Features

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• José Mateo retires. An appreciation of his New Classicism. GateHouse papers, April 2018

• The great Lorelei Ensemble sings in Wenham and Nahant. Beth Willer discusses the repertory. GateHouse papers, April 2018

• Conversation with Jung-Ho Pak about Leonard Bernstein. Cape Cod Times, April 2018.

• Dawn Upshaw and Gilbert Kalish, two great artists, perform at Rockport. GateHouse papers, April 2018.

• Martin Pearlman talks about Boston Baroque's period staging of Fidelio: "At the edge of what we do." MetroWest Daily News, April 2018.

• Matthew Scinto creates the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra. Cape Cod Times, April 2018

• Boston Playwrights' Theatre presents The Rosenbergs (An Opera), first attempt at the genre. ARTery, April 2018

• German composer Jörg Widmann's "Partita," commissioned by Gewandhaus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, gets its debut with both orchestras. WBUR's ARTery, March 2018.

• Alvin Ailey and Boston. 50 years, thanks to Walter Pierce and subsequent Celebrity Series leaders. From the Patriot-Ledger, March 2018.

• Fourth season of the Celebrity Series's Stave Sessions. WBUR's ARTery, March 2018.

• Falmouth Chamber Players Orchestra tackles Beethoven's 9th for its 10th anniversary. Cape Cod Times, March 2018.

• From Chamber Music America: clarinetist David Shifrin. January 2017

• Preview: Laura Kaminsky's As One, Boston Opera Collaborative's production at Longy. WBUR's ARTery, Jan. 2018

• A preview of spring music events in greater Boston. GateHouse column, Feb. 2018

• Some Assembly Required, part of Salem Classical series. GateHouse papers, Feb. 2018

• Gershwin, big band style. Preview of VETS performance, Providence Journal, Feb. 2018

• Organist and advocate for her female colleagues, Gail Archer gives a recital at St. Anthony's in New Bedford. Standard-Times, March 2018

• Daniil Trifonov in recital with his mentor, Sergei Babayan, at Jordan Hall. A chat with the cerebral pianist and composer. WBUR's ARTery, Feb. 2018

• A quick look at the new Rockport Chamber Music Festival's upcoming summer season. Barry Shiffman is really transforming this season. GateHouse column, Feb. 2018

• The revival of the Newport Music Festival. Interview with Pamela Pantos, the new executive director, and an exclusive view of the upcoming summer season. Providence Journal, Feb. 2018

• Jacques Lee Wood, cellist. A preview of his Music at Eden's Edge performance, but also a look at his busy career and active affiliations. GateHouse column, Feb. 2018

• Martha Potter Kim, violinist for the Cape Symphony Orchestra, retires. Longtime Boston and Cape musician, the widow of composer Earl Kim. Cape Cod Times, Feb. 2018

• Joan Tower, in residence at NEC, and celebrated with a BMOP program dedicated to her work. Such a pleasure to finally meet this great composer. WBUR's ARTery, Feb. 2018

• An in-depth feature on Michael Tilson Thomas, for WBUR's ARTery. A result of the Music Critics Association of North America institute fellowship in Miami Beach. Feb. 2018

• A wish list for the arts in 2018. In the GateHouse papers, year-end 2017

• 2017: a year in the life of Andris Nelsons. From WBUR's ARTery, Dec. 2017

• Photo essay, with Peter Pereira of the Standard-Times. Profiles of six New Bedford Symphony Orchestra muscians. Dec. 2017

• Skylark Vocal Ensemble sings in Exeter, Falmouth, Chatham and Marblehead. Music by Greg Brown and others. In the Cape Cod Times, Jan. 2018

• Particularly happy to be contributing to Chamber Music America, after a hiatus of more than a decade. The Winter 2018 cover story, a profile of clarinetist David Shifrin. 

