#pittsburgh symphony orchestra

[mozart2006]

Rheingau Musik Festival 2024 - Manfred Honeck e Anne-Sophie Mutter

Foto ©Christian Palm Photographie A distanza di una settimana ho voluto fare un secondo viaggio a Wiesbaden per assistere al concerto della Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Continue reading Rheingau Musik Festival 2024 – Manfred Honeck e Anne-Sophie Mutter

[monkeyssalad-blog]

Anna Pavlova and her Ballet Russe with Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh, c. 1910 by Halloween HJB Via Flickr:

[lesser-known-composers]

Julius Conus (1869-1942) - Violin Concerto in E minor

1. Allegro molto 2. Adagio 3. Cadenza-Allegro subito

Itzhak Perlman, Violin

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

André Previn, Conductor

[thriftstorerecords]

Moonlight And Violins Members of The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Richard Jones Capitol Records/USA (1955)

[singeratlarge]

SATURDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO: “Daydream Believer” as filmed in May 2010 by PBS at Benedum Theatre in Pittsburgh PA w/Davy Jones, Jessica Pacheco, me, and members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra—this clip has been re-broadcasted many times since 2011 and, to my amazement, keeps on getting buzz. For me this was an auspicious occasion on several counts—including that, for the first time, I played guitar on songs that I usually played bass or keyboards on. The complete set can be heard as a VIP-only album on https://johnnyjblairsingeratlarge.bandcamp.com/album/davy-jones-goes-to-the-symphony

The full set was broadcast only one time and consisted of: 1) Daydream Believer, 2) Little Bit Me, Little Bit You, 3) Valleri, 4) Girl + 5) I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone in a cameo appearance with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Before everyone went onstage, Paul asked me to nudge Davy into joining them as both The Monkees and The Raiders have a connection to that song. Davy balked at first, but he finally caved in. Elsewhere on this shoot (we were there 2 days) was Jay Black (Jay & The Americans), Roger McGuinn, The Miracles (the classic line-up minus Smokey Robinson), and Gary Lewis & The Playboys w/my friend, drummer Mike Arturi. Also, I was blessed to spend time with Jackie DeShannon (who MC'd) and Chad & Jeremy. The project was produced for PBS by Jim Pierson.

Between 1965-67, “Daydream Believer” had been rejected by 3 bands before reaching The Monkees. The eternally cheerful tune was written by John Stewart, who’d just left The Kingston Trio. Stewart passed the song to his friend, Monkees producer Chip Douglas, who tacked it on as “album filler” during the 1967 sessions for the PISCES AQUARIUS CAPRICORN & JONES album. All four Monkees worked on the track with The Wrecking Crew, with Michael Nesmith doing guitar harmonic stingers, and Peter Tork playing the piano opening that made the song pop. Davy was reticent to sing it as it was cut for a tenor and he was a baritone, but he soldiered through. Then the track was shelved.

Unexpectedly, in October 1967 Colgems Records released “Daydream Believer” as a single and it became a surprise hit for Christmas (like 1000s of kids with “a Christmas story” connected to it, I was given the pic sleeve 45 by my Aunt Lil). The song has since been covered scores of times in eclectic styles, including a punk version by Japanese band Shonen Knife. I calculated that, in his life, Davy must’ve sung it live upwards to 10,000 times. In shows he stuck to the common arrangement, though I heard him do it country style, and we performed it several times with symphony orchestras at pops concerts. In 2000 he and I released a techno-dance version of it, which got some club play in Russia and Scandanavia. Of the many stories Davy could tell about this song, one he liked was when he and Mick Fleetwood played it in the dead of winter at a Norwegian venue near the Arctic Circle. “He was bangin’ away with his mouth hangin’ open, doin’ the Mick Fleetwood beat. Heavy man.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOT0INql6Ws

#monkees #davyjones #daydreambeliever #johnstewart #petertork #cheer #sleepyjean #homecomingqueen #johnnyjblair #sunshinepop #powerpop #concert #PBS #benedumtheatre #pittsburgh #mickfleetwood #colgems

[starqueen87]

Contralto singer Carol Brice was born in Sedalia, North Carolina on April 16, 1918 into a musical family. Eventually she became one of the first African American classical singers with an extensive recording repertoire. Brice trained at Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia and then enrolled in Talladega College in Alabama, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in 1939. She later attended Juilliard School of Music between 1939 and 1943 where she trained with Francis Rogers. In 1943 Brice became the first African American musician to win the prestigious Walter W. Naumburg Foundation Award.

