must see the entire stage at one time to understand the drama of the story – even though “La Traviata” admittedly does not have much stage action. To hear real unamplified voices blending with a real orchestra is a magical experience.

The Lansing MOT production had its minor flaws, but overall was ravishing and beautifully sung.

When we first met Erin Wall as Violetta, the courtesan and toast of Paris night life, her voice as a bit harsh and lacked subtlety. But as the opera continued, Ms. Wall got better and more confident. By the end of the evening, the audience was taken away by her huge, rich sound that also had darkness, depth and beauty. Her low range was slightly weak, but her coloratura flourishes as well as her lyrical passages were stunning and exciting.

Mark Panuccio, as Alfredo, had a lovely tenor voice, but didn’t quite have the ease and phrasing as Ms. Wall. His acting was natural and believable as the destroyed lover of Violetta.

One of the most interesting characters in “Traviata” is Germont, Alfredo’s father. Because of Violetta’s low status in society, he finds it imperative to convince her to leave Alfredo, but is conflicted and torn by this decision. As Germont, Luis Ledesma adds little depth to this tragic person. His diction was difficult to understand and his acting stiff.

But these blemishes did not take away from MOT’s by and large superlative production. The opera had a lovely flow to it, the orchestra was a joy to hear, and of course Verdi’s sensuous, flowing and lush melodies make for some of the most beautiful music ever composed.

One hopes that the San Francisco and Metropolitan opera company’s movie-house operas, as excellent as they are, will not detract from appreciating real singers, on a real stage, singing their hearts out for you.

Thank you Wharton and MOT for bringing real opera to Lansing.

Muffit's Surprise

2008-05-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

For the Lansing Symphony’s final offering of the 07-08 season, music director Timothy Muffitt programmed a concert that had some unexpected surprises.

Since most orchestra concert goers have a great fear of “modern” music, conductors usually sandwich the dreaded work between two beloved favorites, so season subscribers can’t escape the concert hall. During the intermission, the bemused listeners will say that the new piece was “interesting” or maybe even “lively”. Certainly by the end of the concert most folks will have forgotten it completely – which is OK because it’s likely they’ll never hear it again anyway.

But Maestro Muffitt did something different this time. He placed the new work, David Maslanka’s “In Lonely Fields” at the very beginning. Gutsy move, I’d say.

But in reality it was a well calculated move. Muffitt knew he had a winner here.

Maslanka, a man who has a special affinity for the breadth of sound of percussion instruments, surrounded the abbreviated orchestra with seven percussionists. A marimba player and vibraphone player were in the front of the ensemble, and five other players with various mallets, African and traditional percussion instruments spread across the back of the stage.

What resulted was a positively wonderful work of dazzling beauty, deep emotion and evocative sounds of the earth. Graciously, Muffitt had all seven drummers come out to the front of the stage at the beginning of the work for a bow, as if they were piano soloists. In fact, watching them make their magic with literally dozens of shakers, bangers and such was a delight. But the real joy was hearing the lovely blending of the orchestra with the percussion instruments.

Maslanka wrote the work in memory of a Central Michigan University percussionist who died from an auto accident at age 24. His parents commissioned the work and Maslanka gave them the most heartfelt memorial one can image.

After the Maslanka, the LSO played one of the most popular and familiar pieces in the classical repertoire, Incidental Music to “Peer Gynt” by Edvard Grieg. And here was the surprise.

Although we all know the Grieg from music appreciation classes to Saturday morning cartoons, it sounded hopelessly simple and uninteresting next to the invigorating Maslanka. As I sat listening to the movie-music sounding “Peer Gynt”, my mind kept on going back to the new and refreshing piece before. So, during the intermission, instead of discussing the hackneyed “Peer Gynt” most people were talking about the exciting Maslanka, a work I’d love to hear it again.

Muffitt concluded the evening with the ravishing Sibelius Symphony No. 2, his most popular symphony. Muffitt gave the work his rapt attention to detail and intensity – two elements of his conducting style that he has displayed to the Lansing audiences amply since he took over the helm of the orchestra last year.