• Destruction of the Sanctuary. The year in the arts, 2017. Not an easy or happy column to write. In the GateHouse papers, Dec. 2017

• Andris Nelsons, in 2017. Toe stubs, wild pitches, Grammys, photo shoots. And music. For ARTery, Dec. 2017

• Jimmy Webb, with the Cape Symphony Orchestra. Yes I made a joke about the cake left out in the rain. In the Times, Dec. 2017

• Photo essay, with Peter Pereira, in the Standard-Times. Profiles of six New Bedford Symphony Orchestra players. Fun. Dec. 2017

• Preview of Reagle Theater's ChristmasTime show. MetroWest Daily News, Nov. 2017

• Celtic Christmas Sojourn, in the Providence Journal. Discussion with choreographer. Dec. 2017

• Revels Christmas. Venice this year. Patrick Swanson talks about it. MetroWest, Dec. 2017

• American Modern Opera Company launches. Just the beginning. Interview with Matt Aucoin and managing director Jennifer Chen. On WBUR's ARTery, Nov. 2017.

• Event of the season: A Far Cry's ambitious "The Blue Hour," a song cycle with five composers. Previewed on the ARTery, Nov. 2017.

• Johnny Gandelsman performs all the Bach partitas and sonatas for Salem Classical. Nice talk with presenter Richard Guérin. GateHouse papers, Nov. 2017

• Matt Aucoin curates his final concert as Peabody Essex Museum's artist in residence. Previewed. GateHouse papers, Nov. 2017

• Handel & Haydn Society accompanies Amadeus, live at Symphony Hall. Preview with conductor and the great Ian Watson. Nov. 2017, in WBUR's ARTery. 

• Talents of the World singing competition. MetroWest Daily News, and others, Nov. 2017

• Preview of Gloriae Dei Cantores' staging of Ralph Vaughan Williams' Pilgrim's Progress, in the Cape Cod Times. Oct. 2017

• State of Boston Opera. Broad ranging feature for WBUR's ARTery. Oct. 2017

• Dover Quartet, in Westport. Previewed in the Standard-Times. Oct. 2017

• Preview of fall dance events. Sept. 2017

• Emmanuel Music season opener: focus on Ginsberg, with Lloyd Schwartz, Elena Ruehr, Andy Vores.

• Rhode Island fall classical music preview, from the Journal. Sept. 2017

• Fall classical music preview in Boston, from WBUR's ARTery. Aug. 2017

• New Bedford Symphony Orchestra's new music director, Yaniv Dinur, talks about his first season. Standard-Times, Sept. 2017

• Fall classical music on Cape Cod, from the Times, Sept. 2017

• Fall music preview on the North Shore. Gatehouse, Aug. 2017

• Paul van Anglen flames out as producer of Newport Contemporary Music Series. Many musicians lose out on a summer of work, and payment. From the Providence Journal, Aug. 2017.

• Handel & Haydn returns to Tanglewood after two decades. From Early Music America, Aug. 2017.

• Buzzards Bay MusicFest, annual chat with Charles Stegman. From the Standard-Times, July 2017

• Boston Camerata does Tristan at Rockport Chamber Music Festival. Anne Azéma talks about the research. GateHouse, July 2017

• Newport Chamber Music Festival, previewed. From Providence Journal, July 2017

• A link to Weekend Edition appearance with Sharon Brody, discussing my piece on summer music festivals. June 5, 2017.

• Jon Nakamatsu talks about the upcoming Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. From the Cape Cod Times, July 2017.

• Brentano String Quartet—among the best. Mark Steinberg discusses Gesualdo arrangement, Stephen Hartke's quartet. From the GateHouse Papers, June 2017.

• Cambridge Symphony does a world premiere by Conrad Pope. Conductor Cynthia Woods discusses, in MetroWest Daily News. June 2017.

• Don Enos's four-and-a-half decades at the Meeting House Chamber Series. From the Cape Cod Times, June 2017.

