Here’s your weekly dose of cello news.
Cello News
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What Would Yo-Yo Ma Do?
Reuters asked celebrities, including Yo-Yo Ma, what they would do first if they were made U.S. President. His answer:
“I would take every step that’s necessary to make sure that all of the people in my country are safe.”
Watch the celebrities’ answers here (see Yo-Yo Ma at 1:22):
Ágnes Keleti, Cellist and World’s Oldest Surviving Olympic Champion, Celebrates 100th Birthday
Happy birthday to Ágnes Keleti!
Hungarian Olympic gymnast and professional cellist, Ágnes Keleti, née Klein, won 10 medals for Hungary in the Olympics. She might have won more had she not had to go into hiding after her gymnastics club expelled her for being Jewish during World War II.
Ski Music – Bach at 14,000 Feet
Joy Adams and Andy Reiner enjoy the existential and technical challenge of performing while skiing down mountains. Photo: Colin McKinley
Cellist Joy Adams and violinist Andy Reiner, playing together in their band called “Half Pelican,” are working on a project of playing all 36 movements of the Bach cello suites on mountain tops in the Rockies. They also play while skiing. Catch them at Fiddle Hell in April.
Click here to read a great article by Claire Duncombe about them.
Cellist by Day, Potter By Night: Ken Freudigman
R.I.P. Cellist David Darling
Cellist David Darling passed away on 8 January 2021. He was 79. A musical pioneer, he started in an academic and symphony career and learned to play jazz when Paul Winter asked him to join The Paul Winter Consort.
Click here to read more in this tribute by John Diliberto.
Click here to read a tribute by Richard Brooks.
Masked Musicians Play On
Henry Frank, 15, plays the cello during practice for the Quad-City Symphony Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, held at Bettendorf High School. In a year unlike any other, the orchestra association has changed everything but the music. Photo: Jessica Gallagher.
Here is a photo story from the Quad-City Symphony Youth Orchestra showing kids continuing to rehearse and make music together during the pandemic. They are socially distanced and wearing masks. These photos wonderful photos by Jessica Gallagher give us hope.
Click here to see the entire photo essay by photography Jessica Gallagher.
Charlotte Cellist Robert Moore Keeps on Playing
https://dailycharlottenews.com/charlotte-cellist-strives-to-hold-enjoying/
Cellist Robert Moore moved from Florida to Charlotte, making his living playing for special occasions. With all of his gigs canceled, he took to the streets to keep playing for people.
Click here to read the full story.
Albums
Plaisirs Illuminés – Cellist Sol Gabetta and Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja
with the Camerata Bern
Along with violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, cellist Sol Gabetta is featured in the double concerto for violin, cello, and chamber orchestra by Francisco Coll, Plaisirs Illuminés.
Click here to read more in a review by Andrew Clements.
Wilhelmina Smith – Works for Solo Cello
Wilhelmina Smith performs works by Danish composers Per Nørgård and Poul Ruders.
Click here to read a review by Jed Distler.
Michael Peter Olsen – Yearning Flow
See below, under videos: “7 Days.”
Tender Central – The Garden
Cellist India Bourne.
Tender Central is a collaboration of cellist India Bourne and guitarist Ben Howard. Their album, The Garden, will be released on 22 January via Hello Friendly Recordings.
Here is a track they released this past week, “Galloper”:
Read more about the album on Clash.
Podcast
Thistle and Shamrock with Fiona Ritchie – Cellist Ofra Harnoy
The cello begins to appear in the show at about 9:25. Enjoy this New Year’s show!
Videos
Cellist Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi Performs “Tsutsumu” by Dai Fujikura at the Kirishima International Music Festival
Steven Isserlis and Mishka Rushdie Momen at Wigmore Hall
Program
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) – Cello Sonata in F Op. 5 No. 1
- Robert Schumann (1810-1856) 3 Romances Op. 94
- Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor Op. 109
- Encore Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV177
Michael Peter Olsen – 7 Days
“‘7 Days’ is a piece for Modular Synth and Electric Cello featuring Film and Television composer Todor Kobakov. An expansive exploration of sonic landscape and mood, ‘7 Days’ evokes contemporary electronic composition of the 1960s and 70s.”
Read more about the album here.
Your Turn
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