Insider interview with bassoonist Frank Morelli

Bassoonist Frank Morelli's sixth solo album "From the Soul" is released on February 20, 2026 on Musica Solis (MS202602). The collection features works by Wynton Marsalis, Dominick Argento, Lori Laitman, Jeff Scott, and Nirmali Fenn. We spoke to him about his incredible career as a soloist and teacher, career highlights, technical aspects about the bassoon and more.

What are the challenges and rewards of playing the bassoon as a solo instrument? 

My guiding principal as a bassoonist is that the bassoon is my voice-not a machine. The range of the instrument is three octaves and a fifth. That’s forty four pitches, or half the span of the piano keyboard! To put it another way, my bassoon voice spans from just below the standard range of a bass singer through the baritone and tenor voices and into a good deal of the alto range. My goal is to bring out the bassoon’s best expressive qualities throughout.

Beyond these facts, the instrument lends itself to a vocal style of playing. The bassoon is a double reed instrument with a conical bore. As a result, the variety of tone colors and characters available to me is rather infinite. My goal has always been to summon as many different sounds out of the bassoon as possible, and the repertoire presented in “From the Soul” offers me that opportunity. My previous album on the Musica Solis label, “An die Musik,” was my statement of gratitude for a lifetime in music. The title track, of the same name, is literally Schubert’s paean to our beloved artform. Schumann’s “Dichterliebe” afforded me the opportunity to emulate great lieder singing. Although the words themselves are not heard in my instrumental version, I endeavor to portray the flow found in the elocution and meaning of the words as if I were singing them. Brahms’ masterful Cello Sonata in E minor challenged me to bring that vocal approach to an instrumental work not originally intended for the bassoon.

One of the album's tracks is written by Wynton Marsalis. Some music lovers know Marsalis as a jazz trumpet player and composer. How does Marsalis’ jazz background manifest in Meelaan? How do you approach his compositional style? 

Wynton Marsalis is a great musician, one of the greatest, period. Earlier in his career he performed many great solo works from the “classical repertoire” at the highest artistic level. I have played several of his orchestral and chamber music compositions that combine the jazz and “classical” worlds and I’ve also had the good fortune to play as an orchestral ensemble member backing him up at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He can do it all, and when writing a piece such as Meeelaan, he exhibits his ability to bring these worlds together. Wynton’s writing expects you to “turn on a dime.” The interpreter must recognize that the composer is expecting the performer to shift fluidly from one idiom to the next. Those styles run the gamut of possibilities within the jazz idiom and contemporary “classical” style. The Callisto Quartet members and I took great care in identifying these different styles and embodying them as they came our way. In my early days I played the tenor saxophone. I was by no means a jazz musician. That would imply a level of ability beyond me. However, in that period of my life I did gain experience performing popular standards in a style that I felt comfortable bringing to the bassoon. In this work, my approach to sound, articulation, bending notes, vibrato, etc. are definitely related to my years on the saxophone, which, by the way, I gave up several decades ago!

A career as a professional bassoonist is a rare and unlikely achievement. You’ve performed with major orchestras and chamber ensembles, and performed on over 190 albums, including your six solo albums.

When you were starting out, what did you imagine your career path to be?  Can you name a couple of career highlights? 

Countless unexpected and amazing opportunities have come my way since early in my musical journey. To make a very long story short, I was introduced to the saxophone, my first love, at the age of 10 through the Massapequa (LI, NY) public school music program. Five years later the bassoon came into my life when my high school band director, Robert Martin, asked if I wanted to give an old relic from the band room closet a try. That unexpected opportunity, offered to me 60 years ago, turned out to be career highlight number one. It would eventually open doors to an entirely different world than I would have ever experienced, either personally or professionally, literally filled with career highlights! 

My first target for a career in music was to become a high school band director, like my band director. I started out after high school in the fall of 1969 at a state school, Fredonia, outside of Buffalo, NY, majoring in music ed. In my first year there I decided that in order to be the best band director possible I needed to be the best musician and bassoonist I could be. With that purpose in mind I was able to transfer to the Manhattan School of Music in NYC, still thinking the music ed was my future. That all changed when I had the life-altering good fortune to study bassoon with Stephen Maxym-career highlight number two. Under his mentorship my horizons changed drastically, as my eyes were opened to unthought-of possibilities. 

While an MSM student I auditioned for and was accepted into a NYC training orchestra, the National Orchestral Association. The conductor and director, Leon Barzin selected me to perform the Mozart Bassoon Concerto in Carnegie Hall in December 1973-yet another highlight. It is amazing to think that in the late fall of 1968 I had been given stage seats, along the with rest of our high school AP German Class, to hear a performance by the renowned baritone Dietrich Fischer Dieskau singing German lieder. It was absolutely unimaginable that five years later I would sit close to where he stood and perform as a soloist with orchestra! And perhaps fifteen years after that I would record the Mozart Concerto with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for the Deutsche Grammophon label. Yet another highlight. I travelled the world with Orpheus, appearing as a soloist in Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to name a few, and we recorded more than fifty CDs. I played many concerts with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for over thirty years and even performed at the Whitehouse for the final State Dinner of the Clinton presidency. I’ll stop there, but I am grateful for an incredibly full life as a musician.

In addition to your life as a performer, you've taught generations of bassoonists, many of whom have gone on to successful careers of their own. What advice would you give to an aspiring professional bassoonist? 

Many of my students are active in all areas of the music profession. I am grateful if I played some part in helping them along their way. My advice is this:

• There is no doubt that the path is difficult and uncertain. Remember that the road to success is through self-improvement. Think of excellence as a journey up a pyramid with steps or ledges leading to the top. As one climbs higher, by definition there will be fewer people to be found. The effort is worth it. 

• For the most part, the world of music is the example of the ideal society. Human beings from all backgrounds come together with appreciation for each other’s contributions. In the course of one rehearsal or performance we are called upon as both leaders and team players with a common goal - to work together to make beautiful things happen. It is worth the effort to live within this rarified, rewarding society. 

• Your instrument is your voice. Develop it and your musical understanding in order to say what you want to say. 

• The world is ever changing, seek opportunity where ever you find it. Create your own opportunities. In this world of the internet and social media there is no excuse not to be connected.

In my career I have had the good fortune to be extremely busy as a performer and teacher. Many have asked me how I have had the energy for it all? My answer is clear: “It beats working for a living!”

Bassoonist Frank Morelli on "From The Soul"

Bassoonist Frank Morelli’s new album “From the Soul,” will be released on Musica Solis on February 20, 2026. The collection features works by Wynton Marsalis, Dominick Argento, Lori Laitman, Jeff Scott, and Nirmali Fenn. We asked him to share additional information about the music on the album and his connections to it. This is his response.

I’ve had, and continue to have, the good fortune to take part in nearly two hundred recordings with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and other chamber ensembles. Although I was often highlighted on these CDs, somehow I felt I had more to share personally, and if I intended to accomplish my goals, I had better get going. The defining impetus for my first series of self-produced solo albums was the approach of my 50th birthday, now nearly twenty five years ago. Those first four solo albums, on the MSR label, presented “Classical” or concert music spanning from the Baroque, (“Baroque Fireworks”) through the late 18th to early 20th centuries, (“Romance and Caprice”) to music later in the 20th century (“Bassoon Brasileiro” and “From the Heart”). 

As I saw my 70th birthday on the horizon, I realized that I still had even more I wished to share. During this latest creative period, my first “classical” album, released by Musica Solis in 2024, “An die Musik,” is my statement of gratitude for a lifetime in music. It looks back to the masters Schubert, Schumann and Brahms. My newest Musica Solis album, “From the Soul” presents music of today and also looks to the future. I have selected five pieces for “From the Soul” that are personal to me. One aspect of that connection is literal. I have had the pleasure of knowing four of the five composers personally. I met the fifth, Dominick Argento, when I performed his opera “Casanova’s Homecoming” at Lincoln Center during the years I served as principal bassoon of the New York City Opera Orchestra. From that time I felt a special connection to his compositional voice, a feeling I share for each of the other four composers whom I have known more intimately. Each work heard on this album speaks from the soul. Along with soulfulness, the thematic through-line examines the concept of innocence and the human spirit. Thus we begin with an elegy for innocence and end with a prayer for peace and kindness. In addition, each work demands great flexibility in tone and style. My guiding principal as a bassoonist is that the bassoon is my voice-not a machine. The instrument lends itself to a vocal style of playing. Being a double reed instrument with a conical bore, the variety of tone colors and characters available to me is rather infinite. Each selection heard here demands a different bassoon, if you will.

Elegy for Innocence (2008) by Jeffrey Scott (1976- ) is the perfect “keynote address” for this compilation. Jeff recalls:

I was contemplating the innocence one has as he/she starts out in life and the bittersweet journey as the expectation of life’s offerings yield to the reality.” Elegy for Innocence begins… “with a simple, Copland-esque opening, a sinister almost uninvited middle section, followed by a melancholic solo bassoon melody, ending with a virtuosic and optimistic finish.

Playing this work with my dear friend and colleague, pianist Wei-Yi Yang, Mr. Scott’s music speaks “from the soul” from the opening lullaby through the twists and turns that follow. I’ve known Jeff Scott since early in his career. It has been a joy to perform with him and admire his growth as an artist and composer. He wrote this work for his dear friend, and my former student, the exceptional bassoonist, Monica Ellis, who is now a leader in our field. I was present at its premier and I will always remember the joy I felt in witnessing their triumph.

In describing her song cycle I Never Saw Another Butterfly (1996) Lori Laitman (1955-  ) shares:

One cannot help but be touched by the hope, innocence and truth of the poems. The cycle progresses from feelings of innocence and hope to those of despair and sorrow. Composed in 1996 for solo voice with alto saxophone, I Never Saw Another Butterfly was my first Holocaust-themed song cycle… using texts from an astonishing collection of poems written by children from the Terezin Concentration Camp killed in the Holocaust [at Auschwitz.] The bassoon version was specifically composed for Frank Morelli to perform on Ruth Sommers’ 2002 Festival Chamber Music concert at Merkin Hall in NYC. ‘The Butterfly’ opens with a cantorial-style bassoon line, conjuring up images of a fluttering butterfly. Despite the tremendous sadness of the text, the message of the poem is one of undying spirit. ‘Yes, That’s the way things are’ was written by three children -- Kosek, Löwy, and Bachner — who wrote under the name Koleba. To reflect the irony of the poem, I created music…typical of Jewish folk song. The author of ‘Birdsong’ is unknown. [M]ost striking is the author’s ability to rise above the horrid living conditions to focus on the loveliness of life. The feelings of hope manifested in the earlier songs die in ‘The Garden’. The little boy walking along the garden path is portrayed by a weaving bassoon part with subtle rhythmic changes. Both parts build to a climax, then abruptly come to a close as ‘the little boy will be no more.’ ‘Man Proposes, God Disposes’ was also written by the three children who signed their name Koleba. The poem recognizes that those who were ‘rich before’ would perish much faster in the camps than those accustomed to a harsher life. ‘The Old House’, also written by Franta Bass, ends the cycle. The barren image of the deserted house is captured by the muted bassoon repeatedly playing one note, like a bell tolling.

Having performed this profound cycle together a number of times, the outstanding mezzo soprano Janna Baty and I are grateful to share it on this album.

A Man with a Paint Box Aria “Once, when I was a young man” from the opera “Postcard from Morocco” (1971) by Dominick Argento (1927-2019) compels the bassoonist to “sing” in a more operatic style. In Argento’s own words:

my music is lyrical because it’s sung. I have gone on record as saying my whole purpose in writing music is to communicate with an audience, and to move them, to make them laugh or weep. That is the fundamental aspect of music.

As a singing bassoonist, I identify very closely with his thinking. In the aria, Argento portrays an older man’s recounting of an innocent, youthful fantasy in which an imaginary ship docks in the clouds outside his bedroom window. In this instance the bittersweet and complicated feelings of the storyteller are more subtle, lacking the severity of the underlying tragedy of Laitman’s song cycle.

Meeelaan (2000) by Wynton Marsalis (1961- ) is original, deeply felt and soulful, mirroring the composer on many levels. I have known Wynton since he first moved to New York City in his late teens. He wrote this work for his and my friend, the eminent bassoonist Milan Turkovic. The title refers to the way Wynton Marsalis would often greet Milan. Excerpted from Marsalis’ official biography found on his website: “Marsalis performs and composes across the entire spectrum of jazz and has written jazz-influenced chamber music and symphonic works for revered classical ensembles across the US and abroad. He is inspired to experiment in an ever-widening palette of forms and concepts that constitute some of the most advanced thinking in modern jazz and in American music on the broad scale.” Meeelaan surely fits this description with great writing that requires the bassoonist and the outstanding Callisto Quartet to “turn on a dime” from one expressive quality to the next. The bassoonist is required to create a sound perhaps more reminiscent of a tenor or baritone saxophone. The result is an original and wide-ranging mixture of various styles from blues to tango to bebop, but the overall effect is a unified message that is soulful on many levels. 

