Song to the Moon ( Antonín Dvořák) - Santec Music Orchestra

André Rieu - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)

53,962,612 views Oct 17, 2017

53,962,612 views • Oct 17, 2017

André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing Hallelujah as a tribute to Leonard Cohen live in London. Taken from the DVD "Christmas in London".

Ignacy Jan Paderewski Koncert fortepianowy a-moll op. 17 / Piano Concert...

\

19.01.2018, NFM, Sala Główna / Main Hall Wykonawcy / Performers Giancarlo Guerrero – dyrygent / conductor Szymon Nehring – fortepian / piano NFM Filharmonia Wrocławska / NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Program/ Programme: I.J. Paderewski Koncert fortepianowy a-moll op. 17 / Piano Concerto in A minor Op. 17 Inauguracja obchodów Jubileuszu 100-lecia odzyskania przez Polskę Niepodległości w Narodowym Forum Muzyki / Opening the 100th Anniversary of Poland's Independence Celebrations Projekt realizowany w ramach obchodów stulecia odzyskania niepodległości / This project is part of the commemoration of the centennial of the regaining of independence and rebuilding Polish statehood

The Paderewski Prize for American Composers

By Georg Predota, Interlude

On exceedingly rare occasions, people with real talent and poise are drafted into political service. Such was the case with the pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who became the prime minister and foreign minister of Poland in 1919. He represented his native country at the Paris Peace Conference but quickly took on the role of Polish Ambassador to the League of Nations.

Ignacy Jan Paderewski

Apparently, he was a skilled orator, and “every speech was a masterpiece of clear thinking and brilliant verbal form.” Musicianship and politics aside, Paderewski was a great humanitarian and philanthropist who established funds for various political and artistic organizations. After his 1895/96 American Tour, he established a fund “for the encouragement of American composers. He placed a sum of 2,000 dollars into the hands of three trustees, of which the interest was to be devoted to triennial prizes for composers of American birth irrespective of age or religion.” Only a couple of years later, Paderewski established a similar fund for Polish Composers in Leipzig in 1898. A panel of judges was quickly assembled, consisting of Arthur Nikisch, Carl Reinecke, Julius Klengel and the music critic Friedrich Pfau. Submissions were to be judged in the genres of chamber music, the symphony, and the concerto.

Sigismond Stojowski

While the chamber music prize was awarded to the “String Quartet” by Woitech Gavronski, the symphony prize went to Sigismond Stojowski (1870-1946). For a good many commentators, Stojowski is considered the missing link between Frédéric Chopin and Karol Szymanowski. Straddling Polish music between the second half of the 19th century and the dawn of modernism, his music somehow never managed to enter the repertoire. Stojowski had been a Paderewski student, and the Symphony in D minor, Op. 21 handily was awarded the first prize at the Leipzig 1898 competition. It was premiered as part of the competition festivities under the baton of Arthur Nikisch. Significantly, it was the first ever published symphony for orchestra by a Polish composer. Stojowski was urged to revise the final movement, and the premiere of the final version took place on 15 November 1900 with the Berlin Philharmonic. 

Emil Młynarski

The concerto prize went to Henryk Melcer-Szczawiński, who won with his Piano Concerto No 2. However, another first was awarded to the Violin Concerto Op. 11 by Emil Młynarski (1870-1935).

Born in Kibarty near Suwałki , Młynarski started his studies at the St Petersburg Conservatory at the age of nine and counted Leopold Auer, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Anatoly Lyadov among his teachers. He also took classes with Anton Rubinstein and Pyotr Tchaikovsky, and he began to focus on developing his instrumental career. He would feature as the soloist at the Imperial Music Society and became second violinist of the Leopold Auer Quartet. During a stay in Odessa, Młynarski composed his Op. 11 concerto, a work he submitted to the Paderewski Competition. Crafted in the Romantic tradition, the concerto features a number of surprising harmonic solutions, and the flowing melodies are sprinkled with a dash of originality.

