<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>The Elements Archives - Cultural Attaché</title> <atom:link href="https://culturalattache.co/tag/the-elements/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://culturalattache.co/tag/the-elements/</link> <description>The Guide to Arts and Culture events in and around Los Angeles</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:12:22 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <item> <title>12 Hollywood Bowl Concerts Not To Miss This Summer</title> <link>https://culturalattache.co/2024/06/26/12-hollywood-bowl-concerts-not-to-miss-this-summer/</link> <comments>https://culturalattache.co/2024/06/26/12-hollywood-bowl-concerts-not-to-miss-this-summer/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Craig Byrd]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:12:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Music]]></category> <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aram Khachaturian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Beethoven's 9th Symphony]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Count Basie Orchestra]]></category> <category><![CDATA[David Newman]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Denis Kozhukhin]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Diana Damrau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dmitri Shostakovich]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Edgar Meyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[George Gershwin]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Harry Connick Jr.]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Head Hunters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Herbie Hancock]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hollywood Bowl]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Igor Stravinsky]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Isabel Leonard]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jake Heggie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jean-Yves Thibaudet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jennifer Higdon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jessie Montgomery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[John Williams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jonas Kaufmann]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Joshua Bell]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin John Edusei]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin Puts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Leila Josefowicz]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lionel Bringuier]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles Philharmonic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Maria Schneider Orchestra]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Martin Chalifour]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nnenna Freelon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Renée Elise Goldberry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rodolfo Barráez]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ryan Bancroft]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sara Bareilles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sergei Prokofiev]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teddy Abrams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Elements]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tony Yazbeck]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://culturalattache.co/?p=20569</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>From classical music to jazz to show tunes to film scores - this season has it all</p> <p>The post <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2024/06/26/12-hollywood-bowl-concerts-not-to-miss-this-summer/">12 Hollywood Bowl Concerts Not To Miss This Summer</a> appeared first on <a href="https://culturalattache.co">Cultural Attaché</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p>Usually as the summer gets underway, I post the ten Hollywood Bowl Concerts not to miss. But this is quite a good year for concerts at Los Angeles’ beloved outdoor venue. So this year it is 12 Hollywood Bowl Concerts Not to Miss.</p> <p>Here are the twelve concerts I think warrant a journey to the Hollywood Bowl this summer:</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20571" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Connick-Jr.-Courtesy-the-artist.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Harry Connick, Jr. (Photo by Erik Kabik Photography/Courtesy HarryConnickJr.com)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>JULY FOURTH FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR WITH HARRY CONNICK, JR</em></strong>. – July 2<sup>nd</sup> – July 4<sup>th</sup></p> <p>If you’ve never experienced a fireworks show at the Hollywood Bowl, you clearly don’t know what you’re missing. This year’s headliner for the annual July 4<sup>th</sup> concerts is Harry Connick, Jr.</p> <p>His most recent album centered on songs of faith, but I would expect this concert to focus more on the material he’s best known for which are jazz standards and songs from the Great American Songbook.</p> <p><a href="https://culturalattache.co/2018/06/14/conductor-thomas-wilkins-launches-hollywood-bowl-season/">Thomas Wilkins</a> leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in these three concerts.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2884/2024-07-02/july-fourth-fireworks-spectacular-with-harry-connick-jr">here</a>.