Pianist Mao Fujita was born in Japan and now lives in Europe, where he is studying with Kirill Gerstein. Mao was invited to the renowned Verbier Festival in Switzerland a couple of years ago, on the strength of having a number of Mozart’s piano sonatas in his fingers. The Festival asked Mao if he could get the rest of them – 18 in all – ready for a live performance. Mao did so, and the result of that was a signing to Sony, and this new recording of the complete Mozart sonatas.
Mao takes an approach that would have been absolutely expected by Mozart and others of his time: not to play the sonatas “note for note”, but rather to bring something different each time the phrase came back. This fresh approach is just one of the attractions of Mao’s new recording, the other is the sense of familiarity and intimacy he has with the music, as though he’s known this music his whole life. And in some ways, he has…
Hear All Classical Portland’s Program Director John Pitman‘s conversation with Mao, and enjoy some musical excerpts:
At All Classical Portland, featuring women composers, conductors, and musicians as part of our regular programming is standard practice. We love to shine a spotlight on these historically overlooked figures in classical music and inspire our listeners with their skills and talents. This March, in celebration of Women’s History Month, we’d like to highlight a few women whose music All Classical plays on air all year long.
Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)
As noted by Jessica Duchen in BBC Music Magazine, French composer and educator Louise Farrenc was “a major musical personality hiding in plain sight.” Farrenc established herself as a renowned concert pianist by her teens and went on to serve as Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory for over 30 years. She was the only woman to hold a permanent, high-ranking position at the institution in the 19th century. Never one to be devalued for her skills and leadership, Farrenc fought for equal pay to that of her male colleagues at the conservatory… and won.
As a composer, she wrote primarily for her instrument, the piano. Her music is known for its technical difficulty and “down-to-earth” musical personality while avoiding overt sentimentality or unnecessary flashiness.
Elfrida Andrée (1841 – 1929)
Swedish organist, composer, and conductor Elfrida Andrée achieved an impressive number of “firsts” during her career. She was the first Swedish woman to pass the nation’s professional organist exam while lobbying against laws preventing women from becoming organists at churches and cathedrals. Andrée was the first Swedish woman to not only compose chamber music and symphonic music but also to conduct a symphony orchestra.
Her catalog of works includes pieces for orchestra, stage, choir, voice and piano, small ensemble, and perhaps most notably, organ. While interest in her organ music continued beyond her death, a renewed enthusiasm in her entire musical output has developed in recent decades, especially in Scandinavia.
Mélanie (Mel) Bonis (1858-1937)
Mélanie Bonis was a prolific French composer, publishing over 300 works for piano, chamber ensemble, choir, organ, and orchestra throughout her lifetime. She received formal music instruction from César Frank at the Paris Conservatory, where she made a name for herself as an emerging composer of note. Fun fact – Bonis studied at the Paris Conservatory around the same time as Claude Debussy.
During her time at the conservatory, Bonis realized that she would have more success as a published composer if she disguised her sex, thereby assigning the gender-neutral pseudonym “Mel Bonis” to her works. While Bonis made a name for herself during her lifetime, the memoir written by her children a few decades after her death helped maintain her notoriety among classical music listeners.
Bonis’s Femmes de légende, a collection of piano pieces referencing “legendary” women history, mythology, and literature, was recently recorded by All Classical Portland’s Artist in Residence, María García. The recording can be found on AMPLIFY, All Classical’s inaugural album from the Recording Inclusivity Initiative (RII).
Nora Holt (1885-1974)
Nora Holt was an American composer, singer, pianist, and critic who studied with Nadia Boulanger and maintained friendships with prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance, such as Carl Van Vechten and Langston Hughes. Through various points in her life, she would focus on composing or performing at any given time. However, journalism seemed to be her most constant creative focus. In fact, Holt became the first woman music critic in the United States. She was known for championing music by African American composers and new, emerging performers.
As a composer, Holt wrote about 200 works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and piano. Unfortunately, only one or two pieces are known to have survived. Before embarking on a trip abroad, Holt had placed her compositions in storage, which were subsequently stolen along with many other possessions.
Photo of Ruth Gipps courtesy of the British Music Collection
Ruth Gipps (1921-1999)
English musician and composer Ruth Gipps was a child prodigy who published her first musical works at just eight years old. A master of the piano and oboe, Gipps went on to study at the Royal College of Music under notable musicians such as Ralph Vaughan Williams. Sadly, she suffered a hand injury in her early 30s, ending her performing career. From that point on, Gipps focused on composition and conducting.
Interestingly, her role as a conductor was where Gipps emerged most prominently as a trailblazer. Due to discrimination against her sex while seeking conducting positions, Gipps founded her own orchestras – the London Repertoire Orchestra and the Chanticleer Orchestra.
Photo of Jennifer Higdon by J.D. Scott courtesy of the composer’s website
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
Jennifer Higdon is an acclaimed American composer and flutist who came to composition relatively late in her musical journey; however, her late start has done nothing to thwart her achieving a position as one of America’s most frequently performed composers of contemporary classical music.