Henry Kimball Hadley

Due to organizational difficulties and political infighting, the Leipzig Paderewski Prize Competition did not continue. As such, Paderewski took the concept and transferred it to the emerging fund already envisioned in the United States. On 15 May 1900, he formally founded the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Trust of 10,000 dollars and defined a series of prizes for the encouragement of American composers. Composers would submit works anonymously, under an assumed name or motto, accompanied by a sealed envelope containing the composer’s name. The initial categories, limited to American composers, were pieces for full orchestra, pieces for chorus with orchestra accompaniment with or without solo voice parts, and pieces for chamber music for any combination of instruments. The rules also stipulated that the works could not have been previously performed in public or offered at any previous competition. 68 compositions were submitted in 1901, and Henry Kimball Hadley, who had studied with Eusebius Mandyczewski in Vienna, won with his Symphony No. 2 in F minor. Subtitled “The Four Seasons,” the work begins with “Winter” before the composer musically encodes the remaining seasons. 

The Paderewski Prize for American Composers was awarded every three years from 1901 to 1948. The first prize for a symphonic work carried a cash reward of $1,000, and chorus and chamber compositions received $500, respectively. “The prestige of the prize far outweighed the cash benefit, as in most cases, the publicity from the prizes led to assurances of international performances.” Horatio William Parker won in the chorus category with “A Star Song,” scored for solo voice, chorus, and orchestra, and the chamber music award in 1901 went to Arthur Bird’s “Serenade for Wind Instruments.” Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bird studied in Europe and spent a year with Franz Liszt at Weimar. His music was popular in Europe, and he was also active as a correspondent and music critic. 

Every competition needs a scandal, and that’s exactly what happened at the Paderewski Prize for American Composers in 1905. Approximately 80 manuscripts were submitted, including a symphonic work titled “Palisades Overture” by John Rice, Jr., of Hudson Heights, New Jersey. In the event, the manuscript submitted was actually the “Le Corsaire Overture” by Hector Berlioz. One of the jurors, the conductor Walter Damrosch had recently presented the work, and the ruse was easily detected. The trustees angrily delivered a letter to Rice demanding an explanation, who denied any knowledge. As expected, there was plenty of media coverage, but the competition was unaffected. Judges made the announcement on 17 November 1905, and the sole winner that year was Arthur Shepherd’s (1880-1958) “Overture Joyeuse.” 

George Whitfield Chadwick, Horatio William Parker, and the founding conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Frank Van der Stucken, chaired the 1909 competition. Paul Hastings Allen won the symphonic category with his “Pilgrim Symphony” in D Major, and David Stanley Smith was awarded first prize for his cantata “The Fallen Star,” Op. 26. Rubin Goldmark (1872-1936) won the chamber music award with his Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 12.

Rubin Goldmark

The nephew of composer Karl Goldmark, he studied at the Vienna Conservatory until 1891 and returned to the United States to take up appointments in piano and music theory at the National Conservatory in New York City. He took composition lessons from Antonín  Dvořák, and became best known as the teacher of Aaron Copland and George Gershwin. 

The Paderewski Prize for American Composers took a break between 1911 and 1919, but restarted after the end of World War I in 1921. It was then held at the New England Conservatory and henceforth offered prizes in only two categories: symphonic and chamber music. No award was given in the symphonic category “for a lack of submissions meeting contest criteria,” but the chamber music award went to Wallingford Constantine Riegger (1885-1961).

Wallingford Constantine Riegger

Born in the state of Georgia, the family eventually moved to New York City. He was a gifted cellist and a member of the first graduating class of the Institute of Musical Art, later known as the Juilliard School. Riegger spent three years in Berlin and studied with Max Reger, and after a couple of years back home, he returned to Europe to conduct opera in Germany. He later taught at Drake University in Iowa, and his earliest surviving works are scored in a lush Romantic idiom. Such is the case with the Piano Trio that won him the Paderewski Prize in 1921. It would also be his first published composition.

