Classical Music
Met Opera Concert to Mark Anniversary of Ukraine Invasion
The Metropolitan Opera in New York will mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a concert to remember victims of the war. Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Soprano Golda Schultz, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, tenor Dmytro Popov, and Ukrainian bass-baritone Vladyslav Buialskyi will be the soloists at the Feb. 24 performance. “Mozart’s Requiem is to remember the innocent victims of the war, and Beethoven’s Fifth is in anticipation of the victory to come,” Met general manager Peter Gelb said in a statement Friday (Jan. 20). The concert will be broadcast on radio and will be presented in association with the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A...
Fan Chant: Can’t Talk, Busy Running Through a Garden in a Ballgown to This New Vitamin String Quartet BTS Album
Welcome to Fan Chant, a weekly column for K-pop fans, stans, and newbies alike. Each week, I’ll be rolling out interviews, lists, and all kinds of content to keep you in the loop on the latest and greatest from our friends in Seoul and beyond. Also, make sure to subscribe to my companion newsletter! As anyone who has even glanced at this column (or most of my writing) before can confirm, I absolutely love to love things. To that same end, I also adore people who love pop culture, film, fandom, and niche interests with all their heart. I’m obsessed with being part of the discussion around a cultural phenomenon, even if the product itself isn’t necessarily something I’m passionate about — I used to read Game of Thrones recaps regularly even though the show wasn’t my vibe, finding myself stan...
Queen Elizabeth Knighted John Williams Before Her Death
Composer John Williams was one of the last people to be knighted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. According to The Daily Mail, the artist was on a Queen-approved list of those KBE honoraries for their services to UK-US relations. Williams, 90, is behind the music of countless classic movies, particularly from directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Williams has composed music for Star Wars, Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schlinder’s List, Saving Private Ryan, the Indiana Jones films, the first two Home Alone films, and the first three Harry Potter films, just to name a few. He has 25 Grammys and five Oscats to his name, his Star Wars soundtrack is part of the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, and in 2014 was the was the recipient ...
A 15-Piece Classical Drum & Bass Band Actually Exists—And They’re Making Their Festival Debut
Polyphonic paints drum & bass music a truly unique way—by uniting a 15-piece orchestra. Led by Fiber and The Fiber Pianist, the band aims to reframe the genre’s timeless hits into an awe-inspiring orchestral performance, breaking its boundaries by integrating classical music, jazz, hip-hop and even metal. The project’s lineup includes highly acclaimed musicians, like drummer Koen Herfst (Armin van Buuren), hardstyle vocalist Diandra Faye (Da Tweekaz) and members of the Phion Orchestra, who regularly perform for the King of the Netherlands. Polyphonic’s live debut in July 2021, which was funded by the Dutch Performing Arts Fund, saw them reimagine classics from a number of iconic drum & bass acts, among them Noisia, Chase & Status, High Contrast, Dimension, Netsk...
ANOHNI and Bryce Dessner Team with Australian String Quartet for “Another World (String Arrangement)”: Stream
Back in 2008, ANOHNI released a song titled “Another World” while fronting her former band Antony and the Johnsons. Now, the track has received a new string rearrangement for The National’s Bryce Dessner and Australian String Quartet’s new album, Impermanence/Disintegration, made in collaboration with the Sydney Dance Company. “Another World (String Arrangement)” closes Impermanence/Disintegration, and is the sole song on the project to feature vocals. ANOHNI’s haunting vocals and sobering lyrics hit even harder on the new version. “I need another place/ Will there be peace?” she sings. “I need another world/ This one’s nearly gone.” The new music video is an excerpt from the Sydney Dance Company’s hour-long dance work that premiered in Sydney in March 2020. Both the album’s music and acco...
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Concert in Observation Area After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine
Yo-Yo Ma received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a field house clinic at Berkshire Community College on Saturday. Afterward, he treated healthcare workers and individuals waiting in the observation area to a surprise concert. According to The Berkshire Eagle, the famed cellist “wanted to give something back,” so during the 15-minute observation period following his inoculation, he took out his instrument and played a brief set. Yo-Yo Ma situated himself along the wall of the observation area, masked and socially distanced away from the others. Following his 15-minute performance, he waved and placed his hand over his heart as he received a healthy round of applause. See photos and video below via an Instagram post from Berkshire Community College. Relat...
