Category Archives: Music

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS – Shirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy

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Rock the TonysJones CassidyShirley Jones and Patrick Cassidy

Little Rock connection: Academy Award winner Jones has appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. She and Cassidy, her son, will star in a production of The Music Man which Celebrity Attractions is bringing to Central Arkansas next year.

Tony Awards connection: Jones and Cassidy co-starred in the Tony winning revival of 42nd Street.  Cassidy also starred in the Tony nominated Best Musical Leader of the Pack and was featured at the 1985 Tony ceremony with that production.  Jones’ first husband (and Cassidy’s father) Jack Cassidy was a Tony winning actor.

QQA 50th Spring Tour this weekend

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QQA_SpringTourLogo_COLORThe QQA will be celebrating its 50th Spring Tour this coming Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-11! This year, we’re holding the golden anniversary of the tour in the Governor’s Mansion Historic District. We’ve enlisted the help of Arkansas First Lady Ginger Beebe and P. Allen Smith as Honorary Co-Chairs to help us spread the word about our half-century anniversary. Shalah Brummett and Anthony Black will be leading our volunteer committee to make all the arrangements, and we’re excited to have the help of several other former Tour Chairs. The tour will include the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion and five houses within easy walking distance: the Cochran Cottage, Pierce House, Turner-Back House, Caruth-Cachran House and the Old Methodist Parsonage.

They have out of Candlelight Tour and Dinner tickets, as well as Sunday Brunch tickets. Tickets for tonight’s After Party and Sunday afternoon online, or by visiting Curran Hall at 615 East Capitol Avenue.

Saturday, May 10

5:30 – 7:30, Candlelight and Champagne Tour of Homes surrounding the Governor’s Mansion

Enjoy a leisurely stroll in this historic neighborhood with champagne, wine, and hor d’oeuvres while touring our featured homes.

7:30– 9:30, Dinner & Party at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion

Join us at the Governor’s Mansion for dinner and drinks with honorary co-chairs P. Allen Smith and First Lady Ginger Beebe.

9:30 onwards, The After Party at South on Main Restaurant, 1304 South Main Street

Help the QQA celebrate five decades of preservation work at a late-night party at South on Main with Rodney Block and the Real Music Lovers.

Saturday night tickets are also valid for Sunday afternoon tour Sunday,

Sunday, May 11

11:00-1:00, Brunch and Garden Tour at Curran Hall, 615 East Capitol Avenue

Start your Mother’s Day festivities at Historic Curran Hall with a casual brunch buffet and mimosa bar and tour the Marjem Ward Jackson Historic Garden.

1:00-5:00, Spring Tour of Homes, Governor’s Mansion Historic District

50th Spring Tour of Homes with lawn games, kid friendly activities, live music, food vendors, trolley rides, and more!

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS – Billy Joel and Elton John

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Rock the Tonys

Joel and John in photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

Joel and John in photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

BILLY JOEL and ELTON JOHN

Little Rock Connection: Both have performed in Little Rock over the years.  In 1995, they played a joint concert at War Memorial Stadium which brought in $1.6 million. An additional Little Rock connection for Joel – who’s birthday is today – is in his song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” there are references to South Pacific (which had a fictional Little Rock heroine), Little Rock resident Winthrop Rockefeller, and the 1957 integration crisis at Little Rock Central High.

Tony Awards Connection: Billy Joel won a Tony Award for his orchestrations of Movin’ Out which featured his songs as a backdrop of dances choreographed by Twyla Tharp.  Elton John won a Tony Award for his score to Aida.  He has received additional Tony nominations for The Lion King and Billy Elliot for Best Score.  He additionally was a producer of Best Play nominee Next Fall.

ROCKing the TONY AWARDS: Scott Joplin

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Rock the Tonysscott-joplin-1Scott Joplin

Little Rock connection: A native of Texarkana, he visited Little Rock from time to time throughout his early life and early career. His second wife, Freddie Alexander, was from Little Rock. He met her on a visit here and dedicated his composition The Chrysanthemum to her.  In June 1904, he married Freddie. She died ten weeks later of pneumonia. Aspects of her life, as well as his mothers, form the story for his opera Treemonisha.

Tony Awards connection: Treemonisha was never performed during Joplin’s lifetime. In 1975 it was produced on Broadway. Joplin received a 1976 Tony nomination for Best Score for Treemonisha – 59 years after he had died.

