Classical Classroom

"Indie-Classical", "Alt Classical", "Nonclassical"... whatever you want to call it, George Gershwin may have been one of the first people to do it. Pianist Simone Dinnerstein explains Gershwin's sound, its French influences, and what makes it uniquely classical. Audio production by Todd "Teeny" Hulslander with editing by Mark DiClaudio, and one giant leap by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin, from Simone Dinnerstein's new album, Broadway-Lafayette. - "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin. For more about Simone Dinnerstein: www.simonedinnerstein.com For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

This episode is so old that Producer Todd didn't even have funny middle names yet. But it's so good that we wanted for you guys to hear it again. Because Debussy. And Tracy Jacobson. I mean, come on. Back next week with more new stuff! ----------------------------- WindSync Wind Quintet bassoonist, Tracy Jacobson, takes Dacia along on her journey to continue her musical education as a professional musician. She steps outside of her comfort zone and into Debussy's piano works. Come with us to Paris, talk in your museum voice, and have some wine. It'll be awesome! Audio production by Todd Hulslander with encouraging yelps from Dacia Clay, and s few nods and shakes of the head from Tracy Jacobson, too. For more about WindSync: www.windsync.org For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

Composer Stephen Paulus passed away last October and left a void in many hearts along with an amazing legacy. Composer Alex Freeman teaches about Paulus the man, and the music he left for us. Music in this episode (both by Stephen Paulus): - Pilgrims' Hymn - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Audio production by Todd "Tastee Freez" Hulslander with punches and kicks from Dacia Clay. For more about Stephen Paulus: www.stephenpaulus.com For more about Alex Freeman: www.alexfreemanmusic.com For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

We're excited to share our new subseries, MusicWorks! It's a show where you'll learn about what classical music is doing in the world right now. You'll hear inspiring artist stories, plus we'll go into the sometimes unexpected places we've discovered classical music thriving while we've been learning about it on the Classical Classroom. We hope you dig it! In our first MusicWorks episode, soprano Sonya Yoncheva tells the story of how she happened upon her passion - singing opera - by being true to herself (and listening to her mother) and by practicing her buns off. This put her in a position to be ready when she got that call from the Met to fill in at the last moment. And the rest, as they say, is in the podcast. Audio production by Todd "Totally" Hulslander with awesomeness by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - Giacomo Puccini: La Boheme - Donde lieta usci - Charles Lecocq: Les Cent Vierges, Act III, No. 10 Je soupire et maudis le destin - Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata - Sempre libera - Claudio Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea - "Pur ti Miro" (Sonya Yoncheva & Max Emanuel Cencic) - W. A. Mozart: Il Re Pastore - "L'Amero saro costante" (Sonya Yoncheva & Marc Minkowski) - Charles Gounod - Faust Final Trio - Anges Purs - Sonya Yoncheva, Joseph Calleja & Bryn Terfel For more about Sonya Yoncheva: www.sonyayoncheva.com For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom Learn about composer George Heathco's piece, "ReGifting Lions", part of our MusicWorks intro, and oh-so-much more about him at www.georgeheathcomusic.com.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of chamber music is its "democracy" - each part is of equal importance. Aaron Humble and Paul Rudoi of the Cantus Vocal Ensemble explain how it works when everyone involved in making the music is a special snowflake. Audio production by Todd "Sir Toddsalot" Hulslander with unflagging devotion to somethingerother by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode, all by Cantus: - From A Harvest Home - --- "My Journey Yours" --- "How Can I Keep from Singing?" --- "The Pasture" --- "Fiddle Tune" --- "Eventide" -From On the Shoulders of Giants: --- "Zikr" For more about Cantus Vocal Ensemble: www.cantussings.org. For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom. Cantus is coming to Houston in February, and probably to other places, too! For a complete listing of their upcoming performances, go here: www.cantussings.org/concerts/national/

Okay. So our HAL 9001 hasn't come in yet, and you're getting another rerun episode. But dang - it's a good one! And! We have so much new stuff we can't wait to share with you once HAL arrives. Stick with us!

What makes Mozart's violin concertos so special? Is it that he only wrote 5 of them? That he wrote him when he was a teenager? That they are both beautiful AND hilarious? What is it?? Violinist Rachel Barton Pine returns to the Classroom to spell out why these pieces are so special - generally and personally - that she decided to record all of them. Audio production by Todd "Mr. Titters" Hulslander with that funky monkey, Dacia Clay. All music in this episode is from Rachel Barton Pine's new CD, "Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos, Sinfonia Concertante K364", with Matthew Lipman, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and Sir Neville Marriner conducting. (Avie 2317) You can also hear Rachel in episode 43, and in our short, "Rachel Barton Pine Rocks and Bows". For more about Rachel Barton Pine, www.rachelbartonpine.com. For more Classroom, www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom.

