Category Archives: KMFA announcers/hosts

Round Top, Texas: a Pastoral and Cultural Delight

~ posted by Renee Beale, KMFA announcer

We stumbled upon Round Top quite by accident the first few months we moved to Austin. Who knew just a few miles east of the Music Capital of the World, sits a charming diminutive Garden of Urbanity? With just 77 residents, it’s surrounded by nature’s unsparing splashes and variant hues of viridian and burnt sienna as its backdrop.  When there, I feel as though I could be standing inside the Rubens’ painting, Landscape with the Chateau Steen.

What is absolutely astounding to me is that, while Round Top may be small, it more than makes up for it with its copious appetite for culture.  Sure there are a few shops and art galleries to enjoy, the Henkel Square Museum Village, Royers Round Top Café, the Stone Cellar and plenty of antiques, but this isn’t the reason we keep going back.  We go there for the idyllic Elizabethan playhouse experience at Shakespeare in the park in Winedale and Festival Hill.  The Shakespeare productions are performed in a barn and the surroundings are magnificent.  The Shakespeare program is part of the UT English Department and the students live there on the grounds at Winedale for about six weeks during the rehearsals and performance schedule.

This brings me to Festival Hill.  It’s a beautiful structure that rivals anything I’ve seen.  It’s hard to imagine this architectural masterpiece was just recently finished in 1997.  The craftsmanship of this commanding design belies its date of construction. There are no words for the beauty of the theatre.  Every time we take a drive to Round Top, we make a point to stop at Festival Hill, if nothing more than to gawk. This Saturday, July 3rd was no exception.  We were able to catch a rehearsal of that night’s performance by the young musicians making up the Festival Hill Music Festival.

As I stood there watching these young performers, I wondered if they realized just how stunning the institute’s surroundings are, and if they fully grasp the awe-inspiring radiance of the concert hall?  I’m amazed each time I enter the concert hall, admiring its handcrafted woodwork, hardwood flooring, and exclusively designed custom seating.  The institute brings talented young artists from around the world along with accomplished faculty and conductors, and the results have been stunning.  The Round Top Festival Institute alumni perform in symphony orchestras, teach at conservatories and universities, and collaborate with other distinguished musicians on six continents.  All happening right in our very own back yard!

“Keep it alive.  Introduce a child to the arts.”

~ posted by Renee Beal, KMFA announcer

Introducing Children to the Arts

~posted by Renee Beale, KMFA announcer

We were out last night to see the performance of Fame at TexARTS, a theatre academy here in Austin, whose mission is to bring theatre, music, dance, and visual arts training to Austin’s youth. As an acting coach myself, I am always pleased to see showcases of new talent cropping up, but what struck me the most was how important it is. In today’s distracting (and dare I say insular) world of emailing, iPods, texting, facebook, twitter, television, video games and more, the list at times seems endless and overwhelming; I was not only watching a performance of Fame, I was watching young people interacting with each other physically, live and in person, making contact and making a connection; a healthy dose of synergistic energies between audience and performer. What a concept! I was also watching young people tap into their creativity using the fourth wall; that imaginary place where the audience resides that actors bring to life on stage. The youth on that stage, aged 14 through 17, are the future of the cultural arts. And even though some of them might never grace the stage of the Long Center, or Broadway or even off-Broadway, they will go on to grace the audience seats in myriad cultural venues here and throughout cities across the United States.

As I write, Darci Kistler is making her final performance on the stage of the New York City Ballet. She is the last student of George Balanchine and her retirement marks the end of an era. As a former New Yorker, I am very grateful for all the wonderful artistic mediums offered here in Austin, but opera, ballet, theatre, and symphonies across the country are struggling to find new audiences and in a down economy, new challenges lie ahead. As I sat there and watched the play last night, I couldn’t help but think those challenges were being met.

“Keep it alive. Introduce a child to the arts.”

