The Program Notes Podcast: Recent Episodes
Constellations Chamber Concerts
Podcast program notes for performances by Constellations Chamber Concerts, with commentary and insights from our Programming Committee members: Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Ian Rosenbaum, Daniel Pesca, and Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo. Tune in for the inside scoop from exclusive interviews with guest artists, composers, and more!
Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo and triple-GRAMMY-nominated percussionist Ian Rosenbaum talk about some of Ian's pandemic projects and the upcoming RISE concerts, happening March 18-19, 2022 in Washington DC. Tickets and details at https://www.constellationsmusic.org/event-details/rise-2022-03-18-19-30-1
Roomies reunion!Join Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo and cellist Christine Lamprea as Christine shares how to pandemic changed her outlook as a musician and what she's looking forward to most on our RISE concerts, coming up March 18-19, 2022 in Washington DC. Tickets and details at https://www.constellationsmusic.org/event-details/rise-2022-03-18-19-30-1
Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo sat down with pianist and composer Daniel Pesca to talk about his brand new work, Walk with me, my joy, receiving a world premiere onour upcoming RISE concerts, March 18-19, 2022 in Washington DC. Tickets and details at https://www.constellationsmusic.org/event-details/rise-2022-03-18-19-30-1
Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo sat down with Grammy-nominated clarinetist Mariam Adam to talk about what inspires Mariam about our upcoming RISE concerts, March 18-19, 2022 in Washington DC. Tickets and details at https://www.constellationsmusic.org/event-details/rise-2022-03-18-19-30-1
Program note for Constellations' third live concert of the 2021-22 season, "Relentless," featuring violinist Rubén Rengel, cellist Khari Joyner, and pianists Ellen Hwangbo and Daniel Pesca. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo with the musicians as guest interviewees. Catch the concert on one of four performances: Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 PM in West End, NW DC, Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 PM at the Watergate in NY DC, Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4 PM in Rockville, MD, and Sunday, Nov. 14 at 4 PM in Potomac, MD - tickets are available on our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Dmitri Shostakovich - Piano Trio No. 2 performed by Argerich, Kremer and Maisky; Frederic Rzewski - North American Ballads performed by Frederic Rzewski; Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson - Perpetual Motion performed by Khari Joyner; Eleanor Alberga - 3-Day Mix and No Man's Land Lullaby
Program note for Constellations' second live concert of the 2021-22 season, "Walk On," featuring pianist Ling-ju Lai, soprano Kristina Bachrach, bass Alexander Hahn, and pianist Ellen Hwangbo. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo with the musicians as guest interviewees. Catch the concert on one of four performances: Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 PM in Potomac, MD, Friday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 PM in Capitol Hill, NE DC, Saturday, Oct. 16 at 4 PM in Chevy Chase, MD, and Sunday, Oct. 17 at 4 PM in Kensington, MD - tickets are available on our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Samuel Coleridge-Taylor - Sorrow Songs performed by Elizabeth Llewellyn and Simon Lepper; J.S. Bach - Goldberg Variations performed by Glenn Gould
Program note for Constellations' first live concert of the 2021-22 season, "Join Together," featuring flutist Aaron Goldman, guitarist Dieter Hennings, and percussionists Scott Christian, Jeff Stern, and Sam Seyong Um. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo with the musicians as guest interviewees. Catch the concert on one day only: Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 4PM EDT in Potomac, Maryland - tickets are available on our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Sindo Garay arr. Rey Guerra - Perla Marina; Debussy - Syrinx for solo flute; Beaster - Mountain Songs; Crumb - An Idyll for the Misbegotten; Lou Harrison - Serenade for guitar and percussion; Zivkovic - Trio per uno; Mark Applebaum - Catfish
Program note for Constellations' seventh virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "A New Normal," featuring two incredible ensembles: the pioneering JACK Quartet and berimbau sextet Arcomusical joined by bassist Matt Ulery. Hosted by Constellations Programming Committee member Daniel Pesca with special guests Jay Campbell and Gregory Beyer. Catch the concert on Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 3PM EDT - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Rodericus - "Angelorum Psalat" performed by the Ferrara Ensemble; Elliott Carter - String Quartet No. 3; Ruth Crawford Seeger - String Quartet by Pacifica Quartet; Marcos Balter - Chambers; Arcomusical - Kora, Um So, Echoes; Capoeira de sao salvador; Matt Ulery - "Wonderment"
