Win a Solo Spot!

11. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Symphony, Videos

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra officials insist it’s not “American Idol” meets Mozart.
But its new video contest on YouTube does have at least one similarity: voting by the public. Videos submitted by instrumental soloists will be up for anyone to watch. The top four vote-getters will get a chance to audition for musical director and conductor.
The winner — if Honeck picks one at all — gets $10,000 and a paid trip to perform with the orchestra at Heinz Hall this fall.
But the orchestra says the contest is no classical “American Idol.”
“Not at all,” said Robert Moir, the orchestra’s senior vice president of artistic planning and audience engagement. “This is applying 21st-century technology to something we’ve been doing since orchestras began, and that’s scouting young talent.”
Moir and Honeck revealed the idea to The Associated Press in advance of Thursday’s news conference formally announcing the nationwide contest hosted on the popular YouTube online video platform. The orchestra’s Facebook page and website also have links.

RTWT

(I’d put the YouTube video up here too, but I can’t: embedding is not allowed by WTAE. Go figure.)

Liang Wang Demostrates Circular Breathing

08. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Videos

He’s also doing what I call a double trill … or at least that’s what I call them.

I’ve never needed circular breathing, but I guess whatever he’s playing would require it.

I love the calm little, “There we go,” at the end.

The Always Clever OK Go

07. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Clever, Videos

Info from the YouTube video:

The new music video from OK Go, made in partnership with Chevrolet. OK Go set up over 1000 instruments over two miles of desert outside Los Angeles. A Chevy Sonic was outfitted with retractable pneumatic arms designed to play the instruments, and the band recorded this version of Needing/Getting, singing as they played the instrument array with the car. The video took 4 months of preparation and 4 days of shooting and recording. There are no ringers or stand-ins; Damian took stunt driving lessons. Each piano had the lowest octaves tuned to the same note so that they’d play the right note no matter where they were struck. For more information and behind-the-scenes footage, see www.LetsDoThis.com and www.okgo.net. Many thanks to Chevy for believing in and supporting such an insane and ambitious project, and to Gretsch for providing the guitars and amps.

Director: Brian L. Perkins & Damian Kulash, Jr.
Director of Photography: Yon Thomas
Editor: Doug Walker
Producer: Luke Ricci

Rain!

07. February 2012 · 4 comments · Categories: Videos

I’m delighted to see and hear the rain. Now I’m going to brave a walk in it (it’s not exactly pouring, after all).

I’ll leave you with this:

Händel-Water Music-Suite Nº1 in Fa Majeur HWV 348-Concerto Köln – Nantes 2006

Rock On

04. February 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Symphony, Videos

Because you all know how much we symphony folk like to rock, right? This video is quite fun (in my opinion) as it rapidly flips through a day at the symphony in Cincinnati.

the Queen City Project :: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from the Queen City Project on Vimeo.

the Queen City project is a collaboration between Bluestone Creative & Alias Imaging.
Music: “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem
QueenCityProject.com

BluestoneCreative.com
AliasImaging.com

Pigoletto

02. February 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Opera, Videos

… with touches of other things, including Traviata’s Sempre Libera. Starring Beverly Sills (although Miss Piggy probably disagrees):

Who’s Afraid of Opera?

01. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Opera, Videos

You might recognize this soprano! I’d never heard of this series before, but it’s pretty funny. You get both Traviata and La fille du Regiment in under an hour.

Gee, They Could Have Hired This Guy

01. February 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Opera, Videos

… and saved money on hiring an orchestra.

“Libiamo ne’ lieti calici”

Oops … I shouldn’t suggest that. I’d be putting myself out of work!

Addio del passato

31. January 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Opera, Videos

This is faster than I’m used to hearing it, but here’s the oboe solo in La Traviata … and some soprano stuff to accompany the oboe:

Angela Gheorghiu is singing:

& So It Begins

31. January 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Opera, Videos

Today is our first orchestra rehearsal for Opera San José’s La Traviata. I don’t know that it will look like this, but here’s a sample of the music:

They Say There’s An Oboe In This

30. January 2012 · 9 comments · Categories: Videos

… but I sure don’t hear one!

Update
I’m re-writing this since I came off so darn snarky:

This is quite clever. It’s also fun. I’m just picky about what I call things. I would call these smartphone instruments rather than implying that they sound like the actual instruments. But I’m goofy that way. I also don’t call tofurkey turkey. But really, I have no issue with people making music on whatever they want to make music on. I’ve seen people make music with kitchen utensils and vegetables too. :-)

Bach for the Morning

24. January 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: BachTrac™, Videos

Just because.

Concerto in F major for oboe, strings, and continuo BWV 1053A – 2nd mvmt.
Performed by Oboist Muki Zohar and the Israel Camerata Orchestra, Jerusalem.

Singin’ In The Wagnerian Rain

23. January 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Videos

Richard Grayson improvises on an audience theme from a concert on March 2, 2008, at the Crossroads School.

NewToMyEars™: Friction Harp

23. January 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: NewToMyEars™, Videos

Up until now my NewToMyEars™ has included only composers I’d not heard of, and I’ve only posted them on Thursdays at 10:00. But what about instruments? Guess I may as well start that up too. Because I can. And in my new effort to not have to be so darn rigid I’m going to post things when I feel like it. how ’bout that?!

Here is the Friction Harp, which looks like an antenna to me:

YouTube Info:

Musician and Instrument Builder Tom Kaufmann plays his prototype friction harp with a recorded keyboard accompaniment. To read more about this instrument go to: www.tinkertunes.com/friction-harp

Violanokia

21. January 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Videos

Lukáš Kmit, viola

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