Higdon’s works encompass a wide variety of genres, from large-scale pieces for orchestra and stage to songs for voice and piano. In 2010, she received the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto. Additionally, Higdon’s music has been widely recorded, resulting in three Grammys so far for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
Photo of Valerie Coleman by Matthew Murphy courtesy of the composer’s website
Valerie Coleman
Contemporary American composer and flutist Valerie Coleman has been identified as one of the “Top 35 Women Composers” by The Washington Post as well as Performance Today’s 2020 “Classical Woman of the Year.” Her works, especially her pieces for woodwinds, are quickly becoming standard repertoire among performing ensembles nationwide. As a performer, Coleman has dazzled audiences at such distinguished institutions as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and Bravo! Vail.
As part of her commitment to arts education, in 2011, Coleman created the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, a New York-based mentorship program welcoming young leaders from over 100 institutions worldwide. Coleman currently serves on the Mannes School of Music faculty for flute and composition.
Photo of Helen Habershon courtesy of the composer’s website
Helen Habershon
British musician Helen Habershon may be equally well-known for her work as a clarinetist as she is for composition. Though she pursued both performing and composition growing up, by her early 20s, Habershon established herself as an international clarinetist. Her turn to composition resulted from a serious injury that left her unable to play the clarinet for several months.
Habershon credits “our beautiful planet” as the source of inspiration for much of her music and has sought ways of blending the natural world with her beloved musical one, including collaborating with polar explorer Jim McNeill to give talks on the overlap of music and nature.
If you’d like to keep learning about women in classical music, check out these past posts from All Classical Portland’s Arts Blog:
All Classical Portland is proud to announce 16-year-old pianist, violinist, and composer Amir Avsker as its 2023 Young Artist in Residence. A sophomore at Westview High School in Beaverton, OR, Amir began playing the piano in 2014 and the violin in 2019. He has participated in and won several local and international music competitions and festivals, including the 29th Young Artist Debut Competition and the 2022 InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy. To date, Amir has written over 40 original compositions, including works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestras.
“This residency will be an extraordinary experience for me,” says Amir, “But also for aspiring young musicians, whom I hope will be inspired and empowered to see the immense support for classical music in our community. The most important and enjoyable part of making music for me is working with other passionate musicians. With this title, I hope to bring together my generation of talented musicians.”
Amir Avsker, 2023 Young Artist in Residence. Photo: Christine Dong.
Amir will help create content for the station’s digital channels as well as perform on a future episode of Thursdays @ Three, hosted by Christa Wessel. He will work closely with pianist María García, All Classical Portland’s professional Artist in Residence.
2023 YOUNG ARTIST AMBASSADORS!
First launched in 2019, All Classical Portland’s Young Artist in Residence program has continued to grow and flourish since its inception. In 2022, the station expanded its youth residency program with the first-of-its-kind Young Artist Ambassadors, building upon its commitment to serving youth regionally and across the country.
Now, the station is proud to announce a new cohort of Ambassadors for 2023:
18-year-old cellist and vocalist Catherine Hartrim-Lowe
The Artists in Residence program provides young and professional musicians with opportunities for career advancement, creative development, and audience exposure. The program is a part of All Classical Portland’s initiatives dedicated to equity and inclusivity in the arts.
All Classical Portland is committed to supporting our Artists in Residence by providing them with new resources and opportunities to connect with audiences, expand their musical portfolio, and reach new creative heights as our partners, including:
Access to All Classical Portland’s recording facilities
Access to the station’s digital music archives for research and development
Encouragement and support for professional development as artists
A financial award to assist with projects and performances
We believe All Classical Portland’s Artists in Residence program is a truly unique and all-encompassing opportunity for musicians to grow, learn, and expand, and we are thrilled to continue the program after its successful inaugural years.
PAST ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Previous Young Artists in Residence include double bass player Maggie Carter (2022), pianist Natalie Tan (2020), and cellist Taylor Yoon (2019). The station named its first-ever Young Artist Ambassadors in 2022. The inaugural class of Ambassadors included violinist Noah Carr, flute player Diego Fernandez, oboist Ben Price, and violinist Nate Strothkamp. All Classical Portland’s previous professional Artists in Residence include concert pianist Hunter Noack (2019) and flutist Adam Eccleston (2020-2021).
All Classical Portland is proud to announce that the station has extended pianist María García‘s residency! In honor of Women’s History Month, she is shining a spotlight on five incredible composers.
What is history? Who has been in charge of telling these stories, and how have those choices shaped us? Stories are not created in a vacuum, and many facets help create a complete narrative. Yet traditional books often paint a monochromatic portrait that focuses on a slim portion of the population. For example, throughout the history of Western music, women (and many other groups) have been underrepresented and seen as second-class citizens in a world where they did not create the rules.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I would like to share five “must listen to” women composers. All Classical Portland’s Artist Residency has given me an opportunity to bring focus to my art, and a top priority throughout my residency has been to highlight women composers, both living and deceased.
