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Live Review: Introducing Hot Young Conductor – Jacomo Rafael Bairos (2009.04.29)

jacomo-rafael-bairos

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MP3: Claude Debussy – La Mer, 3. Dialogue du vent et de la mer

Welcome to a special treat courtesy of the graduate department at Peabody Conservatory. In honor of its degree candidates — in everything from instruments, vocals, and conducting — we’ve got an end of season festival of free music from the talented young peeps on the Baltimore Classical scene. I recommend you check out a few in the coming week.

Not every performance is a prize recital, but some of them should be. For what it’s worth, I’d crown debuting conductor Jacomo Rafael Bairos with my laurels.

Lucky for us, he assured me that he’s staying on at Peabody to pursue his Doctorate. So we’ll follow him in future posts. This fellow has good friends, and, if his ambition be judged by his repertory choices, he’s ready to tackle big things.

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Top U.S. Orchestras 2009: Live Review – Kurt Masur Drives Cleveland Symphony…Throttle – Wide Open (2009.02.26)

masurKurt Masur drove the Cleveland Symphony like a Maserati GranTurismo. He didn’t come screaming off the factory lot. A conducting legend doesn’t have to. But, by the time he brought the players into the grand galloping finale of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, the fortississimo seemed to be driving itself.

Now, I admit I’ve never driven a GranTourismo. But I’ll take Ben Harper of Bloomberg’s word for it: true Romance. Same goes for the Cleveland Symphony under the baton of Maestro Masur. And the interior of Severance Hall, like a sexy auto, shone with silver leaf and mocha-butter walls — a perfect Art Deco sounding board for every single note.

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What, No Bamboo Chimes in Beethoven? – An Die Musik

Prolific recitalist, Soheil Nasseri, vowed to perform all Beethoven’s works for piano by 2020. He’s already 28-out-of-32 on the piano sonatas, but, on Thursday, we were treated to “trifles”: Beethoven’s Seven Bagatelles. And he began with Schumann. But then Nasseri warned: “If you have hearing aids, turn them off now.”

Hear that in a concert, and you’re almost guaranteed to be treated to some “sneak preview” premiere. Two works by composer Samir Odeh-Tamimi. Don’t know him? Me neither. He’s a Palestinian Israeli composer calling Berlin’s Avant-Garde home. Accordingly, Nasseri apologized as he sat down: “I hope that not too many of you leave.”

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Goldstein-Kaler-Peled Trio perform Beethoven benefit

Beethoven’s genius ranges from the large scale orchestral works, like the 9th, to the more intimate sonatas, quartets, and piano trios. A few months back Baltimore was treated to the complete Beethoven cello sonatas, performed by Peabody faculty member Amit Peled, and Peabody alumnus Alon Goldstein. It was a truly amazing performance.

Peled and Goldstein will reunite, along with violinist Ilya Kaler, to perform three of Beethoven’s piano trios– the Gassenhauer (op.11), Ghost (op. 70, no.1.), and Archduke (op. 97). The concert will be a benefit for Community Concerts at Second, which is a really amazing, and free concert series (though this being a fundraiser, it is not free) at Second Presbyterian Church.

Even if you can’t make this highly recommended date (I can’t, I have to work), please keep the Community Concerts at Second in the back of your mind. It regularly features BSO principal performers, like the time I saw BSO Concertmaster Jonathan Carney…for free.

Goldstein-Kaler-Peled Trio

May 3rd 7:30 pm

Second Presbyterian Church

(410) 744-4034

Tickets: $15

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Beethoven – Piano Trio in B flat maj, Op. 11 Gassenhauer