From the Blog: News

Great news from Roberto Granados, a From the Top alum from our Lubbock, Texas show.  He was recently contacted by the California Symphony, who requested he join them on May 1, 2011 to perform three movements from Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”  He has commissioned a local luthier to have a special classical guitar made for this event.

This past January, Roberto had the opportunity to to play with Jon Anderson of the English progressive rock band Yes at Tony LaRussa’s 2010 Stars to the Rescue benefit for the Animal Rescue Foundation.  They performed an abridged version of “And You and I” and “Time and A Word.”

Roberto and Jon Anderson, 2010

Roberto’s father reveals:

Prior to Jon going on stage to introduce Roberto, Roberto told Jon that while he was waiting at the hotel he had come up with an ending that he had arranged for “Time and A Word” that he wanted to play.  Jon nodded in agreement, as he walked on stage.  At the end of the piece, Roberto played the ending he had arranged.  You could not hear a pin drop in the packed theatre, and the expression of Jon’s face, hearing for the first time what Roberto had put together, showed he was deeply moved.  It was spectacular!

Currently Roberto is studying with Grisha Goryachev, an accomplished flamenco and classical guitarist who attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston studying under Eliot Fisk. Last year he played for From the Top at the Emmys; you can read more about it here.

Violinist Stephen Waarts, who appeared on our 2009 show in Stanford, California, has been busy this summer!

After winning second place in the Menuhin Competition earlier this year, Stephen performed with two symphonies in California – on May 23rd he played Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 with the Prometheus Symphony and on June 6 he performed Brahms Violin Concerto with Symphony Parnassus. Take a look at the video of his Symphony Parnassus performance below.

Right now, Stephen is participating in the six week Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, NY, headed by violinist Itzhak Perlman. Afterwards, he is going to the Summit Music Festival, also in NY, by invitation of acclaimed violinist Aaron Rosand, who is heading an intensive violin program. In both camps he will perform as a soloist, in chamber groups, and as part of orchestras.

Mid-August Stephen will return home to California, where he will get ready to perform Paganini Concerto No. 2 with Redwood Symphony on September 19, 25. It doesn’t stop there – In October he will play Mozart Concerto No. 5 with Solano Symphony, and Paganini Concerto No. 1 with Winchester Orchestra.

More information about Stephen and links to his performances on YouTube are on his website.

We just got word that 14-year-old violinist Stephen Kim, who appeared on our radio show in Mobile, Alabama in January 2009, recently won two musical awards.

Stephen Kim Performs on Show 193 in Alabama

He received the Gold Medal in the 11th California International Young Artists Violin Competition in San Diego on June 13, which he shared with a 24 year old violinist. Stephen also won 3rd prize in the 2nd Stradivarius International Violin Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah this July.

But that’s not all – Stephen also has three big performances coming up.

On August 15 he will perform as a soloist  with The Bear Valley Symphony Orchestra, where he’ll play the Shostakovich Concerto in the closing concert of the Bear Valley Music Festival.

He will perform the Tchaikovsky Concerto on September 25 with the Fremont Symphony Orchestra in the opening concert. Then in November, he will perform the Shostakovich Concerto again with the California Youth Symphony.

Great work and good luck, Stephen!

Bella with Fellow Performers at the El Dorado Retirement Center

We love when From the Top performers take Arts Leadership to the next level – 14 year-old violist Isabella Markham, a Jack Kent Cook Young Artist, has done just that by organizing a small concert series for a retirement center with the help of her brother and seven friends.  She titled the performance “Bella Palooza” and it took place on March 7, 2010 at the El Dorado; an independent retirement home located in Richardson, TX. The program included works for cello, violin, viola, and piano. Bella chose this project to provide seniors a fun break from their daily routine. Through the performance, Bella hoped to show that musicians her age still care for elderly people, and that music is a universal form of communication. A talented artist as well as a musician, Bella also created beautiful, hand-drawn flyers to promote the event.

Bella's Concert Program Art

Bella on "From the Top"

“I strongly believe that our culture tends to forget about the elderly and aging. A lot of these people are lonely and they don’t get enough love. Everyone needs someone to look forward to, and I think music makes a person’s heart happy.”

-Bella Markham

The El Dorado Dining Hall

We asked Bella a few questions about the performance and the overall experience:

Bella with pianist Evan Ritter

From the Top: How did you come up with your project idea?

Bella: I chose this activity because I wanted the old folks to have something exciting and new to look forward to in their daily schedule. It seems that they are forgotten sometimes, so I wanted to share the gift of music with them.

From the Top: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Bella: The experience was so inspiring and enriching! I would definitely love to do something like this again. Although it was a little bit stressful in having the complete responsibility to coordinate the entire event, it was all worth it in the end.

My favorite moment was after the performance. I went around to each table to talk to the old folks and asked them what they thought about the performance. Their faces beamed with joy and they even wanted me to come back and perform again! I loved seeing them so happy.

From the Top: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

Bella: I think the audience took away the joy and love for music. They truly enjoyed seeing us young performers perform for them. I would never be able to describe how happy they were, they were so overwhelmed with joy.

From the Top: What did you learn from this experience?

Bella: I learned that no matter who you are or what you do, music can connect and communicate to anyone! In my opinion, music truly is a wonder to the universe.

From the Top: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

Bella: Definitely, yes. This is an extremely humbling experience and reminds me all the time of how fortunate and blessed I am. I think this is why I gravitate towards this particular group of people. I know that my presence and sharing of music genuinely touches their hearts as well as mine. Also, I know that I’m making a difference.

