Lang Lang News

Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with 'From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers'-who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams ('Star Wars,' 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'E.T., the Extra Terrestrial'), Howard Shore ('Lord of the Rings,' 'The Hobbit,' 'Hugo'), James Horner ('Titanic,' 'Star Trek,' 'Apollo 13') and Elliot Goldenthal ('Alien 3,' 'Batman Forever' and 'Batman and Robin'). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for 'Titanic' sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.

Steinway & Sons has announced that Markus Gottschlich has been added to the roster of Steinway Artists, a select and prestigious group of pianists who have chosen to perform exclusively on The Family of Steinway-Designed pianos.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Saturday Night Out-an LGBT event-on tonight, May 3, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. The NJSO will host a post-concert champagne and dessert reception for ticketholders who are LGBT community members and friends. The event follows the success of the Orchestra's Friday Night Out LGBT event at NJPAC in April 2013.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Jacques Lacombe present Brahms' First Symphony in concerts this weekend, May 1-4 in Englewood, Princeton and Newark. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill joins the Orchestra for Richard Danielpour's Clarinet Concerto, an NJSO co-commission written for McGill. On Saturday, May 3, the NJSO hosts Saturday Night Out-a post-concert champagne and dessert reception for ticketholders who are LGBT community members and friends-at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark.

May 9-11 at 8 p.m., Houston Ballet will present three free performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre. These performances will showcase Houston Ballet's extraordinary versatility, featuring an excerpt from a great 19th century classic alongside two 21st century works choreographed by artistic director Stanton Welch.

May 9-11 at 8 p.m., Houston Ballet will present three free performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre. These performances will showcase Houston Ballet's extraordinary versatility, featuring an excerpt from a great 19th century classic alongside two 21st century works choreographed by artistic director Stanton Welch.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO)'s 45th season concludes with a veritable piano 'festival' as Jeremy Denk, 'a pianist you want to hear no matter what he performs' (The New York Times), returns for a command performance on Saturday, May 17, 2014, 8 pm, at Glendale's Alex Theatre, and Sunday, May 18, 2014, 7 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall. Denk, artistic director of the 2014 Ojai Music Festival, is featured on selections from Ligeti's Etudes for Piano, Book I & II, as well as Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major. From the keyboard, LACO Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, an acclaimed pianist, conducts Bach's Concerto No. 2 in C major for Two Keyboards, and Mozart's Concerto No. 10 in E-flat major for Two Pianos. He is joined by 12-year-old prodigy Ray Ushikubo for the Bach and LA Phil Keyboardist Joanne Pearce Martin for the Mozart.

Spring is in the air, as are the sounds of a nationally-acclaimed Iowa pianist in concert halls across the state. International Steinway Artist Jim McDonough and his orchestra are currently touring Iowa with his '2014 SPRING TOUR.' McDonough has sold a quarter- million CDs, and has performed breathtaking concerts for tens of thousands of Iowans.

The Pasadena Symphony celebrates the best of the best Russian music with international piano star Shai Wosner guest conductor Jahja Ling. The 86thseason concert finale explodes with Tchaikovsky's dazzling Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony on Saturday May 10, 2014 at Ambassador Auditorium with matinee and evening performances at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Spring is in the air, as are the sounds of a nationally-acclaimed Iowa pianist in concert halls across the state. International Steinway Artist Jim McDonough and his orchestra are currently touring Iowa with his "2014 SPRING TOUR." McDonough has sold a quarter- million CDs, and has performed breathtaking concerts for tens of thousands of Iowans.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) President and CEO Stanley E. Romanstein, Ph.D., Music Director Robert Spano, and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles today announced the ASO's 2014–15 season — the Orchestra's 70th season and Mr. Spano's and Mr. Runnicles's 14th as artistic partners. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is one of America's leading orchestras. It performs great music, presents leading artists, nurtures young talent, and engages music lovers. The 24-week subscription season will feature world-class music of past centuries while paving the way for great music of the future with performances by today's leading composers, soloists, and conductors.

The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts today announced the performance calendar for its inaugural 2014-15 season, with a total of 33 productions, performing groups and individual artists - exclusive of September grand opening events and subscription performances by its resident companies. The initial schedule totals 73 performances. And, there are more to come.

Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with "From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers"-who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams ("Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T., the Extra Terrestrial"), Howard Shore ("Lord of the Rings," "The Hobbit," "Hugo"), James Horner ("Titanic," "Star Trek," "Apollo 13") and Elliot Goldenthal ("Alien 3," "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin"). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for "Titanic" sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents acclaimed classical pianist Ramin Bahrami in a program entitled 'A Trip to Italy,' a recital of Bach and Scarlatti, tonight, April 9 at 8pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents Saturday Night Out-an LGBT event-on Saturday, May 3, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. The NJSO will host a post-concert champagne and dessert reception for ticketholders who are LGBT community members and friends. The event follows the success of the Orchestra's Friday Night Out LGBT event at NJPAC in April 2013.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Jacques Lacombe present Brahms' First Symphony in concerts May 1-4 in Englewood, Princeton and Newark. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill joins the Orchestra for Richard Danielpour's Clarinet Concerto, an NJSO co-commission written for McGill. On Saturday, May 3, the NJSO hosts Saturday Night Out-a post-concert champagne and dessert reception for ticketholders who are LGBT community members and friends-at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark.

Imagine a festival with some of the world's most illustrious superstars of a certain age gathered together in one room. But instead of classics like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Vivien Leigh - all unquestionably stars for the ages - the marquee names are eight of the world's most celebrated and rare Stradivarius violins brought together for the first time ever.

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents acclaimed classical pianist Ramin Bahrami in a program entitled 'A Trip to Italy,' a recital of Bach and Scarlatti, on Wednesday, April 9 at 8pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater.

The Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 84th year, hosts its annual gala Monday, May 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 East Delaware Place. The oldest community music school in Illinois and one of the three largest community music schools in the nation, the Music Institute is planning a celebratory evening highlighted by the presentation of the Dushkin Award to conductor, composer, and pianist Andre Previn.

Today we are talking to the founder and Vice President of Yamaha Entertainment Group who single-handedly spearheaded the incentive to create a one-of-a-kind work of pianistic art for iconic Tony Award-winning rock legend Elton John to utilize in a spectacular new concert experience called THE MILLION DOLLAR PIANO - the passionate and dedicated Chris Gero. Discussing all aspects of the impetus, development, design and actual building and subsequent employment of the technology created to craft the Million Dollar Piano itself, Gero sheds a light on the half-decade-spanning process of bringing the technological and artistic achievement to the stage and outlines Elton John's own participation in the project. Furthermore, Gero opens up about the new software developed for the project and how that has established a whole new avenue of live entertainment via the Yamaha Disklavier. On that note, Gero shares stories detailing his participation with various Disklavier showcase events and the possibilities afforded by the revolutionary new piano tech that will be spotlighted in his new documentary 88 - featuring performances by Elton John, Michael McDonald, Sara Bareilles, Jamie Collum and more. Additionally, Gero offers the 411 on Yamaha's participation in a wide range of specialty events, ranging from the silver piano Alicia Keys played on the Super Bowl to provided keys for Paul McCartney and more, as well as various Elton John charity benefits he has helmed over the years. All of that and much, much more in this behind the scenes look at the modern technical marvel that is Elton John's Million Dollar Piano and the man behind it!