~ posted by Renee Beale, KMFA announcer

Renee with Matt, who starred as Jack in "Fame"

KMFA on the Road: Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Yeoman of the Guard”

~posted by Carmel O’Donovan, KMFA announcer

If you have not yet had a chance to enjoy the current production of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin, I suggest that you make all haste to do so!

Their current production is “Yeoman of the Guard,” and it runs until  this Sunday June 20th at Travis High School Performing Arts Center.  Jules Brandon (my fellow KMFA announcer) and I had a wonderful evening at the show and were given a warm welcome by the performers — we were even allowed backstage to take photographs!

As a relatively recent emigre from London, I confess I was curious and perhaps (dare I admit it — a foreigner in Texas like me?) a little suspicious of any production, from the truly British stable of Gilbert and Sullivan, outside of those fair islands. In fact the evening is a complete joy from start to finish. The facility at Travis High School is wonderful — comfortable seats, great acoustics, not too big, not too small — the perfect ambiance. The orchestra set the standard and it was high … of particular note for me was the wonderful percussionist. She played with panache and enthusiasm and made me yearn for the sense of rhythm so sadly lacking from my own makeup. The curtain rose: the set was wonderful. Simple but impressive. The performance checked all of my boxes: great voices and acting, authentic costumes, engaging and intriguing story line with humor and pathos closely mixed.

The “deal breaker” for me was of course going to be those English Accents  (don’t get me wrong… while I still love Mary Poppins and indeed Dick Van Dyke, I have never really recovered from his Cockney accent). Truthfully, whether in spoken word or in song they were great! My favorite has to be the “Head Jailer and Assistant Tormentor” — so wonderfully accurate in his West Country accent and just so funny!

From start to finish this is a high-quality production with a mix of intrigue, wit and the archetypal dodgy British puns. It is wonderful! I can’t wait for the next one!

~posted by Carmel O’Donovan, KMFA announcer

Duruflé’s shimmering, evanescent Requiem

Last week, Dianne got a chance to see a performance of the Conspirare Symphonic Choir, with Victoria Bach Festival Chorus , June 5, 2010.  “Dynamic Convergence” — including Duruflé’s  Requiem, Cantos Sagrados (Sacred Songs) by James MacMillan, and Brahms’ Geistliches Lied.

Featuring Craig Hella Johnson and Company of Voices, with Judith and Gerre Hancock (organists), Keely Rhodes (mezzo soprano), and David Farwig (baritone)


~posted by Dianne Donovan, KMFA announcer and host of Classical Austin

I’m always thrilled to listen to the Conspirare choir perform, and it was especially exciting to have the opportunity to hear The Conspirare Symphonic Choir joined by The Victoria Bach Festival Chorus sing Maurice Duruflé’s shimmering, evanescent Requiem.  Accompanied by Judith and Gerre Hancock, and led by Craig Hella Johnson, the large ensemble combined precision and artistry in executing Duruflé’s rich harmonies and ethereal textures. The Brahms piece was equally lovely.

I was not familiar with the MacMillan piece and it came as a lovely surprise (in the first half of the program). The contemporary Scottish composer’s “Sacred Songs” were inspired by poems about political repression in Latin America, the first of which, MacMillan set in a strikingly dark and agitated manner. Although the texts for all three songs contain a stark realism, MacMillan changes the textures in each song, sometimes layering the latin text with English, and creating beautiful sonorities with overlapping voices, eventually elevating the listener to a state of grace even in these stories of horrific turmoil. This is a challenging, emotional work and the ensemble delivered it beautifully.

If you missed this concert, the good news is that Conspirare has one more concert in Austin this season. They will be performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, Mass in B minor, this Sunday, June 13th, at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. (Click here for more information.)

Dianne Donovan is KMFA’s midday announcer and host/producer of Classical Austin. You can listen to a new episode of Classical Austin every Wednesday at 8pm, on Classical 89.5, KMFA-FM.

