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  Around the World in 60 Minutes

  Melissa Koprowski is Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Alabama, and completed her Master's and Doctorate degrees in clarinet performance from The University of Southern California, where she had the privilege to study with Yehuda Gilad. She has also studied with Danny Granados, Scott Bridges and Judy Donaldson. Dr. Koprowski is an active performer and soloist. She has won first place in numerous competitions, some of which include the International Clarinet Association Young Artist Competition, Pasadena Showcase, MTNA Young Artist, Grand prize from the Birmingham Music Club, and a three time first prize recipient of the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs Competition. At the age of 18, Dr. Koprowski was appointed as the 2nd/Eb clarinetist of the Tuscaloosa Symphony. She has also performed with many orchestras across America including the Alabama Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Downey Symphony, Burbank Philharmonic, American Youth Symphony, and Debut Orchestra. Dr. Koprowski can be seen and heard as clarinetist on the Dreamworks film, The Soloist. Roberta Garten grew up in San Diego, CA and received her bachelor's and master's degrees from University of Southern California, where she studied with Johanna Graudan and Nancy Bricard. She has been on faculty of the Colburn School of Performing Arts as staff accompanist for over 30 years. Roberta has performed with principal players in many symphony orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and New York Philharmonic and as has performed through the US, Spain, Japan, South Korea, and South America. She can be heard on Summit Label, and is very pleased to have performed and recorded with Melissa Koprowski. Russian-born Victor Babin (1908 - 1972) is best known in the United States as a duo-pianist with wife Vitya Vronsky, and as Director of the Cleveland Institute of Music from 1961 - 1972. His style is distinctly post-romantic - conservative but colorful. The Hillandale Waltzes for clarinet and piano (1947) was composed toward the end of World War II. The waltzes are based on a theme of the German composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837), which he used in his Introduction, Theme and Variations for oboe and piano. A series of eight waltz variations, some of which test the technical prowess of the clarinetist, follow the landler-like theme. The composition was dedicated to Anne Archbold, who kindly provided housing for the Babins in the Hillandale Mansion in Washington D.C., near Georgetown University, shortly after their immigration to the United States. Viennese-born composer Joseph Horovitz (1926 - ) emigrated to England in 1938 where he studied music at New College, Oxford. He was an official lecturer in music appreciation to the Forces and gave piano recitals in army camps. After completing his BMus and MA degrees, he studied composition with Gordon Jacob at the Royal College of Music and with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. He has won numerous prestigious composition awards throughout his long career. The Sonatina for clarinet and piano was composed in 1981 at the request of Gervase de Peyer and Gwenneth Pryor. It is light-hearted and utilizes the traditional three-movement division. The first movement concentrates on the middle register of the clarinet, mainly lyrical against a rippling piano background, and is in classical sonata form. The second movement is an A-B-A song structure employing some of the lowest notes of the wind instrument in a long cantilena over a slow chordal accompaniment. A loose rondo form is used for the finale. It alternates two themes in equal proportions, exploiting the upper register of the clarinet. The harmonic idiom of the whole work is tonal and is melodically and rhythmically influenced by jazz and other popular music. Arthur Benjamin (1893 - 1960) was Australian by birth before moving to London as a young man, where he studied composition and piano. He was active in the growing musical life of the time, giving many performances of new works, including his own. During the 1940's his music was inspired by the music of Caribbean natives. Le Tombeau de Ravel is a set of six contrasting Valse-Caprices framed by an introduction and a finale. This work is loosely modeled after Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales which, in urn, were inspired by two sets of waltzes by Schubert. The composition evokes the sound world of Ravel and the general atmosphere of French music of the time, including hints of the salons, echoes of the café-concert and images which seem to leap from Toulouse-Lautrec's illustrations. American composer, Sy Brandon (1945 - ), was recently commissioned by the Arizona Centennial Commission to compose a band composition to celebrate Arizona's 100th anniversary of statehood. Other first prize awards include WITF-FM's 25th Anniversary Composition Contest, and Franklin and Marshall College's Wind Ensemble Composition Contest. The Czech National Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Bulgarica, and the Kiev Philharmonic have recorded his music. Two compositions of his are heard on this CD. Badinerie, composed in 2001, is a rhythmic exciting piece in a modal style. The piece is in a large ABA form. The A sections contain much syncopation and counterpoint. The B section has a more sustained clarinet part over an ostinato in the piano. Die Fledermaus Fantasy, which closes this CD, is modeled after Sarasate's 'Carmen Fantasy'. It uses themes from the opera and expands upon them in order to show off the solo instrument. The material used comes from the overture along with Rosalinde's Csardas inserted in the middle. Carlos Guastavino (1912 - 2000) was born in Santa Fe, Argentina. He was one of the foremost Argentine composers of the 20th century. His reputation was based almost entirely on his songs, and Guastavino has sometimes been called "the Schubert of the Pampas." His style, always tonal and lusciously romantic, is fully based on Argentine folk music. Tonada y Cueca (1965) is comprised of two contrasting pieces exploring rhythms from Northwestern Argentina. A Tonada is defined as a Latin American folk song of the sentimental type or as a work song that accompanies such diverse tasks as milking, farming, maize milling, and harvesting. The Cueca, derived from the Peruvian 'Zamacueca', is a lively couple's dance of courtship and is also the national dance of Chile.