As I research women composers, I’ve often asked myself, “Is the past relevant to our present, and what is our responsibility to it as performers?” None of the books I studied at conservatory talked of women composers, especially those of the past. I have never composed a single piece of music, and my interest doesn’t lie in that realm, so my career as a performer has aligned more with the general role given to women throughout the ages – that of muse and recreator of mostly male art.
When we think of the most commonly known women composers, names such as Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Maria Anna Mozart come to mind. These women lived, to varying degrees, in the shadows of men. Clara was able to compose and tour as a performer, but after Robert’s death, she chose to dedicate herself to curating his music, performing, and teaching. Fanny Mendelssohn couldn’t publish her own works and instead had to publish under her brother’s name. And what of Maria Anna Mozart, who was said to be equally talented to her brother Wolfgang, yet no scores survive?
This month, I honor the tenacity and incredible talent of women whose shoulders we stand on by spotlighting a few women composers who have both been overlooked and are leading the way into the future.
Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)
Emilie Luise Friderica Mayer was a German composer who began her serious compositional study relatively late in life, at age 28, after the death of her father. She composed eight symphonies, seven symphonic overtures, eight violin sonatas, twelve cello sonatas, seven string quartets, six piano trios, a piano concerto, and an opera, among other works. Mayer is believed to not only have been the first woman to write a romantic symphony but also the most prolific German woman composer of the Romantic era. Yet, only a few of her pieces have been published. Most remain in their original handwritten form, making it difficult for groups to play her music. In addition to composing, Mayer was also a gifted sculptor whose works are featured in collections around Europe.
Below is one of her beautiful compositions for piano, violin, viola, and cello – Piano Quartet in G Major:
Mana-Zucca (1885-1981)
The daughter of Polish immigrants, American musician Mana-Zucca (born Augusta “Gussie” Zuckermann) was a child prodigy who began composing at an early age. At just eight years old, she is said to have performed Beethoven’s first piano concerto with the New York Symphony Orchestra. While some aspects of her earlier life have yet to be verified, we can safely say that the young musician took the world by storm.
Mana-Zucca had three distinct but interconnected careers: one as a concert pianist of great renown, one as a singer who performed leading roles in musical comedy, and one as a prolific composer. Her published works total approximately 400, including music for piano, orchestra, and voice. In addition, she also composed music for young students. Her most famous work is “I Love Life,” written in 1923 with lyrics by her husband, Irwin Cassel.
Below is one of her evocative works for solo piano, Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 27:
Elizabeth Maconchy (1907-1994)
Dame Elizabeth Violet Maconchy LeFanu was an Irish-English composer considered one of the finest composers from Great Britain. While enrolled at the Royal Conservatory of Music, she studied with Vaughn Williams, among others. Maconchy’s early compositions clearly show the influence of European composers, especially Bartók. In addition to her writing, Maconchy did much to improve the conditions of composers. She was elected Chair of the Composers Guild of Great Britain in 1959, a position she held for several years, and she was also President of the Society for the Promotion of New Music.
Maconchy produced over 200 works. Her cycle of thirteen string quartets, composed between 1932 and 1983, is regarded as the peak of her musical achievements and most distinctly shows her musical individuality. Music historian Anna Beer has contended that the composer “…loved the quartet form because it represented a debate, a dialectic between four balanced, individual, impassioned voices.”
Below is one of her earlier works, String Quartet No. 3:
Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915-1940)
Czech composer and conductor Vítězslava Kaprálová was born into a musical family. Her father was a composer, and her mother was a singer. She studied composition and conducting both at the Brno Conservatory and with Bohuslav Martinů in Prague. In 1946, in appreciation of her distinctive contribution to music, the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Arts awarded Kaprálová membership in memoriam. At the time, the honor had only been bestowed on 10 women out of the 648 members of the Academy.
Despite her untimely death at 25, Kaprálová created an impressive body of work. Kaprálová’s catalog includes art songs, works for solo piano, chamber music, and orchestral works. Much of her music was published during her lifetime and continues to be performed and recorded today.
My introduction to Kaprálová’s music came from this stunning performance of April Preludes, Op. 13 by my dear friend and powerhouse performer, Francine Kay, on her new album release, which is a must-listen item all on its own!
Johanny Navarro (b. 1992)
Puerto Rican composer Johanny Navarro is a rising dynamo. She has composed works for Boston Opera Collaborative, the American Harp Society, New World Symphony, Victory Players, and Coralia Vocal Ensemble. Navarro has an ample catalog of diverse work deeply rooted in Afro-Caribbean musical aesthetics, essentially in Puerto Rican musical culture. Moreover, her music has been presented in Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and France. Navarro’s opera, ¿Y los Pasteles? Ópera Jíbara en dos actos (And the cakes? Native Opera in two acts) was awarded the 2020 Discovery Grant from Opera Grants for Female Composers. She is currently a resident artist at the American Lyric Theater in New York.