Carol Brice first attracted public acclaim at the New York World’s Fair in 1939 when she performed in the opera, “The Hot Mikado.” Her next major public performance came in 1941, when she sang at a Washington concert honoring the third inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Her brother, the pianist Jonathan Brice, was frequently her accompanist at concerts and competitions.

Ms. Brice’s Broadway career accelerated after World War II when her talent for both opera and musical theatre became apparent. In 1946 she received her first recording contract from Columbia Records for Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, which was performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner. She sang with the Pittsburgh Symphony for all of 1946 and later performed as Addie in the New York City Opera’s 1958 production of Marc Blitzstein’s Regina. Brice remained with the New York City Opera until 1963. She performed with Volksoper in Vienna, Austria from 1967 to 1971 and the Houston Grand Opera from 1976 to 1977. She played Maria in the Houston Grand Opera production of Porgy and Bess. The recording of that performance won a Grammy and the entire show moved to Broadway where it won a 1977 Tony Award for Most Innovative Production of a Musical Revival.

Brice also had a successful career on Broadway. She played Kakou in the original Broadway cast of Harold Arlen’s Saratoga (1958) and Maude in the 1960 revival of Finian’s Rainbow. During the 1960s her numerous roles included Catherine Creek in The Grass Harp, Harriett Tubman in Gentlemen, Be Seated, and Queenie in Showboat.

While performing in Vienna in 1968, she met her husband, the baritone Thomas Carey. The couple had two children. Mr. Carey returned to the U.S. in 1969 to teach at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, and Carol Brice joined him there after another stint on Broadway. Ms. Brice officially joined the University of Oklahoma faculty in 1974. One year later she and her husband founded the Church Circuit Opera Company in Norman, Oklahoma. The company was renamed the Cimarron Circuit Opera in 1981 and continued until Thomas Carey’s death in 2002.

Carol Brice died on February 14, 1985 in Norman, Oklahoma. She was 66.

Source: Black Wall Street, Facebook

[lboogie1906]

Charles Dean Dixon (January 10, 1915 – November 3, 1976) was a conductor. He studied conducting at the Juilliard School and Columbia. When early pursuits of conducting engagements were stifled because of racial bias, he formed his orchestra and choral society. He guest-conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic during its summer season. He guest-conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. He won the Ditson Conductor's Award. He left the US for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He was the principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in Australia, and the hr-Sinfonieorchester in Frankfurt. During his time in Europe, he guest-conducted with the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Munich. He made several recordings with the Prague Symphony Orchestra for Bärenreiter, including works of Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schumann, Wagner, and Weber. For Westminster Records, his recordings included symphonies and incidental music for Rosamunde by Schubert, symphonic poems of Liszt, and symphonies of Schumann. He recorded several American works for the American Recording Society in Vienna. Some of his WDR broadcast recordings were issued on Bertelsmann and other labels. He introduced the works of many American composers, such as William Grant Still, to European audiences. During the 1968 Olympic Games, he conducted the Mexican National Symphony Orchestra. He returned to the US for guest-conducting engagements with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony. He served as the conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, where he gained fame for his children's concerts. He conducted most of the major symphony orchestras in Africa, Israel, and South America. His last appearance in the US was conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in April 1975. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CnO8yZGrMgs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[wordsphrasessentencesparagraphs]

Notes from a book talk: Wicked Marigold

Got to sneak out to an event Friday night after work: Pittsburgh-based author Caroline Carlson read from Wicked Marigold, her new book, and then did a Q+A moderated by author Jonathan Auxier, who is also Pittsburgh-based. It’s pretty cool living in a community with such rich participants.

It reminded me of the Ben Folds live album with the Perth Symphony. At one point, he tells the crowd that all of his songs were arranged for the orchestra by local composers. “These songs are arranged by local composers. So there are people walking amongst you on the streets of Perth who know how to do stuff like this and I think that’s awesome.” How cool is that?

