On WFMT » Carolyn Paulin

Recitals On Demand from NEIU

Carolyn Paulin — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:25:50 +0000

Hear concerts on-demand.

Nestled in a neighborhood bounded by Pulaski on the west, Kimball on the east, Devon on the north and Foster on the south, is Northeastern Illinois University. NEIU is a commuter university; and the students reflect this ethnically diverse area. Take a walk in the neighborhood and you’ll see devout Orthodox Jews on the way to Shabbat services, women in beautiful Indian dress, Pakistani cab drivers, and college students in jeans and T-shirts. But perhaps you didn’t know that NEIU is a mecca for the arts.

The University has a first rate visual arts curriculum, with gallery shows by students and visiting artists throughout the year. The music department is thriving: there are at least two fully staged operas each academic year, which are presented in the Auditorium. Virtually every week there may be a student or faculty recital in the Recital Hall. And the monthly Jewel Box series, which WFMT broadcasts with host Carolyn Paulin, brings in nationally and internationally renowned performers; and provides a showcase for the music department’s talented faculty.

We have four concerts; check here for a new concert each week.

Sad Pianos

Carolyn Paulin — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:06:17 +0000

I’ve always thought of a piano as a precious thing. The beauty of shape and sound of the Steinway grand piano in my friend Barbara Ekholm’s living room (which is also her teaching studio). The usefulness of the good, old-fashioned, upright in the living room in the home where I grew up (where I took my piano lessons and listened to my mother play “Clair de lune”). The wonderful concert grands you hear in Orchestra Hall or at the Pianoforte Concerts in Chicago.

But I guess not everyone views pianos as precious anymore….and they seem to be becoming a bother in our society. Here’s an article from the New York Times about the very sad disposal of unwanted pianos. Sigh.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?_r=1

North Shore Chamber Music Festival

Carolyn Paulin — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:34:24 +0000

I’m really looking forward to producing TWO live broadcasts on WFMT of the North Shore Chamber Music Festival next week. On Wednesday, June 6 and Friday, June 8, both at 7.30 PM, you can hear great chamber music live from the Village Presbyterian Church in Northbrook. Performers include, among others, the Pacifica Quartet, pianist Adam Neiman and the festival’s directors, pianist Angela Yoffee and violinist Vadim Gluzman. To experience it in person, get tickets at nscfm.org. If you can’t attend, listen in to 98.7 WFMT.

Five People/One Guitar

Carolyn Paulin — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:31:56 +0000

Amazing what you find when you are looking around for things on the Internet. And thanks to Kay Richards for this really delightful video…even if the “repertoire” is not the usual WFMT fare. Just plain fun to watch.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fischer-Dieskau and Mahler

Carolyn Paulin — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:35:36 +0000

Can’t stay away from the brilliant singing artist. Here is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singing music of Mahler, with Riccardo Chailly conducting. It’s one of the four Rückert songs, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen. Still great in 1989, at the age of 64! We celebrate the maestro on 987. WFMT.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Carolyn Paulin — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:14:02 +0000

We have been mourning the passing of the great German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who died at his home last Friday morning just ten days shy of his 87th birthday. We’ve also been celebrating this great singer, thinker, actor and intellectual. Tonight at 10 on 98.7 we will re-broadcast Jon Tolansky’s 2005 program “Fischer-Dieskau at 80.” Don’t miss it!

Here’s the master in 1978 singing Schubert, with pianist Alfred Brendel..from Winterreise.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Singing in Los Angeles

Carolyn Paulin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:11:14 +0000

I spent a wonderful long weekend in the Los Angeles a while ago. It really was old home week – with a reunion with my oldest friend (from Kindergarten onward…but I hadn’t seen her in 30 years!). Then off to my Alma Mater – Occidental College – for a great celebration of the Oxy Glee clubs from the many years when the great Howard Swan was the director. since Dr. Swan was was there fromm 1934 to 1971, we had lots of singers from way back, as well as many of my friends from the laste 1960s. What a great time…singing, reminiscing, laughing and remembering.

Barber of Seville

Carolyn Paulin — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:25:12 +0000

This past weekend my husband and I traveled to Urbana-Champaign for a production of Rossini’s opera “The Barber of Seville.” We had lived there for 20 years, and during that time Paul had conducted many operas and I had prepared many opera choruses. This production of “Barber” was probably the finest production of that opera we have ever seen…virtually anywhere. Three things made it special. First, Jerald Siena (that wonderful tenor who now teaches at Uof I) directed the production and worked carefully with the set designer and others to create a witty, colorful and altogether delightful period staging that was truly guided by the music. Second, the wonderful baritone Ronald Hedlund, who retired from U of I a few years ago, but still sings wonderfully (at an age well past 70!), made his stage farewell as a terrific, funny, superbly sung Dr. Bartolo. And finally, we discovered the lovely young soprano Jacqueline Piccolino, who played a stunningly wonderful Rosina. This young woman – only a junior at U of I(!) – is absolutely a world class singer. She has it all – solid technique; a voice of beauty, flexibility and, when needed, power; great acting ability and delightful looks. She’s off to the Merola program in San Francisco this summer, and probably will return to U of I to finish her degree. I hope that she comes to Chicago and joins the Ryan Center….because after a few years there, she could go anywhere and make a huge career. Exciting weekend.

Here’s the composer himself.

And who could forget Warner Bros. classic “Rabbit of Seville”:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Salzburg Festival 2011

Carolyn Paulin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:58:18 +0000

After finishing the WFMT Radio Network series Song of America with Thomas Hampson last October, I’ve had the privilege of producing our second series of concerts from the Salzburg Festival. WFMT began airing these two-hour programs in early February (other stations around the country began in January and still more will program them throughout 2012). These 10 program hold a fascinating variety of orchestral performances – one with the Vienna Philharmonic and two with the AMAZING Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra – as well chamber music, a solo recital by Yo-Yo Ma, and a recital of songs by Kurt Weill sung by the wonderful Angela Denoke. There’s even Verdi’s opera Macbeth, conducted by our own Riccardo Muti. I’ll have more in future posts, but I encourage you to listen to 98.7 or WFMT.com on most Sundays between 4-6 PM. Good stuff!

Barbershop singing at its AMAZING BEST!

Carolyn Paulin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:19:55 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you are like me, and tend to look down a bit on Barbershop singing (as a choral musician, I have that regrettable tendency), then take a look and listen to this AMAZING video. The Ambassadors of Harmony were International Barbershop Champions, and you will see why. What a great performance in every way!