The symphony is one with great heroic themes and sounds that bring out the vast Finnish landscape. Sibelius makes the most of pairing the low brass with the low strings to produce deep grandiose chords. The orchestra came up to Muffitt’s demands, for the most part. All the soloists were excellent, but at times I would have wanted to hear a violin section that was twice as large to give those Sibelius chords the heft they required.

All in all, Muffitt and his musicians brought forth a sincere and passionate reading of this work which seems to straddle the 19th and 20th century.

Opera Revolution

2008-04-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday afternoon I witnessed an opera revolution. Actually I was late. The revolution began last season, when the Metropolitan Opera began sending out live HD transmissions of selected operas to movie theaters throughout the country.

Although I knew this was happening, I didn’t really take notice until La Boheme was broadcast April 5. I began receiving calls and emails from friends everywhere. They raved about the sumptuous Franco Zeffirelli production and the voice of soprano superstar Angela Gheoghiu.

Because of their excitement, I saw the April 26th transmission – Donizetti’s wonderfully entertaining La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment).

It was strange to go to a movie theater in the middle of a sunny Saturday afternoon and see live opera (tickets: $22). In California, the show starts at 10:30 AM. In a movie theater we are supposed to see movies that were filmed and edited months before. This was live, immediate, and transforming.

Opera diva Renee Fleming was the host and she was engaging and of course very knowledgeable. Backstage we watched the stage manager cue maestro Marco Armiliato to take his place in the pit, and cameras were down with the orchestra with perfectly timed close-ups of the musicians.

The picture is sharp and clear, and the surround sound is everything you’d expect. As the opera continued on, it became clear the grandness of opera had finally found its place – on the movie screen. Operas on TV, no matter how well done, never captured the full spectacle of this unique theater/music blend.

Technically, the entire presentation was dazzling. Close-ups, interesting angles, large stage shots, plus great footage of backstage people and interviews was all thrilling to watch.

But for this production, it would have all been for naught, had it not been for the stunning performances of Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez and the creative a fast moving new production by director Laurent Pelley.

Dessay, a skinny bit of a thing, sang with beauty and superb technique. But, the surprising thing was that Ms. Dessay acts with all the spunk, energy and personality of a comic actress. We’re not used to seeing that in opera.

Whether Dessay was ironing, peeling potatoes, lying down on the stage, being held horizontally by her soldier “pappas”, she managed to sing flawlessly and shamelessly mug to the audience. This French superstar was delightful from beginning to end.

Despite her knock-out performance, many people thought she was outdone by her co-star, tenor Juan Diego Florez. This Peruvian with movie star good-looks sang the difficult tenor role like he was singing with his buddies at a party. In the aria that gave Pavarotti the “King of the High C’s” moniker, Florez came forth with such perfection on opening night, the Met audience demanded that he sing the aria “one mo’ time” - almost unprecedented on the Met stage. For the matinee that I saw, the applause was long and appreciative. Florez is indeed, the tenor we will hear about for decades to come.

To hear Florez and Dessay and the entire Met ensemble sing their beautiful music on a huge screen with surround sound was a special treat indeed. Special enough, that I wonder what this new technological wonder will do for regional opera companies around the world.

Seeing the world’s greatest opera stars in the most lavish productions up close and personal for a ticket of $22 (and free parking) may take the wind out of the sails of local companies. Actually, it can also make opera so accessible and so enjoyable, that live opera will become more popular.

We’ll have to wait a few years to see what happens, but make no mistake about it: This is new HD transmission direct from the Met stage is an Opera Revolution.

Instead of listing times and days of performances, check out www.metopera.com for more info.

Sensitive and Important: "Miss Evers" Boys" @ Riverwalk

2008-02-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ken Beachler’s current play (opened 2/22/08) at Riverwalk Theater, Miss Evers’ Boys, takes the audience to rural Alabama ,1932. It’s a time when most blacks in the South could not read, the nation was in fear of the plague of syphilis, and modern medicine was just starting to emerge.

The play is a fictional rendering of one of most heinous programs our federal government was ever involved in. Our leaders in Washington decided to use several hundred syphilis-afflicted rural blacks in a medical experiment (The Tuskegee Study). Doctors and nurses followed the progression of the disease, never treating it, but merely examining how it affected the body and to study whether it was different in blacks than whites. Over the years they literally watched these men die a horrible death.