The ASO says farewell to Robinson with “The Music of James Taylor”

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ASO_revToday is the FINAL Arkansas Symphony Orchestra concert in Robinson Center: THE MUSIC OF JAMES TAYLOR – The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra presents the fifth and final concert in its 2013-2014 Acxiom Pops Live! Series: Shower the People: The Music of James Taylor today, May 4 at 3 p.m. at the Robinson Center Music Hall.

Featuring the band Jeans n’ Classics, this concert showcases the music of singer/songwriter James Taylor with symphonic accompaniment. The Pops Live! Series is sponsored by Acxiom.  Media sponsor for the Pops Live! Series is The Point 94.1.

Adult tickets are $59, $47, $34, and $18; student tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSymphony.org or by phone at (501) 666-1761. Kids attend free with a paying adult on Sunday with the Entergy Kids’ Ticket, downloadable at www.ArkansasSymphony.org/freekids.

 

ARTISTS

Neil Donell, lead vocals, acoustic guitar (bio)

The Jeans n’ Classics Band (www.jeansnclassics.com)

 

SET LIST

  • Never Die Young
  • Smiling Face
  • Every Day
  • Handyman
  • Carolina in My Mind
  • Up On The Roof
  • Wichita Lineman
  • Got to Stop Thinkin’ ’Bout That
  • Sweet Baby James
  • Mexico

 

INTERMISSION

  • Country Road
  • Only One
  • You’ve Got a Friend
  • My Town
  • Shed a Little Light
  • Don’t Let Me Be Lonely
  • Fire and Rain
  • Steamroller Blues
  • How Sweet it Is

 

Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestras perform “Side by Side” with members of the ASO tonight

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asoyoThe Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Youth Ensembles presents: Side by Side on May 2rd at 7 p.m. at the Robinson Center Music Hall.  Featuring all four ensembles, the concert culminates with the members of the top Youth Orchestra joining the ASO on stage and performing side by side with ASO professional musicians. Also featured is Stella Boyle Smith Concerto Competition winner, Hannah Cruse, oboe, performing as soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

Adult tickets are $15; K-12 free, all seats are general admission. Tickets available at www.ArkansasSymphony.org; 501-666-1761; at the Robinson Center beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 2nd.

ARTISTS

Hannah Cruse, oboe

Casey Buck, conductor, Preparatory Orchestra

Kiril Laskarov, Andrew Irvin, conductors, Prelude Orchestra

Tom McDonald, conductor, Academy Orchestra

Geoffrey Robson, conductor, Youth Orchestra

Philip Mann, Music Director and conductor, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

 

PROGRAM

Preparatory Orchestra

Casey Buck, conductor

Arr.  Bob Phillips Sword Dance
Arr. Noah Klauss Loch Lomond
Richard Meyer Dragonhunter

 

Prelude Orchestra

Kiril Laskarov, Andrew Irvin, conductors

Eliot Del Borgo Concertino in G
Leopold Mozart/Arr. Rondeau Entrée and Allegro in C

 

Academy Orchestra

Tom McDonald, conductor

F. Handel Concerto Grosso in G op. 6 no. 1

  1.  Tempo giusto
  2.  Allegro
  3.  Allegro
Edward Barnes, Willem Mouw, violins

Eilis Jones, cello

 
Arr. Noah Klauss Concerto for 4 violins and cello in D op. 3 No. 1

  1.  Allegro
  2.  Allegro
Kevin Li, Angela Wang, Alex Small, Jalin Parry, violins

J.D. Hill, Cello

 
Arr. Brubaker Complete Harry Potter

 

INTERMISSION

 

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor

W.A. Mozart Concerto for Oboe, K. 314

  1.  Allegro Aperto
Hannah Cruse, oboe

 

 

Side by Side

Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra

Geoffrey Robson, Conductor, Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra

Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

D. Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47

  1.  Allegro non troppo

ROCKing the TONYS – Marvin Hamlisch

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marvin-hamlisch376x283.ashxRock the TonysMarvin Hamlisch

Little Rock connection: Appeared with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra at Robinson Center Music Hall. One of his appearances was conducting a concert version of the Tony nominated musical They’re Playing Our Song.

Tony Awards connection: Won a Tony Award for composing A Chorus Line.  Also nominated for Sweet Smell of Success.  Appeared as a presenter at the 1982, 1993, 2002 and 2007 Tony ceremonies.