From the Top: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Bella: Definitely choose a softer selection of pieces to perform. The old folks seem to enjoy the softer pieces a lot. Also, prepare to talk and introduce yourself to them, this seems to make the performance more intimate and enjoyable. It’s also good to go around and talk with them after the performance; they love to talk with you about what a joy it was to have you perform.

Earlier this year, 13-year-old John Ringor (Show #202 and #206 ) and 17-year-old Joshua Jones (TV Episode 201, Show #171 and  #206), both Chicago percussionists and Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award recipients, gave a performance and demonstration for children and their families at the Chicago Symphony Center. They were joined by eight of their colleagues from the Percussion Scholarship Group (PSG), a program affiliated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (an ensemble of which appeared on From the Top’s Show #206), that provides free lessons and percussion instruments to students from the Chicago area – an inspiring example of arts leadership itself!

John, Josh, and members of the Percussion Scholarship Group at the Chicago Symphony Center

Their concert was part of the CSO’s Caminos a la Musica: a program that provides lower-income families the opportunity to see and experience classical music in a professional setting.

(We) chose to perform for kids because they are the people of the future; they will be the ones to shape the future of music. These people need to realize just how important music is so that they can help promote and support it.” – John

“(We) wanted to spread knowledge about percussion and the PSG, and also I wanted to incorporate members of the group in this performance. Kind of like a family affair.” -Josh

We asked John and Josh to share more about their project:

John, Josh, and the PSG performing at the Chicago Symphony Center

FTT: What was the experience like for you? Did you have a favorite moment?

Josh: I had fun performing for the children, and their reaction was priceless. As loud as we were, I was expecting them to cover their ears, but the adults were the only ones with their ears covered.

John: Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole performance was seeing how happy all the kids were. The looks on their faces when we started things off with a bang and when I was doing all sorts of stick tricks in a solo were so gratifying. They looked like they really enjoyed our performance and had fun and a genuine interest in our music. That feeling of appreciation I got from them was the best part of this whole experience.

FTT: What do you think the audience took away from the event?

John: I think that they developed a new interest and appreciation for percussion and music that is not normally heard on the radio or is mainstream. They really seemed interested in the instruments and music we played so I think that one day they too will want to play an instrument.

Josh: Probably the point that was received by the audience was that percussion is a fun instrument to play, and it takes hard work to achieve a high level on any instrument that they may decide to take up, or anything they decide to do in life.

FTT: What did you learn from the experience?

Josh: I experienced how the sound was much bigger in a smaller room, so we had to play softer in order to not over power and frighten the children. It was kind of funny actually.

John: I learned that organizing such an event is no easy task. At times it was difficult getting everyone together and having rehearsals, but we eventually worked things out. Mostly I learned to just have fun. When I have fun then everyone else senses that and tries to have fun as well. By enjoying myself and keeping a positive attitude the performance was wonderful and the kids had a great time.

FTT: Do you think this type of experience can help your development as a musician? How?

John: It’s taught me the value of planning, organization, teamwork, and showmanship. I learned that just like in an orchestra or in an ensemble, teamwork and communication was essential both for playing musically together as well as running the show.

Josh: Instead of regurgitating music that we memorize, connecting with the audience can ease some of the nerves we may have as musicians when we perform and it tells us even more what the audience wants out of a concert.

FTT: What advice would you give other musicians interested in doing a similar project?

Josh: Don’t be afraid to try new things as you go. Always have a set goal, but if there is room for improvisation, take full advantage of it.

John: Just have fun with it. If the audience sees you having fun then they will too and that’s the secret to success.

After every radio taping, the performers come together for the Arts Leadership Orientation to explore how they can use their talent and passion to make a difference in their communities and the world.

The performers on the St. Paul show named themselves the “Louisasota Zirths” – a play on the two states represented (10 performers from MN, 1 from LA) and the names of two inspiring teachers. They decided to choreograph their group photo and video around the piano, which was only fitting since it was a piano-themed show. Check out On the Road with Joanne Robinson for more info about the show.

The St. Paul Performers

Check out their group video:

Here are some of their thoughts about arts leadership, captured during a group writing exercise:

Arts Leadership is…

“Recognizing that music is a web that connects people together no matter how far apart they are. We may not be able to communicate our feelings through words, but two people from completely different parts of the world could walk away from a concert feeling the same way about it. I guess instead of saying music doesn’t have a language barrier, it would be better to say that it bridges the language barriers.“

“I have organized concerts to raise money for building schools in Afghanistan. I have done this for six years and with the money raised, a school actually has been built in one of the most dangerous provinces of Afghanistan. So now the girls can feel safer and appreciated.”

“Our trio put (a benefit concert) together for Haiti – it was really fun, plus it felt great to contribute to people’s lives in such a big way.”

“Reaching out to kids who don’t have the same opportunities that we do and trying to do what we can to make those opportunities accessible to others. You can learn a lot about yourself through teaching and get better and better at working with kids.”

“Becoming involved in the community and inspiring people to appreciate the arts.”

“Taking a stand- supporting your ideas and dreams with action!”

The performers also created individual leadership maps, charting their past experiences, future dreams and the leadership qualities most important to them.

Be sure to tune in when their show airs the week of October 4th to hear more from these inspiring arts leaders!

