In my last blog I shared information about a few different abstract forms of music-making, from albums made of tree rings to Swedish cattle herding calls. Much in the same way that people from different parts of the... More
4/4/2017 by Katherine Ljungqvist
The Canadian pianist, Jan Lisiecki (lee-SHYETS-kee) first garnered the attention of critics in 2010 (the bicentenary of Chopin’s birth) with a recording of the Polish composer’s piano concertos. The recording caught Deutsche Grammophon’s attention, and they signed the... More
3/18/2017 by John Pitman
The human race, as a whole, has made huge strides in technological advancements when it comes to how we make music. Just looking at the evolution of the piano gives us an idea of how far we’ve come... More
3/3/2017 by Katherine Ljungqvist
This February in Portland, Oregon, Cappella Romana and Director Dr. Alexander Lingas, presented the first-ever festival in North America dedicated to the contemporary composer, Arvo Pärt. The Estonian composer’s music is arguably the most performed of any living... More
2/27/2017 by John Pitman
The young British pianist, Benjamin Grosvenor, is an artist whose recordings have featured in All Classical Portland’s programming for the past few years. “Dances” was a disc that make a creative connection between such disparate styles and eras... More
2/6/2017 by John Pitman
On a recent episode of Thursdays at Three, Robert McBride spoke with the members of the Miró Quartet about how they analyze the music that they play. Violinist Daniel Chang explained that they, as a group, do not... More
2/3/2017 by Katherine Ljungqvist
Pianist Kirill Gerstein, a favorite of Portland audiences for his orchestral and solo recital appearances, has just released a CD that illustrates both the pianist’s abilities and those of the composer of these works. Franz Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes... More
12/13/2016 by John Pitman
“Beauty is the emergence of a spiritual climate in which each artist is transfigured through the impulse of creation. It becomes universal” – Alberto Ginastera Last year, American harpist Yolanda Kondonassis brought Alberto Ginastera’s Harp Concerto, Opus 25... More
12/1/2016 by John Pitman
When Lara Downes crafts a recording, she explores not just themes in music, but meanings and expressions. In my conversation with Lara, America Again was prompted by one of the many shootings that took place earlier this year,... More
11/17/2016 by John Pitman
I was only recently introduced to Yevgeny Kutik, yet the Belarus-born violinist is up to his third CD already, with Words Fail (Marquis Classics). Mr. Kutik’s earlier releases focus in large part on Russian repertoire. What I discovered is... More
11/2/2016 by John Pitman
