Rochester Music Guild

presents

Lunch & Learn

The 2011 – 2012 season

Our Lunch & Learn program has been very popular, featuring performances and education in an informal and convivial environment. This season continues the tradition. Click for a printable copy of a brochure of the season’s speakers, topics and dates.

Next program

Monday, February 13, 2012: Jere Lantz: “Latin Love”

Let Maestro Lantz transport you to the romance of exotic places with a night of thrilling Latin music. Rochester composter Sebastian Modarelli’s Born in Buenose Aires sets the mood before we are transported to the greatest guitar concerto ever written, Concierto di Aranjuez, featuring Rochester native Hudson Lanier in his RSOC debut. The excitement crescendos with Manuel Penella’s snappy Paso Doble and the heart-racing Estancia, culminating with the legendary seduction of Ravel’s hypnotic Bolero.

This program will be held in the Northview Room , 3^rd floor of the Charter House, 211 2^nd St. NW. starting at 11:30 for lunch with the program to follow at noon to 1:00. For those who wish to enjoy the lunch with the program please call in your reservation to Pamela Haase at 507-398-7310 by noon Thursday, February 9.  Leave a message with your name and the number in your group if she is not immediately available.  The luncheon is $10.00 per person.  Those wishing to come for the program only or with a bag lunch are welcome.  The program is offered at no charge as a RMG educational opportunity. We would like to see you there!

Did you miss it?

Friday, November 18, 2011: Brian Pfaltzgraff, tenor and Ted Reuter, piano: “Franz Liszt’s Interpretations of Petrarch’s Sonnets, in Song and as Program Music”

Drs. Pfaltzgraff and Reuter presented their interpretations of Liszt’s Petrarch’s Sonnets. Petrarca, known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and commonly recognized at the “Father of Humanism”. These sonnets are the expression of Petrarch feelings for a married woman known only to us as “Laura”. Liszt has interpreted them into a tenor voice and piano rendition as well as solo piano tone poem which represent his visceral reaction to the poetry.

Friday, October 21, 2011: Esther Wang, piano, and David Carter, cello: “Improvisation Past and Present”

Drs. Wang and Carter discussed and demonstrated classical improvisation techniques and styles of past and present composers. Dr. Wang played 3 new pieces by Doug Opel, one of which was influenced by Bach. Dr. Carter and Dr. Wang each played a tocatta demonstrating improvisation techniques. Dr. Wang one by J.S. Bach, Dr. Carter one by Frescobaldi. Dr. Carter played 5 movements from Seven Tunes Heard in China by Bright Sheng.  All these works are improvisatory in nature, but in different ways.

Monday September 19, 2011: Jere Lantz: “Welcome to America”

Maestro Lantz lectured on Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale’s September concert “Welcome to America”. From the powerful opening bars of Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, to Dvorak’s stirring New World Symphony, the first concert of the season is a tribute to the rich mix of voice composing the American spirit. Rosenberg’s Voyage to America is a majestic counterpoint to Rachmaninoff’s American-debuted masterpiece, with a highlight of the evening introducing the talented young pianist Andrew Staupe to Rochester audiences. As always this session left the listeners with a much greater insight into the artists and the music being presented which further enhances the enjoyment of the concert.

Upcoming Programs

Friday, March 9, 2012: Esther Heideman, soprano, and Horatio Nuquid, piano: “Life of an Opera Diva”

Explore the life of and international opera diva as she shares her stories of travel and the music that brought her there. This program is in conjunction with a benefit concert Ms. Heideman will present for Bella Voce on Saturday, March 10, 2012 as a fundraiser for Bella Voce’s trip to Italy. This program will be held at the Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Drive SE.

Friday, April 20, 2012: Julie Johnson and the No Accounts: “From Lumberjacks to Dylan: Minnesota Folk Music with a Twist”

Julie Johnson and the No Accounts reinterpret folk and old blues tunes, making them relevant to us by bringing in new instruments and their diverse musical backgrounds. Primarily they arrange old North Woods and Minnesota pioneer songs, looking for the Upper Midwest's equivalent to the South's rich roots tradition. This program will be held at the Rochester Art Center, 40 Civic Center Drive SE.