Classically Speaking

by Jim Lange

“He’s a pistol.” said the publicist about Erich Kunzel, conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. “I drove him around one time and he really made me laugh.”  That was great news. A sense of humor makes the interview process so much easier.

From the opening moments of checking levels, which I deliberately left in, it was clear that this man’s personality is as exuberant, witty and vibrant as the recordings he does for Telarc. There’s something so alive and joyful about the Cincinnati Pops recordings and now I know why.

Kunzel spoke excitedly about the new disc, Bolero, and he even revealed a little trade secret!

 Here’s part one of my interview. What a pistol. Enjoy.

Ed. note: We're offering this CD as a thank you gift for a pledge of $80 or more during the 2009 Chocolate Challenge. 

by Mona Seghatoleslami

This weekend, there are some neat musical events taking place in Huntington and Morgantown. 

Marshall University flute professor Wendell Dobbs wrote to let us know about the FluteWorks Day going on at Marshall University’s Department of Music on Saturday.  It’s a day dedicated to all things flute, including informative sessions, rehearsals, demonstrations, and performances.  At the end of the day (4pm), there’s a free concert where you can hear all the participants perform together as the “Thunder Flute Ensemble.” 

To find out about getting “tutti flutti” in Huntington on Saturday, read more here.  And if that doesn’t satisfy your craving for all things flute, check out our interview with Professor Dobbs from this past summer.

Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Symphony will be in Morgantown, and they are joined by pianist Gabriela Montero.  If that name seems familiar, perhaps you’ve heard her classical improvisations (we’ve had her CD Baroque on the radio a few times).   

Or perhaps you caught her at her last gig—the presidential inauguration, where she performed music by John Williams along with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, and clarinetist Anthony McGill.  (If you’re looking for the music from the inauguration, you hear it on Performance Today's website for the next week).  Also, Fred Child and Alex Ross both have video clips, reactions, and roundups of relevant links).

On Saturday in Morgantown, Montero will be playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and she’ll be taking requests—improvising on tunes suggested by the audience. The Pittsburgh Symphony also brings a pair of symphonies: Samuel Barber’s Symphony No. 1 and Mendelssohn’s “Reformation" to this concert at the WVU Creative Arts Center.

If you want to let us know about other classical music events going on around the state, leave a comment, or send me an email.