This debut recording of, Prayer, written for me in 2022 by my dear friend, composer Nirmali Fenn, (1979- ) brings From the Soul’s journey to a meaningful close. The composer states: “The piece unfolds as a journey through body, soul, and spirit, with prayer acting as a channel that connects these dimensions.”  The bassoonist is required to conjure up the sound and style of the Armenian duduk, a double reed instrument similar in size to the oboe. The use of jaw vibrato and alternate fingerings create varied tone colors unlike the more familiar sounds one might expect to hear, or heard earlier on this album. In the final section of the composition the pianist places a “singing bowl” on the piano’s G4 string, first causing it to vibrate and then gliding it along the string creating an ethereal effect. The composer states:

Prayer is a piece born from collaboration, a testament to how friendship can spark creation. Before composing, Frank asked for a piece that could evoke a spiritual intensity of the Muslim call to prayer. For months, I listened to adhans, only to find my inner ear forging the haunting duduk-like solo that is at the center of this piece. Together, we sculpted the opening over weeks of collaboration; I still recall Frank’s instruction – “make it operatic.” Composing Prayer was pure joy: when collaborators magnify each other’s ideas, the process becomes a journey of discovery, leading to surprising new worlds of sound. Throughout its creation, one question stayed with me: what is prayer for? Beyond religion, I believe prayer is a search for unity, an act of resistance against conflict. The message behind Prayer is simple. We all belong to something larger than ourselves, and that truth leaves no room for war.

And so, there’s a through-line of expression and feeling from an elegy for innocence, to the innocent words of children murdered in the holocaust, to a young man whimsically recalling his youth, to the soulful, often jazz-inflected expressions of Wynton Marsalis, to an other-worldly prayer. The works, individually and taken together, require as large a spectrum of sounds, characters and expression as is possible.

An invaluable asset of being a bassoon teacher is that some former students have become part of my “bassoon family.” One of my students, Susan Lansing, married an outstanding saxophonist and jazz recording artist in Denver, Keith Oxman. This “family connection” opened the door back to my first musical passion. I found the golden opportunity during these past five years to return to the music of my early days, when my love of playing was fueled by the popular standards we enjoyed at home, sung by great artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. I would spend hours on my sax playing these tunes out of a “fake book” - a compendium of hundreds of those standards. I am by no means a jazz musician. That would imply a level of ability beyond me. However, in that period of my life I did gain experience performing popular standards in a style that I felt comfortable bringing to the bassoon. In my two albums with Keith, my approach to sound, articulation, bending notes, vibrato, etc. are definitely related to my years on the saxophone, which, by the way, I gave up several decades ago! As a “classically-trained” musician I needed to find a place for myself with Keith and his excellent jazz colleagues. My solution has been to focus on the connection between concert, or classical music and popular standards and jazz. You could say “the concert hall meets the music hall.” Our first album, the OX-MO Incident on the Capri label (2021) has been very well received. In late 2025 we recorded the tracks for our next album, also to be released by Capri in 2026. The title will be CLASSICOOL. 

So this latest five-year period of productivity has been extremely rewarding, celebrating sixty years of bassooning. My personal goal and message to my students is that the bassoon is your voice. Play and revel in all the genres of music that represent your passions. The sky is the limit. That has been my approach from my earliest days in music. I am eternally grateful to all involved in bringing these passion projects to life.

Insider Interview with Key Pianists' Founder Terry Eder

Terry Eder is the founder of Key Pianists concert series, celebrating its 10th anniversary in the 2025-26 season. On February 12, 2026 Eder performs a recital of Bartók alongside music by Beethoven, Schubert and Debussy at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall (tickets available here). We spoke with her about Key Pianists’ mission, the upcoming recital, being one of the only Americans studying in Hungary in the 1980s, and more.

What made you want to start the Key Pianists series? Why Carnegie Hall?  

New Yorkers are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to hear the world’s most famous pianists from around the world with regularity. There are also concert series here in New York that specifically present opportunities to young professionals just starting their careers. I noticed that there were few opportunities for pianists who do not fall into one of those two categories. Certainly there are smaller, more informal venues where one can present or attend a concert. However, there are many wonderful pianists who deserve a more prominent platform. I felt that a series that presented significant and seldom-heard artists on the stage of Carnegie Hall would be welcome by those artists and by the pianophile audience found in NYC, who would otherwise not have a chance to hear them. Carnegie Hall is the pinnacle of achievement for any musician; the history, the acoustics, the beauty, the professionalism it represents. Weill Recital Hall has an intimacy that allows the audience to see and hear the artist up close, making a recital there a very special occasion.  

What criteria do you look for when considering which performers to present?  

First of all, I look for performers who match the reason I began the series. Carnegie Hall inspires a high level of engagement, and I seek an artist who will relish the opportunity by presenting an exceptional program.  I think programming is extremely important and I encourage pianists who perform unusual repertoire or who have acquired experience in a particular idiom or with a particular composer. The qualities of sensitivity, beauty, intelligence, communicativeness, and singularity are all important. Excellence is the real determining factor.  

You’re a pianist yourself. What made you choose the piano?  

I would say that the piano chose me. I grew up with 3 older sisters who were studying music, and my father who played jazz standards and ragtime every night after his work day as a dentist. At 4, my parents thought I was too young to study. After one of my sisters’ piano lessons ended, I would simply repeat the lesson by ear and show where the mistakes had been made. My parents learned I had perfect pitch as well, and allowed me lessons from then on. I never thought there would be a day when I stopped playing the piano.  

Tell us about the repertoire you have planned for your recital in February 2026.  

I wanted to include Bartók in this program because he is a favorite composer of mine, and also because people do not play Bartók very often despite the genius, uniqueness and beauty of his works. Two of the pieces I am programming, the Sonatine and the Two Romanian Dances, Op. 8/a, I have never heard performed by anyone else in the U.S. The Six Romanian Dances, which I am also playing, is heard and played quite often, also in a version for violin and piano. I also nearly always program Beethoven and will be playing the Sonata Op. 28. Schubert and Debussy round out the program with four of the Debussy Preludes, and a Schubert Impromptu and set of waltzes. There is a loose thread running through the program of an earthy, folk-like undercurrent in all of the works.  

You’re playing Bartók, one of your specialties, and you studied in Budapest. How does that experience enrich your interpretation of this music?  

Living in the 1980s behind the Iron Curtain was an affecting experience.  I was young and impressionable and had never been outside the U.S. other than for a 15th birthday dinner in Windsor, Ontario, across the bridge from my hometown Detroit. It was the days of the cold war, when Americans simply did not go to Eastern Europe. There were a few other American grant winners in Hungary that year, and we were the only Americans in the entire country. The man on the street had never heard American English or met an American. I felt so foreign. These days it seems hard to fathom.  

My mother was born in Romania so ancestry or genes may be a reason for my affinity with Eastern European music. But memories of my year in Hungary are incredibly vivid and no doubt have infiltrated my being. The pervasiveness and pride in musical heritage was overwhelming for someone coming from a culture where music was not considered a desirable profession. I became captivated with the uniqueness of the Hungarian language and sensibility, the rustic scenery outside the capital, the beautiful old architecture, the delicious food, the Parliament still full of bullet holes from WWII, the Turkish baths, the feeling of being so foreign, so out of place. I was immersed in all things Hungarian 24 hours a day, without English speakers around, without any westerners around, with the perfect opportunity to become part of that existence. I came away from it with what feels like an intense understanding of the Hungarian character.  

Insider Interview with Cellist Inbal Megiddo

Cellist Inbal Megiddo has just released an album of Bach’s complete Cello Suites on Atoll Records (ACD233). We spoke with her about her approach to these classic works, her mentor Aldo Parisot, life in New Zealand, and more.

"Why another recording of the Bach Cello Suites?" 

"The Suites, to me, are a lifetime." This is how I begin my liner notes, and it captures the essence of why this recording needed to exist. The Bach Suites aren't just six works I've mastered—they're companions on life's path that have grown and evolved with me over decades. Every time I return to them, they reveal new dimensions, changing as I change. 

What makes my approach distinctive is constantly trying to find the freedom within the structure. I view these works as a complete emotional and spiritual journey that mirrors human experience itself. I hear the innocent curiosity of childhood in the G major, the turbulent angst of adolescence in D minor, the confident optimism of young adulthood in C major, the complexity of midlife in E-flat major, the profound reflection of old age in C minor, and finally, transcendence in the D major sixth suite. 

But beyond this personal narrative, there's the fundamental mystery at the heart of these works. Since Bach's original manuscripts are lost, each performer must create their own edition based on surviving copies—Anna Magdalena Bach's, Kellner's, and two anonymous copies. These have minimal dynamic markings and often unclear bowings. While we could mourn the loss of the originals, I believe this mystery is part of the magic. It gives us the sublime freedom to search for beauty and truth in our own way. 

My mentor Aldo Parisot taught me something crucial: you must find your own voice, not imitate others. He would say, "Bach created a masterpiece. Our job isn’t to recreate it, but to create something even more glorious." This recording represents decades of living with these suites, performing them on the world’s stages from Carnegie Hall to the Berlin Philharmonie, and constantly discovering them anew. Just as every day contains both the routine and the unknown, every performance of the Suites is simultaneously known and improvised—the next step in life's ephemeral journey. 

Question 2: Your musical life in New Zealand 

The transition to New Zealand has been transformative in unexpected ways. After performing in the world's major concert halls—Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Berlin Philharmonie—and working with conductors like Barenboim, Mehta, and Mintz, I wondered how moving to the other side of the world would affect my artistic development. 

What I discovered is that first of all, it is entirely possible to continue traveling from here, and I do. So I spend a bit more time on planes. But musical life in New Zealand also is very full. There is a lot going on considering the size of the country, and at very high levels. There is also quite a bit of support for the arts, and audiences are quite adventurous. That may go along with the kiwi spirit – we are at the edge of the world, so experimentation and self-reliance are a must. The beauty of nature, and the bird song that NZ is known for is also something unique, giving space for deep artistic exploration. As Associate Professor at the New Zealand School of Music, I've been able to balance performance, teaching, and creative projects. My work with the Te Kōkī Trio has been particularly rewarding—our Debussy recording was a finalist for Best Classical Album at the Aotearoa Music Awards. 

I've also founded the Cellophonia International Festival here, which brings together cellists from around the world. There's something about New Zealand's geographic isolation that paradoxically creates a hunger for connection and excellence. The audiences here are sophisticated and appreciative, and the musical community is incredibly supportive and collaborative. 

This environment has given me the freedom to pursue passion projects like my upcoming "Forbidden Composers" album—works banned by the Nazis—alongside core repertoire like these Bach Suites. The distance has actually liberated me to take more interpretive risks and to trust my own artistic instincts more fully. In many ways, being in New Zealand has brought me closer to Parisot's teaching about finding your own authentic voice rather than following established traditions. 

Question 3: Studying with Aldo Parisot

My first encounter with Aldo Parisot was at age twelve in a masterclass at the Jerusalem Music Centre. He spoke about circles, breathing, phrasing, passion, and kept repeating this paradoxical phrase: "free, but in tempo!" I left that lesson exhilarated, inspired, confused—and with a hole in my new sweater from his lit cigarette! It was an incendiary lesson in every sense. Four years later, I became his student at Yale. 

What Parisot gave me wasn't just technique—though his technical principles were transformative. He taught me that artistry comes from within. He was fiercely opposed to teachers who create copies of themselves. As he would say, "You don't need a teacher if you have the curiosity and drive to discover yourself." His role was to help us find our own voice. 

His technical approach was revolutionary for me. The concept of circles—in shifting, in bow movement, in musical phrasing—changed everything. He taught that shifts should be like breathing, natural and organic. "Maximum sound!" he would demand, but always with beauty and resonance, never forcing. He had us sing everything first, then find that same expression on the cello. This came from his own training—he studied two years of solfege before even touching the instrument. 

But perhaps the most profound lesson was about the relationship between freedom and structure. That phrase "free, but in tempo" became central to my understanding of Bach. It means maintaining the rhythmic integrity while finding infinite expressive possibilities within each phrase. He would demonstrate how the same passage could be played completely differently while still being truthful to Bach's vision. 

The trajectory change was complete. Before Parisot, I played from instinct. He gave me the tools to channel that instinct into conscious artistry. He taught me to question everything—"Bach was not a saint," he'd remind us, "I respect the man and his work, but I don't worship him." This irreverence paradoxically led to deeper respect for the music. 

