Distinguished Concerts International - New York

Untitled Document

In this issue:

An Exclusive Interview with Karl Jenkins

Whitacre Announces First Paradise Lost Scholarship Winner

2011 Season to Open with Music by Karl Jenkins

FELA! on Broadway

From the Recruiting Department

I WAS THERE . . . Love, Lust, and Light: A Valentine's Day Concert

Special Invitation Sends Georgetown Choral Society to NYC

Richard Shallbetter to Sing with 'Choir of Angels' in Opera Premiere at Carnegie Hall

Check out Some More Reviews!

DCINY Culture and Values

On Sale Now!

This Day in Music History

WYNC

An Exclusive Interview with Karl Jenkins

Our March 6 performance in the Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall entitled Music Masters of Wales is getting a healthy amount of air time on our local public radio station, WQXR, sister station to WNYC. On Friday, February 24, we gave away tickets throughout the day for the concert. With a week to go, we were able to expose many public radio listeners to both the performance itself, and the opportunity to attend for free. The promotion was a success and we hope to create other exciting opportunities for public radio listeners in the future to participate.

Another opportunity for exposure will come this Friday, March 5, when one of the composers whose works are featured on the concert, Karl Jenkins, will be interviewed live on Soundcheck, hosted by John Schaefer, at 2:30PM EST. For music lovers in the NYC area, this daily show is a must-listen, where conversations include music from all genres, as well as interviews with performers, composers, critics, and the public radio audience. We are very excited to listen to the result as Mr. Jenkins speaks about his works and connections to his home of Wales.

To listen to the show LIVE this Friday, March 5, go to WNYC's website at 2:30 PM EST and click the "Listen Live" option on the left hand side. Once the show airs, the whole episode will be available in Soundcheck's archives.

Listen to one of our radio spots

Melody Myers

Whitacre Announces First Paradise Lost Scholarship Winner

DCINY and composer Eric Whitacre are offering performance scholarships to four individuals to participate in Whitacre's concert version of Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings at Carnegie Hall on June 15, 2010. Whitacre chose the first scholarship winner, Melody Myers, in February.

Here's a letter from Melody:

Thank you so much! I can't tell you how excited I am about singing at Carnegie Hall with Eric Whitacre in Paradise Lost; it's hard to find the words to describe how I feel. I am a huge fan of Eric Whitacre as well. I've sung just about every song that he has composed, and he is by far my favorite composer of all time. I can't tell you how many times I have cried from singing his beautiful pieces.

When February finally came around, I was up that night, and someone told me congratulations; however, I was really confused at first because it just happened. I went to Mr. Whitacre's official blog and I saw my YouTube video and almost fainted. That night I cried myself to sleep I was so happy.

After watching the trailer of Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings, I think this is going to be the start of a new beginning, I have always wanted to grow up to be a performer and musician. I love to sing and entertain people. I think that this is going to be the best experience I will have in my life, and I hope my dream will come true in becoming a successful musician. I want to thank Mr. Whitacre very much for giving me the chance to sing in his production, and to have an experience that I will never forget.

K. Jenkins

2011 Season to Open with Music of Karl Jenkins

It's become an annual tradition to open the DCINY concert season each year with the music of Karl Jenkins. 2011 is no exception. Dr. Jenkins will be composer-in-residence for a concert featuring his Stabat Mater and the US premiere of his Gloria at Avery Fisher Hall on January 17, 2011 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). Contact DCINY now for audition details, and visit our web site for further information on special events, additional programming, and select solo performance opportunities for 2011and 2012.

FELA! on Broadway

DCINY is now a proud partner of FELA! It is the most original new musical on Broadway presented by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. FELA! has generously offered DCINY and our loyal readers discount tickets, as well as a chance to win a pair of tickets to their show. Tickets are available at $60 (Reg. $99) for Wednesday matinees, and $75 (Reg. $112 - 122) for all other performances. Click here for discount codes and information on how to order tickets. We have been listed as one of the partners on Fela's website and will be included in their upcoming FELA! fan blast.

FELA! is a provocative hybrid of dance and Broadway musical, featuring the Afrobeat music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, a book by Jim Lewis, and the direction and choreography of Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones. FELA! uses stirring afrobeat music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), to tell the story of Kuti's controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician.

Read more about FELA

Iris Derke
At the ACDA Conference in Cincinnati. Notice we aren't without coffee and Iris isn't without her phone.

From the Recruiting Department

Visit us at the DCINY Booth at the following ACDA conferences:

North Central Division, Minneapolis, MN, March 3 - 6
Northwestern Division, Seattle, WA, March 10 - 13
Southern Division, Memphis, TN, March 10 - 13

Find Iris Derke, Jonathan Griffith or Jeffery Thyer at the booth and say "I read the DCINY Newsletter" to claim your DCINY gift!

Carnegie Hall

I WAS THERE . . . Love, Lust, and Light: A Valentine's Day Concert

A review by Nicole Velasco of ShortandSweetNyc.com of our February 14, 2010 concert at Carnegie Hall

A flock of love birds flooded the lobby of Carnegie Hall for Love, Lust, and Light: A Valentine's Day Concert. Scheduled for 2PM, the concert just barely started on time due to the Will Call shuffle and the slow movements of couples with their heads in the clouds. Hand-holding and butterfly kisses ceased when the show opened with Morten Lauridsen's "Lux Aeterna," a 27-minute exploration of sacred Latin texts containing references to light. Guest Conductor Nancy Menk's skillful guidance allowed the orchestra and chorale to seamlessly traverse Lauridsen's unusual blend of chants, renaissance, polyphony, canons, and modern dissonance. The cohesive intermingling of unified voices and classical instruments resembled the dalliance of light itself.

Concert for Peace

Special invitation sends Georgetown Choral Society to NYC

Jack Morrison, a member of Georgetown Choral Society (Ontario, Canada), wrote about his experience singing in Concert for Peace, Celebrating the Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. for insideHalton.com.

An excerpt from Morrison's article:

Those of us involved from Georgetown were absolutely thrilled by this opportunity. We stood on the stage and sang in front of a wonderful audience who were there to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, Karl Jenkins and the Concert for Peace. It was awesome. Those who sang in the concert from Georgetown will always remember every minute of those three days.

Read the full article

Richard Shallbetter

Richard Shallbetter to Sing with ‘Choir of Angels' in Opera Premiere at Carnegie Hall

By University of St. Thomas News Service

Despite having been born with perfect pitch - "as a baby I could identify Vivaldi just by his sound" - Richard Shallbetter said that "as a freshman in Chamber Singers, I was initially worried about fitting in and doing an adequate job." In January, he received news that should allay any worries he still may have of fitting in. Shallbetter, a freshman at the University of St. Thomas, was chosen by acclaimed composer Eric Whitacre to sing in the New York premiere of his opera "Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings" on June 15, at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Concert for Peace

Check Out Some More Reviews!

DCINY kicked off its exciting 2010 season with Concert for Peace, Celebrating the Spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. on January 18th in Lincoln Center, and Music On Canvas, 57x7 on January 23rd in Carnegie Hall, one of our Artist Series concerts. While most of the audience in these concerts was New York City concert-goers, family and friends of the fabulous musicians, and music lovers, the New York Concert Review was also in attendance.

DCINY is off to a great start this season! After the January 18th concert, Harry Saltzman wrote, "From beginning to end the music making was of a very high quality, and both of the major works by the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins were performed with skill and fervor." Read the full review

Anthony Aibel was quite impressed with the artists of Music On Canvas 57x7 as well: "Allegri and Buckley frequently perform individually but also as the duo Canzone, and one could instantly recognize the chemistry between them. Mozart's 'Via Rest'" from Figaro had more than the requisite comedy and charm, and technically they have the goods as well: 'Pur ti miro' from Poppea was sung with excellent intonation, a matching vibrato, and a unified eye for peaks of phrase." Read the full review

DCINY Culture and Values

The ART of Performance
The POWER of Education

"Artist...someone who continually seeks to improve him/herself and grow, aspires to perform at a higher level." Jonathan and Iris

On Sale Now!

Karl Jenkins
K. Jenkins

D. Childs

Saturday, March 6, 2010, 8:00 pm
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

Music Masters of Wales

Jenkins: Euphonium Concerto (US Premiere)
Jenkins: Sacred Songs (Selections)
Karl Jenkins, Guest Conductor/Composer (West Glamorgan, Wales)
David Childs, Euphonium

Arwel Hughes: Dewi Sant
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor

Distinguished Concerts Orchestra International
Distinguished Concerts Singers International

Tickets: $20 - $100

Purchase tickets for March 6