</p> <p>For those not in the Los Angeles area, he’ll be performing at <a href="https://purchasing.sandiegosymphony.org/9246?queueittoken=e_safetynet~q_57a303ca-69b9-47f1-8c2f-fe37dd3083a5~ts_1719422727~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_8d1ddd08c67f703eb01927fe33f747a6fb7770eff8b27139060c6534dccc463c">The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park</a> in San Diego on July 6<sup>th</sup>; Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA on <a href="https://www.axs.com/events/535232/harry-connick-jr-tickets/staticDetails?skin=mountainwinery">July 9<sup>th</sup></a> and <a href="https://www.axs.com/events/535233/harry-connick-jr-tickets?skin=mountainwinery">10<sup>th</sup></a> and at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, WA on <a href="https://concerts.livenation.com/an-evening-with-harry-connick-jr-woodinville-washington-07-12-2024/event/0F00606607B44535">July 12<sup>th</sup></a> and <a href="https://concerts.livenation.com/an-evening-with-harry-connick-jr-woodinville-washington-07-13-2024/event/0F00606607BD4537">13<sup>th</sup></a>. These are the only dates on his schedule right now.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20572" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/George-Gershwin-Courtesy-New-York-Public-library-Archives.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George Gershwin (Courtesy New York Public Library Archives)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>ALL- GERSHWIN</em></strong> – July 11<sup>th</sup></p> <p>Who could ask for anything more than pianist <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/10/03/pianist-jean-yves-thibaudets-44-year-journey-with-gershwin/">Jean-Yves Thibaudet</a>, opera’s <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2021/05/20/operas-isabel-leonard-directs-her-future/">Isabel Leonard</a> and Broadway star <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/07/10/tony-yazbecks-passion-for-gershwin/">Tony Yazbeck</a> in an evening of songs and music by George Gershwin?</p> <p>The program opens with the <em>Cuban Overture</em> and is then followed by <em>Variations on “I Got Rhythm</em>.<em>“</em> Leonard and Yazbeck conclude the first half with selections of Gershwin’s songs.</p> <p>The second act features Thibaudet playined <em>Rhapsody in Blue</em> and closes with <em>An American In Paris</em>.</p> <p><a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/03/28/conductor-lionel-bringuiers-musical-conversation-with-ravel-and-gershwin/">Lionel Bringuier</a> conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances?Venue=Hollywood+Bowl&Season=upcoming">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20577" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Hollywood-Bowl-2022-Photo-by-Craig-L.-Byrd.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hollywood Bowl 2022 (Photo by Craig L. Byrd)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>MAESTRO OF THE MOVIES: THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS AND MORE</em></strong> – July 12<sup>th</sup> – July 14<sup>th</sup></p> <p>This annual celebration of all things John Williams will be a little different. Yes, Williams curated the program utilizing his own music and many classic scores he loves from the <em>Golden Age</em>, but he will not be appearing this year.</p> <p>Williams had to cancel all upcoming appearances due to a health issue “from which he is expected to make a full recovery.” Does that mean light sabers won’t be at the ready for the inevitable selections of music from <em>Star Wars</em>? Of course not. </p> <p><a href="https://culturalattache.co/2018/07/19/just-thought-safe-go-back-bowl/">David Newman</a>, who regularly conducts the first half of these concerts each year, will be conducting the full program.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2929/2024-07-12/maestro-of-the-movies-the-music-of-john-williams-and-more">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20584" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maria-Schneider-Photo-by-Kyra-Kverno-Courtesy-Maria-Schneider.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Maria Schneider (photo by Kyra Kverno/Courtesy Maria Schneider)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>BIG BAND NIGHT</em></strong> – July 17<sup>th</sup></p> <p>If you love large ensemble jazz music, this concert is for you. The evening opens with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (who have made countless appearances at the Hollywood Bowl).</p> <p>Next up is The Count Basie Orchestra who will feature vocalist Nnenna Freelon. </p> <p>The headliner is the <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2022/03/24/maria-schneider-doesnt-play-it-safe/">Maria Schneider</a> Orchestra which is celebrating its 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary. Earlier this year Maria Schneider released a 3-lp vinyl box set entitled <em>Decades</em>. You can’t stream that recording, you can only get it <a href="https://www.artistshare.com/Projects/Experience/1/532/1/Maria-Schneider-Decades">here</a>. But you can hear this incredible artist and her musicians live. This is her only US appearance until September.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2938/2024-07-17/big-band-night-maria-schneider-orchestra-count-basie-orchestra-clayton-hamilton-jazz-orchestra">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20573" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Kevin-John-Edusei-Photo-by-Marco-Bogrreve-Courtesy-Intermusica.