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 […]
Christopher Seaman
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Concert Review: RPO with Christopher Seaman and Jon Nakamatsu
The RPO’s Conductor Laureate continues to earn his laurels. Christopher Seaman’s annual visits to the podium have already become highlights of each season. He has set an agreeable habit of programming the kinds of pieces he likes best, from Mozart to Brahms and a bit beyond. This week’s program was a generous serving in his […]
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‘Pops’ and substance: the RPO’s balancing act
Eighteenth-century composers and writers on music used to differentiate between “music lovers” and “connoisseurs.” The music lovers, it was thought, went for the simple, tuneful, dance-y stuff; the connoisseurs liked more complicated, modern music. In their search for audiences, modern concert organizations tread a fine line between the two, trying to strike a balance that […]
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Concert Review: RPO: Christopher Seaman, Berlioz, Beethoven, and Bruckner
In a season filled with guest conductors, it was nice to head to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Thursday night with calm expectations for a pleasant evening, lead by RPO Conductor Laureate Christopher Seaman. The program selected by Seaman included a massive Bruckner symphony, a Beethoven piano concerto, and a short Berlioz overture. In all, the […]
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Classical for a dummy
“Do you think because it was written 200 years ago it can’t be relevant?” says Christopher Seaman, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director. Well, yeah… kinda. “You’re assuming that human nature has changed,” he says. “And it hasn’t — unfortunately and fortunately both. And the emotions that Beethoven had before he wrote one of his symphonies […]
