Classical Classroom

That's not a violin - it's a woodbox! Daniel Bernard Roumain talks about creative appropriation in classical music. The Haitian-American composer's creative world was cracked open when he realized that everything - including the definition of "violin" - was ripe for reinterpretation. As a kid in garage bands, he took the decidedly uncool violin and made it his own. As a classically trained musician, he brings classical music together with hip hop, rock, bluegrass, and other genres to create his signature sound. We talk about DBR's creative journey and about how innovators like John Cage have changed classical music by adding an important ingredient to the genre: imagination. Audio production by Todd "T-Dawg" Hulslander with super disco breaking by Dacia Clay. Music includes: - Lots of woodbox improvisation by Daniel Bernard Roumain - "Sonata No. 2" from Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano by John Cage, played by Boris Berman - "Sonata for Violin and Turntables, Part 1" from Woodbox Beats & Balladry by Daniel Bernard Roumain Daniel Roumain is an artist in residence with the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, which is dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration across the performing, visual, and literary arts. Based at the University of Houston, the Mitchell Center commissions and produces new works, presents public performances and exhibitions, offers curriculum and scholarships, and hosts residencies with renowned visiting artists from throughout the world. The Center is home to the Mitchell Artist Lecture, an annual event featuring a pioneer in contemporary art-making, as well as CounterCurrent, an annual spring festival of new performance. The Mitchell Center forms an alliance among five departments at UH: the School of Art, Moores School of Music, School of Theatre & Dance, Creative Writing Program, and Blaffer Art Museum. For more information visit www.mitchellcenterforarts.org. For even MORE information about DBR, go to www.danielroumain.com. For information about Classical Classroom and to see video of DBR performing, go to www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom.

The bass: classical music's lonesome hero. In this episode, bassist and composer Michael Kurth gives us a glimpse into the Bizarro World of bass players. Then, he talks about why he started composing, and what inspires him, including the Pixies and ring tones. Listen, if you dare! Audio production by Todd "Toasty" Hulslander with happy whistles, clicks, and beeps from Dacia Clay. Music in this episode includes: - Music from Michael Kurth's website: www.reverbnation.com/michaelkurth - "Wave of Mutilation" from Doolittle by the Pixies

In this episode, Dacia Clay talks with Chris Johnson about Vivaldi's "Autumn", and rich people having picnics.

Violinist, Rachel Barton Pine, whose played with orchestras the world over and for renowned conductors, also plays in the heavy metal band Earthen Grave. In this short Classical Classroom, she talks about the most important thing her two musical loves share in common: emotional power. Audio production by Todd "Goes to 11" Hulslander with lighters in the air by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - "Death Is Another Word" from Earthen Grave, by Earthen Grave - Brahm's Violin Concerto, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Carlos Kalmar conducting. - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" from Love at First Sting by the Scorpions - "Ice Cream Man" from Van Halen by Van Halen - "Arpeggios from Hell" by Yngwie Malmsteen - Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, Vadim Repin with Kirov Orchestra. Valery Gergiev conducting. - Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor, Salvatore Accardo with London Symphony Orchestra. Sir Colin Davis conducting. - "Wasted Years" from Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden - "Ozzy/ Black Sabbath Medley" by Rachel Barton Pine

Rachel Barton Pine, classical violinist, and member of the metal band Earthen Grave, has played with orchestras all over the world, and under the baton of many renowned conductors. But in this episode of the Classical Classroom, she comes back to a piece - over, and over, and over, and over - studied by every young violin player. Rachel shows us how Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor has been interpreted by violinists across history and cultures, and how this ebullient piece is given new life by each new musician who plays it. Audio production by Todd "Toddy Ruxpin" Hulslander, with kind of creepy hovering during the editing process by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - "Life Carries On" from Dismal Times, by Earthen Grave - Brahm's Violin Concerto, Rachel Barton Pine with Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Carlos Kalmar conducting. - "Rock You Like a Hurricane" from Love at First Sting by the Scorpions. - "Ice Cream Man" from Van Halen by Van Halen. - Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor as performed (not necessarily in this order) by: --- Rachel Barton Pine with Gottinger Symphonie Orchester. Christoph-Mathias Mueller conducting. --- Joshua Bell with Camerata Salzburg. Roger Norrington conducting. --- Fritz Kreisler with Berlin State Opera Orchestra. Leo Blech conducting. --- Jascha Heifetz with Boston Symphony Orchestra. Sir Thomas Beecham conducting. --- Maxim Vengerov with Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Kurt Masur conducting. --- Isaac Stern with Philadelphia Orchestra. Eugene Ormandy conducting. --- Henryk Szeryng with London Symphony Orchestra. Antal Dorati conducting. --- Nathan Milstein with New York Philharmonic. Bruno Walter conducting. --- Anne-Sophie Mutter with Berlin Philharmonic. Herbert von Karajan conducting. --- Itzhak Perlman by London Symphony Orchestra. Andre Previn conducting. --- Maud Powell For more information about Classical Classroom: www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom For more information about Rachel Barton Pine: www.rachelbartonpine.com

A 30-second preview of this week's show!

