Blog
Music, thoughts, lessons and the latest from New West Symphony
She thought opera was ridiculous. Then she sang opera for a living.
As a violin major at Wheaton College, Sylvia McNair couldn’t stand opera. She told BBC Magazine, “My first experience of opera was playing in the orchestra . . . I just couldn’t believe how ridiculous it was. I thought, what a ludicrous art form this is!” But when an...
You haven’t heard Rhapsody ’til you’ve heard the 1924 recording
Here’s a bit of fun history: the Rhapsody in Blue we know today is a far cry from the performances of the 1920s. How do we know? Just check out this 1924 recording with George Gershwin himself on the piano part! https://youtu.be/NIr_WPcVDt8 Some notes: You’ll...
You’re not ready for a cappella Rhapsody in Blue
Get ready for some serious goosebumps. The legendary Ambiance womens quartet sang a rip-roaring a cappella arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue that’ll have you on the floor. 30 years ago, these ladies belted it out, complete with the wild glissando and stratospheric high...
‘Do you know that you sound like Gershwin?’
Kevin Cole was exposed to George Gershwin at 7 years old. After seeing the 1945 movie, Rhapsody in Blue, he hit the library to learn more about Gershwin. The librarian led him to a book co-authored by Edward Jablonski, who was also a native of Kevin’s hometown Bay...
Gershwin wasn’t the first person to hear about Rhapsody in Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss2GFGMu198 The first person to learn of George Gershwin’s jazz-classical fusion piece, Rhapsody in Blue, was not George Gershwin. That is, George saw an announcement in the New-York Tribune that “George Gershwin is at work on a...
When a cadenza goes bluegrass
In music, a cadenza is an "improvised or written out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist," and it's often where a soloist can really shine. Violinist Tessa Lark certainly improvised her cadenza at this rehearsal of Dvořák's Violin Concerto with the...
Quality Time with Yo-Yo Ma
NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts are such a delight. They're often such a casual and intimate look at an artist. Who better to spend time with one-on-one than the lovely cello legend Yo-Yo Ma? Spend some quality time with Ma, enjoying his sweet cello tone on...
When Aretha subbed for Pavarotti at the Grammys
Pavarotti was too ill to perform. The story goes that Ken Ehrlich, producer of the 1998 Grammys, approached Aretha in her dressing room with a cassette. In Ehrlich's words: "When she heard it, she said, 'Yeah, I can do this.'" For one aria, the queen of soul became...
Classical music stars who weren’t star students
The musical greats weren't always so great in an academic setting. We'll bet you didn't know these classical musicians were less than star students. George Gershwin, the great American songwriter and pianist, often played hooky as a hyperactive child. Richard Wagner...
The Sackbut
https://youtu.be/xnRXhiC5SMA?t=5s The trombone is quite the instrument. It's a real favorite with the kids wherever the New West Symphony Music Van comes around. And it has a fascinating history, nearly falling into obscurity and once going by a name like...