I can’t believe we’re already kicking off our 11th season of radio shows, and what better way than a fantabulous piano extravaganza! We taped the first show of the season earlier this week at the Young Artist World Piano Festival on the beautiful campus of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

It was an exciting show that featured practically everything the piano can do, from solo to chamber music to a piano duo to a bombastic finale with eight hands flying! Three From the Top alums were included in the festivities. There was 15-year-old Colton Peltier, who appeared this time around with the Aurailea Trio, along with violinist Nora Scheller, 17, and cellist Jocelyn Schendel, 18. The trio performed the first movement of Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor beautifully

Also featured was Leeza Ali, 16, who previously appeared as a soloist on both our radio and TV programs and now performed as part of our show’s grand finale. Picture two grand pianos, with two pianists seated at each bench. Leeza Ali, 18-year-old Reed Tetzloff, 17-year-old Leo Wexler-Mann, and the great Christopher O’Riley himself performed Smetana’s Sonata in One Movement for Eight Hands in E minor. It was fascinating watching the four of them working through all the intricacies of the piece at music rehearsal.

We also reconnected with cellist John-Henry Crawford, 17, who was flown in to collaborate with 17-year-old pianist Kenny Broberg on a movement from Brahms Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano. It was hard to believe these two met and put together this piece just one day prior to taping!

We  met superstar sisters Cindy and Serena Lu, ages 14 and 12, who played the first movement of Mozart’s Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos and then showed off their other major skill, rhythmic gymnastics (which, if you’re not familiar, is acrobatic gymnastics done with props, such as hoops, ribbons and balls). These two are such talented gymnasts that they recently competed in the Junior Olympics! During the show, I managed to tape some footage of them demonstrating, which will go live on our website when the show airs, but until then, check out this YouTube clip of 12-year-old Serena in action.

We also met 9-year-old pianist William Yang (fondly nicknamed “Yangster the Gangster”), who, though rather quiet in person, is as expressive as can be when he plays piano. For your viewing pleasure, I flip-cammed Mr. Gangster rehearsing his piece, Chopin’s Scherzo No.1 in B minor, the night before the show. Don’t miss the part when the block of wood propping up his piano bench becomes unsteady and Chris O’Riley sneaks in to save the day, or the very end of the piece where William finishes with a dynamic flourish. I loved it!

From the Top alum William Harvey‘s musical organization, Cultures in Harmony, is hosting a student music group from Zimbabwe August 4-25, 2010 in New York City and Washington D.C.

Onias Horiwa and William Harvey, July 2006. Photo courtesy of Cultures in Harmony

Cultures in Harmony has worked with this group, comprised of leader Onias Horiwa, eight students, and one teacher  from Eaglesvale High School, in Zimbabwe in the past through two music projects: Sound of Water, Sound of Hope and Give Children Musical Instruments. Now William and his crew welcome these old friends to America.

Their trip will be filled with activities including “creative workshops at Culturarte, a picnic in New York’s Central Park with Cultures in Harmony volunteers, a performance featuring Onias Horiwa on mbira and Cultures in Harmony musicians in New York City, and workshops and other activities led by Dawn Smith and Ryan Murphy, Cultures in Harmony project participants who have been to Zimbabwe and now reside in Washington, DC.”

William writes, “From Zimbabwe to Papua New Guinea to Pakistan to Moldova, people with few resources other than their hospitality have generously welcomed American musicians into their homes during Cultures in Harmony projects over the past five years. Now is the US’s chance to return the favor!”

Where do YOU come in? William is looking for volunteers with a couch or extra bed who are willing to host a member of the group for all or some of their stay in New York or Washington.  Interested? Join Cultures in Harmony on Facebook and send a message to Deputy Director Sarah Frisof!

More information here.

We have been avidly following the progress of Musical Diplomacy, the brainchild of From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant recipients Brian Kaufman and Michael Reichman. After an entire year of planning and organizing, their dream of using music to bring together leading policymakers, teachers, musicians, and concerned citizens was finally realized at the Fenway Center Auditorium on May 14. The event demonstrated both musical excellence and creative design, and was very well-received. We sat down with the two after the performance to reflect on the memories and values gleaned from their yearlong journey.

Brian after conducting Bernstein's "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What have you learned during the course of developing Musical Diplomacy?

Brian: We learned a tremendous amount. We learned about what we’re capable of as artists, as individuals, what we have the ability to do if we put our mind to it. We learned a lot about how to put something together, how to organize things, and how to get a community excited about something. The whole thing was challenging—there was no part of it that was a walk in the park! There was constant negotiating, adjusting, and modifying original plans. To do something like this, you have to be really flexible.

Michael: What we learned is that if you have an idea and a passion, and hope to see it through, you can make it happen. There is no end to the possibilities of what you can do. No one had done what we did before at the conservatory, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t take something to the next level. For any artist out there, don’t let the world stop you from doing something that really interests you. It sounds so corny, but if you dream big, there is no end to the possibilities. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to be performing in front of three million people at Woodstock, but it does mean that this distant dream of a year ago has now become a reality, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about that. Anybody could do this.

Michael after conducting Jason Belcher's "Concerto for Improvisers and Orchestra" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: So this being your second year of Musical Diplomacy, what new ideas emerged?