Charles Haubiel

The trustees Arthur Dehon Hill and Joseph Adamowski announced the winners of the 1928 competition from Boston. Hans Levy Heniot (1900–1960), brother-in-law of Alexander Kipnis took the prize in the symphony category while Homer Corless Humphrey (1880–1966) won the chamber music entry with his Introduction and Allegro: Risoluto for Violin, Violoncello, and Piano. The 1934 winners were announced from New York, and Allan Arthur Willman took the symphony award with his tone poem “Solitude.” Charles Trowbridge Haubiel (1892-1978) received an honorable mention for his piano work “Mars ascending.” He was born in Ohio but educated in Berlin and New York City. He studied piano under Josef and Rosina Lhévinne, and counterpoint with Rosario Scalero. Haubiel received an appointment to teach piano at the Institute Musical Art, and at New York University. He composed three operas and a good deal of orchestral and chamber music. Tellingly, his music “has been described as a combination of Johannes Brahms and Claude Debussy. 

Composers of distinction for the 1938 competition included Walter Helfer, who received first prize for his “Prelude to a Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and Morris Mamorsky for his “Concerto for piano and orchestra.” Three years later the trustees announced the winners for the 1942 competition from Boston.

Gardner Read

Gardner Read (1913-2005) hailed from the state of Illinois, he initially studied piano and organ alongside counterpoint and composition at the School of Music at Northwestern University. A four-year scholarship saw him attend the Eastman School of Music, and he subsequently was active as a composer and administrator. He authored several textbooks on musical notation and technique and composed roughly 150 major works, “all of which demonstrate formidable technique and craftsmanship. His big orchestral canvases are especially notable for their exotic and often graphic colour.” These characteristics undoubtedly swayed the judges, and his foreboding second symphony won first prize in the 1942 Paderewski Fund Competition. The work premiered on 26 November 1943 with the Boston Symphony, Read conducting.

David Diamond

David Diamond (1915-2005) was considered one of the preeminent American composers of his generation. His works are frequently tonal or modally inspired, and his widely spaced harmonies give them a distinctly American flavor. He was a close personal friend of Leonard Bernstein, and he dedicated a number to him, and vice versa. Diamond’s compositional style is described as “lyrical, clear of structure, and marked by contrapuntal interest and the increasing use of chromaticism in his later compositions.” Diamond’s Quartet for Piano and String Trio in E minor was awarded the first prize in the chamber category, but the enormous success he enjoyed in the 1940s and early ’50s was “eclipsed by the dominance of atonal music… As such he became part of what some considered a forgotten generation of great American symphonists.” The initial phase of the Paderewski Fund for the Encouragement of American Composers came to an end in 1945 and 1948, with Herbert Elwell and Phyllis Hoffman taking the final awards. In the 1950s, the fund was renamed Paderewski Fund for Composers and began awarding commissions to composers in lieu of the competition.

Filipino Disco Medley (Ateneo Blue Symphony Orchestra)

From the Ateneo Blue Symphony Orchestra's concert, "PINOY," held last November 21 and 22, 2014, under the baton of maestro Rodel Noreli E. Lorenzo "Filipino Disco Medley"—songs from The Boyfriends and VST & Co. The medley is composed of the following songs: "Sumayaw, Sumunod" Composed by N. Caraan "Awitin Mo" Composed by M. Sotto Lyrics by J. de Leon "Magsayawan" Composed by C. Unite Lyrics by E. dela Peña "Rock Baby Rock" Composed by M. Sotto Arranged for the Ateneo Blue Symphony Orchestra by Jed Llanes For updates, check out the orchestra's Facebook page:   / thebluesymphony  

MPO Opus 20: The Eraserheads Medley

The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra performs the music of the iconic Filipino band, The Eraserheads. Arranged by Naldy Rodriguez MPO Opus 20: Trailblazing Music Excellence (The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra 20th Anniversary concert) September 1, 2018 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the Philippines’ versatile orchestras, both in its breadth of repertoire styles and its flexibility of size as a full symphony or chamber orchestra. Founded in 1998, MPO has distinguished itself as one of the leading orchestras in the country through over a decade of well-applauded live performances, records, tours and innovative programs of bringing the orchestra closer to the communities. The strong backbone of MPO is the solid passion for music.

Concerto for Pan Flute, Horn and Orchestra, 2nd Movement

by Horst-Hans Bäcker from the Cycle: In the New World dedicated in gratitude to my friends Hannah Schlubeck and Felix Klieser

BLACKPINK’s ‘Born Pink’ tour coming to cinemas worldwide

BY JONATHAN HICAP

Jun 21, 2024 07:36 AM

  

---

K-pop girl group BLACKPINK’s “Born Pink” tour is coming to cinemas worldwide including the Philippines to celebrate their eighth anniversary since debuting in 2016. 