The talk was great: it covered questions like “how does Caroline come up with character names?” (by reading the newspaper and keeping an eye out for interesting words she’s never heard before) and what other books or writers influenced her along the way (she reads a lot of books, so it seems like kind of an amalgamation of all of them when she works, but she cited Kate DiCamillo and James Thurber’s 13 Clocks specifically, among others I didn’t catch).

And some of the questions got deep into the writing process, which I found really interesting. Here are the highlights from the notes I took:

Jokes!

-I like “having written, not writing. So I try to write something silly to enjoy the process. 

-4x the amount of jokes she thinks there should be in the book

-Craft. Caroline makes space for jokes and funny bits. It’s not as if it just happens, you have to spot where there’s space for one and then, like any other element of a story, you craft it into something that fits - beginning, middle, end.

My Takeaway Jokes don’t just happen. They’re not just opportunistic asides. They play a role in the story – give this section brevity, break the tension, give the character another angle of their personality, whatever – and then, like anything else, you need to sit down and shape it. Again, funny spots don’t just happen, you need to be intentional with them.

Flow/Structure/Pace

-Where does Caroline’s sense of flow/pace come from? Rhythm of stories she’s read. (Note to self: READ MORE BOOKS.) But has trouble figuring out where to begin the story, how much she can introduce before getting audience into the book so they don’t put it down. 

-She said you need to spend enough time at the beginning to give people a chance to meet the character - and care about what happens to them. (Was able to do it in about 10 pages)

Feedback

-When you ask for feedback, make sure the person you’re talking to understands what you’re going for. Are they a collaborator or just a commentator (who sees the version of X *they* want to see)?

Having Fun Writing

-Craft is good, but you need to enjoy it, not take it so seriously. 

My Takeaway I can absolutely get lost in The Task, which is a very serious and reverential thing. And I have that because I think if you want someone to read something you’ve written, you should put in the effort to take it seriously and put something in front of them that respects their time. Make sure it’s good. But I can quickly lose sight of the fun that writing brings. Because I write all day long at work, the work I do at home can be a break. It can all be fun. (Still respect the craft, but don’t pile on the pressure.)

Finally on that point, the manager of the bookstore (Riverstone Books in Squirrel Hill) made the final point: Kids need books that bring them joy and make them laugh, ones that are light and entertaining. Like Wicked Marigold, from Caroline Carlson.

[xpoken]

Christina Aguilera est née dans la partie la plus au sud de New York, à Staten Island

Son père Fausto Xavier Aguilera, un immigrant de l'Équateur, était un militaire professionnel.  La mère de Shelley, Lorraine Fiedler, ancienne violoniste et pianiste, membre de l'US Youth Symphony Orchestra, avait déjà arrêté sa carrière scénique au moment de la naissance de sa fille aînée et est devenue professeur d'espagnol à l'école.  Christina a une sœur cadette, Rachel.  La différence d'âge entre les filles est de 6 ans.

 L'enfance de la petite Christina ne peut pas être qualifiée d'insouciante, principalement parce que son père était très autoritaire et réprimait sa femme et ses enfants avec son despotisme.  Un an après la naissance de leur plus jeune fille, Shelley a pris les filles, a déménagé en Pennsylvanie pour vivre avec sa mère et a demandé le divorce.

 Le talent musical, apparemment, est allé à Christina du côté maternel.  Elle a très tôt commencé à se montrer comme une chanteuse douée.  La biographie créative de l'artiste a commencé à l'école primaire.

 À l'âge de 8 ans, Aguilera a pris la 2e place du concours de talents pour enfants Star Search, interprétant la composition plutôt difficile de Whitney Houston, The Greatest Love of All.  Le prochain succès notable a été l'interprétation de l'hymne national américain lors de l'ouverture des jeux sportifs à Pittsburgh.  A cette époque, Christina avait 11 ans.  Un an plus tard, dans la célèbre émission de télévision américaine The Mickey Mouse Club, le jeune Aguilera est devenu l'un des participants au projet avec de futures stars telles que Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling.

