V.com weekend vote: Have you learned about a new artist or performing ensemble during the pandemic?
Most of us have been listening to a great deal of music during the pandemic. And although the closest to "live" has been "live-streamed," we’ve also benefited from a wealth of home recordings, isolation concerts, and even the weekly roundup of online performances we offer here on Violinist.com.
Mainstays of the concert stage, such as Gil Shaham, Augustin Hadelich, and Rachel Barton Pine, have continued to keep us entertained through their generous online performances. But I’ve also had an opportunity to hear more from some younger, less established artists, such as Tessa Lark, Rachelle Ellen Wong, and Julian Rhee. I’m suddenly privy to performances by the Juilliard Orchestra, Boulder Bach Festival, and ViolaPower. And we’re hearing players from some of our top orchestras step out of their sections and give us solo work, including Martin Chalifour, Akiko Tarumoto, and Yumi Hwang-Williams.
I’m wondering if you’ve found some new favorite artists during the pandemic. Please pick the answer below that most closely corresponds to your choice, then provide specifics in the comments section. And if you did discover a new artist or ensemble, be sure to let us know how you happened to make the discovery, and also provide the link if you can!
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Replies
Frank Peter Zimmerman. Wow.
My new favorites are violinist Rachelle Ellen Wong and the ensemble ViolaPower. Another new favorite is LA Phil Principal Violist Teng Li. (I know you have to be really great to land a seat in that orchestra, but, WOW!) And now I'm going to check out Paul Deck's recommendation!
Tessa Lark's YouTube video on Romanian Dances has been THE definitive version around here for awhile. She is really lovely in person too.
I only recently found Augustin Hadelich. He came up suggested on my YouTube feed thing. His interpretations are... different to what I normally listen to
I did, of course, discover new artists through this website and also in connection with Hugh Warwick's change.org petition on behalf of hedgehogs (His friend's "The Hedgehog" was, in fact, the first multivenue isolation piece of music I heard), and I did like performances, but I have no idea whether any of them will become favourites, so I couldn't vote.
No instrumental ensemble or artist discoveries, but that's because I've actually been listening to mostly vocal (especially choral) music during the pandemic! Favorite new discoveries include the Phoenix Chamber Choir and the Stellenbosch University Choir.
(I've had a really hard time listening to strings in the last several months, in large part because of frustration with injury.)
One "ensemble" I've discovered in the middle of all of this, is TwoSetViolin. https://www.youtube.com/user/twosetviolin This seems to be an unlimited series of short YouTube videos put out by two young men from Australia. They've been around since 2013, so you may be familiar with them, but for me this is delightfully new. Watching these two guys, Brett Yang and Eddy Chen, I get the feeling like I'm hanging out with a couple of geeky buddies who get unlimited joy out of every aspect of playing their violins. It's kind of like a video version of the Violinist.com discussions, but even funnier.
Although I miss going to live concerts, there has been an upside to this pandemic. I am listening to music that I wouldn't have heard before. On the East Coast, concerts and recitals are so expensive (and the traffic so horrendous) that I tend to go to concerts that I know I will enjoy. Favorite repertoire, favorite groups, favorite venues. Not being able to do so, I have been listening to different artists, different music on you tube and through your site. I appreciate the work that you have done to present so many wonderful and diverse musicians and music.
Tabea Zimmermann. Incredibly, she started on the viola, at the age of three! I can't imagine finding a violin that small to string up as a viola, let alone an actual viola. And I wonder how it came about that she started on the viola, as opposed to, say, a violin.
I had not heard Amanda Forsythe with Mr. Zukerman. I listened to violin sonata duos, Clara Cernat and Thierry Huillet; Alina Pogostkina and Jerome Ducros; Marta Sikora and Itamar Prag . . . , etc. Researching Heitor Villa-Lobos, I found Brazilian classical guitarists, Ana Maria Bedaque, Gaelle Solal and Angela Muner; English classical guitarist, Alexandra Whittingham. Many others . . .
Clarinetist Sabine Meyer comes to mind. I'm sure I've been hearing her performances longer than I thought, because I'm hearing new items all the time -- thanks to YouTube Premium -- sometimes having hours of music playlists going in one room while I'm doing projects in other rooms. Yet only recently did this artist's name catch my attention. Check out this rendition of Mozart's Quintet in A, K. 581. Meyer teams up with Armida Quartet. Run time: 30:48:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNbclgU3h4
I listen to clarinet music quite often for a change of pace. If I had picked a wind instrument, this would be it.
Clarinetist Sabine Meyer comes to mind. I'm sure I've been hearing her performances longer than I realized, because I'm hearing new items all the time -- thanks to YouTube Premium -- sometimes having hours of music playlists going in one room while I'm doing projects in other rooms. Yet only recently did this artist's name catch my attention. Check out this rendition of Mozart's Quintet in A, K. 581. Meyer teams up with Armida Quartet. Run time: 30:48:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTNbclgU3h4
I listen to clarinet music quite often for a change of pace. If I were to pick a wind instrument to play, this would be it.
P. S. Laurie, I submitted this a few minutes ago but forgot to log in. So you may discard the anonymous post. Thanks.
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May 29, 2020 at 10:27 PM · I chose: I have discovered both a new artist and new ensemble. They happen to both be ones that you have mentioned above since I hear them often on Diana Skinner's "The Week in Hope-Inspiring Spontaneous Music Online" each week which I love reading and listening to. My choices are Tessa Lark, violinist and the Juilliard Orchestra. Of course the Juilliard Orchestra isn't new, but the way they are streaming today is marvelous. It is, however, difficult to choose just one artist or ensemble as so many have found such creative ways to make music today.