Michael: Last year what was novel about what we did was that we had a concert plus a discussion. We did that again this year, but it was also with additional effects, such as the audio clips, lighting changes, and seating changes – all things that enhanced the overall aesthetic of the concert and the musical experience. It’s about how you can change the expectations of what classical music can do, and how the music can be effective in ways that people never had thought of before. Your expectations of what classical music is can be quite broad and can be a lot of different things. It’s not just about sitting and listening; it’s about where it takes you from there.

Brian: In a standard classical concert, when the music starts the magic starts but when it stops it ends. Daniel (Daniel Bernard Roumain, or DBR) was open to any ideas that we had, but the audio clips were one that he liked that we could actually do. The lighting changes we did really made an impact as well. We went from all the lights up with the Bernstein to all the lights off for Caroline Park’s piece, a much smaller piece. This was very effective for people since it was such a big difference in aesthetic between the two pieces, and the lighting matched that difference.

Michael: The things that happened that we didn’t expect or anticipate, and ended up planning only a few days before, were a lot of these new aesthetic ideas that Daniel had suggested: an unorthodox concert dress, or in his words “dress like you are going to be on MTV,” and having some sort of creative transition between pieces so that the audience is constantly being engaged and stimulated in some way. The idea is that the concert experience should completely seamless.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How has this project related to your experience and education at NEC?

Michael: We served as conductors and music directors for this project, so we did everything from the musical preparation of score study to the logistical preparation of recruiting ensemble personnel, securing rehearsal locations, etc. That is all very much a part of what we did at the conservatory, outside this project. We’re using all those skills. NEC has begun a crusade to start an “entrepreneurial musicianship” program, and the NEC President is very gung ho about this idea of educating NEC musicians to be entrepreneurs. That goes along with not just being good artists, but knowing how to “think outside the box” on ways you can contribute to the community, wherever that community is. That just so happens to be what we’re already doing! So that ties into our education in that respect.

Brian: There was an incredible overall sense of accomplishment with everything we did. Michael and I talked about how this concert was, in many ways, a synthesis of the learning that we have done over our whole education, not just our two years at NEC. All of the organizational things: raising money, getting Daniel involved with the project, having Gunther Schuller on the panel discussion, having From the Top become a part of the project, getting 85 students to freely volunteer their time, having interest from the faculty at New England Conservatory, having the entire Conservatory come together between marketing and faculty and staff, all of these were really helpful and positive things.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: How did you feel about the post-concert panel discussion?

Michael: It didn’t go quite as we had previously expected, and of course that had to do with a lot of last-minute replacements on the panel that happened the week of. You can formulate panel questions you would like the discussion to revolve around, but panelists feel things in the moment. Both Daniel and Donnie Perkins prefaced their speeches by saying, “I was going to talk about this, but having had this experience I feel compelled to say these things.” The format was having each panelist speak for about 8 – 10 minutes each, and then open it up for questions. I think one thing that we might want to consider doing differently for a similar formula in an event like this is to maybe have very specific questions asked by the moderator to specific panelists. That way, it becomes immediately more like a dialogue rather than a series of speeches. The momentum and the energy would be a little bit more kinetic and gets the audience a more engaged. It would also hopefully leave room for the audience to ask more questions, since we only had time for 2 questions from the audience.

Brian: This whole idea of music in and of itself, this idea that it transcends words and represents an idea that we cannot with words, is really powerful. I think it can be a powerful thing to react to that and discuss it: what did we get from that? How does it shape our thoughts? The idea of discussion is important, and the interaction between people is really important. As we move forward to do this in the future, we can begin thinking about how we can guide that discussion and make it as fruitful as possible.

Michael: The important thing for us to keep in mind is that we’re not political activists with an agenda or an idea to get across. For us, it was about guiding the discussion in a direction that made sure we were talking about where we are in our country culturally now that we have a non-white president. It was interesting that the conversation went in many different directions from that. Perhaps changing the format will make sure that not only is the interaction a little more lively between the panelists and the audience, but that the questions and issues that we intended to have raised in the event are, and that less gets left untouched.

Daniel Bernard Roumain conducting his piece, "Symphony for the Dancefloor" (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: There was a powerful moment in the discussion when an audience member challenged the panel on the issue of affirmative action. How do you think that affected what followed?

Michael: I think Daniel’s response to the question was an appropriate response, and that he responded to it as a musician and not as somebody who has his own political opinions or social opinions. It’s important that when you are trying to do an event like this to keep in perspective your perspective: I am reflecting and raising these issues as an artist. We are talking about America and the effects of racial integration culturally. We are asking “where are we in this country culturally?” We’re keeping in perspective how we’re asking the questions and who is asking the questions. I think it was good Daniel answered the question as a musician.

Brian: He didn’t just dismiss the guy for his anger, either. He really identified with his viewpoint by saying: “I understand where you are coming from, I don’t agree with you. Here are some things that I think differently, but I do understand where you’re coming from. There are parts of my experience that I cannot connect with where your experiences are, because I’ve had different experiences.” At the same time he was saying he didn’t agree, he was giving the guy’s argument value and understanding, which was really powerful. He wasn’t knocking the guy for his anger or his view, he was saying your voice is just as important a voice as any other voice, and it deserves to be heard just as much as any of the rest of us, as any of the five of us sitting up here right now (the panel).

DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What do you see in the future of this project?

Brian: Personally, I see someone giving us a $200 million grant to continue doing this. I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I have my fingers crossed!

Michael: I think we have tapped somewhat of a niche market. Nobody is exactly doing what we’re doing in this way. We would want to continue doing projects like this—not necessarily in a concert plus discussion format, but projects that take music and set it in an illuminating context. In other words, taking art and getting people to think about it in a different way and continuing to produce events that do that.

