KPAC Blog

The KPAC Blog features classical music news and analysis from all our classical hosts. From Ron Moore's detailed look at Wagner's masterpiece "Parsifal," to an inside look at the Latin Grammys from James Baker, the KPAC Blog features writings about some of the music played on air as well as other interviews and essays about classical music.

Pages

Classical Spotlight
12:02 pm
Tue May 7, 2013

St. Luke's Episcopal Choir Premieres Phillips Canticles

The Choir of St. Luke's Episcopal Church will present their last "Choral Evensong" this season Sunday afternoon at 4:30pm. The concert will feature the world premiere of the St. Luke's Canticles by Craig Phillips. It was commissioned by the parish and the Friends of Music for the Parish Choir for this concert, and later tour of the United Kingdom. Dr. Phillips will be present for the premiere, and more choral works of Phillips will be presented in the Service as well.

Read more
Tiny Desk Concerts
1:54 pm
Mon May 6, 2013

Nicola Benedetti: Tiny Desk Concert

Credit Marie McGrory / Marie McGrory/NPR
Nicola Benedetti performs a Tiny Desk Concert in February 2013.

Originally published on Tue May 7, 2013 1:01 pm

You might never tell by her youth or her warm and approachable demeanor, but 26-year-old Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti has already had an extraordinary career. Mentored by Yehudi Menuhin starting at age 10, Benedetti won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award a decade ago — and, really, that was just a warm-up.

Read more
KPAC Blog
12:03 pm
Mon May 6, 2013

Slatkin On Recording, Revitalization, And Rachmaninoff

This week the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs two different programs at Carnegie Hall. Leonard Slatkin, their music director, is happy to be part of the Spring For Music festival. "More than any composer I can think of, you span not only his musical growth, but literally the coming of age of American music with these four [Ives] symphonies."

KPAC will air Detroit's Spring For Music concerts on Saturday & Sunday, May 18th and 19th at 7pm on KPAC & KTXI.

Read more
KPAC Blog
9:59 am
Fri May 3, 2013

Maria Schneider: Classical, Jazz, Or Does It Matter?

A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to interview the remarkable composer and band leader Maria Schneider.

Her latest work as a composer is still the buzz around both classical and jazz crowds. The disc, consisting of two song cycles written for Dawn Upshaw, is called "Winter Morning Walks."

Read more
Deceptive Cadence
7:16 am
Fri May 3, 2013

What Do You Get Valery Gergiev For His 60th Birthday?

Credit Marco Borggreve / courtesy of the artist
Conductor Valery Gergiev, who turns 60 today.

Originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 12:03 pm

Deceptive Cadence
9:10 am
Thu May 2, 2013

Coaxing The Baby To Sleep: A Violinist's Hand-Picked Lullabies

Originally published on Wed May 1, 2013 6:48 pm

In German, it's wiegenlied; in French, berceuse; in Norwegian, vuggevise. In any language, the universal effect of what we know as the lullaby is, of course, to coax a baby to sleep.

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine had her own baby in mind when she decided to record a collection of lullabies. Her infant daughter appears on the cover of the new album Violin Lullabies — all folded up, fast asleep, so tiny she just about fits in her dad's hands.

Read more
KPAC Blog
8:01 am
Thu May 2, 2013

KPACK 2013: Greenberg On How To Listen

San Antonio Symphony
3:13 pm
Wed May 1, 2013

New Symphony CEO Set To Take Organization Into The Future

Credit Tobin Center
The San Antonio Symphony moves into the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in Fall 2014.

The San Antonio Symphony announced today that Jack Downey, a local businessman, fundraising consultant and retired Air Force officer, will take the helm as the organizations new CEO.

Downey said this position was an irresistible opportunity:

Read more
Classical Spotlight
9:48 am
Wed May 1, 2013

Mastersingers Get Sendoff For Italy At Little Flower Basilica

Credit John Clare / Texas Public Radio
Conductor John Silantien

“Bella Italia” will feature music to be performed by the San Antonio Mastersingers and the University of Texas at San Antonio Concert Choir in Italy, May 12–21. The program begins with Giovanni Palestrina’s "Ave Maria", "composed for St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome, where we've been invited to sing a Mass during this tour," says John Silantien, conductor of the groups.

Read more
Classical Spotlight
9:15 am
Wed May 1, 2013

Children's Chorus Celebrates The Magic Within

Credit Chris Eudaily/TPR
Marguerite McCormick

The Children's Chorus of San Antonio performs their annual Spring Song this Sunday at 3 p.m., with a theme "The Magic Within." 

Artistic Director and Founder Marguerite McCormick is excited for the program.

Read more

Pages