[chorusfm]

Ben Folds Announces New Tour

Ben Folds has announced some new tour dates. Emmy-nominated, multi-platinum selling music artist Ben Folds announces the return of his popular “Paper Airplane Request Tour,” performing solo shows across the US starting May 30, 2024. What initially began years ago as a request for songs as encores will once again be a central element in Folds’ shows when he engages audiences to make their song requests via paper airplanes. “The last time I did this on tour the response was overwhelming, with literally hundreds of paper airplanes with song requests being launched on cue from fans at the start of the second half of each of my concerts,” said Folds. “It’s the purest, most low-tech form of engagement that creates a special bond with my audiences.” Folds, who released his most recent album “What Matters Most” to critical acclaim, has been in studio in recent months working on his first holiday album targeted for release later this year. He’ll also be featured in a special PBS broadcast this spring that spotlights his ongoing “Declassified: Ben Folds Presents” concert series he curates as Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. MAY 30 – CHARLESTON, SC – CHARLESTON MUSIC HALL 31 – AUGUSTA, GA – BELL AUDITORIUM JUNE 1 – PEACHTREE CITY, GA – THE FRED 2 – PELHAM, TN – THE CAVERNS 4 – CHARLOTTE, NC – BELK THEATER 6 – SAVANNAH, GA – DISTRICT LIVE 7 – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – SANDLER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 8 – ROCKY MOUNT, VA – HARVESTER PERFORMANCE CENTER 9 – PITTSBURGH, PA – 3 RIVERS ARTS FESTIVAL 11 – RICHMOND, VA – LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN 21 – LOWELL, MA – LOWELL SUMER MUSIC SERIES 22 – GREAT BARRINGTON, MA – THE MAHAIWE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 23 – HAMMONDSPORT, NY – POINT OF THE BLUFF CONCERT PAVILION 25 – KENT, OH – THE KENT STAGE 27 – TOLEDO, OH – PERISTYLE THEATER 28 – POTESKEY, MI – BAY VIEW JOHN M. HALL AUDITORIUM 29 – KALAMAZOO, MI – KALAMAZOO STATE THEATRE JULY 30 – BOISE, ID – MORRISON CENTER AUGUST 2 – STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO – STRINGS MUSIC PAVILION 5 – BOULDER, CO – CHAUTAUQUA AUDITORIUM 6 – BEAVER CREEK, CO – VILAR PERFORMING ARTS CENTER --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/news/ben-folds-announces-new-tour-2/

[ledenews]

