By Stacy McMichael Chicago has many nicknames: Windy City, Third Coast, Second City, and City of Big Shoulders to name a few. The one that sums up the Chicago music scene best? The City that Works. Former mayor Richard M.…
As a recipient of the esteemed MacArthur Fellowship in 2011, cellist Alisa Weilerstein is a vibrant and impressive force. In high demand for her singular sound and intense performances, Weilerstein recently embarked on a nine-city US tour with her pianist…
By Thomas May Jennifer Higdon is not only stunningly prolific but one of the most-performed American composers at work today. Her style offers an appealing balance of the accessible and the imaginative, and it attracts top-flight soloists, orchestras, and chamber…
By Liz Carroll Last count, Chicago has a population of 2.7 million, and the greater Chicago area has a population of nearly 10 million people. Statistics from the Chicago Tribune estimate that the Irish (from Ireland and descended from) are…
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By Cristina Schreil Ron Carter is telling me to put on slippers. I’ve stepped into the legendary bassist’s home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. “No, put your boots there,” he instructs. “No, there.” I’m suddenly frozen onstage, overwhelmed by Carter’s…
By Patrick Sullivan The musicians gathered around. The instrument case opened. Then all hell broke loose. “Some of them screamed,” recalls luthier David Rivinus. “A couple ran off the stage. A few uttered expletives. And some people were just stunned…
By Benjamin Whitcomb The cello repertoire contains numerous one-movement pieces for cello and piano or cello and orchestra, many of which are wonderful works if not masterpieces. Several of these compositions are so famous and popular that learning them is…
By Rachel Barton Pine When I was 21, my now-husband took me out on one of our first dates. Knowing that I am a professional musician, he decided to do something special. He arranged for incredible seats at the Lyric…
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By Cristina Schreil Dozens of people sat in a room in New York City. This room was among the more breathtaking I’d seen—a rich scene defined by oil paintings, warm wood paneling, ornate window treatments, and crown molding—but everyone sat…
At 70, the Juilliard String Quartet is much older than most other American string ensembles. At the same time, it’s fresher now than ever before By Cristina Schreil In a move that’s hardly surprising for an en-semble, the Juilliard String…