WFMT Rebroadcasts Studs Terkel Interview With Maxim Vengerov

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Both a common touch interviewer and a Pulitzer-Prize winning author, Studs Terkel examined culture and Chicago from 1952 through 1997 on WFMT. At 10 p.m. Friday, July 5, Chicago’s only classical radio station will re-broadcast Terkel’s 1996 conversation with violin sensation Maxim Vengerov. Vengerov returns to the U.S. this summer, and his only stop will be Ravinia, where he’ll give a Martin Theatre recital on July 15 and a performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on July 17.  For a clip of Vengerov in action, visit The Best of Studs Terkel.

Lang Lang Returns To The Gala Stage That Launched Him To Stardom

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Ravinia welcomes back international megastar Lang Lang to the very event that launched his career in 1999, the annual Gala Benefit Evening. The 2013 affair, which takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, features the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by James Conlon, Music Director of the orchestra's residency at Ravinia. A 17-year-old Lang Lang became an international superstar after playing a Ravinia gala in 1999 as a last-minute replacement for an ailing artist.

The special black-tie portion of the evening will begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the lawn at 5 p.m. At 7 p.m. benefit guests will be escorted to the Pavilion for the concert, which will have no intermission. Immediately following the concert, dinner will be served in the Gala Marquee on the north lawn. Hosted by the Ravinia Women’s Board, the annual gala is the only performance fundraiser benefiting the not-for-profit festival and its mission, especially its efforts to bring music back into schools through its REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs. The décor for the evening will be designed by Event Creative, and the dinner will be catered by George Jewell Catering. To purchase tickets to the gala benefit, please call 847-266-5045.

Terlato Wines Invites You To Pre-Concert Tastings In The Park This Season

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Terlato Wines invites Ravinia patrons to sample some new wines from their luxury portfolio prior to the following concerts (ID required!): Lapostolle Casa Sauvignon Blanc and Casa Cabernet Sauvignon on July 2 (Matchbox Twenty / Goo Goo Dolls); Fizz 56 on July 20 (Smash Mouth, Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, Fastball and Vertical Horizon); Mazzoni Pinot Grigio and Vermentino Chardonnay on Aug. 2 (Steely Dan); and Mike Ditka Wines on Aug. 25 (Chicago).

OneRepublic Duets With Finalist On Season Finale Of The Voice

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Perhaps the most star-studded evening in the history of television singing competitions, the hugely popular band OneRepublic performed its latest hit “Counting Stars” with competition finalist Michelle Chamuel on the season four finale of the hit NBC series The Voice. The episode also featured performances by Cher, Christina Aguilera and Pitbull, Florida Georgia Line and Nelly, Bob Seger, Hunter Hayes, and Bruno Mars. OneRepublic makes its Ravinia debut with Churchill and Mayer Hawthorne on July 23.

Miriam Fried Recieves Honor For Her 20-Year Commitment to RSMI

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One of the most respected violin pedagogues in the world, herself an acclaimed soloist, Miriam Fried was surprised by Ravinia leaders, family and friends at a ceremony Monday when they presented her with the first Edward Gordon Award in recognition of her 20 years of leadership at Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. Fried, who has led RSMI’s piano and strings program for most of the summer conservatory’s 25-year history, will give a concert in Ravinia’s Martin Theatre on July 5,with violinist Mihaela Martin, violists Atar Arad and Paul Biss, cellist Frans Helmerson and pianist Jeremy Denk.

Natalie Cole Shows Her Bilingual Skills On New CD And In Concert

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Multiple Grammy Award-winner Natalie Cole’s first Spanish-language album,Natalie Cole en Español, will be released June 25 on Verve/Universal. The album finds Natalie personally inspired by both the bilingual recording legacy of her father Nat King Cole, and a growing passion for the timeless romanticism of the great Latin music composers. Cole will perform songs from the new album in Spanish at her Ravinia concert with Ramsey Lewis on Aug. 28. The album balances old and new songs, including duets with Juan Luis Guerra on the Dominican maestro’s own Bachata Rosa and with Andrea Bocelli on the eternal Bésame Mucho.

