Galina Barskaya, an applied music professor here at Oxy,will perform with David Mergen. The duo will perform music by (mostly) Chopin. Barskaya will be on the piano and Mergen will be accompanying her on the cello. This concert is free and cosponsored by the Musicians Performance Fund. The show will be March 28, on campus in Bird Studio. Come support Oxy music events!

Theremin lies the question: A Quick Look at The Mother of Strange Instruments"

Well, friends, to be honest I wasn't sure what to blog about today. I had several rather uninspired ideas that were met with dead ends and I was feeling a little blue. So, in a desperate attempt, I turned to my unfailing friend google... and the rest was history. So without further ado, let me introduce my new fascination, the theremin.

A theremin, you say, what's that? I know it sounds like unpleasant tasting medicine, but the theremin is in fact an instrument played entirely without contact from the player. Huh? The instrument is constructed from two antennas that sense the position of the player's hands and send electrical signals to the amplifier (Thank you wikipedia). The player controls volume with his or her right hand, raising the right hand to increase volume and vice versa. The left hand controls frequency.

Frederica Von Stade

Occidental College's campus is literally covered in Frederica von Stade. Posters advertising her upcoming concert at Thorne Hall can be found in every building, on every pillar and window and door. We all know the details: the concert is on Thursday, March 4, at 8:00pm in Thorne Hall. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, $25 for anyone with an Oxy ID, and $35 general admission. But who exactly is Frederica von Stade?

Her biography is too extensive to be fully read and comprehended at a glance; suffice to say she is considered one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos of our time. She has performed around the world in genres ranging from classical opera to musical theatre, playing every kind of character from the leading lady to "trouser" roles. Her voice is featured on over seventy recordings spanning across every major label, and shows have been written specially for her to perform. Amongst her numerous distinctions and awards, she is the recipient of France's highest honor in the arts: an officer position on L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

And guess what, ladies and gentlemen? She's coming to us in less than a week.

For further information on Frederica von Stade, her discography and activities, check out her website here.

virtual tour

hi there. for all you hundreds out there on the intraweb who've never been to the occidental music library, here is the virtual tour:

have one on me!

Joanna Newsom's third album, 'Have One On Me" just leaked, and though the expectations were great, it is suprisingly good. Following the acclaimed and gorgeous "Ys' would be a challenge for any artist, and she took her time. But the two hour 'have one on me' is dense, enjoyable, and a deepening evolution for Newsom. Her sound has grown to include gospel, classic rock, folk, bluegrass, celtic music, and classical romanticism, and her divisive voice has undergone further maturation. She sings with conviction and soul. Any song on this immense album would be a good introduction to her work, and this album firmly establishes her as one of America's most exciting composers.

SNAP Rock Photography Exhibit

This weekend check out the opening reception of SNAP- Benjamin Hoste's exhibition of rock photography at Oragami Vinyl in Echo Park. Hoste, photographer and director, has taken some pretty sweet concert photos and has interviewed and photographed some of the coolest musicians around these parts. In fact, he has a new project aptly titled "This Ain’t a Scene" which features interviews with Silverlake musicians; volume one of the online mag features the likes of Sarah Negahdari of The Happy Hollows (whom he partially credits for his burgeoning photography career), Evan Way of the Parson Redheads, Aaron Kyle of Le Switch, and more. SNAP will run at Oragami through March 28th and features photos of many more local bands, including No Age, Crystal Antlers, Henry Clay People, Dan Deacon, etc. Kicking it off this Sunday there will be a Dj spinning vinyl and free drinks from 6pm-8pm. He will also be raffling off two free prints (!), one of Brian Aubert of Silversun Pickups and one of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.

The SNAP rock photography show will have it's opening reception on Sunday, February 28th at 6pm at Oragami Vinyl, 1416 W Sunset Blvd, Echo Park. If you can't make the opening, the exhibit will run until March 28. Entrance is free!

