Interstices: Christopher O'Riley Interview

This is definitely worth having a listen to: an interview (including performances) with pianist Christopher O'Riley exploring his "transcriptions" of rock and pop music.

O'Riley is certainly one of the most interesting and enterprising of pianists about. He hosts the enormously popular "From the Top" classical showcase for young talen on Public Radio and is one of the few classical musicians you might legitimately describe as having "cross-over" appeal to pop music lovers (his transcriptions  of Radiohead, Nirvana, and Nick Drake are phenom).

Link to Interview. 

His website (including blog and loads of rich media) is found here. Chris and noir... That sounds about right :)

New Piano Competition in the Works

The Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Orchestra are joining forces to launch a competition for young performers. This is looks promising and gets underway next year with a competition piano performer. 2011 it will follow with a violin competition.

"The top three competitors will also be awarded full four-year scholarships to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, pending admission, valued at more than $100,000 each. In addition to prize money, the first-prize winner will receive concert engagements with orchestras in Beijing and Shanghai, China."

Nice!  Details are more are found here.

Kitten on the Keys? Not.

Does Fanny Waterman know about this? I wonder...The playing's got something going for it in that Galina Ustvolskaya kind of way :)

and speaking of Mozart

Check out this article on the Keyed Glockenspiel --photos and audio clips included. Link

And The Hits Keeping on Coming: New Works by Mozart Discovered

Precious little is known about them. The details will be announced next month on August 2nd when they receive a"premiere" on Mozart's own pianoforte courtesy of the International Mozarteum Foundation.

More here.

Close Encounters of the BBC Kind

The Proms poster does remind me of a scene straight out of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".  Classical music lovers, the mother ship awaits you.

update: now that I think about it, the must from the film isn't too shabby at all. Link.

Back from Holiday

I had a fantastic time in the UK.. .Sites, sounds, and ales. Enjoyed a proms concert. Encamped just a stone throw or two  from Wigmore Hall, Steinway Hall, and some great pubs.  I do look forward to the next trip, but it's good to be home again.

Punctum: Brahms Sunny Side Up

I was captivated by a post at the AllMusic blog on the  "The Semiotics of Classical LP Cover Art (ca. 1970), or, When Things Started to Get Fun". Don't worry you won't need to dust off your Roland Barthes to enjoy this one.. The album covers alone merit a visit. It's your must click mission for the day.

Link

Pianos and Automobiles

So if you're an auto maker and your company has reach it's 100th year, how to celebrate? By making a piano. That's what the folks at Audi are apparently up to. And I like it!  Check it out. Deets.

Gilmore Festial

Jazzy Jams?

Sounds like good fun. Link.