Craig Hella Johnson is known for crafting musical journeys that create deep connections between performers and listeners.
Johnson is Music Director of the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble and conductor emeritus of the Victoria Bach Festival and he’s also Artistic Director of Conspirare, a grammy award winning virtuoso choir who released a beautiful project not long ago called The Singing Guitar - it’s the choir along with 3 guitar quartets - LAGQ, The Austin Guitar Quartet, and the Texas Guitar Quartet, and cello by Douglas Harvey. Johnson curated a program woven together by exquisitely crafted music for voices, guitar, and stories of women.
I recently spoke to Craig about this gorgeous project:
On WGUC, we often highlight “new” composers, especially
during our New At Noon segment. I’d like to use this blog introduce you to an
up-and-coming composer who you DEFINITELY need to check out: Nia Franklin.
Yes- the Nia Franklin who in June 2018 was crowned Miss New
York 2018 AND the Nia Franklin who on September 9, 2018 was crowned Miss
America 2019! Did you know she attended East Carolina University in Greenville,
North Carolina, and graduated with a degree in music composition then earned
her Master of Music from University of North Carolina School of the Arts in
2017?
Just this year, she had one of her large-scale pieces,
“Chrysalis Extended” performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra!
More than a beauty Queen, Nia is firmly at the front of the
line when it comes to up-and-coming composers. In her own words:
“Even though I am a black miss America, I’m also the Miss
America who composes. I’m the miss America who sings opera. I’m the miss
America who cares about her community and the arts. It’s important to celebrate
that that’s who I am, my heritage, the culture I come from. Our differences
make us special and we should celebrate them.”
Keep an eye (and both ears) out for this composer... if anyone
is set for a meteoric rise in the world of classical music, its her.
For those of us in parts of the Midwest, we woke up from our sleep one day last week to snow on the ground as a lovely, but unnecessary, Spring surprise. However, it did get me thinking that the best revenge against Mother Nature’s little trick would be to share with you a few of my favorite Spring-themed classical pieces, and hope you’ll share with me some of yours. Please be kind in your assessment of my choices as I’m not the music director, just the marketing guy who enjoys classical music.
It’s probably no surprise that Vivaldi’s Spring is at the top of my list. I’ve always enjoyed The Four Seasons concerto, and the Anne Akiko Meyers CD is a personal favorite -I’ve added a small clip of her performing it. Is it possibly overused in films, television, commercials, etc.? Maybe, but it is so part of my consciousness that it always causes a bit of a smile when I hear it.
Next for me is Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Having grown up near, and went to college in, Appalachia, Copland’s music does evoke the beauty of the land as well as the spirit of the people. Those opening notes, the dawn of another day, so beautifully set the mood for his musical visit to a special part of our country. Here’s a performance from the Cincinnati Pops with Erich Kunzel conducting.
Felix Mendelssohn (who is our Classics for Kids featured composer in May) wrote the lovely Spring Song, perhaps one of the most performed pieces in young pianists’ recitals! I love what I perceive as his upfront honesty about this composition – “here is my spring song, that’s what I’m calling it, and it’s lighthearted and joyous so enjoy!” Here’s a piano version by the one and only Vladimir Horowitz.
My last choice is Smetana’s The Moldau. I really enjoy this symphonic poem and the images it evokes of the river flowing the way many rivers do, one minute serenely and peacefully, the next pounding against rocks, ultimately finding its way to the next river to continue its journey. Here’s a spirited performance from The National Symphony Orchestra.
I know there are many, many more beautiful works celebrating Spring and its feelings of warmth and renewal. Please help me round out my Top 5 by sharing your favorite seasonal piece. Drop be a note at wguc@wguc.org. Thanks for indulging me and I hope your Spring is full of music and hope!
Kevin Reynolds Marketing Manager Cincinnati Public Radio