Hockenberry Hired to Grow, Retain Ohio County’s Population

It’s like she’s rehearsed for this job her entire life, and that’s why Stephanie Hockenberry is anxious to begin in her new position with the Ohio County Development Authority.  Hockenberry, a lifelong resident of the area where she and her husband, Michael, are raising their daughter and son, was officially hired as the Growth and Retention Manager of the OCDA during last evening’s Ohio County Commission meeting. The position will be funded by the Commission, the City of Wheeling, and the OCDA, and it will be supported by several other organizations in the Wheeling area. The job was advertised over the summer and interviews had been conducted since mid-September. Commissioner Zach Abraham introduced the idea two years ago after researching ways to add population in Ohio County, and Hockenberry will work on a plethora of aspects that define the current status of population, the annual average commerce, and the projections for the future. “We are excited to have Stephanie join our team, and we’re also excited to see what this position generates as far as information and progress,” Abraham said. “We believe Stephanie is perfect for this position because of her enthusiasm and the fact she knows this area as well as anyone. “Her primary duties will be to develop, coordinate, and manage the strategies and activities of her position, but Stephanie also will be communicating with a lot of folks from outside the area so we can examine what we need to do here to make our area and our county as attractive as possible,” the Commissioner explained. “We know we love where we live, but now it’s time to tell people why.” Hockenberry is excited to begin on Monday. “I've lived here my whole life. I was born, raised here, and I've never left, and I am raising my family here, as well,” she explained. “The past few years I’ve witnessed so much revitalization all over Ohio County, and that should tell everyone that while this is a great place to live and raise a family, we are always working as a community to make our home a better place for everyone. “To me, Ohio County is a ‘Hallmark’ kind of place because of all of the amenities we have here,” she said. “The Highlands is a wonderful place for all of the needs of the people in the county, and it’s also proven to be a great place for employment. And the city of Wheeling has so much, and our park systems are better than most communities can imagine. Think about it – how many communities have something as wonderful as Oglebay, and its own symphony orchestra, the interstates, and proximity to larger cities like Pittsburgh and Columbus?” Stephanie and her husband, Michael, are raising their two kids in Ohio County. Since the ‘40s There were 73,115 people living in Ohio County a little more than 80 years ago, and the majority of the men worked in factories, steel mills, and glass plants during a time when manufacturing was centered in the eastern portion of the United States. As the west was developed, the population began to move, and so did the bulk of living-wage employment opportunities. The mystery how to add population since has haunted the Wheeling area for several decades, especially since the 1990s when a double-digit percentage of people departed for opportunity elsewhere. Communities throughout the Upper Ohio Valley since have been forced to fund thousands of demolitions because the big decline caused public safety issues. Hockenberry, however, believes today’s positives outweigh the negatives. Today’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is approximately 42,000 and the rate of decrease has slowed to less than 2 percent. “We're going to be sharing the employment opportunities, we're going to be sharing our housing opportunities, and we’re going to be sharing all of the facts about the growth that is currently taking place that will enable future growth,” she said. “There is so much information that we’ll be sharing with potential developers and potential residents so they will know what it is we have to offer right off of Interstate 70. “Plus, Ohio County is a terrific place to live if you are someone who has the ability to work remotely because of the low taxes and cost of living,” Hockenberry said. “If you take a look at the states that border us, their property taxes are higher and that’s something that matters to people looking to purchase their new homes.” She realizes the challenge will be tremendous each day she reports, but Hockenberry knows why she and her family have chosen to remain home, too.  “We decided to stay here for several reasons,” she said. “One, it’s a very safe place to live and raise a family. Two, just look at everything we have here in the county. And three, we have great schools in this area. Those are aspects about where we live that I can’t wait to share with as many people as possible.  “The best part about this position is that I’ll be telling people about the place I love to live,” the manager insisted. “That’s a story I could tell all day, every day, and I’m really looking forward to getting started next week.” The Ohio County Courthouse is located at 1500 Chapline Street in downtown Wheeling. Position Description The Ohio County Development Authority advertised the position with this description: This role will primarily focus on solutions to sustain the current county population and businesses in addition to fostering new population (remote workers and others) and small business growth throughout Ohio County, WV.  This position will work in collaboration with many partnering organizations throughout the county and with state and federal delegation representatives and agencies to help activate/engage many segments of the local community, such as, but not limited to, housing/real estate development, entrepreneurship/business, healthcare, education, transportation, community non-profits, infrastructure, entertainment/life style, park system, arts/culture, religious, public safety, and many others in the Wheeling/Ohio County area. Ohio County and the greater Wheeling area is an ideal place to raise a family in a safe and friendly area with wonderful quality of life activities and opportunities.  We are not only the Friendly City, but we are the Friendly Area.  We recognize our historical background/culture, natural beauty, and many other wonderful amenities and assets and believe Ohio County/Wheeling is the perfect place for individuals and families to Live, Work, and Play.  This position will report to and accept direction on developed strategies from the Chairperson of the G&R Team Committee, the G&R Committee, and the County Administrator as applicable. Position Requirements: Must have a strong lifelong connection to Ohio County/Wheeling area. Must have a bachelors’ degree in business, government/community affairs, or related field. Must have at least 7 years of experience with managing or supporting economic growth and development projects. Must be able to drive results through effective relationship building and project management Must have experiences with data and research procurement and analysis   Previous experience in business and economic development experience a plus. Must be able network with many different communities and groups effectively. Previous experience with government representatives/agencies at local, WV state, and federal levels of government preferred Must be able to tell the Ohio County/Wheeling story well and have great verbal and written communication skills. Must be politically savvy. Must be a high-end user of Microsoft office and other related technologies/systems. Primary Responsibilities:  Develop a plan to achieve the goals/objectives and capture the vision of the Growth and Retention Committee Set SMART goals for attracting population to Wheeling-Ohio County areas (and broader areas in the future). Monitor population increase or decrease and report to the Committee/Team and set strategies/tactics/programs to support the continuous increase in population, while helping to support the retention of population through other community groups, committee members and their teams. Identify gaps in work being done already by members of the Team and encourage collaboration and partnerships towards the growth and retention goals, using in kind resources effectively and efficiently.   When appropriate, work with developers/investors to help them navigate processes to be successful in the County and collaborate with the City to direct to the appropriate organizations for further follow up and direction Identify strategies to improve real estate opportunities for both businesses and individuals; collaborate with local realtors; identify specific housing needs (for example, the need for homes in the $150,000-$300,000 range; is there a need for high-end rentals, etc.) Develop on-going communication with the G&R Committee and identified stakeholder groups (healthcare, education, entertainment, business (by industries), marketing, banking, government, non-profits, hospitality, real-estate, law makers, other state or federal agencies, creative/arts communities, etc.) and meet with them regularly to better inform marketing strategies, collect data, and filling in any gaps with support from other organizations or their designated representatives.  Form new groups as needed or directed. Identify and report back on infrastructure and broadband needs for business and population growth Identify and execute collaborative marketing strategies to reach established goals and utilize available resources appropriately. Research funding for the future of the position and program; write or outsource appropriate grants for any of the above as well as for the growth/retention team itself Explore opportunities to attract, build, and grow a community of entrepreneurs with other community and G&R partners. Explore opportunities to develop a tech industry community in Wheeling/Ohio County in collaboration with other partners and community groups Explore opportunities to grow a cultural district/region utilizing existing resources such as Oglebay Institute, the Capitol Theatre, and other arts organizations and venues. Work on a plan and collaborate to help attract major investors with other economic and development organizations Identify quality of life issues that need to be addressed, based upon facts and statistics, and report back to the Committee on next steps and develop a plan with community groups to help achieve. Work with members of the Committee or their designees to maintain and update data and statistics relevant to the region in regard to housing, cost of living, healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc., that would be measurable and could be shared with potential developers and/or anyone interested in relocating to the area. Hep create tools and data dashboards for reporting key details about the progress Coordinate an overarching marketing strategy session and follow up with Committee partner representatives and within the marketing industry within Ohio County/Wheeling.  Help to support and coordinate the execution of marketing initiatives. Create a plan of networking and other opportunities/events with Committee members or their representatives for new business and investors, and visitor opportunities. Must be able to perform any administrative and operational functions as needed.  Perform other duties as assigned or directed by the Chair of the Committee and/or the OCDA Administrator. Read the full article

