Arts Desk

A group of high school girls are spending two weeks this July on the Temple University campus, immersing themselves in the world of music composition. They're taking classes in music theory, ear training, and composition of orchestral scores and songs, using electronic as well as acoustic music.

July 16, 2018. Lynne Arriale has a special relationship with the piano.  It’s apparent as soon as you hear a few bars of her playing on Give Us These Days. Double bassist Jasper Somsen and drummer Jasper van Hulton add the magic that makes this album distinct.

July 9, 2018. Violinist Ray Chen is a local luminary who is lighting up classical music worldwide.  He’s appeared with orchestras across the U.S. and throughout Europe, and began recording with Sony Classics in 2010. Now 29, he has an engaging new CD, his first with Decca Classics—The Golden Age—which we are celebrating as Album of the Week.

Described by critics as “preternaturally gifted," and his music “spellbinding," violinist Ray Chen performs all over the world. He's also distinguishing himself off the concert stage with over 100 YouTube videos ranging from zany comedy to a motivational series.

July 9, 2018.  New music from John Coltrane!  I bet you thought you’d never hear that again—until this recording from 1963 surfaced. Trane and his classic quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones were on the cusp of a transformation. In John Coltrane: Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album you can hear it from the first notes.

July 3, 2018. I’ve always been a great admirer of Seiji Ozawa, and this Beethoven disc shows precisely why. Ozawa, joined by piano superstar Martha Argerich, gives us a spirited, almost bubbly, performance. The handpicked musicians in the Mito Chamber Orchestra complement the artistry contained in Beethoven: Symphony No. 1; Piano Concerto No. 1.