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  To Seek a Newer World

  In late December 2009, a long-standing friend banished me with "you're nothing but a bitter old man." It was a comic yet thundering surprise, rousing a need to defy augury: I&nbsp,must not let those words come true. I must seek a newer world. Renewal seemed best sought in song, so I posted an ad on Craigslist for "accompanist/arranger, my key." Somehow Bálint Sapszon noticed and responded, this project evolving from a happy compatibility-a wonderful surprise because in my younger years I could not find an accompanist whose touch felt right for me. I gave up singing for writing. Now, decades later, a joy: "When the singer is ready, the accompanist appears." ... The essence of the above was written in the early summer of 2010, when Bálint and I 'completed' our effort. It's now December 2013, and I'm humbled by the experience. I was not as ready as I imagined myself to be. My original plan was to offer the album as a demo, the first of a two-part album, but I soon deluded myself into thinking the partial release was more accomplished than it was. I still think the concept has merit, but my delivery needs a great deal more work, and if I'm lucky, I may still find the inner and outer resources to meet the challenge. Despite the disappointment, I've lately found myself thinking a radical thought: 'I'm the luckiest person alive.' Somehow I'm grateful for what I have, and every day I'm more aware of unexpected blessings that consistently come my way. I did not have that spirit four years ago, so in that sense, my album seems to have been a success. Thanks to everyone who gave my work a listen. I hope you and yours find the musical joy and inspiration you seek.

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  First Steps-Beginner Ballet Music for the First Years

  First Steps CD is music designed for the beginning years of ballet instruction. It incorporates slow and steady tempos that are necessary for the introduction and execution of new steps without sacrificing the artistic quality of music. The CD is a compilation of classical pieces using their original compositions with very little improvisation. Each of the selections include a four count introduction. Each track suggests an exercise only as a guideline. Whitefeather Productions Whitefeather Productions believes that there is a demand for ballet class music designed specifically for the needs of beginning, intermediate, advanced and pre-professional levels of training, and that each level of training requires a different musical emphasis. Founders Margarita White, Tatyana Featherman and Melinda Pendleton also feel that the process of early ballet training should include music of artistic merit, and as students progress onto more advanced levels of training their musical accompaniment should aid that process by growing with them. This high standard is the philosophy that underlies each Whitefeather product. Tatyana Featherman - Pianist Tatyana Featherman was born in the former Soviet Union, where she received her elementary music education in the Ukrainian city of Lvov. Upon completing her education in Odessa, Tatyana was engaged as an accompanist with Vodnic, a prestigious rhythmic gymnastic school. In 1982, Tatyana immigrated to the United States where she began working as an accompanist for Margarita and John White, directors of the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. During the ensuing years, Tatyana recorded three albums for ballet classes - 'Spirit of Movement,' 'Harmony in Motion' and 'Fire Within.' While studying ballet at the academy, she attended John White's teacher's seminar, and began teaching ballet in addition to her work as accompanist. Margarita White Margarita White, born Margarita de Saá in Havana, Cuba, studied ballet with Fernando and Alicia Alonso. Margarita joined the newly formed Ballet Nacional de Cuba rising through the ranks from corps de ballet to principal dancer. In addition to her dancing responsibilities, she learned the Vaganova teaching method from Soviet ballet masters, and taught in the new state school, Cubanacan. Margarita left Cuba with her husband, John White. In 1969, they were invited to join the Pennsylvania Ballet company where they remained until 1974, when they founded their own school, the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Narberth, Pennsylvania. Margarita is considered an authority in the world of ballet. The Academy trains over 300 students each year, and many graduates are dancing professionally in companies around the world. Melinda Pendleton Melinda Pendleton began her ballet training at the age of 8, at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. In 1984, she won the highest award in The Carey Rose Winski Memorial ballet competition. Two years later she competed at the international competition in Jackson, Mississippi. Melinda went on to perform in France with the Ballet du Nancy, and then returned to the United States to perform with Dance South, in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1991, after spending a year in Atami, Japan, performing with Minnie Madden Productions, she began her teaching career at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet under the direction of her parents Margarita and John White. Melinda has since joined her parents as co-director of the Academy.