Music Helps Stroke Victims Rebuild Language Skills

For the many stroke victims devastated by the loss of their ability to speak, music may hold the key to unlocking language, according to a new study.

The research produced often dramatic results in 12 patients whose speech was impaired after a stroke to the left hemisphere of the brain. Such patients struggle to communicate or cannot speak at all.

In the study, patients who were taught to essentially sing their words improved their verbal abilities and maintained the improvement for up to a month after the end of the therapy, according to Gottfried Schlaug, a neurology professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Oxy's Very Own, Nite Jewel, Goes Record Shopping

This is a video posted on Vimeo by "self-titled" magazine.

If you are unfamiliar with the recent Oxy grad, Ramona Gonzalez, and her highly acclaimed music project by the name of Nite Jewel, please reserve time for yourself this weekend and go to any good record store and you will find multiple releases by Nite Jewel. Ramona herself is the principle song writer and singer. Her music is recorded on old 8 Track cassette recorders using old school Roland synths; I'm not sure what drum pad she uses. She then lays her haunting vocals over smooth, funky, danceable rhythms that call notice to lots of older music but introduces it through to a new audience, a new generation, that of her own. To date she has released three 7'' singles, a 12'', and an LP entitled, "Good Evening." For a good listen download or find the tracks "What did he say?" and "Weak 4 Me."Ramona graduated with a philosophy degree from Oxy last year and still lives in Los Angeles. I saw her at a show a couple weeks back actually! Not to mention she played a show in the Tiger Cooler last semester with fellow LA band, Weave!.

Occidental Caltech Symphony Orchestra This Weekend

The Occidental College Music Department Occidental-Caltech Symphony Orchestra

Directed by Allen Robert Gross

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Occidental College Thorne Hall

7:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Caltech Ramo Auditorium

3:30 p.m.

Silverstre Revueltas

Caminos

Erno von Dohnanyi

Variations on a Nursery Song

Robert Schumann

Symphony No. 4 in D minor

Free Admission!!

Faculty Artist Recital: Galina Barskaya

The Music Department presents Galina Barskaya, piano, with David Merger, cello. The recital will be held in Bird Studio at 7:00 pm on Sunday Feb. 28.

Free Admission

MOFA this Friday

The Music Departments student recital series Music on a Friday Afternoon will be held this Friday, the 26th, at 4:30 pm in Bird Studio. Come support your friends and colleagues. Admission is free, as always.

Junko Garrett: TONIGHT at Bird Studio!!!

Just a reminder. Junko Garrett's piano recital is tonight at 7:30 in Bird Studio!!! That's in less than an hour and a half!!! If I weren't stuck here in the music library I would be there!!!

Free Admission
CSP99

Four Tet and Other Shows Taking Place This Week

Itching to get to a concert this week? Check out these shows taking place all around LA!

2/22: Useless Keys w/Free Energy//Repeater//Boxviolet at the echo. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Last Useless Keys residency night.)
2/22: Princeton w/Castledoor//LANME at Spaceland. 8:30PM. Free. 21+. (Last of the Princeton residency. Also the last Castledoor show ever. Boo.)
2/23: Dinosaur Jr. at Troubadour. 8:00PM. Free. All. (IT’S FIRST COME FIRST SERVED)
2/23: Free Energy w/Mystery Lights//The Blank Tapes//Early Dolphin at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $7. 21+. (Some buzz around Free Energy.)
2/23: Glacier Hiking w/Haim//Kitten//Go West Young Man at the echo. 8:30PM. $8. 18+. (Buzzbands.la show. Always fun. Great bands too.)
2/24: Dan Black at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $1.06 (I guess cause KROQ is presenting?). 21+. (Fun British electro pop artist.)
2/25: Visqueen w/Bear Hands//Adam Bones at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $8. 21+. (Could be a fun time.)
2/26: The Strange Boys w/Chain and the Gang//Neverever at the echo. 8:30PM. $10. 18+. (The Strange Boys are great.)
2/26: Memory Tapes at Spaceland. 8:30PM. $10. 21+. (Chill Wave! This guy happens to be pretty good at it.)

