BSO

September? You can have it

Sit down. Please don’t be mad, okay? But… I’m taking September off.

Yes, all of it. AB is almost four years old and in that time the longest vacation I’ve taken has been two weeks. In 2010. So – it’s time to refresh! Recover! Re-evaluate! Rejuvenate! Renew! Other words that begin with re-!

The concert season is only just beginning; make sure you check out the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, and Strathmore websites to keep abreast of the latest concerts and events.

If you’re feeling bereft without me (and who wouldn’t?) you’ve got almost four years of archives to investigate!

Or you could listen to this playlist over and over. It’s practically the same as hanging out with me.

Bare Bones Concert Roundup

• No Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert this week, not until the preview concert.
• No National Symphony Orchestra concert until until Labor Day. Is it just me, or is it feeling unloved in here?
• Okay, well, stuff’s still going down at Strathmore, at least. We’ve got another free summer outdoor concert tomorrow with a Spanish bagpiper. I didn’t even know there WERE Spanish bagpipers. I’ll be there! Oh, and there are a ton of ukulele workshops and performances all week. [ See the calendar! ]

Wow. That was short. Um…

Q. How do you fix a broken tuba?
A. With a tuba glue.
You’re welcome.

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

Concert Roundup is Laughin’ at Clouds So Dark Up Above

• No Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concerts until the season previews in a couple weeks.
• We already know that Bugs Bunny likes to head to the symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra confirms. Enjoy selections from famous classical cartoons as The Rabbit of Seville and What’s Opera, Doc? August 1 & 2 at Wolf Trap. [ See it! ]
• But never mind that – the sun’s in my heart and I’m ready for love! Let the stoooooormy clouds CHASE! Everyoooooone from the PLACE! Come on with the rain, I’ve a – wait, what were we doing? Oh, right NSO concerts. Would you believe they’re playing the score to Singin’ in the Rain in accompaniment to a screening of the film? August 3 at Wolf Trap. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Free summer outdoor concerts continue, Natalie Cole, guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela. [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

Violinists: CEASE AND DESIST

Man, I was so happy, cruising through the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s 13-14 season. My beloved Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is doing the Shostakovich violin concerto: AWESOME. Itzhak mothereffin’ Perlman is back with his ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT rendition of Beethoven’s Romance No. 1; as far as I’m concerned his is the only version that matters. Hell, they’re playing the score to Casablanca while screening the film! I love Casablanca! Here are your winnings, sir!

There’s more! Mahler’s “Titan” symphony! Holst’s The Planets! Gershwin! Bernstein! My favorite Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto! And look, Mendelssohn’s violin conc – STOP RIGHT THERE.

I’ve said it before but apparently no one was listening, so this time I’m going to try it with more shouty capitals: STOP PLAYING THE MENDELSSOHN VIOLIN CONCERTO. EVERY SINGLE SEASON, SOMEBODY PLAYS THE MENDELSSOHN VIOLIN CONCERTO. THERE IS NOTHING SO VERY GREAT ABOUT THE MENDELSSOHN VIOLIN CONCERTO THAT WE NEED TO HEAR IT INTERPRETED BY EVERY CONCERT VIOLINIST ON EARTH. IT IS NOT THAT DEEP, PEOPLE. IT’S NOT EVEN PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE. IT’S, LIKE, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT VIOLINIST’S FIRST REAL CONCERTO. I PLAYED IT. NO ONE CARES. KNOCK IT OFF. LEARN ANOTHER FREAKING PIECE OF MUSIC.

And let us not say another word about it. (Please don’t make me say another word about it.)