Below is Navarro’s work for bassoon and tambourine, Plena Gritería para Fagot y Pandero. I hope to present in the near future, not playing the bassoon part but learning the hand drum part! Why not? It’s never too late to continue evolving and challenging myself as an artist.
On Thursdays @ Three on March 30, 2023, I will be performing a solo recital of music by women composers. Some of the composers above will be a part of the concert program, so be sure to tune in to the broadcast!
This post on women composers was only possible with the incredible research efforts of Sandra Mogensen and Erica Stipes of Piano Music She Wrote. Their directory is a great place to start if you’re looking for a thorough catalog of works by women composers throughout the ages.
– María García, All Classical Portland’s Artist in Residence
This post was edited by Rebecca Richardson, All Classical Portland’s Music Researcher & Digital Producer.
Arctic is a new release by Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing that asks questions, through music, about the effects of climate change on the Arctic region, and on the life that exists there. Ms. Hemsing, who grew up near the Arctic Circle, says “the Arctic is often misrepresented as stark and uninhabitable wasteland.” Yet Hemsing explains that “it’s a region of matchless beauty abounding in life, one that magically illustrates how all things cohere in fragile cycles.”
With new pieces by composers including Jacob Shea, Frode Fjellheim, and James Newton Howard, as well as Norwegian heroes of the past such as Ole Bull and Edvard Grieg, Arctic is a compelling compendium of musical ideas about a region that plays a vital role in the health of the entire planet.
Enjoy All Classical Portland’s Program Director John Pitman‘s conversation with Eldbjørg Hemsing below.
All Classical Portland is proud to share a diverse offering of music we love all year round. During Black History Month in February, we are shining a special spotlight on the extraordinary contributions to classical music by Black composers and performing artists. In this post, you’ll get to know some of the composers who will be featured in All Classical Portland’s programming this month and throughout the year.
Image courtesy of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
William Levi Dawson (1899-1990)
Composer and choral conductor William Levi Dawson was one of the most significant African American composers of the 20th century. While his formal studies primarily centered on classical music, he also immersed himself in jazz after moving to one of the country’s largest hubs for the genre – Chicago. Dawson played bass with renowned jazz performers such as Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines. Another integral element of Dawson’s music, African American folksong, was carried through from childhood. His arrangements of spirituals are as highly regarded as his original compositions.
Image courtesy of Indiana University Libraries Archives of African American Music and Culture Collections, No. SC 102
Undine Smith Moore (1904-1989)
Undine Smith Moore was an American composer and educator who primarily focused on writing choral and sacred works. Spirituals and Southern hymnody heavily influenced her compositional style. Among her many accomplishments was co-founding and co-directing Virginia State University’s Black Music Research Center, which brought leading Black musicians and lecturers to the campus.
Moore’s oratorio on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Scenes from the Life of a Martyr, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1981.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
George Walker (1922-2018)
George Walker was nothing short of a trailblazer and achieved considerable acclaim as a composer, concert pianist, and educator during his lifetime. His broad range of works, from large orchestral pieces to intimate songs for voice and piano, have been performed by virtually every major orchestra in the U.S. as well as abroad. His music was influenced by such classical heavy hitters as Debussy and Stravinsky, as well as Black musical idioms such as jazz, blues, and spirituals.
In 1996, Walker became the first African American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for music for his piece, Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra.
Image courtesy of Pan African Music
Emahoy Guèbrou (b. 1923)
Emahoy Guèbrou (born Yewubdar Guèbrou) is an Ethiopian composer and nun whose music has been highly influenced by her religious vocation. Throughout her career, Emahoy has used her music to benefit underprivileged children. The Emahoy Tsege Mariam Music Foundation, which provides music education to disadvantaged children, is financially supported by proceeds from Emahoy’s compositional copyrights. Emahoy fled to an Ethiopian Orthodox monastery in Jerusalem in 1984 to escape religious persecution in her home country. She still resides there today.
One of Emahoy’s works that will be featured in All Classical Portland’s programming is a piece for solo piano called Homesickness. The recording was performed by Sophie Lippert, All Classical Portland’s 2022 International Arts Correspondent.
Image courtesy of Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
David N. Baker (1931-2016)
American composer and jazz cellist David Baker’s colossal oeuvre of 2,000 works ranges from jazz compositions to symphonic works and film scores. Baker credits Charles Ives and Béla Bartók as significant compositional influences. In addition to his many musical scores, Baker is remembered as a pioneer in using the cello in jazz ensembles and collaborated with artists such as Quincy Jones and George Russell. His work as a jazz pedagogue resulted in 70 books on jazz improvisation, composition, arrangement, and other related topics.
In 1968, Baker founded the Jazz Studies department at Indiana University, the first of its kind in the U.S.