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kevin John Edusei (Photo by Marco Borggreve)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>STRAVINSKY & KHACHATURIAN</em></strong> – July 30<sup>th</sup></p> <p>I’ve written before how Aram Khachaturian’s music isn’t performed often enough. As they did in the Walt Disney Concert Hall this season, the LA Philharmonic is breathing new life into his work in this program that features the composer’s <em>Violin Concerto</em> and the <em>Spartacus Suite No. 2</em>. Martin Chalifour is the soloist for the concerto.</p> <p>The concert closes with the 1919 version of Stravinsky’s <em>The Firebird Suite</em>. Kevin John Edusei conducts.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2946/2024-07-30/stravinsky-khachaturian">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20586" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ryan-Bancroft-Photo-by-B.-Ealovega-Courtesy-Intermusica.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ryan Bancroft (Photo by B. Ealovega/Courtesy Intermusica)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>PROKOFIEV & SHOSTAKOVICH</em></strong> – August 6<sup>th</sup></p> <p>One of my top five piano concerti of the entire repertoire is being performed by Denis Kozhukhin in this concert. It is Prokofiev’s <em>Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26</em>. (My favorite recording of it is by Martha Argerich.)</p> <p>The second half of the program is Shostakovich’s <em>Symphony No. 10</em>. The work was completed the same year that Joseph Stalin died and is widely interpreted as the composer’s commentary on the brutality of the Soviet government during Stalin’s reign. It’s a big and powerful symphony.</p> <p>Ryan Bancroft leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2951/2024-08-06/prokofiev-shostakovich">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="300" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20583" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-300x300.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-150x150.jpg 150w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-768x768.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-696x696.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-1068x1068.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_-420x420.jpg 420w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Head-Hunters-AC-Courtesy-Herbie-Hancock.com_.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Head Hunters Album Cover (Courtesy HerbieHancock.com)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>HERBIE HANCOCK HEAD HUNTERS 50<sup>th</sup></em></strong> – August 14<sup>th</sup></p> <p>Where were you on October 26, 1973? Maybe you remember the release of <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/08/20/herbie-hancock-jazz-is-social-commentary-and-a-precursor-to-hip-hop/">Herbie Hancock</a>’s <em>Head Hunters</em> which is considered amongst the best jazz-fusion/jazz-funk albums of all time.</p> <p><em>Watermelon Man</em> may not be a title recognize, but I guarantee you the music has burrowed its way into your soul. </p> <p>This is the ONLY reunion of Hancock with the surviving members of that record: drummer Harvey Mason; saxophonist Bennie Maupin and percussionist Bill Summers. Playing bass is <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/09/24/marcus-milers-third-time-with-black-movie-soundtrack/">Marcus Miller</a> as original bassist Paul Jackson passed away in 2021.</p> <p>The original four-track album runs less than 45 minutes. Which means there will be a whole lot more music performed by Hancock and his bandmates.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2958/2024-08-14/herbie-hancock-head-hunters-50th">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20574" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joshua-Bell-Photo-©Richard-Ascroft-Courtesy-Primo-Artists.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Joshua Bell (Photo ©Richard Ascroft/Courtesy Primo Artists)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>THE ELEMENTS WITH JOSHUA BELL</em></strong> – August 15<sup>th</sup></p> <p>Joshua Bell commissioned five composers to write individual movements based on the elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Space. Those composers are <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2022/11/22/composer-kevin-puts-discusses-his-new-opera-the-hours/">Kevin Puts</a>, Edgar Meyer, <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/">Jennifer Higdon</a>, <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2015/10/28/composer-jake-heggie-brings-moby-dick-to-la-opera/">Jake Heggie</a> and <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2021/04/21/composer-jessie-montgomery-classical-musics-sonic-and-seismic-shift/">Jessie Montgomery</a>.</p> <p>Bell performs the work with Rodolfo Barráez conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.</p> <p>Also on the program are Aaron Copland’s <em>El Salón México</em>, which opens the concert and Leonard Bernstein’s <em>Symphonic Dances from West Side Story </em>which closes the concert.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2959/2024-08-15/the-elements-with-joshua-bell">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20585" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sara-Bareilles-in-22Into-the-Woods22-Photo-by-Matthew-Murphy-and-Evan-Zimmerman-for-MurphyMade.