January 25, 2017 - Classical Music Venues Worldwide

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 79 DAYS

New York City Concert Halls

Howdy!! Mid-week already.

Wow, has there been tons of rain this week!  Gray, cloudy and wet!

Yesterday evening, Kelsey and I had such an urge for Dominos Pizza.  Don't ask me why - I never eat Dominos, but there was some craving we both had.

And so, at 4:15, we headed out to the local Dominos to get a pizza.

It was so nasty out, but nothing was going to stop us!! We were on a mission!

The end result was a pie - half plain and half with peppers and olive. By the time we got home after driving with that pizza smell for ten minutes, we couldn't get our coats off fast enough to dig in!

Gianna partook as well!  

Then as Kelsey worked on her Math project - a menu with pricing - I binge-watched Fixer Upper with Joanna and Chip Gaines. 

I am always amazed at the difference in prices for homes when you get out of the New York-TriState area.  But, the bottom line is, I LOVE Joanna Barnes' design style.  
​I WANT HER TO DESIGN A HOUSE FOR ME!!!

LOVE THIS KITCHEN!!! (c)travelincousins.com

Well, back to today...

Tanya gets the credit today for the theme of this blog - Classical music concert venues!

Last night she attended a concert by
Itzhak Perman at the Disney Concert Hall, in Downtown Los Angeles, which was her inspiration for us chat about.

DISNEY CONCERT HALL IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, CA. IS THE 4TH HALL OF THE LOS ANGELES MUSIC CENTER AND WAS DESIGNED BY FRANK GEHRY. IT OPENED ON OCT. 24, 2003. (credit: wiki.com)

Absolutely read about her evening, as well as some of most famous and prestigious concert halls throughout the world that Tanya details in her column. 

As for me, I'll be telling you a little about the best concert halls located throughout New York City.

BARGMUSIC
Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn,
 Brooklyn Bridge Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 624-2083

(credit: newyork.thecityatlas.org)

 Bargemusic was founded in 1977, by Olga Bloom, a violinist and violist, following the transformation of the coffee barge into a music hall in that same year.

Since 1977, Bargemusic has been showcasing chamber music on a 102-foot long converted barge on the Brooklyn waterfront.

Ms. Bloom passed away in 2011 at the age of 92, but was quoted as saying,

“For me, chamber music is the epitome of civilization,” Ms. Bloom once said. “I wanted to create a place for them to perform in an environment that would nurture, rather than destroy, their creativity.”
​

Olga Bloom in 2004 (credit: Credit Nan Melville for The New York Times)

Moored in Brooklyn just under the Brooklyn Bridge,  Bargemusic presents great music up to five days a week, every week of the year.

Wth spectacular views of the lower Manhattan skyline and the East River., the wood paneled room   has seating  limited to 125 persons."

​BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
30 Lafayette Ave, (718) 636-4100

(credit: Sticky Dojah)

The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a performing arts venue in Brooklyn, New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance.

​It presented its first performance in 1861 and began operations in its present location in 1908.

BAM offers a is a multi-arts center featuring a varied program including music, dance, film and theater with world-renowned programming and showcasing the work of emerging artists and innovative modern masters.

It is also the home of The Brooklyn Philharmonic is featured.



BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
58 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
(718) 622-3300

(credit: LivLiveMusic.com)

The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, known at one time as the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music, is a music conservatory located in Brooklyn, New York City.

The conservatory was founded in 1897 by German-American immigrants as a classical European conservatory.

Today, it offers a broad range of instruction in areas of American song, jazz and gospel singing, Latin jazz, and African drumming. 

The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music does 6 concert series every season that include various genres of music including jazz, classical, world music, new music and more.

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​CARNEGIE HALL
57th Street and Seventh Avenue​
New York, NY 
212-247-7800

(credit: carnegiehall.org)

Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1891, Carnegie Hall is one of the most prestigious venues in the world for both classical music and popular music.

 Andrew Carnegie, who funded its construction, originally intended as a venue for the Oratorio Society of New York and the New York Symphony Society, on whose boards Carnegie served.

Carnegie Hall in 1895 (c) wiki.com

​Construction began in 1890, and was carried out by Isaac A. Hopper and Company. Although the building was in use from April 1891, the official opening night was May 5, with a concert conducted by maestro Walter Damrosch and great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Andrew Carnegie, 1913 (credit: wiki.com)

Carnegie Hall is one of the last large buildings in New York built entirely of masonry, without a steel frame;

This year, Daniel Barenboim returns to Carnegie Hall after a four-year absence to lead the legendary Staatskapelle Berlin in the numbered symphonies of Bruckner. He also performs as both soloist and conductor in several of Mozart's piano concertos.


​LINCOLN CENTER
10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY ​
(212) 875-5456

(credit: dguides.com)

​Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City.  

