“It’s hard to then claim that the government and the education system (and private donors who have helped to fund university and other programs) haven’t done enough,”  explains jazz pianist and composer Kurt Ellenberger. “Hundreds of millions (possibly billions) have been spent on jazz education since 1970, but those untold sums did not deliver a sustainable jazz audience. The education theory as it pertains to jazz is a failure in terms of its ability to generate an audience base for the music.”

He goes further:  “The education system can certainly expose students to classical music and jazz (hopefully enriching their lives by doing so), but it cannot make them love the music.”

Definitely something to ponder about. To read…

For a few weeks now, the orchestra has featured some “Pulse” evenings (but, in fact, isn’t music, whatever its genre, nothing more than a pulse?), in the New World Center, Frank Gehry’s brain child, which sound more like raves than classical concerts. It’s like hitting the “refresh” button on your browser, but with music of giants like Mozart and Stravinsky. What does it sound like?  Listen to this mp3 to find out… Purists are probably getting very upset right about now, but I believe a lot of “serious” composers would not have minded the idea so much.

You can read this article in the Wall Streeet Journal to know a little more about the project.

To start the evening, the SMCQ will first perform Claude Vivier’s Et je reverrai cette ville étrange and Régis Campo’s Pop-Art under Walter Boudreau’s direction.  Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà will then play some works by minimalists Glass and Pärt (featured on the three “Portraits” series albums), excerpts from John Adams’ Road Movies  (Angèle Dubeau will be joined by pianist Louise Bessette for this duo segment), Frank Zappa’s Zomby Woof  (in a new instrumental setting by Walter Boudreau) as well as the premiere of Ana Sokolović’s Girandole des danses imaginaires, a work commissioned by Angèle Dubeau.

The concert is part of a benefit event for the SMCQ. Wine and hors-d’oeuvres will be offered after the concert to those who wish to support the SMCQ a little more directly. Details here…

You can listen to the rest of the album, a true invitation to travel, here…

Both composers were as well sincere and loyal friends. Tchaikovsky has lived one of the most mythical epistolar friendships of the 19th century with his benefactress madame von Meck, without the two every meeting face to face. On the flip side, Brahms was known to be a tad sarcastic with those he loved. One night, after having been less than polite with several of the guests at a party, he stated: “If there is someone left I have not yet insulted tonight, please forgive me!” Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt…

You can listen to Brahms’ Third Piano Sonata and two Rhapsodies, performed by André Laplante, here and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenirs de Florence and First String Quartet played by I Musici there…