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  King of High-C

  Mr. Giuseppe Taormina has performed in Italy, Europe, and the United States, as well as a worldwide tour of the Middle and Far East with the 'Ambassadors of Opera'. He was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. He started voice training at a very early age and began performing in Sicily. When he arrived in America, he immediately auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera Company, where he was accepted into the Young Artist Program. He received two scholarships as primo tenore while at Hunter College. He won the leading roles in La Traviata, Tosca, and Cavalleria Rusticana, which are now all favorites among his repertoire.Most notably, Mr. Taormina has received the very prestigious honor of Necklace Knight,'Cavaliere di Collona.' The noble title of Saint George in Carinzia Supreme Military Order bestowed upon Mr. Taormina is the only one in the United States. Mr. Taormina's operatic appearances include performances with the Philadelphia Opera, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (under the direction of Maestro Alfredo Silipigni), The Metropolitan Repertory Ballet's 'An Evening with Verdi, The Tribecca Performing Arts Center, The Merkin Concert Hall, The Waldoff Astoria Hotel in New York, The Garden State Arts Center, and at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall. Mr. Taormina has given command performances for Kings of both Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, also Imelda Marcus, the former First Lady of the Philippines. He recently traveled to St. Croix, in the Virgin Islands, where he sang in concert in a Castle, hosted by Countess Nadia De Navarro. Mr. Taormina remembering his roots has given a command performance at Carini Castle, his hometown on the outskirts of Palermo Sicily. Mr. Taormina has performed in concert, and at cultural, civic, and charity events across the USA. Among these were performances at: The Hotel Plaza, Milford Plaza, Westchester Theater, several Atlantic City Resorts & Casinos, the Wisconsin Arts Festival in the Park, The Asbury Park Convention Hall, The 15th Annual Juniper Park Concert Series, Shea Stadium, The Lakewood Theatre, and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo Theatre. He was honored to sing for the Mario Lanza Society, The Beniamino Gigli Memorial Concert, and two events marking the 100 years anniversary of Enrico Caruso's Metropolitan Opera House debut. Mr. Taormina was honored to sing for The Italian Heritage and Culture Council Chamber at City Hall, in NYC, for the Italian-American State Legislators, and the American Parkinson's Disease Association. Recently, Mr. Taormina sang at masses that were celebratedby Cardinal Egan in cathedrals throughout the Vatican and Rome. Mr. Taormina sang at a memorial ceremony in Washington D.C. for Constantine Brumidi, who was known as 'The Artist of the U.S. Capital'. He has also sung at the Casa Italiana in Washington D.C.. Mr. Taormina was honored to sing in commemoration of 100 years of Order Sons of Italy in America. Mr. Taormina's powerful voice expresses his passion for music, while his talent, warmth and joy of performing are evident to live audiences. He has recorded three albums and most recently a CD, 'King of High C' and Verissimo Tenore, on which he sings his favorite operatic arias and beloved, classical Neapolitan and American love songs. Mr. Taormina's powerful voice expresses his passion for music, while his talent, warmth and joy of performing are evident to live audiences. Mr. Giuseppe Taormina can do a program with piano and accompanist, up to full orchestra. Mr. Taormina provides an entertaining program of great music filled with the deeply emotional songs and arias of his Italian heritage. For engagement availability of Mr. Giuseppe Taormina: Call: (718) 981-9429.