Sting to Bring Musical Fusion to the Hollywood Bowl

I may be getting ahead of myself here because this event isn't scheduled until June, but I feel obliged at least to put this up on Sting fans' radar screens. Even if you think you've seen and heard everything that Sting does (that is magic, ha!), this upcoming performance may still surprise you. In the past, Sting has stretched his musical ability from a career of solo performances to the revolutionary rock of the Police. This time, Sting comes on stage with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, an eclectic combination that is sure to please classicists and rock-lovers alike.

Sting, who last appeared at the Hollywood Bowl with his old group the Police, is returning on June 15 with the type of band more traditional on the Bowl stage -- a symphonic orchestra.

Why Does Music Move Us?

Anyone who's ever curled up under the covers and listened to Beethoven's Seventh Symphony or danced uncontrollably around their room to Aretha Franklin's "Respect" knows that music has a profound effect on how we feel. Though everybody has their personal favorite genre, or that one song that makes them cry, on a broader scale music is used as a universal language that taps into peoples' psyches and unites people through emotion.

Why is this though? Why does a series of noises arranged in a particular pattern cause us to dance, rejoice, cry, and get goosebumps all over our bodies? I decided to look to the experts (or, at least the self-proclaimed internet experts), to see what they said.

Faculty Artist Recital: Catherine Del Russo

The Occidental Music Department presents a Faculty Artist Recital featuring Catherine Del Russo (oboe), with: Bevan Mason (piano), Maurice Grants (cello), and Nancy Roth (viola).
The recital will be held tonight, Monday Feb. 22, at 7:30 pm in Bird Studio.

This is a CSP 99 event!
Free Admission
This concert is cosponsored by the Music Performance Fund

Does Music Affect Your Pet?

Does Fido or Fluffy hear what I hear? No they hear much, much, more!

Hearing sensitivities in our pets is one of the most overlooked causes of behavior. We have taken animals as pets from the backyard to the bed in nearly forty years of our societies growing passion for the human - animal bond. Understanding how they hear and how they interpret sounds differently than we do is a fascinating and valuable understanding to enhance our relationships with our animal companions.

Broken Bells

When the (eagle rock) producer Danger Mouse illegally sampled the Beatle's White Album and mixed it with the vocals from Jay Z's Black album, and released it online for free, it was a huge hit and Danger Mouse became a symbol for the pastiche model of internet art. A high profile law suite against him cemented his fame. His next big success was the song Crazy, created with Cee-lo from Goodie Mob, which was a radio smash and made him a household name. Never one to settle in one style or genre, DM has now hooked up with indie pop icon the Shins' James Mercer. This unlikely duo has recently recorded an album under the band name Broken Bells. You can listen to two songs from that album here

http://pitchfork.com/artists/28316-broken-bells/

Tonight, february 19, the band will be playing their very first gig in Los Angeles at the bootleg theatre. This is an exciting chance to hear a top-rate collaboration present their material in public FOR THE FIRST TIME. the show was only announced last night, and will surely sell out at the door. If you can make it to the Bootleg Theatre tonight, make an effort because it will definitely be a memorable evening.

Bolshoi Ballet: Don Quixote

(courtesy of LA Weekly)
Daily from Wed., February 24 until Sat., February 27, 7:30pm, Daily from Sat., February 27 until Sun., February 28, 2:00pm
Orange County Performing Arts Center

Price: $21-$108

IF YOU KNEW KITRI . . .
By Ann Haskins

The soaring jumps, the liquid backs, the hundreds of amazing dancers are all part of what makes Russia's Bolshoi Ballet one of the world's great companies. Few ballets showcase the outsized nature of this institution like the full-length Don Quixote . With his trusty squire, Sancho Panza, the errant knight Don Quixote pursues Kitri, the innkeeper's beguiling daughter, who is also pursued by her father, a foppish aristocrat and Kitri's true love, the poor, but ardent barber Basil. The three acts are filled with bullfighters, Gypsies and the requisite windmill, but the spotlight always returns to the lovers Kitri and Basil. Fans have two sets of stars to choose from, starting with Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vassiliev opening night and both matinees, followed by Maria Alexandrova and Mikhail Loubukhin for the rest of evening performances. All are major players, but Osipova was a wow at last year's OCPAC gala, and she had New York critics drooling during recent guest performances with American Ballet Theater.

