Founded in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra in Edinburgh, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra added the word “National” in 1951 and in 1977, when Queen Elizabeth II became its patron, the word “Royal” took precedence as its prefix. Over the years great conductors have led the orchestra: Sir John Barbirolli, Walter Susskind and George Szell to name three. Its principal … [Read more...]
Tao’s new concerto a triumph at Atlantic Classical
World premieres are special occasions, and I was privileged to hear young Conrad Tao’s thrilling new piano concerto with the composer at the keyboard on March 8 at the Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens, for a concert with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra. Winner of orchestra’s Rappaport Prize for Music Composition, Tao, 22, dazzled the audience with his pianistic … [Read more...]
‘Rigoletto’ at PB Opera, second cast: Brilliant singing, smart staging
Saturday’s performance of Rigoletto by the Palm Beach Opera was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. It reached the realms of the divine on occasion. Verdi’s knack of capturing Victor Hugo’s dramatic essence in music and song of this father-daughter relationship is a mark of his genius. Jay Lesenger’s direction made the action crisp and the story easy to understand. … [Read more...]
Late review: New World soloists show orchestras are in good hands
Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas’s creation, the New World Symphony, founded 29 years ago, is based in Miami Beach. It replaced Russia’s St. Petersburg Phiharmonic on Feb. 20 in the Kravis Center’s Regional Arts series. Four concertos were programmed with soloists from the New World’s academy, which prepares players for leadership roles in major American orchestras. I was … [Read more...]
Chen’s brilliant Mendelssohn recalls Menuhin
One hundred and five musicians make up the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, or The Bavarian State Philharmonic. Calling itself a touring orchestra, it covers a wide swath of South Germany with concerts, and on Feb. 12 it stopped in at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. The Bamberg did not downsize for the opening Don Giovanni overture of Mozart and consequently instead of … [Read more...]
PB Symphony percussion concert challenging, innovative
Only six players constituted the Palm Beach Symphony on Feb. 8, in a case of staffing to suit the venue: the concert was in the acoustically ripe room housing Henry Flagler’s personal railway carriage. About 500 people attended. Moving from the rear of the orchestra where they always play, the daunting six percussionists were front and center and made up in volume what they … [Read more...]
Kozhukhin, Philadelphia Orchestra stun Kravis full house
The Kravis Center was packed Tuesday night, with every seat sold for a visit from the Philadelphia Orchestra. Well-dressed Philadelphians turned out in their hundreds to support the 93 players of their world-famous orchestra although the program had no sugar-coated “lollipops.” It was an all-Russian evening: Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto and Shostakovich’s Fifth … [Read more...]
Telegraph Quartet makes superb music at Flagler
Named for Telegraph Hill, an artsy neighborhood of San Francisco, Calif., the four young players of the Telegraph Quartet came to the Flagler Museum on Jan. 24 to demonstrate their winning ways. Founded in 2013, after barely a year together they won the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. In 2016 they carried off the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition, a prize that helped … [Read more...]
PB Symphony sparkles in Borodin, Brahms-Schoenberg
Under the leadership of Ramón Tebar, there is no doubt that the Palm Beach Symphony has become the worthy successor to the late lamented Florida Philharmonic. But the public is woefully ignorant of this sparkling gem in its midst due to the private nature of its past. Happily, there are forces at work to help it become the orchestra for all of Palm Beach County. High … [Read more...]
Dover Quartet opens Flagler season in brilliant fashion
The Dover String Quartet opened the Flager Museum Music Series on Jan. 10 with a bright, intense sound that was refreshing, lean and passionate. Founded in 2008 by four young graduates of Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, they were catapulted to international fame with their stunning sweep of Canada’s Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013. … [Read more...]