Opus 3 Artists

Bold questions, Max Raabe

3/4/2010

German crooner, Weimar enthusiast.

Yuja Wang strikes sparks at Kravis with Russian National Orchestra

3/4/2010

The world-class Russian National Orchestra was the marquee attraction of the Regional Arts Series’ Wednesday matinee at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. But the real excitement was provided by the extraordinarily gifted twenty-two year old Chinese pianist Yuja Wang, who gave an electrifying performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with the Moscow-based ensemble under conductor Patrick Summers.

Max Raabe & the Palast Orchester

3/3/2010

Wry and unflappable, Max Raabe is the perfect front man for his Palast Orchester, which, in black tie and period haircuts, will be bringing American and German pop hits from the twenties and thirties to Carnegie Hall this month.

JAMES EHNES NOMINATED FOR A 2010 JUNO AWARD

3/3/2010

Canadian violinist James Ehnes has been nominated for a JUNO Award for the Onyx release "James Ehnes plays Paganini 24 Caprices." He has previously won six JUNO Awards, a GRAMMY and a Gramophone Award.

The Wunderbar Max Raabe

3/3/2010

Mr. Raabe, 47, is the lead vocalist and trademark incarnate of the Palast Orchester, a 12-member German dance band playing Carnegie Hall on Thursday.

Hurtling Through Beethoven, With Grace

3/3/2010

The excellent violinist Nikolaj Znaider maintained the excitement during his virile performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, which came next. Mr. Znaider, who plays with a big, glowing tone, offered a powerfully wrought cadenza and deeply expressive slow section, although he sounded rushed in the final movement.

SXSW 2010: Brooklyn Rider, Live In Concert

3/2/2010

Brooklyn Rider occupies a unique space in the world of classical music. Like most meticulously trained string quartets, it's extremely well-versed in interpreting existing pieces from the classical repertoire.

Symphonic Drama: Rage-Filled Reunion for Slave and His Sister

3/2/2010

It’s hard to imagine a more riveting performance of Sibelius’s seldom-heard “Kullervo” than the thrilling interpretation given by the Minnesota Orchestra and Osmo Vanska, its music director, on Monday evening at Carnegie Hall.

Alvin Ailey dancers were dazzling in New Orleans performance

3/2/2010

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theaterlived up to its reputation as the world's best modern dance company on Friday, displaying the sassy and spiritual sides of its repertoire in the first of three sold-out weekend shows at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.

Stefan Jackiw's recording debut with Brahms

3/2/2010

In December, Sony Classical released in Asia Stefan Jackiw's debut recording of Brahms's Violin Sonatas, made with the Grammy Award-winning producer Steven Epstein. Listen to sample tracks. In a profile of Jackiw published in the Korea Times, pianist Max Levinson said, "Stefan has a young violinist's fire and energy but also maturity, rare depth and understanding."

Chieftains cook up a global stew of high-energy, fun songs in Orchestra Hall concert

3/1/2010

If you go to a concert by the Chieftains, the world's most famous Irish traditional folk group, you might expect to hear, well, Irish traditional folk music. And, at one time, that was true.

Pianist Rafal Blechacz's impressive local debut at the Kennedy Center

3/1/2010

No cheap sports analogies are necessary to explain the magnitude of pianist Rafal Blechacz's win at the 15th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in 2005. He was barely 20 years old when he joined the pantheon of legendary previous winners, pianists such as Lev Oborin, Martha Argerich and Maurizio Pollini, and he not only took first place, he walked off with a passel of other honors: awards for best mazurka, best polonaise, best concerto and best sonata.

PARKER QUARTET: BEST ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

3/1/2010

Wondering where that Legacy Amendment money is going? A chunk of it is funding MPR's first-ever artist-in-residence program. Throughout 2010, the acclaimed classical ensemble The Parker Quartet will play local concerts, give interviews on MPR and run educational workshops.

An Interview with Colin Currie

3/1/2010

Colin Currie was born in 1976 and took up the piano and percussion at an early age. In 1990 he began his studies at the Junior Department of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 1992 he won the Gold Medal of the Shell/LSO Music Scholarship, performing Panufnik’s concerto in the finale with the London Symphony Orchestra.

'Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln' hits powerful notes

2/27/2010

Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln is no dry history lesson. It could just as well be called Daniel's Meditation for the People of Haiti.

Chieftains bring a taste of Mexico into their new album

2/27/2010

As leader of the Chieftains -- the world's most creative purveyors of traditional Irish music for more than 40 years now -- Paddy Moloney is acutely aware of this nurturing process.

Sam, Gil, Bela, David, Maurice

2/26/2010

This year marks the centenary of Samuel Barber, and it's hard to imagine a more thrilling celebration than Gil Shaham's performance of the Barber violin concerto with the New York Philharmonic, which continues through Saturday.

The Dubious Sounds of Nature

2/26/2010

Conductor David Robertson had no silly Mahlerian ideas. He kept his musical nature firmly inside Avery Fisher Concert Hall. Instead of slush and rain, he led the Philharmonic through enchanted gardens.

High-Tech Quartet: Syracuse-bound Miro Quartet gets iPhone application

2/26/2010

The Miro Quartet became the first string quartet with an iPhone application in October. The app helps fans stay up to date on the quartet with posts from its Web site,Facebook and Twitter. It also links to performance videos and the group’s recordings, including the recent “The Miro Quartet Live!”

Miro's musical menu will be chosen by the audience

2/25/2010

After an absence of almost five years, the Miro String Quartet returns to Hamilton this Sunday afternoon to whip up a musical smorgasbord.