György Ligeti - Mysteries of the Macabre - 2015

A fantastic piece. I'm not sure they needed the gimmick, but I suppose it wouldn't have been the same if the soprano was standing there in a stiff black gown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmCmrZfybPQ#t=23

Baroque Guitar, Viola, Harpsichord Concert Jan 27, 8:00 PM, St Thomas University

This concert will be held at St Mary's chapel on St Paul Campus of St Thomas University, Sat., Feb 7, at 8 PM.  Dr. Chris Kachian is the head of the Guitar Studies program at St. Thomas University and is a truly world-class performer.  The concert will also include historical background provided by art historian Michelle Nordtorp-Madison.  Highly recommended!  Feel free to contact Ray Artz (ray.e.artz@gmail.com, 612-616-0788) for more info.  Here is the announcement from Chris Kachian:

The annual St. Paul Seminary concert of Baroque music is here again (see attachment). This year, we have a Baroque violist, Jerry Gaul, playing an astounding sounding 17th Century viola. Among other hits, Jerry and I will be doing the area premiere of Vivaldi's double concerto for viola and guitar written in 1722. David Jenkins will be performing an exquisite piece by Buxtehude on our newly donated harpsichord built by Kevin Fryer.

Music events January 17-19

Here is more information about the music events I mentioned Monday night.

Saturday, January 17:
3:30-6:00 Contratopia plays for a waltz session at the Tapestry Folk Dance Center
7:30-11:00 Contratopia plays for a contra dance at Tapestry
http://tapestryfolkdance.org/

Sunday, January 18:
2:00 Contratopia plays a house concert in Minneapolis.
Email me for for the host's contact information. Suggested donation is $15.

2:00 Aaron Miller plays live organ accompaniment to Charlie Chaplin's "City Lights."
House of Hope Presbyterian Church, 797 Summit Avenue, free.
http://www.hohchurch.org/

7:30-9:30 Duo Borealis plays at Dunn Brothers in Saint Paul
1569 Grand Avenue, no cover charge.
http://dunnbros.com/

Monday, January 19
7:00 Don Julin and Billy Strings play at the Dakota Jazz Club, $20.
http://www.dakotacooks.com/

Duo Borealis (Lou & Dotty) Performances in January

Baby it's cold outside. But it's warm in here! Get out of the house and enjoy some classical mandolin duos performed by Lou Chouinard and Dotty Coffey.

On Sunday, January 18th, we are performing at Dunn Brothers on Grand Avenue in St. Paul from 7:30-9:30 pm.

On Saturday, January 31st, we are performing at Trotters Bakery and Cafe 232 Cleveland Ave N in St. Paul from 6:00-8:00 PM

Hope to see you all there!

Music for December 15

I put Veni Emmanuel, Dona Nobis Pacem, and my trill exercise on the play list for December 15. If you need parts, follow the links on the MMO schedule page.

Wow

At Guitar Center today (11/30) they are selling new Rogue brand mandolins for $39.99. 

IMSLP: free classical scores

Here is a link to thousands of free classical scores, all in the public domain:

http://imslp.org/

which stands for International Music Score Library Project.  Lots of useful stuff here.

Guitar-Cello Concert Nov 19 St Thomas University (St Paul)

If anyone wants advice about parking, I'll do my best to be helpful (or you can look for a map at http://www.stthomas.edu/)

-Ray: ray.e.artz@gmail.com, 612-616-0788

Arpeggione Duo to present guitar and cello 10^th

anniversary concert Nov. 19 at St. Thomas library

Christopher Kachian and Thomas Schönberg will perform at the O’Shaughnessy-Fry Library Center. It’s free and all are welcome.

St. Paul, Minn.  --  The Arpeggione Duo of guitarist Dr. Christopher Kachian and cellist Dr. Thomas Schönberg will perform a 7 p.m. concert Wednesday, Nov. 19, in the Great Hall, located on the second floor of O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center on the St. Paul campus of the University of St. Thomas.

The duo’s 10^th anniversary concert is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served. For information call(651) 962-5014.

They will perform the French Suite in G major by J.S. Bach, another French suite by Gabriel Faure and Maurice Ravel, and Hello Cello by Claude Gagnon. The duo also will premier a new work they commissioned: Campfire Songsby Michael Karmon.

The evening’s program is the same one the duo will perform on a November concert tour in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.

Schönberg and Kachian, who are educators as well as performers, formed the Arpeggione Duo after meeting at the Guitar Festival of Sollentuna, Sweden, in 2004.  They tour annually and have recorded four albums.

Schönberg is a native of Sweden and was accepted to the Royal Music Academy of Stockholm at age 13.  He received his doctorate at the University of Hartford, Conn., and is dean of the Lidingo School of Music in Sweden. He performs throughout Europe, Asia and the United States on a cello made around 1715 by Guarneri filius.

Kachian, whose doctorate is from the University of Minnesota, heads the Guitar Studies Program at St. Thomas and in 2011 was inducted into the renowned Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity. A champion of new music, he has commissioned and premiered more than 40 works for guitar. He has given more than 500 performances in Japan, China, Africa, Cuba, Costa Rica, Peru and throughout Europe and North America.

Kachian is a founding member of the Society for the Affectation of Baroque Music and also plays the blues harmonica.

Contacts: Jim Winterer, News Service

(651) 962-6404  jcwinterer@stthomas.edu
Julie Kimlinger, O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center

(651) 962-5014  jakimlinger@stthomas.edu

The Arpeggione Duo

The Arpeggione Duo presents a new and rare sound, that of two of the most ancient string instruments, the cello and the guitar.

The Arpeggione Duo marries the old with the new in its programs of music written in the 17th century to the present day. They specialize in elegant and evocative concert renditions and interpretations of folkloric musics of the world. Melding art music with the “music of the people” comprises the conviction of the Arpeggione Duo: to render the music of all composers, be they ancient or a in a premiere of a commission, accessible and to synchronize it all into an enjoyable event.

Both performers have decades-long world touring experience on every continent, hold doctorates in their instruments and are long time pedagogues but this is not their persona. Thomas and Chris are performers who project meaning by “narrating” with their approach to interpretation. Audiences regularly comment on how engaged they are with both the performance and the performers. 

July 7 upstairs

We'll be rehearsing upstairs on July 7. When you go in the front door, go up the stairway and assemble in the large room upstairs. Another group will be in the room we usually use.

Free Rene Izquierdo In Concert Friday May 9

Many of you may recall Rene from the 2013 CMSA convention in Minneapolis.  Here's an opportunity to take in a free concert at the UofM.

5-6pm at the Lloyd Ultan Recital Hall - Ferguson Hall

More info here: https://events.umn.edu/031456