The fact that most people know about this experiment undermines the dramatic impact of the play. But despite that fact, the fine acting and sensitive directing brings forth a strong emotional statement.

The action opens on a stunning set. Craig Mitchell Smith designed an open-raftered church/schoolhouse building complete with a cupola and bell. The structure is a powerful image throughout the production and Richard Chapman makes the most of it with lighting angles that produce dramatic shadows of the rafters.

We meet the four engaging young rural black men who represent the hundreds of others who will be the government’s guinea pigs: Caleb (Guy Stockard), a charismatic, fast talking, would-be preacher man; Hodman (Bruce Wade), a man who believes in folk medicine and black magic more than he does science; Ben (Ralph Sims), a slow, amiable and agreeable farmer; and Willie Johnson (Markitwia Jackson), a bright-eyed entertainer who tap dances like a champ. And we also meet the heart of the show, Nurse Eunice Evers (Monica Sanders), a woman who believes in nursing and believes in her people.

It is heartbreaking to watch these ignorant rural men give up their future and their life to get suckered into this infamous experiment. They did it for free medical care and for $50 in burial money. As a gift, the government also gave them a whopping $14 after undergoing fourteen years in the study.

The most tragic character in the play is Nurse Evers, played beautifully by Sanders. She brings to the character all of confusion and ambivalence she has throughout the experience. She wants to help her “boys” but she also wants to be a nurse involved in an important study. As the play continues, she begins to understand the enormity of the lies she must tell to her four subjects. The pathos she brings to the role, focuses the entire audience to the core of play.

Another stand-out is Jackson who displays stunning tap dancing technique and a sparkling stage personality. The scene he shares with Dr. Douglas (J.D. De La Ossa), the white doctor who heads up the project is one of the best of the evening. Thinking that he has nothing in common with white men, Douglas tells Johnson about attending the Cotton Club and The Apollo Theater in Harlem, and describes the dance steps used in those hallowed halls.

The audience watches his slick dance steps destroyed by the onslaught of syphilis.

The four black men create a wonderful ensemble, playing off each other’s personalities and styles perfectly. And their affection for Miss Evers, and hers for them, is the centerpiece of the story.

Despite the appealing and interesting characters, and touching story , the play suffers somewhat from a slow pace and by the inevitability of the ending. Everyone knows how it will continue and how it will end. But still, Beachler molds his cast to produce an emotional and important piece of theater.

Zukerman and the Brits: A Transcendent Evening

2008-01-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

Any concert by a world class orchestra at MSU's Wharton Center is a special event, but Tuesday's (1/15/08) program by the Royal Philharmonic with violinist Pinchas Zukerman was a sublime delight.

I knew I had to attend when I heard that Pinchas Zukerman, the world's greatest violinist (in my humble opinion), was scheduled to play the grand dame of violin concertos, the Beethoven Violin Concerto. Also on this all-Beethoven program was the legendary 5th Symphony.

Zukerman, now a dapper white-haired 60-year-old, walked out on stage to reveal that he was not only soloing on this devilishly difficult concerto, but conducting it as well. He stood in front of the orchestra - violin in one hand, conducting with the other.

As the virtuoso began to play his opening notes, we knew that this would be a rare musical evening. Zukerman's tone was warm and sweet and shimmering with transcendent beauty. Some soloists rip through this work with great bravado, showing off their technique. Instead, Zukerman took his time with each phrase, adding nuance, beauty and elegant musical touches. He played with a gracious rubato give and take, as a great opera singer would.

Miraculously, Zukerman did a 360 when he wasn't playing, to conduct the orchestra to compliment his playing style. How a violinist who is playing one of the most challenging concertos, seperate his brain to also conduct the orchestra, is beyond me. Sometimes the orchestra played with robust force, while at others it sounded like a small chamber group playing is someone's drawing room. The melting together of orchestra and soloist created musical magic.
Zukerman has never been one to pander or be over-demonstrative with an audience. He plays with understated artistry. He's there for the music and only the music. When the treacherous cadenza's came up, with double stops (playing two strings at once) flying up and down the fingerboard, Zukerman was totally unfazed. He simply navigated the rapids, thinking only about how beautiful he could make it sound.