Image courtesy of Discogs
Samuel Akpabot (1932-2000)
Samuel Akpabot was a Nigerian composer and ethnomusicologist whose music blended Nigerian folk elements and Western classical style. Interestingly, Akpabot’s music was almost exclusively written for orchestra. His studies brought him to various institutions around the world, such as the Royal College of Music in London, the University of Ife in Nigeria, the University of Chicago, and Michigan State. During his tenure in the United States, Akpabot became known as a revered scholar of West African indigenous music.
Image courtesy of Cedille Records
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004)
The music of American composer and conductor Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson captures a rich blend of traditional Western techniques and American popular styles, such as blues and spirituals. In addition to his wide range of compositions, Perkinson is known for co-founding the Symphony of the New World in 1965, the first racially integrated orchestra in the U.S. Did you know that Coleridge Taylor Perkinson was named after British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor?
One of the pieces by Perkinson that will be played on air this month is Sonata for Flute and Piano, performed by Adam Eccleston and Monica Ohuchi. The piece was recently recorded and released on AMPLIFY, the inaugural album from All Classical Portland’s Recording Inclusivity Initiative (RII).
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)
Over the past several decades, Adolphus Hailstork has been commissioned by major ensembles across the U.S. to write pieces for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and opera. His music is described in the New Grove Dictionary of Music as “postmodern and pluralistic,” meaning Hailstork integrates a wide variety of contemporary compositional techniques, including references to Black musical idioms.
Notable honors for the composer include the Ernest Block award for choral composition in 1971, and in 1992, he was named Cultural Laureate of Virginia.
Image courtesy of Crossing Borders Music
Justinian Tamusuza (b. 1951)
Ugandan composer and educator Justinian Tamusuza has been recognized as one of the leading contemporary African composers of our time. Tamusuza’s Afro-European music blends Western classical and Ugandan traditional styles and techniques. To the new listener, his works might resemble American minimalism in their use of polyrhythms while still evoking the spirit of traditional African music. As an educator, Tamusuza has taught at Makerere University in Uganda and Northwestern University. He’s known for inspiring his students to follow his lead in drawing on their own rich cultural heritage when creating new compositions.
Photo by Rachel Hadiashar, courtesy of the composer’s website
Damien Geter
Damien Geter is a multifaceted artist known for his work as a composer, actor, and bass-baritone. Additionally, he currently serves as Interim Music Director & Artistic Advisor for Portland Opera and Artistic Advisor for Resonance Ensemble. Geter has established a unique position as a leading voice both in his role as a performer and in creating meaningful classical works. As a singer, Geter has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, and Portland Opera, among many others. In his writing, Geter focuses on issues around social justice by infusing classical music with styles from the Black diaspora. His body of work currently includes pieces for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and stage.
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 7:00 PM PT, All Classical Portland will air an encore broadcast of Damien Geter’s powerful An African American Requiem. The world premiere performance was simulcast by All Classical Portland and WQXR in May 2022 from the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and cohosted by Suzanne Nance and Terrance McKnight.
For further reading, we recommend checking out some of All Classical Portland’s previous posts highlighting Black composers:
Thank you to KPTV Fox 12 Oregon host Tony Martinez for having All Classical Portland radio host Christa Wessel on Show and Tell with Tony, during Good Day Oregon!
The interview was filmed at All Classical Portland’s station. It features Christa sharing her French horn, which sparked her passion for music at an early age.
Sophie Lippert, concert pianist and All Classical Portland’s International Arts Correspondent, is currently living in Tel Aviv, Israel. In this edition of Musician Abroad, she takes us on a journey through Tel Aviv’s live music scene.
Moving from Portland to Tel Aviv has been an incredible experience. I’ve immersed myself in Israeli society—seeking out sights and sounds, flavors and tastes, places and spaces that have helped me engage with local culture and community.
One of the things that’s been most rewarding has been harnessing my background as a pianist and cellist to forge connections, make new friends, and expand my sensory horizons.
A stellar line-up of jazz musicians grace the stage at Shablul Jazz Club, during a night honoring women in music. Featuring Chen Levy (vocals), Hila Kolik (piano), Anbar Paz (bass), Hadar Noiberg (flute), and David Sirkis (drums).
Over the year I’ve been in Tel Aviv, I’ve been lucky enough to pursue several different paths of musical exploration:
Learning, recording, and performing music written by Israeli female composers,
Playing at several events in Israel, and collaborating with fabulous area musicians,
Attending a unique array of concerts, and reveling in the local live music scene.
In my last blog post as All Classical Portland’s International Arts Correspondent, I’m excited to paint a colorful picture of my recent musical high points, focusing on the three areas above.
1. Learning Music by Israeli Female Composers
Let’s rewind for a moment to March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic first began affecting Portland and my world. My performing career was temporarily suspended, and I was forced to cancel all upcoming shows in my concert series, Connections Concerts. I knew I needed to pivot my focus away from collaborative music, and toward solo projects for the foreseeable future. At that time, I took on two big musical projects: recording my first solo piano album, Time Travel, and revamping my repertoire while devoting myself to learning music written by female composers.
