I’m playing an Aleatoric Piece now, so thought I’d write about what it is.
Aleatoric music is music in which some element of the composition is left to chance, and/or some primary element of a composed work’s realization is left to the determination of its performer(s). The term is most often associated with procedures in which the chance element involves a relatively limited number of possibilities.
Sarah Chang is just….amazing.
Sarah Chang (Korean: 장영주) (born December 10, 1980) is a Korean-American classical violinist. Her debut came in 1989 with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Shortly thereafter, Chang was recognized as a child prodigy. She enrolled at Juilliard School to study music, graduating in 1999 and continuing university studies.
Chang had major roles including being a soloist with the New York Philharmonic. She has also performed in countries such as England, France, Germany, Netherlands, China, South Korea, and Japan.
Did I mention that I met her and saw her perform with the Philly Orchestra?
…and I have her autograph in my viola case ;)
Rest in peace, Rachmaninoff.
March 28, 1943 - Death of Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, in Beverly Hills California. He had just become an American citizen. In poor health, he insisted on making a concert tour to raise funds for war relief. In Knoxville TN, in February, he became weaker and returned to his home in California, and died just a few days before his 70th birthday. He was buried at the Kensico celebrity cemetery in Valhalla, NY.
Rest in Peace, Moussorgsky.
March 28, 1881 - The death of Russian composer Modest Moussorgsky at the age of 42, following a drinking binge.
Happy “First Performance Anniversary” to the Weiner Philharmoniker!
March 28, 1842 - First official performance of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Happy Birthday, Rostropovich!
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich was born on March 27, 1927. He was known to close friends as Slava, and was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. Rostropovich was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of all time.
In addition to his outstanding interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works which enlarged the cello repertoire more than any cellist before or since. He gave the premieres of over 100 pieces, forming long-standing friendships and artistic partnerships with composers including Dmitri Shostakovich, Andreas Makris, Sergei Prokofiev, Alfred Schnittke, and especially Benjamin Britten.
Happy birthday, Aretha Franklin!
Today is Aretha Franklin’s 70th birthday! Born on March 25, 1942, Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as the Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock.
Aretha Franklin has a lot more than her 70th birthday to celebrate: She’s reuniting with one of her musical mentors, Clive Davis, for a new album.
In an interview at her swanky birthday party on Saturday, Franklin said she and Davis, who helped engineer her comeback in the 1980s, would be working on new music. (Read more) - FOX News
