The Classical test Source For All The Performing, Visual And Literary Arts & Entertainment News
Orchestral

Rare Beethoven Sketch Leaf of the 'King Stephan Overture' Discovered in Connecticut

The handwriting of Beethoven can be indentified by its furious and sloppy appearance. Hardly meant for future generations to admire, notation was an inconvenience to Beethoven---a means to capture music as quickly as it came to him. To composers and appraisers like Brendan Ryan, Beethoven's handwriting is, as he put it, "unmistakable", but for homeowners who might not know the value of their basement treasure troves, his handwriting could easily be dismissed as worthless chicken scratch. In the case of a Greenwich, Connecticut homeowner, who had originally hired Ryan to appraise furniture and miscellaneous items, fortune stumbled their way as Ryan unexpectedly glanced upon a Beethoven sketch leaf of the King Stephan Overture (König Stephan) hanging on their wall.
By Steve Nagel

  • Kenneth Kiesler to Lead 20th International Masterclass for Orchestral and Choir Conductors

    For aspiring conductors in the Berlin region (or with the means to travel), an opportunity to learn from the best in the business is around the corner. American conductor Kenneth Kiesler will be leading the 20th International Masterclass for Orchestral and Choir Conductors in May 2016, with applications now being accepted. An icon in the world of conducting, Maestro Kiesler's orchestra credits are too long to list. As director of the IMB program (International Masterclasses Berlin), the Grammy-nominated conductor and recipient of the 2011 American Prize in Conducting will be arriving at the St. Lukas Church, Berlin in May to extend his years of experience to a lucky few, in a public context. The repertoire will focus on Händel and Mozart.
    By Steve Nagel

  • BBC Proms 2016 to Continue 'Ten Pieces' Concerts, Caters to Secondary School Students

    The always-inspiring BBC Proms---the eight-week series of summer classical concerts held in the Royal Albert Hall---has announced that it will continue its popular Ten Pieces concerts, which, last year, aimed to bring primary school children in contact with classical music. The initiative was held to be a success for young audiences in 2015, and now the BBC Proms 2016 intends to continue the "new tradition" by encouraging secondary school students to respond to a selection of ten classical pieces in a manner in which they see fit.
    By Steve Nagel