• A preview of the ill-fated Newport Contemporary Music Series. Interview with Paul Van Anglen, before it all fell apart. In the Providence Journal, June 2017.

• Paul Taylor 2 in an historic performance at Windhover, recreating early Taylor works. Coupled with pieces by Ina Hahn. From the GateHouse papers, June 2017.

• David Alpher discusses his world premiere, Between Twilights, settings of Marsden Hartley poems. At the Rockport Chamber Music Festival. From the GateHouse papers, June 2017.

• Chameleon Arts Ensemble graces the Rockport Chamber Music Festival for the second consecutive Father's Day. Deb Bolden talks, from the GateHouse papers, June 2017.

• Natalie Zhu's Kingston Chamber Music Festival, previewed in the Providence Journal, June 2017.

• Philip Glass and Matt Haimovitz at the Peabody Essex Museum, giving a world premiere. In the GateHouse papers, June 2017.

• David Deveau reminisces on the eve of his final Rockport season. For WBUR's ARTery, June 2017.

• Jupiter String Quartet returns to Rockport Chamber Music Festival. Always interesting to talk with first violinist Nelson Lee. GateHouse papers, June 2017.

• Cape Symphony Orchestra helps celebrate JFK's centenary in Hyannis. From the Cape Cod Times, May 2107.

• Music of John Aylward and Philippe Hurel at Le Lab in Cambridge. Aylward discusses, for WBUR's ARTery. May 2017.

• Cellist Matthew Sharp. Baritone Matthew Sharp. Same guy, same concert. In Newburyport, previewed in the GateHouse papers, May 2017.

• Boston Lyric Opera's Figaro. Talking trousers, with Laurence Senelik and Emily Fons. From WBUR's ARTery, April 2017.

• Marc-André Hamelin talks about his Celebrity Series recital. From WBUR's ARTery, May 2017.

• Cape Symphony and Cotuit Center for the Arts collaborate on Every Good Boy Does Favour--score by André Previn, book by Tom Stoppard, scenario by Soviet oppression. From Cape Cod Times, May 2017.

• ArtSpring spreads Freedom of Expression across Cape Cod. An overview, from the Cape Cod Times, April 2017.

• New Bedford Symphony Orchestra gets an honor: guest conductor Ken-David Masur, leading a program of John Williams's film music. Preview of April concert, from the Standard-Times.

• Roomful of Teeth, A Far Cry. Two great groups onstage together. Miki-Sophia Cloud talks about it. From WBUR's ARTery, April 2017.

• Boston Conservatory presents Bernstein's Mass. From WBUR's ARTery, April 2017

• Sarah Slifer Swift of the Trident Live Arts Series organizes a dance performance benefit for recent refugees who have come to Cape Ann. From the North Shore GateHouse papers, March 2017

• Profile of a conductor on the rise: Lidiya Yankovskaya, artistic director of Juventas New Music, among many other things. From WBUR's ARTery, March 2017

• Musica Sacra sings Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt, at Gloucester's Universalist Unitarian Meetinghouse. From the North Shore GateHouse papers, March 2017

• March is full of classical music options in Boston. From WBUR's ARTery.

• New Bedford Symphony Orchestra chooses Yaniv Dinur to be its next music director. From the Standard-Times, March 2017

• Emanuel Ax joins Community MusicWorks for tacos and spaghetti. In ProJo, March 2017

• Gamm Theatre in Pawtucket stages Jennifer Haley's The Nether. A talk with director Judith Swift. From ProJo, March 2017

• Rockport Chamber Music Festival, 2017. Season announcement, with a complete list of concerts. David Deveau's final season. From the North Shore GateHouse papers, March 2017

• Bach and beer? That's Steuart Pincombe's idea. It's a good one. The entrepreneurial cellist plays the suites in breweries and pubs. This one's in Pawtucket. A conversation published in ProJo, Feb. 2017

• BMOP joins the Philip Glass 80th birthday celebration. Gil Rose talks about him. From MetroWest Daily News, Feb. 2017

• A personal hero. Christian Tetzlaff, with Lars Vogt, at Rockport's Shalin Liu Performance Center. A brief preview, in the North Shore GateHouse papers, Feb. 2017.