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sara Bareilles in “Into the Woods” (Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>SARA BAREILLES WITH THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL ORCHESTRA</em></strong> – August 17<sup>th</sup></p> <p>What at one point years ago might have seemed like a pop concert, is now pure heaven for musical theater lovers. Sara Bareilles is a three-time Tony Award nominee having received two nominations for Best Original Score (<em>Waitress </em>in 2016 and <em>SpongeBob SquarePants </em>in 2018) and for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for the 2023 revival of <em>Into the Woods</em>.</p> <p>Of course, she’ll perform music from throughout her career and this is her only concert on her schedule until late September.</p> <p>But wait, there’s more. Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry (<em>Hamilton</em>) will open the show.</p> <p>Thomas Wilkins conducts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/3232/2024-08-17/sara-bareilles-with-the-hollywood-bowl-orchestra">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20578" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Igor-Stravinsky-Courtesy-New-York-Public-Library-Archives.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Igor Stravinsky (Photo courtesy New York Public Library Archives)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>THE RITE OF SPRING</em></strong> – August 22<sup>nd</sup></p> <p><em>The Rite of Spring</em> by Igor Stravinsky is one of classical music’s most important and enduring works. Hearing this monumental work outside is reason enough to see this concert. But fans of Stravinsky’s music are in for a full evening of his genius.</p> <p>Teddy Abrams, Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra, conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a concert that opens with Stravinsky’s arrangement of <em>The Star-Spangled Banner</em>. His <em>Circus Polka</em> follows and the first half closes with Leila Josefowicz performing his <em>Violin Concerto</em>. Then the main attraction is on tap for the second half of the program.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2964/2024-08-22/the-rite-of-spring">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20582" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Dashon-Burton-Photo-by-Hunter-Hart-Courtesy-Colbert-Artists.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dashon Burton (Photo by Hunter Hart/Courtesy Colbert Artists)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>DUDAMEL LEADS BEETHOVEN 9<sup>th</sup></em></strong> – September 10<sup>th</sup></p> <p>Not sure what else anyone needs to know beyond Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Beethoven’s <em>Symphony No. 9</em>. But here goes:</p> <p>The soloists for this concert are bass Dashon Burton; mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey; tenor Anthony León; countertenor Key’mon Murrah and soprano Hera Kyesang Park. The Los Angeles Master Chorale also performs.</p> <p>The concert opens with Leonard Bernstein’s <em>Chichester Psalms</em>.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2980/2024-09-10/dudamel-leads-beethoven-9">here</a>.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-20575" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jonas-Kaufmann-Photo-©Gregor-Hohenberg-Sony-Music.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jonas Kaufmann (Photo ©Gregor Hohenberg/Sony Music)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong><em>DUDAMEL AND THE STARS OF OPERA</em></strong> – September 12<sup>th</sup></p> <p>I couldn’t tell you the last time tenor Jonas Kaufmann performed in Los Angeles, but I can tell you the next time he will – at this concert where he will be joined by soprano Diana Damrau.</p> <p>The two will perform selected arias and duets.</p> <p>The concert opens with Verdi’s <em>Overture</em> to <em>I vespri sicilliani</em> which is followed by the ever-popular <em>Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana</em> by Mascagni. Respighi’s <em>Pines of Rome</em> closes the concert.</p> <p>Gustavo Dudamel leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic.</p> <p>For tickets and more information, please go <a href="https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2982/2024-09-12/dudamel-and-the-stars-of-opera">here</a>.</p> <p>Those are the 12 Hollywood Bowl Concerts Not to Miss in my opinion. What concerts are on the top of your list? Let me know in the comments.</p> <p>Main Photo: Hollywood Bowl 2023 (Photo by Craig L. Byrd)</p> <p>The post <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2024/06/26/12-hollywood-bowl-concerts-not-to-miss-this-summer/">12 Hollywood Bowl Concerts Not To Miss This Summer</a> appeared first on <a href="https://culturalattache.co">Cultural Attaché</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://culturalattache.co/2024/06/26/12-hollywood-bowl-concerts-not-to-miss-this-summer/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Composer Jennifer Higdon Lives in the Air of Ideas</title> <link>https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/</link> <comments>https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Craig Byrd]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Classical: Metronome]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category> <category><![CDATA[What's Hot]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Antonio Vivaldi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Blue Cathedral]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cold Mountain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[contemporary classical music]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Edgar Meyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Gustav Holst]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jake Heggie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jennifer Higdon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jessie Montgomery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Joshua Bell]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin Puts]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles Philharmonic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[New York Philharmonic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pulitzer Prize]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Santa Fe Opera]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Elements]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://culturalattache.co/?p=19368</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>"I was thinking about the breathing thing. This is a much calmer sort of experience. It's also a challenge for me because normally I write a lot of fast notes. "</p> <p>The post <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/">Composer Jennifer Higdon Lives in the Air of Ideas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://culturalattache.co">Cultural Attaché</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p>Vivaldi has <em>The Four Seasons</em>. Gustav Holst has <em>The Planets</em>. Not to be outdone, violinist <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2019/10/29/the-continuing-journey-of-violinist-joshua-bell/">Joshua Bell</a> commissioned <em>The Elements</em> which brought together five composers to write movements inspired by <em>Earth</em>, <em>Water, Fire</em>, <em>Air</em> and <em>Space</em> for violin and orchestra. Those composers were <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2022/11/22/composer-kevin-puts-discusses-his-new-opera-the-hours/">Kevin Puts</a>, Edgar Meyer, <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2015/03/04/jake-heggies-opera-dead-man-walking-comes-to-santa-monica/">Jake Heggie</a>, Jennifer Higdon and <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2021/04/21/composer-jessie-montgomery-classical-musics-sonic-and-seismic-shift/">Jessie Montgomery</a> (in order to match the movement they composed).</p> <p><em>The Elements </em>had its world premiere on September 1st with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra with Alan Gilbert conducting. The US premiere took place in late September and early October with the New York Philharmonic. More performances are being scheduled and on October 25th Bell will perform three movements with the <a href="https://www.aso.org/events/detail/joshua-bell-masters-the-elements">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="Joshua Bell & Alan Gilbert: "The Elements" | Opening Night 2023 | NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-jR511QrB6w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure> <p>Higdon is one of the most acclaimed composers of her generation. She received the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2010 for her violin concerto. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and her opera, <em>Cold Mountain</em>, had its world premiere in 2016 at Santa Fe Opera.</p> <p>Higdon didn’t get to choose her movement. She took <em>Air</em> as her movement and thought quickly and decisively about the role her movement would play in Bell’s commission.</p> <p>In this conversation she talks about her approach to <em>Air</em>, thinking about Joshua Bell as the soloist and the role of air in her daily life. What follows are excerpts from our conversation that have been edited for length and clarity. To see the full interview, please go to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQfUdH08rahzGKm2Hcawq-g">YouTube channel</a>.</p> <p>Q: Joshua Bell had the idea of the elements and then adding space as a fifth component. But was it a lottery? How did you each composer get the element that you ended up writing?<em> </em></p> <p><strong>When Joshua called me he said, “Well, the elements have all been picked, so the only thing left is air.” And I said, okay, I’ll do air. At that point there were only four composers – we didn’t have space as part of it. At some point he decided he wanted space to be a part of the equation and they asked Jessie Montgomery. So I think the guys all picked the elements they wanted. Then they called me.</strong></p> <p>If it had all been open and you could have chosen any one of the five, which one do you think you would have chosen? </p> <p><strong>Well, I think I could have come up with stuff for all of them. There was something interesting about air, though, because I’m a former flute player, so there was something striking about it and I might have picked that. </strong></p> <p><strong>I would say that if I were writing one of the other movements, it would be very different than what I wrote. Because to me the different elements feel like musically they would need to have different character just in the materials, the way it’s handled, the speed and the tempo. There are a lot of ways to go, but I think every composer approaches this according to their inner gyroscope.<em> </em></strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19376" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jaap-van-Zweden-Jessie-Montgomery-Joshua-Bell-Jake-Heggie-Jennifer-Higdon-Kevin-Puts-and-Edgar-Meyer-Courtesy-Unison-Media-NY-Philharmonic.