Category Archives: Music

Side by Side tonight as Ark Symphony and Ark Symphony Youth play together

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sbs_orch_1You can watch the Grammys tonight on TV or you can experience the thrill of live music.  The annual ASO/ASYO Side by Side concert is a showcase of the Arkansas Symphony Youth Ensembles program. The winners of the 2014 Stella Boyle Smith Concerto Competition will be featured with the ASO, then the ASYO will join the ASO on stage to play Side by Side.

Following a brief intermission the Preparatory, Prelude, and Academy Orchestras will present programs.

ASO
WEBER Concertino for Clarinet in E-flat Major, J. 109, Op. 26
Mason Sangster, clarinet

WEBER Concerto No. 2 for Clarinet in E-flat Major, J. 118, Op. 74
Rachel Lewis, clarinet

Side By Side
TCHAIKOVSKY Marche slavbe, Op. 31, TH 45
BORODIN Polovetsian Dances from Prince Igor

The evening will take place at 7pm tonight at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center.

Black History Month Spotlight: Hazel Shanks Hynson

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bhm hazelEducator and Musician Extraordinaire Hazel Shanks Hynson was a renowned educator and an extraordinary musician who through the years trained many accomplished musicians including the late jazz musician Art Porter.

Hynson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music, with a major in piano, from Atlanta University. She completed further study in piano, including advanced theory and harmony, with master musicians and instructors hailing from Oberlin College, the University of London and the Julliard School of Music, to cite a few When she moved to Little Rock, Hynson joined Mt. Zion Baptist Church where she served as its pianist for more than 25 years. Through her Hazel Shanks Hynson Music Studio, she presented her students in memorable piano recitals each year with as many as 20 baby grand pianos in use.

Recognized nationally for her outstanding musicianship, Hynson served as pianist for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention for 26 years and for the National Baptist Convention for 27 years. She also served a stint as pianist and choir director for Arkansas Baptist College which awarded Hynson an honorary doctorate in 1990 and named its multi-purpose building in her honor.

A charter and Golden Life member of the Little Rock Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., she was named Delta of the Year in 1992. She is also a charter member of the Little Rock chapter of The Links, Inc.

Known as a grand lady of grace and elegance, a superb teacher and pianist, arranger, composer, and musician’s musician, Hazel Shanks Hynson’s love of music has touched and shaped the lives of people across the globe.

In 2004, she was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.  For more on Hazel Shanks Hynson and other inductees into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, visit the permanent exhibit at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. That museum is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

 

Violin and Organ recital tonight at 8

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Tonight the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present a recital featuring Lisa Shihoten, violin and Ken Cowan, organ.  It will take place at 8pm at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Little Rock. This evening is a special recital benefiting the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center.

Lisa Shihoten, Violin

Violinist Lisa Shihoten enjoys an active career as a chamber musician, recitalist and teacher. She made her New York solo debut at Avery Fisher Hall with the Juilliard Orchestra under the direction of Kurt Masur and has received top prizes and awards from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the Marcia Polayes National Competition, and the Seventeen Magazine/General Motors National Competition. She has appeared with the ensemble Concertante, the American Chamber Players, the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, and has performed at numerous summer festivals including the Caramoor Music Festival, the Ravinia Festival, the Verbier Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She has also toured throughout Israel, Greece, and Turkey, and regularly tours this country in duo recital with organist Ken Cowan. Ms. Shihoten received her Bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School and her Master’s degree from the Yale School of Music.

Ken Cowan, Organ

A native of Thorold, Ontario, Canada, Ken Cowan received his Master’s degree and Artist Diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, studying organ with Thomas Murray. Previous positions have included Associate Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, Associate Organist and Artist in Residence at Saint Bartholomew’s NYC, and Assistant Organist posts at St. James Episcopal Church, Saint Mary the Virgin in NYC, and Saint Clement’s Church in Philadelphia. In 2012 Mr. Cowan joined the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University as Associate Professor and head of the organ program.