His influence extends beyond my playing. In my own teaching at the New Zealand School of Music and as Master Teacher for iClassical Academy, I carry forward his philosophy: technical excellence is mandatory but insufficient. True artistry comes from finding your authentic voice and having the courage to trust it. As my DMA thesis on his teaching methods explores, Parisot didn't just create excellent cellists—he nurtured artists who happen to play the cello. 

Final Thoughts 

This recording of the Bach Suites represents a convergence of everything I've learned and experienced: the technical foundation from Parisot, the musical maturity gained through performing with the world's leading orchestras, and the artistic freedom I've found in New Zealand. These aren't just six suites—they're a complete universe of human experience, and I invite listeners to join me in this never-ending journey of discovery. 

Insider Interview: Suzanne Stumpf and Dan Ryan, Artistic Directors for Musicians of the Old Post Road

The Boston-based chamber ensemble Musicians of the Old Post Road (MOPR) specializes in the period instrument performance of dynamic and diverse music from the Baroque to early Romantic eras. Their latest album "Into the Light" features rediscovered music by the German composer Christoph Graupner (1683-1760), including world premiere recordings. We spoke with MOPR co-artistic directors Suzanne Stumpf and Dan Ryan about the new album, performing on historical instruments, Graupner’s music and his world, and more.

How did you first become aware of the composer Christoph Graupner (1683-1760)?  

The first work we performed by Graupner was a trio sonata for flute, viola d’amore and continuo. We programmed that for a concert on which we featured unusual Baroque instruments. We were very struck by his originality and decided to investigate more of his oeuvre. 

Why do you think his music has been neglected until recently?  

Graupner’s works were locked in a legal battle after his death. Graupner’s heirs wanted to sell his manuscripts to the successors of the Landgrave of Darmstadt, Graupner’s employer. But the successors contended that they already owned the music because Graupner had been employed by the Landgrave, and the concept of intellectual property rights did not exist at the time.  

This was not resolved until late in the 19th century, then the two World Wars limited access to the collection in the first half of the 20th century. The Darmstadt library now has possession of his manuscripts and has made them available. They have been most helpful to us and are very excited about our advocacy efforts. 

What makes his music stand out from his contemporaries? 

Graupner’s musical language and musical devices are very original, and his music can be very dramatic and poignant. He is able to spin out a dramatic musical tale, if you will, using very minimal motivic material. He also makes great use of instrumental textures which he creates using the motifs that he selects for each movement. His harmonic sequences also take unexpected turns.  

Each of the works that we feature on our Into the Light album make use of very unusual musical devices. Some examples include the roles of the treble instruments in his Trio Sonata in B Minor. Rather than using the typical sharing and passing back and forth of main and accompanying themes, he assigns very different roles and motivic material to the flute and violin in the two outer movements of the sonata. In the first movement of his Quartet in G Minor, he uses pervasive, repeated rests in the accompanying parts that create a transparent texture that allows the listener to follow the theme as it is passed among the string instruments. His G Major Sonata for obbligato harpsichord is written with two accompanying instruments—flute and cello—which itself is unusual, but then he leaves the cello out for most of the second movement, and leads the movement into a very haunting texture between pulsing repeated pitches on the flute together with slow arpeggiation in the harpsichord part. And, the flute concerto we include does not have the usual alternating sections between tuttis and solos that are a standard part of most concertos. After the opening tutti, the flute solo begins and continues through the entire rest of the movement until the closing tutti at the end. These are just but a few examples of his originality! 

What are the challenges and/or rewards of performing Graupner’s music? 

Both the challenge and reward of performing Graupner’s works are the uniqueness of his compositional techniques and his musical language. The devices and tools he uses are so off the beaten track of most Baroque compositional techniques that on first reading it is sometimes difficult to understand what he is getting at! However, by spending time deciphering his intention and messages in each work, his musical voice and language come clearer and clearer. This process in itself is very rewarding, and we have truly enjoyed our role in striving to understand his intentions and advocating for the power and genius in his works for modern audiences.  

Musicians of the Old Post Road specializes in “period instrument performances.” Can you give us some details about what that entails? 

Our ensemble specializes in the performance of Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic music on period instruments. We all use historical instruments or replicas in our work together. And we all have the specialized equipment needed for each of those eras as instruments all underwent structural changes across the time period of our repertoire from the 1670s to the 1840s (which by the way is the timeframe that the Old Boston Post Road itself flourished!) The string instruments are typically set up with gut strings, and the bows vary in structure and length. The flutes during those years were most typically made of wood, and the acoustical properties of the instruments are such that there are different personalities that result from playing in different keys.  

We use harpsichords for Baroque music and early pianos for Classical and Romantic repertoire. As specialists on these instruments, we feel that the sound world that they offer is helpful in finding what was in the composers’ ears at the time they were writing—the sound of the historical instruments certainly offers helpful influences in our interpretations. Our audiences are always struck by the beautiful timbres of these instruments and how they bring the music to life. 

Insider Interview with Cellist Louise Dubin

The cellist Louise Dubin is a renowned performer and researcher of cellist-composer Auguste Franchomme (1808-1884). Her new album Passages, out September 5, 2025 on Bridge Records, features world premiere recordings of works by Chopin and Franchomme alongside compositions by Claude Debussy, Gabriel Fauré, Francis Poulenc, Charles Koechlin and Philippe Hersant. We spoke to her about Franchomme, his association with Chopin, the new album, and more.

Your first album, The Franchomme Project, has ten world premiere recordings of works by Auguste Franchomme, a composer I’d never heard of before.  How did you first learn of him? What made you want to know more, and how did this first recording project come about?

The idea to record The Franchomme Project began when I gave a lecture recital to defend my doctoral dissertation at Indiana University.  I’d picked Franchomme as my topic after hearing Anner Bylssma’s beautiful recording of some of his nocturnes.  I wanted to see if he’d written other great pieces for the cello. Eventually I found many! It was hard to find information about Franchomme at first, though.  I found one little book written about his connections to Chopin, but it was in Polish, and the computer program I used to translate it did a miserable job.  So I tried to contact the author, Sophie Ruhlmann, to see if she could send me her book in French or English. She turned out to be hard to find too, but in a last ditch attempt I sent a letter to what I hoped might be her snail mail address in France.  She responded by email, saying she’d send me the version of the book written in her native language, French!  When I came to France, on the two research grants from IU, she introduced me to about a dozen of his direct descendants, who showed me their collections, including Franchomme’s personal music library, his practice cello, and unpublished letters and photos. His letters make him very relatable.  For example, he writes in an early letter how tired he was after a day of private cello lessons, chamber music reading with patrons and then an opera performance at night.   I found even more goodies at the BnF (National Library of France) when I went back this spring after my concert in Paris, and I’m transcribing one now to play on our concert on October 25th! The descendants are very enthusiastic to have the music of their ancestor’s music recorded and re-introduced to the world, after being out of print and forgotten for 2 centuries, and I’m happily accepting the task!  At this point I’ve probably collected enough materials for a lifetime of projects.

What was Franchomme’s association with Frederic Chopin? 

He was a good friend of Chopin; they met in Paris when Franchomme was 24 and Chopin was 22, at a small dinner party Liszt threw for the pianist Heller.  Chopin invited Franchomme back to his apartment afterwards, and Franchomme agreed on condition that Chopin play piano, which he agreed to, and they became fast friends.  They wrote a piece together shortly after that on themes of Robert le Diable (the opera by Meyerbeer), and Franchomme soon made suggestions for a piece Chopin had already written: his Introduction and Polonaise Brillante for cello and piano, and Chopin incorporated these into his French edition of the piece.  I recorded the premiere of this version on The Franchomme Project.   Later, Franchomme would play Chopin’s last work, the cello sonata, privately with him before it was published.  Franchomme transcribed many of Chopin’s piano pieces for cello, to Chopin’s delight and approval, and his own compositions and even his fingerings bear Chopin’s influence. After Chopin’s death, he compiled several editions of Chopin’s works, including some unpublished pieces, and transcribed even more of them for cello, including the Etude included on Passages.

Your new album, Passages (Bridge Records, released September 5, 2025), also features French cello works— but this time spans 3 centuries and includes works from our present time.  How did you go about selecting the repertoire for this album?

I wanted to record some other favorite works that I’ve performed recently, particularly the ones that people don’t hear very often.  The Koechlin sonata was a piece I first performed at the Beauvais International Cello Festival; the director asked me to bring an unknown French cello sonata, and this was my choice.  Like the Debussy sonata, which we also include on Passages, it was written during WW I, but the two are very different! Debussy’s language is concise, sometimes sardonic, with typical classical phrase lengths, very clean and energetic, constantly turning on a dime to a new tempo or a new character.  Koechlin was inspired by Zen philosophy, nature (especially light and water), Gregorian chant and other modal music.  Like Franchomme, he earned his keep in many ways: orchestrator (of works by Debussy and Fauré among others), teacher (of Poulenc, Cole Porter and many others), radio announcer, composer… This cello sonata hasn’t been recorded often, maybe because it’s a complex piece to put together with the pianist.  Spencer Myer ate it up and did a terrific job! The first movement is unhurried and reassuring, and meter is quite incidental.  There are multiple instructions throughout the piece to play very evenly without accent, and one bar lasts 24 beats! For us, the second movement is an exploration of grief.  It has quintuplets against 2, 3, and 4 beats, and this rhythmic complexity, combined with dissonances, build up to climaxes of cathartic relief.  The movement ends in an exhausted, quiet peace.  And then a cheerful chant or maybe folk tune is the basis of the last movement.  This sonata is an incredible work, very satisfying to play.

I’m grateful to have recorded the cello duos on this album with Julia Bruskin, a fabulous cellist who’s also featured on The Franchomme Project. We love Hersant’s Caprices – they are like little poems, modelled after Bartok’s violin duos, and some have a similar hint of folk music.  But these duos are more dramatic in their emotion than Bartok’s, and more rhythmically complex.  We’ll play 7 of them at the Passages release concert on October 25th in Manhattan.  The Fauré duo is unpublished, and was first recorded by Steven Isserlis, and our recording is the second.  I met Steven when I was his student at Prussia Cove, and we’ve remained friends—and he kindly sent me a transcription of the manuscript. I’ve also sent him music, including a Franchomme Nocturne, which he recorded.  This duo was a sightreading test Fauré wrote for cellists at the Paris Conservatoire, which he composed when they first hired him.  

And you also included some Franchomme works?

Yes! Since it’s a survey of French cello music from the early 1800s to today, I included three more Franchomme pieces, including his gorgeous transcription of Chopin’s cello etude, all recorded here for the first time ever.

Can you tell us a bit about your efforts to get Franchomme’s compositions back in print?

Sure! I have a few balls in the air right now, but one that’s completed is my book for Dover. They commissioned me to put together a compilation of Franchomme’s cello-piano works and write the introduction.  The works are reproduced from first editions, which include Franchomme’s fingerings and bowings—very distinctively his, and definitely not the kind of fingerings I was taught by my teachers! Lots of slides, up and down, very long slurs of many notes, lots of use of the thumb including on long notes, which means they were not heavily vibrated.  He clearly had a virtuosic thumb position but according to contemporary reviews, he wasn’t a flashy player; he had an easy facility, played with honesty, sincerity and good taste— all things I aspire to do!  The book includes many of the pieces I recorded on The Franchomme Project, as well as the Air Irlandais Variations and the Chopin transcription from this Passages album.  I’m also working on a new article for the NIFC in Warsaw. Over the years I’ve transcribed several unpublished manuscripts of Franchomme’s, including the cello quartets we were the first to ever record, and now I’m completing a new transcription for our New York City concert on October 25th!

What projects are coming up next for you? 

 My next projects are our release concerts in New York: October 25th in Manhattan and October 26th in Tuckahoe, with Julia Bruskin, John Novacek and Philippe Muller.  We’re playing works from both albums, and my new Franchomme transcription. This fall, I’m also recording a completely unknown, really good Romantic cello sonata with John Novacek, which I’m excited about but can’t talk about until it’s done! 

How can people find out more about you, your albums, and other projects?

The best place is www.louise-dubin.com!

Insider Interview with composer Christopher Jessup

Christopher Jessup is an award-winning composer and pianist whose music has been hailed as “lovely” (The New York Times), “imaginative” (Fanfare), and “ethereal” (Textura). With a catalogue spanning orchestral, chamber, choral, and solo works, Jessup revels in capturing a wide range of emotions in his music, especially in miniature form. 

We spoke with Jessup about his earliest experiences with music, his work with the London Symphony and The Crossing, and what he does in his spare time. 

Tell us about your first experiences with music as a child. 

My first experiences with music as a child began with a tiny toy piano. It had only five keys and I played it so much that most of them broke! When I started going to school, I would get there early to practice and improvise on the piano because I didn’t yet have one of my own. I learned to play by ear long before being able to read music. Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington were major early influences for me—surprisingly, jazz was my first love. “Take the A Train” by Duke Ellington, which I taught myself to play, was one of my favorite pieces. 