• Dirk Meyer, music director of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, auditions for a similar post at the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. Previewed, Feb. 2017, in the Standard-Times.

• Beverly Davis's sculptures commemorate the loss of two dozen primates in Philadelphia Zoo fire, 20 years ago. On view at Vault Gallery, So. Dartmouth. From the Standard-Times, Feb. 2017.

• Anne Azéma leads the Boston Camerata in Play of Daniel, 800 years old and still timely. From WBUR's ARTery, Jan. 2017

• Yaniv Dinur talks about his upcoming audition for New Bedford Symphony Orchestra's open music directorship. From the Standard-Times, Jan. 2017

• Gamm Theatre reprises Lillian Hellman's Children's Hour. Not about lesbians; about lies. From ProJo, Jan. 2017.

• Trombonist with personality: Boston Symphony's principal Toby Oft gets a chance at the front of the stage, with Nino Rota's concerto. From MetroWest Daily News, Dec. 2016

• The incomparable Brian O'Donovan talks about his surprising creation, Christmas Celtic Sojourn. From ProJo, Dec. 2016.

• Providence Singers, led by Christine Noel, with Rhode Island Phil, stages Messiah. From ProJo, Dec. 2016.

• Retired (sort of) maestro David MacKenzie takes a break from his Hawaiian permaculture farm to New Bedford Symphony Orchestra holiday stage. From the Standard-Times, Dec. 2016.

• Dryden and Purcell, hanging out in the 1790s. Here's what they came up with: King Arthur, a semi-opera. Collaboration among Acadia Players, Poet's Theatre, Purcell Society of Boston. From WBUR, Nov. 2016

• Arneis Quartet performs John H. Wallace's quartet at the Cabot. Beginning of Wallace's year-long composer residency there. From the GateHouse papers, Nov. 2016

• Gordon College music department, under chair Sarita Kwok, seeks to reach out to community. Through performances, like Borromeo String Quartet. From the GateHouse papers, Nov. 2016

• Jules Eskin, cellist. Joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1964. A remembrance, from WBUR's ARTery. Nov. 2016.

• David Amado, second music director candidate to take the New Bedford Symphony audition. Interview with longtime leader of the Delware Symphony. From the New Bedford Standard-Times, Nov. 2016.

• Counter-Productions Theatre Company in Providence stages the finale of its recreations from X Minus One, a 60s radio show. Previewed in ProJo, Nov. 2016

• 21st century Schubertiade in Chatham. From the Cape Cod Times, Nov. 2016

• Will Boston have a new music festival next year. Starts here, with Juventas New Music. Interview with Lidiya Yankovskaya. From WBUR's ARTery. Nov. 2016

• Community MusicWorks plays Bach all over Providence. Previewed in ProJo, Oct. 2016

• Interview with Christopher James Lees, the first of the conducting finalists to lead the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. From the Standard-Times, Oct. 2016

• Jörg Widmann talks about "Trauermarsch," his concerto for Yefim Bronfman. Boston Symphony Orchestra performs it Oct. 8-10. From WBUR's ARTery.

• Davis Museum at Wellesley reopens after remodeling and doubling its gallery space. Informative interview with senior curator Claire Whitner. In the MetroWest Daily News, Sept. 2016

• Arts in the Village, nice chamber series in Rehoboth, with a loyal following. Cascabel Trio opens the season this weekend. Previewed in Standard-Times, Sept. 2016

• Second of Andris Nelsons features, this from WBUR. Far-reaching conversation about his future with BSO, with Gewandhaus, and what cooperation between those two symphonies might look like. Plus trumpet scales, religion and golf cart driving. Sept. 2016

• First of several Andris Nelsons stories. The BSO music director, entering his third season, sits down at Tanglewood and looks forward to multiple premieres, lots of Brahms, opera concertante. From MetroWest Daily News, Sept. 2016.