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jaap van Zweden, Jessie Montgomery, Joshua Bell, Jake Heggie, Jennifer Higdon, Kevin Puts and Edgar Meyer (Photo by Chris Lee/Courtesy New York Philharmonic)</figcaption></figure></div> <p>You weren’t dealing with air as wind. You were dealing with it as what we take in, what we breathe, what we need, what the planet needs.<em> </em>How did you go from conceiving the work as being about that component of air to what you actually put on paper?</p> <p><strong>I thought strategically,<em> </em>because I’ve written a lot for violin. My colleagues, I figured, would be excited to write some really virtuosic stuff for Joshua, which he plays fantastic. I thought to myself, what would the audience need to hold them through a long concerto? I love Joshua’s playing. His tone is beautiful in the lyrical lines he plays in all of the concertos and the solo stuff he does. </strong></p> <p><strong>Maybe I should go and emphasize that and just make a quiet spot so the audience can breathe. I was thinking about the breathing thing. This is a much calmer sort of experience. It’s also a challenge for me because normally I write a lot of fast notes.<em> </em></strong></p> <p>For somebody who writes a lot of notes, how much does stillness, how much does silence, play a role in your concept of air? </p> <p><strong>Actually quite a bit – especially in this. I used many more wind and brass voicings and less strings, partly to set off Joshua’s violin voice, but also just because they use air. I do put pauses in there. I make everything move slowly. </strong></p> <p><strong>I was thinking a lot about the seasons.<em> </em>One of the things that strikes me is when seasonal changes come, the first thing we usually notice is the air when we step outside. The spring smells very different than the fall and winter. The bite of winter feels very different than the summer humidity that we often get on the East Coast. Part of it was just thinking about the distinctiveness of the air.</strong></p> <p><strong>But I also thought about the fact that the word air is often used as a musical term meaning song, <em>aria</em>. The word aria came out of air,<em> </em>so that made for me a different kind of challenge than most people have. They have trouble filling things up. My goal is backing off and calming down. So I thought this would be a good way to do this. </strong></p> <p>How does a work like <em>The Elements</em> come together given that five different composers are writing individual movements for it?</p> <p><strong>That’s the one thing about this concerto that’s fascinating. Every sound world is different because it’s a different composer. So you’re getting real variety in what you’re hearing. It makes the musical experience different than if you were listening to just a 40-minute concerto from one composer. The language is changing, the pacing, the rhythm, the interchange between the orchestra and the soloist. Actually it’s very, very effective. </strong></p> <p>Is cohesion an outdated idea for contemporary works?</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19377" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-HIgdon-at-the-Grammys-Courtesy-Jennifer-Higdon.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jennifer Higdon at the Grammy Awards (Courtesy JenniferHigdon.com)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong>I think artists can’t really say anything is outdated. I think everything’s on the board. I like the idea of variety. We can have both. We could have cohesion within our own little movements. </strong></p> <p><strong>One thing that gives Joshua a chance to do, if he does another piece with another orchestra and he wants to do one of these movements, he can do that. He can just pull it because the things work as self-contained units. They could also combine like maybe two or three of them if he needs a medium size work.</strong> </p> <p>[<em>As is the case with Bell’s October 25th concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra where he will perform the Bruch Violin Concerto and three movements from “The Elements.”]</em></p> <p>In an interview that you gave to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB113096332918386569">Annelena Lobb</a> for the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Wall Street Journal</span> in 2005, she asked what you did to relax. After answering that you walked and went to the movies a lot, she said, “So it’s not music all the time?” And your response was, “I think that would be hard. The brain needs to breathe.” It seems as though, even 18 years ago, you were considering breath and air as part of your need to be healthy.<em> </em></p> <p><strong>My answer is still I take breaks. I compose about 6 hours a day, I have to take breaks.<em> </em>Our brain really does need to break because sometimes it has to solve the musical problems you’re wrestling with. If I go too long without walking, I get cranky in the same way that I get cranky if I go too long without composing. I’m really bad about taking the breaks, but I’ve learned through the years to make sure I do it because it actually helps the music.</strong></p> <p>What is the conversation that you would like to see amongst contemporary composers that maybe is a different conversation than the one that happens when contemporary works are sandwiched with the works by composers from anywhere from 100 or more years ago?<em> </em></p> <p><strong>I’m not sure how to answer that because I’m always on with older works.