Brian: We’ve both found that we have an interest and a passion for this kind of thing. We’re looking to keep that as a central part of what we do after NEC. In more detail, we’re looking to set up an organization that would put on these kinds of events, potentially a nonprofit.

Michael: It is definitely something we want to move forward with, and to keep thinking of new ways to be creative and enhance that concert experience, whether that be from the audience member’s perspective or from the performer’s perspective. Diplomacy through concert plus discussion only has to be one medium for that. It can take a lot of different forms, a lot of different concerts, and lot of different styles with the importance being that it’s wonderful music getting people engaged and enhancing the way they see and experience music.

Panelists Robert Gittens, Donnie Perkins, William Lowe, and DBR (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: Do you ever see it expanding beyond music and incorporating other arts?

Brian: Absolutely! I think collaboration is at the core of what we are doing. There are so many artists that are already part of this idea and that are doing things relevant to what we are thinking, and they would probably be really interested in being a part of this. The Internet is another way to make this available to everyone right away.

From the Top: Based on how this most recent experience went, what is the ideal picture you could paint for Musical Diplomacy?

Michael: Our name right now is Musical Diplomacy, and the key word to that is “music”. It’s all about making sure that the music gets you thinking or affects the way that you experience “fill in the blank.” It’s about how we can get music to get people thinking about the world around them differently. That’s the big mission, that’s what musical diplomacy is all about. The best success for us would be hearing: “Bernstein, that’s such a great piece and I’ve loved it all my life, but I never thought of it that way. Any time I listen to that music I am now going to think about it differently. And the next time I hear Barack Obama speak or Jesse Jackson or anybody in that sort of activism, I’m going to think about it differently because the music affected the way that I see this issue and how the issue either transcends or doesn’t.”

Brian: We are really interested in expanding on this idea of music as a platform for addressing social issues. It’s a really compelling idea that could make a huge difference and a huge impact for a lot communities and a lot of people. Aside from the concert and discussion, the question is that within this context of Musical Diplomacy how can we connect people to these ideas? What educational components can we bring in? How can we engage people in high school or middle school with this idea? How can we engage other communities? How can we bring this idea outside of Boston and into other parts of the country?

Panelist Gunther Schuller (photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What advice would you give to younger musicians who are interested in getting involved in their communities and are inspired to do something similar?

Brian: Try to identify the components of what you’re trying to do. Once you do that, get advice from people who are good at those individual components. We’ve been very lucky. Even though we’re receiving credit for putting this concert together, we had a tremendous amount of help. The good news is that there are a lot of people out there who want to help you. You’re not alone in this. Whether it’s your teachers or other people in your community, I guarantee there are people out there who will help you with whatever you want to do. One example at NEC: we had to raise money for our project, and we were applying for grants. We were directed towards the grant writer for NEC and met with him. We explained what we were doing, showed him drafts of our grant proposals, and he gave us feedback. Asking advice from someone is almost the best form of flattery you can give them. Don’t feel like you can’t ask. Always, always ask! Most people would love to sit down and help you in any way they can.

Michael: I think that’s the biggest thing: ask for advice. You don’t even have to have a completely concrete idea. If you’re really passionate about something and you have an idea, talk to your teachers and your mentors. Tell them about your idea and ask whom else you could approach to get advice. Take those names and then ask them for advice. It continues from there.  You’ll start developing really good rapports and relationships and a support system. That’s all you need. As we were developing our network at NEC, Tanya Maggi, the Director of the Community Performances Partnerships Program at NEC, came across From the Top’s Margaret Stewart Lindsay Arts Leadership Grant. All because we asked somebody for advice!

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

From the Top: What does it mean to be an artist in today’s world?

Brian: Especially in classical music, there aren’t that many jobs out there. Being a 21st century musician is about being resourceful and using all of your skills, and not necessarily just musical skills. That could mean teaching, performing, or putting your own projects together. For us, being relevant and part of a community is really important, and it’s part of being a 21st century musician. To go along with that, you have to have a broad view of what being “successful” is. Don’t limit your idea of success to being a violin player in an orchestra, and that’s it. You’ll miss out on a lot if you do.

Michael: I went to a conducting workshop, and one of the speakers during a career seminar said, “there are no such things as jobs, only opportunities.” As a young artist or musician, that (along with asking for advice) is a powerful idea that you can take away. It’s all about forging your own career. You can create anything you want, and if you have a passion for it, you can find a group of people that will help you. That’s almost as important as honing your craft at a conservatory. Look at your education as training for the various opportunities with which you’re going to create for yourself. With this attitude, artists (any student, really, in any field of education) would look at their careers differently, and, I think, for the better. Everybody has something to contribute to society; it’s just a matter of figuring that out. If you see your education as a way to create your own opportunities and not just apply for a job, it will have a monumental impact on your outlook.

Brian: You can also think about it as being a contribution with your art. That changes the way you approach what you do. Art isn’t about you; it’s about contributing something.

(photo courtesy of Jesse Weiner)

This is the final installment of our Musical Diplomacy series on The Green Room. We will keep you posted on future developments and proposals with the project!

In the beginning of June we updated you on From the Top alum Nicholas King.  This week we received more information about his summer plans to share with you.