TCC event honors nature and springtime

~posted by Carmel O’Donovan, KMFA relief announcer
  
 

Last Saturday I had the honor of introducing Texas Choral Consort’s springtime concert: “Songs of Nature.” It took place at First Presbyterian Church on Mesa Drive, a beautiful airy church with wonderful acoustics, a soaring ceiling and an entire wall of stunning stained glass. An unexpected bonus for me was the discovery that KMFA’s technical genius, Phil Pollack, is a member of the group!

The evening comprised a truly stunning mix of melodies, effortlessly spanning centuries and styles. The music was tightly harmonic and beautifully delivered. The performance was rendered even more special since it featured the world premier of a new piece of music: at the request of TCC’s energetic and inspirational Artistic Director, Brent Baldwin, Austin composer Graham Reynolds composed a wonderful haunting tune to the words of a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson entitled “Crossing the Bar.” The evening whizzed by in a heart beat and after a little audience participation in the iconic Simon and Garfunkel piece “Bridge over Troubled Water,” the audience slipped off into the night, richer and wiser than they had been only 90 minutes earlier!

TCC will be concluding their season in August with a show entitled “Nature in Harmony.” I urge you not to miss it. See you there!

 

   ~ Carmel O’Donovan is a relief announcer on KMFA 89.5; you can read more about Carmel and all our Music Hosts on our website.

Texas Early Music Project welcomes Spring

 

The Sweet and Merry Month of May

~posted by Sara Hessel, KMFA Music Director

“In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote that in the 19th century, but it was hardly news then, as Texas Early Music Project reminded us in their delightful concert “Spring Rites: The Lark in the Morning.”

T.E.M.P. drew a capacity crowd to First English Lutheran Church to hear songs of love lost, love found, love made and love despaired of. Artistic Director Daniel Johnson’s lively and varied program also included English madrigals, French folk songs and some fun surprises, such as an anonymous 16th century song called O Lusty May that morphed into Lusty Month of May from Camelot, sung very saucily by soprano Kathlene Ritch. (Early music all sober chant sung by monks in robes? Not a bit of it!)

Other personal favorites included Landini’s rousing welcome to spring Ecco la primavera, a tenderly melancholic troubadour song by Bernart de Ventadorn, performed by Daniel Johnson, a riotous French drinking song called Amis, buvons! and recorder pyrotechnics by Jacob van Eyck, brought to life by soloist Victor Eijkhout.

The ‘orchestra’ was in great form — we were treated to excellent violin and vielle playing by Laurie Young Stevens, along with other fine performances by John Walters (viol), Elaine Barber (harp) and James Brown (bass viol). The band had their chance to shine in an instrumental rendering of the Scottish song The Day it Dawes.

Sadly, this was the last concert in T.E.M.P.’s season, and we have to wait until September for more. But it will be worth the wait! In the first concert of the new season, the group revisits one of its greatest hits: Convivencia: The Three Worlds of Renaissance Spain, September 24-26, with special guest artists Tom Zajac (historical winds and percussion), Annette Bauer (recorders) and Kamran Hooshmand (santur and ud). At least we’ll have fond memories of fresh and springy early music to get us through the long, hot summer.

~Sara Hessel is KMFA’s Music Director, as well as producer and host of Ancient Voices. You can hear Ancient Voices on KMFA 89.5,  Sundays at 9am and 4pm.

Miró Quartet visits the KMFA studios

Today we welcomed Austin’s own Miró Quartet into our recording studio in preparation for this Wednesday’s airing of Classical Austin (with host Dianne Donovan). They are just the nicest! Here are a few photos I took as they were warming up their instruments.

Tune in this Wednesday, May 5th , at 8pm to hear these talented musicians chat about their upcoming performance on May 9th at the Texas Performing Arts Center (with guest cellist, the famous Lynn Harrell).

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Brian Satterwhite’s own film score

I know that KMFA has lots of fans for Brian Satterwhite’s show, Film Score Focus. Brian is the host and producer of the show… but did you know that he is not *just* a fan of cinematic music, he’s actually a composer of film scores, by profession. 