The Big City Swings At Ravinia

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I was sitting in my favorite off-season Chicago music venue a few months ago listening to some live Big Band music when a beautifully dressed couple started dancing. Then another couple and another. Turns out it is also the favorite venue of the (surprisingly large) community of Chicago swing dancers! And here I didn't even know swing dancing was still a thing. But the dancing was so engaging, so contagious that I googled "Chicago swing dancing classes" right when I got home. I ended up taking a class with Jenna at Big City Swing and had more fun than I could have expected. Swing is fun to dance, it's fun to watch, and the music we danced to was a phenomenal way to liven up my after-work hours.

And guess what? Several weeks after completing my beginner class I found out that Ravinia would be hosting Big City Swing at the Big Band Tribute to Benny Goodman on Friday, June 14. Dancers from Big City Swing will be filling in as judges at the Eighth Annual Women's Board Dance Contest and performing to Benny Goodman's "Sing, Sing, Sing." The happy coincidences have me reeling. Or maybe swinging.


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A Party Fit For A King

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But which King are we talking about?

A.)   The King of Rock—Elvis Presley
B.)    The King of Pop—Michael Jackson
C.)    The King of Soul—Sam Cooke

Sorry, but the correct answer is none of the above. On the Friday, June 14 we welcome you to join in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the King of Swing’s debut performance at Ravinia Festival. Benny Goodman single handedly influenced the modern programming style of Ravinia; the incorporation of jazz and popular music. In his spare time he also took the stage of the countries’ most famed venues with the first integrated big band. His legendary live performances at the Palomar Ballroom, the Congress Hotel, Carnegie Hall, and Ravinia Festival made him an ambassador for jazz music and its beloved fans.

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Judy Collins: A Harpsichordist’s Dream

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I’m looking forward to attending tonight’s performance by Don McLean and Judy Collins, partly for reasons that may be unique to myself. They are both iconic performers, of course. I always felt the overwhelming (and deserved) popularity of McLean’s “American Pie” led it to overshadow the rest of the songs on that album, which is terrific from start to finish. My fascination with Ms. Collins is based on my love for her landmark 1967 Wildflowers album, especially the orchestral arrangements, which were done by musicologist Joshua Rifkin. Rifkin had been a graduate student at Princeton University several years before I was, and among his varied credits is the album of Scott Joplin Rags that more or less put that composer on the music-industry map in the 1970s.

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Composer Max Richter’s Space 
Zombies Score Praised at Cannes

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Composer Max Richter’s “eerily somber” score for the space-zombie film The Last Days on Mars won praise recently at the Cannes International Film Festival. The film opens this fall. Richter has scored 37 films and contributed to such soundtracks as Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. HisThe Four Seasons Recomposed offers a twist on the Vivaldi classic, and the CD topped the Billboard charts. The Four Seasons Recomposedreceives its Midwest premiere with violinist Daniel Hope and the Chicago Philharmonic on June 23.

Singer-Songwriter Kate Earl Joins Matchbox 20 & Goo Goo Dolls Shows

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Alaskan-born singer-songwriter Kate Earl will join the concert tour of co-headliners Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls, who have just added a third date to Ravinia on July 4 due to popular demand. The July 2 and 3 tickets sold out in minutes. Earl emerged with a flourish late last year onStronger, her debut for Downtown Records written and recorded with an expansive team including Brett Dennen and Blake Mills. The album’s sound—a “rootsy” brand of all-American pop-rock led by the emerging single “One Woman Army”—recalls classic works by legendary artists like Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell.

Ravinia 2013 Artists Dominate Billboard’s Classical Chart

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Upcoming Ravinia artists shook upBillboard’s Classical charts this week with the new CD Violin Lullabies by Rachel Barton Pine and Matthew Hole on the local Cedille label debuting in the number-one spot. The Brooklyn Rider CD A Walking Fire also entered the charts this week at number four. Pine performs the complete Paganini Caprices on Ravinia’s $10 BGH Classics series on Aug. 17 and repeats the feat on Aug. 18. Brooklyn Rider, featuring members of the acclaimed ensemble The Knights, makes its Ravinia debut on July 16. Also on the charts, Max Richter’s Four Seasons Recomposedfeaturing violinist Daniel Hope holds strong at number 14 after 27 weeks on the charts. Hope makes his Ravinia debut recreating this hit album with the Chicago Philharmonic on June 23.

The Circle Rockets Brass Take Off!