Beach House's Great new Record

In 2008, the duo Beach House released their second album, Devotion. It was much more popular than their first, and with a very distinct style of rich, slow pop songs they earned a lot of fans. After a success like that many bands are unable to rise above their own hype and deliver either uninspired attempts at regaining the old sound or unfounded failures in totally new territory.
On their brand new album, Teen Dream, Beach House skirts both of these extremes and synthesizes all of their existing strengths with exciting expansions of their sound. It's impossible to accurately describe the sound of good music, but suffice it to say that Teen Dream should be a very enjoyable listen for anyone with tastes from classic rock to shoegaze and electronic pop. with especially wonderful vocals from Christiane Legrand, Teen Dream should not be missed.

Reminder: Santa Cecilia At Thorne!

Reminder:

Once again, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra is inviting you to attend an Orchestra Concert FREE on Sunday, February 21, 4pm.

The Santa Cecilia Orchestra will perform at Thorne Hall, free admission for students, faculty and staff with Occidental College ID (one ticket per ID).

Sasquatch Lineup Announced!

Sasquatch is a held annually at the Gorge Ampitheater in George, Washington. Founded in 2002 by Pacific Northwest-based concert promoter Adam Zacks, the festival has since become an extremely popular crossroads for alternative/rock/indie/hip hop bands. In an interview with the Seattle Weekly, Zacks described the birth of Sasquatch:

"Sasquatch was an idea born on a hunch that there was untapped demand for a certain kind of festival that catered to the eclectic tastes of music enthusiasts. It started in 2002, which was shortly after a number of the touring festivals had petered out and the beginning of the wave of regional festivals that started with Coachella and now is a dominant force on the music landscape, with Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, etc."

Faculty Artist Recital: Junko Garrett at Bird Studio

The Occidental College Music Department

presents a

Faculty Artist Recital

featuring

Junko Garrett , piano

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Bird Studio
7:30 p.m.

Free Admission
*CSP 99

This concert is cosponsored by the Music Performance Fund

Robert Vijaay Gupta at Bird Studio, Feb 23

The Occidental College
Music Department

presents

MASTER CLASS

featuring

ROBERT VIJAY GUPTA, violinist





Mr. Gupta will be working with:

Margaret Leith, S’10 – cello
Alyson Melzer S’11 –violin
Alexandra Forman S’11 – violin

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Bird Studio
4:30 p.m.

There will be a reception after the class

Dan Black at Cinespace, Feb 23rd

Dan Black is a British electronica artist. He was originally a member of alternative rock band The Servant before their 2007 split, and he is also known as a guest vocalist for the Italian group Planet Funk. He is currently signed to Polydor Records, releasing his first two singles "Alone" and "Yours" in 2008. His breakthrough song was "HYPNTZ", a mashup of Notorious B.I.G.’s "Hypnotize" and Rihanna’s "Umbrella". He gained further popularity in 2009 when album track "U + Me =" was chosen as the UK iTunes Store’s Free Single of the Week.

Dan Black will be playing at 9:00 pm on Feb 23rd at the Cinespace in Hollywood.

Great Show at the EchoPlex Tomorrow Night

Come down to the EchoPlex tomorrow night in Echo Park to witness an awesome show in which three bands that could be legit headliners are all playing on one tour! If you have not heard of Best Coast, Cold Cave, or the Smith Westerns, get out of your cave please. Cold Cave and Best Coast are both local LA bands that have recently become very popular in the independent music scene. The tickets are only ten dollars and are well worth it.

