Category Archives: Uncategorized

Playing Piano…in the Park!

World-famous pianist, Anton Nel, encountered one of the pianos on a hike around Lady Bird Lake

If you’re a fan of the parks and trails around downtown Austin, then you might have noticed random pianos popping up all over… available for anyone to play, at any time of day!

It’s all a part of a delightful conspiracy to provide music where you least expect it, featuring any artist who decides to play. Located throughout downtown in public parks, streets and squares, the pianos are for any member of the public to play. The pianos are also for the public to decorate and personalize.

Well, this is the last weekend to enjoy the pianos, so a few of us from KMFA decided to visit the one in Butler Park. It was such a beautiful day on Thursday!

Sarah playing piano in front of the Austin skyline

We climbed to the top of Doug Sahm Hill (I think Doug would have been pleased with the psychedelic painted dinosaurs on the side of the piano) and Sarah Addison, who is our resident expert in piano playing, gave her best attempt on this funky, outdoors piano, while we all got to admire the fabulous skyline and listen to a Beethoven backdrop.

Claire and Kelsey wish they'd paid better attention in piano classes when they were kids

one cheerfully painted piano

You can read more about this effort, as well as see some adorable photos and videos, at the website “Play Me I’m Yours.” They also have a map where each of the pianos is located. Go find one this weekend! 🙂 You’ll be surprised how nice a piano sounds outdoors in Austin’s wonderful springtime weather.

Another favorite Austin piano player, Marcia Ball, tries out a street piano

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA  🙂

KMFA wishes the Austin Symphony a Happy 100th Birthday!

On Tuesday, April 25th, 1911, the Austin Symphony Orchestra had its first performance, and KMFA celebrates this 100th Anniversary with a special program: A.S.O. 100!

When I listened to the interview portion, I was surprised to learn some interesting facts: I learned about the first-ever Drive-in Symphony Concert in the United States, as well as Monday night performances in the Coliseum after a weekend stockade show, and other “batty” and sublime moments.

On this program, KMFA’s Dianne Donovan visits with her guests: Maestro Peter Bay, Artistic Director and Conductor of the A.S.O.; Anthony Corroa, Executive Director of the A.S.O.; Joan Holtzman, Board Secretary, Charter Member of Women’s Symphony League, and de facto A.S.O. historian; and Eugene Gratovich, Associate Concertmaster (member of the A.S.O for 24 years), The Roy E. & Linda S. Bush Associate Concertmaster.

The show airs twice: Saturday, April 23rd, 9pm, Wednesday, April 27th, 8pm. If you missed the show, you can still hear the interview portion archived on our website.

~posted by Alison @ KMFA  😉

Preview: KMFA’s trip to New York City

~ submitted by Claire Wiley, KMFA office and production admin

Tomorrow morning, 21 excited travelers will embark on the KMFA trip to New York City for 10 magical days. Their itinerary is filled with classical music, fine art, and fine dining…you can read more about the fun they’ll be having here on the website.

I visited the Big Apple over the holidays, and knowing that KMFA was planning a tour to NYC, I thought I’d do a little reconnaissance first-hand…here are some of the pictures. I know they’re going to have a great time… we sure did!

Wandering through the Upper East Side, we happened upon the Plaza Athenee hotel, where the KMFA tour will be staying. Its pleasantly situated along a quiet street of beautiful row houses and apartments just off of Madison Avenue’s fabulous shopping district.

Coming out of New York’s public library we stumbled upon Bryant Park, which ended up being one of my favorite spots in the city. It offers great shopping in quaint semi-permanent stalls, and stunning views of some of New York’s most beautiful early skyscrapers.

The Museum of Modern Art was one of the definite highlights of our trip. We saw Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Monet’s Water lilies and other favorites by Picasso, Matisse, Pollack and Warhol (see next photo).

From one of the upper levels of the MoMA we witnessed a fantastic performance art piece. Standing in the middle, this performer guided his piano throughout the atrium playing a movement of Beethoven’s Ninth.

Street performers abound in Central Park; this accordion player made our stroll down the park’s literary walk feel even more like a storybook.

Our Christmas in New York would not be complete without a trip to Radio City Music Hall to see the famous Rockettes. But the Hall itself, sitting in Rockefeller Center, is a fun landmark any time of year.

This performer was singing opera tunes next to the enchanting Bethesda Fountain in Central Park...

...he promised me a photograph only if I would join him in a round of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Another planned stop on the KMFA tour: the bright lights of Times Square lit our way along Broadway to the Gershwin Theater where we saw a fantastic musical.

Chelsea is known for its wonderful art galleries, but New York artists in this neighborhood do not confine themselves to just canvases! We had a lot of fun discovering street art throughout the city.

Our view from the plane at sunset. Good-bye New York!

Opera singers from ALO’s “Flight” visit KMFA studios

On the KMFA program Classical Austin, host Dianne Donovan introduces us to some of the creative leadership behind some of our favorite Classically Austin arts events.

Last Wednesday, the spotlight was on Austin Lyric Opera’s upcoming performance of Flight. Joining Dianne in the KMFA studio were two performers, Mela Sarajane Dailey (as “Tina”) and Nick Zammit (as “refugee”), as well as the composer, Jonathan Dove. If you missed the episode, you can hear the interview portion here.

Mela Sarajane Dailey, Dianne Donovan, Jonathan Dove, and Nick Zammit.

It’s always exciting to meet the stars in person, but it’s very rare to meet the living, breathing composer! To hear him discuss his opera was a real treat.

