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Music
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FROM THE STAGE TO THE LOUNGE: WHERE TO EXPERIENCE LIVE MUSIC BEYOND THE THEATER
Live music has been a key part of cultural expression for millennia. Typically showcased in beautiful theaters with velvet-draped seating, this art form can also be found and enjoyed in at least half a dozen other places in today’s world. This article gives you a brief presentation of those places and why they can be…
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Music | Extras: THE USE OF SINGING BOWLS IN YOGA AND MEDITATION
Singing bowls have played a major role in spiritual practices over the years, especially within the domains of Tibetan Buddhism. These are high-quality metal alloys gently struck or rubbed with a mallet to generate rich resonant tones. In yoga and meditation, they serve more than utilitarian ends, acting as channels transmitting individuals into deeper levels…
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Extras | Music: THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC: HOW SINGING BOWLS PROMOTE WELLNESS AND RELAXATION
Music has always been a universal language and a vital source of unity among different people. Singing bowls, especially among musical instruments, take a special healing and relaxation function at all times. Originating from the Himalayan region, they are deeply integrated into the health routines of meditation, yoga, and sound treatments. Discover how singing bowls…
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Opera Review: DON BUCEFALO (Pacific Opera Project at The Garibaldina in Los Angeles)
PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT UNEARTHS A TREASURE In the often unexplored corners of the operatic repertoire lie forgotten gems that, when rediscovered, shine brightly. Pacific Opera Project’s revival of Don Bucefalo by Antonio Cagnoni is one such treasure. Premiering in Milan in 1847, Don Bucefalo enjoyed considerable success in its time but has since slipped into…
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Opera Review: ROMEO & JULIET [ROMÉO ET JULIETTE] (Los Angeles Opera)
The Los Angeles Opera‘s revival of Gounod‘s Roméo et Juliette dazzled in its opening performance last night, thanks to extraordinary vocal performances and masterful conducting. With Amina Edris and Duke Kim delivering passionate portrayals of the star-crossed lovers, and Domingo Hindoyan leading the orchestra in a lush, romantic interpretation of Gounod’s score, the evening was…
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VINTAGE MEETS VIRAL: HOW PMJ HAS MASTERED THE ART OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN A RETRO STYLE
Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) has carved out a unique corner of the internet, skillfully merging the sounds and aesthetics of bygone musical eras with the digital reach of modern-day social media. Founded in 2010 by jazz pianist and arranger Scott Bradlee, PMJ began as a grassroots project in a basement apartment, reimagining contemporary pop hits in…
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Highly Recommended Concert: WE ARE VERY BIZET (The Verdi Chorus Fall 2024 Concert Celebrating Verdi and Bizet)
“VOTRE TOAST” TO THE VERDI CHORUS The Verdi Chorus’s 41st season begins with its Fall 2024 show, We Are Verdi Bizet, led by Anne Marie Ketchum, who is has been, well, very busy as the Artistic Director for 41 consecutive years. The Verdi Chorus is the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily…
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Concert Review: T BONE BURNETT LIVE IN CONCERT (Tour at The Barns at Wolf Trap)
A BARE-BONE GIG Last night, October 28, a packed house at The Barns at Wolf Trap enjoyed a mellow and introspective concert as T Bone Burnett performed his latest album The Other Side, his first solo release in nearly 20 years. (Another show was added tonight, but that is sold-out.) Describing the evening as a…
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Concert Review: FROM MEXICO TO HOLLYWOOD: GOLDEN AGE CINEMA (LA Phil at Disney Hall)
FROM MEXICO TO HOLLYWOOD TO DISNEY HALL, THIS PROGRAM OF FILM SCORES ENTHRALLED With John Williams’s name attached to the program that played last weekend at Disney Hall, I knew had to attend. From Mexico to Hollywood: Golden Age Cinema contained some of the most memorable scores from the best films of Mexico’s Época de…
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THE EVOLUTION OF POP STANDARDS: FROM THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK TO TODAY’S HITS
Pop music has been the soundtrack to countless moments in history, weaving its way into the lives of generations. From the timeless melodies of the Great American Songbook to the chart-topping hits of today, pop standards have evolved significantly. Yet, despite changing trends and styles, there’s an enduring appeal to these songs that keeps listeners…
