Classically Speaking

Fun facts about John Philip Sousa:

* This noted composer & and conductor of band music was a violin player who nearly ran away to join the circus

* Sousa conducted the first performances of several of Ottorini Respighi’s tone poems in the United States 

* He performed with his band in Charleston, West Virginia six different times! 

* His band had the top-selling records in America (second only to Enrico Caruso), but he testified to Congress against recording technology 

 

You can learn much more about Sousa from Keith Brion, conductor and Sousa expert. He’ll be leading the West Virginia Symphony in a program called “Sousa at the Symphony” this weekend. They will be recreating some of what Sousa’s concerts would have been like, with lots of short pieces including light classics, opera arias, and other music, along with marches by Sousa.   

Related links: 

* Sousa at the Symphony, with the WV Symphony 
* Forward, March! (WV Symphony Family Concert with Keith Brion) 
* Keith Brion and the New Sousa Band 
* WV Classical Calendar -- March 

Pianist John O’Conor grew up in Dublin listening to traditional Irish music, but that's not what he was playing in his piano lessons.  Instead, he focused on music by Beethoven and other Classic and early Romantic composers.

He left Dublin to study in Vienna, where he won the Beethoven International Piano Competition in 1973. He has since performed and taught all over the world. He’s also recorded Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas and piano concertos for Telarc Records. 

O’Conor has maintained his ties to Ireland and Irish music. He has moved back to Dublin, and in 1990, he convinced Telarc to let him record an album of nocturnes by Irish composer John Field, whose works influenced Chopin. That album was a hit -- it spent several weeks on Billboard classical charts and has introduced Field’s music to many new listeners.  

O'Conor has now combined his classical piano experience with the traditional Irish music of his youth, in a new album called Irish Classics. The album features old Irish songs and dances arranged for piano and orchestra. Performing this lighter style of classical music is new territory for O’Conor, and he has taken to it quite well.
 
During my recent interview with O'Conor, we spoke about the Irish Classics album, changes in classical music in Ireland, his partnership with Shenandoah University in Virginia, traditional Irish music, John Field’s nocturnes, and the Chieftans – all in just under ten minutes! Take a listen; you can stream or podcast this interview:

Related links:

* John O’Conor 
* Irish Classics 
* Interview with Barry Douglas (who studied with John O'Conor)
* Playlist for St. Pat (from last year) 
* Crossover Media site (including a sample from the album)

February 22, they delivered the “baby” Casavant to First Presbyterian Church-Charleston.

Then the assembly commenced, but more was required.

By March, the organ is really beginning to take shape quickly.

The magnificent Casavant pipe organ is ready for the "voicers" who are due to arrive today, Tuesday, March 16. Robert and Sasha gave the organ a rough tuning, but there are a few pipes left to install and the organ needs to be tuned to the room - a domed and vaulted sanctuary with its special acoustics.

This process doesn't lend itself to visuals, so I've got to see if I can secure some audio assistance for the next step in the process,

Part 1: Delivering the baby 

Part 2: Some assembly required