[badarchitectrecords]

Listen to this new beautiful track, ‘The Bottom’ by the composer Brett McCutcheon. Here’s more from the artist and a story about the upcoming EP.  On the night of September 30, 2017, Brett McCutcheon’s life changed forever. His brother Ryan was tragically killed in a car accident. Five years later, Brett no longer a teenager but a senior in college realizes his journey mirrors that of millions of kids who have experienced great loss. The Ocean - five years is that story. Built around the revised composition of the original release in 2018, it explores deeper meaning and understanding. Centered on June Bracken’s vocal performance, the new music now includes symphonic performances by musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and also features NBC’s -The Voice Finalist, Chris Jamison.   The Ocean moves through the crippling dependency of living through loss, to finding life among those that grieve, to knowing everything was always going to be okay.  A documentary short film used to raise child grief awareness will accompany the project. The EP consists of 5 tracks; Intro, Sinking, The Bottom, Floating and The Shore.  Representing the grief journey. Loneliness and depression give "The Bottom" its dark and eerie ambiance through the orchestra. The seemingly unending cycle of negative thoughts inspires repetitive lyrics from June. Now, at the ocean's lowest depths, we can gaze upward to witness society continuing its journey through the passing waves without us. The notion of swimming upward seems futile as we plunge deeper into darkness and despair. The overwhelming power of the entire orchestra delivers a resounding declaration of no return.

[singeratlarge]

SATURDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO: “Daydream Believer” " as filmed in May 2010 by PBS at Benedum Theatre in Pittsburgh PA w/Davy Jones, Jessica Pacheco, me, and members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra—this clip has been re-broadcasted many times since 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOT0INql6Ws   For me this was an auspicious occasion on several counts—including that, for the first time, I played guitar on songs that I usually played bass or keyboards on. The complete set can be heard as as a VIP-only album on https://johnnyjblairsingeratlarge.ban.... Elsewhere on this shoot (we were there 2 days) was Jay Black (Jay & The Americans), Roger McGuinn, The Miracles (the classic line-up minus Smokey Robinson), and Gary Lewis & The Playboys w/my friend, drummer Mike Arturi. Also, I was blessed to spend time with Jackie DeShannon (who MC'd) and Chad & Jeremy. The project was produced for PBS by Jim Pierson.