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  51 Strings

  'It is a glorious and almost unfathomable truth that it only takes 51 strings (four on the violin and 47 on the harp) to produce immensely beautiful music. While violin soloists often have a piano or an entire orchestra to serve as accompanist, the lone harp in the Kent / Shulman Duo does a fantastic job of uplifting and supporting her counterpart in a more sonically unique fashion. Violinist Peter Kent and harpist Amy Shulman have played extensively apart and as a duo worldwide for a number of years. Both imbibe a true appreciation for the music they play and that sensitivity is evident in each piece. Throughout '51 Strings' the violin takes the lead melody with it's resonance and sustain qualities while the harp becomes the delicate percussive instrument keeping each piece flowing while hopefully getting a brief shining moment to run through a glissando. The opening number is Camille Saint-Saëns' "Fantaisie," which runs seamlessly through a series of different moods with each episode ebbing with the violin rubatto and then urged along by the harp. Both instruments have exquisite tone and sound most impressive in the higher registers at quiet dynamic levels. Kent and Shulman form an excellent musical team by intertwining their respective strings in a matched timbre. Continuing in the impressionist style with a more ethnomusicology flair, the duo performs Manuel de Falla's "Spanish Dance No. 1" from the opera La Vide Breve. After expertly plucking along the Latin countryside, the duo journey to the English moors with a masterful arrangement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending." The succulent, passionate tune captures the air of rural life in the British Isles, similar to the composer's "Six Studies in English Folksong" for cello and piano, however the combination of violin and harp is sweeter. Jumping back to the European mainland is French composer Jules Massenet's sensual "Méditation" from the opera Thaïs displaying beautiful harmonics. In classical music there is no one more perfect than Johánn Sebastian Bach. These two stellar musicians perform the third and fourth movements from his Violin Sonata in E Major, the "Adagio" and "Allegro" respectively. The final selections on this wonderfully diverse album are from the 20th century Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Two preludes are featured originally written for piano from his 24 Preludes, Op. 34. The first is a jumpy, humorous piece in A-flat Major with the harp carrying the left hand piano part adroitly as the violin jovially takes the melody. In the second, a musically inclined ear may pick up a snippet of the main theme from Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony in C-sharp minor. Lastly, rich in traditional Soviet drama and melancholy is "Romance" from the film The Gadfly. '51 Strings' not only demonstrates a more unique and aurally pleasing pairing of instruments but it also boasts a diverse assortment of musical styles sure to please any classical music lovers palette.' Review by: Kelly O'Neil Rating: 5 stars (out of 5) 'Peter Kent and Amy Shulman are each accomplished artists unto themselves. Harpist Amy Shulman, a graduate of Juilliard, has performed with numerous orchestral, chamber and contemporary music groups. She has also been heard in motion pictures, on television and on recordings by such greats as Frank Sinatra, Placido Domingo and Aretha Franklin. Violinist Peter Kent is a concertmaster in several orchestras in the Los Angeles area, and has performed on recordings by artists such as Michael Feinstein, Fiona Apple, Mariah Carey, Cracker and Shirley Horn. Beginning in 1982, the pair formed the Kent/Shulman duo, and has toured nationally to critical and popular praise. In 2012, the Kent/Shulman duo released their debut album 51 Strings. 51 Strings strikes it's first chord with Camille Saint-Saens' 'Fantaisie', a beautiful marriage of harp and violin that is subtly cast and sublime. Kent creates a beautiful framework from through which Kent's violin may dance. 'Spanish Dance No. 1' (Manuel de Falla) is a delightful turn, full of amazing energy and brilliant rhythmic counterpoints between Kent and Shulman. In contrast, the lyric beauty of Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'The Lark Ascending' is absolutely breathtaking, with Shulman providing subtle textures to highlight Kent's soaring melody lines. Johann Sebastian Bach gets fair time with "Adagio" and "Allegro". 'Adagio' mixes texture and lyricism, with each player carving out their own musical geography. There are moments of simple grace blending into sublime beauty here that captivate the listener's attention. Kent and Shulman build their resolutions slowly, leaving listeners on the very edges if their seats. 'Allegro' is a much more manic experience, with Kent bowing his way through undulating lines. 'Thais Meditation' (Jules Massenet) is contemplative and sweet, with a quiet vibrancy running underneath. The violin lines here are nothing short of gorgeous, most especially the high resolution with about 30 seconds to go. 'Berceuse' (Gabriel Fauré) finds Shulman as the perpetual 'yes, and' in a vibrant story told on four strings. It's a moment of beauty almost perfect in it's nature and mien. ?? Kent and Shulman close things out with three numbers from Dmitri Shostakovich. 'Prelude No. 1' plays off a vaguely Middle Eastern theme but quickly moves to a more classic Italian sound. The violin is vibrant here, while the harp is the glue that holds everything together. 'Prelude No. 2' is 93 seconds of quiet grace in song, with a subtle melody line that dances and lilts as if it were the air itself. Kent and Shulman close with 'Romance', with the harp marking off time as Kent tells a love story on violin. Peter Kent and Amy Shulman don't have much to prove at this point. As musicians they are acknowledged as some of the finest in their respective crafts. Yet on 51 Strings they find a way to move together beyond simple mastery into fine art. The ability to play notes with precision and a certain amount of grace is the mark of a master. The ability to breathe life through your instrument into a composition and bring it to life is the mark of an artisan. Both Kent and Shulman exhibit that ability in significant measure on 51 Strings. This is pure chamber music, much too expressive and full of life to ever be relegated to the background.' Review by: Wildy Haskell Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)? An excellent album this. Violinist Peter Kent and harpist Amy Shulman have put together a varied and colorful program that plays to the strengths of their unusual combination of instruments. Musical variety is achieved through subtle gradations of dynamics, and through a wide range of tone colors. Peter Kent is clearly a versatile violinist, and he knows exactly the tone to go for to complement the harp. Amy Shulman is also capable of varying her timbre as the music demands, through differing percussive levels in her attack, and by allowing the reverberation of the strings to overlap and mix into each other's harmonics. Most of the works on the program are arrangements, but the first piece, Saint-Saëns' Fantaisie, is a violin and harp original. And what a wonderful piece it is. The composer makes adventurous use of the harp, employing it as a full duo partner and never as mere accompaniment. His use of repeated note effects is particularly effective, as are his endlessly varied broken chords. And most importantly of all, he conjures some magical melodies, ideally suited to both instruments. In Manuel de Falla's Spanish Dance No. 1, the harp takes the role of the flamenco guitar, providing the ideal Iberian flavor and gentle propulsion throughout. The Lark Ascending is well-known in a wide range of settings and transcriptions, but the advantage of the harp here is that the violin does not have to compete to be heard. Even in it's original orchestral form, the piece presents a paradox: how can the soloist float on the breeze when the orchestral backing dem