You are equally accomplished as a composer and a pianist. How does your work as a pianist inform your creativity as a composer, and vice versa? 

Being a pianist heavily influences my work as a composer and can be hugely beneficial when I write. At the same time, I try to break away from writing from the perspective of a pianist so that I can be mindful of playability for other instruments. That can be challenging at times. Certain types of passages that might be easy for a pianist to play in a fast tempo can be extremely difficult or even unplayable for another instrument, like the cello for instance. Ultimately, when I compose, I want to make sure I am bringing out the best in each instrument and allowing the instruments to shine in their own unique way. 

You mention in your bio that you are especially interested in miniature forms of composition. What is it that attracts you to this short form? Can you give a recent example or two?  

I first became interested in writing miniatures after being introduced to Schoenberg’s "Sechs kleine Klavierstücke” in 2016. I was fascinated by how Schoenberg is able to capture an immense amount of emotion and expression in such brief little pieces and with so few notes. The first collection of miniatures I wrote was Cinq États d’Esprit (Five States of Mind) for solo piano. I went on to compose numerous other collections of short miniatures, including Phases for flute, cello, and piano (based on the five natural elements) and my Suite for Viola and Piano. I believe that music does not have to be long in order to be meaningful. In fact, some of the most poignant pieces are incredibly short. A well-crafted miniature can have more of an impact than a 30-minute requiem. 

Your music has been performed and/or recorded by a number of notable ensembles, including the London Symphony Orchestra and Grammy Award-winning choir The Crossing. Tell us some highlights about working with these ensembles. 

Working with the London Symphony Orchestra and The Crossing has been amazing. Having my music accepted and recorded by these esteemed ensembles is an incredible honor. In the LSO’s recording of Svítání, a tone poem for orchestra, the orchestra’s musicianship was breathtaking and their execution of the piece was flawless. The Crossing and Donald Nally recorded Astronomia, which is one of my most difficult pieces. They sang it with complete ease and agility, producing a truly marvelous result. The opportunity to collaborate with these ensembles is a deeply enriching and validating experience for me as a composer. I’ve learned and grown in remarkable ways each time I work with them, and that inspires me to continue to compose.  

Tell us about the compositions that you are currently working on. 

I recently completed a piano trio called Impetus, which was premiered in Los Angeles in August 2025 at the Impulse New Music Festival. I am working on a piece for flutist Lindsey Goodman and pianist Clare Longendyke, which they commissioned. That will be performed in the 2026-27 season.  

On the horizon, I am outlining a new multi-movement choral work with a mental health theme. Mental health is widely misunderstood and stigmatized in our society, and I believe it is my duty as an artist to address topics that are uncomfortable to talk about, and by doing so we can have a big impact. That is what I plan to do with this piece. 

What do you enjoy doing when you are not making music? How does it affect or enhance your work? 

When I’m not composing or playing piano, I love to get out in nature, especially on the water. Not only does it calm my nerves and clear my mind, but it also gives me a tremendous amount of inspiration as a composer. Water is very musical—the rise and fall of the tide and the sound of waves crashing all serve as vital inspiration for my compositions. 

Insider Interview with author Edward Klorman

In a new book about Bach’s Cello Suites, award-winning author Edward Klorman dives deep into both the culture and history of the iconic works. Bach: The Cello Suites is published by Cambridge University Press on September 1, 2025. In this insider interview, we spoke with Klorman about the surprising history of the suites, the challenges of writing for a diverse range of readers who might end up reading the forthcoming book, and one thing he wishes he could have left in the book.

What made you so curious about Bach’s Cello Suites that you wanted to write a book?

A century ago, the Cello Suites were not very widely known. But now, you hear them all the time, not only in concerts, but also in films, on Netflix series, pop covers, in subway stations—you name it! I was curious how this music went from being so obscure to so ubiquitous and iconic, and I was eager to tell that story.

There are so many questions about them that resist straightforward answers. For instance, at which point in his career did he compose them? Did he write them for (or with) a particular cellist? Was Bach familiar with any other solo-cello music that may have inspired him? I wanted to try to get to the bottom of these questions as much as possible. 

You are a violist. What was your experience with these suites for cello over the years?

Like many violists, I began on violin taking Suzuki lessons. The Suzuki violin books include four movements transcribed from the Cello Suites, so my first exposure to this music would have been in elementary school. But once I switched to viola in high school, I began learning one suite every year. The viola is tuned just like the cello, only an octave higher, so the suites adapt very well for the viola. In recent years, I’ve been lucky to play on a beautiful baroque viola with gut strings and a period-style bow, so it’s been an interesting challenge to relearn the suites in a different style.

According to his son C. P. E. Bach, J. S. Bach loved to play the viola, so sometimes we violists like to imagine that he might have used a viola to compose or perform the cello suites—but that is just conjecture!

What were some of the biggest challenges to writing the book?

A big challenge was writing for the diverse range of the readers. 

This book is part of the New Cambridge Music Handbooks series. Each book explores a single piece for many kinds of readers, ranging from musicians and musicologists to musical audiences of all stripes. I try to keep the writing light and engaging for casual readers looking for an all-around guide to this wonderful music.

Then for cellists and cello teachers who played this music for decades, I provide detailed explanations of some thorny questions, like how do we know we are playing the notes, ornaments, and articulations Bach intended. (The answer is, it’s sometimes very difficult to know!) For these readers, I explain what evidence points me to various conclusions. By “showing my work,” I hope readers will come to feel that they can trust me and that they are welcome to re-evaluate sources to come to their own conclusions.

What's the one of the most surprising things you learned from the process?

Let’s start with the question, “what is a cello”? During Bach’s lifetime, instruments called “violoncello” came in many sizes and formats, some with more than four strings. Some were even held at the chest or shoulder, with the support of a strap. Many cellists in Bach’s orbit would have used an underhand bow hold, which is very different from the overhand hold used today.

It’s impossible to know precisely which kind of instrument or playing style Bach might have had in mind (or if he even had a specific approach in mind). In the book, I tell the story of musicians beginning to rediscover the Cello Suites starting around the 1860s. As I researched their performance history, I’m struck how musicians have constantly reinvented new ways they can sound and different ideas for approaching them. For instance, many nineteenth-century musicians added piano accompaniment to “update” Bach’s music to suite their audience’s tastes!

Were there any tidbits that did not make it into the final manuscript that you’d like to share? 

There’s a very evocative description of a solo dancer dancing a sarabande that was published in a 1671 French–Latin dictionary by the Jesuit scholar François Pomey. It has been cited a lot because it’s such an uncommonly rich account, describing the dancer’s dramatic facial expressions, gestures, and so on. But in the course of my research, I learned that the musicologist Rose A. Pruiksma has discovered that this description was not based on an actual dancer witnessed by Pomey. Rather, it was plagiarized from a 1661 French novel by George de Scudéry.

Then there is the whole “controversy” about the claim that the Cello Suites were composed by J. S. Bach’s second wife, Anna Magdalena Bach, who was the scribe of an important manuscript copy of both the Cello Suites and the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. That claim got a lot of attention about a decade ago, but it’s been thoroughly debunked. Sometimes when you can run the risk of the so-called “boomerang effect, where fact checking a conspiracy theory can perversely have the effect of further spreading the conspiracy. So I left that out of the book and put my energy instead into highlighting the important roles many women have played in the history of the Cello Suites—as performers, transcribers, and teachers, just not as the composer!

Insider interview with pianist Kariné Poghosyan

On June 10, the award-winning Armenian-American pianist Kariné Poghosyan performs an all-Khachaturian recital at Carnegie Hall presented by the presented by The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations. We spoke with her about the significance of Khachaturian’s music, her live-streamed recital series that earned her a loyal world-wide following, and more. Tickets to her June 10 recital are available at CarnegieHall.org.

You are performing a program entirely of music by the Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian on June 10 at Carnegie Hall. Tell us about the significance of his music in both his homeland and in 20th century music in general?

Aram Khachaturian once remarked “My whole life, everything that I have created belongs to the Armenian people.” To this day, he remains the heart of the musical life of my homeland! Our greatest concert hall in the capital Yerevan is named after him. He appears on postage stamps and banknotes. His music is an inseparable part of the Armenian DNA. Surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly), I resisted his music while I was living in Yerevan up to the age of 18. I did not truly appreciate something that was just so very close by.

It was not until my mid- 20s in New York in fact, when I had to choose a topic for my doctoral thesis at the Manhattan School of Music, that I felt a calling to explore the rich world of Khachaturian’s music. Needless to say, I was swept off my feet and simply could not get enough of his work! After writing my thesis on Khachaturian’s Piano Works (which I soon hope to publish), I was engaged by the Naxos label to record my first commercial recording with his solo piano works and ballet transcriptions. What attracted me personally to his piano music is the fact that, unlike Chopin, Liszt or Rachmaninoff, not only was Khachaturian the dictionary definition of a late-bloomer, but he was never known as a particularly gifted pianist. And yet, he had such a phenomenal natural instinct for the instrument that his piano works feel so comfortable to play. In “pianist shop talk,” we simply would say, “it just feels good under the fingers.”

In spite of much hardship endured because of the Soviet government's restrictions and at times punishments, Khachaturian rose to the status of a global celebrity, traveling the world, having his work celebrated by the greatest orchestras and on the greatest stages, receiving the deep admiration from legends like Hemingway, Salvador Dali, and Charlie Chaplin. 

Khachaturian's story is that of a life-affirming optimist, whose music has filled listeners all around the world with his own joie de vivre. And for all Armenians around the world, he is a role model - a heroic and inspiring survivor, who made the world richer with his timeless work.

As an Armenian-American pianist, what special insights do you bring to this music? You regularly perform Khachaturian’s music around the world. Tell us how his music is received in different parts of the world.

It has been an absolute joy to see the warmest response to the piano music of Khachaturian wherever I have performed it around the world. He is truly a universal composer - his writing is so intuitive, so human, allowing the listener to reconnect to something very core-level within them, whether it is their most vulnerable gentleness or deep inner rigor and power! I have seen audiences of every imaginable origin truly connect to this music and then react with such energy at the end, which has only inspired me to pursue the goal to play incredible music more and more, in as many different parts of the world as I possibly can!

Your repertoire goes far beyond Khachaturian’s music, of course, covering the range of Baroque to 20th-century eras. This year you are in the midst of a monthly recital series with a brilliant concept: Each month your program focuses on a different key; twelve notes, twelve months. Tell us how you came up with this idea and how the series evolves as the year progresses.

This truly groundbreaking project began as a small-scale, exclusively virtual performance for my Patreon members, a global audience tuning in live on Zoom. The very first broadcast in January 2021 was a humble endeavor from my New York apartment, on my 100-year-old Boston Chickering piano, the only technology being my own MacBook Air. I had invested in a proper microphone, but in the hurry of preparations, I used the wrong USB cord and later discovered to my horror that I had plugged in the printer and not the microphone. Thankfully, the grateful audience forgave the technical limitations, and with each recital my monthly viewership grew. 

In 2023, I upgraded the broadcasts to performances from various small concert venues around the city, and since 2024, thanks to securing the support and funding from AGBU and Seta Nazarian, who is supporting the concert series in memory of her mother Artemis Nazarian, as well as Marlene Yerevanian, I was able to accomplish an extraordinary dream and reformat the series into full-scale multi-camera professional broadcasts with top sound engineers.

Without a doubt, my monthly concert series are one of my proudest artistic achievements. These inspirational, innovative monthly events bring together music-lovers for three different experiences – the unique live performances, a chance to learn more about the music and composers, but above all, the feeling of togetherness as they connect with each other in the community. In my own way, I wanted to create a similar experience to Leonard Bernstein’s Young Peoples’ Concerts, except mine would be for people of all ages and backgrounds, tuning in on Zoom from all over the world on the last Sunday each month to experience the joy of live music. My vision is to expand their reach and perhaps be able to present them via PBS or NPR one day.

One of the most inspiring aspects of my monthly series is the degree of artistic freedom and creativity I get to have. I choose a unique fascinating theme each year. In 2022 the theme was Musical Time Travels, inspired by my own geeky sci-fi interests and a book/film script I am working on. Last year, I did several mini-series including a 4-concert “Vienna” series with Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven programs in each, and then followed by a 4-concert “Chopin” series. This year, I feel had a particularly inspired theme with my “12 Notes!” The amount of music I prepare and therefore the amount of work I have to put in to not only practice and perform, but also coordinate and curate all of the production elements sometimes feels nearly superhuman. Yet, on June 27, 2025 I am preparing to perform my 53rd consecutive monthly recital broadcast, and I cannot be more excited!

During your journey as a concert pianist, what has been a particularly inspiring vision or motto you have come back to?