You may remember that Nicholas mentioned throwing a private concert in July to fundraise so he can continue his studies at the world-renowned Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto – now we’ve got the details: On July 17 he will perform at the Evo Penthouse in Los Angeles, CA.  His event will include appetizers, dessert, and wine (courtesy of Truly Raw Gourmet, Tia’s Bakery, Chocovivo and Coconut Bliss) in addition to his performance. If you’re in the LA area, you should definitely check it out and help this alum stay on his musical track!  Tickets at the door are $30 each or $50 for two.

Image Courtesy of Susan von Seggern

At 3pm the very next day Nicholas will appear at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  He’s the special guest performer at the Southeast Symphony Association’s season-ending celebration. This performance will include “American Salute” by Martin Gould, “Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, “Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 18 in C minor” by Sergei Rachmaninoff,  and “Peter and the Wolf” by Sergei Prokofiev with a special guest celebrity narrator. Tickets are available through the Southeast Symphony Association or Ticketmaster.

Nicholas says, “I’m excited to play at Disney Hall, it’s an amazing venue! Plus doing the fundraising event in the sky above LA at the Evo will be a wonderful experience and help me further my studies. It will be a big weekend!” Check out his website for more information.

Good luck Nicholas!

We are pleased to announce our 2010-2011 national tour dates for taping our popular NPR radio program hosted by acclaimed concert pianist Christopher O’Riley. The tour will include concert events at From the Top’s home base at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall and cities from Athens, GA to Yountville, CA and will mark From the Top’s eleventh season in public broadcasting.

What began as a radio experiment in 2000 quickly became one of the fastest growing and most popular weekly classical music programs on public radio. Broadcast on nearly 250 stations nationwide to an audience of more than 700,000 listeners each week, From the Top celebrates the amazing performances and captivating stories of America’s best pre-college classical musicians. We are proud to continue our work through the 2011 season!

2010-2011 From the Top’s NPR Radio Taping Schedule*

Tuesday July 13, 2010: St. Paul, Minnesota
Presented by Young Artist World Piano Festival

Tuesday, October 12, 2010: Davenport, Iowa
Presented by Orchestra Iowa as part of From the Top’s Iowa Residency, Iowa Makes Music

Sunday, October 24, 2010: Boston, Massachusetts
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall

Tuesday, November 2, 2010: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Presented by LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts

Tuesday, November 16, 2010: Abilene, Texas
Presented by KACU-FM

Friday, December 3, 2010: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Presented by the Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University

Sunday, January 23, 2011: Yountville, California
Presented by the Lincoln Theater Napa Valley

Saturday, January 29, 2011: Boston, Massachusetts
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall

Tuesday, February 8, 2011: Opelika, Alabama
Presented by the Arts Association of East Alabama

Sunday, February 27, 2011: Athens, GA
Presented by the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center

Wednesday, March 30, 2011: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Presented by Orchestra Iowa as part of From the Top’s Iowa Residency, Iowa Makes Music

Saturday, April 16, 2011: College Park, Maryland
Presented by the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland

Tuesday, April 26, 2011: Carmel, Indiana
Presented by The Palladium at The Center for the Performing Arts

Wednesday, May 4, 2011: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Presented by the Virginia Arts Festival at the Sandler Center.

Sunday, May 15, 2011: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Presented by KCSC-FM at the Rose State College Performing Arts Theatre

*Keep in mind the schedule is subject to change; you can always find the most up-to-date taping schedule on our website.

William Harvey on From the Top's Pilot Episode

Way back in 1998 before we hit the airwaves, From the Top taped their pilot episode at Jordan Hall. One of the featured performers was violinist William Harvey, then 15 years old, from Indiana. We’ve blogged about his accomplishments since then, and today we have another exciting opportunity of his to share with you.

This July, William’s non-profit Cultures in Harmony will partner with the Cameroon Nigeria Youth Movement to create a project entitled “A Peaceful Atmosphere,” which culminates in a simultaneous concert in the US and Cameroon on July 17. The coolest part? This is a virtual project! You can read all the details here, but below is a quick overview.

Groups of teaching artists will work with primary schools in areas around the country, where they will teach kids how to create “Sound Pictures.”  These are visual representations of music the kids will hear – for example, short notes will be shown by small dots, long notes by lines. High notes will be placed above low notes on the page. All in all, the teaching artists will help the kids create sheet music, but it’ll be their own special representation of it.

Once groups of students have created 3-5 minute compositions, the “sheet music” will be scanned and sent to Cameroon and Nigeria – where students have been doing the exact same thing!  The Cameroon and Nigeria music will be sent to the U.S., and on July 17th the teaching artists will perform both versions of music. Video messages between the countries will also be exchanged, and all audio and video will be posted online afterwards.

William Harvey explains the main goal:

Through creating compositions, writing them down, hearing them performed alongside compositions by children from another country, and then hearing the recording of their own pieces performed by musicians from another country, the children will do their part to create that peaceful atmosphere, and the adults who work with them will similarly find that beautiful peace which the universal language of music can so eloquently describe.

This is a pretty amazing project, and From the Top looks forward to seeing the videos and hearing the audio after the concert in July!

William Harvey in Cameroon, 2009. Photo Courtesy of Cultures in Harmony.

Arts Leadership is an important part of From the Top’s experience for young musicians. We encourage all our performers to give back to their communities through their music. Sahun “Sam” Hong who performed on Show #206 in Dallas, Texas, has been doing Arts Leadership outreach continually since his show taped in November, 2009.  He’s setting a great example! On June 22, 2010 Sam will play a recital in Longhorn Auditorium at Trinity Terrace for all of the residents.