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  Miss You Mr. Mercer

  Recording as a vocal piano duo is tantamount to doing a high-wire act without a net - there's simply no margin for error. Musicians less talented than the principals here don't even attempt it. For singer Shari Lynn and pianist Bob Corwin though, it's no big deal. Between the two of them Shari and Bob have been pleasing listeners for half a century, in concert halls, posh showrooms, and more intimate 'cabaret' venues. Since moving to Hawaii in 1976, Shari has developed a cadre of loyal fans throughout the Islands where she performs on radio and TV and at the most popular venues including cabarets (she is a fellow of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Cabaret Symposium) in Symphony concerts, on cruise ships and stars in numerous classic Broadway musicals. Shari's acting talents have earned her six Po'okelas (Hawaii's 'Tony Award'.) She was named 1994's Best Actress in Hawaii's People's Choice Awards and has made appearances on Magnum P.I., Jake and The Fatman, Hart To Hart, Charlie's Angels and The Jefferson's. With a repertoire of over 1500 songs, her forte is jazz-tinged tunes of the 1930's, '40's and '50's as well as Broadway showstoppers. Wayne Harada of The Honolulu Advertiser calls her 'a sensuous performer' and lauds her for her 'way with lyrics' and 'feel for mood.' Thomas Tucker of The Los Angeles Herald Dispatch says 'she sings a song with exquisite delicacy that forces the audience to listen with their hearts.' Choosing Bob Corwin to accompany her on this album of Johnny Mercer tunes was no happenstance for Shari. The two gigged together in Honolulu before Bob moved back to the mainland. His list of credits includes recording with jazz immortals such as Chet Baker, Peggy Lee, Carmen McCrae, Anita O'day and Phil Woods. (Bob says he enjoyed working with Shari as much or more than the aforementioned superstars.) Corwin was a logical choice for this album, he was Johnny Mercer's accompanist for 18 years. As with Shari, Bob's artistry doesn't depend on frills and histrionics. Bob's one of those rare pianists who just loves to accompany. His comping cords and runs here are things of spare beauty. The Johnny Mercer songs in this collection are perfect vehicles for introducing Shari Lynn's vocal abilities. Mercer's catalogue is widely diverse and offers Shari the opportunity to show her own diversity and creativity. Although most of the tunes here are well known, Miss Lynn has the knack of springing subtle surprises on the listener with a scoop here or a bent note there to make these a fresh experience. She 'acts' the lyric for us, each song becomes it's own perfect little play - all the while singing in tune and on time. High praise for Shari's renditions comes from no other than the daughter of Johnny Mercer, Mandy Mercer Nader. 'Shari has a beautiful voice and I'm pleased that she's recorded my father's songs. I particularly enjoyed Midnight Sun and Dream.' And after you hear these tracks, you'll want to tell those who worry about the future of our good ole' American standards that they're in good hands. With any luck, Bob Corwin and Shari Lynn will keep the music playing for a long time to come. - excerpted from the liner notes by Sam Polson, award-winning jazz CD reviewer and photojournalist.