It turns out that I quite like playing music written by women and feel especially passionate about sharing music that’s not already in the common classical music vernacular. There are SO many great pieces that have rarely (if ever!) been performed and recorded. I find it a tremendous honor—and hugely exciting—to bring these underexposed composers and pieces to the ears of new listeners.
Sophie performs a line-up of repertoire by female composers at The Old Church in Portland.
Now, let’s fast-forward to late 2021. Upon arriving in Tel Aviv, jetlagged and navigating serious culture shock, I began to research Israeli female composers. I didn’t know exactly what might manifest with these new pieces, but I DID know it felt like an important and powerful way to forge connections with Israeli culture, and the local music scene.
I threw myself into the process, digging deep into the archives at the Israeli Music Library, contacting individual composers whose music intrigued me, and requesting score samples. Eventually, I ended up purchasing over 50 pages worth of sheet music, all written by Israeli women over the course of the last 50 years. And then, the fun really started: learning this magnificent music!
Sophie’s practice nook in her Tel Aviv apartment, overlooking the city skyline. Not too shabby!
From start to culmination, it’s been an utter joy. I’ve been in contact with two of the composers whose music I’ve learned, Na’ama Tamir Kaplan and Lotti Amit-Kalev, and it’s been great to correspond and exchange support and camaraderie. The learning process itself has been rich and rewarding, playing repertoire that’s never previously been recorded means I have the opportunity to develop a truly personal relationship with the music. I’m freed from referencing other interpretations, or feeling like I have to “match up” to tempos, phrasings, or other artistic decisions made by other pianists. Talk about freeing—and a bit intimidating, too!
I also deeply appreciate how much this Israeli music feels firmly of this place. Though each of the composers whose libraries I’ve explored have different ways of manifesting the cultural ethos here, I find them all beautifully representative of the complexity, color, vibrancy, and perpetual dance of contrasts that I experience in Israeli people and places. There is abrasiveness and intensity, alongside hearts of gold; an embrace of individualism, along with an orientation toward community and family. The music I’ve learned this year reflects all that, and more: it leans in to tension, and celebrates resolution; it doesn’t shy away from challenging dissonance and chord structures, while also finding places to release into blissful harmonic terrain.
During her trip back to Portland this summer, Sophie spent a fabulous summer afternoon performing live on All Classical Portland’s Thursdays at Three program.
When I traveled back to Portland this summer, I had the tremendous joy of performing a handful of my favorite Israeli pieces on All Classical Portland’s Thursdays at Three, hosted by Christa Wessel! During the month of October, I rented a beautiful Steinway at the Ra’anana Music Center, hired a stellar audio engineer, and recorded 22 minutes worth of repertoire by three different composers: Na’ama Tamir Kaplan, Lotti Amit-Kalev, and Sarah Feigin. I’m proud to share that the culmination of those efforts is a brand new EP titled Seaside, which is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms!
All set up for recording at Ra’anana Music Center, an amazing venue and music education center just north of Tel Aviv.
Learning this fantastic music by Israeli women was a highlight of my year; sharing it with a new audience is an even greater honor and joy.
2. Playing Music in Tel Aviv
During my time in Tel Aviv, my career as a professional pianist has been decidedly humble. I’ve performed in intimate venues and settings, rather than on big stages; my endeavors have been as a solo or small-group musician, rather than as a performer with an orchestra or a larger group of collaborators.
But there’s been no lack of richness. I’ve loved having the opportunity to perform in a slew of different settings. And, each time I’ve played live this past year, there’s been a guiding force: the desire to use my music to connect with individuals, families, or local communities.
Sophie performs live at a secret dinner party at a funky art gallery in Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv.
I performed at a pop-up “Secret Dinner Party.” Local entrepreneur Charlotte Rehov stands at the helm of this brilliant endeavor. She finds different unusual venues around town, and invites small groups of people to eat an amazing 4-course meal, drink delicious wine, meet new friends, and hear music by a live musician. The evening I came and serenaded her attendees, the dinner took place at a wild and whimsical local gallery, which was covered floor-to-ceiling with bright art prints. I delighted in providing acoustic ambiance to the evening, and spoke to the group about the power of connection through music. What a treat!
I performed at a birthday party. A serendipitous conversation with a new friend led me to land this gig in central Israel, where a family of 20+ lively Israelis gathered to celebrate their matriarch’s 60th birthday. The family knew of her deep love for the cello, and so they hired me to play a small concert to kick off their festivities. The whole evening was absolutely memorable—especially when the matriarch was blindfolded, paraded in, seated directly in front of me, and then invited to take off her blindfold when I started playing a selection from Bach’s G Major Suite for Solo Cello. She was overcome with emotion for the entirety of my 40-minute set, and the group whooped and hollered with appreciation each time I finished a song. As an encore, I ended up taking a number of requests, and the whole room sang along with their favorite songs from musicals and pop culture. Again: what an opportunity to deepen in connection! I emerged with cherished memories.
