Roberto Sierra:  Décimas

Roberto Sierra: Décimas

Tonight’s American premiere of Roberto Sierra’s composition 33 Sueños will be quite an epic musical journey. I have also really enjoyed listening to some of his vocal music for soprano, so here is the cycle Décimas. It is lyrical and beautiful, playful and stylistic....

Hyphenated-Americans

In late 2017, Michael and I were busy trying to finalize the 2018–2019 NYFOS season. We had settled on the W. C. Handy project, and we were thinking about celebrating a famous poet on a later evening. (That poet turned out to be García Lorca, featured in our April 24...
Maurice Ravel:  Asie

Maurice Ravel: Asie

When I think of of exquisite writing for the voice and absolute masterful orchestration, I always think of this piece. For me this is the way to write for voice and orchestra. Absolute care about the registers, and the way Ravel keeps the balances has not been...
Joan Baez:  Where have all the flowers gone

Joan Baez: Where have all the flowers gone

For my generation the memory of the Viet Nam War is not just a matter of history; the Viet Nam war is still vivid in our minds. As a young man I remember the horrors of this conflict, one that nobody really comprehended, yet millions had to go and fight not knowing if...
Carlos Gardel:  El día que me quieras

Carlos Gardel: El día que me quieras

The inimitable Carlos Gardel was known throughout the world as the leading tango singer during the 1930’s. “El día que me quieras” (“The day you will love me”) is not a tango, but since its debut in 1935 this Latin American jewel became inseparable to the voice and...