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  Keys

  Veronica Hylak, a 17-year-old high school senior from West Grove, Pennsylvania, has played piano since age 3. Her first attempts at the ivory and ebony were classic 60's songs she'd play by ear from her parents' music collection. Under the tutelage of respected local musician Wendy Colagreco of Cochranville, Miss Hylak began studying piano and never looked back. By the age of 14, she was tackling some of the most complicated of classical pieces, and began composing shortly thereafter 'Music helps me to find myself, to center me. It's how I communicate best,' said the teen, who is also a member of the National Honor Society and a Second Degree Blackbelt in Tang Soo Do. Her style, a brilliantly fresh take on classical composition, has been described as "Mozart meets Adele". Her execution is flawless, with most pieces on this, her freshman CD, being performed in only one, consecutive take. "I was quite surprised at her level of performance ability and creativity for someone only 17 years of age," stated Grammy Award Winning Producer, Phil Nicolo of Conshohocken, PA, who helped produce KEYS. "Veronica performs her own compositions in a classical style but with a modern twist. I enjoyed the feel of these pieces. They are surprisingly advanced for someone her age." To date, Veronica has had the privilege of performing at Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City, the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, and by invitation at local venues. She was a chosen accompanist to the St. Mark's High School (Wilmington, DE) chorus for two years. Her sights, however, are set a little further than Chester County. 'Someday,' the teen states, 'I would love to be performing with an orchestra... Or maybe even for the president or the queen! 'Mostly,' she continues, 'I just love the way writing, playing and performing make me feel. I go crazy without a piano around. It's like food, or medicine to me. It's my lifeline.' Miss Hylak hopes to study law and music when she goes off to an as-yet-undecided college next year, and according to Nicolo, she will be "an asset to any music program. It's obvious she has the focus and dedication to go far."

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  Etoile-Solo Ballet Variations