I was interviewed by The Washington Post a few years back, in which I shared a very special memory from my childhood in Yerevan. As a little girl at around the age of 6, I would place one of my doll cases just so I could see my fingers moving in the reflection of the piano and then ask my Mom to put on an old LP record of the legendary Emil Gilels playing the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. I would then proceed to pretend to play it myself, as I would mimic the finger movements I imagined Gilels making during his performance. 

Every time in my life when I have a tough day, and my self-belief is extra low, I remind myself of this really peculiar but - what I later came to realize- rather extraordinary phenomenon! There were no pianists in my family! No one was forcing me as a little girl to do this, in fact I had not even started serious piano studies at this point. Yet, I just somehow had the inner need to do these “pretend” performances....really, the very definition of a “Calling”. Then I see that little 6-year-old Kariné look at all the amazing things I am doing now as a pianist and just be over-the-moon happy! 

Insider interview with Jumaane Smith

Baruch Performing Arts Center is in the final stretch of its wide-ranging 2024-25 concert season. On May 16, 2025 at 7:30 pm, jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and composer Jumaane Smith brings his quartet to the hall David Letterman once called "delightful." Smith has performed on 5 GRAMMY-winning records (selling more than 60 million copies), 2 Emmy-nominated TV performances, the GRAMMY Awards with Stevie Wonder, in Steven Spielberg’s "West Side Story," and more. For the last 18 years, he's toured with Michael Bublé as lead trumpeter and featured vocalist.

In this insider interview, we spoke to Smith about studying with Wynton Marsalis, working with legendary artists, and more.

Tell us a bit about your early musical experiences, growing up in Seattle. How did that inform the musician you are today?

My early musical experiences not only shaped the musician I am today, but it’s safe to say that it shaped the person I’ve become and provided refuge at a time when it was most needed. There was a strong musical community in Seattle, particularly where jazz is concerned. My high school had an incredible jazz program and that is how I found the trumpet, and a passion that was much needed during some difficult times.

You went on to study under Wynton Marsalis with a full scholarship to Juilliard’s jazz studies program. What was the biggest lesson you learned studying with him?

Wynton was one of those teachers – very tough, but in the best way. I learned discipline, for sure. There’s no putting into words the level of craft that he showed me as well.

They say don’t meet your heroes, but with the list of names you’ve performed with - including Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and Aretha Franklin – it’s possible that you have had this experience many of times. How do you prepare for something like that?

The best thing I can say is the best way to prepare for something like that is…to prepare! Nothing impresses people more than showing respect for their work. I remember coming to a rehearsal with Stevie Wonder and he was sure we were going to need a long rehearsal to get the music right. The musicians came so prepared that we went through it once and he was so surprised to say we were ready!

How would you describe the style of your own projects and compositions? Who are your influences?

I enjoy playing so many styles of music, but my 2024 album, “Come on Home,” comprised mostly of my original tunes, has a souljazz and funk sound, with a good dose of the blues. That’s what I’m feeling right now and I’m getting some great feedback on it. I love to listen to a wide range of artists but I’ll stick with the ones you might expect for my main influences! Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles…

Insider interview with Grammy award winning fiddler Mark O'Connor

On April 25, the three-time Grammy-award winning multi-instrumentalist Mark O’Connor brings his “Beethoven and Bluegrass” program to Carnegie Hall. Joining him onstage are the Vega Quartet and bluegrass musician Maggie O’Connor. The Vega Quartet performs Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 95 and O’Connor’s String Quartet No. 2; Mark and Maggie play bluegrass duos; and all six string players come together to play O’Connor’s famous “Appalachia Waltz.”

We spoke to him about this special program, composing a modern-day classic, and so much more. Tickets to the April 25 concert at Carnegie Hall, presented by Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta, available here.

You’re well known as a fiddler, and you’re also a composer of concert music. Tell us a bit about your training. Which genre came first and how do you balance the two?  

This answer will be nearly as complex as your question! In brief, I began with classical guitar instruction at six and studied in this manner until adding fiddle instruction five years later at age 11. I delved into all of the bluegrass instruments as a multi-instrumentalist at that time, including the change from classical finger-style on a nylon-string guitar, to steel-string with a flat-pick. By age 14, I added jazz music studies and began to compose progressive string band type music. After stints with great internationally-known instrumental bands and a session-playing career in Nashville on the fiddle, guitar and mandolin, I returned to the classical music setting for my compositional output wholeheartedly. I composed string quartets, trios, duos, solos, piano trios, orchestral symphonies, suites, nine concertos and more.

How does Beethoven fit into the “Beethoven and Bluegrass” program? That is, how is his music complementary to bluegrass music?

The 11th string quartet (Op. 95) by Beethoven will be performed, as well as my own 2nd string quartet subtitled “bluegrass.” These two pieces will make up half of the program, performed by the wonderful Vega Quartet. The connection of Beethoven to bluegrass music here is principally through my string quartet compositions—with Beethoven being the key inspiration to my own quartet writing even though my music is wholly American music. Mine takes the form of a new style and sound that listeners will not have heard before, but its compositional complexity in form, texture and characteristic setting makes for a remarkable pairing that surprises most everyone by how well it works. To this day, it even surprises me frankly as we’ve repeated the program many times because audiences have loved this unique offering. Rather than a classical music style of string-playing that Beethoven’s music demands, my quartet music compels the musicians to utilize a modernistic musical language and playing techniques that I uncover from my own progressive bluegrass music experiences. This kind of playing instructs my themes and development in the compositions. Audiences pick up on an exciting contrast that exists across 200 years and 2 continents, played by exactly the same four instruments.

Part of this program features you performing duos with your wife Maggie. What are the challenges (and rewards!) of performing as a duo, without a band?  

The duo with my wife Maggie is something we’ve been honing since we met 10 years ago. It first began with just the two fiddles performing my duo compositions. We created an electrifying blend on the originals and for my arrangements of American classics. Given our predisposition for musical exploration, we began to reach further within our duo setting, and this was the challenge you ask about. We wanted to keep growing the duo. We added back into the picture my guitar and mandolin playing I had ignored for years. Then we began to sing more. Maggie’s is an authentic Americana story-telling voice, so it inspired me to write more music. Not just string music but vocal songs. Maggie even plays hand percussion on one of our tunes, and her percussive “chopping” on the violin feels like a whole rhythm section when I solo. We’ve quite literally created a full band out of our duo in performance. For us and our audiences, it is quite the musical journey we’ve taken together across these last ten years. We just kept reaching for more.

The program ends with you and Maggie joining forces with the Vega Quartet for your work “Appalachia Waltz.” This piece is your timeless modern-day classic you composed for Yo-Yo Ma. You must have played this one a thousand times by now.

Likely more than that. “Appalachia Waltz” is now 30-years-old, and I don’t doubt I’ve performed it a hundred times a year. So try three-thousand times! Yo-Yo himself may have played it a thousand times by now! He loves to play this music. Yes, it is extremely lucky that my most famous piece, is also my favorite to play. With composers and songwriters, it is sometimes not the case! But for me, it’s special each time. There is a sense of mystery or intrigue about the music that people pick up on. Where is it coming from, is a common response I think. It sounds to some like a modern-day spiritual. And I think there is a bridge that connects, because you can’t help but feel both nostalgic and optimistic at the same time. It’s quite a splendid moment to hear the Vega string quartet join us for this rendition in the program. Sometimes we’ll comment on how emotional it makes us feel. But most of the time, we just let the music fill the air and see the audience welcome what they hear and take this sensitivity home with them.

Insider Interview with Polish Chamber Orchestra manager Janusz Marynowski

The Polish Chamber Orchestra is on tour across the United States with versatile violinist Daniel Hope, "the most exciting British string player since Jacqueline du Pré" (New York Times). The "Journey to Mozart" program includes violin concertos by Haydn and Mozart, Haydn's Symphony No. 49 in F minor 'La passione,' and works by Gluck and the Polish composer Wojciech Kilar. Performances are February 23-March 2 in Vero Beach, FL; West Palm Beach, FL; Atlanta, GA; and Beaver Creek, CO. We spoke with PCO manager Janusz Marynowski about the orchestra’s rich history, the upcoming tour, Polish culture, and more.

As manager of Polish Chamber Orchestra, what are your primary duties and/or goals?

The Polish Chamber Orchestra is an orchestra of great tradition, and as the manager of this ensemble, I consider it my primary task to nurture its 50-year heritage, always ensuring projects and performances of the highest artistic standard. We are a large, independent cultural institution of the capital city of Warsaw, the heart of which is the Sinfonia Varsovia symphony orchestra formed by extending the PCO's chamber ensemble. In addition, we manage several chamber ensembles made up of the orchestra's musicians. However, our activities do not end there. We run an orchestra academy for young musicians, implement a number of educational programmes for little music lovers, organise activities for the local community, and host two major music festivals in Warsaw: La Folle Journée de Varsovie and Sinfonia Varsovia To Its City. The orchestra is very active in Poland and abroad, playing around 70 concerts a year, more than half of them outside Poland. We also make recordings, with over 340 albums in our catalogue of excellent labels. Sinfonia Varsovia is also an investor in the construction of a music complex in Warsaw with the largest concert hall in Poland. Ultimately, we will have four concert halls: the main hall with 1,877 seats, smaller hall with 400 seats and two chamber halls, as well as several halls for educational activities.

Tell me how your role with the orchestra has changed over the years, from your time as a performer to now as the manager.

I started working there in 1987, as a double bass musician. At the time, my job was solely to play the double bass. I remember this period as a period of eternal happiness, because being on stage and performing pieces of music together with my orchestra was the greatest form of expression possible for me, it was one hundred per cent artistic freedom on stage. 21 years ago, the orchestra offered me the position of orchestra manager, and after a year of holding the position of both a musician and a manager, I had to decide to devote all my time to the role of a manager. Since then, I have been involved in administering the institution and charting new courses of action. As a result, I unfortunately no longer have time to play the instrument. My life made a 180° turn and sometimes I really miss being a musician, playing in an orchestra. 

How do the Polish Chamber Orchestra musicians, repertoire and performances reflect Polish culture?

From its first concert, the orchestra's repertoire included works by Polish composers such as Grażyna Bacewicz and Andrzej Panufnik. We continue this tradition of performing works by Polish composers. This is a very important part of our repertoire, as the orchestra considers itself to be an ambassador of Polish culture around the world. We are happy to have the chance to present during our upcoming US tour an absolutely phenomenal piece: "Orawa" by Wojciech Kilar, which was written specifically for the Polish Chamber Orchestra. He is a composer known in the US rather as the creator of soundtracks for films such as "Dracula" and "The Pianist". We hope that this piece by a Polish composer in particular will appeal to American audiences. Poland has a long and turbulent revolutionary history, as evidenced by names such as Pułaski and Kościuszko, who also had their contributions to US history. In the world of classical music, the PCO managed by Jerzy Maksymiuk was at its beginnings an equally revolutionary phenomenon, playing expressively and quickly, with the highest technical precision. This was before the wider public got accustomed to playing this way.

Polish Chamber Orchestra has not toured the United States in nearly 20 years.

• What are you most looking forward to on this tour?

• What do you expect to be challenging or difficult about this tour? 

• How do you expect it will be different than your last U.S. tour in 2006?

Twenty years is a long time, many young musicians have joined the ensemble, some have retired. This has a huge impact on the sound of the ensemble, on its identity. We hope, however, that we have retained that original energy and style. I wish for it to sit well with audiences who, after all, have also changed a lot over the years and have a different sensibility. Above all, we are looking forward to meeting them, the wonderful American listeners who have given us such an excellent reception in the past.

I see one particular difficulty this tour faces. I mean the concert in Beaver Creek, which is about 2,500 m above sea level, and in Warsaw we are not used to such high altitudes. Rysy, Poland's highest peak, is exactly 2499 m above sea level. I even found out that special oxygen bottles are being sold at the Beaver Creek shops to help with the symptoms of altitude sickness. We need to investigate this matter thoroughly, as our oboists have reported that there may be problems with their reeds at such a high altitude. 

We are very happy to be performing with such a great artist as Daniel Hope, I have known him for three decades by the way.
He is a world-class artist who belongs among the great stars playing with the Polish Chamber Orchestra, such as Yehudi Menuhin, James Galway, Gidon Kremer, Maxim Vengerov....

What else would you like us to know about you and the PCO?

As for me, I have been in love with the orchestra for 38 years. It used to be my dream to exchange at least a few words with a musician of this very orchestra, so I am very proud to come to you with this ensemble. The Polish Chamber Orchestra has always prided itself on the highest quality of artistic performance, the precision of chamber music. The credit goes, of course, to its creator, the legendary Jerzy Maksymiuk. 

What is coming up next for the Polish Chamber Orchestra?

