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Off Mic Blog

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Enjoy these splendid performances, then cast your vote!

2011 Fall PIANOFEST Showcase Recital Roosevelt University Chicago College of the Performing Arts presented a five-day festival showcasing the talent of some of the region’s finest young concert pianists on Nov. 9-13, 2011 in Roosevelt University’s Rudolph Ganz Memorial Hall, Chicago. Performances by six of these student soloists, who hail from all over the world, opened more…

Johannes Brahms

Lovely.

Swan Dance

Sent to me by my friend Marcia. Beautiful. Uploaded to YouTube by OpeningCeremonyNY on Apr 11, 2011 The other day, I was lucky enough to be at an event to bring the arts back into schools and got to see an amazing collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma and a young dancer in LA, Lil Buck. Someone who knows more…

J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244

Carl Grapentine hosts a live broadcast of the Chicago Bach Project, presented by Soli Deo Gloria, featuring Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. John Nelson conducts the Chicago Bach Choir and Orchestra in this musical narrative of Christ’s arrest, trial, and execution as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew. At intermission, Carl will talk with Maestro Nelson more…

Ilya Kaler performing the Vitali Chaconne on Russian TV in 1987

Here is violinist Ilya Kaler, Chicago resident since 2005 and winner of the coveted Gold Medal in the three most highly prestigious international violin competitions: Tchaikovsky (1986),  Paganini (1981), and Sibelius (1985).  Mr. Kaler is 24 years old in this performance with Leonid Blok on the piano.  

Adieu to our month long celebration of J.S. Bach.

  Bach D Minor Cello Suite, Prelude   Peter and Dona Wiley, you are both beautiful! This was choreography by James Robey.  

Happy Birthday! Johann Sebastian Bach

Mstislav Rostropovich plays the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007. Filmed at the Basilique Sainte Madeleine, Vézelay, Yonne, France in 1991 This YouTube video has been viewed 6,879,744 times! That works out to almost three times a minute since it was uploaded on YouTube, in January of 2007 by more…

Russophilia among the French composers

Collecting music for WFMT is like a journey, starting from an unknown place and usually getting very lost in another unknown place – but the journey itself I find fascinating. Today’s inquiry is about connections between Russian and French symphonies: The relationships and inspiration that they drew from each other go on and on, with more…

Thank you, TAUBERFANLEHA2!!!!

Years ago on a family car trip this aria saved my family. My big sister put her foot in my space, creating war not to be stopped by strong words or flailing hands from the front seats. The entire car bounced down the road with all of us screaming at each other. At one point more…

Sherry Kloss: Preserving the Heifetz Legacy

  This month we have been celebrating the creative genius of Jascha Heifetz, delving into his artistry and life. Last week I had the pleasure to speak with one of his students, Sherry Kloss, who also served as his Master Assistant. I was amazed to learn that Heifetz taught group lessons in the same style as more…