Kimmel Center Blog - Classical Archives

"Classical" archive

Friday 20 June

Summer Solstice Celebration 2008 (15:45) - I barely know where to start about Solstice 2008. Tomorrow, starting at 3pm (2:30pm, for the outdoor street festival) the Kimmel Center celebrates the longest day of the year. Take a look at the schedule for more information about... | 0 Comments

Sunday 18 May

Christoph Eschenbach and Friends (12:30) - The 2007/2008 season marks the end of Maestro Eschenbach's tenure as Music Director at the Philadelphia Orchestra. To mark this occasion and to celebrate the Maestro's time in Philadelphia, he will give a recital this afternoon, featuring the talents of... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 29 April

Orchestre National de France (14:16) - The Orchestre National de France makes its Kimmel Center debut tonight under the direction of Kurt Masur and featuring pianist David Fray. The program features two pieces by Beethoven as well as Dvorák's "New World" Symphony, notes on the program... | 1 Comments

Monday 28 April

Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel (16:34) - Tonight is Jeffrey Siegel's last concert in his Keyboard Conversations series. He will return again next season with three new concerts. To conclude this season, Mr. Siegel will perform an All-Liszt program.... | 0 Comments

Saturday 12 April

Dame Gillian Weir, organ (12:15) - This afternoon's organ concert is our last of the regular season, but please keep your ears open for news about a summer organ series happening in July. Dame Gillian Weir is making her Kimmel Center debut today, and exceptional artistry... | 1 Comments

Wednesday 9 April

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (16:00) - The most recorded chamber orchestra in the world, The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, performs tonight in Verizon Hall. The Academy is known for its Mozart recordings with Sir Neville Marriner including the multi award winning soundtrack... | 1 Comments

Sunday 16 March

Lang Lang, piano (16:00) - Lang Lang, considered by the New York Times as the "hottest artist on the classical music planet", performs tonight in the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall as part of the Master Musicians series. Let us know what you thought of the... | 2 Comments

Saturday 23 February

The 5 Browns (12:00) - These five virtuoso pianists have been called "classical music's first family." This afternoon, the 5 Browns make their Kimmel Center debut, promoting their recent release Browns in Blue. How did you like the show?... | 1 Comments

Saturday 16 February

Hector Olivera, organ (12:00) - Hector Olivera makes his debut on the Verizon Hall organ this afternoon with a program of works including Bach, Micheelsen, Franck, and Drifill.... | 1 Comments

Friday 15 February

Shen Wei Dance Arts (16:45) - Recipient of a MacArthur "Genius" grant last year, choreographer Shen Wei returns to the Kimmel Center this weekend with a new program of works, featuring two Philadelphia premieres: Map (pictured left) set to Steve Reich's Desert Music and Re–, based... | 0 Comments

Saturday 2 February

So Percussion (12:02) - The second entry in our Fresh Ink series, So Percussion performs in Perelman Theater tonight. Tonight's program includes work by Steve Reich, David Lang, and Jason Treuting. There will be a blog entry posted on this series, but we're... | 0 Comments

Friday 7 December

Sing-Along Messiah (16:44) - The second annual Sing-Along Messiah at the Kimmel Center is tonight! Bring your own score: the list of movements is here. Singing City choir, Northeast High School Concert Choir, and Upper Darby High School Encore Singers will be on hand... | 0 Comments

Saturday 1 December

Vienna Boys Choir (11:58) - It's become an annual tradition: the Vienna Boys Choir performing at the Kimmel Center. Each year since the Center opened, this ensemble returns with their holiday program, featuring classic carols, sacred music, and carols from all over the world. Founded... | 1 Comments

Friday 30 November

Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre (14:30) - Led by Valery Gergiev, the Kirov Orchestra returns to the Kimmel Center tonight for an all-Stravinsky program: the complete Firebird and The Rite of Spring. There's a fascinating article by Alex Ross about Gergiev from 1998: “Westerners—we like to have... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 13 November

Yo-Yo Ma and Katheryn Stott (15:38) - Yo-Yo Ma performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the opening of the Kimmel Center, and he brought his ensemble Silk Road here for Kimmel Center Presents. Tonight is his first recital at the Center: he'll be performing alongside his longtime... | 8 Comments