It hosts many notable performing arts organizations, which are nationally and internationally renowned, including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York City Ballet.

The center has 30 indoor and outdoor performance facilities.  Below are just a few.
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GALLERY OF THE ALICE TULLY HALL. HOME OF THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER (credit: ArchDaily.com)

Alice Tully Hall
Located within the Juilliard School building and the home stage of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, this concert hall seats 1,095.


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INTERIOR OF THE DAVID GEFFEN HALL - FORMERLY AVERY FISHER HALL - HOME OF THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC (credit: wiki.org)

David Geffen Hall (formerly Philharmonic Hall and Avery Fisher Hall)
This is a 2,738-seat symphony hall as well as the home stage of the New York Philharmonic.​


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STAGE OF THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE DURING PERFORMANCE OF ERNANI (APRIL 12, 2015) The music was by Guiseppe Verdi and the vocal talents of Placido Domingo (playing Don Carlo, King of Spain), Angela Meade (Elvira), Francesco Meli (Ernani) and Dmitry Belosselskiy (Silva) (c)travelincousins.com

Metropolitan Opera House
In my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful concert halls, it seats 3,900 and is the home stage of the Metropolitan Opera; as well as List Hall.


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INTERIOR OF THE DAVID H. KOCH THEATRE - HOME OF THE NEW YORK CITY BALLET (credit: wiki.com)

David H. Koch Theater (formerly New York State Theater)
For many years, I had a subscription to the New York City Ballet and this 2,586-seat theater is quite lovely! It was actually constructed for the purpose of being the home of the New York City Ballet.


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EXTERIOR OF VIVIAN BEAUMONT THEATRE. HOME OF LINCOLN CENTER THEATRE. (credit: Chasi Annexy.)

Vivian Beaumont Theater:
​This 1,080-seat Broadway theater has operated since 1985 as the main stage of Lincoln Center Theater.  

​It was previously occupied by The Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center (1965–1973) and The New York Shakespeare Festival (1973–1977).

THE DIMENNA CENTER FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC
450 W 37th St, New York, NY  
(212) 594-6100​

(credit: sheilakim.com)

Orchestra of St. Luke’s built The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in 2011 as New York City’s only acoustically-optimized rehearsal and recording space dedicated to classical music.

The DiMenna Center has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors, including more than 400 ensembles and artists such as Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Valery Gergiev, James Levine, James Taylor, and Sting. Committed to serving the musical community and its Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, The DiMenna Center hosts hundreds of neighbors, families, and school children each year for free community events.​




MERKIN CONCERT HALL AT KAUFMAN MUSIC CENTER
129 W 67th Street, New York, NY  
 (212) 501-3330

(credit: nyphil.org)

Merkin Concert Hall is a 449-seat concert hall in Manhattan, New York City. The hall, named in honor of Hermann and Ursula Merkin, is part of the Kaufman Music Center, a complex that includes the Lucy Moses School, a community arts school, and the Special Music School (P.S. 859), a New York City public school for musically gifted children.
 
Located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, it is near the Lincoln Center campus but is not affiliated with it. 

Merkin Concert Hall hosts 70,000 [1] concert goers a year.​ venue featuring innovative classical and new music programming.



KUPFERBERG CENTER
​QUEENS COLLEGE
 Kissena Blvd & LIE, Queens
(718) 793-8080

(credit: queenstribune.com)

Kupferberg Center Performances (formerly Colden Center), a self-support, not-for-profit presenting organization since 1961, is part of the Selma and Max Kupferberg Center for the Visual and Performing Arts at Queens College.

The goal is to provide an accessible and affordable venue to enrich the cultural environment of the region with classical and pop performances for general audiences, concerts and school residencies for children in kindergarten through high school, and family events.

It is made up of two concert halls:

489-SEAT LEFRAK CONCERT HALL (credit: qc.cuny.edu)

The Ethel J. and Samuel LeFrak Concert Hall This 489- seat concert hall provides fine acoustic qualities, and is arguably the finest concert hall in the metropolitan area.

​

2,124- SEAT COLDEN AUDITORIUM (credit: qc.cuny.edu)

The Colden  Auditorium 
The 2,124-seat Colden Auditorium is divided into a 1,814-seat orchestra and a 310-seat mezzanine section. The wood-floor stage is of open concert design with a permanent acoustic shell that can also be transformed into a proscenium-type theatre. The large apron of the stage lowers via hydraulic elevator to become an orchestra pit for up to 60 musicians.

Wow - and that's just the major concert halls throughout New York City.

What I love is that there are some amazing concert halls with phenomenal performers and events in the outer boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn.  

I hope today's blog inspires you to click the above links to check out the latest events happening at the various venues and enjoy a day or evening out!!

Well, as for me, I have a few errands to run today and then I'll be meeting a girlfriend later this evening for coffee.

Off to get my day going!