Maybe you heard about one of his recent film scores: Artois the Goat. (You can click on the photo above to view the trailer.) But unless you were on the Indie Film circuit, or were able to acquire tickets during SXSW last year (it sold out all three screenings), you had to settle for those teasing trailers…. until now! It just came out on DVD!

Here’s a review from the Austin Chronicle that I particularly liked: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=756702 (It speaks to the Austin creators and local talent, as well as the quality of the movie.)  I think it even says it’s “cheezy, but in a good way.”  😉

And there’s one more connection KMFA celebrates with this wonderful film score: Brian Satterwhite performed several of the pieces himself, and our sound engineers, Jeffrey Blair and Phil Pollack, recorded some of the cues (about seven or eight pieces I think) for the film right here in KMFA’s Studio 2000.

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

*** UPDATE!***  I just got a note from Brian:

Greetings,

I just wanted to send you a quick note that this week on Film Score Focus I’ll be playing music from ARTOIS THE GOAT with the filmmakers as my guests. The DVD just came out a month ago. Check out the FSF blog post and tune in if you can. It’s on 89.5 KMFA Friday night at 8PM or Sunday at 7PM. You can even tune in via the internet at http://www.kmfa.org.
Thanks!
~BMS

KMFA visits KLRU’s ACL set at UT

  

~ posted by Jules Brandon, host of KMFA’s Sunday Matinee.

Recently, a group of us at KMFA had the opportunity to be part of the audience at the KLRU-TV taping of Anton Nel and Bion Tsang’s performance in the Austin City Limits sound stage (they were taping a segment for KLRU’s show, In Context). They played a few pieces from their new CD, eponymously titled “Bion Tsang and Anton Nel Live in Concert.” Both performers are instructors at the UT Butler School of music, so this is their “home turf.”

The experience we had was so special! Music like this is always moving, regardless of where you are when you hear it. But to be in such close proximity to the artists was wonderful. It felt like a private concert in a friend’s living room. We witnessed exactly how they bring music to life, as well as the nuances of their interactions with each other as partners who have performed together more times than you can count. All of this added a level of intensity to the experience that was nothing short of breathtaking. I’m looking forward to hearing the CD! And thanks, KLRU, for inviting us to be a part of this “Classically Austin” event.  🙂 

 
 

A Russian feast – Barbara Nissman’s visit to the Austin Symphony

 ~posted by Dianne Donovan, KMFA weekday announcer

Sometimes my ears crave something special. On Saturday the Austin Symphony Orchestra served up a feast for the ears, that featured music by Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich.

The program began with a marvelous appetizer, namely, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s gorgeous “Vocalise,” just the piece to awaken the palate before the more dramatic fare on the menu.

The guest soloist with the ASO for this performance was Barbara Nissman, billed as “…one of the last pianists in the grand romantic tradition of Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Rubinstein.” The piece was Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor…a real “knuckle-buster.” When I think of this piece, I am reminded of the old story about how Michelangelo created his statue of David: “I just cut out all the parts that didn’t look like David.” I had the sense that Rachmaninoff started with black manuscript and simply erased all the parts that didn’t sound like a piano concerto (at least with regard to the piano part). Ms. Nissman gave a commanding performance.

The pièce de resistance for me was the performance of the Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op.47, by Dmitri Shostakovich. I have to say that this piece has been a favorite of mine for decades. A composer of the Soviet era, Shostakovich was under fierce scrutiny when he wrote this piece (or any other, for that manner), and that harsh reality is reflected throughout the work. Under the direction of Maestro Peter Bay, the ASO deftly caught the sudden shifting moods, with great attention to dynamics. I thought I saw the audience leaning forward and back, sympathetically, as the orchestra told Shostakovich’s compelling story.

As is often the case with such soirées, everyone in attendance (on stage and off) left the table a little bit slower, smiling and reflecting on the feast and the fine presentation. Kudos to Maestro Bay and the ASO!

Dianne Donovan is KMFA’s midday announcer and host/producer of Classical Austin. If you missed the recent Classical Austin episode (Feb. 24th) featuring Maestro Peter Bay’s insights on this event, you can listen to it again on our website by clicking here.