An audio preview of the 2006 Ravinia Festival season.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
"Scenes From Childhood" Featured as 2006 One Score, One Chicago
Watch this lighthearted demonstration of pianist Lang Lang conducting a master class with Ravinia President/CEO Welz Kauffman. In it you will see how this brilliant performer interprets Robert Schumann's "Scenes from Childhood."
This piece will be heard twice this summer at Ravinia as Robert Schumann's "Scenes From Childhood" (Kinderszenen) has been named the 2006 One Score, One Chicago selection. The work is the first solo-piano work to be featured in the project, which each year chooses a musical masterpiece to serve as the focal point of community discussion.
"This year's One Score project gave Ravinia the perfect opportunity to embrace the musical tradition of getting composers to express their own experiences through the prism of an existing masterpiece. It was easy to find willing composers because Scenes from Childhood is so well-loved by everyone we approached," said Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman. "We turned to composers we've commissioned over the past several seasons along with artists who will help demonstrate the composition process to the students in our community outreach and education programs. In fact, by the time we're done, we hope to have a new 'scene' composed by the students themselves."
The diverse group of composers commissioned to create "New Scenes from Childhood" include Kenneth Frazelle, Lita Grier, Jake Heggie, Aaron Jay Kernis, Ana Lara, Ramsey Lewis, Ricardo Lorenz, Nicole Mitchell, Ned Rorem, Jorge Torres Saenz and Augusta Read Thomas.
Inspired in 2003 by the Chicago Public Library's One Book, One Chicago, Ravinia's One Score is designed to promote the enjoyment of classical music and to create a cultural touchstone to enable people of diverse musical backgrounds to engage in community-wide discussion.
We also produce a bilingual (English and Spanish) supplemental resource guide that includes a CD of the featured work in addition to informative essays and children's activities.
This piece will be heard twice this summer at Ravinia as Robert Schumann's "Scenes From Childhood" (Kinderszenen) has been named the 2006 One Score, One Chicago selection. The work is the first solo-piano work to be featured in the project, which each year chooses a musical masterpiece to serve as the focal point of community discussion.
"This year's One Score project gave Ravinia the perfect opportunity to embrace the musical tradition of getting composers to express their own experiences through the prism of an existing masterpiece. It was easy to find willing composers because Scenes from Childhood is so well-loved by everyone we approached," said Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman. "We turned to composers we've commissioned over the past several seasons along with artists who will help demonstrate the composition process to the students in our community outreach and education programs. In fact, by the time we're done, we hope to have a new 'scene' composed by the students themselves."
The diverse group of composers commissioned to create "New Scenes from Childhood" include Kenneth Frazelle, Lita Grier, Jake Heggie, Aaron Jay Kernis, Ana Lara, Ramsey Lewis, Ricardo Lorenz, Nicole Mitchell, Ned Rorem, Jorge Torres Saenz and Augusta Read Thomas.
Inspired in 2003 by the Chicago Public Library's One Book, One Chicago, Ravinia's One Score is designed to promote the enjoyment of classical music and to create a cultural touchstone to enable people of diverse musical backgrounds to engage in community-wide discussion.
We also produce a bilingual (English and Spanish) supplemental resource guide that includes a CD of the featured work in addition to informative essays and children's activities.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Blondie & The New Cars On Sale
Fresh off her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Blondie hits the road this summer with The New Cars for what is going to be an awesome tour. They cruise into town to play Ravinia on Saturday, June 3. Lawn tickets are on sale now exclusively on our website.
It's been 17 years since the last tour by The Cars, and now two of its seminal members, guitarist Elliott Easton and keyboardist Greg Hawkes, have customized a new model of the band, featuring vocalist/guitarist Todd Rundgren, fellow Utopia bassist/vocalist Kasim Sulton and former Tubes drummer Prairie Prince.
For the first time ever, a full album download will be offered free with online ticket purchases. Anyone who purchases tickets on our website will be mailed a link for the free download. The album features five songs performed by The New Cars (four classic songs of The Cars, recorded live, and the newly penned studio track "Not Tonight") and five songs performed by Blondie (four previously unreleased live tracks and one new studio cover of "More Than This").
Look for me singing on the lawn!
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
March Madness
I can't believe it's March already! Where did February go? We have been busy booking acts, designing our brochure and planning for the 2006 season. It's been a little crazy lately but when summer rolls around and we see the fruits of our labor, it will all be worth it.
Afterall, there really is no other experience like Ravinia Festival in the summer. Even before I worked here, I always looked forward to bringing my wine & picnic basket to enjoy concerts with friends here. I know that many people feel the same way. Ravinia is just a great summer tradition.
We have announced a few things going on this summer. You can visit our website to get a full listing. The rest of the artists are a secret until later this month.
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