Concert Roundup Got Rhythm

• Who doesn’t love Gershwin? NO WAIT DON’T ANSWER THAT I DON’T WANT TO KNOW. And neither does the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; their program this week is all-Gershwin, with big’uns like An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, and more. July 25 at Strathmore; July 26 at the Meyerhoff. [ See it! ]
• The National Symphony Orchestra continues to pound them out with multiple concerts at Wolf Trap over the next couple of days: Tchaikovsky‘s 1812 Overture on July 26; a patriotic program of Gershwin, Copland, and the Brubecks on July 27; and Broadway favorites on July 28. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Free summer outdoor concerts continue, plus outdoor concerts for kids. [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

A Particularly Punny Concert Roundup

• This Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is Baroque! No, literally. They’re not inveterate pun makers, like me. As far as I’m aware. Anyway – selections from Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons, Bach, and all the Handel you can drink, including Water Music (see? Pun). July 11 at Strathmore; July 12 at the Meyerhoff. [ See it! ]
• The National Symphony Orchestra is still hanging out at Wolf Trap, offering classical and not-so-classical programs to suit your taste. For the purists, catch Orff‘s immortal Carmina Burana, plus (!!!!!) Mussourgsky‘s Pictures at an Exhibition (yay!!!!!) on July 11. Or if you’d rather, take in the scores to Zelda, Final Fantasy, and more with the latest incarnation of Video Games Live on July 12. [ See classical! ] [ See VGL! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Free summer outdoor concerts continue, plus kindie rockers Milkshake. [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

O’er the Land of the Free and the Home of the Concert Roundup

Naturally, everything this week is patriotic. As it should be! Myself, I’m proud to be an American; I’m just ashamed of American cheese.

• The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra skips off to Oregon Ridge for their annual Star-Spangled Spectacular. No program listed on the web site, but I’m sure no cannons will be injured in the performance. July 3 & 4. [ See it! ]
• Meanwhile, the National Symphony Orchestra scurries over to the west lawn of the Capitol building to take part in A Capitol Fourth, which I refuse to watch until they bring back Barry Bostwick as host. Those were the BEST DAYS, guys! Duplicate the best days! Anyway, John Williams is going to conduct something, as well as, in an interesting twist, the BSO Pops conductor Jack Everly. Huh. Go figure. Plus a bunch of pop stars or something… guys, I don’t know who are lot of these people are, in either chronological direction. I’m getting old/young. You can also watch this one live on PBS, of course. July 4. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Free summer outdoor concerts continue! [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

Concert Roundup Garcia

• The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has finished their 2012 – 2013 season. Hang tight for summer concerts!
• The National Symphony Orchestra hightails it over to Wolf Trap for some ice cream. No, wait, that’s not right. Y’know, I never much cared for Cherry Garcia, nor do I know much about Jerry Garcia, but if you’re all about him you’ll want to catch this tribute concert with singer/guitarist Warren Haynes. June 26. [ See it! ]
• Or! The NSO is also doing a concert performance of Frozen Planet from the BBC’s Earth miniseries, conducted by composer George Fenton. The picture promises orcas. June 28. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Free summer outdoor concerts begin! [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

The Concert Roundup Will Be Represented by the Flute

• No Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert this week.
• But never fear – the National Symphony Orchestra is offering two! Remember our boy Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who is always hanging in my apartment? Well, he’s hitting the piano for some MacMillan (June 20) or, if you prefer, Saint-Saens (June 21 & 22). Plus Lutoslawski and – SQUEE! – Grieg‘s Peer Gynt! Yay! June 20 – 22. [ See it! ]
• Alternatively, the NSO is offering this as a kid’s concert, but DEFY LABELS, I say, because: PROKOFIEV‘S PETER AND THE WOLF! I think I speak for all of us when I say “Peter, don’t just stand that way!” June 22. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: Singer-songwriter and bassist Owen Danoff. [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.

Concert Roundup Likes to be in America

• This week the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra goes old school cinematic with Leonard Bernstein‘s West Side Story – literally. They’re playing the music live in accompaniment to a screening of the film. To sweeten the deal, some of the original Sharks and Jets will be at the June 14 performance, plus – wait for it – MARNI NIXON! Yay Marni Nixon! June 13 at Strathmore; June 14 – 16 at the Meyerhoff. [ See it! ]
• Maybe you don’t like to be in America – maybe you’d rather be in Europe. If so, the National Symphony Orchestra has you covered with a program of Ravel‘s Tombeau de Couperin, some Dutilleux, and Vaughan Williams‘ second symphony, also known as “A London Symphony.” June 13 – 15. [ See it! ]
• This week at Strathmore: CityDance performances. [ See the calendar! ]

If you’d like your concert included in next week’s roundup, leave a comment or drop me a line.