Friday 9 November

Salzburg Marionettes (08:53) - The Salzburg Marionette Theatre will be at the Kimmel Center through Saturday, performing their interpretation of Mozart's Magic Flute and the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. One of my favorite scenes in The Sound of Music... | 3 Comments

Wednesday 24 October

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano (16:24) - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has reigned over the opera world for forty years. In addition to her performances, she also established a foundation and trust fund to guarantee "talented young New Zealand singers and musicians with complete dedication to their... | 3 Comments

Saturday 20 October

Todd Wilson, organ (12:00) - Todd Wilson makes his Kimmel Center debut this afternoon, opening this season's organ series. Wilson is Director of Music and the organist at the Church of the Convenant in Cleveland, Ohio. His program includes Ives, Bach, Conte, Bizet, Duruflé, and... | 1 Comments

Saturday 13 October

Ethel (16:56) - The Fresh Ink series opens for the season with Ethel, "the fiercest string quartet this side of Hell" (Guardian, UK). If you haven't already, check out the podcast with Tom Warner and Ethel recorded in August. Update:WRTI will broadcast... | 1 Comments

Friday 12 October

Filarmonica della Scala (16:36) - The audiences at the famed La Scala opera house are notorious for being almost as rowdy and inclined to express their displeasure as Philadelphia sports fans. I expect tonight Verizon will echo with cheers for tenor Ben Heppner and... | 0 Comments

Friday 21 September

PODCAST CONSTRUCTION ZONE (08:46) - COMING SOON WATCH THIS SITE FOR A RELAUNCH OF KIMMEL CENTER PODCASTS—KIMMELCAST!... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 21 August

Boston Pops, August 21st (16:40) - Tonight is the Boston Pops debut at the Kimmel Center. "A Tribute to Oscar and Tony" celebrates the award-winning music of Hollywood and Broadway. Keith Lockhart leads the Pops and is joined by soloists Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, who... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 3 July

More about Pay-to-Play (09:17) - During the most recent Summer Solstice, the Kimmel Center held its second "Pay-to-Play" event. One of the musicians who attended and played the organ was kind enough to share her photos and comments about the day with us. Go and... | 0 Comments

Saturday 5 May

Organ Recital Marathon, May 5, 2007 (12:00) - Our second organ concert in one day! This afternoon features four organists in mini-recitals, all performing very different programs. First, Sean Jackson, Director of Music at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Connecticut, performs organ pieces by Bach, Walton, Widor... | 4 Comments
Organ Family concert, May 5, 2007 (09:26) - This morning is Kimmel Center Presents second Organ Family concert. Alan Morrison, one of the organists from last season's recital marathon, returns to Verizon Hall along with the Rodney Mack Philadelphia Big Brass. The program for this morning features classical... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 25 April

Evgeny Kissin, April 25, 2007 (16:57) - Tonight Evgeny Kissin performs in Verizon Hall, playing pieces by Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, and Chopin. Born in Moscow in 1971, Kissin is part of new generation of pianists. If you couldn't make it to the concert tonight, or if you... | 2 Comments

Tuesday 24 April

Keyboard Conversations, Schumann, April 23, 2007 (09:23) - Jeffrey Siegel tackles "The Romantic World of Robert Schumann" in this Keyboard Conversation. Schumann was a contemporary of Mendelssohn and Brahms, the latter was his protege and a friend of Schumann's wife, Clara, a virtuoso pianist in her own right...

Thursday 19 April

Kronos Quartet, April 19, 2007 (16:00) - It seems like the Kronos Quartet would have already performed at the Kimmel Center, but no, tonight is their debut. They're performing an evening length piece by Terry Riley called Sun Rings, inspired by the sounds emanating from space probes... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 10 April

From the Top broadcast, April 10, 2007 (17:23) - The Kimmel Center's second broadcast in a season! Tonight, From the Top will be taping their show from Verizon Hall. The broadcast will feature performances from local high school age musicians and the show's host, Christopher O'Riley. The show is... | 1 Comments

Saturday 31 March

Philadelphia Singers, Israel in Egypt, March 31st (15:39) - Tonight the Philadelphia Singers under the direction of David Hayes perform one of Handel's early oratios, Israel in Egypt. Because this performance is part of the Kimmel Center's See Hear! series, there will also be images of artifacts and artwork... | 0 Comments