His glorious tone had a presence that floated across the Great Hall audience, even when he was playing pianissimo. The orchestra must have been communicating with him by radio waves, because individual musicians entered in the most delicate, exposed passages with no visible cue from the conductor/soloist. Again, it was magic.

Throughout the entire performance, I was in another world, entranced by the glorious music making of this great artist at the top of his game.

After intermission (called the "Interval" in the UK), Zukerman traded the fiddle for a baton and conducted the triumphant Fifth Symphony.

Although the Israeli-born musician has been conducting for many years, now, he looked like a novice on the podium. His motions were broad, flowing and vague and I tried to imagine myself playing under him and guessing whre his beat was. But, no matter, the orchestra sounded great - which is the only thing that matters.

He appeared to have a terrific rapport with the players, molding the music to fit his vision. The entire wind section was superb, but the first flutist (Paul Edmund Davies) and oboist (John Anderson) played together like two birds on a branch of a flowering tree on a spring day.

Zukerman was able to extract the sounds of each individual section of the orchestra. We heard robust cello and bass playing, but also strong and raucous brass playing.

For the encore, Zukerman led his Londoners in a ravishing reading of a movement of fellow Englishman Edward Elgar's masterpiece, The Enigma Variations. It was lush, romantic and heartfelt.

All in all, this concert by absoulte world class musicians was one of the finest I have ever heard in East Lansing. Zukerman the consumate artst and combined with a responsive and virtuosic ensemble made this evening a true gift from Wharton Center to the people of East Lansing.

Lansing Great Entertainment Bargain and MSU's Wind Symphony

2007-12-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

Clearly, the greatest entertainment bargain in Lansing is the series of concerts presented by the Michigan State University School of Music. Throughout the year (yes, during the summer too) the school of music presents concerts by its talented student body in solo recitals, and in ensembles such as orchestras, choirs, bands, operas, new music groups and various jazz ensembles. Also, the school’s world class faculty presents many solo recitals and chamber ensemble concerts – and many of these folks perform solo gigs with orchestras and ensembles throughout the world for big-ticket prices.

Tickets for these concerts are a steal. Students get in for free, and general admission prices are $9 for regular concerts, and $18 for special events. A bargain indeed!

**** **** **** **** **** ****

I attended one the school’s finest large ensemble concerts recently, the Wind Symphony conducted by newcomer Kevin Sedatole. This is Sedatole’s second year as Director of Bands and Conductor of the Wind Ensemble at MSU, succeeding the retirement of the superb John Whitwell.

Many classical music lovers bypass band concerts – a big mistake. They usually line up for tickets for concerts by orchestras, operas, choirs and ballets but wrongly believe that band concerts will be loud, boisterous, and made up mostly of Sousa marches.

In fact, a concert by a highly skilled band (fancy alternative names are symphony band, wind ensemble, etc) will usually delight the listener with music that has great energy, beauty and freshness. Today’s top-rated college bands, along with the great service bands, will astound you with their technical facility and musical subtly.

But the best surprise from attending a band concert is hearing excellent and exciting music written IN OUR LIFETIME.

Orchestra concerts rarely feature current music. One of the most recently composed pieces to find its way into the basic orchestral repertoire is the Bartok Concerto For Orchestra and that was written some 60 years ago.

The Wind Symphony concert I attended (December 2, 2007), featured eight works, seven of which were composed by living composers.

Instead of sitting down to hear music that I’ve heard dozens of times (as I would in an orchestra concert), all this music was new, fresh and intellectually challenging.

Sedatole is a compact man who conducts with great intensity and focus. He attends to every detail in the music, and his young musicians are fixed on his every movement.

He began the program with a piece written in 2004 by Carter Penn called Slalom. Perfectly named, the piece seems to slide down the snowy hill with fury and fire. The woodwinds were brilliant and the energy of the music was exhilarating.