On our return from the USA with the full symphonic ensemble, Sinfonia Varsovia, we will perform at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and in Istanbul with the legendary violinist Pinchas Zukerman, with whom we have the pleasure of working recently. And in the autumn, a tour in Japan with the legendary Marta Argerich and Ivo Pogorelić.

Insider Interview with Vision Duo

Vision Duo (violinist Ariel Horowitz and percussionist Britton-René Collins) perform classical works with a contemporary twist. On March 5, 2025 the duo makes their Baruch PAC recital debut with a wide-ranging program that includes Bizet/Hubay’s Carmen Fantasy, Misty by the jazz pianist Erroll Garner, music by Piazzolla, Vision’s own Horowitz, and others. We spoke to Horowitz and Collins about the unique combination of violin and marimba, the upcoming program, and expanding their repertoire. 

I can’t think of a single piece of classical music written for your unique combination of instruments. What the heck were you thinking when you created this duo? 

Britton-René Collins: Our duo was formed during the pandemic, at a time where many musicians were experimenting and planning for the return of live music performance. We had only known each other through social media, and admired one another’s work. It just made sense for us, as like-minded creatives, to join together and collaborate in a meaningful way. 

How do you balance the difference in timbres and volume between the violin and percussion?  

Ariel Horowitz: We love the dichotomy between the instruments and their vastly different soundworlds, and we enjoy leaning into that – a violin will never sound like a marimba, and vice versa, so it’s very fun to enjoy all of the variety of soundworlds that we can craft together.  

BRC: Although the pairing of a western classical instrument with a modern percussion instrument originating from West Africa could be considered atypical, the violin and marimba blend seamlessly together. Many existing works in the violin/marimba duo repertoire were commissioned by the group “Marimolin” over the span of several decades. Having commissioned, composed, and premiered new works for our duo’s instrumentation together, we share a passion for contributing to the growing body of violin and percussion repertoire. 

Tell us about your program at Baruch PAC? There are many new works, some arrangements and a work by you, Ariel. How did you put together this program?  

AH: We’re so excited for our program at Baruch PAC! Our program, Moxie, is kind of like a musical charcuterie board: we hope there can be something for everyone. We enjoy a variety of styles of music, both as performers and listeners, so our programming reflects our eclectic tastes. You’ll hear music from Blues to Jazz to Opera to Baroque Classical to Indie, and you might even hear some music that we improvise together on the spot: another great passion of ours.  

BRC: The inspiration behind our program came naturally, as our friendship formed through our shared love of multi-genre music. Through our versatile programming, we hope that audiences of all demographics might be able to identify and connect with our performances. 

It appears that all the works that weren’t written for you are an arrangement. What’s your process for picking pieces and making these arrangements? 

AH: Britt and I have a ton of songs that we love for various reasons – musically, lyrically, aesthetically, or the song is significant to one or the other of us (often both)! Usually, from there, we start from improvisation – we rarely write down our arrangements, but enjoy coming up with our tunes through a collaborative jam session.  

Ariel, could you tell us a bit about your work? 

AH: Solitude is a song I originally created back in my own college days, so it feels quite fitting to be able to share it for students in that stage of early adulthood at Baruch PAC. I was quite lonely in those days, though I was surrounded constantly by lots of people. A lot was going wrong in my life at the time, too, so I came up with a mantra: “I am in Solitude but I’m not lonely”. I was improvising a lot on my own in private those days, and singing a lot by myself, too. Through a lot of improvisation processes, including a rather public one in front of a panel at an audition (a story for another time, haha!), the song evolved into what it is now. I’m so glad to get to share this song with my dearest friend Britt as a duo, now, and this song features on my recently released album, Hearth!  

Insider Interview with soprano/pianist Chelsea Guo

On March 6, Baruch Performing Arts Center presents the award-winning musician Chelsea Guo. Equally talented as both a pianist and soprano, Guo will accompany herself in a program that features arias by Rossini, Donizetti, Chopin, and more. We spoke to her about the upcoming recital program, self-accompaniment, and future engagements (including time in Vienna!).

Very few artists can competently accompany themselves on piano. What are the challenges for you to play piano while singing? What are the rewards?

Performing songs self-accompanied feels like a privilege every time I have the chance to do it onstage. It allows me complete spontaneity, flexibility of breath, and freedom for phrasing and expression. Of course, it comes with many technical challenges, the biggest one being independence of the vocal and pianistic mechanisms. While they move together, I need to take special care to preserve the technical aspects that keep the voice supported while also leaning into my finger/foot muscle memory to make sure I'm bringing the right touch and sound to the piano (especially because I can't hear the piano very well while I'm singing). There's a verticality to the physical action of playing the piano that both needs to counteract and support the spin of the voice. But, once all that gets worked through in practice, the result is always worth it to me.

When learning a new piece do you start by learning the vocal part, or the piano part?

I start learning a self-accompanied song by learning both parts completely independently - as if I'm preparing to sing or play them alone. 

You perform a wide variety of styles of music. How do you go about constructing a program?

Constructing programs is the most exciting and most challenging part. There is so much crossover between the vocal and piano literature - so many ideas and connections to explore. The challenge is that I can get a bit too excited about a concept and have to remind myself to keep the audience experience in mind. When I'm programming many styles of music in one concert, I try to keep a common thread going, so either a personal narrative or a musical or intellectual connection.

How did you first get interested in music? At what point did you realize it would be your career?

I was always enamored with music and loved my piano lessons as a kid. I especially loved the storytelling aspect of music, as my mother would come up with narratives to connect me to the piano pieces I was learning. I told her around the age of 11 that I wanted to be a concert pianist. Eventually, I started taking voice lessons to better improve my understanding of piano music, and that ended up becoming part of my path as well. It's been an incredible journey that has led me to a deeper love of this art form every day that I do it!

Later this season, you’ll be spending some time in Vienna as a studio member of the Volksoper Wien. How did this opportunity come about? What you expect you’ll experience while you are there?

This past summer, I was in the studio of Wolf Trap Opera, getting my first taste of opera, when I received an email from the head of the studio at Volksoper Wien. I genuinely thought it was a spam email (why would they know about me?) until I re-read it and it hit me that it was real - they had heard of my name through a wonderful cellist I had worked with previously, seen my videos online, and were inviting me to come audition in Vienna. One thing led to another, and I'm moving there shortly after I perform at Baruch PAC! I'm really excited for my first role there, which is as Mab/Adelaide in The Enchanted Pig by Jonathan Dove, and some others coming up include Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Frasquita in Carmen, among other fun assignments. I expect it will be very busy time and a totally new experience, but I'll still be coming back in between productions to perform recitals and concerts in the States. 

Insider interview with percussionist Michael Yeung

Percussionist Michael Yeung is winner of the prestigious Susan Wadsworth International Auditions by Young Concert Artists. He has toured the world as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. On January 27 at Baruch Performing Arts Center in Manhattan, Yeung performs a solo recital with an adventurous program featuring arrangements of classics including Debussy's Rêverie and a lute suite by J.S. Bach to Xenakis' 20th-century solo percussion staple Rebonds A and B. We spoke with Yeung about the upcoming recital, the history of the marimba, note perfect performances, and why Georges Aperghis’s Le Corps à Corp is a one-of-a-kind experience for both performer and listener.

How did you choose percussion as your primary instrument?  

“This kid has good rhythm,” – a chance comment my mother overheard from my kindergarten piano teacher. The Hong Kong Percussion Center had just opened in the same year, led by the then recently retired principal percussionist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Dr. Lung Heung-wing. That was how things fell into place. Every Saturday evening from the time I was age 6 to 16, I would head to Wan Chai, walk 15 minutes from the subway station, and be in sort of Percussive Disneyland for an hour.  

Against a corner of the room, two rows of djembes lined the bottom of a long shelf, the top of which was crowded with various sound-making knick-knacks: Agogo bells, whirly tubes, caxixis, tuned desk bells, and on and on. In another corner was a phalanx of keyboards: a xylophone, a glockenspiel, a vibraphone, and above all the marimba, which was a Yamaha YM-6100, a glorious five octave instrument with a luxurious sound. I treasured my time there every week. There were no questions asked when, later on, I dropped piano for percussion.  

At what point did you realize that you were interested in music as a career?  

Well, I was always intrigued and interested by the idea (who wouldn’t be if you lived in a Percussive Disneyland every Saturday?), but it was two very difficult pieces that I came across in secondary school that gave me the confidence to keep pursuing music. The first was the xylophone part in James L. Hosay’s Persis Overture, notorious for having the xylophone double the woodwinds in passages with continuous strings of sixteenth notes. So many notes, coming at you so quickly, which you would have to execute without room for error – the xylophone could be heard very prominently over the top of the band. I felt peer-pressured into perfection. The recording of one of our performances is still up on YouTube – to this day more than a decade later, it is still one of the remarkably few “note perfect” performances in my life.   

A few years later, Joseph Schwantner’s Velocities was pretty much the same thing – a continuous string of sixteenth notes – but nine minutes long, four mallets instead of two, and everything dialed up to eleven. I reveled in the challenge and absorbed the piece like a fish in water. Looking back, both these experiences really were as simple as they were formative – proof that I was good at what I do.  

What are the challenges of programming and playing a solo percussion recital?  

A big challenge is that there simply has not been as much music written for us in comparison with say, the piano or the violin. Let’s take marimba music as an example. Some of our oldest pieces came from Japan, commissioned and premiered by the legendary Keiko Abe, over the course of three marimba recitals between 1968-71. That’s just a half century ago. In the States, the National Endowment for the Arts’ solo marimba commission in 1986, merely four decades ago, bore fruit three of the very first and very best pieces for the instrument – one of which was Velocities. And so, nearly all the repertoire for a concert marimbist (besides arrangements) comes from the 21st or the second half of the 20th century – there is no “classical” or “romantic” “tradition” to speak of for the marimba. We face similar challenges to a classical saxophonist. 

1986 was also the year when the modern concert marimba, in its five-octave incarnation, was first built. It was in Japan, by the Yamaha company with guidance from Abe herself. Yamaha, of course, also makes pianos, so imagine if the first grand piano Yamaha made was not in 1902, but three quarters of a century later. In fact, the concept of a “concert marimba” arguably only came up when Guatemalan marimbas attracted the attention of American instrument makers in the Panama International Exposition of 1915 in San Francisco. Another analogy is to imagine Cristofori’s invention of the fortepiano not in 1700, but in 1900; the piano world would be two centuries behind where it is currently. Hopefully this gives an idea of how much the percussion profession is still in its nascency. 

Tell us more about your program at Baruch PAC. How did you select this music, and what connects the pieces?  

I am bringing a healthy mixture of the classical and the contemporary. Again, much of percussion music comes from modern times, and these pieces by Xenakis, Hurel, and Aperghis act as the backbone of my program and an authentic overview to my profession. Interspersed are arrangements of Bach, Debussy, and John Cage, and I use these pieces from the canon of classical music to display the capabilities of keyboard percussion as a fresh, new canvas for these familiar works. 

One idiosyncrasy for percussion programming is that we need to consider not only the music itself, but also the flexibility and ease of the set up for all the equipment that would have to be on stage. Part of what I love about the second half in this program is the simplicity of accomplishing that goal, of connecting each piece with the next with a subtle and elegant walk towards each next instrument, in hopes of never distracting the audience from the music-making experience.   

Your program ends with Georges Aperghis’s Le Corps à Corps, which features vocals. Could you tell us about that piece? What’s it like to perform? What are the lyrics about?  

Le corps is wonderful! I cannot exaggerate how much I swear by this work, it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience both for the performer and the listener. Its text seemingly describes a scene of a horrific accident at a motorcycle race, in a stream-of-consciousness retelling that blurs and disorients the listener’s perception of the tale. To perform Le corps is to be both the story’s narrator and its protagonist, to pour blood, sweat, and tears into a maximally physical effort – it is a virtuosic agility course for my voice, for my body, and of course for my fingers on the zarb, a Persian goblet drum that I had to learn from scratch for this piece, a drum that frames the entire affair. So much drama is drawn from this instrument, and the musical score itself is already an exercise in coordination and concentration. You will see and hear me flitting between playing my zarb, conveying Aperghis’ text, enacting the drama, and diverting the attention of the audience, towards and between these many different moving parts. It is always incredibly rewarding, and incredibly exhausting. I hope people like it. 

Tickets for the January 27 concert are available bpac.baruch.cuny.edu.

Insider Interview with Edward Smaldone

Composer Edward Smaldone blends influences from the worlds of twelve tone music, jazz, and extramusical realms like architecture and poetry. His new album of world premiere recordings “What no one else sees…” (New Focus #fcr425) is performed by some top European ensembles, including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Denmark's Royal Life Guards Music Band, the Brno Philharmonic, and Opus Zoo. The album features two programmatic orchestral works, a clarinet concerto, piano concerto, and a woodwind quintet.

