latest posts
Sergei Taneyev: Music / Stalactities
The legendary Irina Arkhipova is found here in great form singing Sergei Taneyev’s “Music” and “Stalactites” from a 1971 concert comprised entirely of Taneyev’s compositions.
Marquis Hill plays “My Foolish Heart”
Having mastered hip hop, hard bop, free form and everything in between, Marquis Hill is one of the heaviest hitting cats on the jazz scene in America. Hill has made a name for himself as one of the most gifted trumpeters around, winning the Thelonious Monk Trumpet Competition in 2014. After listening to Mr. Blier and Ms. Bennett perform some jazz classics in Orient so inspiringly, I was reminded of all the times I have been lucky enough to hear Marquis and his Blacktet play in Chicago.
Tchaikovsky: Yeletzky’s Aria
Style, ease, grace, beauty, power and a wonderful reminder that perhaps perfection is attainable.
![Ted Hearne: [EXPLOSIVE HAZARD]](https://nyfos.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ted-hearne-explosive-hazard.jpg)
Ted Hearne: [EXPLOSIVE HAZARD]
A little over a year ago, transgender Americans were granted the right to serve openly as such in the U.S. Military. This was a decision that allowed an estimated 2,500 people the freedom to be themselves. Following the repeal of this decree four days ago, I felt it necessary to share just one more selection by Ted Hearne.
Ted Hearne: Letter to my father
Today’s selection comes from Ted Hearne’s 2015 composition Coloring Book. He describes the work as such: “I set the words of three great black American writers of different generations (Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Claudia Rankine) in texts dealing with identity, not because I could ever pretend to speak for them, but because I wanted to know: Could I better understand their words by speaking them in my own voice?
Ted Hearne: Kanye West 9.2.05
In a search for understanding how people with the power to do good choose evil, I turned to music—particularly the music of Ted Hearne.
NYFOS@North Fork: Day 5
When I planned “Red, White, and Blues” I thought I was making a light summer entertainment: 10 French songs, 10 American songs, encore, done. A pitcher of musical sangria. Then I started working on the program, and got a little carried way with visions of sugarplums. “Wouldn’t it be great to do the aria from ‘Mme Chrysanthème’? Gosh, this is the time everyone needs to hear ‘Awaiting You’! Oh, we’re by the water, we should do ‘J’attends un navire’!” The result is that my light repast is more like a five-course meal catered by Lutèce.
NYFOS@North Fork: Day 4
Thursday is the last day I can really work on the songs and push the cast to take risks. On Friday our water breaks as we do our first work-through. Reassurance is the name of the game. On Saturday, contractions start as we have our dress rehearsal. We retreat to our corners. And we deliver the baby on Sunday.
NYFOS@North Fork: Day 3
Unlike some coaches I’ve observed, I don’t tend to start my work by manipulating the surface of the music. Sure, I can be a maniac on the first day about language, because those kinds of errors do need to be nipped in the bud. They take days to repair. But I try not to pick away at musical minutia at the beginning.
NYFOS@North Fork: Day 2
Tuesday would normally be a day to lean a bit harder on the artists so that we could coast towards the weekend. But I proceeded with caution. You don’t push singers when they’re tired.
NYFOS@North Fork: Day 1
The first day of a project is always fraught with excitement and fear and questions—how prepared will everyone be? Is this program any good? Will all my practicing hang in there in the heat of the moment, or am I going to be a total klutz? But this year’s NYFOS@North Fork residency had more unknowns than usual because I’d hired two people I didn’t really know.
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul: Waving through a Window
The one and only time I’ve ever enjoyed (let alone paid attention to) NYC taxi cab t.v. was I saw a clip of this song last December. “On the outside, always looking in, will I ever be more than I’ve always been?” As artists, we’ve all felt these feelings, to one degree or another. If I could go back in time, and perform a role in musical theater, Evan Hansen would be my choice.
Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On
With all due respect to the song I was planning to post, Alison Krauss’ beautiful rendition of the Beatles “I Will,” I felt compelled to instead share Marvin Gaye’s 1971 chart-topper, due to the events of this past week (and month, and year…).
Franz Schubert: Nacht und Träume
Sheer perfection. All I ever wanted as a singer was to have even 50% of her breath control.
Dan Fogelberg: Leader of the Band
I’ve now spent equal time on this planet with my father as I have without him. I don’t even know if he liked this song. But since he’s been gone, these lyrics have always reminded me of his tenderness, his love of music, and his unfulfilled dreams.