• The new McMullen Museum at Boston College. Impressive. Interview with director Nancy Netzer. We talk about the new building, and McMullen's part in the citywide Illuminated Manuscripts exhibition. From MetroWest Daily News, Sept. 2016

• The Cabot Theater adds to the robust classical music scene on Boston's North Shore. A fall preview from the GateHouse papers, Sept. 2016.

• Barry Shiffman takes over as artistic director of Rockport Music. Brief announcement. Sept. 2016

• Ocean Alliance aims to restore the Paint Factory, a Gloucester harbor landmark. Weekend events. From the Cape Ann GateHouse papers, Sept. 2016

• Mark O'Connor, American fiddler, opens the Cape Symphony Orchestra season. Thoughtful chat about his music and his pedagogy. Cape Cod Times, Aug. 2016

• Yo Yo, Roomful, Aida, Nelsons, Opolais, Denk, McGegan—a busy week at Tanglewood (and MoCA). From WBUR's ARTery, Aug. 2016, with interesting links.

• Paul Taylor 2 comes to Windhover. Master classes, little performances now, but more in years to come. North Shore GateHouse papers, Aug. 2016.

• Manchester Summer Chamber Music, 7th season, previewed. From the North Shore GateHouse papers, Aug. 2016.

• Preview, Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. Executive director Elaine Lipton likes things the way they are. Aug. 2016, Cape Cod Times.

• It's just an intersection but it could be what downtown Gloucester looks like in the future. ArtIsPhere, with galleries, a museum, potential. Cape Ann Beacon, July 2016

• Steven Stucky's tribute to his lineage, and the lineage of others. His Festival of Contemporary Music, curated before his death. A preview. From WBUR's ARTery, July 2016

• Adriane Daskalakis's Music at Land's End, a growing festival on the South Coast. Previewed. From the Standard-Times, July 2017

• Newburyport Chamber Music Festival presents three Scott Ordway premieres this August. Previewed in the North Shore GateHouse papers. 

• Tenor Peter Furlong changes fach (he's helden now), comes home to America to sing about the past. From MetroWest Daily News, Aug. 2016

• Buzzards Bay Music Festival advance story. A talk with violinist/artistic director Charles Stegeman about his programs. Runs July 13-17 at Tabor Academy. 

• Icebergs and shipwrecks. Major William Bradford exhibition, drawn from its collection, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. A talk with curator Christina Connett. Runs through May 2017.

• Kirill Gerstein talks about one of his Gilmore commissions—Homage to Haydn, by Alexander Goehr—Liszt and Beethoven. July 10 at Rockport.

• Jeremy Denk, Harlem Quartet play in week five of the Rockport Chamber Music Festival. Brief preview. June 2016

• Preview of Gloucester Stage Company's staging of Ben Evett's Albatross, Rime of the Ancient Mariner revisited. June 2016

• Brief preview of week three at Rockport Chamber Music Festival. June 2016

• Frank Huang, New York Philharmonic concertmaster, talk about his new gig, and his RCMF sonata recital with Gilles Vonsattel. June 2016

• A farewell to Ina Hahn: dancer, choreographer, leader. June 2016

• José Mateo's Dance for World Community, previewed on WBUR's ARTery. June 2016

• Elena Ruehr talks about her new quintet, The Worlds Revolve, written for Borromeo String Quartet and pianist Donald Berman. June 2016

• Preview of week one for this summer's Rockport Chamber Music Festival. Opening night: Parker String Quartet, with Menahem Pressler. June 2016

• Longtime accompanist Christopher Ricci leaves Greater New Bedford Choral Society to take over as music director at Priscilla Beach Theatre. May 2016

