Benet Casablancas Premiere March 10, Now a Part of Flamenco Festival NY The international Flamenco Festival has joined with the Foundation for Iberian Music’s ongoing Granados Celebration for a world premiere concert event on March 10, 2016. The Flamenco Festival has been called “one of New York City’s most important events” by Newsday. It features Hispanic musicians and dancers from all over the world, in addition to the ever evolving tradition of flamenco. For this concert, Perspectives Ensemble (artist in residence at the Foundation for Iberian Music), under director Ángel Gil-Ordoñez, will be joined by Spanish dancer Anna de la Paz. The concert program will showcase works by Enrique Granados, but the highlight is sure to be the world premiere of Benet Casablancas’s new work, Romanza sin palabras: Homage to Granados. The concert closes the celebration’s international conference, “The Life and Music of Enrique Granados (1867-1916): A Centennial Celebration.” It is free and open to the public. 7 pm, March 10 Elebash Recital Hall CUNY Graduate Center 365 5th Ave NY, NY 10016
Videos of Recent Early Music Workshops Last month, the Foundation for Iberian Music hosted a series of early music workshops, in collaboration with the New York Early Music Celebration. We have video of three of these workshops available online, so if you were unable to attend or you would like to review them, please look at our YouTube channel! Click below for individual videos: Master Class with Tembembe Ensamble Continuo Lecture and Performance with La Fontegara “Rethinking Bach’s Violin Ciaconna:” master class with Raymond Erickson (link goes to Prof. Erickson’s youtube channel, which now features an updated series of videos of the same lecture, given on another date)
Cristóbal Soler Joining the Granados Celebration Advisory Committee Cristóbal Soler is Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Teatro de la Zarzuela (National Lyric Theater), Madrid, Principal Guest Conductor and Associate Director of the Navarra Symphony Orchestra, and Chairman of the AESDO, Spanish Association of Conductors. Considered one of the most important conductors of his generation, Soler has established a successful career conducting extensive symphonic repertoire and opera productions. He has received many accolades for Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Cosí fan tutte, La Traviata, Rigoletto, L´elisir d´amore, Don Pascuale, La Sonambula, Carmen, Lalo´s Le Roi d’Ýs, Gounod´s Mireille, La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein, Werther, and Aida, among others. His repertory of zarzuelas reveals Maestro Soler as one of today’s best ambassadors of Spanish Music. He has conducted many Spanish zarzuelas titles such as Los diamantes de la corona (International Opera Awards 2015 nominee), El Gato Montés (Teatro Campoamor Lyrical Award for best lyrical production), El barberillo de Lavapiés, Pan y toros, Alma de Dios, El trust de los tenorios, Los claveles, La reina mora, Doña Francisquita, Luisa Fernanda, La Generala, La Revoltosa, La Verbena de la Paloma; Agua, Azucarillos y Aguardiente, Los descamisados, El año pasado por agua, Marina, El Dominó azul, La Dogaresa and La Gran Vía. He has always received excellent reviews that emphasize his charisma and interpretation as well as his immaculate conducting technique.
Granados Centenary Celebrations Commencing December 8th Our upcoming year (plus) long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Enrique Grandos’ birth and centenary of his death is steadily coming together, with a growing roster of events throughout the world that includes conferences in New York, Madrid, and Tokyo. For a full, updated list of events, please see and bookmark this page (and, of course, watch the Brook Center site or our Facebook and Twitter for announcements). The festivities will kick off December 8th here in NYC, with a song and dance music performance at Instituto Cervantes, featuring classical Spanish dancer Anna de la Paz. Stay tuned! Instituto Cervantes 211 E 49th St NY, NY 10017 $10 ($5 for IC members) 7 PM
Medieval Music Besalú: July 2016 Medieval Music Besalú, one of the Foundation for Iberian Music’s many early music partners, has just opened registration for its 5th Annual Course in July 2016. Medieval Music Besalú is an extensive course in medieval music performance, held in the beautiful medieval town of Besalú, Spain (Catalonia). At the festival, students may take classes in all aspects of medieval music, from medieval Latin and Pythagorean tuning to reading music manuscripts, with of course, many opportunities for coaching in vocal and instrumental performance. Highlights of the upcoming course will include workshops in the Carmina Burana and liturgical drama. The course is July 8–23, 2016. Space in the workshops is extremely limited, so early registration is recommended. Click here for tuition information, and have a look at their photo and video page for a look at the festival’s many activities!
Andalus Ensemble Fall Concert The New York Andalus Ensemble, a resident ensemble at the Foundation for Iberian Music, has a confirmed fall concert date! Please join us November 10th at Elebash Recital Hall at 7:15 pm. Tickets are $15.50 ($12 students/seniors). Click here to purchase advance tickets. November 10, 2015, 7:15 pm Elebash Recital Hall The Graduate Center, CUNY 365 Fifth Ave NY, NY 10016
Roger Scruton, “Walking Among Noise” Video This year’s lecture with Roger Scruton was a wonderful success. We were turning away people at the door! Please check back with us next week for a full write up of the event and news of what is to come for Music in 21st-Century Society. In the mean time, for those who were unable to attend, video of the lecture is now available (click the banner below). Watch in good health.
Violin Masterclass with Raymond Erickson: “Rethinking Bach’s Violin Ciaccona” Extending our lineup of early music workshops this October, Professor Raymond Erickson (Queens College,The Graduate Center) will present a violin masterclass on Bach’s ciaconnas. The presentation will include a video of the ciaccona with baroque dance. Violinists wishing to participate in the master class should contact raymond.erickson@qc.cuny.edu before October 10. This lecture/masterclass is free and open to the public. Masterclass participation is open only to violinists but all Baroque music scholars and enthusiasts are invited to attend. The lecture will be held in Elebash Recital Hall on October 13th, 1–3 pm, following the morning workshop with La Fontegara. Presented in partnership with the Bildner Center and the New York Early Music Celebration.
Perspectives Ensemble Joining Upcoming Roger Scruton Lecture The program for the upcoming Lloyd Old and Constance Old lecture, with Roger Scruton and Greil Marcus, now has a featured musical guest! Members of Perspectives Ensemble, a resident ensemble at the Foundation for Iberian Music, will perform selections from string quartets by Rochberg, Tippett, and Webern. The works have been chosen to represent a spectrum in 20th century classical music, from populist to high modernist. Please join us for this stimulating lecture and concert on October 16th. (Reservations for free tickets are now open.)
Early Music Performances and Workshops in October This year’s New York Early Music Celebration, “El Nuevo Mundo,” which runs October 9–18, is bringing a wealth of opportunities to hear and practice Spanish early music! Below is a master list of the lecture-performances being co-sponsored by the Foundation for Iberian Music and their related festival concerts. Check back for additional information as it becomes available. Detailed information about all New York Early Music Celebration (NYEMC) events can be found on the NYEMC website. October 10, 2015 Early Music New York Opening keynote concert. Chamber Orchestra, with Frederick Renz Guest singers will join the orchestra in a featured tonadilla [theatrical form related to the zarzuela] along with Boccherini’s “Night Music from the Streets of Madrid,” an opera overture and dance suite by the Guadeloupian-born composer, Chevalier de Saint- Georges and works by Spain’s enlightened symphonists. 8 pm Cathedral Church of St John the Divine 1047 Amsterdam Ave (112th Street) October 13, 2015 La Fontegara From Mexico City, La Fontegara presents a lecture and workshop on instrumental works from Spanish American colonies (especially Mexico). The Graduate Center, Elebash Recital Hall 10 am – 1 pm NYEMC Concert: presented by the Mexican Cultural Institute 6 pm Mexican Consulate, Galeria Octavio Paz 27 E. 39th St, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10016 Raymond Erickson Professor Erickson, of Queens College, will present a lecture and violin master class, “Rethinking Bach’s Violin Ciaccona.” The presentation will include a video of the Ciaccona with baroque dance. Violinists wishing to participate in the master class should contact raymond.erickson@qc.cuny.edu before October 10. Elebash Recital Hall 1 pm – 3 pm October 14, 2015 Tembembe Ensamble Continuo Temembe will present a performance workshop on the relationship between instruments and performance practices of the 17th century Hispanic fandango and its contemporary counterpart. The Graduate Center, room C197 10 am – 1 pm NYEMC Concert: 7 pm The Americas Society 680 Park Avenue, at 68th St New York, NY 10065 October 16, 2015 Musica Temprana In their US debut, Dutch group Musica Temprana presents this performance and workshop on the research and application of historical performance practices in bailes, cachucas, and tonadas. The Graduate Center, Segal Theater 10 am – 1 pm October 18, 2015 Musica Temprana NYEMC Concert: Corpus Christi Church 529 W. 121st Street New York, NY 10027