Another piece that demanded much from the listener, but even more from the performer was the Concert Suite for Alto Saxophone and Band by Pulitzer Prize winning Ann Arbor composer, William Bolcom. Joseph Lulloff, MSU professor of saxophone played this frightfully difficult piece with apparent ease. Each of the four movements was totally impendent from the others, giving the listener great variety of style and expression.

Lulloff, a world renowned saxophone soloist, demonstrated the full spectrum of the instrument. In the first movement, his fingers were a blur as he flew through bunches of notes ranging from the very top to the bottom of the instrument. However, in the sublime second movement Lulloff played with a sensitivy and nuance that you hear from the greatest violinist. With Lulloff’s artistry, the sax’s tone emerges from somewhere in the clouds and swells into a robust lyricism that fills the heart.

Another standout performance in this concert was the singing of tenor Richard Fracker, chair of MSU’s voice faculty and featured singer with New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Fracker sang The Heart of the Morn by MSU composition professor, H Owen Reed. It was a lush and romantic interpretation of the tapestry Michigan’s beauty.

Sedatole, graciously, invited several guest conductors to the podium: Jim Barry, retired director of bands at Okemos High School, soon-to-retire director of bands at Grand Ledge High school Mike Kaufman, MSU graduate student Isaiah Odajima and assistant director of MSU bands, John Madden. Although they all did excellent work, the band sounded like a completely different, more responsive ensemble under Sedatole’s baton.

An interesting aspect to the concert: One of the pieces performed was Trauersinfonie by Richard Wagner - probably written about 1880 or so. Compared to the sparkling, rhythmic music of our current age that makes full use of modern woodwinds, percussion, and brass, the Wagner was really old school. A friend who came to the concert with me whispered in my ear, “It sounds so last millennium”. I couldn’t agree more.

One suggestion to the School Music: do a better job with the programs for these concerts. It would be more interesting and educational if some notes would be included about the soloists, guest conductors and the music itself.

Chamber Music In The Great Hall?

2007-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

When Wharton Center was built back in 1982, a third theater was planned - a nice thousand seat hall. It would have been perfect for small operas and chamber music.

Sadly, budgets were cut (ah, if they only played basketball at Wharton it would have been different) and we are left with small 600 seat hall (Pasant) with brittle acoustics, and a very large 2500 seat hall (Great Hall) that is cavernous. Neither place seems to lend itself to chamber music.

Wharton's Mike Brand wants to bring small ensembles to Wharton but it never seems to work very well. This year MSU cello prof Suren Bagratuni has put together a new chamber series featuring MSU musicians and many other world class artists. He calls it the Michigan Chamber Music Society.

I have seen one of these concerts - the Bach program that took place Sunday January 28th in the Great Hall. There were about 300-400 audience members huddled together on the main floor Great Hall.

Bagratuni selected music that is familiar to all music lovers: three Brandenbureg concerti and the Concerto for Two Pianos in c minor. It was an excellent concert, absent the first work.

The opening piece was the interesting Brandenburg No 6, that features no violins, simply violas, cellos, bass and harpsichord. The ensemble lacked cohesion and Hsin-Yun Huang as principal viola played as if she were the soloist. That's too bad since the second violist, Randolph Kelly is the lead violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony and has had a distinguished career. Maybe some more rehearsing together would have produced better results.

After the lackluster first piece, Deborah Moriarty and fellow MSU faculty member George Vatchnadze soloed in an exciting reading of the Bach Concerto for Two pianos. The soloists sat in the back of the orchestra, which was odd at first but then seemed to improve the ensemble feeling of the entire work. Moriarty is always a wonderful performer, and she didn't disappoint. The orchestra was billed as "The MSU String Ensemble" but there was no listing telling us who the players were.

Things continued to look up during the second half of the program. The ensemble performed the very popular Bradenburg No4 featuring U of M violin prof Aaron Berofsky (and Ralph Votapek's son-in-law) along with flutists Richard Sherman and Lorna McGhee.

Almost immediately the audience realized that this was going to be a very special performance. Sherman and McGhee played some of the finest flute duets I have every heard. They blended perfectly and matched their style with the wonderful Berofsky to make a stunning performance. Not to be overlooked, harpsichordist Charlotte Mattax was also superb. She accompanied the ensemble with subtlety, but surprised the Wharton audience with spectacular, and very difficult solos when the opportunity arose.