BLACKPINK and Trafalgar Releasing announced the “BLACKPINK World Tour [Born Pink] in Cinemas” will be released starting July 31 with limited screenings. 

BLACKPINK (Trafalgar Releasing)

“BLACKPINK World Tour [Born Pink]in Cinemas” will be released on July 31 (SM Cinemas)

“Drawing an audience of 1.8 million and breaking global records for female group concert tours, experience the energy of the live performances in cinemas worldwide!” according to the film’s website.  

It added, “Featuring the iconic ‘Hanok’ set that has mesmerized fans and press worldwide, the film shows unprecedented production scale, presenting exclusively arranged versions of BLACKPINK’s hit songs unique to this concert and encompassing performances from Seoul’s Gocheok Dome alongside footage from further cities across the global tour.”

“Join us for all the exhilarating moments, premiering in over 110 countries, marking a first for a K-POP female group. Experience even more in special formats ScreenX, 4DX, and ULTRA 4DX!”

BLACKPINK’s “Born Pink” tour emerged as the “highest-grossing tour from an Asian act and a female group in history once again.”

In the Philippines it will be released on SM Cinemas, which announced, “Stay tuned for the advance ticket sale announcement!”

BLACKPINK added that tickets will go on sale worldwide on June 27 and in South Korea on July 17.

André Rieu - I Will Follow Him

André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra performing "I Will Follow Him" live in Maastricht. Taken from the DVD "André Rieu - Under The Stars - Live in Maastricht V".

André Rieu & Jermaine Jackson - Smile

12,049,645 views Jun 25, 2014

12,049,645 views • Jun 25, 2014

André Rieu & Jermaine Jackson performing 'Smile' live in Maastricht.

David Foster and Friends: A night of fun, good music

BY ROBERT REQUINTINA

Jun 20, 2024 09:05 AM

  

---

AT A GLANCE

• Stell, 29, captivated the audience during the middle of the concert with his performance of All By Myself, leaving everyone in awe.

---

David Foster (left) and Stell during the 'Hitman' tour (images courtesy of Araneta Coliseum Facebook) 

Despite the rain, fans' anticipation for the HItman: David Foster and Friends Asia Tour 2024 concert at the Araneta Coliseum in Araneta City on June 18 was unwavering.

The much-awaited show began with the Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening. David then introduced two promising Original Pilipino Music (OPM) singers, JV Decena and Joaquin Garcia, to the delight of the audience.

When David Foster, 74, opened the show, he was profoundly touched by the Philippines' unique and deep-rooted passion for music. "There's no country I have been to; I have been to many countries. No country loves music more than the Philippines. This is true."

ADVERTISEMENT

David Foster

Stell opens 'Hitman' show

Prior, the audience's excitement was palpable when Stell of SB19 unexpectedly opened David's show. He kicked off the much-awaited concert with the soulful All I Ask, a song made famous by British chanteuse Adele. The energy in the arena was electric as he followed it up with his solo debut single, Room, and Defying Gravity.

Stell, 29, captivated the audience during the middle of the concert with his performance of All By Myself, leaving everyone in awe.

David shared a backstory when he first offered All By Myself to Celine Dion, originally done by Eric Carmen in 1975. He said Celine initially complained about the high notes in some parts of the song. 

"When I was doing this song with Celine, she complained about this high note. It's an impossible note to sing, and she hated me in the studio that day.

"If you ever read her book, pages 37 and 38, she devotes two pages to how much she hated me that day in the studio.

"But we got the job done. She hit the high notes and it took her a few tries. Tonight, my friend Stell, you only get one try," David said. Then, the crowd cheered again.

David showed the clip of Celine talking about the high notes in All By Myself.

Celine said: "David Foster called me, and I was in Montreal, and he was in California. He said, 'You're going to freak. It's so amazing. And I said, 'Oh, okay." It's a new track.

"And then he changed the key that we agreed on to a key and a half. I said, 'David, how could you do that?"