Junko Garrett Recital

Next tuesday come hear Occidental's own piano instructor Junko Garrett perform her recital. She'll be playing several classical pieces and also some jazz. I personally take lessons from her and she plays beautifully. please come out for a special evening of piano.

KUSC fm 91.5 - LA's Very Own Classical Music Station

About Classical KUSC

Classical KUSC is the largest non-profit classical music station in the country, and Southern California’s heritage classical radio station. Dedicated to preserving classical music as a living art, Classical KUSC uses digital transmission technology to broadcast commercial-free, uninterrupted performances to up to 600,000 listeners each week. Listen online at kusc.org, and also check out their great events calendar, free ticket giveaways, and even station job opportunities! Oh, and the best part? They're advertising Occidental's Frederica Von Stade concert on their homepage!!

Oxy-Caltech Concert Band this Weekend

The Oxy-Caltech Concert Band will be performing in Thorne Hall on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 pm. Directed by William Bing.

Free Admission w/ Oxy ID
This is a CSP 99 event.

Mixed Flock Project - CSP99

The Occidental College Music Department will be presenting a Guest Artist Recital by The Mixed Flock Project, on Friday February 19. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm in Bird Studio.

Andrew Lamy, clarinet, and Gary Kirkpatrick, piano, will be performing pieces by Messiaen, Beethoven and the Oxy faculty composers Prof. Andre Myers and Prof. Jennifer Logan.

Admission is FREE.
This is a CSP99 event

Los Angeles New Music Ensemble at Spaceland

The Los Angeles New Music Ensemble (LANME) is an organization created to promote new music, collaboration within the arts, the commissioning of new works, and the creation of multimedia presentations within innovative live performances.
The first run of a series of ground-breaking compositions that fuse together rock, post-minimalism, hip hop, and electronics.
(From LANME's website)

LANME will be performing at one of the best venues/bars in LA- Spaceland, in Silverlake, on Monday Feb. 22 at 8:30. Also... it's completely FREE!
http://www.losangelesnme.org/

1717 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 661-4380

Support a Local Cafe and See Live Music!

Every Friday and Saturday CC Beans, a cute little coffee shop downtown, hosts free music in the “BackRoom Gallery”. This Friday and Saturday is SOUNDING OFF, presented by dramastage-qumran…Friday features Ron Allen and Saturday features Sarah Cruse. There will also be an open mic section so if you’re feeling talented, you can join in! It’s a laid back place, and I’m sure it will feel more like a jam session than a serious show, which makes it even better! The best part is that while you enjoy the free shows, you can sip on some really great coffee and it’s so good you’ll want to start buying your beans from their personal collection. This is the sort of place that needs community support! It may not be in the most ideal place, but the owners are trying to add a little something to the downtown area that, although has cleaned up a lot, is still lacking in certain areas. So come out this weekend and support CC Beans!

The shop is located at 531 S. Los Angeles St., and admission is free!

This Week: Free Film Screening and Jazz Concert

This week, in continuation of a Celebration of Jazz, the Brand Library will host a free film screening on Wednesday and a free concert on Friday.
Wednesday, Feb 17, 7:00 pm: film screening of "A Great Day in Harlem"

Quincy Jones narrates the story of Art Kane’s historic 1958 group photograph of the period’s jazz legends; includes archival footage and conversations with renowned musicians.

Friday, Feb 19, 7:00 pm: Dr. Bobby Rodriguez with Frank Potenza and Eddie Resto

Latin legend and Grammy Nominated recording artist Dr. Bobby Rodriguez is a trumpeter, author, and professor of jazz and Latin jazz at UCLA, UC Irvine and Pasadena City College.

Rodriquez is the winner of numerous awards, including the Los Angeles New Times Salsa/Tropical Artist of the Year, a Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz from Drew University, and KLON's Best New Latin Jazz Artist.

Seating is limited.