Mattax's outstanding playing continued in the final piece of the afternoon, the Brandenburg No 5. But, alas, she was overshadowed by the gorgeous and musical flute playing of Lorna McGhee. She was heard in the previous work with Sherman, but here McGhee got to shine on her own, and shine she did. Her tone was full, rich, and lush and her phrasing was eloquent. McGhee displayed a talent that places here at the very highest level of flute players in the world. It was a genuine pleasure to hear her.

Chamber music at Wharton Center? It's not the perfect venue, but great musicians will make the music come alive no matter where it's played.

Muffit and the LSO: Getting to Know Each Other

2007-01-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

January 27th was the third concert that Timothy Muffitt has led the Lansing Symphony as their Music Director, and it's clear that they are getting to know each other.

For each concert, Muffitt seems to be stretching the ensemble to embrace new repertoire and to feel comfortable with more difficult music.

For this concert. Muffit programmed three pieces - all very different from each other. But put together in one concert, Faure (French), Prokofiev (Russian) and Schubert (Viennese) made for a wonderful mix of music.

The contrast of the music was not only because of the nationality of the composers. The first two works, "Suite from Pelleas et Melisande" and "Suite from Lieutanant Kije" were relatively short (18-20 minutes) and had many short movements: four for the Faure and five for the Prokofiev. The music was theatrical, programmatic and filled the stage with many instruments and sounds.

With all those short, snappy movements, it's almost like Muffitt was preparing his audience to sit through the grandiosely long (55 minutes) Schubert Great C Major symphony with a limited romantic orchestra (more about that later).

The Faure was lush and sensuous, with lovely solos by flutist Richard Sherman in the second movement and bassoonist Michael Kroth in the third. These extended solos are some of the most famous in the repertoire and they were both superb. Muffitt brought a ravishing sound from his strings, which has been developing throughout his short tenure with the LSO.

The joyful Prokofiev uses the orchestral pallet to it fullest. The stage is filled with a full orchestra plus tenor saxophone, off-stage trumpet, piano, celesta, harp and a plethora of percussion instruments. It all made for music that sounded like a Russian celebration. The star of Kije was the consistantly beautiful trumpet playing by Richard Illman. I think Muffitt had him take three bows.

This was a particularly difficult concert, and there were moments in both of these works in which inner details of the ensemble were missing - low string sections, woodwind clarity and the correct balances between woodwinds and strings. However the overall impression of these two works was pure enjoyment.

But after all this delightful music, the orchestra then performed on the great symphonies ever written, the Schubert C major, No 9. Some people feel that the piece is too long and too repetitive, but it has always been very dear to my heart. For sure, it is one of the most difficult violin parts ever written. After the treacherous fourth movement, many violinists were seen stretching and getting their hands out of a cramping position.

All in all, Muffitt and his new ensemble played this masterpiece with the respect it deserved. It has been many years since the LSO played the Schubert, and it was clearly not "under their fingers". Muffittt was working hard, pulling the music out of them. But the orchestra response to his urgings was positive. Musicians and conductor appear to have great respect for each other.

Although the Schubert is a big sprawling work, it is interesting that the instrumentation is quite small - almost like an orchestra of the classical era. The orchestra included only a timpanist in the percussion section, a section of two horns (usually four), 2 trumpets - but a full section of three trombones. And the trombones played a significant role with beautiful chords backing up the strings and woodwinds.

After the long and gracious first movement, Muffitt changed the mood totally with a second movement that was elegant, crisp with terrific oboe solos by Jan Eberle. The third movement was the weakest with an uneven tempo and missing harmonies in the brass, overbalanced by other instruments.

By the fourth movement, it was clear that the orchestra was waning. But they came up to the challenge. The repetitive violin vamp was effective, clean and light. Muffitt paid close attention to the cellos and they responded with big luscious chords.

The audience gave the Lansing musicians warm applause, appreciating the variety of music they heard that night and the new energy the orchestra is producing.