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The Circle Rockets Brass continue to exceed our expectations, both in terms of their skills and their enthusiasm! We are very excited to see some of our older students begin taking on leadership roles as peer-teachers and mentors for our younger students. Recently the students have been learning about playing in harmony (both in the musical and social senses!). Their rapidly growing skill levels are combining with a greater sense of musical identity to foster the joy of collaboration that was so obvious last week when one of our youngest trumpet students exclaimed, “We sound awesome!”

Theresa C.

Photo above: Tristan Dismukes, a fourth grader, teaches an exercise from our Essential Elements book using practice techniques discussed in class. 

 

Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls In For Third Show on July 4

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Due to popular demand Ravinia has added a third show for the double bill of chart-toppers Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls on Thursday, July 4. Their previously announced July 2 and 3 concerts sold out in less than a day when all of Ravinia’s concerts went on sale last month. Tickets to the July 4 performance go on sale exclusively at Ravinia.org at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14.

Matchbox Twenty made a splash with their debut diamond-certified album Yourself or Someone Like You. Their biggest hits include “3AM,” “Push” and “If You’re Gone,” and their 2012 release North debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Goo Goo Dolls’ breakout single “Iris” spent a year on the Billboard charts, including 18 weeks at number one. Over its career the band has earned four Grammy nominations, scored 13 consecutive top-10 multiformat hit songs, and sold over 10 million albums. Both bands make their Ravinia debuts on July 2.

Tickets to most Ravinia shows are on sale now exclusively at Ravinia.org. The festival welcomes fans to follow, connect and interact online at backstage.ravinia.org, facebook.com/RaviniaFestival and twitter.com/raviniafestival. Ravinia is a not-for-profit organization. 

Patrick Davis and Tori Kelly Sign On for June 16 Jewel Show

Top-10 singer-songwriter Patrick Davis and YouTube titan Tori Kelly will make their Ravinia debuts opening for Jewel’s June 16 Ravinia debut. In addition to his own recordings, Davis has penned songs for Jewel, Lady Antebellum and Pat Green. He will perform a solo acoustic set. With more than 30 million YouTube views, Kelly has been called music’s new “it girl.” Her cover of Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie” is an internet sensation. Ravinia is one stop on a 2013 world tour for the Southern California singer-songwriter.


Executive Chef Matthew Ford Takes Over Kitchens

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Ravinia welcomes a new executive chef with the 2013 season, Matthew Ford, who last summer served as executive sous chef at Ravinia. Ford’s ever-evolving menus will feature the flavors of Chicago and the Midwest, relying on locally grown ingredients—including those fresh from his gardens on the Ravinia grounds. Prior to joining Levy Restaurants almost eight years ago, Ford honed his passion for French-Vietnamese cuisine at Le Lan in Chicago and also worked at Mackinac Brewing Company in Traverse City, MI, where he discovered his love of micro-brewed beers. He joined the Levy team at Wrigley Field as a sous chef shortly after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago in 2005. Proving himself to be an invaluable team member, he continued to rise through the kitchen ranks as senior sous chef overseeing the Stadium Club and Premium Suites, and in 2011 he was promoted to executive sous chef, helping to oversee all culinary operations for the Field Museum. Other major events Ford has contributed to over the course of his tenure at Levy include the Breeder’s Cup, Country Music Awards and most recently, the Ryder Cup.

Ravinia Remembers CSO Trumpet Legend Adolph 'Bud’ Herseth

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Ravinia remembers and salutes the legendary trumpet player Adolph “Bud” Herseth, who died April 13 at 91 years old. In the Chicago Tribune obituary, John von Rhein called Herseth “the most respected and influential orchestral trumpeter of the last half-century, and very probably the greatest.” Hired by the CSO’s then-Music Director Artur Rodzinski in 1947, Herseth would serve as the orchestra’s principal trumpet for 53 years, retiring from that post on the Ravinia stage in 2001, but continuing in an emeritus role until his retirement in 2004. As demonstrated in this YouTube video, Herseth was seen by many as synonymous with the CSO’s legendary brass sound.

"For a man who made such a magnificent sound, Bud was reluctant to blow his own horn," said Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman. "But when I organized the New York Philharmonic tribute marking Bud's 50th anniversary in music, I witnessed firsthand the love and respect for him shared by audiences and other music-makers like fellow trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis. Bud never had to tell them who he was or what he brought. They knew."

Photo courtesy of csoarchives.wordpress.com