Here’s a quick photo recap of his work since November:

On December 1, 2009, Sam performed for all of the fifth grade students at Tanglewood Elementary School in Fort Worth.

Sam performing between showings of the award-winning documentary of the 2009 Cliburn Competition, "A Surprise in Texas

Sam and Van Cliburn at "A Surprise in Texas" showing

Sam performing at Trinity Terrace Retirement Home in Fort Worth. He visits the residents once a week to play solo piano, accompany them singing, and do some magic tricks. This is on the second floor for residents who are unable to get out.

Sam performs for elementary students at The Cambridge School in San Diego on June 3, 2010.

Simone Performs in Highland Park

Two From the Top alums are performing in Singapore this week as part of the Great Eastern International Kids Performing Festival: violinist Simone Porter and cellist Nathan Chan.

Simone appeared on From the Top’s Highland Park, Illinois show in 2007 when was eleven years old, at which point she was basically a veteran violinist – she started playing when she was just three. In March 2008 Simone appeared on our PBS series, From the Top at Carnegie Hall. Two years later, Simone has excelled greatly and is one of five young international musicians to perform at the festival in Singapore this week.

Nathan Performs in Stanford

Cellist Nathan Chan appeared on From the Top’s December 2009 show in Stanford, California. You may not know this, but Nathan originally got into classical music as a conductor – at the age of two! He used to mimic the movements of conductors on TV and was incredibly accurate at it. Three years later he picked up a cello and began his formal study of music. Nathan’s accomplishments are many – just check out his summary on the festival website – and performing in Singapore is yet another wonderful honor for him.

Simone and Nathan, along with From the Top alum Anna DeLoi, are also featured in a 2009 BBC 4 documentary series that’s about to air on WGBH. We mentioned this mini-series, titled “The World’s Greatest Musical Prodigies,” back in April. It features a young composer and conductor from England named Alexander Prior. He’s on a mission to find the best young performing talent in the world, and he will write a multi-instrument concerto for them to perform with the Northern Sinfonia in England.

It’s a small world because Alex will actually be at Tanglewood this summer, along with our 10th Anniversary alum Keitaro Harada (saxophone/conductor).

Click here for air dates/times of this show.

From the Top alum Ren Martin-Doike, who appeared on Show #192 in Indianapolis, Indiana,  just got back from an incredible 3 week concert tour to Argentina with Indiana University’s Violin Virtuosi.  They traveled the country, playing in concert halls such as the beautiful Teatro El Circulo.  Ren says, “meeting with audience members after concerts — though the language barrier sometimes renders communication difficult — is a testament to how universal the ‘language’ of music is.”

Here’s a nice article on the Indiana University Newsroom that talks about this trip as well as the Virtuosi members’ histories.

Ren Martin-Doike Performing I. Presto from Sonata No. 4, Op. 23 by Ludwig Van Beethoven

This week From the Top alum Hilda Huang, who perfromed on Show #180 in Berkeley, CA, appeared on Episode 12 of From the Top at Carnegie Hall, and was the highest ranking musician in the Seventh International Würzburg J. S. Bach Competition, updated us on a couple cool opportunities she’s had.

Hilda Huang performs at a From the Top taping on May 29, 2008 at UC Berkeley

Hilda recently appeared in a full-length documentary called “Bach & Friends.”  This isn’t a movie about Johann Sebastian Bach’s life, but rather how he lives on today, through the eyes of all different types of musicians.  The documentary features performances by many talented artists, including Hilda. During the world premiere in May, 2010, Hilda gave a live performance at Symphony Space.  Take a look at the short videos, Part 1 and Part 2, outlining the event (and watch out for Hilda!)  Also, you can read some interesting comments on the premiere here.

“Bach & Friends” will premiere next in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 14, 7 p.m. at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas. More information can be found here.

Hilda’s second recent accomplishment is more virtual – Two weeks ago she visited Big Think, “a global forum connecting people and ideas,” to give a video interview on her love for Bach. She’s the youngest person who’s been interviewed with Big Think so far! The video isn’t posted quite yet, but it will be available here shortly.

Please join us in congratulating Hilda!

From the Top’s Arts Leadership Program is all about young artists using their talent and passion to make a difference in the world.  Every show is new and different, bringing together a diverse group of musicians with a wide range of experiences – that’s what makes it so exciting!  The Arts Leadership Orientation, held the morning after every radio taping, is an opportunity to share and explore those experiences, share From the Tops’s mission of service, and build a community of inspiring arts leaders.

After taping an amazing show at the Gettysburg Festival in Gettysburg, PA, all seven performers and our education team gathered in a beautiful, sun-filled conference room on the Gettysburg College campus to reflect on their experience and explore ways to give back through music.

The performers chose one of the unique outdoor sculptures scattered across the beautiful campus for their group photo.

The Gettysburg Show Performers

The group participated in an exercise called “chalk talk”  (basically a group conversation done in writing) to explore what Arts Leadership means to them, and boiled it down to these key ideas:

Arts Leadership is…

• Sharing the importance of the arts, even when others criticize you
• Sharing your love for what you do
• Bringing your community closer together
• Being a role model

At the end of the session, the group was charged with making a 30 second video that captured their experience on From the Top, they named themselves the “Razzle Dazzle Kings”. Here’s their message below:

“Sharing your love for what you do, is the goal of the Razzle Dazzle Crew.”