The HAL 9000 that we use to produce these little gems has met an untimely demise. Fear not! We've got a brand new HAL 9001 on order. Until next week, please enjoy this old gold from the Classroom vault. (FILE FIXED! Oy vey...) --------------------------------- Was Tchaikovsky's Symphony VI (aka "Pathetique", aka "Suicide Symphony") a suicide note or did he die of cholera, per the Official Word? You decide after this intweeging lesson with clarinetist and Shepherd School of Music Professor of Music, Michael Webster! Audio production by Todd "Toddsy Woddsy" Hulslander with roof raising by Dacia Clay. For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

Muzio Clementi is often called the "Father of the Piano" and is known for his sonatinas. But as it turns out, this smarty pants single-handedly changed classical music and made it what we know today. Jeremy Eskenazi, founder of the Muzio Clementi Society, tells all about the quiet mover and shaker in this episode - from a Tardis in Australia (seriously!). Audio production for this episode by Todd "Tall Texan" Hulslander with smiles for miles by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: (By Muzio Clementi) - Toccata op.11 in Bb major - Sonata op.34 no.1 3rd movement in C major - Sonata op.7 no.3 3rd mvt on clementi piano - Symphony no.3, 2nd movement (Not by Muzio Clementi) - Theme song from Doctor Who, 11th Doctor edition

Beethoven's Fifth. We've never done a show on it because everybody knows it! Right? Emily Reese, on air host for Classical Minnesota Public Radio, host of Top Score (part of the Infinite Guest podcast series), and creator of MPR's Learning to Listen, says that we are wrong, so wrong! Emily takes us through the entire symphony, which, as it turns out, is completely surprising and amazing. Plus, we play drinking games! Or at least give you some to play. Audio production by Todd "The Tower" Hulslander with fear of heights by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - Symphony No. 5, Ludwig van Beethoven. Played by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, and conducted by John Eliot Gardiner. Archiv. For more about Emily Reese and her awesome shows: www.minnesota.publicradio.org For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/login

Pianist, professor, and recording artist Jon Kimura Parker - or as we like to call him, Captain Jon Solo - talks about the hidden world of the guest soloist. From the singular experience of performing with an orchestra in one ear and a concert hall in the other, to rehearsal times that will give you stage fright just hearing about them, it's a behind-the-scenes tell-all exposé of concertic proportions. (That's a word. We swear.) Audio production by Todd "The Tobogganator" Hulslander with a running start by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode was recorded live with Jon Kimura Parker in the Geary Performance Studio at Houston Public Media except for: - Ludwig van Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 C-Dur, op. 15 played by Martha Argerich and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra - P.D.Q. Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos vs. Orchestra, S. 2 are better than one (P.D.Q. Bach). For more about Jon Kimura Parker: www.jonkimuraparker.com For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

Okay, I lied last week. Producer Todd is still working on the new Two Star Symphony album (for which we are pretty darn excited). But! Never fear: We have unearthed a timely gem from the vault to keep you busy until next week, when we will really for real have a new episode for you. Please enjoy! PS, The info about the Mozart Festival at the end of this episode is outdated. However, you can still find tons of information over at www.themozartfestival.org. ----------------------------- Mozart's death, on December 5, 1791, is still so mysterious over two centuries later, that we couldn't help but do a Research Presentation about it. In this short, we explore why his death is an unsolved mystery, and why we're still so fascinated by it. Intweeged? Hit play to find out more! Audio production by Todd "Sir Toddfried" Hulslander with much brow furrowing and consternation by Dacia Clay. For more about the Classical Classroom, go to www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom.

Producer Todd is off recording Two Star Symphony's new album right now (sweet!), so we have unearthed some old gold for you from the vault. Please enjoy this repeat of our class with conductor James Gaffigan. We'll be back next week with another spankin' new episode. -------------------- Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 is dramatic, cinematic, erratic, sarcastic, and full of existential longing - according to Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, James Gaffigan. Why is it important to listen to this symphony, the musical expression of Shostakovich's depression and anxiety as he lived under Stalin's thumb? Listen to this episode and find out! Audio production by Todd "Taller than Necessary" Hulslander with inspired napping from Dacia Clay. Music in the episode includes: - Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47, New York Philharmonic Orchestra led by Leonard Bernstein To find out more about conductor James Gaffigan, go to www.jamesgaffigan.com To find out more about hilarious comedian Jim Gaffigan, go to a different website. :)

Classical music: the future frontier. These are the voyages of the podcast Classical Classroom. It's mission: to explore strange new music - Sorry. I'll stop. Where was I? Right! Composer, performer, and Mannes College of Music composition faculty member, Missy Mazzoli talks to us about the future of classical music, from the future, aka, New York. Also talked about in this episode: Beth Morrison, Schoenberg, David Little, pillow fights, Lars von Trier, eighth blackbird, Richard Reed Parry, Bryce Dessner, Victoire, Abigail Fischer, "bands" vs. "ensembles", operatic voice, and streaming music. PS, If you're in the Houston area, Missy's opera, "Song from the Uproar," will be making its premiere here at Da Camera in March of 2015. For more info, check her website below! Audio production of this episode by Todd "Tisk Tisk" Hulslander with buckets of help from Dacia Clay. All music in this episode was composed by Missy Mazzoli. For more about Missy Mazzoli: www.missymazzoli.com For more Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

Composer Missy Mazzoli talks about the present and future of classical music, including her own work! Full episode out 11/24.