Extra Criticum

Leon Tec says: Follow your heart

Last night, Gwendolyn Howard, David Toto and Christine Xu gave a first-class concert of chamber music at the Unitarian Church in Westport, CT. There were moments during the program when if you closed your eyes, you might forget you were hearing music played by High School students. For 25 years The Leon Tec Showcase for Outstanding Young Musicians has been making its unique mark on the calendar of musical prodigies in Connecticut as one of the only showcases that is not a competition, an evening where everyone on stage walks away with a prize, not least of which is the joy and communion that only comes from playing chamber music.

Two hours is a long time to wait for one show-stopper

Saw Nabucco last night at the Met, thanks to a generous dear friend visiting from out of town. Now, it's not one of Verdi's best. But the chorus in Act III is a showstopper. It made me wonder though: isn't 2+ hours a long time to sit through just to hear one of the all-time great choral numbers? I'm not sure. Verdi was famous for being able to accurately take the measure of his own music's popularity. And the chorus sung by the Israelites in Act III is no different.

Here's some video from the current Met production. Notice that no one moves on stage during the entire number. And yet, with this particular number, it doesn't seem to matter. Not so with the rest of the opera, I'm afraid.

Isn't Clapping Enough?

I drove to Vegas for my birthday weekend, mostly to go see Justin Timberlake perform during his annual "Justin Timberlake and Friends" benefit concert at Planet Hollywood. I've seen Justin nearly a half dozen times in concert, but since he's so focused on his acting career as of late, I wasn't sure when I'd ever be able to see him perform music again. So the promise of even just a couple of songs was enough to make the weekend trip, and to convince my two girlfriends to fly out and meet me.

Could you ask for a cuter drinking buddy?

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Marylouise Burke to be more adorable, David Clement gives us this song. Video direction by: Kaz Phillips Safer. Enjoy!

What did you love most about Freddie Mercury?

Google is celebrating what would have been the 65th birthday of Freddie Mercury (Sept 5, 2011) with a fabulous tribute googlevideo. Seems everyone I know adores Freddie Mercury. But everyone has their own unique take on what it was that made him so intoxicating. What did you love most about him? Video below:

Backin'-up Song has a lot to offer to aspiring songwriters who are willing to listen closely

Have you all stumbled upon this YouTube sensation? The interview footage from a newscast on a local convenience store robbery was transformed using Auto-Tune into a pop song. Now, we can argue forever about Auto-tune and the value of turning ordinary spoken word into song but, frankly, I'm bored by that whole angle.

What's amazing about this video is the mining of so much from so little. I mean, if you were to watch the raw footage of the interview with Diana, the featured survivor of the robbery, I'm sure it would hardly warrant even a second thought. There's not much there there.

Richard Marx and the Mythology of Romance

I had the chance to see Richard Marx in concert for free the other night in LA.

I can't say I'm a huge Richard Marx fan, but I grew up listening to his music and know all the words to all of his pop hits, so despite not being a huge fan, I still showed up first thing in the morning the day of the show to collect VIP credentials that would place me in the front row, put free vodka drinks into my gullet, and give me access to a meet and greet after the show.

I don't often want to meet celebrities. I don't want my bubble burst. But I found the idea of meeting Richard Marx appealing, if only to ask him one question:

Relative Interruptibilty

Okay. First off, let me clarify one point. I do not understand Latin. I never even took it in High School. Although I did take Spanish, the cognates are limited and I cannot claim to be able to decipher most Latin phrases. I mean, I can figure out what "lux aeterna" means, but that's the extent of it. So, the point I'm making, I think, has nothing to do with language or text, but, rather, entirely with music.

Frequent readers of E.C. know that I generally use my iPod only at the gym and when there, it is usually full of pop music. [ed note: See From Bach to Gaga and Lady Gaga's been bumped off my iPod by Athena Reich] This week I decided to try something new. I emptied my little device and filled it with one thiing only: Mozart's Requiem.

Goldfrapp Tarkovsky

I like to listen to music when I go to the gym. I should be listening to my Italian lessons, but they only seem to bog me down. No, what gets me moving and keeps me moving is Goldfrapp. I love the early, moody, John Barry meets Ennio Morricone electronic music produced by the duo, but when I’m on the elliptical or working that abductor, I want the later disco Goldfrapp.

Los Angelinos, take note: The Karen Hart Project May 7

Karen Hart, frequent Brevity Fester and chanteuse extraordinaire brings another ecclectic evening of fabulous music to the Lobby Bar at Hollywood's Renaissance Hotel, this Saturday night, May 7th. If you're going to be in LA that night, this is not to be missed. Joining Karen will be Monica Ashton, another Brevity Fester and a dynamo on the keys. Show runs 8-10PM. Admission: FREE. Here's a video of Karen and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus that will crack a smile in even the most cynical among us.

Hallman's "Raving Beauty" sings songs of playwright, poet, lover...

 
First the important question: does being an artist in residence at the Rosenbach Museum and Library  in Philadelphia (pictured at left) involve actually staying in the two 1865 townhouses where the collection resides? Because that would be very cool.

More Troubadour Innovation

Duane's excellent post about Lucy Wainwright reminded me of one of my personal favorite folk singers who has been on the road for the past 20 yrs. and is no stranger to the non-traditional venue.

In fact, this coming Saturday, April 2, Cosy Sheridan will be playing to an audience assembled in a livingroom in a Chelsea loft in Manhattan as part of Thomas Boyd's Music Over Manhattan series.

I'll be there. Care to join me?

For Cosy's complete tour schedule visit her website.

Presenting the Intrepid and Independent Lucy Wainwright Roche

cross-posted to Lapis Loquens Blog

Flux doesn’t begin to describe the current business models for many artists in the U.S.  Popular music was the first sector plunged into chaos.  Book publishing, film and theatre soon followed.  The chaos has been different for each sector, but chaos it has been.  I try to follow developments in these other arts, looking for insights that might apply to the theatre world.

Lady Gaga's been bumped off my iPod by Athena Reich

She's young. She's adorable. She's queer. She's Jewish. She's Canadian. What's not to like? Athena Reich fills the stage with great vocals, catchy pop tunes, easily accessible lyrics and an overall stage presence that makes you feel as though she's reached out and hugged you with her smile, her soul and her wonderful voice. I spotted her first at this cool little cult show in a West Village gay bar. This weekend, this girl will be part of the Girls Rock lineup this Sunday at Webster Hall. Check out this video of her Lesbionic anthem: Love is Love: