This Week in Classical Music-July 12, 2009

by: Randy Kinkel

July 12, 2009

NY Phil Tours Cuba

This Week in Classical Music-July 12, 2009

( Phoenix, AZ )
•NY Phil to Cuba
•Tully Organ returns
•Video screens at Ravinia

This Week in Classical Music 7/12/09

It’s This Week in Classical Music, an update on what’s happening in the classical music world; I’m Randy Kinkel.

After Musical forays into South Korea and Vietnam, the New York Philharmonic is now considering playing in Cuba. During the South Korea visit, an ABC News official put the orchestra’s leaders in contact with Cuban diplomats in Washington. A formal invitation came last week. The trip could happen as soon as October, and would be a 3-4 day visit. No program has yet been discussed.

Lincoln Center Officials say they will return the organ to the newly refurbished Alice Tully Hall in June of next year, reassuring organ lovers everywhere that the instrument will be part of the new space. The instrument was a personal gift from Ms. Tully, and was supposed to have been restored along with the hall; but when it re-opened in February, the hall was organless; officials at the time said delays had caused them to run out of money; but now they say they have found the money for the organ’s re-installation.

There’s a new twist to the concerts at Ravinia; In June, officials installed two 15 by 20 foot video screens on either side of the stage in the pavilion, showing simultaneous video transmissions of the concert. According to a Ravinia spokesman, the screens will be standard for all summer pavilion performances, including the CSO. The screens are designed to make it easier for people sitting at the rear and sides of the seating area, and those at the front of the lawns, to see the musicians as they perform; The Screens are not without their critics, however, who scoff that they cheapen the concert experience and are “Irritating”.

For More on these and other items and events, go to the website, kbaq.org; be listening each week at this time for another update, and join me every weekday at noon for the Mozart Buffet, an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries. I’m Randy Kinkel for “This week in classical music, on 89.5 KBAQ Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona state university.

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