by Kenneth Woods | Jun 14, 2016 | Not quite the news, Satire
The second violin section of the Brumington Symphony Orchestra are bracing for a vote on whether to leave or remain in their orchestra. The upcoming referendum has created anxiety throughout the orchestra amidst concerns that the second violins, who are the second...
by Kenneth Woods | Jun 10, 2016 | Not quite the news, Satire
Government officials are considering a move to permanently do away with alto clef from 2018, sources have revealed. It has been known for some time that the widely reviled clef, recently voted “worst clef” for a record-shattering 27th year in a row, has long been...
by Kenneth Woods | Jun 2, 2016 | Performing Life
I spent my May Day on a flight from London to Philadelphia this year, which isn’t much fun, but is certainly better than spending a flight from London to Philadelphia calling out “May Day!” I left home with a knot in my stomach and an ache in my heart- since our kids...
by Kenneth Woods | May 26, 2016 | News and Reviews
A fantastic new 5-star review for the new recording of the Krenek Piano Concertos no.’s 1-3 with pianist Mikhail Korzhev on Toccata Classics/Toccata Press from International Piano Magazine critic Guy Rickards. Benjamin Michael Haas was producing, Ben Connellan was the...
by Kenneth Woods | May 26, 2016 | News and Reviews
MahlerFest musicians come through for new director Kenneth Woods Review from Boulder Daily Camera critic Kelly Dean Hansen. Read the whole thing here “…Woods showed why he is revered as a Mahler interpreter.” “For Colorado MahlerFest,...
by Kenneth Woods | Apr 19, 2016 | A view from the podium, Mahler, Mahler- Performer's Perspective
Hi Mahler fans. Following on from last week’s post on Mahler 7, I’ve had a number of questions, challenges and queries which have led to some very illuminating discussions. I thought I’d share a few highlights of those here. A couple of readers asked...
by Kenneth Woods | Apr 12, 2016 | A view from the podium, Not quite the news, Satire
A leading professional orchestra has announced they are giving up rehearsing, teaching and performing music to focus on their “core mission,” it has been announced. The board and management of the Southlands Sinfonia in Weicester have decided to cancel all future...
by Kenneth Woods | Apr 6, 2016 | A view from the podium, Mahler, Mahler- Performer's Perspective
Ken’s first summer at Colorado MahlerFest is just around the corner, and so it seems time to add to the Mahler- A Performer’s Perspective library here at Vftp. This year’s festival centers on Mahler’s 7th Symphony with performances on...
by Kenneth Woods | Apr 5, 2016 | Mahler, Mahler- Performer's Perspective
Originally published in 2010: I finally managed to make it to one of the Mahler in Manchester concerts this past weekend (in spite of my blog project, I’ve had concerts of my own every previous concert night). Happily, this time I had a rehearsal in Manchester, so I...
by Kenneth Woods | Mar 27, 2016 | A view from the podium
Unquiet Earth will be performed at The Bridgewater Hall on Saturday the 23rd of April, 2016 at 3 PM as part of the BWH’s Echoes of a Mountain Song series. Tickets and additional information available via The Bridgewater Hall website here. Clare...
by Kenneth Woods | Mar 17, 2016 | News and Reviews
…a witty and mercurial masterpiece. Electric performances all” Published 13 March, 2016 Order here: ERNST KRENEK: COMPLETE PIANO CONCERTOS, VOLUME ONE £9.00...
by Kenneth Woods | Feb 27, 2016 | Explore the Score
Beethoven’s Third Symphony is a work of such monumental historic and artistic importance that it’s worth prefacing a discussion of it by reminding the reader that even if Beethoven had died before composing it, he would have already secured his place in the pantheon...
by Kenneth Woods | Feb 17, 2016 | A view from the podium, Not quite the news
Sales of concert tickets and recordings by classical orchestras, opera companies and chamber ensembles skyrocketed this week following the arrest of a cellist who was found to be carrying 113 pounds of marijuana in his car. “Dude,” said new classical fan Brian...
by Kenneth Woods | Jan 2, 2016 | A future for music
Longstanding Vftp readers will have noticed a couple of relatively major shifts of emphasis here at the blog in recent years. As my administrative responsibilities have increased (much to my dismay), my time and mental space for blogging have been in much scarcer...
by Kenneth Woods | Dec 30, 2015 | A view from the podium
2015 was quite a year for me- a year of very, very hard work, a year of ups and downs with some incredible highlights and some moments of rather intense frustration. I started the year talking- giving a long chat on the Gál symphonies at a gala launch event...
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