The Madison ensemble “Mr. Chair” will bring its eclectic blend of jazz, classical, and electronic music to the Majestic Theatre on Friday, September 5th with a concert celebrating the release of “Nebulebula.” The massive triple LP includes 118 minutes of music, primarily long-form original compositions by members of the group. Trombonist Mark Hetzler, keyboardist Jason […]
Madison New Music Festival Debuts New Works, Celebrates Wisconsin Comp...
Now in its fourth year, the Madison New Music Festival is helping music lovers in the city connect with the latest works by living composers. On Tuesday, August 6th, founder Zachary Green spoke with WORT’s Peter Haney about the festival, which runs August 9th, 10th, and 11th at various locations in central Madison. Highlights of […]
A Symphony to Save the Planet
Chitravina virtuoso N. Ravikiran, along with music teacher Vanita Suresh and local students Arjun and Sanjay, spoke with Peter Haney May 28th about the Planet Symphony Project. Maestro Ravikiran is the creator of the Melharmony system, which seeks universal principles to harmonize all scales of the world, blending the harmonic focus of Western music with […]
A Fresh Take on Kundiman with Leslie Damaso and Mr. Chair
Soprano Leslie Damaso and Pianist Jason Kutz won a 2018 MAMA award for their debut album “May Laya” (Tagalog for “There is Freedom”) which featured Kundiman, a Filipino song genre with roots in the independence movements of late 19th Century. Kutz also plays with Mr. Chair, a futuristic electronic/jazz/rock/classical quartet that includes bassist Ben Ferris, […]
Back Porch Serenade: Music, Memory and the Shoah
Almost a year ago, a viral photograph of high school students mugging for the camera with a Nazi salute after a prom in Baraboo caused a worldwide scandal. Since then, some prominent Madisonians have joined with residents of the Sauk County town in public education efforts about the grim realities of fascism and the legacy […]