  Etoile Solo Ballet Variations In the market for Classical Ballet Class CD's there is an absence of recordings featuring women's variations from the Pas de deux repertory, so often used in the training of young dancers. Teachers and dancers have been forced to seek out the few complete orchestral recordings of ballets in order to find the brief two-minute variations needed in teaching the classic repertory. Once they find those recordings, they might find tempi better suited for a professional dancer, or more likely may be recorded with no sense of an appropriate dance tempo, thereby being all but useless for the dancer. Nicola Conraths and Christian Matjias came up with the idea of recording selected women's variations at a variety of tempi so that teachers could use them for any level and any age of dancer. With the graded tempi, dancers could also use different versions to work on specific details, instead of always relying upon the same speed time and again. You may say 'well, I have a variable speed CD player'. Though a nice piece of hardware to own, a variable speed player adjusts the entire movement to whatever tempo you set. So often, as heard in our recording of the Le Corsaire variations, contrasts in tempi within sections is crucial, and could not easily be executed with the simple adjustment of a variable speed player. The variations selected for the Etoile CD: Don Quixote - Kitri's Variation, Act III - 8 versions Don Quixote - Coda, Act III - 6 versions Le Corsaire - Medora Variation - 2 versions Le Corsaire - Medora Alternate Variation - 3 versions Le Corsaire - Coda - 3 versions The Sleeping Beauty - "Bluebird Variation" - 2 versions The Sleeping Beauty - "Aurora's Variation" - 2 versions Swan Lake - Petite Swan Pas de quatre - 6 versions George Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de deux - 8 versions The variations with 6 and 8 different tempi can be used not only to teach the choreography, but can be utilized for teaching of basic principles for very young dancers - turning, spotting, jete turns, chaine turns, and more. The versions of Tchaikovsky's Dances of the Little Swans are quite varied in tempo in order to serve teachers of very young students as well as the intermediate level dancer. The many versions offered for Balanchine's Tchaikovsky Pas de deux now make it possible for dancers to properly learn the variation step-by-step, moving up each grade of tempo until they have it at the professional tempo. A perfect CD from which to choose recital material for whatever level of dancer you may have, with selections to also meet the needs of the competitive dancer. This is a must-have disc for teachers and dancers alike. Christian Matjias is one of the leading Dance / Music Specialists in the field, and an Associate Professor of Dance and Music at the University of Michigan. A native of Los Angeles, he attended the University of Southern California, earning degrees in Harpsichord and Early Music Performance, with secondary studies in Conducting. Intending to become a vocal accompanist and opera repetiteur, he instead became one of the most active dance musicians in Southern California prior his 1991 move to Michigan. As both performer and scholar, he is sought out by dancers across fields seeking to collaborate on choreography, technique classes, in addition to consulting on musical matters as relates to the staging of classical ballets. He has worked with, among others, the Balanchine Trust, Balanchine Foundation, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, TUDance, Leopold Dance Group, and has played for Maria Tallchief, Edward Villella, Eliot Feld, Gail Gilbert, and numerous dancers for New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor Dance Company, David Parsons Dance Company, Cullberg Ballet, Jose Limon Dance Company, Jose Greco Dance Company, Boston Ballet, and Martha Graham Dance Company. Christian's versatility also encompasses the vocal and instrumental repertory. He's served as repetiteur for productions of La Boheme, Carmina Burana and The Cradle Will Rock, as well as having performed with legendary cult avant-garde musician, Jandek.

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  Piano Music for Ballet & Character Dance

  Reviewers praised Josu Gallastegui's debut American release for it's 'brilliant, focused, percussive sound,' and former New York City Ballet soloist George Lee called it 'a stunning new standard for music in this field.' With 20 selections for standard ballet class and an additional 16 selections for character class, this collection is an extraordinary--and extraordinarily beautiful--resource for teachers, dancers, and studios alike. The standard ballet class contains music by Beethoven, Liszt, Mahler, Lecuona, and Gallastegui himself. The character CD includes mazurka, tarantella, jota, bolero, and much more. Gallastegui has been an accompanist for American Ballet Theater, Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Academy, Mark Morris Dance Group, School of American Ballet, and Madrid's Real Escuela de Danza in Madrid. He has worked with leading dancers and choreographers including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cynthia Gregory, Cynthia Harvey, Susan Jaffe, Allegra Kent, Gelsey Kirkland, Rudolf Nureyev, Anna Sokolow, and Ross Stretton among many others. In 2010, he performed with legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya at a gala in her honor. Dancer/choreographer David Parsons has said that Gallastegui has "goldfingers" while Susan Jaffe describes his work as "deeply creative, wonderfully musical, and completely enjoyable to dance to." Mikhail Baryshnikov has called Gallastegui "a superb musician with a remarkable sensitivity for ballet."

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  Love Songs

  A solar duett, with a shining and expressive musical personality. They joined to contitute an original repertoire of English, mexican, French, German, Italian, spannish, swiss, brasilian, Cuban ... compositions which they interpretate, create around the world. Of swiss and mexican origin, they both come out of swiss professional musicschools. They play in Europe and South America and the teach their art. About Love songs : "....Keep those names in mind. You can discover them in this CD which offers a beautiful selection of 'Love songs' all composed by English composers from the XVIth century to the XXth century. The clear voice of Catherine Sury is ideal for this repertoire and Manuel Calderón in asserting himself as the most sensible and musical accompanist that you could listen to. Purcell's original transcriptions are an interesting part of the album.

  • Shop: odax
  • Price: 40.68 EUR excl. shipping

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