In this extensive interview with the composer, we spoke with Smaldone about the new album, his journey from playing in professional rock bands to writing for top European ensembles, first impressions, and so much more.

The works on this album are performed entirely by European artists. How did you first connect with the Scottish RSO, the pianist Niklas Sivelöv and some of the others? 

There were two “threads” that lead to this CD being completely performed by European artists.  The first was a Student Exchange program I arranged with the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen, while I was Director of the Copland School of Music in New York. There were visits from students and faculty in both directions, and I got to know both Søren-Filip Brix Hansen and Niklas Sivelöv. 

In 2010  Søren-Filip Brix Hansen was an exchange student, studying clarinet at the Aaron Copland School of Music (with Charlies Neidich). It was soon after Søren-Filip returned to Copenhagen that he was named the concertmaster of the Royal Lifeguard Ensemble.  We stayed in touch (I had written other pieces for him) and we hit upon the idea of a concerto for him to celebrate his new appointment. Covid delayed the premiere, (originally scheduled for March 2020!)  but we finally gave the premiere as part of the KLANG! Festival in Copenhagen, in June 2021 (under rather strict Covid conditions). We recorded it at that time, and it was the first piece of the puzzle.

Niklas Sivelöv was another contact I had made during various visits to Copenhagen. I was invited to compose a new piece for the League of Composers Orchestra for a New York Premiere at the Miller Theater at Columbia University.  I had suggested once to Niklas that “I should write you a concerto” and he foolishly answered “Sure.”   I wrote the piece in 2019 and 2020, but that performance was also delayed by Covid. The premiere was in New York City in May 2023 and we recorded it in Glasgow in 2024.

The second thread extends from Douglas Knehans and Mikel Toms, two wonderful musicians I have known for a while.  Douglas Knehans is a fine composer and good friend I have known for 30 years.  When he started his record label (Albaze) I was happy to participate in several recording sessions in Brno and Glasgow. Among these were Beauty of Innuendo in Brno  and June 2011 in Glasgow, both of which were previously released on compilations on Ablaze.  I’m re-issuing them here so that they are on this album with the two new concerti.

The final work on the CD comes from another offhand comment, this time by Søren-Filip, who asked “do you have anything for woodwind quintet?” There is nothing a composer likes more than being “asked to dance.”  I wrote the piece for his group in 2023, they performed it about a half-dozen times in Denmark and in New York, and then recorded a live performance in Denmark in 2024, which we have included on the CD. 

Having assembled all these European performances, (the last one in May 2024), I brought all the music to the Westchester studio of the incomparable Grammy winning recording engineer and editor Silas Brown) in Summer 2024, and made ready for release in December on New Focus.

In short, the European threads were like a series of long fishing lines laid out over a number of years, that finally came together back in New York!

You wrote your piano concerto Prendendo Fuoco (Catching Fire) specifically for the Swedish pianist, Niklas Sivelöv as soloist. The Danish clarinetist Søren-Filip Brix Hansen was the inspiration for your concerto for clarinet and wind orchestra Murmurations.  

What are the rewards – and challenges – of writing a work with a specific artist in mind; and for these artists specifically?

These two concerti are among four I have written, each time for a specific soloist.  I have also been fortunate to have written quite a number of chamber pieces where I have known exactly for whom I am writing.  This is my preferred way of working.  (Actually, I can’t think of a single piece I have ever written that was not for a specific performance and performers in mind.) 

When the musicians are both close colleagues and friends I have the opportunity to “customize” the piece in ways that fit both the personality of the performer and the special strengths that each one has.  In the case of Søren-Filip, he has a beautiful sound and can play meltingly seductive lines. He is also able to play brilliant rhythmic lines and generate excitement.  I sought to capture both of these qualities in the piece.

Niklas Sivelöv is a brilliant technician, and also a master improviser. I wanted to give him plenty to chew on (I was astounded when first hearing him play some of the passages.  In some cases, which I thought were near the edge of playability, he just tossed them off like it was nothing.)  But I also wanted to give him passages where he could “bend” things a bit, to make it sound like he was actually improvising (though, I assure you, every note is written out!). There are quite a few places in the piece where there are complex rhythms and challenging ensemble coordination. The idea was to create the kind of rhythmic fluidity that one often finds in improvised textures.  Niklas had no trouble navigating these moments.   

These two musicians did an amazing job, but there is always the challenge that these “bespoke” pieces might not fit the skill set of other musicians.  We’ll see!  I’m hopeful that we’ll get additional performances as time goes by, and I’ll be happy to hear other musicians put a personal stamp on them. In a sense I’m like a tailor who gets out his scissors as soon as there is a customer in the store.

Talk about the title track, What no one else sees … for woodwind quintet. To me, it has the most programmatic-sounding title on the album, yet it’s the only composition on the collection that you say is completely abstract. 

I write music as an abstract expression.  In fact, in every case, the titles of these compositions (and all of my others!) were decided sometime in the midst of composition.  There are not any of my compositions where I start with a non-musical idea, and then write the piece.  It is always the other way around. I know there are composers who can decide “I’m writing about a particular character, or story,” and then set to work.  I don’t.

The way I work is by manipulating sound (harmonies, rhythms, melodies, instrumentation, tempo, etc.) most often through improvisation at the piano or the guitar.  When I find something I like I write it down. Sometimes I record my improvisations so I can go back and “mine” them for good ideas, without breaking the flow of improvisation.  

Once I find something useful, (a chord, a rhythm, a melody, a gesture) and write it down, I can determine the structural details of an improvisatory fragment and find the building blocks that will allow it to grow into an actual musical idea and ultimately grow into a piece.  In this process, the creation is quite intuitive and abstract and only much later does a title emerge.

Each of the pieces on this CD (and most of my compositions, in general) got their titles when the piece was more than 50% completed. While I was composing the Woodwind Quintet, for example,  I was also reading a book about creativity by the pop music producer, Rick Rubin. The music Rubin is known for producing is vastly different from what I do, but his book was an interesting stream of consciousness manifesto of ideas about music and creativity.  There was an idea in the book I came upon that articulated something I have acknowledged for a long time: until the creative artist makes the thing, the thing does not exist. (Yes, obvious, I know…)  As Ruben expressed it, the creative artist needs to see “What no one else sees.”  I decided to let this title stand as an expression of the spirit of how I create. To me, the musical materials and how they interact make a fascinating story all their own and don’t need a programmatic “meaning” to justify them.  I’m a big fan of abstract art: (color, line, contrast, perspective, but no story!) and this piece celebrates the abstract elements of music (melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, register, articulation, etc.) in their purest form.

You recently retired after 35 years on faculty at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. How does the academic side of your career inform the composition side; and vice versa? 

The academic side of my career was primarily taken up with teaching music theory, ear training, music appreciation, and orchestration, with a few composition students and classes sprinkled in along the way.  I love talking about the intricacies of music so I really loved my time in the classroom. It was a joy to be the person who opened the ears and minds of students, hearing and understanding the mechanics of music for the first time. 

I always felt that my compositions were a combination of intense “technical” aspects of combining sounds (like the things one discusses in Theory Class), the nitty gritty details “under the hood” that make the music of the masters “click.”  But composing is not the same as analyzing.  You can’t get bogged down with these details.  Like someone who designs a sports car,  you need to know the mechanics and engineering at every level, or the car won’t work.  But you also need to understand the end user experience, or the car won’t be fun to drive. I think these different aspects are equally important for me as an artist. I have spent a great deal of time fussing over the minutiae of music theory at every level, and I often spend a long time trying to find just the right chord, melody or musical gesture for a moment in a piece.  But all that matters once a piece of music starts to fill the air is that end user experience.  The sports car driver (like the listener) does not need to understand the mechanics of engineering, but it is those mechanics (and a little magic) that brings it all together.

Another important part of my academic career came from the rewarding experiences as the leader of 7 different Study Abroad projects.  These were in England and Italy and were primarily focused on composition and performance projects.  In each case, we landed in a foreign country, started writing music, and gave a concert 3 or 4 weeks later, featuring our own performances of that original music. In each case, the students wrote music for the instruments we had among the students taking the course. It was a joyous microcosm of the working composer’s life: get a date, pick the musicians you are writing for, and then make it happen.  I’m still in touch with some of those students who tell me how instructive those experiences were. (One of them is writing operas and ballets across Europe at the moment!)

Tell us about your roots as a rock musician, and how that influences your work as a composer of concert music.  

My journey from rock musician to concert music composer happened over the course of 12 years, from the time I was a Freshman in College to earning a Ph.D.  Prior to college and during my undergraduate days, I played guitar and sang in several professional rock bands playing the music of the Allman Brothers, Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, Tower of Power and others. I later played in wedding bands (with an array of astounding New York freelance musicians) playing the popular music of the 1930s through the 1970s.  When I arrived at College, despite all this experience, I could barely read music.  The time I spent as an improvising musician, figuring things out by ear, following other musicians and playing without a score, did much to inform the musician I became as I later learned the specifics of music theory, analysis, notation, and music history in College. I have been convinced for a long time that the intuitive skills I leaned on at the beginning are still an essential part of my profile as a composer.   The music I write relies both on the technical things I learned as a music student and the intuitive musician I have always been. I remember learning that one of the things that Schenker admired was the “sweep of improvisation.” It was through this that a notated composition achieved unity.  The ability to make something that is so carefully prepared seem like it just sprang from the air is the magic of a great composition, like the way that the very best acting, be it on the stage or on film, simply convinces you that the characters are real and living each moment in real time.  I keep trying to achieve that

What else would you like us to know about you? 

Throughout my compositional career I have sought to create exciting and detailed musical landscapes. I am aware of the old adage that “you only get one chance to make a first impression.”  My goal is always to find a way to make that first impression one that draws in the listener. But an additional challenge is (in my opinion) to make things rich enough in detail, so that every detail is not obvious from a single hearing.  What I try to do is create an inviting surface that has lots of detail and invites additional listening.  I’m also a huge fan of architecture, so I want the large outlines of my music to be plain and clear.  I like strong cadences that divide the musical landscape into manageable “chunks” and then the “chunks” need to add up to a satisfying whole.  It is a tall order! It is especially difficult when it happens in a live performance, where both the players and the audience only get one shot.  I love the high wire act of live performance, and the excitement of live players adds a dimension that is irreplaceable.  but I’m glad to have the opportunity to fuss over the recordings on this CD and to make them available in the wonderful sonic world we live in.  I’m really hoping that some listeners will seek out the high-resolution recordings we have made available (they are on Bandcamp and on the New Focus Website.).  The streaming services are a wonderful way to share the music, but the tastiest listening is with the Hi-res files and pair of headphones!

Insider Interview with pianist Vedrana Subotic

Croatian American pianist Vedrana Subotić has released a fascinating album that combines the collection of her favorite traditional folk songs from the former Yugoslavia with Sonata in B Minor by Franz Liszt, a work that is deeply indebted to the composer’s Hungarian background and his Balkan roots. "Chiaroscuro” is available on Blue Griffin Recording (BGR673). We spoke to Subotić about the recent release, life as a classical musician in Utah, collaboration, and more.

What are the similarities and differences of the folk tunes you chose for this recording?

All of the songs are poignant reflections on life and its joys and sorrows. Some are exuberantly extroverted, featuring impassioned melodic virtuosity and lilting dance rhythms while others are intimate and quietly melancholy. The songs vary in the level of emotional intensity as well as in the musical character. Djelem, djelem (I went, I went), and Rujna Zora (Crimson Dawn) lament death and loneliness; Djelem explores influence of jazz on Romani music while Crimson Dawn makes use of extended piano techniques. Mujo Kuje Konja (Mujo Shoes His Horse) is a moody juxtaposition of two characters: Mother and Son. Each character is assigned a particular melodic content contrasted by “instrumental” interludes. Kad Ja Podjoh Na Bembašu (When I went to Bembaša) is styled as a berceuse, a quietly sad retrospective on lost love; and Makedonsko Devojče (Macedonian Girl) is a series of joyful dance variations in Balkan rhythms, comparing a young woman’s youth to a beautifully flower garden. 

The folk songs you commissioned arrangements for all come from the former Yugoslavia. Tell us how the different countries in the Balkans relate to one another?

The five songs come from different geographic regions of the former Yugoslavias; however, they aren’t really “Yugoslav” -- the country of Yugoslavia -- existed for a relatively short time, between 1918 and 1992. The five songs (with the exception of Macedonian Girl) all pre-date the formation of Yugoslavia in 1918, and continue to be a part of the Balkan cultural tradition, untouched by the political events in this region. The Bosnian melodies began to emerge during the Ottoman Empire reign in the early 16th century; the Montenegrin song first appeared during the time Montenegro was a Kingdom int he 19th century; and the Romani melody arrived to Serbia with the Romani peoples’ westward migrations from India which began in 15th century.