Hear a 30-second preview of this week's show!

It's Women's History Month up in the Classroom! Houston Public Media's own Amy Bishop (see also, Episode 9: Tone Poems) teaches us all about female classical music composers, from the millennia-old ethereal sounds of Hildegard von Bingen, to the contemporary works of Jennifer Higdon. Why have so many women composed classical music but so few have become household names (yet)? We jiu jitsu that question and others in this episode! Audio production by Todd "von Toddgen" Hulslander with double-plus masterful editorial decisions by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - Hildegard von Bingen: Caritas Abundat in Omnia (Love Abounds All) - Clara Schumann: Piano Concerto in a minor, Opus 7 (first movement) - Jennifer Higdon: Blue Cathedral For more about Classical Classroom, go to www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom. For more about Women's History Month, go to www.womenshistorymonth.gov.

Hear a 30-second preview of this week's show!

Pattern preludes are enigmas inside of conundrums wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. No - wait. That's not right... Pattern preludes, according to composer Karim Al-Zand's website, are, "...pieces constrained by a single idea (usually a rhythmic or textural ostinato) through which a composer expresses a narrowly focused thought. Patterning is especially well-suited to preludes, which are by convention short, concise and introductory." Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and others wrote pattern preludes. These little pieces function as a tool by which classical music newbies can get to know a composer's style. Learn aaall about them in this episode! Audio production by Todd "Titters" Hulslander with almost zero production input from Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: - Bach's Well Tempered Clavier C major prelude book 1 - Chopin's C major Etude, Op 10, No.1, played by Vladimir Ashkenazy - Chopin/Bach, played by Kana Mimaki - Al-Zand Pattern Prelude No. 1 (after Bach), played by DiLiberto - Schumann Album Leaves Op. 124, No. 17, played by Denes Varjon For more information about Karim Al-Zand's pattern preludes, go here: www.alzand.com/pattern

Time for a research presentation. In this Classical Classroom short series, Dacia digs deep into the internets to answer pressing classical music questions and delivers them to you. In this special 4th of July edition of Classical Classroom Research Presentations, Dacia ponders why Americans listen to Russian music on their Independence Day. She uncovers the [not really so] secret history of how one man and his love of pyrotechnics made Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture the theme music for America's most patriotic celebration. Written, produced, and otherwise manhandled by Dacia Clay.

Time for a research presentation! In this short, Dacia explores the history of banned and censored classical music. And you thought classical music was just for elevators and nap time! Written, produced, and viciously redacted by Dacia Clay. Find our website at www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

Mozart's death is still so mysterious over two centuries later, that we couldn't help but do a Research Presentation about it. In this short, Dacia explores 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 information about the Mozart Festival radio series, go to www.themozartfestival.org. Classical 91.7 will be broadcasting the series throughout the month of October. For more about the Classical Classroom, go to www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom.

Are you ready to rumble?? Because these classical composers and musicians are. In this Classical Classroom short, learn all about how rivalries between musicians go back as far as music does, and how music is better for it. Audio production by Todd "Mr. T" Hulslander, with a mean left hook from Dacia Clay and jabs by MusicLab intern, Daniel Webbon. Music used in this episode includes: - "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti from the Rocky soundtrack - "Lithium" by Nirvana from Nevermind - "Hypnotize" by the Notorious B.I.G. from Life After Death - Overture from The Barber of Seville by Giachino Rossini - Sinfonia Veneziana: Allegro assai by Antonio Salieri - Horn Call from Act 2 of Siegfried by Richard Wagner - Music of Changes, Book 1 by John Cage - Structures by Pierre Boulez - Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, op. 15 by Ludwig van Beethoven (played by Lang Lang) - "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift from Red Online at www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom

It's Black History Month! Time to learn about all of the amazing contributions that black people have made to classical music. Pay close attention because we had to talk really, really fast to fit this many people into a short. PS, You can check out our timeline of black classical music contributors on our webpage (www.houstonpublicmedia.org/classroom). Audio production by Todd "Troubled Island" Hulslander with barely audible suggestions from Dacia Clay. Thanks to MusicLab intern Princeton Miles for lending his dulcet tones to this episode. Thanks also to St. John Flynn and Daniel Webbon for their contributions to our timeline, and to Daniel for his music research minioning. Music in this episode includes: - Ludwig van Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 9 (Kreutzer Sonata) - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Hiawatha's Wedding Feast - William Grant Still, Symphony No. 1, "Afro-American" - George T Walker, Jr., Lilacs for voice and orchestra - Wynton Marsalis, from Blood on the Fields