Yo-Yo Ma News

The 2015 Tanglewood season, June 20-Labor Day Weekend, boasts an abundance of musical riches with concerts by the incomparable Boston Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras, the Tanglewood Music Center, and internationally acclaimed guest artists from the worlds of classical, jazz, the American Songbook, Broadway, pop rock, dance, and film, as well as performances spotlighting special anniversaries, thematic programming, and theatrical presentations.

In a milestone philanthropic agreement that will help ensure the future of one of the world's iconic performing arts spaces, the children of the late Avery Fisher - Nancy Fisher, Charles Avery Fisher and Barbara Fisher Snow - today joined with the leadership of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to announce that they have entered into an agreement to enable the renaming of Avery Fisher Hall.

From turbulent, agitated and ominous to lyrical and tender—it's a passionate journey the audience won't soon forget when Pacific Symphony and guest pianist Haochen Zhang deliver Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in all its glory. Following Zhang's BBC Proms debut, The Telegraph (United Kingdom) called the international piano sensation “one of those hot young Chinese virtuosi everyone's talking about.” Led by Bulgarian-born guest conductor Rossen Milanov, the orchestra then performs a work by Brahms, as the composer steps out of Beethoven's shadow with his rich, ingenious Second Symphony. The cheery and almost pastoral mood of the piece often invites comparisons with Beethoven's Sixth Symphony. Rounding out the versatile program is Thomas Adès' “Three Studies from Couperin,” of which The Jerusalem Post wrote: “Such a combination of enchanting, sensitive lyricism and hypnotizing forcefulness is a phenomenon encountered very rarely.”

?Founder Aaron P. Dworkin announces that The Sphinx Organization, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts, will host the third annual SphinxCon, one of the nation's leading arts diversity conferences, from January 30 through February 1, 2015 at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, 1114 Washington Blvd, in Detroit, Mich.

Reigning violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman will perform his first New York solo recital since 2007 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at 7:30 PM, presented by IMG Artists. Pianist Rohan De Silva, Perlman's longtime recital partner, joins the violinist for a program to include Vivaldi's Sonata in A Major for Violin and Continuo, Op. 2 RV 31; Schumann's Fantasiestucke, Op. 73; Beethoven's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30; and Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2 in G Major, as well as additional works to be announced from the stage.

Kean Stage will present ten-time Grammy Award-winner Bobby McFerrin in Wilkins Theatre tonight, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. McFerrin is an eternal seeker, always defying the music industry'­s practical impulse to pigeonhole artists. His diversity and range are incomparable.

Arguably two of the most celebrated roots musicians of their generation, Aoife O'Donovan (Crooked Still) and Noam Pikelny (Punch Brothers) have been crossing paths at venues and festivals for the last decade.

JCC Manhattan presents PREformances with Allison Charney on Monday, November 17th at 12:30pm.

The New York Philharmonic has announced the 2014-15 season's free Insights at the Atrium series. All held at the David Rubinstein Atrium and beginning at 7:30 p.m., these events combine discussion, often with live performance and video, to explore themes of the season.

Red House Arts Center will welcome nationally known duo BowSmack who will perform this weekend, November 7th and 8th at 8pm in the Redhouse Theatre. BowSmack is the fusion of Mike Block's versatile cello playing with Tupac Mantilla's “anything goes” percussions approach, featuring explorations of Pop music from today, yesterday, and the future.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presents Symphonie fantastiqueon November 29-30, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Led by guest conductor

Schimmel Center at Pace University announces the addition of Béla Fleck to the previously announced performance of The Knights, New York City's innovative chamber orchestra, taking place on January 28, 2015. Known for transforming the concert experience and driven by an open-minded spirit of camaraderie, the evening's innovative programming and outstanding virtuosity will bring you to your feet with delight.

Ghostlight Records has announced the release of the new CD from MARY TESTA - the two time Tony Award nominated singer and actress currently starring in Wicked on Broadway - and MICHAEL STAROBIN, the Tony Award winning orchestrator and arranger. The album will be available in stores and via online outlets December 2, 2014. Mary and Michael will perform a special CD release engagement at The Laurie Beechman Theater at The West Bank Cafe January 4-5,11-12, 2015 at 7:00 PM. For tickets, please visit www.lauriebeechmantheatre.com.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone in 'Far Away Places - Part Two' tonight, November 3, through November 15. In an evening conceived and directed by Tony Award winner Scott Wittman, LuPone returns with Part Two of the show which she premiered to critical acclaim when 54 Below opened in June 2012.

Entertaining, educating and illuminating. Park City Institute (formerly known as Park City Performing Arts Foundation) presents a dynamic season of eclectic, electrifying, awe-inspiring and internationally acclaimed dancers, musicians, family entertainers, speakers, actors and performance troupes.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College will open its 60th Anniversary Season with a concert by 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin tonight, November 1, 2014 at 8pm. Best known for the global number one hit 'Don't Worry Be Happy,' Mr. McFerrin is a percussive, improvisational genius who has stirred audiences through the years with the sounds of the voice box, fusing into his work dozens of different languages and cultures from all over the world. Tickets for this one-night-only event are $36-$60 and can be purchased at BrooklynCenter.org or by calling the box office at 718-951-4500 (Tues-Sat, 1pm-6pm).

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will feature renowned violinist Nicola Benedetti in 'Isle of the Dead,' a BNY Mellon Grand Classics subscription weekend on October 31-November 2.

Grammy-winning Chanteuse and Comedienne, Lady Rizo, appears for one 'standing room only' performance at The Copa palm Springs on November 1 at 8:00 pm. The cult entertainer New York magazine hails as a 'Cabaret Superstar' has made her mark creating vintage arrangements & theatrical explorations of pop songs from every decade. Lady Rizo (nee Amelia Zirin-Brown) co-created the cult caburlesque spectacular Lady Rizo & the Assettes in 2005.In January 2010 she won her first Grammy on a duet with acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma that was released on a Holiday album featuring Diana Krall, James Taylor and Alison Krauss among others. She also sings and records with multi-platnum recording artist Moby and was nominated for an MVPA for the choreography the video for the single New York, New York featuring Debbie Harry. I had the cahncr to chat with Lady Rizo about her upcoming performance at The Copa and more. Here are a few highlights form that conversation:

The Italian Academy hosts the inaugural concert of *The Stefan Wolpe Fund featuring world premieres and works by Charles Wuorinen, Jonathan Dawe, Matthew Greenbaum and William Anderson tonight, October 30th at 8pm. Also on the program, a New York premiere for string sextet by Charles Wuorinen. Featured artists: JACK Quartet, pianist Steven Beck, Vox n Plux, violist Miranda Cuckson and cellist Jay Campbell. This concert was produced by Zaidee Parkinson and Alanna Maharajh Stone with generous support from *The Roger Shapiro Fund for New Music.

The Sphinx Virtuosi, led by the Catalyst Quartet, considered one of the nation's most dynamic professional chamber orchestras, embarked on its 7th annual tour, launching at Miami's New World Center on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7:30pm.