I collaborated with a new friend, in support of an EP release of her original compositions. This was a particularly special experience for me, as it afforded me the chance to expand my musical horizons in several noteworthy ways:
My classical music training has led me to hold myself to a very high standard of playing; I rarely give myself space to free myself from perfectionism, and be unencumbered by expectations for “how things should sound.” Here, I was encouraged to be as messy and imperfect as possible, and it allowed me to create in a vastly different way than I usually do. My intuitive, improvisatory side was given a chance to soar!
I’m used to recording being a very formal and technical experience: working with high-caliber engineers in established recording studios, working out take after take with impeccably-tuned acoustics. Here, we were recording in the living room of an open-air home in Pardes Hanna—an Israeli city known for its support of alternative lifestyles and connection to nature—with an engineer who offered us fresh lychee fruits from his yard in between takes. Yes, please!
As a performing pianist, I often find myself “front and center”; asked to carry a full piece—or a full concert!—myself. Here, as a “back-up musician,” I had the privilege of playing a supporting role to someone else’s brilliance—and boy, was it a treat. I love using my instrument to weave a particular musical texture into a mix; to create one layer of many, that complements and enhances a musical vision.
I collaborated with a local violinist, and learned some gorgeous new duets! In late Spring, after a few months of settling in to my new Israeli life, I began itching to make music in a more traditional chamber music setting. Shyly, I posted in one of Tel Aviv’s most popular Facebook groups—introducing myself and putting out a call for musicians—and I received over 100 responses! A number of collaborative relationships emerged, including one with a fantastic local violinist, Eva, who shares both my musical ethos (an orientation toward inclusivity, innovation, connection, and eschewing convention in favor of fun!), and my passion for female composers. We had a blast sight-reading through a book filled with fantastic music written by women, and then settled on four pieces to really dig in with: music by Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger, and Dora Pejacevic. The culmination of our efforts? A “Salon-style” performance, which we video recorded in my living room—featuring the looming skyline of Tel Aviv in the background. Forging this connection was a delight; Eva and I instantly meshed (both as players, and humans!), and our musical communication felt effortless. And in my book, there’s nothing better than playing great repertoire with a performer who listens keenly, is deeply expressive and responsive, and genuinely loves the process. Pure joy!
Sophie rehearses a program of fantastic music by female composers with violinist Eva Fabian.
3. Concerts and Live Music in Tel Aviv
The live music scene in Israel is vibrant, lively, eclectic, and community-oriented. Electronic clubs feature DJs every night (and all night!); pop bands draw large, raucous, dedicated crowds; folk and religious music plays a part in every national holiday, all of which are drawn from the Jewish calendar. There are several areas I’d like to shine a spotlight on:
Classical Music: The local classical music scene consists of well-established and high-caliber ensembles and musicians. The two largest established organizations are the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israeli Opera, both of which are based in Tel Aviv; there are also several excellent early music groups, modern classical ensembles, and both traditional and innovative chamber music festivals and subscription-based series. A local and personal favorite is Orit Wolf’s On A Personal Note, which is housed at the stunning Tel Aviv Art Museum and features Wolf in collaboration with a fabulously diverse array of musicians. At one concert I attended, Wolf showcased a fiery and irresistible percussion ensemble, played a version of Bach’s Prelude in C accompanied by a handpan drum, and even got the whole audience clapping along to an unusual ⅞ time signature! Wolf narrates each themed concert with warm and welcoming dialogue, sitting with her guest musicians and conducting quasi-interviews during and after songs.
Orit Wolf performs at the Tel Aviv Art Museum with multi-instrumentalist Doron Raphaeli and the innovative percussion/movement ensemble Tararam.
Jazz music: The jazz music scene in Tel Aviv is robust, variable, and vitalizing. There are medium-sized jazz clubs that feature touring acts and more “mainstream” sound; Shablul Jazz, for example, is a dinner and drinks venue that feels like it could be equally at home in London or Nashville! There are smaller clubs, like the beloved Beit Ha’amudim, that feature exclusively local acts and a strong emphasis on inventive, improvisatory, convention-eschewing, boundary-pushing “free jazz.”
Saxophone player Eyal Talmudi leads musicians Nitai Hershkovits and Rejoicer in an intimate, colorful show at Beit Ha’amudim Jazz Club.