<em> </em>One of the things I have noticed when I attend concerts </strong>[is] <strong>the concerts that seem to be drawing more people are the ones that have some contemporary music on it. I’m not sure what shifted during the pandemic, but something did, and I can tell from quite a few of the concerts I have been to have been sold out. A lot of times I see orchestras just doing the same pieces over and over again, the audiences are shrinking.</strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="alignleft size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-300x169.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19378" srcset="https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-300x169.jpg 300w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-768x432.jpg 768w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-696x392.jpg 696w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-1068x601.jpg 1068w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_-747x420.jpg 747w, https://culturalattache.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jennifer-Higdon-Photo-by-Andrew-Bogard-Courtesy-JenniferHigdon.com_.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jennifer Higdon (Photo by Andrew Bogard/Courtesy JenniferHigdon.com)</figcaption></figure></div> <p><strong>One of the things I encounter a lot is the number of people who come up to me and say, “Oh my God, I’m so glad to see a woman on the program.” I didn’t realize how much it meant to other people. I just am writing the music.<em> </em>But other people take it as my voice is heard from the orchestral stage. I think that’s more important than a lot of people may realize because it makes it more relevant in the community. </strong></p> <p><strong>I always think of using music now to pull people in to hear an event or something that’s unusual and then program something else on that you really like. I fear that the audience is going to drop off too much. I think LA</strong> [Philharmonic] <strong>is doing an amazing job balancing that. It may be the orchestra that’s doing it probably better than anyone else.</strong></p> <p>You works get performed a lot around the world. You’re right up there with Phillip Glass and John Adams. Let’s say you’re in rarified air.</p> <p><strong>I’m lucky. I have like 250 performances a year, so I get pieces that are just repeated much more than Mozart or Beethoven ever heard in their lifetime. That’s actually an incredible, miraculous thing when I think about it.</strong></p> <p><strong>I think that more people will get more performances if artistic administrators were looking around, were aware of more composers coming up. It’s ironic. I’m talking to you in L.A. The L.A. Phil is literally the last major orchestra in the United States who has not done my music. I think I’ve worked probably with 700 or 800 orchestras around the world. But the L.A. Phil is literally the only one that I’ve not had a performance with and I get asked about that now all the time. It’s unusual because</strong> [1999’s] <strong><em>Blue Cathedral</em>, we’ve had 800 orchestras do that piece and even that hasn’t been in L.A. I’m sure it’ll get corrected in the next couple of years.<em> </em></strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <iframe loading="lazy" title="Jennifer Higdon - blue cathedral - Stéphane Denève | Made in America" width="696" height="392" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gr2Tps5cgc4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div></figure> <p>Edith Wharton is quoted as having said, “The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing.” How does the air of ideas inspire you as you move forward throughout your career?</p> <p><strong>It seems to me like anyone who is creative just lives in the era of ideas. Although I do know a lot of composers who struggle. If you’re able to actually write every day that tends to make the air produce more ideas. But I think you have to always be thinking. A lot of times people only get to work some small amount of time on a job. I think it’s hard to kind of air out the laundry and and get fresh ideas in what you’re doing. So it’s interesting. I know that’s a really good question. Isn’t that applicable to anyone doing anything creative, though?</strong></p> <p>Without that air and without those ideas, we’re stuck.</p> <p><strong>We’d be dead. It would not be an interesting world. Even the kids would come up with some cool idea of how to skateboard in a different way or something that’s also living in the air of ideas. That’s literally having your ideas fly through the air. But let’s look at the Wright brothers. Those are radical ideas. Same for astronauts and NASA. But I also realize that someone is cleaning a floor somewhere and they’re going, you know, there’s probably a better way to do this. The idea of raising kids, it takes constant creativity, always thinking. So I guess that quote is factual and is applicable to every human being that crosses this planet.</strong></p> <p><em>To see the full interview with Jennifer Higdon, please go <a href="https://youtu.be/u64EtOgg44o">here</a>.</em></p> <p>To learn more about <em>The Elements</em>, please go <a href="https://www.theelementsjoshuabell.com">here</a>.</p> <p>Main Photo: Jennifer Higdon (Courtesy JenniferHigdon.com)</p> <p>The post <a href="https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/">Composer Jennifer Higdon Lives in the Air of Ideas</a> appeared first on <a href="https://culturalattache.co">Cultural Attaché</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://culturalattache.co/2023/10/24/composer-jennifer-higdon-lives-in-the-air-of-ideas/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>