This Week in Classical Music-Nov.22, 2009

November 22, 2009

Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg

( Phoenix, AZ )
•Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg and the New Century Chamber Orchestra
•Composer Joseph Schwantner's latest composition, Chasing Light

This week in Classical Music 11/22/09

It’s “This Week in Classical Music”—an update on what’s happening in the classical music world; I’m Randy Kinkel.
How’s Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg doing as Music Director of the San Francisco-based ensemble called the New Century Chamber orchestra? Apparently pretty well, according to critics, band mates, audiences and Sonnenberg herself—she’s in the last year of her three-year contract, and has hinted she will stay for another year, marking the ensemble’s 20th anniversary. She took over the helm in 2007 after playing with the orchestra and being impressed with the musicianship of its members. “"I'd never been a music director of anything," she said.”And I'd never been a concertmaster. And I hate doing bowings," Every organization needs something at a certain time. Here they needed a shot. They were these great musicians floundering around without an identity. I was exactly right for them when I got here. And I still am."Sonnenberg has raised the profile of the previously-unknown orchestra, earned critical raves for its sound, and even put out a new CD, “Together”—with music of Piazzola, Bartok, Gershwin and a world premiere by Clarice Assad released on her own label.. You can get more information on their website, http://www.ncco.org/.
Pulitzer-prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner is the latest musician to contribute a piece to the Ford Made in America Project—a consortium of 58 small-budget symphony orchestras from all 50 states who commission and perform a work by an American Composer. Featured this time around is Schwantner’s 17- minute piece “Chasing Light”, based on an eight-line poem written by the composer, who works with small community orchestras to rehearse and polish the performances as much as possible; Schwantner says he’s learned a lot from the experience: “I've learned that you have to be patient; you have to give them an opportunity to digest this music and make it their own. But I've had several residencies with orchestras in this last season and I've seen them rise to the challenge.” The Ford Made in America Project started last year with the premiere in Reno, and continues this year and into 2010; the closest it comes to the valley is Santa Barbara in April; you can find out more on the website: http://www.fordmadeinamerica.org/index.html
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 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.