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Recommended Jazz Concert: IMPROMPTU (Teodora Brody and Stanley Jordan at Carnegie Hall)
On Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30pm, Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall will host Impromptu, a captivating evening of spontaneous performance featuring the acclaimed Teodora Brody and the renowned American guitarist and pianist Stanley Jordan. For the first time at Carnegie Hall, they will perform an entirely unrehearsed concert, without a setlist or score. This is…
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Music Review: LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (Edward Gardner, conductor; Randall Goosby, violin; The Soraya)
GOOSBY + GARDNER = GOOSEBUMPS There was a happening at The Soraya in Northridge on October 10. I call it that for three reasons: The London Philharmonic Orchestra; violinist Randall Goosby; and The Soraya itself. This strikingly beautiful concert hall on the campus of CSUN easily has the best sound of any large performance venue…
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Highly Recommended Album: BIRD IN KANSAS CITY (Charlie Parker: Rare Recordings from 1941-1951)
KANSAS CITY, BIRD IN KANSAS CITY HERE IT COMES Verve Records is releasing Bird in Kansas City globally on October 25, 2024 on vinyl, CD, and digitally. It’s an album featuring a new set of rare recordings dating from between 1941-1951. Much of this collection has never been heard before and some recordings have never even…
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Concert Review: FANTASIES, EMANUEL AX (Celebrity Series of Boston, NEC’s Jordan Hall in Boston)
FANTASTIC FANTASIAS Emanuel Ax offered a distinctive series of piano fantasia pieces as part of Boston’s Celebrity Series in beautiful wood-paneled Jordan Hall yesterday afternoon (the program also occurred at Groton Hill Music Center on Oct. 10, 2024). The first part of the program presented Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major,…
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Music Review: LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (Edward Gardner, conductor; Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin at Segerstrom Concert Hall)
SHOSTAKOVICH AND TCHAIKOVSKY Under the expert direction of its principal conductor Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra recently graced Segerstrom Concert Hall in Orange County with an enthralling performance. Known for his energetic and nuanced interpretations, Gardner masterfully drew out the orchestra’s full expressive capabilities, allowing every note to resonate deeply with the audience. This concert,…
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Album Recommendation: UNITY (Dan Siegel)
Veteran keyboardist/composer Dan Siegel brings together a stellar rhythm section and a roster of ace guitarists for his groove-heavy 23rd album, featuring David “DJ” Ginyard on bass and Oscar Seaton on drums. UNITY also features percussion great Lenny Castro, whose relationship with Siegel dates back to the keyboardist’s self-titled 1982 album, as does that of Tom Scott (sax),…
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Extras | Music: TOP TEN HANDPANS FOR SALE: YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO ELEVATE YOUR MUSICAL JOURNEY
The history and origin of handpans The handpan is a beautiful, relatively new entry in the world of percussion instruments that demonstrates what happens when art and creativity mix together. The instrument traces its roots back to the early 2000s with PANArt Hang as a visionary creator from Switzerland was crafting first this kind of…
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Obituary: TRUMPETER/COMPOSER JOHN MCNEIL
TRUMPETER/COMPOSER JOHN MCNEIL MARCH 23, 1948 – SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 John McNeil was a brilliant trumpeter, composer, arranger, educator and producer whose mark on the music world was indelible and whose acerbic sense of humor and dry wit were legendary. McNeil, who built an accomplished and progressive career in jazz despite a genetic disorder that…
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Opera Review: THE HANDMAID’S TALE (San Francisco Opera)
A MAGNIFICENT OPERA OF A DEATHTIME This was not your typical opera, so this will not be the typical review. Like many times before, I entered the War Memorial Opera House basking in luxury and cheer. It’s a magnificent building in a magnificent setting, with the beautifully lit miniature Capitol building that serves as our…
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Opera Review: MADAME BUTTERFLY (LA Opera)
TAKE. CUT. PRINT. A BUTTERFLY IN A 1930 MOVIE STUDIO ENTHRALLS Stage and cinema have merged at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for what may be the most glorious and cogent version of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly you will ever see. Certainly, this is the most inspiring and satisfying version of this oft-produced opera that I have…
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