Instrumental

On Bach’s birthday: the gift of Suites for Solo Cello

March 17, 2010

By Dave Beck Not quite sure how to celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday this year? It’s coming up this weekend you know. And if somehow you’ve neglected to plan for the birth anniversary of this genius of Western Music, I understand the sense of guilt you carry. But really, there’s no need for panic or [...]

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“Kafka Fragments” live blog

February 27, 2010

You can watch/read the live blog of Mikhail Shmidt and Agata Zubel’s performance of Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments” here (after the jump) starting at 7:30 pm PST.

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Shmidt discusses Kurtag’s Kafka Fragments

February 23, 2010

Here is my second interview with Mikhail Shmidt.  In this video Shmidt talks about Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments,” a piece he will perform this Saturday as part of Icebreaker V.  “Kafka Fragments” is no ordinary piece; it is one of Kurtag’s most important works and one of his most difficult.  People describe it [...]

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Review: Ancestors of the Guitar

February 6, 2010

By Lorin Wilkerson In a concert entitled ‘The Ancestors of the Guitar,” Portland lutenist/guitarist Hideki Yamaya presented an insightful look into three early instruments on Friday night, January 29th at the Little Church in NE Portland. Despite a delayed start as the artist waited for latecomers (there was a mistake in The Oregonian directing listeners [...]

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Review: Matt Haimovitz plays the Tractor Tavern

January 23, 2010

By Gigi Yellen Celebrating the 300th birthday of his cello, the concert adventurer Matt Haimovitz returned to Seattle’s Tractor Tavern Wednesday night for a one-man show that sold out the bar. Some 250 seated and standing fans filled the funky place where Haimovitz performed Hendrix not so long ago, backed by a band of students, [...]

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The best concerts of 2009

December 31, 2009

In no particular order, the top ten concerts of 2009 — according to me.

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James Garlick plays Corigliano

December 6, 2009

Local violinist James Garlick held a recital Friday at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.  I will be writing about the experience and performance in more detail.  Until then, here is a short clip from the concert of Garlick performing two variations from John Corigliano’s Red Violin Caprices.

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Review: Paul Taub Celebrates 30 Years of Music-Making in Seattle

November 15, 2009

By: R. M. Campbell One of Seattle’s most eminent musicians, flutist Paul Taub, gave a celebratory concert this weekend at Cornish College of the Art, his longtime local base. The flute is not a traditional major solo instrument but Taub, by virtue of hard work, a lot of talent and a nose for provocative new [...]

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