Program note for Constellations' sixth virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Hearth & Soul," featuring two duos: cellist Khari Joyner and pianist Mikael Darmanie, and saxophonist Alexa Tarantino and pianist Steven Feifke. Hosted by Constellations Programming Committee member Toyin Spellman-Diaz with special guests Khari Joyner, Alexa Tarantino and Steven Feifke. Catch the concert on Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 3PM EDT - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; George Walker - Cello Sonata; Olivier Messiaen - Vocalise; Steven Feifke - Kinetic; "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" performed by Judy Garland
Program note for Constellations' fifth virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Roots," featuring violinist Nurit Bar-Josef, bassoonist Erich Heckscher, steel pannist Andy Akiho and percussionist Ian Rosenbaum. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo with special guest Ian Rosenbaum. Catch the concert on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 3PM EDT - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; J.S. Bach - Preludio from Partita No. 3 performed by Rachel Podger; J.S. Bach - Prelude from Suite No. 3; J.S. Bach - Adagio from Sonata No. 1; Eugene Ysaye - Obsession from Sonata No. 2 performed by Augustin Hadelich; Jessie Montgomery - Rhapsody No. 1 performed by Jessie Montgomery; Andy Akiho - LIgNEouS 1, Alloy, NO one to kNOW one, Karakurenai, 21, and Pillar II performed by various artists
Program note for Constellations' fourth virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Returning Home," featuring the Merz Trio with pianist Lee Dionne, violinist Brigid Coleridge, and cellist Julia Yang, and "pandemic trio" singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan and brothers Colin and Eric Jacobsen on the violin and cello. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo. Catch the concert on Sunday, February 28, 2020 at 3PM EST - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble
Program note for Constellations' third virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Be True," featuring flute-viola-harp trio Eric Lamb, Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg, and Christoph Bielefeld, violinist Anthony Marwood and actor/narrator Walter van Dyk. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo with special guest Tom Carter (Ellen's husband!). Catch the concert on Sunday, January 24, 2020 at 3PM EST - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Claude Debussy - Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun performed by Leonard Bernstein, Boston Symphony; Miguel del Aguila - "SUBMERGED" performed by Hat Trick Trio; Astor Piazzolla - "Oblivion"
Program note for Constellations' second virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Memories," featuring solo pianist Daniel Pesca and brass quartet The Westerlies. Hosted by Constellations Programming Committee member (and performer) Daniel Pesca. Catch the concert on Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 3PM EST - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson performed by his Pops Concert Orchestra; "In the Mornin" by Charles Ives performed by The Westerlies; "Where's the Music" by Duke Ellington performed by The Westerlies; "Eli" by Arthur Russell performed by The Westerlies; "Wherein Lies the Good" by Robin Holcomb performed by The Westerlies; "Two Thoughts About the Piano" by Augusta Read Thomas performed by Daniel Pesca; Ballade No. 4 by Frederic Chopin performed by Krystian Zimerman; "The Poem of Ecstasy" by Alexander Scriabin performed by Chicago Symphony Orchestra; "Portrait in Jazz" performed by Bill Evans Trio
Program note for Constellations' first virtual concert of the 2020-21 season, "Departure," featuring the Miró Quartet, clarinetist Mariam Adam, and pianist Andrew von Oeyen. Hosted by Constellations Programming Committee member Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Catch the concert on Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 3PM EST - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble; Valerie Coleman - Sonatine for clarinet and piano performed by Mariam Adam and Evelyn Ulex; Johannes Brahms - Clarinet Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 120 No. 2, performed by Anthony McGill and Winston Choi
An introduction to Constellations Chamber Concerts and our new 2020-21 season of seven virtual concerts, featuring fourteen world-class performers and ensembles. Hosted by Constellations Artistic Director Ellen Hwangbo. Catch our virtual concerts Sunday afternoons once a month beginning on November 22, 2020 - just go to our home page at www.constellationsmusic.org to watch!
Music credits: Daniel Pesca - "Bear Dance" performed by Ritsos Ensemble