Friday 23 March

Sarah Chang and Ashley Wass, March 23 (16:51) - Philadelphia native Sarah Chang returns to the Kimmel Center tonight for a recital accompanied by Ashley Wass. Tonight's program features video program notes, and a new piece by composer Richard Danielpour. What did you think of tonight's performance?... | 3 Comments

Thursday 15 March

Wayne Marshall, March 14th, 2007 (08:36) - Wayne Marshall made his Kimmel Center debut last night, the second organist this season to do so. The beginning of Mr. Marshall's program featured works by Liszt and Dupré, the second half was selections from several different operas, plus some... | 5 Comments

Monday 5 February

Jeffrey Siegel, An American Salute, February 5, 2007 (16:33) - Tonight Jeffrey Siegel returns to the Kimmel Center for his second Keyboard Conversation of the season. This evening will be filled with the music of Copland, Bernstein, Barber, and Gershwin, among others. Tell us what you thought of tonight's discussion... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 31 January

Leon Fleisher, January 31, 2007 (15:01) - Leon Fleisher has been a pianist, conductor and teacher, and he has already retired once from performing when, at age 37, he lost the use of two fingers on his right hand due to focal dystonia. Recently, Fleisher began treatments... | 0 Comments

Monday 11 December

Sing-Along Messiah, December 10th (08:16) - Sunday night's sing-along was caroling for the semi-professional set. The Messiah is no easy piece, but with Singing City and the Verizon Hall organ accompanying you, it's a little easier to stay with the music. Were you in fine voice... | 0 Comments

Saturday 2 December

Vienna Choir Boys, December 2, 2006 (12:00) - The Vienna Choir Boys have performed at the Kimmel Center every December since the Center opened 5 years ago. Their holiday program has become a Philadelphia tradition. This afternoon, the VCB will perform songs as traditional as "Joy to the... | 0 Comments

Monday 6 November

Jeffrey Siegel, From Russia with Love, November 6th (16:53) - Tonight, the second season of Keyboard Conversations begins with Jeffrey Siegel's commentary on Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. Please let us know how your concert experience was.... | 2 Comments

Thursday 2 November

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, November 1st (12:38) - The second great orchestra in our series, the BRSO, performed in Verizon Hall last night. Led by Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons, the orchestra performed works by Shostakovich and Beethoven. The BRSO made their debut at the Kimmel Center in 2003,... | 4 Comments

Saturday 21 October

Jennifer Koh, violin & Reiko Uchidea, piano, October 21st (10:57) - Tonight is our first Fresh Ink concert. Jennifer Koh and Reiko Uchida kick off the season with a world premiere from Philadelphia composer and Curtis Institute faculty member Jennifer Higdon. There will also be an Artist Chat following tonight's recital.... | 0 Comments

Thursday 19 October

Maxim Vengerov, October 18th (09:12) - Maxim Vengerov opened the Master Musician string series last night. The young Russian violinist has been performing since age five. He was accompanied by Lilya Silberstein, a native of Moscow. His musical tastes are varied, and his most recent projects... | 2 Comments
NHK Symphony Orchestra, October 17th (09:01) - The NHK Symphony Orchestra made its Kimmel Center debut this week under the direction of Vladimir Ashkenazy with Hélène Grimaud at the piano. The program included Debussy's La mer (The Sea) one of the most recognizeable classical pieces, as well... | 0 Comments

Monday 16 October

Cherry Rhodes, October 14th (08:51) - Cherry Rhodes kicks off the first regular season of our Master Musicians, Organ series of performances. Ms. Rhodes has lots of local ties: she graduated from Curtis, made her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and she was one of the... | 3 Comments

Sunday 24 September

Gary Graffman: A Celebration, September 24th (14:30) - Philadelphia is home to one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, The Curtis Institute of Music. Tonight, Kimmel Center Presents joins together with Curtis to honor the legacy of Gary Graffman, the celebrated pianist and, until this past... | 1 Comments

Wednesday 5 July

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson dies at 52 (11:47) - Earlier this year, mezzo soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and sang a collection of Neruda poems set to music by her husband Peter Lieberson. On July 3rd, after a long illness, Ms. Lieberson died at...