And if you like that, stay tuned for the debut of the first-ever From the Top rap, courtesy of the Emerald String Quartet members. Be sure to tune in when their show airs, the week of September 20th.

We just got a neat update from composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (aka DBR).  A few weeks ago we featured a blog he wrote on Musical Diplomacy and Good, Long Hugs.  These days he’s been collaborating with the Boston Pops to work with young musicians in Boston area schools.  Check out this video for an overview of his educational philosophy (and some really cool uses of the violin).

Hi everyone! We were in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania last week, taping a show at the Majestic Theater, a beautifully restored 1920’s vaudeville house. We kicked off the Gettysburg Festival, an annual celebration of art and culture.

As you might imagine with a production such as ours, sometimes the unexpected happens, and this show marked one of those occasions. A fantastic teen ensemble called the Emerald Quartet was scheduled to perform on the show. Repertoire had been chosen and the script was well on its way when we received the news that one of the quartet members had a passport issue while on vacation in his home country of Venezuela and would be unable to return in time for our taping, which was less than a week away! The producers had to think quickly.

They knew this was an incredibly talented group of young musicians so they decided to bring in the three remaining members and have them play as a piano quartet with host Christopher O’Riley. Violinist Ethan Hoppe and violist Clayton Penrose-Whitmore, and cellist Alexander Hersh quickly learned their parts of the newly assigned piece – the Rondo alla zingarese finale from the Brahms G minor Piano Quartet – and then flew in to Gettysburg to rehearse it with Chris one day before the taping. Talk about a high-pressure situation! These three were obviously up to the task, however, because it came together fantastically.

It was a great show all around, and very diverse in terms of personalities and repertoire. There was 14-year-old pianist Hyung-Do Kim, who beautifully played Liszt’s La Campanella, 16-year-old violinist Elaine Kang, who played Sarasate’s showy Carmen Fantasy, and quirky 13-year-old cellist Kathryn Westerlund, who performed Shostakovich and then discussed her synesthesia (she sees colors when she plays music, and also associates people with colors. She told Chris he was purple, and she saw me as green).

We even featured royalty! Tubist Sodie Finebone, who is a descendent of a Nigerian king, gorgeously played a movement from Concerto for Tuba by Edward Gregson. He discussed his passion for music and his gratitude towards the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program, which has mentored him since he started playing tuba.

Now for your video enjoyment, I want to show you the audition tape the Emerald Quartet sent in. Here they are, complete with their fourth member, violinist Kenneth Jones-Madrid, playing the piece they were intending to play on our show – the fifth movement from String Quartet No. 4 by Béla Bartók. Enjoy! And don’t forget to tune in when our Gettysburg show airs the week of September 20th.



Here in the From the Top office, we’re still on a high from the incredible taping Tuesday night at Symphony Hall, where we teamed up with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops! What an exciting show this was. From start to finish, it featured one phenomenal performance after another. Four of the young musicians who joined us were alums, and it was amazing to see how much they’d grown as performers.

Keith Lockhart, Conductor of the Boston Pops

The show opened with nine-year-old pianist Umi Garrett. This tiny girl, clad in a party dress and bows, is nothing short of a musical dynamo. She played Mozart flawlessly and then had a very funny bit where she showed off a trick – playing “Heart and Soul” while backwards and upside down – and Keith Lockhart jumped in to harmonize!

Next up was another alum, pianist Ronald Joseph, who was on our TV show when he was 17. Ronald grew up in New Orleans, but was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and studied for a year at the Juilliard School. You can see his story here. Now a sophomore at Bard College, he and Christopher O’Riley collaborated on a two-piano piece by composer Danny Elfman, joined by the Pops.

Third up was 16-year-old Michael Bridge, who played the Russian bayan. You’ve never heard of a Russian bayan, you say? No worries. Maestro Lochart took one look at it and said, “Hey, that’s not an accordion! What is that?” Michael loved that! To explain, the bayan looks a lot like the accordion except that it has buttons instead of keys as well as a broader right hand range. Michael played Vittorio Monti’s Czardas, backed by the Boston Pops, and it was a showstopper!

Next up was one of my favorite alums – 17-year-old cellist Gabe Cabezas, who was first on our show with his quartet when he was 12, and then performed as a soloist on both our radio and TV shows. We brought him back once again for this special taping to play with the Pops. Always a great performer and an old pro at all things From the Top, I think he outdid himself this time playing Shostakovich.

Next up was 17-year-old Michelle Lee, who is not only an excellent violinist, but also an accomplished tap dancer. She played Kreisler’s Tambourin Chinois backed by the Pops. In the middle of the piece, she handed her violin to Chris, did a tap dancing routine, and then grabbed her violin back to finish the piece with a flourish. The audience loved it!

The show closed with 17-year-old composer Jeremiah Klarman. When he was originally on our show at the age of 13, we introduced him as From the Top’s biggest fan. It meant so much to him to be on the show back then, and I was greatly looking forward to his return. The Boston Pops performed Jeremiah’s Symphony No.1 in C minor, and I was completely blown away! I could tell Jeremiah was too, and I was thrilled for him.

I’ve created a little flip cam montage of our music rehearsal the night before the show. The Pops weren’t there, but you can see Keith working with the kids. He was so great with them! Believe me when I say that this show was a special treat, and one not to miss when it airs the week of September 6.