Mr. Cowan maintains a full studio of organ students and is one of the most sought-after concert organists in North America. He has won numerous awards in the United States and Canada; he has been a featured artist at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society and the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and he has been on the roster of Associate Organists for the famous Wanamaker Grand Court organ in Philadelphia. Mr. Cowan has also recorded several critically acclaimed CDs on the JAV label, and many of his recordings and live performances are regularly featured on the nationally distributed radio show PIPEDREAMS from American Public Media.

Little Rock Look Back: Jesse Belvin in concert at Robinson Auditorium

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Ark Gazette 60.02.05 (Fri)The name Jesse Belvin is largely forgotten. As a songwriter in the 1950’s he wrote “Earth Angel.” He also had an R&B hit with “Goodnight My Love.”  If he is recalled for anything today, it is tragically for being part of the mythical “27” club of musicians who died at the age 27.

On February 5, 1960, he appeared in a concert at Robinson Auditorium for what was billed as the “First Rock & Roll Concert of 1960.”  The headliner for the concert was Jackie Wilson.  The next morning, Belvin died at age 27 in a car accident outside of Hope on his way to his next concert in Texas.  Also killed in the wreck were Belvin’s wife, the man driving the car, and a couple in another car which Belvin’s car struck.

Many urban legends have sprung up about the concert at Robinson. Some, no doubt, fueled by Little Rock’s racially divided then-recent past in September 1957.  Most of these purport that the concert in which he appeared was the first integrated concert in Little Rock. Most rumors also state that Belvin had received threats leading up to the concert, that a riot took place at the concert or at least was stopped several times by disruptions caused by white agitators, that Belvin and others were run out of town, and that the accident was caused by damage inflicted to his tires before leaving Little Rock.  There are several variations of these purported facts.

While it is true Belvin performed at Robinson Auditorium the night before he died, it was not before a racially mixed audience.  It was not until August 1961 that the first concert took place in Robinson that did not have segregated seating, and that was a one-time only event.  It would not be standard practice at Robinson Auditorium until the 1965 passage of the Civil Rights Act.

Rebecca Miller, in her blog https://jackiewilsonlover.wordpress.com/, goes into great detail debunking many of the supposed “facts” about the February 5, 1960, concert at Robinson.  While the Arkansas Gazette and Arkansas Democrat at the time did not shy away from covering racial issues (each with their own slant), neither paper mentions anything about the discord at the concert.  They do discuss Belvin’s subsequent accident near Hope.  It was apparently caused when the driver of the car containing Belvin and his wife fell asleep at the wheel.

In this day of the internet where it is easy for myths to fester into fact, it is hard to dispel rumors.  What is true is that a life was tragically cut short, and that Jesse Belvin’s last concert was on the stage of Robinson Auditorium.

Meshugga Klezmer Band at South on Main Local Live Tonight

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meshugga11-14.jpeg.190x140_q60_cropTonight’s installment of Local Live features the fabulous Meshugga Klezmer Band! Presented by the Oxford American magazine, Local Live showcases the best of local and regional music talent and is always free and open to the public. Call ahead to South on Main to make your reservations and ensure a table: (501) 244-9660.  The music starts at 7:30 p.m.

The Meshugga Klezmer Band was formed in Little Rock in 1999. They are still to this day Arkansas’ only klezmer band. Klezmer music has eastern European Jewish folk roots and is characterized by the cantorial, vocal, and emotional style reminiscent of Jewish prayer. Like the cantor, the lead musicians sob, laugh, growl, and slide from note to note. Meshugga Klezmer Band has performed with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and weddings, and at local festivals, lounges, and private parties.

Band members include Jim Harper (clarinet), Stephanie Smittle (vocals), Izzy Getzov (violin), Casey Huie (trombone), Peter Miller (guitar), Roland Gladden (bass), and Rand Retzloff (drums).

Black History Month Spotlight – Jocko Carter

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BHM JCThere is always a pioneer needed to conquer the landscape of new territories. Leo Louis Carter, or “Jocko” as he was known to his friends and listeners, was that pioneer in the field of urban radio. One of the first radio announcers for KOKY 1440 AM, the first station in Arkansas designed for the culture of the urban community, Carter made an undeniable footprint into the forays of modern African American radio programming.