Thursday 25 May

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, May 25th (16:00) - This performance closes our two-week-long Organ Festival. Manfred Honeck leads the PSO with organist Jeffrey Brillhart, who is also Director of Music and Fine Arts at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, through works by Mozart, Poulenc and Tchaikovsky. The music critic... | 1 Comments

Saturday 20 May

Organ Family Concert, May 20th (09:00) - Peter Richard Conte, Grand Court Organist of the world famous Wanamaker Organ, performs classical favorites like Peter and the Wolf and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Philadelphia's own Mum Puppettheatre appears alongside Mr. Conte as does Jill Pasternak of WRTI. Did your... | 3 Comments

Friday 5 May

POPG, May 5th (22:35) - The Philadelphia Orchestra Percussion Group (POPG) interprets favorite classical pieces, performs compositions by one of their own members, and also performs contemporary music. If you missed seeing POPG perform Jennifer Higdon's ZONES last year during the One Book, One Philadelphia... | 0 Comments

Sunday 23 April

Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, April 23rd (12:00) - This is one of our most-anticipated classical performances of the entire season. Perlman and Zukerman have each performed at the Kimmel Center before, but this is the first time they'll appear here together, with Mr. Perlman's longtime accompanist Rohan De... | 1 Comments

Saturday 22 April

Midori and Robert McDonald, April 22nd (17:00) - I think it's best to read Midori's own thoughts about her concert this evening. Dear Friends, A few years ago, I had the idea of putting together a recital program consisting entirely of works composed during my lifetime. I was... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 18 April

Lang Lang, April 18th (17:19) - There's no argument that Lang Lang is a star in the classical world. Tonight, in addition to taking on composers like Mozart and Schumann, he will also perform traditional works by Chinese composers. How did you like this performance?... | 5 Comments

Monday 10 April

Garrick Ohlsson, piano, April 9th (08:52) - Yefim Bronfman has cancelled his performance due to an injury. Kimmel Center Presents is fortunate and grateful that pianist Garrick Ohlsson is able to perform this afternoon. Mr. Ohlsson is widely regarded as one of the world's leading exponents of... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 5 April

National Symphony Orchestra, April 5th (16:00) - Although this important orchestra is in residence at the Kennedy Center, just a couple of hours away, tonight marks the Kimmel Center debuts of the National Symphony Orchestra and their legendary Music Director Leonard Slatkin. Joining the NSO and Mr.... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 21 March

Jeffrey Siegel, Sensuous Sonorities of Chopin, March 20th (08:51) - Tonight is Jeffrey Siegel's final Keyboard Conversations® concert for the season. Mr. Siegel will conclude his examination of great composers by playing and discussing Frédéric Chopin. While this is Siegel's last performance at the Kimmel Center this season, Keyboard Conversations... | 0 Comments

Friday 10 March

Boston Symphony Orchestra, March 10th (16:50) - Unfortunately, James Levine suffered a minor injury and won't be leading the Boston Symphony tonight. In his place will be David Robertson, who has been a guest conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Lorraine Hunt Lieberson will be featured tonight, signing... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 7 March

The Boston Symphony (13:06) - Wow. For me, that's all I need to hear. I grew up as a young musician in Boston, first hearing the weekly radio broadcasts of the orchestra led by Erich Leinsdorf under the covers with my little radio late at... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 28 February

The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Gil Shaham, February 28th (17:17) - It's not a name that exactly trips off your tongue, but this orchestra is the most-recorded chamber orchestra in the world. Led by Neville Marriner, the Academy recorded the soundtrack for the Academy award-winning film, Amadeus. Tonight, there is a... | 5 Comments

Tuesday 21 February

Keyboard Conversations, There's More to Mozart than Amadeus, February 20th (08:54) - Jeffrey Siegel's first concert at the Kimmel Center revealed some of the secrets behind Beethoven's masterworks. This Monday, he explored Mozart, including the many myths about the legendary composer. Siegel also included in his program an unpublished work by Mozart... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 8 February