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Maestro Peter Bay kicks off the Spring Membership Drive!

OK, it’s the first day of our pledge drive, and Peter Bay is on the air making us laugh! He is a riot. He just dropped by to give us a hand as we raise funds to keep KMFA broadcasting commercial-free music in Central Texas.

Maestro Bay put out a challenge to listeners: Rich played the theme song to Star Trek, and Peter asked KMFA listeners to call in and tell him why we were playing that piece today. If someone guessed correctly, then he would donate $50 to the Pledge Drive…. can you guess the answer? 🙂

If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, or if you have considered becoming a new member,  then follow his example and help keep KMFA strong and on the air for another 44 years!

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Bemused at the Blanton

I took advantage of Austin’s pleasant springtime weather to visit the Blanton Museum last weekend… and found a greenbelt of 99 trees covered with knitting, right in front of the entrance!

It was all part of the “Knitted Wonderland” that is officially referred to as a “site-specific installation,” designed by textile artist Magda Sayeg, and crafted by over 170 local volunteer knitters. I confess that when I saw it, I’m old enough to be reminded of toe socks. 😉 The bright knits added vivid color to the yet-leafless trees.

The industriously whimsical tree knits matched the current exhibit going on inside the Blanton: Recovering Beauty. I’ve often encountered literature and art that resulted from societal repression and revolution…. but this exhibit reflects the brief period of freedom from oppression that Argentina experienced during the 1990s.

The exhibited items within are delightful, expressive, metaphorical, and deceptively youthful. Some things appear simply decorative; others tell visual stories, and even provide specific tools for perspective, such as peep-holes on viewing boxes. The imagery and layers of meaning reminded me of literature’s greatest short stories: entertaining and appealing on the surface, rendering deeper content upon greater scrutiny.

I highly recommend visiting the Blanton for this wonderful exhibit. It has been one of my favorites! And the trees will be de-nitted March 25th, so swing by on your lunch hour.  You can find more info on the Blanton website.

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

KMFA in the news

Last Friday, KVUE’s Martin Bartlett stopped by the radio station, with a specific question in mind: how are local public media stations coping with the threat of federal de-funding, now that the House of Representatives has passed a bill doing just that?

KMFA’s General Manager, Joan Kobayashi, spoke with Bartlett about the different needs of public radio stations, such as rural vs. metro stations, and university licensees compared to community licensees. You can see the resulting broadcast here:

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

In the KMFA Studios: Matt Haimovitz drops by during SXSW

Dianne chats with Matt about classical music and SXSW

Matt Haimovitz: a musical visionary, cellist extraordinaire, and busy performer at SXSW this week, dropped by the KMFA studios today! He chatted on the air with Dianne Donovan about how classical music is not just a niche of music from prior centuries, but a foundation of music for all genres and future composition.

Short bio: From his debut (at age of 13!) as soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic, and his first recording for Deutsche Grammophon, Haimovitz is considered a modern cellist virtuoso. In 2000, he made waves with his Bach Listening-Room Tour, wherein Haimovitz took Bach’s beloved cello suites *out* of the concert hall and into clubs across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.  ….He was the first classical artist to play at New York’s infamous CBGB Club, in a performance filmed by ABC News’ Nightline. He is Professor of Cello at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal.

Matt Haimovitz is acclaimed for his visionary approach, groundbreaking collaborations and innovative recording projects. We learned from him today that on March 22nd he will premiere a new cello concerto by Denys Bouliane with the Montreal Symphony and Kent Nagano.

If you missed his on-air interview, you can still listen to it on our website.

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Texas Choral Consort offers an oratorio for all seasons

~posted by Dianne Donovan, KMFA mid-day host

Texas Choral Consort’s presentation of Die Jahreszeiten — “The Seasons” — (February 26th & 27th)

If you missed the opportunity to hear Franz Joseph Haydn’s “The Seasons” this past weekend, I’m sorry, really sorry. This masterwork is rarely performed in this part of the world. Although it was written three years after his blockbuster, “The Creation,” it never caught on like its predecessor.

photo credit: Robert Kelly

Much of the neglect rests with what was once an unwieldy English libretto (translated from a German translation/adaptation of an English poem by James Thomson titled, “The Seasons”). Over the centuries, some much-needed changes have improved the original libretto, and for this performance, Artistic Director, Brent Baldwin, deftly selected some of the best texts of the English versions.

photo credit: Robert Kelly

Having never heard this piece live, I wasn’t sure just how the music would “take flight.” Brent Baldwin led his chorus (the un-auditioned chorus, I might add!) to deliver a very strong and joyous performance. The orchestra was superb tackling this challenging piece and the soloists (soprano, Kirsten Watson as Jenny, baritone, Chaz Nailor as Simon and tenor, Jos Milton as Lucas), sang their arias/ensemble pieces with elegant facility and managed some tricky recitatives with great aplomb.

The other star of course, was Haydn. He was in his element here, with dazzling orchestration and some magnificent tone painting (was that a quail I just heard?). The summer sunrise and the shuddering storm scenes were standouts. As well, he provided inside jokes, as only Haydn could do. With the achingly beautiful opening of “Winter,” it was hard not to think of one W.A. Mozart. Also written into the music were moments of clever interplay between the soloists and chorus, and between the singers and the orchestra.

Cheers to the good folks at Texas Choral Consort for these performances, and to Brent Baldwin in particular for programming and delivering this piece.

Learn more about Texas Choral Consort performances and auditions at www.txconsort.org.

~posted by Dianne Donovan, mid-day host, and producer of Classical Austin