Please RSVP to info@brandlibrary.org or call 818-548-2051

A Brief History of Music and Theater in Los Angeles

The cultural history of Los Angeles, at least in terms of music and drama, dates back to the frontier days when the Merced Theatre was constructed on Main Street in 1870.

The ground level was planned as a retail store, the second floor housed a 400-seat Theatre, and the third floor was an apartment. After its first years of glory, it subsisted on minstrel shows and melodrama, including such s

tands as Uncle Tom's Cabin, East Lynne, and Ten Nights in a Bar Room. In 1876 it was leased by J.H. Wood

and became Wood's Opera House. Opera House, howe

ver, was more of a name than a description of the entertainment, which ranged from boxing matches to broad farces. Wood wen

t bankrupt in 1878. For a time, the Theatre served as armory, but in 1883 it reopened as the Club Theatre, another variety house.

Merced Theater

The city of Los Angeles is considering a proposal to drastically cut arts education at the elementary level in the city. The proposal asks that 50% of all arts teachers be laid off for the 2010-2011 school year. this alone would have terrible consequences for the educational enrichment and opportunities of those elementary school students who attend public school in LA. however, the proposal would further cut the remaining 50% of arts teachers' jobs in the following school year. If you believe that the arts are central to elementary school education, then please take a minute to sign the online petition to beat this proposal at

http://www.petitiononline.com/la4arts/petition.html

What are You Doing Saturday?

Just so you don't forget, your fellow music library staffers, Doug and Brian, and some other guy, Melvin, will be performing (loud music) in the Stearns common room at around 9:00 Saturday. The three have been critically acclaimed in such fine publications as the Oxy Student's Digest (Volume #2854):

"Come out and witness/support some of the best music you'll hear... ever."
-Mandla Gobledale

So, how about that? Sounds good, right? Don't waste another Saturday night doing the same old. Come to Stearns and experience "some of the best music you'll hear... ever." Or don't, and spend your Saturday night doing boring stuff.

On February 27 legendary underground southern rap group Goodie Mob will be playing club Nokia. This will definitely be a great night of uncompromising "baller" music: sweet rhymes, floor shaking beats, and the vocal stylings of Gnarles Barkley's Cee-lo.

Happy [Lunar] New Year!

The Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, has arrived! And with this great tradition comes an opportunity to celebrate and experience some really amazing Chinese music. One truly breathtaking show you shouldn't miss is the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance of classical Chinese music and dance. Shen Yun brings together dancers, choreographers, composers, and musicians from all around the world, resulting in a dynamic blend of Eastern and Western instruments.

Celebration of Jazz Events This Weekend

This weekend, as part of the Celebration of Jazz, the Brand Library in Glendale will be hosting a panel discussion on jazz and a dance performance by the Brockus Project Dance Company. Both events are free. Check them out!

Saturday, February 13, 3:30 pm
Panel discussion: The Life Cycle of Jazz: Education, Performance & Recording

Panelists will engage in a candid and lively dialog on the current state and future of the jazz music industry.

Sunday, February 14, 2:00 pm
Dance performance: Brockus Project Dance Company

Brockus Project Dance Company is an eight member contemporary jazz dance company based in LA. The majority of the choreography in the company repertory is created by the artistic director, Deborah Brockus. The company is known for its variety of styles ranging from balletic, modern, jazz, and musical theatre. Yet all styles are connected by unique musicality and energetic choreography.

HipHop Legend Jay-Z is coming to Staples center on march 26. that's far in advance but for a giant show like this you must buy tickets early. the cheapest tickets are 96$ so start saving for what will definitely be some rap to remember.

Inspirational Music Quotes

Here are some of my favorite quotes about music. Enjoy and feel free to post your own!

"If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! it had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odor!"

- William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

Frederica von Stade

If you are planning on seeing the famous Mezzo-Soprano Frederica von Stade, on March 4th at Oxy... you can get your tickets ahead of time. You may purchase tickets directly from the Music Department office in upper booth for $10 (saving $1.50 in processing fees).