Berlin Staatskapelle, February 8th (17:04) - The Berlin Staatskapelle is that city's oldest orchestra, and this trip to the U.S. is only its third in its 436-year history. Daniel Barenboim will lead the Berlin Staatskapelle in an all-Mozart program as well as conduct from the... | 5 Comments

Friday 27 January

Happy Birthday Wolfgang (12:18) - If you weren't sure what Google was celebrating with this artwork today, here is a page to remind you.... | 0 Comments

Saturday 21 January

Mozart: Reloaded, January 21st (16:00) - It would have been Mozart's 250th birthday this January. Even though he didn't live that long, his music has. Tonight's performance, featuring all kinds of artists from the Philadelphia area, is a tribute and a re-examination of Wolfgang Amadeus.... | 4 Comments

Wednesday 18 January

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra with Leif Ove Andsnes, January 17th (08:49) - With a program heavy on Mozart, to honor his 250th birthday, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra led by Leif Ove Andsnes demonstrated the lasting impact of these iconic composers. Despite the heavy winds and storm outsides, did you make it to... | 0 Comments

Thursday 12 January

Library of Congress, Songs of America (09:00) - I wish I'd linked to this in the Thomas Hampson performance post, but the Library of Congress has so much interesting information on their website, I didn't want it to get lost. There are sound clips of a few... | 0 Comments

Friday 6 January

Thomas Hampson, Library of Congress Concert, January 8th (10:00) - This Sunday baritone Thomas Hampson fills Verizon Hall with the sound of classic American song: works by Foster, Copland, Ives, Rorem and texts by Whitman, Blake, E. A. Robinson. In addition to Hampson's performance, the Library of Congress will... | 3 Comments

Friday 16 December

Kimmel Center Podcasts -- "Kimmelcasts" (09:37) - Hosted by our very own VP of Programming and Education Mervon Mehta, we've now launched what we believe to be the first of its kind in the country from a performing arts center, Kimmel Center Podcasts -- aka "Kimmelcasts." Episode... | 0 Comments

Saturday 10 December

Vienna Choir Boys, December 10th (12:00) - The Vienna Choir Boys have quickly become a holiday tradition at the Kimmel Center. Combining classical holiday music with modern favorites, the Vienna Choir Boys usually manage to charm all audience members. Has attending this concert become a tradition for... | 2 Comments

Friday 9 December

New York Philharmonic, December 9th (15:51) - Tonight is the first concert this season in the Kimmel Center's Great Orchestra Series. The New York Philharmonic returns to Philadelphia under the baton of famous Spanish conductor, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Mr. Frühbeck is particularly well known for conduction... | 5 Comments

Sunday 20 November

Hilary Hahn, violin, November 20th (12:00) - Hilary Hahn began attending The Curtis Institute of Music when she was only 10 years old, and she made her major orchestra debut just eighteen months later. This afternoon's performance includes a work by Ysaÿe, who taught Hahn's violin mentor... | 6 Comments

Tuesday 15 November

Classical Savion®, November 15th (14:43) - Classical music is re-interpreted all the time, sometimes with unexpected results. Mr. Glover's feet are as versatile as any instrument—how did you think tonight's performance worked with the music? What did you think of Glover's tapping accompanied by the chamber... | 4 Comments

Thursday 10 November

Wu Man, November 10th (16:56) - You might have already seen Wu Man with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. This master pipa player is returning to the Kimmel Center tonight, and she will be premiering two new works. Did you stay for the Artist Chat after... | 2 Comments

Tuesday 8 November

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel, November 16th (16:34) - The first in a series of conversations with pianist Jeffrey Siegel, The Power and Passion of Beethoven examines how this shocking and revolutionary composer created some of his best known masterworks. What did you learn after listening to Mr. Siegel?... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 2 November

Classical Music Web Site in Philadelphia (09:46) - Hey everybody!! Check out Classical Music Philadelphia. It is a new web site that lists upcoming classical and world music events in Philadelphia. David Cohen, who runs the site, also post interviews with artists. He recently spoke with Wu Man... | 3 Comments

Tuesday 1 November

Inspiration in a bottle...or candy wrapper (11:02) - Knowledge is priceless, but for about a buck fifty -- the price of a bottled lime green tea -- you could learn that the most used letters in the English language are E, T, A, O, I and N or... | 2 Comments