William Warfield News

Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 86th year, hosts its annual gala Wednesday, May 25 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 acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell.

have been and where we are going? Or how certain kinds of music fit into this diverse universe of sound? These are some of the important questions that music raises, and each year, Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, attempts to shed light on the answers by exploring a different facet of American music through the American Composers Festival (ACF). This year's ACF spotlights organ music through four highly acclaimed organists and the splendor of the king of instruments-in this case, the one-of-a-kind William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, located in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Built from steel, tin, oak, poplar, maple, lead and carbon fiber, the astounding instrument found in the Symphony's concert hall required three years and 42,000 hours of labor by a team of organ builders at C.B Fisk in Gloucester, Mass., before making its debut with Pacific Symphony in 2008.

have been and where we are going? Or how certain kinds of music fit into this diverse universe of sound? These are some of the important questions that music raises, and each year, Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, attempts to shed light on the answers by exploring a different facet of American music through the American Composers Festival (ACF). This year's ACF spotlights organ music through four highly acclaimed organists and the splendor of the king of instruments—in this case, the one-of-a-kind William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, located in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Built from steel, tin, oak, poplar, maple, lead and carbon fiber, the astounding instrument found in the Symphony's concert hall required three years and 42,000 hours of labor by a team of organ builders at C.B Fisk in Gloucester, Mass., before making its debut with Pacific Symphony in 2008.

Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, in her New York Philharmonic debut, will replace Marietta Simpson, who has withdrawn due to illness, in In Their Footsteps: Great African American Singers and Their Legacy.

Eric Owens will begin his tenure as The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence by curating, hosting, and performing in In Their Footsteps: Great African American Singers and Their Legacy, conducted by Thomas Wilkins in his Philharmonic debut.

Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, in her New York Philharmonic debut, will replace Marietta Simpson, who has withdrawn due to illness, in In Their Footsteps: Great African American Singers and Their Legacy.

Eric Owens will begin his tenure as The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence by curating, hosting, and performing in In Their Footsteps: Great African American Singers and Their Legacy, conducted by Thomas Wilkins in his Philharmonic debut.

In an extraordinary life that grappled with racial tensions, interracial liaisons, personal scandals and politics, lyric tenor Roland Hayes (1887 – 1977), was the first African American man to reach international fame as a concert performer and one of the few artists who could sell out Carnegie Hall and other major venues.  Once called the “Black Caruso,” Hayes was also hailed as one of the greatest performers of the 20th century.  On October 4, critically acclaimed baritone Robert Sims will honor Hayes with a concert featuring African American spirituals, arranged by Hayes and narrated by George Shirley, in conjunction with his latest recording Robert Sims Sings the Spirituals of Roland Hayes. 

One of America's most versatile and prolific living composers, Andre Previn, joins Pacific Symphony as the honored guest and focus of the 15th American Composers Festival (ACF). Previn, who has been called one of America's least easily categorized musicians, began his remarkable career as a Hollywood "wunderkind" and a best-selling jazz pianist. Now 86, Previn has received four Academy Awards for his work in film, 10 Grammy Awards for his recordings (plus one more for his Lifetime Achievement), and he is also an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He's held a series of major conducting posts, including the L.A. Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, but now exclusively composes. The concert is led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, whose great admiration for the legend shaped this year's ACF to reveal the scope of Previn's prowess as a composer. 

The New York Philharmonic's Spring Gala will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, featuring a concert of music from iconic moments throughout the history of the free concert series, tonight, May 19, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.

Orange County, Calif.-May 11, 2015-One of America's most versatile and prolific living composers, Andre Previn, joins Pacific Symphony as the honored guest and focus of the 15th American Composers Festival (ACF). Previn, who has been called one of America's least easily categorized musicians, began his remarkable career as a Hollywood "wunderkind" and a best-selling jazz pianist. Now 86, Previn has received four Academy Awards for his work in film, 10 Grammy Awards for his recordings (plus one more for his Lifetime Achievement), and he is also an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He's held a series of major conducting posts, including the L.A. Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra, but now exclusively composes. The concert is led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, whose great admiration for the legend shaped this year's ACF to reveal the scope of Previn's prowess as a composer. 

?Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 85th year, hosts its annual gala Monday, May 11 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 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts President and former Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association President Deborah F. Rutter.

The New York Philharmonic's Spring Gala will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, featuring a concert of music from iconic moments throughout the history of the free concert series, Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.

I found myself rapt when Chicago-born soprano Nicole Heaston spoke. She was warm, passionate and driven about her art, and generous and unguarded with her thoughts and opinions. Heaston is Pamina to David Portillo's Tamino in Houston Grand Opera's production of THE MAGIC FLUTE.

The New York Philharmonic has announced final principal cast members for its semi-staged production of Kern & Hammerstein's Show Boat, November 5-8, 2014: Tony-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress Jane Alexander will portray Parthy, and Erika Henningsen will portray Kim.

The October broadcasts of The New York Philharmonic This Week - the weekly radio series of concerts and recordings by the New York Philharmonic, hosted by Alec Baldwin - begins with Jeffrey Kahane conducting the New York Philharmonic in J.S. Bach's Concerto for Violin and Oboe, featuring Principal Associate Concertmaster Sheryl Staples (now the Orchestra's Acting Concertmaster) and Principal Oboe Liang Wang with Mr. Kahane leading from the harpsichord; Mozart's Symphony No. 33; and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, with Mr. Kahane conducting from the piano.

The New York Philharmonic has announced several additions to the cast of the semi-staged production of Kern & Hammerstein's Show Boat, November 5-8, 2014: Tony-nominated actor Christopher Fitzgerald (who will portray Frank); Tony-nominated actor Norm Lewis, who appeared on Broadway as Porgy in The Gershwins' Porgy & Bess (Joe); Broadway performer Alli Mauzey (Ellie); Broadway and television performer Edward Watts (Steve); Emmy- nominated comedic stage and screen actor Fred Willard (Cap'n Andy); and Broadway performer NaTasha Yvette Williams (Queenie).

Kevin Mahogany to headline the 3rd annual South Bend Jazz Festival, today, August 16th from 4:00 p.m till 11:00 p.m; in front of the Morris Performing Arts Center. Free to the Public! Featuring Six international acts from a Variety of Jazz genres.

The September broadcasts of The New York Philharmonic This Week - the weekly radio series of concerts and recordings by the New York Philharmonic, hosted by Alec Baldwin - begins with Music Director Alan Gilbert launching the Philharmonic's 2014 Bravo! Vail residency with Nielsen's Maskarade Overture; Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, with the 2013-14 Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Yefim Bronfman as soloist; selections from Grieg's Peer Gynt; and Liszt's Les Preludes. The second week, Alan Gilbert conducts the Orchestra in a performance of R. Strauss's Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks; The Marie-Josee Kravis Composer-in-Residence Christopher Rouse's Oboe Concerto, with Principal Oboe Liang Wang as soloist; and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Overture-Fantasy. The following week, Bramwell Tovey conducts the New York Philharmonic at Bravo! Vail in Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man; Gershwin's "Strike Up the Band" from Strike Up the Band; Copland's Clarinet Concerto, with Associate Principal Clarinet Mark Nuccio as soloist; and Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite. In the final week of September, Music Director Alan Gilbert conducts the New York Philharmonic in a program of Mozart's final three symphonies - Nos. 39, 40, and 41, Jupiter -recorded in November 2013.

The August broadcasts of The New York Philharmonic This Week - the weekly radio series of concerts and recordings by the New York Philharmonic, hosted by Alec Baldwin -- begin with Music Director Alan Gilbert conducting the New York Philharmonic in the opening program of The Beethoven Piano Concertos: A Philharmonic Festival, featuring the 2014-14 season Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence Yefim Bronfman as soloist. Over the course of the three-week festival Mr. Bronfman performs the complete Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle as well as the Triple Concerto with Principal Cello Carter Brey and Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow in the final Philharmonic appearance of his 34-year tenure. The festival also features the World Premieres of Lyra by Anthony Cheung and Songs by Sean Shepherd, both commissioned by the New York Philharmonic as part of The Marie-Jose?e Kravis Prize for New Music, pairing the master composer's concertos with new commissions now entering the repertoire.