Pete Yorn, Tim Kasher, Craig Werden & special guests @ Bootleg Theater Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Fold presents... a Benefit for Haiti featuring:
PETE YORN 11p
TIM KASHER (Cursive) 9p
CRAIG WEDREN (Shudder to Think) 10p
+ Special Guests

PETE YORN
Pete's music has been featured in movies such as "Spiderman" and also "Me, Myself and Irene," in which not only were two of his songs highlighted, but he also wrote the score. His music has also been featured on television's "Felicity," "Dawson's Creek," and the "Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn." Besides recording solo, Pete also collaborated on Liz Phair's album. He has toured with Blues Traveler, Sunny Day Real Estate, has performed at the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC and the Riviera Theater in Chicago and recently returned to New Jersey to open for Bon Jovi. Besides his original songs, Pete also performs covers of songs by a wide range of artists from Springsteen and David Bowie to the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Recently, he joined forces with Scarlett Johanson to record an album titled "Break Up."

"He has an undeniable knack for catchy pop-rock tunes full of precise Everydude language." - LA Times

TIM KASHER
Tim Kasher has been a heralded force in music for the better part of the past two decades. As frontman for bands Cursive and The Good Life, he has collectively released nine albums since 1997, including 2009's Cursive album, Mama, I'm Swollen (Saddle Creek). Kasher is renowned for his literate, lyrical, and thematic songwriting, which has been praised by magazines such as Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Esquire, Alternative Press, Spin, and Entertainment Weekly.

CRAIG WEDREN
Craig Wedren is the critically acclaimed song writer and singer who began his career fronting the avant-rock band Shudder To Think. Blessed with a voice of unsurpassed beauty and with incredible versatility as a song writer and arranger, Wedren has made a name for himself in both the traditional world of rock and as a sought after film composer for major feature films.

"Wedren proves himself to be a songwriter of astonishing complexity."- Filter

"Wedren's voice sounds terrific, an expressive and formidable instrument..."- Pitchfork

The event will be hosted by NICK KROLL, DAVID WAIN and NICHOLAS SHUMAKER and more. Proceeds go to benefit Happy Hearts, an organization that specializes in secondary response efforts.

Santa Cecilia Orchestra Performin at Thorne Hall!

The Santa Cecilia Orchestra is coming to Occidental College to perform "Baroque Meets Brazil" On Sunday, February 21st at 4pm.



The Santa Cecilia Orchestra is conducted by Sonia Marie De Leon de Vega. She was the first woman in history to receive a Vatican invitation to conduct a symphony orchestra at a Papal Mass. Univision, Mervyns, and Target named her Outstanding Latina of the Year in 2000. Hispanic Business Magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the United States in 2001 and 2005. In April 2005 Hispanic Business Magazine named her in their “80 Elite Women” list. In 2005 she was named “Business Woman Of The Year in Arts And Entertainment” by Senator Jack Scott and Assemblywoman Carol Liu. In September 2006 she was awarded the “Local Hero” award by KCET. Vega is also celebrated in educational circles for creating the dynamic Discovering Music program that takes orchestra members into elementary schools in underserved Latino neighborhoods to introduce children to classical music and the instruments of the orchestra. This program also includes a choral component with weekly choral rehearsals with three community children choirs and two yearly presentations in venues like ours here at Oxy!

Keeping Time: The Life, Music, and Photographs of Milt Hinton

This week, as part of the two week Celebration of Jazz, the Brand Library will hold a film screening of "Keeping Time the Life, Music, and Photographs of Milt Hinton. " This free event takes place this Wednesday, February 10th at 7:00 pm. Written and Directed by David G. Berger, Holly Maxson and Kate Hirson. Narrated by Jeffrey Wright. Combining rare pictures, footage and interviews with legendary musicians, this is an insider’s portrait of jazz history.