“Daydream Believer” had been rejected by 3 bands before reaching The Monkees. The eternally-cheerful tune was written by John Stewart, who’d just left The Kingston Trio. Stewart passed the song to his friend, Monkees producer Chip Douglas, who tacked it on as “album filler” during the 1967 sessions for the PISCES AQUARIUS CAPRICORN & JONES album. All four Monkees worked on the track with The Wrecking Crew, with Michael Nesmith doing guitar harmonic stingers, and Peter Tork playing the piano opening that made the song pop. Davy was reticent to sing it as it was cut for a tenor and he was a baritone, but he soldiered through. Then the track was shelved.

Unexpectedly, in October 1967 Colgems Records released “Daydream Believer” as a single and it became a surprise hit for Christmas (like 1000s of kids with “a Christmas story” connected to it, I was given the pic sleeve 45 by my Aunt Lil). The song has since been covered scores of times in eclectic styles, including a punk version by Japanese band Shonen Knife. I calculated that, in his life, Davy must’ve sung it live upwards to 10,000 times. In shows he stuck to the common arrangement, though I heard him do it country style, and we performed it several times with symphony orchestras at pops concerts. In 2000 he and I released a techno-dance version of it, which got some club play in Russia and Scandanavia. Of the many stories Davy could tell about this song, one he liked was when he and Mick Fleetwood played it in the dead of winter at a Norwegian venue near the Arctic Circle. “He was bangin’ away with his mouth hangin’ open, doin’ the Mick Fleetwood beat. Heavy man.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOT0INql6Ws

#monkees #davyjones #daydreambeliever #johnstewart #petertork #cheer #sleepyjean #homecomingqueen #johnnyjblair #sunshinepop #powerpop #concert #PBS #benedumtheatre #pittsburgh #mickfleetwood #colgems

[lesser-known-composers]

Alexander Krein (1883–1951) - Elegy for Piano Trio, Op. 16

Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin (First Concertmaster, Berlin Philharmonic)

Aron Zelkowicz, cello (Boston Lyric Opera, Rhode Island Philharmonic)

Rodrigo Ojeda, piano (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie Mellon University)

[lboogie1906]

Carol Brice (April 16, 1918 - February 15, 1985) was a contralto. She was born in Sedalia, North Carolina. She became one of the first African American classical singers with an extensive recording repertoire. She trained at Palmer Memorial Institute and enrolled in Talladega College, where she received her BSM. She attended the Juilliard School of Music. She became the first African American musician to win the prestigious Walter W. Naumburg Foundation Award.

She first attracted public acclaim at the New York World’s Fair when she performed in the opera, “The Hot Mikado.” She sang at the third inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Her brother, the pianist Jonathan Brice, was her accompanist at concerts and competitions.

Her Broadway career accelerated after WWII. In 1946 she received her first recording contract from Columbia Records for Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo, which was performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fritz Reiner. She sang with the Pittsburgh Symphony for all of 1946 and performed as Addie in the New York City Opera’s 1958 production of Marc Blitzstein’s Regina. She remained with the New York City Opera until 1963. She performed with Volksoper in Vienna and the Houston Grand Opera. She played Maria in the Houston Grand Opera production of Porgy and Bess. The recording of that performance won a Grammy and the entire show moved to Broadway where it won a Tony Award for Most Innovative Production of a Musical Revival.

She had a successful career on Broadway. She played Kakou in the original Broadway cast of Saratoga and Maude in the revival of Rainbow. Her numerous roles included Catherine Creek in The Grass Harp, Harriett Tubman in Gentlemen, Be Seated, and Queenie in Showboat.

She married baritone Thomas Carey (1968) and they had two children. He returned to the US to teach at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, and she joined him there after another stint on Broadway. She joined the University of Oklahoma faculty in 1974. They founded the Church Circuit Opera Company. The company was renamed the Cimarron Circuit Opera. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphakappaalpha