New Album from Kirill Gerstein

Allow me to introduce you to a new album that’s found its way onto the WGUC music library shelf. It’s the latest release from piano virtuoso Kirill Gerstein featuring some of the most-loved music by George Gershwin – his Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F. Most music lovers are familiar with these hits by the iconic American composer. Do not let the fear of it being “just another Gershwin album” tempt you to disregard this release. Gerstein takes this all-too-familiar music to the next level with his jazz and classical-fused flair, adding embellishments and even his own cadenza in the concerto. Also on the album – a few selections from piano legend Earl Wild. Kirill Gerstein talked to WGUC about his new album, including Wild’s “Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin.”

 

Gerstein collaborates with vibraphonist Gary Burton on a piece by Oscar Levant. He told us about his longtime friendship with Burton.

 
Gerstein joins David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for this live recording. Interested in hearing more from Gerstein? Make you way down to Cincinnati’s Music Hall January 4 and 5 when he will be performing alongside the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

History of the May Festival

This month, 90.9 WGUC presents the 2018 May Festival season Sunday evenings at 8pm. 2018 marked the May Festival’s return to Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall following an extensive renovation. It also celebrated the beginning of a new era for the May Festival, under the baton of newly-appointed Principal Conductor Juanjo Mena.

The Cincinnati May Festival was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious choral festivals in the Western Hemisphere. Their annual festival consists of two weekends of outstanding concerts backed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and internationally-acclaimed guest artists. Highlights from this season include Eun Sun Kim’s May Festival debut leading Verdi’s powerful Requiem, a celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial year with performances of Mass and Chichester Psalms, and a collaboration with a Cincinnati community choir in Handel’s iconic Messiah. See below for a complete broadcast schedule.

Did you know that in the mid-1800s, German immigrants who resided in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine community had a deep appreciation for the arts? They ended up forming singing groups and invited similar choirs in nearby towns to join them in a song festival. This eventually grew to be an annual gathering that took place in various Midwest cities. In 1870 when it was Cincinnati’s turn to host, it was decided that Saenger Hall would be built as a temporary structure to house the festival. This building was constructed where Music Hall now stands but was not an ideal setting for the festival since it was built with a tin roof!

In 1873, renowned conductor Theodore Thomas happened to be traveling through Cincinnati on tour with his New York-based orchestra and noticed that the city’s residents had great musical potential. He decided to work with local arts-advocates Maria Longworth Nichols and George Ward Nichols to create a large music festival that wasn’t tied ethnically to the current “Saengerfest” held at Saenger Hall. This was the beginning of the May Festival. It started as a 108-piece orchestra and 800-person choir that came together biannually, and eventually sparked the building of Music Hall in place of Saenger Hall, in order to provide a better facility for the festival. The third May Festival was the first to take place inside the new Music Hall in 1878. At the time, it was the largest concert hall in America.

Since the May Festival’s conception, it has remained one of the nation’s most eminent choral festivals, attracting internationally-acclaimed artists to join them in their annual performances. Be sure to tune to 90.9 Sunday evenings at 8pm all month long to hear Cincinnati’s very own May Festival Chorus.

May Festival 2018 Broadcast Schedule

Sunday, October 7, 8:00 PM (Performance Date: May 18)

Eun Sun Kim, conductor; Michelle Bradley, soprano; Ekaterina Semenchuk, mezzo-soprano; Bryan Hymel, tenor; May Festival Chorus, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

VERDI: Requiem Mass

Sunday, October 14, 8:00 PM (Performance Date: May 19)

Robert Porco, conductor; Kevin Vortmann, celebrant; May Festival Chorus; Cincinnati Children’s Choir; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

BERNSTEIN: Mass

Sunday, October 21, 8:00 PM (Performance Date: May 25)

Juanjo Mena, conductor; John Holiday, countertenor; May Festival Chorus; Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

GABRIELI: Magnificat

BERNSTEIN: Chichester Psalms

RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloé [complete ballet]

Coming Up on Music Cincinnati

Coming up this weekend, it’s a new Music Cincinnati broadcast from 90.9 WGUC. Featuring the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church Organ Concert Series, this special is sure to delight both aficionados and those new to the power contained within this age-old instrument.

The Opus 3671 organ at Hyde Park Community United Methodist in Cincinnati was built by Casavant Frères in 1990. It has nearly 5,000 pipes and was designed in the French tradition fulfilling the dual role of choir and main organ. The upcoming Music Cincinnati broadcast highlights this organ during the 2017–2018 concert season. This instrument draws talent from across this globe. The 2017–2018 season welcomed organists Jean-Baptiste Robin, Renée Anne Louprette, and Kola Owolabi.

What music can you expect to hear on this broadcast? A variety! You’ll enjoy everything from Baroque-era pieces by Handel, Vivaldi, and Bach, all the way to newer works – even one by one of the organists himself! The organists are some of the world’s best. Jean-Baptiste Robin is organist of the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles and Professor of Organ at the National Conservatory in Versailles. He is considered one of the most accomplished French organists and composers today. Renée Anne Louprette is organist at Rutgers University. She’s also known as a conductor and teacher and is known internationally as a recitalist. Kola Owolabi is Associate Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He frequently tours North America as a recitalist and has been featured at conventions put on by the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society.

This Music Cincinnati is one not to be missed! Tune into 90.9 WGUC Sunday, September 20 at 8pm, or listen online at wguc.org, via the WGUC app, or your smart speaker. Not available at 8pm this Sunday? Never fear! This program will be archived at wguc.org the week following and you’ll be able to listen to it at your convenience!