And then, there are the surprise outliers. The most memorable musical experience I had this year took place at a hidden gem of a venue, the Yung Yiddish Library, housed in Tel Aviv’s cavernous and mazelike bus station. Finding the venue was adventure enough (I wove through many a dark and winding hallway before discovering an unassuming door with a vaguely recognizable sound of clarinet wafting out); upon entering, I found myself in a space featuring well-worn Persian rugs, a strange assortment of mismatched furniture, a crowded and chaotic stage area (featuring, among other things, a huge Merry-Go-Round horse), and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with Yiddish books. The first concert I attended was more of a klezmer music workshop—so, after a short performance featuring a pianist, percussionist, clarinet player, attendees were invited to sing or play along for a few hours more of music. To pair with the music? Homemade local sweet treats and shots of hard liquor, or course! A few months later, I was lucky enough to catch Israeli’s beloved Nigun Quartet at Yung Yidish; this stellar jazz group generally plays at larger venues, so seeing them in such an intimate setting was a rare treat. Nigun Quartet is one of Israel’s best representations of a marriage of solid modern jazz in marriage with musical tropes influenced by klezmer music; their original compositions all weave in traditional Israeli sounds and melodies, and their leader—a tall, charismatic clarinet player—can really rip!
Nigun Quartet performs a dynamic jazz-meets-klezmer set at Yung Yiddish Library, Tel Aviv.
Street music: The street music scene is another vital and exciting part of the Israeli musical environment. On evenings and weekends, the busy Tel Aviv promenade is filled with local street performers; they sometimes collect modest crowds, and other times merely attract the attention of passerby’s who pause and listen for a few moments before continuing their beachside walks or runs. Since I walk the promenade nearly every day, I’ve come to recognize a handful of the most regular players: the handpan drum player, who accompanies himself with a boxy cajon drum, and uses looping to enhance and expand his sound; a peppy 20something colloquially known as “The Sunflower Girl” (due to the vase of sunflowers she always places next to her when she plays), with a killer voice and an uncanny ability to “shred” on her electric guitar; a saxophone player, who rips and roars over background jazz tracks that he broadcasts through an accompanying loudspeaker; a guitar duo who play American rock classics, weaving in beautiful instrumental and vocal harmonies. And on Saturday mornings, a quartet of four endearing old chaps play schmaltzy classical “greatest hits” without amplification of any type—in accordance with traditional rules of not using technology on the Sabbath.
Along with regular fixtures, live music abounds on weekends and local holidays, and there have been many occasions in which I’ve stumbled unexpectedly upon a show in neighborhood parks and cafes. The fact that the weather is generally sunny and hospitable all year round certainly helps cultivate a vibrant, ongoing street music scene.
Ran Shinar and friends perform a set of classic and modern jazz outside the Jaffa Cafe on a small street front just south of Tel Aviv.
To Close: Reflection, and Gratitude
Even before moving from Portland to Tel Aviv, I knew I had a strong desire to connect with Israeli culture through the avenue I love most: music! I’m so pleased that I’ve found so many fantastic, fruitful opportunities for exploration.
By learning music written by Israeli women, performing live at a slew of memorable events, and attending live concerts with local musicians, both my musical and connective cups have been filled way up.
On a personal note: I’ve also deeply appreciated the opportunity to connect with YOU, the All Classical Portland community. From sharing a program of Israeli music on Thursdays at Three in July, to taking over the station’s social media channels, to sharing pictures and stories on the Arts Blog, it’s been an immense joy to travel with you this year. I can’t thank you enough for joining me on my Tel Aviv adventures, and I can’t wait to share music and words with you again—from wherever that may be!
Until the next time: many well-wishes from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
A beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean Sea, with the Old City of Jaffa peeking out in the distance. What amazing beauty this country contains—in music, nature, and community alike.
On the January 8, 2023 episode of Sunday Brunch, host Suzanne Nance put out the call: what is YOUR word for 2023? The responses poured in, and we are so pleased to share some of these inspiring words from YOU, our listeners!
What’s your word for 2023? Gather inspiration below!
Thank you to KOIN-TV 6 and Portland’s CW host Ashley Howard for welcoming International Children’s Arts Network (ICAN) host Sarah Zwinklis and Metropolitan Youth Symphony (MYS) Music Director and All Classical Portland host Raúl Gómez-Rojas on Everyday Northwest. Sarah and Raúl talked about The Magic of Eric Carle, a collaborative concert event on January 8, 2023, featuring narrations by All Classical Portland hosts, live orchestral music performed by MYS, and a screenings of animations by Illuminated Films.
All Classical Portland and ICAN are proud Media Sponsors of The Magic of Eric Carle.
LISTEN ON ICAN!
Enjoy recent recordings from The Magic of Eric Carle on ICANradio.org! Join us Monday, January 30 – Friday, February 3, 2023, at 5:00 PM PT to hear one of Carle’s iconic stories per day, narrated by some of your favorite All Classical Portland and ICAN hosts.
Jan. 30th – I See A Song – Narrated by Christa Wessel
Jan. 31st – Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me – Narrated by Christa Wessel
Feb. 1st – The Very Quiet Cricket – Narrated by Sarah Smith
Feb. 2nd – The Mixed-Up Chameleon – Narrated by Adam Eccleston
Feb. 3rd – The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Narrated by Sarah Zwinklis