The Little Rock native assisted in the establishment of the station’s “True Heritage Today,” which was designed to provide entertainment, public service announcements and advertising to the urban community.

While at KOKY, he served in many capacities, including Radio Announcer, Music Director, and later Program Director. With six years of experience in radio, and twelve years of experience in the entertainment field, Carter became one of the most versatile and successful personalities in radio.

After years of success in the Little Rock area markets, Carter became sought after in the music industry’s national arena. He went on to accept a position at FAME Records in Muscle Shoals, Alabama as a National Promotional Director. After working with several labels, including Mercury and Malaco & Stax, Carter was hired by the world’s leading recording company: Warner Brothers Record. He joined their team as the Southeast Regional Promotions Manager for Black Music.

His presence at Warner Brothers served to increase the sale of Black records. In this position, Carter was directly responsible for obtaining airplay for Black artists. With the professional backing of Carter, artists were able to commemorate sales in excess of 500,000 copies. Some of these artists and their titles include Ashford & Simpson’s Send It, George Benson’s Breezin’, and Parliament Funkadelic’s One Nation Under a Groove.

In addition to his contribution to the careers of Black artists and Arkansas urban radio, Carter will always be remembered for his favorite audience petition: “Don’t meet me there; beat me there!”

In 2011, he was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.  For more on Leo Louis “Jocko” Carter and other inductees into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, visit the permanent exhibit at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. That museum is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

Mozart & Tchaikovsky at Arkansas Symphony this weekend, featuring violin prodigy Randall Goosby

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Randall Goosby

Randall Goosby

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO), Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, presents the fourth concert in the 2014-2015 Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series: Tchaikovsky and Mozart Festival. The concert takes place at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, February 1, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.

The ASO, under the baton of guest conductor Vladimir Verbitsky, is joined by young violin virtuoso Randall Goosby for Mozart’s Concerto for Violin in A Major. Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise from Eugene Onegin and his epic Symphony No. 4 are also presented on the program. The Masterworks Series is sponsored by the Stella Boyle Smith Trust. The concert sponsor is the National Endowment for the Arts.

Concert Conversations – All concert ticket holders are invited to a pre-concert lecture an hour before each Masterworks concert.  These talks feature insights from the Maestro and guest artists, and feature musical examples to enrich the concert experience.

Tickets are $19, $35, $49, and $58; active duty military and student tickets are $10 are can be purchased online at http://www.ArkansasSymphony.org; at the Maumelle Performing Arts Center box office beginning 90 minutes prior to a concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 100. All Arkansas students grades K-12 are admitted to Sunday’s matinee free of charge with the purchase of an adult ticket using the Entergy Kids’ Ticket, downloadable at the ASO website.

ARTISTS
Randall Goosby, violin
Vladimir Verbitsky, guest conductor

PROGRAM
TCHAIKOVSKY: Polonaise from Eugene Onegin
MOZART: Concerto for Violin No. 5 in A Major, K. 219
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

 

PROGRAM NOTES
Eugene Onegin is Tchaikovsky’s most popular opera, and the Polonaise is heard during a ballroom scene in Act Three.

Mozart composed the last four of his five violin concertos in December of 1775. With lyrical intensity bordering on the operatic, a slow and heartfelt true Adagio, and a firey, virtuosic rondo in the style of a minuet as a finale, Violin Concerto No. 5  is the most accomplished of its brethren.

Symphony No. 4 was composed around the same time period as Tchaikovsky’s popular opera, Eugene Onegin. Speaking of the harsh opening brass fanfare (which recurs throughout the work), the composer writes, “This is Fate, the power which hinders one in the pursuit of happiness from gaining the goal, whose jealousy provides that peace and comfort do not prevail, that the sky is not free from clouds – a might that swings, like the sword of Damocles, constantly over the head, that poisons continually the soul. This might is overpowering and invincible. There is nothing to do but submit and vainly to complain.”