Upbeat with Alasdair: The Rite of Spring: 110 Years Old and Still Breaking the Rules

The Community Library, John A. and Carole O. Moran Lecture Hall 415 Spruce Avenue, Ketchum, ID, United States

Itā€™s hard to imagine a piece of classical music causing a riot, but thatā€™s the word often applied to the audienceā€™s reaction when Igor Stravinskyā€™s ballet The Rite of Spring debuted in 1913 in Paris. Apparently, the arguments between those who loved it and those who hated it became so heated the dancers couldnā€™t hear the orchestra! Stravinskyā€™s music (and Nijinskyā€™s choreography) broke with tradition so dramatically that the piece is often called the first example of modernism in music. In this installation of Upbeat with Alasdair, Maestro Alasdair Neale will describe not just the innovation, but the beauty of Rite of Spring, which the Festival will present during the upcoming Summer Season.

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Upbeat with Alasdair-Orchestral Conversations: Meet the Brass

The Community Library, John A. and Carole O. Moran Lecture Hall 415 Spruce Avenue, Ketchum, ID, United States

Get the inside scoop on the Festivalā€™s Winter Season, direct from the musicians! Music Director Alasdair Neale will host his popular Upbeat with Alasdair speaking series on March 14 with a special presentation to kick off the winter concerts, which take place later in the week. For the talk, Maestro Neale will be joined by four Festival Orchestra principal brass musicians who will share the unique characteristics of their instruments and how they will be showcased during the winter performances.

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2023 Gala Concert Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet – Two Pianos: Who Could Ask For Anything More?

Sun Valley Pavilion 300 Dollar Rd, Sun Valley, Idaho, United States

Hear two of todayā€™s most celebrated artists, Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, performing with the Sun Valley Music Festival Orchestra for the 2023 Gala Concert, featuring an innovative program celebrating the music of George Gershwin and other favorite American composers.

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Upbeat with Alasdair: Why Brahms?

The Community Library, John A. and Carole O. Moran Lecture Hall 415 Spruce Avenue, Ketchum, ID, United States

The Sun Valley Music Festival is pleased to present a new Upbeat with Alasdair talk, featuring pianist Jon Kimura Parker, Concertmaster Jeremy Constant, and Principal Cello Amos Yang in conversation with Music Director Alasdair Neale. Parker will feature prominently in the Festivalā€™s upcoming Winter Season concerts at the Argyros, March 6-9. This yearā€™s program, entitled ā€œThe Romance of Brahms,ā€ is the first time the Festivalā€™s Winter Season will focus on the music of a single composer: Johannes Brahms. Accordingly, in this edition of the popular series of talks, Neale, Parker, and two Festival musicians, Jeremy Constant and Amos Yang will explore the music of Brahms, revealing why Brahms continues to be such a beloved composer both for musicians and audiences. This event will also be livestreamed on svmusicfestival.org.

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