Musical theater is often considered quite separate from "classical" music - it's taught in different degree programs, shown in different theaters, and written about it different magazines. But Stephen Sondheim is one of those tricky artists that somehow transcends those boundaries. Sondheim - who, by all accounts, is a musical theater composer - has had his work performed by some of the world's great orchestras, and has been hailed as the closest American equivalent to the great European opera composers of bygone centuries. 

Widespread popularity is standard for Broadway musicals and their composers - but the elite approval isn't.  Join us the week as we sort through what sets Sondheim apart from the pack. 

The Movement Zero crew sits down to talk about art, music, and our personal journeys through that landscape - this time, featuring the voices you don't normally hear: our lead producer Bobby Conselatore, and our graphic designer, Carlos Pacheco-Perez. 

Rap is a lot older than you think. Sure, Hip Hop may have been born in the 1970s, but a deeper look reveals that rap's rhythmic stylings have been a part of African and African-American culture for much longer. In this episode we explore the roots of rap that might stretch back as far as the origins of language itself. 

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many of us are already anticipating the smells, tastes, and familiar sights of a classic family feast. But what does Thanksgiving sound like? When you think of family - what music do you hear? 

In the inaugural episode of our recurring Artist Confessionals series, we ask three different artists to ruminate on that question. 

In the episode, you will hear:

James Massol, Professor of Music History at the Manhattan School of Music. 

Sean Gill, composer, solo percussionist, and member of several bands including Square Peg Round Hole, Caracara, Timur and the Squad, and Stadium Armory.

Jody Salani, audio engineer, composer, and founder of the Philly underground band Shy.

Michael Jackson and Richard Wagner: the King of Pop and the King of Opera. Both were great artists who left indelible marks on their respective genres, but they share something else in common too - a questionable ethical record. How does the personal character of the artist change the way we experience their art? Join us as we explore that question. 

We're closing out our coverage of the Aspen Music Festival and School with an episode on their season finale, a rare performance of Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust. Both the composer and the fictional main character of the piece were passionate, larger than life characters - and The Damnation of Faust is a testament. This massive work, scored for a large orchestra and choir with four soloists, is sure to bring home Aspen's 2017 season with monumental force. 

We're continuing our summer coverage of music festivals with another concert from Aspen! This week, the Chamber Symphony will be performing Ravel's operetta Les Enfants et les Sortileges, a cautionary tale about a young boy in his room. The fine libretto by French author Colette intertwines perfectly with Ravel's wonky yet beautiful score to create a surreal alternate reality in which  time-out is not so simple. 

The music festival season has started, and we're covering one of the most interesting programs of the summer - the Aspen Music Festival and School's opening concert. The Aspen Chamber Symphony will perform four pieces by four of classical music's most important composers, and in this episode we'll trace the legacy of their influence. 

PROGRAM

Strauss - from Tanzsuite nach Klavierstücken von François Couperin, TrV 245 (Dance Suite after Couperin)

Mozart - Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216

Intermission

Stravinsky - Monumentum pro Gesualdo di Venosa (ad CD annum)

Beethoven - Symphony No. 8 in F major, op. 93

Ludovic Morlot and the Aspen Chamber Symphony, joined by Simone Porter as soloist, will perform this program on June 30th at the Benedict Music Tent in Aspen, CO. Learn more at the Aspen Music Festival and School's website.

Gustav Mahler was a man for big ideas, big questions. In his Symphony No. 2, the "Resurrection" symphony, he explores one of the greatest questions of all - what comes after death? Join Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra this weekend as they follow Mahler into the mystery of the afterlife. 

PROGRAM

MacMillan - Miserere

Mahler - Symphony No. 2 in C minor, "Resurrection"

Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will perform this program on June 2, 3, and 4 at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, PA. Buy tickets here.

A fairy-tale ballet score and one of the 20th century's most otherworldly soundscapes - this week, we step into a different reality. 

PROGRAM

Lutoslawski - Concerto for Orchestra

Mozart - Symphony No. 41

Stravinsky - Suite from The Firebird (1919 version)

The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will perform this program on May 5 at 8:00 pm at Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, PA. 

This week, we interview composer Dominick DiOrio. Dominick is one of the youngest-ever tenured conducting faculty members at Indiana University’s Jacob School of Music, and his work with the school's vocal ensemble NOTUS has earned him acknowledgment as one of today's most important young composers. Join us as we follow Dominick through some of the most profound themes of his music - identity, love, and death. 

Dominick DiOrio’s music will be performed in several cities before the end of April including:

April 21 - Macalester College Premiere. Mairs Concert Hall, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN - 7:30 pm

April 23 - Ithaca College Lincoln Center Preview Concert. Ford Hall, Ithaca College - 4:00 pm

April 26 - NIU Chamber Choir & All-University Chorus. Boutell Memorial Concert Hall, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL - 8:00 pm

April 27 - Hendrix College Premiere. Hendrix College, Conway, AR - 7:30 pm

April 28 - Hofstra University Chamber Choir Spring Tour. Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City, NY - 7:30 pm

April 29 - Ithaca College @ Lincoln Center. Alice Tully Hall / Lincoln Center, New York, NY - 8:00 pm

Texas State University Premiere. Texas State University, San Marcos, TX - 7:30 pm

For centuries, immigrants have streamed into America - many with few possessions and little money. But they brought their music. If Lady Liberty wrote down every note and rhythm that landed in New York Harbor, she might have been of the greatest composers in history! In this episode for the Philadelphia Orchestra, we take a look at just a few of her musical children. 

Program

Bernstein - Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs for Solo Clarinet and Jazz Ensemble

Metheny - Duo Concerto for Vibraphone and Marimba

INTERMISSION 

Dvorák - Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 ("From the New World")

Performances are Thursday 3/30 at 8PM, Friday 3/31 at 2PM and Saturday 4/1 at 8PM at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA. 

If music is indeed the most evocative symbol of a nation, then Sibelius and Prokofiev were virtuosic masters of national pride. But pride is always relative - and on this program, Russia plays both the hero and the villain.