Yo-Yo Ma News

Five talented Long Island music students will once again receive a unique opportunity to study and perform at Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts this summer, thanks to a charitable scholarship program developed by Usdan Center and Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

Celebrate Brooklyn! previously announced its lineup for this year, which begins today, June 5 with a free concert by reggae icon Jimmy Cliff.

Soprano Emalie Savoy will join the New York Philharmonic's performance of selections from Falla's Atlantida, led by Spanish conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, tonight, May 31, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 1, at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, June 2, at 8:00 p.m. The program also includes Orff's Carmina burana. As previously announced, the singers that Mr. Fru?hbeck has assembled for these performances also include American soprano Erin Morley, American tenor Nicholas Phan (in his Philharmonic debut), South- African baritone Jacques Imbrailo (debut), the Spanish chorus Orpheon Pamplones directed by Igor Ijurra Fernandez, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun.

Violinist Jacqueline Levine, an 18 year-old senior at Plainview Old Bethpage-John F. Kennedy High School and a two-time scholarship award-winner of the Nassau Music Educators Association, has been awarded the new Isaac Stern String Scholarship at Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts for 2012. The scholarship, funded by a generous grant from the Linda and Isaac Stern Charitable Foundation, covers tuition for a full summer of study at Usdan Center.

A documentary on the life and work of Eero Saarinen, considered one of the masters of American 20th Century architecture, will be produced for PBS and international distribution thanks to a $350,000 matching grant from Michigan entrepreneur A. Alfred Taubman.

Sony Masterworks releases Viva Brazil, a six-song live digital EP from Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott, Sergio and Odair Assad and Joseph Gramley. Recorded live on April 30th at the Palladium Center in Carmel, Indiana, the Viva Brazil Live EP is available now via all digital service providers.

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, announced today that the company is reporting a breakeven operating performance for fiscal year 2012. Lyric has operated in the black for 24 of the past 25 years-a record among the country's major not-for-profit music and performing-arts companies.

Accordo, established in 2009, is a Minnesota-based chamber group. Its third season, which opened with a program of Romantic String Sextets and closes with tonight's May 14 offering, is presented by The Schubert Club, Northrop Concerts and Lectures, and Kate Nordstrum Projects at the National Historic Landmark Christ Church Lutheran.

Soprano Emalie Savoy will join the New York Philharmonic's performance of selections from Falla's Atlantida, led by Spanish conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 1, at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, June 2, at 8:00 p.m. The program also includes Orff's Carmina burana. As previously announced, the singers that Mr. Fru?hbeck has assembled for these performances also include American soprano Erin Morley, American tenor Nicholas Phan (in his Philharmonic debut), South- African baritone Jacques Imbrailo (debut), the Spanish chorus Orpheon Pamplones directed by Igor Ijurra Fernandez, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus directed by Dianne Berkun.

Celebrate Brooklyn! today announced its lineup for this year, which begins June 5 with a free concert by reggae icon Jimmy Cliff.

The Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 82nd year, hosts its annual gala tonight, May 1 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, MIC is planning a celebratory evening highlighted by the presentation of the Dushkin Award to internationally acclaimed stage and film composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

Texas Performing Arts continues a legacy of presenting world-class performances to the University of Texas at Austin and Central Texas audiences with the unveiling of its most ambitious and diverse season to date. The 2012-2013 season highlights talent from around the world in an eclectic mix of music, theatre, dance, and conversation.

The McCallum Theatre, the Coachella Valley's premiere theatrical venue, celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season with a star-studded lineup of Classical Music, Jazz, Cabaret, Comedy and a Broadway Blockbuster Series which includes Rock of Ages, Dreamgirls and West Side Story. The McCallum Theatre opened its doors on January 2, 1988 with a gala performance honoring Bob Hope that was nationally televised. Since then The McCallum has been the Coachella Valley's mecca for world-class entertainment including an extensive array of Broadway and Cabaret offerings. The man behind the tremendous success of the McCallum's eclectic performance calendar for the past thirteen years is Mitch Gershenfeld, Director of Presentations and Theatre Operations, who will take the helm as the theatre's President and CEO beginning June 1. I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Gershenfeld as he begins preparations for The McCallum's exciting Silver Anniversary Season. Gershenfeld is warm, passionate, highly astute, a performing arts afficionado and a genuinely kind man. Here are a few highlights from that conversation.

The McCallum Theatre, the Coachella Valley's premiere theatrical venue, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary Season with a star-studded lineup of Classical Music, Jazz, Cabaret, Comedy and a Broadway Blockbuster Series which includes Rock of Ages, Dreamgirls and West Side Story. The season kicks off on August 31 with comedy legend Steve Martin joined by the Grammy nominated Steep Canyon Rangers. This wonderfully eclectic season also includes Pink Martini, Howie Mandell, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Elaine Page and Yo-Yo Ma, to name a few.

Matias Tarnopolsky's third season as Director of Cal Performances features 113 artists and ensembles presented in more than 125 performances.

Today the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities announced the launch of a new artseducation initiative to help turn around low-performing schools, developed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education and the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Turnaround Arts initiative is a new public-private partnership designed to narrow the achievement gap and increase student engagement through the arts. Working in some of the nation's lowest-performing elementary and middle schools, this program will test the hypothesis that high-quality and integrated arts education boosts academic achievement, motivates student learning and improves school culture in the context of overall school reform, announced the committee's co-chairs, George Stevens Jr. and Margo Lion. Presidentially-appointed artists Chuck Close, Yo-Yo Ma, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington, Forest Whitaker, Damian Woetzel and Alfre Woodard to work with schools in eight states as part of the program.

World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Kathryn Stott and South American guitarists The Assad Brothers bring a night of unconventional classical music to the Mesa Arts Center, Sunday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.

'Not the Same Old Song' presents singer/songwriter, pop and folk performances at Joe's Pub in April and May. Tickets on sale now online at joespub.com, by phone at 212-967-7555 or in person at The Public Theater Box Office (1 PM to 6 PM) located at 425 Lafayette Street, NYC.

Accordo, established in 2009, is a Minnesota-based chamber group. Its third season, which opened with a program of Romantic String Sextets on February 6 and closes with the May 14 offering, is presented by The Schubert Club, Northrop Concerts and Lectures, and Kate Nordstrum Projects at the National Historic Landmark Christ Church Lutheran.

Tony Award-winning Broadway legend Barbara Cook has returned to Feinstein's at Loews Regency for its 10th Anniversary season, performing her show 'Let's Fall In Love,' now through April 21. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the show below!