"Then David said, 'If you can't do that, other singers can. And that's all I need to know to hit the notes," said Celine.

David told the crowd in Araneta: "That's a true story. I said to her, 'Hey, if you can't do it, other singers next door can do it. Whitney Houston was in the other studio, but I didn't say her name. Anyway, it was all for fun, and Celine hit the notes."

When it was released in 1996, Celine's cover of All By Myself peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart in the US and became a worldwide hit.

After Stell performed "All By Myself," the crowd let out a deafening roar of cheers as they celebrated the moment.

A few hours later, Stell trended on social media with clips of his performances from the "Hitman" concert. On X, Stell wrote: "Thank you, Lord. The best ka po talaga."

All-4-One

All-4-One

All-4-One wowed the crowd with their hit songs I Can Love You Like That, So In Love, Beautiful As You, and I Swear.

The group last visited the Philippines in 2015. "We love the Philippines! You guys can sing!" said a member of the group.

Katharine McPhee

David and Katharine

Enter Katharine McPhee with her rendition of The Power of Love.

Katharine told the audience she was excited to be part of the tour. Then, David and Katharine shared their unusual love story that led to their marriage on June 28, 2019.

"We met almost 19 years ago on a little show called American Idol. We toured together as friends," said David

Katharine said: "I was excited for Andrea Bocelli, not David Foster. But you were at my very first wedding. And I was invited to one of David's weddings. But I wasn't able to make it."

"So we were at each other's weddings," David added.

Katharine said: "Life is a very crazy thing. You'll never know what's ahead of you. We didn't expect to be touring the world together."

Before she left the stage, she performed her hit song Terrified. Then she wrapped up her set with Last Dance, a Donna Summer classic.

Brian McKnight

Audience participation

The "Hitman" show is not complete without the audience's participation. Two female fans volunteered to perform with David as they shared the Grammy-winning song That's What Friends Are For.

David also encouraged fans to sing along to the songs Hard To Say I'm Sorry and You're The Inspiration, which he wrote for the band Chicago.

"I want to try the chorus again. I want to hear the people who are not on the floor. I don't want to hear from the rich people. I want to hear from real people (lower and upper boxes and general patronage)," said David as the crowd laughed.

He added: "Shall we? And then, when I get to the chorus, we'll let the rich people sing along with us."

At the Oscars

David told the audience he lost at the Oscars three times.

"I've been nominated for three Oscars but lost all three to: The Bodyguard. I also co-wrote for The Prayer with Carol Bayer Sager, and I lost the Oscars. Who would not vote for a religious song? Peter Cetera and I wrote The Glory of Love for the movie The Karate Kid 2. Now we lost the Oscar. I know it's a crime.

"The movie that beat us was Top Gun. I hate that movie. Let's analyze that movie: jets, aircraft carriers, sex, drugs, rock and roll, motorcycles, Kelly McGillis, Maverick, and, of course, Tom Cruise.

"Our movie Karate Kid 2 starred the guy from Happy Days. The song that beat us was Take My Breath Away. I hate it. She still needs to finish the lyrics, and she won the Oscars. If our song The Glory of Love had been in Top Gun, I could have won the Oscar," David said. 

Then, scenes from Top Gun were played on the big screen while The Glory of Love was playing.

Brian McKnight opened his set with the hit song Mornin, a song originally done by Al Jarreau in 1983.

Then he segued to other hit tunes such as After the Love Has Gone (1979), Look What You've Done to Me (1980), and Back At One (1999).

"I am thrilled to be singing his songs, reminiscing, and spending time with him. I appreciate the things that you have done," Brian told David.

David and his friends finished the show with the bouncy number Got To Be Real, a Cheryl Lynn classic from 1978.

For his encore, David played a piano-driven untitled instrumental track, which he wrote at the height of the pandemic. "Goodnight, guys! Keep safe as you drive home." It was a night of fun, laughter, and good music that will be remembered over time. Thank you, David, for these unforgettable soundtracks of our lives.

Dean Martin - Arrivederci Roma ("Roman holiday"1953)

686K views 1 year ago

686,258 views • Apr 9, 2023

"Roman holiday" 1953 ❤️ Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn❤️