by Jeff Maisey | Sep 29, 2016 | Classical, Music
By Jerome Langston When virtuoso trumpet player and singer, Byron Stripling, was just a young-un in his twenties, he had the unique honor of being lead trumpeter and soloist in the iconic Count Basie Orchestra, which at the time was led by Thad Jones and Frank...
by Jeff Maisey | Sep 20, 2016 | Classical, Music
By Montague Gammon III A familiar but exotic sounding piece of “stunning” Russian choral and orchestral music, compounded by the composer-chemist Alexander Borodin, kicks off Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s first Classics Series concert of the 2016-2017 Season. Music...
by Jeff Maisey | May 24, 2016 | Classical, Concert Previews, Music, Music News
By Jeff Maisey By early January, I had been in touch with Virginia Symphony cellist Jacob Fowler about a possible pairing with a local musician for Veer Magazine’s Local Music Awards. I’m a fan of mash-ups, especially when musicians from opposite perspectives get...
by Jeff Maisey | Apr 13, 2016 | Classical, Concert Previews, Music, Music News
By Montague Gammon III The Venice Baroque Orchestra will bring the still-fresh Italian and German music of three and four centuries ago to Norfolk this year, mixing familiar composers such as Bach, Vivaldi and Handel with the lesser known Geminani, Corelli and...
by Jeff Maisey | Feb 21, 2016 | Classical, Music, Music News
(February 25 marks JoAnn Falletta’s 25th anniversary with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra) By Montague Gammon III A coal miner’s granddaughter has led the Virginia Symphony for 25 years. In that time JoAnn Falletta – or Dr. Falletta, to give her the earned...
by Jeff Maisey | Feb 15, 2016 | Classical, News, News & Views, Robotham
By Tom Robotham Dear JoAnn, It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since you and I put down roots in Hampton Roads. That’s right—I don’t know whether you remember this, but you and I both moved to Norfolk in 1991. The timing was fortuitous. When I moved here...
