“Though the Barnes Foundation is rarely without music for very long, Philadelphia’s legendary art collection is instituting three new series of concerts,” writes David Patrick Stearns in Wednesday’s (1/11) Philadelphia Inquirer. Founder Albert C. Barnes “ ‘spoke about art in musical terms and music in visual terms,’ Martha Lucy, deputy director for education and public programs, said… The Barnes will add 16 concerts to Philadelphia’s classical music calendar. The Solo Series begins Jan. 27 with a concert titled ‘Fragments,’ featuring clarinetist Carol McGonnell. The Resounding Voices Choral Series begins Feb. 26 with Vigilia, an hour-long work by Einojuhani Rautavaara performed by the Philadelphia Voices.… Later this year, the Barnes Ensemble will be formed [of postgraduate musicians], appearing four times a year with as many as 80 players for intensive two-weeks-or-more workshops and performances, for exploration of complex modern works…. Conductor/composer Robert Whalen [associate conductor of the Delaware County Symphony] and soprano Katherine Skovira, a husband-and-wife team, are curating the concerts…. Whalen and Skovira have extensive academic and performance backgrounds, including the University of Minnesota … the University of Chicago (where he worked with composer August Read Thomas), and the Lucerne Academy (where Skovira worked with new-music specialist Barbara Hannigan).”
Posted January 13, 2017
