News
I am delighted to tell you that I'll be working with Sting on his new tour with the Royal Philharmonic throughout the upcoming season. In my career, I have had the great fortune of conducting more than 65 of the greatest operas ever written and a vast number of great symphonic works. I have also been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with many artists that have pushed the boundaries artistically; pursuing new and interesting musical challenges. From Chick Corea with his Piano Concerto and large orchestra arrangement of "Spain," to Mark O'Connor's virtuosic violin concerto for large orchestra, the Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli - the musical tapestry has been rich and varied. Sting is a wonderfully versatile musician and composer and I'm looking forward to this exciting collaboration.
As many of you know, the prose of Eugene O'Neill has served as an inspiration for me in the past. Most recently, I have been working with a book that he dedicated to his wife Carlotta upon the death of their family dog, Blemie. The book is called, "The Last Will and Testament of a Distinguished Dog." My own wife presented it to me upon the loss of our standard poodle, Lola, a little more than a year ago. I was quite moved by the work, enough so that it has inspired me to compose a symphonic piece in four movements. I have only the first movement left to complete (save the best for last!) and, I am delighted to say that I have just completed the third and fourth movements for the symphony which includes the setting of the O'Neill text for voice. I hope to finish writing the work (the first movement) this Spring and summer and I hope to complete the orchestration of the entire piece by year's end. Many of you have expressed interest in the recording which I hope will follow.
The past year has been a busy time in the recording studio and I'm looking forward to the release of three CDs in the near future: Marcello Giordani's Neapolitan Songs (our third project together includes many lesser known gems. In addition to conducting, I had a wonderful time orchestrating this album which we recorded in Hungary with the Pannon Philharmonic in Pecs). Soprano Amy Johnson is showcased in another CD, also recorded in Hungary (Budapest) with the MAV Orchestra. This album features both contemporary music (Aldridge/Coppola/Musgrave/Schwartz) as well as some exciting, large orchestral repertoire from "Salome," "Arabella," and Katya Kabanova. Finally, my good friend, soprano Robin Follman, has completed a stunning project performing many Verismo rarities from Mascagni, Catalani, Vittadini, Cilea and others that is sure to excite the enthusiasts of the great Italian operatic tradition.
As always, thank you all for supporting my album, Many Voices and I'm looking forward to seeing you out there in Concertland.
Yours,
Maestroman