The historic neighborhood boasts plenty in the way of parks and community events Nestled alongside the Genesee River and I-390 in the city’s southwestern sector is the 19th Ward, a largely residential neighborhood that’s been home to Rochesterians since the late 1800’s. And yet, you could easily spend a lifetime in Rochester and not make […]
Daniel J. Kushner
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CLASSICAL | Steve Reich and Musica Nova
Eastman’s Musica Nova Ensemble next Wednesday will present an ode to the influential American composer Steve Reich and his vital concert output with a program of his works. With his 80th birthday approaching later this year, Reich has done as much to inform the contemporary classical landscape and inspire a new generation of artists as […]
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MOTOWN | The Temptations and The Four Tops
When it comes to the history of Motown, there may be no group as iconic as The Temptations. With a rich history that spans five decades, the vocal quintet has been a permanent fixture in American popular music, even through numerous lineup changes. Led by lone original member Otis Williams, the current roster includes Larry […]
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Classical review: RPO performs “Four Last Songs”
The RPO continues its mastery of Barber while presenting fascinating new music.
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CLASSICAL | Eastman Trumpet Festival
If you’re a trumpet player, a trumpet teacher, or simply a fan, your event has arrived. The Eastman Trumpet Festival is a two-day extravaganza devoted solely to concerts, master classes, and lectures featuring and pertaining to the versatile brass instrument. Notable artists who will be performing and providing their expertise include former Metropolitan Opera Orchestra […]
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OPERA | “Rising Stars of the Metropolitan Opera”
For the closing event in the Kilbourn Concert Series this season, it’s all about the future with “Rising Stars of the Metropolitan Opera.” Esteemed artists such as Rochester native Renée Fleming, Stephanie Blythe, and Thomas Hampson were once ascendant newcomers with burgeoning careers. Who knows what’s in store for the next crop of young talent to […]
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Theater Review: RBTL presents “Beautiful”
The jukebox musical is a wild card in the world of theater. Some jukebox musicals — in which the musical selections are hits culled from a particular legacy — suffer from contrivance and superficiality steeped in a desire to cash in on the popularity of the songs. In these instances, like in the movie “Across […]
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EXPERIMENTAL | Michael Johnsen
If you’re lucky enough to catch a performance at Visual Studies Workshop, you know you’re in for a weird and wonderful evening of forward-thinking sounds. The art venue has long been a haven for experimental musicians, and this concert with the Pittsburgh-based electronic sound sculptor Michael Johnsen is no different. In his live performances, Johnsen […]
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CLASSICAL | RPO with Vadym Kholodenko
In Vadym Kholodenko’s return to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the young sensation will turn to Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3, the composition with which he won the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. The work is a striking masterpiece showcasing the evocative colors of both the piano and the orchestra as a whole. A […]
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‘The Impostor’ finds a place
Béla Fleck is having an incredible start to 2016. The banjoist and composer, along with his wife and fellow banjoist, Abigail Washburn, is fresh from a Grammy win for “Best Folk Album,” and his second banjo concerto, subtitled “Juno,” is slated for its premiere on March 19 with the Canton Symphony Orchestra. It would be […]
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RPO announces 2016-17 season
The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2016-17 season has been announced, and like the current season, it has its share of crowd-pleasing classics, American and contemporary works, and notable guest performers. But the big coup here is the presence of famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will join conductor Ward Stare and the RPO for a special concert […]
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CLASSICAL | “The Sun King”
If you’ve never had a chance to visit Versailles, attending Pegasus Early Music’s Sunday concert may be the next best thing. Rochester’s resident experts in Renaissance and Baroque music will present the sounds of Louis XIV’s court with the “The Sun King,” a program featuring works by the influential François Couperin and lesser-known composers of […]