Catch ya back here tomorrow for Throwback Thursday and some fun dates in history!!

Have a great one!

-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 12 DAYS

Concerts around the globe

Good Day Folks!

Today is all about Great Concert Halls around the world. 

As Elisa has shared with you - my inspiration came from going to see Itzhak Perlman at the Disney Music Hall just last night...
​

Walt Disney Music Hall (c)travelincousins.com

Walt Disney Music Hall (c)travelincousins.com

Ready for Ithzak! (c)travelincousins.com

Walt Disney Music Hall interior (c)travelincousins.com

What a lovely evening! (c)travelincousins.com

What a show!

It was all Dave's idea...Going to see the beloved famed Classical Musician. Itzak Perlman performed his violin artistry in recital along with Pianist and frequent collaborator, Rohan De Silva.

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Ithzak Perlman (born August 31, 1945) first became interested in the violin after hearing a classical music performance on the radio.
​At the age of three, he was denied admission to the Shulamit Conservatory for being too small to hold a violin. He instead taught himself how to play the instrument using a toy fiddle until he was old enough to study with Rivka Goldgart at the Shulamit Conservatory and at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, where he gave his first recital at age 10, before moving to the United States to study at the Juilliard School.

NOTE THAT: As a child Ithzak was stricken with polio at the age of four, and would play seated, using a wheelchair and occasionally even  crutches to get around. However these days he can be found whizzing about the stage on a motorised scooter.

Last night he played in a chronological order and  began with a Vivaldi Violin Sonata in A major. Op. 2 No. 2. RV 31 before they moved on to Beethoven and Violin Sonata NO. 5 in F major. Op 24 ("Spring").
Following Beethoven was Schumann Fantasiestucke. Op 73 and then Straninsky (arr. Dushkin) Suite Italienne.
​

Credit: Classicalvoice.org

The Israeli-American virtuoso violinist Itzhak  has dominated the international scene from the mid-70's to the mid-90's and of superstar status he is quite the humble performer and rather a bit humorous as well...

After receiving a standing ovation and exiting the stage, both Perlman and De Silva returned to delight the audience once more. This time Ithzak took the mic to announce the additional works that were to follow. And with each piece he added his own little comic relief, bring the audience to laugher.

One that I found particularly funny was when he announced the Franz Ries (pronounced Reese) piece Op. 34 No. 5 and he claimed that Ries had many pieces. This was just one Ries piece - causing the entire audience to break out in chuckle!

This was only my second concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the first time being several years ago when I took my mom and a wee little Cosette to see a concert there. But each time that I pass the downtown LA building I can't help but appreciate the eccentric Frank Gehry design.
​

Credit: Thrillist.com

After the show (c)travelincousins.com

Sitting there last night, listening to the recital I couldn't help but have my mind wander onto travel and all the wonderful concert venues around the world that we should go and visit!

​
Here I've listed a few that top my list, along with a couple that I've had the pleasure of already visiting and touring:
​
Margravial Opera House Bayreuth
-​Bayreuth, Germany

The Margravial Opera House is a Baroque opera house in the town of Bayreuth, Germany, built between 1744 and 1748. It is one of Europe's few surviving theatres of the period and has been extensively restored. It is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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​Musikverein
​- Vienna, Austria

The Wiener Musikverein, commonly shortened to Musikverein, is a concert hall in the Innere Stadt borough of Vienna, Austria. Home to the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra.
The "Great Hall" due to its highly regarded acoustics is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world, along with Berlin's Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and Boston's Symphony Hall. None of these halls was built in the modern era with the application of acoustics science and all share a long, tall, and narrow shoebox shape. And since I plan of being back in Vienna next year, this will certainly be added to my itinerary!

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​St Martin-in-the-Fields
- London, UK

St Martin-in-the-Fields is an English Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since the medieval period. The present building was constructed in a Neoclassical design by James Gibbs in 1722–1726.

​

Sydney Opera House 
​-Sydney, Austrailia

The Sydney Opera House, multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, Australia is one of the most famous and distinctive buildings in the world.
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the building was formally opened on 20 October 1973.   
As one of the most popular visitor attractions in Australia, the Sydney Opera House is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

​
​
Palau de la Música Catalana
- Barcelona, Spain

The Palau de la Música Catalana (c)travelincousins.com

The Palau de la Música Catalana, is the concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain that we recently visited and admired. Designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for the Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891. The next time that I'm in Barcelona, I will surely love to go and listen to a concert at this beautiful venue!

​

Harpa
- Reykjavík, Icland

Harpa (c)travelincousins.com

Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre in Reykjavík, Iceland. The opening concert was held on May 4, 2011. The unique and eye-catching building features a distinctive colored glass facade inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland.
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​Be sure to catch some of the fabulous NYC venues that Elisa has posted in her column.

I'm gonna get going here and see y'all again tomorrow,
​-T