(Photo credit: Celeste Gaia) Better understanding the beginnings of a musical genre is vital for sustaining the genre into the modern day. Available documentation of these origins is often scarce, especially when a genre dates back to the 17th century. But, some anecdotes always seem to stand the test of time: because they are destined to. Italian soprano Giulia Bolcato {…}
(Photo credit: Christophe-Abramowitz) Throughout time, women have routinely been at the bad end of the deal when it came to composing, performing, or really anything that has to do with music. However, as we now know that didn’t mean women composers, performers, critics, and everything in between didn’t exist. Actually, the opposite! Composers like Hildegard von Bingen, Barbara Strozzi, Clara {…}
Composer Mason Bates and his non-profit Mercury Soul have released the second episode of his music video series entitled “Mason Bates x Barbara Strozzi Remix.” The video showcases Strozzi’s “Che Si Puo Fare” in a 21st century light and stars soprano Marnie Breckenridge, violinists Matthew Vince and Annamarie Arai, violist Ivo Bokulic, and cellist Bryon Hogan. “To bring this surreal, {…}
(Credit: Presto Music website) Bulgarian soprano superstar Sonya Yoncheva will release her new album “Rebirth” on March 12, 2021. The album, which will be released by Sony Classical, will spotlight works by Claudio Monteverdi, Francesco Cavalli, Barbara Strozzi, John Dowland, Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco Sánchez, and Alessandro Stradella, among others. The album will also include the popular Bulgarian folk {…}
Off the Beaten Track is an album review series that takes readers on a cross-disciplinary journey through recently released recordings, spotlighting the cool, the unusual, and the beautiful work created by artists who push boundaries and take the road less traveled. What was Zachary James thinking? Amid a raging pandemic, the star of stage and screen embarked on a wild, {…}
Star opera and Broadway performer, Zachary James, announced the December release of his debut visual album, “CALL OUT.” The album showcases the new compositions of 11 female composers with text ranging from Twitter to Edgar Allan Poe. The visual album takes its cue from innovative predecessors such as The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” and “Hard Days Night,” Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” {…}
Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago is set to celebrate its tenth anniversary season with digital programming that includes recitals, workshops, and the company’s annual Collaborative Works Festival. This year’s Collaborative Works Festival will exclusively feature women composers, as they commemorate the 100th anniversary since the ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to {…}
(Credit: Daniel Welch) Bass-baritone Zachary James will present a recital at Carnegie Hall dedicated to music by women on Nov. 30, 2020. Other performers on the recital include pianist Charity Wicks, baroque guitarist Brandon J. Acker, cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, and soprano Megan Nielson. Ellen Jackson will direct the concert. Among the pieces featured on the program will be Juliana Hall’s {…}