[From PBS.org] During his seven-decade-long career, legendary bassist Milt Hinton performed with nearly every major jazz artist alive, touring with Cab Calloway and performing with Aretha Franklin. KEEPING TIME: The Life, Music and Photographs of Milt Hinton is a loving portrait of this remarkably creative and generous man, who not only made beautiful music, but also took some of the most unforgettable photographs of 20th-century American life. Snapping more than 60,000 pictures over the years, Hinton provided an insider's look at the world of American music, as well as American history, from touring the South in the 1930s to his death in 2000.

Piano Spheres

On Tuesday, the Ninth, Piano Spheres will be hosting a concert at the Zipper Hall of the Colburn School. Piano Spheres is an LA based organization of pianists that actively supports the composition and performance of new major piano works.

From http://www.pianospheres.org/:
Our sixteenth season continues February 9, 2010 with PS founding member, Susan Svrcek in a program spanning very early Schoenberg’s Drei Klavierstücke to Xenakis’ Mists. The music travels through varying stages of tonality – and lack of tonality –with a wide range of color. Pieces by Messiaen and Douglas, inspired by birdsong and the poetry of Rilke, complete the program

February 9, 2010

Susan Svrcek

William Douglas: "Celebration"
Olivier Messiaen: "Petites Esquisses d'Oiseaux"
Arnold Schoenberg: Drei Klavierstücke
Wolfgang Rihm: Ländler
Iannis Xenakis: Mists

The Yuval Ron Ensemble

Last week on January 31st, the Yuval Ron Ensemble performed at Pasadena's own All Saints Church. Their biography:

"Formed in 1999, The Yuval Ron Ensemble endeavors to alleviate national, racial, religious and cultural divides by uniting the music and dance of the opposing people of the Middle East into a unique mystical, spiritual and inspiring musical celebration. The Ensemble includes Jewish, Arabic and Christian artists who have been actively involved in creating musical bridges between people of various faiths and ethnic groups worldwide. Led by Oscar winning composer Yuval Ron (music for “West Bank Story”) the Ensemble has enjoyed overwhelming community support and was chosen to be featured in PBS “Holiday Celebration” TV specials and was honored with the Los Angeles Treasures Award."

Further information on the group, their albums, and their tour plans can be found on their website.

Their next concert in the Los Angeles area will be on March 7:

"Sound Meditation
as a
Way for Knowing Peace

Meditations to live music from the mystics of the Abrahamic faiths
A Workshop
with
Yuval Ron

Understand the intimacy of Sound…….
Experience the expansion of the mind to embrace all Sound …..
Experience the way and nature of Peace by surrendering to Sound.

Location:
The enchanting beautiful space, Out of Asia
3249 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016"

Can Playing A Musical Instrument Actually Make You Smarter?

Charles Q. Choi, Special to LiveScience, discusses just how beneficial playing a musical instrument can be...

Scientists have uncovered the first concrete evidence that playing music can significantly enhance the brain and sharpen hearing for all kinds of sounds, including speech.

Also check out this great lecture from Glenn Wilson at Gresham College on "The Mozart Effect"

Renowned Opera Artist Fredrica von Stade at OXY!

"World-renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade will perform at Occidental College -- her only Los Angeles appearance as part of her international farewell tour -- at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 4, in the College’s Thorne Hall.

Described by the New York Times as 'one of America’s finest artists and singers,' von Stade has sung with every leading American opera company and at top European opera houses such as La Scala, the Paris Opera, and the Vienna State Opera. She also has appeared in concert with the world’s celebrated orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. Her recital at Occidental, where she will be joined on stage with pianist and composer Jake Heggie, will be her only Los Angeles appearance this season." -oxy.edu

Huun Huur Tu, FREE at Amoeba this Sunday!

This Sunday, Feb 7, see Huun Huur Tu for free at Amoeba records in Hollywood. Huun Huur Tu are masters of the throat singing style of xoomei from the Siberian region of Tuva, in which a vocalist produces two or three notes simultaneously. They collaborate with the electronic artist Carmen Rizzo on their latest release, Eternal (out now).