• A brief profile of the four candidates to replace David MacKenzie as music director at New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. Talent show runs through 2016-17 season. David Amado, Christopher James Lees, Yaniv Dinur, Dirk Meyer. May 2016

• A preview of summer classical music in New England. Tanglewood, Cape Cod, Rockport, Newburyport, Boston. May 2016

• Hear Word! by Nigerian director and author Ifeoma Fafunwa. At Harvard Dance Complex, previewed. April 2016

• CIA operative? Artist? Professor. Lawrence Bittman Martin does all that. His exhibition previewed. April 2016

• David MacKenzie says farewell after ten years as New Bedford Symphony Orchestra music director. Great period of stability and growth for the NBSO. May 2016

• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago comes to Boston, and troupe member Jesse Bechard comes home. April 2016

• Austrian composer Beat Furrer comes to Boston in April for a BU residency. Infusion of European modernism at ICA, Symphony Hall, BU Center for New Music. April 2016

• Jean-Efflam Bavouzet talks about playing Poulenc with four hands and Ravel with one. Advance of New Bedford Symphony Orchestra appearance, April 2016

• Jae Cosmos Lee gives you ten reasons to listen to Mozart. Advance of his Cape Symphony performance of the Fifth violin concerto. April 2016

• Soprano Courtenay Budd talks about the challenges of singing Del Tredici. Preview of BMOP's Child Alice. March 2016

• Lawren Harris, Canadian landscapist, at Museum of Fine Arts. Exhibition curated in part by Steve Martin. Yeah that Steve Martin. From March 2016

• She kills the kids. Preview of Salem Theatre's Medea, with director Catherine Bertrand. March 2016

• Overview and complete listing of Rockport Chamber Music Festival, coming in June. March 2016

• Stave Sessions, round two. Interview with Amy Lam, who books the music. March 2016

• Preview of Jasper Quartet, at Shalin Liu in Rockport. We talk about Kernis, but they didn't play his music that night. From Feb. 2016

• Mark Adamo's Little Women, by MetroWest Opera. The composer talks about working with regional companies. March 2016.

• Kati Agócs, composer. New recording, multiple performances and premieres. Jan. 2106 from WBUR ARTery.

• Pierre Laurent-Aimard discute une prémiere, Responses, par Harrison Birtwistle. En avance de son concert avec le Boston Symphony Orchestra, Février 2015

• Sarah Kirkland Snider's song cycle Penelope, at the Gardner Museum in Nov. 2015, previewed. Carla Kihlstedt sings the role for the first time.

• The adventurous period instrument ensemble Grand Harmonie, introduced. Nov. 2015 at WBUR's ARTery.

• Paola Prestini's Labyrinth comes to the Gardner Museum. Discussion of this and other works coming to Boston with presenter Beth Morrison. From WBUR's ARTery, Jan. 2016

• North Shore, year in review, 2015

• Amit Peled plays Pablo Casals's cello. A Cape Cod Times feature from Feb. 2015

• Jeremy Denk tries out his oversized Ives (Concord Sonata) and Bach (complete Goldbergs) recital, headed for Tanglewood, at Rockport's Shalin Liu Performance Center. August 2014

• Elena Ruehr's Cassandra in the Temples, written for the vocal virtuosos Roomful of Teeth, has its premiere. Nov. 2014

• Guerilla Opera premieres Ken Ueno's Gallo. Chickens, Cheerios, Bob Newhart. May 2014

• Odyssey Opera sings two of Dominick Argento's one-act works. Gil Rose talks about them. 2014

• Sarah Heaton sings art songs in Newton, Tannhaüser in New York. Nov. 2014

• Marc-André Hamelin curates three Celebrity Series concerts: "They gave me carte blanche." 2014

• Arts on Cape Ann, 2014. Some praise, some lumps.

• Boston Symphony Orchestra gets rebuilt by Foley Baker. From fall 2003, Boston Herald.