What made you choose to work with Christopher O’Riley and Igor Iachimciuc as arrangers for this collection of folk melodies?

I have collaborated with Igor on commissions for the Intermezzo Concert Series and have been consistently impressed with his musical imagination, depth, and skill. Igor was born in Moldova and is a virtuoso cymbalom player. Like me, he grew up listening to traditional Eastern European folk music and has a deep love for and understanding of that musical culture. His two compositions on this album, Crimson Dawn and Djelem, Djelem, are more than arrangements -- they are original compositions, reimagined with authenticity and true understanding of the traditional folk genre. 

Christopher and I collaborated on a project of teaching and performing the 48 Preludes and Fugues from J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, in a series of masterclasses and concerts at the University of Utah. I had also heard him play his own arrangements of Bernard Herrmann’s score for the Hitchcock movie “Psycho” and that work stood out to me in particular -- it was meticulously detailed and true to the complex orchestra score. Christopher was the right person to faithfully translate the original folk material into a piano transcription/arrangement.  He was excited to give the Balkan songs a try and created these arrangements in a matter of days. Sometimes in just a few hours! 

How collaborative was the process as they arranged the works?

Very concentrated! To begin the process, I selected several performances of each of the songs by my favorite folk artists, and worked with both Igor and Christopher on finessing and polishing the content, texture, form, and details over a period of few months. The whole process was so natural between the three of us -- a true meeting of the minds. We were particularly concerned with capturing the authentic performance details in the arrangements -- the uniqueness of the metric patterns, the subtle variations of decorative patterns, expressive melodic inflections, vocal melismas, and the instrumental improvisation.  

Can you compare and contrast how you approach playing these newly arranged folk tunes to how you play the Liszt B minor Sonata that concludes the album?

The folk tunes are gorgeous and unique in many ways. They are formally uncomplicated. Their complexity lies almost solely in the poetry and not so much in the melodic and harmonic structure. This is the nature of “popular” music, whether ancient, or new -- simplicity and repetition. The exception to this perspective is the often spectacular and unique live improvisation by the legendary singers and instrumentalists -- this is what Igor, Christopher, and I tried to capture in the arrangements.

The Liszt Sonata in B Minor creates a complex narrative by means of formal and structural designs that stem from scholarly musical thought and tradition. The Sonata form itself is synonymous with multiple contrasting themes and involved harmonic structures - a polar opposite of the folk song genre. Yet, the B Minor Sonata’s heart and essence lie in the ideas sourced from the folk music, much in the same way in which Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies aren’t based on actual Hungarian tunes; instead, they are reimagined versions of Liszt’s exposure to the Hungarian musical traditions (a large portion of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was previously a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire). Likewise, the B Minor Sonata’s musical language is influenced and colored by Liszt’s innate understanding and love of the traditional Balkan music. 

Tell us a bit about your musical life in Utah.

Utah has an incredibly vibrant arts community -- we are home to the Utah Symphony and Opera, the Sundance Film Festival, the Shakespeare Festival, Ballet West, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - the list goes on and on. I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so much excellence and support for music and the arts. I am a Professor of Music at the University of Utah, where I teach a full studio of aspiring pianists and two courses in Career Development for musicians. I am also the Artistic Director for Intermezzo Concert Series which presents 15 concerts every year. As President of the Utah Chapter of the American Liszt Society, I also direct the Liszt Festival and Competition in Utah, and frequently perform as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative pianist.

Insider Interview with pianist Yukine Kuroki

On October 29, Japanese pianist Yukine Kuroki makes her Carnegie Hall debut with a recital presented by the Dublin International Competition. The program features music by Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Kapustin, Tokuyama, Schumann, Saint-Saëns and Debussy. We spoke to her about the upcoming recital, coming to NYC for the first time, winning the Dublin International Piano Competition and more.

How and when did you first become interested in music? What prompted you to begin playing piano, and when did you know you wanted to pursue a career as a concert pianist? 

I started to play piano when I was 3 years old. Because my mother was a piano teacher, there was a piano in my house. I started so naturally, because this piano was like my friend.

When I was 12 years old, I met my professor, Fumiko Eguchi. I was so thrilled that she really respects music and people. She is passionate and supports me so kindly.

I started to participate in junior international competitions all over the world. I met many amazing young pianists and professors, and I realized how beautiful music is. I wanted to learn more and more, so I practiced so hard every day and now it’s my job. I don’t think of it as “working” when I play the piano. I think I’m so lucky because for me, music is my life and my constant companion. So I’m really enjoying to have many concerts all over the world.

What did winning the Dublin International Piano Competition mean for you and your career? 

I was so thrilled to receive 1st prize in Dublin – it was my dream to win such a famous competition. After that, I won several other competitions but for me, Dublin was my first big win. It’s a really important prize and it has given me more confidence.  

After Dublin, my life has changed. I had many interviews in newspapers, articles and television, and have had many concert requests in Japan and Europe. This season I have several concerts in US and Canada. Thanks to the Dublin competition, I’m having a career as a pianist. 

The Carnegie Hall recital on October 29, 2024 is your first concert recital in the United States. What are you most looking forward to about performing in New York? 

It’ll be my first time to visit New York, so I’m curious how audiences will react there.

I remember performing in Fort Worth, Texas many years ago [as semi-finalist at the Cliburn Junior Competition]. I was thrilled that audiences had so much passion and they shouted ‘bravo’ so much. So I believe that in New York audiences will also be good. And of course I want to go sightseeing!

Tell us about your recital program. What brings these pieces together? 

I love all pieces that I’ll perform. First, Liszt is a special composer for me - when I was 10 years old, I played Liszt for the first time, and immediately fell in love with his music because it encompasses everything. Some people think his music is mainly technical. But I think he has passion, love, respect, a deep story and it’s very lyrical.  

Stravinsky’s Firebird is originally for orchestra, and in Agosti’s arrangement for piano you can hear all the orchestra sounds and colors which tell the story.

About Rachmaninov and Kapustin, it was my dream to play Rachmaninov Sonata No.2 and Kapustin Variations, I especially like its jazz rhythms. I chose Minako Tokuyama’s “Musica Nara” especially because the piece is really beautiful; it incorporates traditional Japanese melodies, evoking a smiling Budda, Japanese temple bells and jazz! How amazing that she mixed Japan and Jazz. I hope everyone will love this piece!

What is the next milestone in your career you’d like to achieve? 

 I’m happy now, so I want to keep my job as a concert pianist. I really love to perform in front of audiences, and I am most happy when I have a lot of concerts to play. I don’t even want to take a rest! 

I want to play some other big repertoire, and I like chamber music, concertos and solo piano music. I also would like to record a CD! I have so many options in front of me, so I want to keep trying everything!!

Insider Interview with pianist Sahan Arzruni

Armenian-American pianist Sahan Azruni is in the midst of recording a complete history of piano music from his homeland. The latest edition, “By Women,” (rel. July 26, 2024 by Armenian General Benevolent Union) features music by 8 different women, including 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist Mary Kouyoumdjian, and nearly all works are world premiere recordings. We spoke to him about the forthcoming album, his early inspirations, working as a sidekick to Victor Borge, and more.  

What was it about the piano that first attracted you to play it, and what made you want to pursue a career in piano?  

I started playing the piano at the age of four at the encouragement of my maternal aunt who was a pianist and a composer.  When she discovered a superior gift in my “doodling,” she took me, at the age of six, to her Austrian teacher at the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory. He agreed to work with me as long as my aunt supervised my practicing. I made my first public appearance before I was five years old. 

It was not practical to make a living playing or teaching the piano in Istanbul. Thus, I entered Robert College to study chemistry. Unfortunately, I failed in English (all classes were taught in English) and I was let go. I then applied to Juilliard School, was accepted and came to New York in 1964. 

What inspired you to create this album?  

I am in the midst of recording the history of Armenian piano music. This is the fourth album. The sponsors asked me to devote this album to the music of Armenian women composers. Feminism is in, I hear! 

What elements – if any – might a listener identify as sounding like it was written by a woman; or sounding like it was written by someone of Armenian heritage?  

There is nothing special about women composers in general. The music is either good or bad. Whether they are composed by men or women, it’s irrelevant. The idea of women creating music was nothing new for me. My aunt was my first piano teacher. Also, I was a close friend of another Armenian woman composer in Istanbul, Koharik Gazarossian. In the States, I became friends with Louise Talma and Miriam Gideon and recorded many of their works. And now this collection. I have found 38 Armenian women composers so far! 

If you had to pick two pieces or composers to highlight for readers, which would you choose and why?  

Alicia Terzian from Argentina is probably one of the most challenging Armenian woman composer. I have recorded almost all her piano compositions. Her works are mostly multi-media. Another woman composer would be Gayane Chebotaryan -- there is a polished finish to her compositions. They are highly pianistic and effective. 

You worked with Victor Borge for many years. How did you first meet him?

In the sixties when I was attending The Juilliard School of Music, to help students to find jobs there was an office named Placement Bureau. In April 1968, through PB I found out that pianist Leonid Hambro was looking for a student to replace him for a week as a musical sidekick to pianist and comedian Victor Borge. Although several students has applied for the position, I was chosen by Victor Borge to work with. There were only 10 days before a week-long concerts in Hamilton, Ontario. 

 What role did you play on stage? 

The half-hour portion I would be involved in not only included new music for two-pianos but also comedic antics with Borge. Borge and I hit it off right away, not only musically and comedically, but personally as well. Without Hambro’s knowledge Borge kept offering me additional dates. (Borge was paying me only 1/5 of what Hambro was charging.) Eventually, I replaced him as Borge’s stage partner. I was associated with Borge on and off until 1986.

 What did you enjoy about this type of work? 

In many ways, my association with Borge was a positive experience for I was exposed to huge audiences. Furthermore, playing some one hundred concerts a year was an immense exposure. And finally, expanding the idea of traditional recital – presenting just music – into music and talking was a unique approach.

 How did working with Borge for so many years inform your career as a recitalist? 

Working with Borge evolved my musical understanding, developed my relationship with audiences, and freed my artistic abstraction.  

Insider Interview with composer Karen Tanaka

Orli Shaham is pianist, narrator, and instructor in a new video series. The Adventures of Anya is a musical fairy tale with music and original story written for Shaham by Karen Tanaka, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke. Originally published in the Japanese magazine Musica Nova, the series features 22 episodes with Shaham narrating the story, performing the music, and giving lessons on how to perform each of the corresponding compositions. (Full series available on Youtube)

In this interview with Tanaka, the composer talks about taking inspiration for her backyard, collaborating with Shaham and Beeke, and more.

What inspired you to write this story and its music? How did you come up with the idea for the story about Anya and her adventures?

The animals featured in this piano collection - the rabbit, small bird, and squirrel - visit the backyard of my home in Southern California, and they were the inspiration for this collection.  

In March 2021, the Tokyo-based music publisher Ongaku no Tomo commissioned me to compose a series of piano pieces for their magazine Musica Nova. With the series set to begin in June, I had to decide on the subject matter quickly. 

In my previous piano collection, I collaborated with the British picture book illustrator Tiphanie Beeke. When I received the new commission from Ongaku no Tomo, I emailed her again to request illustrations for this collection. After writing a rough story overnight, I sent it to her, and she agreed. Her picture books, filled with charming and adorable illustrations of animals, perfectly matched my ideas. Naturally, the main characters in "The Adventures of Anya" were animals, and I wanted to create an adventurous story infused with fantasy, love, and thrills. Each month, Tiphanie sent me a new illustration, which inspired and influenced my composing. Also, the story developed when I was working with her.

After completing the monthly series with Musica Nova, Schott Music in New York decided to publish "The Adventures of Anya" in two volumes with fully colored illustrations. Project Schott New York has published my recent chamber, orchestral, and choral works.

Tell me about your process collaborating with Orli? How did you adapt the music, knowing that you were writing specifically for her? How did she influence your composition and story?

In May 2021, the Juilliard Pre-College commissioned me a solo piano piece to be premiered by Orli Shaham. During our Zoom meeting that month, I mentioned that I was working on a new piano collection featuring animals and asked if she would be interested. Orli shared that she had a dog named Milo and sent me a picture. After our meeting, the idea of "Orli the Witch" came to mind. I shared a picture of Orli and Milo with Tiphanie Beeke, and she created an adorable illustration. 

Working with Orli Shaham was a delightful and joyful experience. She demonstrated deep insight and wonderfully expressed the composer's intentions through her piano performance. She is a natural storyteller, and her piano playing effortlessly evokes emotions beautifully, which I believe is a rare talent among pianists. Her narration was also incredible.  

 What age level is the music for players? For listeners?

I hope people of all ages will enjoy playing and listening to The Adventures of Anya.