Strings Music Festival Blog

Favorite Classical Artists, Part 1

2012-02-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

Chamber Music at Strings Music Festival

Along with classical pieces, favorite memories of Strings Music Festival include classical musicians. Here’s who you remember most:

Eroica Trio playing at Storm Meadows
Marie Rossano
Adela Pena practicing violin just outside my office at Storm Meadows.
Adela looking for her shoes.
Benny Kim and his fun socks.
Lambert Orkis - his music making with Russian artists during and after the Soviet era.
The Carnegie Mellon Trio
The Meridian Quartet

What classical musicians would you like to see return to Strings?

Steamboat Grooves To The Tune Of 27 Inches Of Powder

2012-02-22T17:05:00.002-07:00

With the record breaking 27 inches of Champagne Powder that fell at Steamboat Ski Area Sunday night and the additional 21+ inches of snow that have fallen since then, all anyone can talk about around here is snow.

But when eight people are crammed into every gondola cabin and the lift lines are the biggest I’ve ever seen, it might be necessary to tune out the crowds. The best way to do that? Music.

Whether it’s Pandora, Spotify, or your favorite iTunes playlist, more and more people have started skiing with music. In fact, the whole industry has incorporated music technology into their ski gear. You can now buy helmets with speakers in the ear pads, gloves that are touch screen friendly, and jackets with special pockets and features to store and use your electronics on the slope.

For years, many have expressed safety concerns regarding music on the mountain. Listening to music reduces your ability to hear, which can put you at a greater risk for an accident. Not to mention being rude to your friends on the chairlift. But earHero claims to have the safest solution for listening to music while skiing.

The earHerosport earpiece is small enough that it doesn’t block the entire ear canal. This way you can still hear the powder whooshing under your skis or your buddy calling, “yo bro, that was sick!” Of course it’s still possible that you may injure your ear canal in a fall, so perhaps a music compatible helmet is still the best bet.

Despite safety concerns, more than 50% of people waiting for the gondola were tuned into their music, according to my quick pole over the past few mornings. As I’ve mentioned before, music may actually enhance your athletic ability. Some people said listening to music while riding helps them “find the spaces between the trees,” while others say, “I think about the song instead of how bad my legs hurt.”

So what are all these powder hounds listening to? Here are some tunes that were part of playlists this morning.

Leave a comment below to tell us what music gets you amped up for a powder day.

Spotlight: Gary Hoffman

2012-02-21T10:37:00.002-07:00

Cellist Gary Hoffman

As an internationally acclaimed cellist, Hoffman has performed with orchestras in America and abroad, esteemed music festivals including the Bath International Music Festival, and the Tokyo String Quartet, among others.

This summer at Strings Music Festival, Gary Hoffman will perform the Dvořák Cello Concerto, arguably one of the most famous cello concertos of all time. In fact, Brahms is said to have commended Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor: “Why on earth didn’t I know that one could write a cello concerto like this? Had I known, I would have written one long ago.” In an interview with Tim Janof of cello.org, Hoffman shares some secrets.

Tim Janoff: On a related note, you also said, “Don't be afraid to do things that may surprise you.” Do you use this approach in pieces that you are very familiar with?

Gary Hoffman: Absolutely. Some people may become bored with a piece after they've played it a hundred times, like the Dvořák Concerto, feeling that they have nothing new to say with it. I avoid this by trying to remain open and free, not just to things that I see and hear around me, but also to the changes that are happening within me as I go through life. There are many things that simply can't be discovered in a practice room, and it is these things that can greatly affect your playing, if you are open to them. If it's important to you that your playing reflect who you are, then I think it's important that you allow yourself to be surprised. In metaphysical terms, you should nurture the desire to venture into the infinite and the indefinable.

About Gary Hoffman

Youngest faculty appointee at the Indiana University School of Music at age 22.

First North American to win the Rostropovich International Competition in Paris.

Made his London recital debut at Wigmore hall at age 15.

Performs on a 1662 Nicolo Amati, the “ex-Leonard Rose.”

Born in Vancouver, Canada.

Currently resides in Paris, France.

Gary Hoffman Live
Gary Hoffman will perform as soloist with the Strings Festival Orchestra on Opening Night at the Strings Music Pavilion. The performance is Saturday June 23^rd and tickets go on sale April 4^th at 9am MDT. Order tickets online or by calling the Box Office (970) 879-5056 x 105.

Strings Music Festival History - A Chapter on Fundraising

2012-02-17T10:22:00.001-07:00

Strings Music Pavilion

Strings Music Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and has a long history of successful fundraising. Our 2012 Annual Fund Campaign is underway and we invite you to look at the levels of support and donate today! Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach 25 years.

Here’s how we made it happen:

1989

- A $250 donation got you an invite to the “Prelude” buffet dinner for two on the deck of the club prior to the concert.

- The “musical chair” program fixed the problem of people sitting two to a chair at concerts.

1990

- Strings was the recipient of the Snow Ball, presented by the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, and received over $16,000.

- Individuals were asked to sponsor one week of Strings for the first time.

1991

- The Guild’s first fundraising event was a “Prelude to Summer,” a dinner/dance held at the Steamboat Yacht Club.

- The Guild began “Sponsor a Musician” and each musician attending Strings was financially sponsored by individuals and businesses.

1992

- The Guild started “Noteworthy Affairs” which marked certain events as fundraisers.

1993

- A party that benefited the endowment was held at the Harrington Ranch in the Elk River and featured the Gypsy Boys in a high energy performance in the corral.

- “Some Enchanted Evening” was the first dance and dinner at the Strings’ tent.

1994

- The Guild hosted the first “Second Fiddle” sale at Sharon and Ben Jones’ barn. People donated used furnishings, paintings, sculptures, and other household items in excellent condition, which were then auctioned off.

1995

- Participants visited beautiful backyards of the Yampa Valley on the brand new Garden Tour, hosted by the Guild.

1997

- Garrison Keillor presented two benefit performances for Strings, a sing-along at the top of the Steamboat ski area and a special dinner concert at Harwigs/L’Apogee.

1998

- The Valentine’s Day Dinner transformed into a progressive dinner at Emerald Meadows.

- The first philanthropy program for youth was begun entitled “Kids Supporting Kids” – kids donated $1 so that a less fortunate kids could attend.

1999

- The first “Encore Concert,” an intimate chamber music performance in private homes, was held.

2003

- Musicians, celebrated chefs, and residents compiled their favorite recipes for the Guild’s Steamboat Seasons cookbook, published in 2005. You can still buy a cookbook today!

2004

- The Garden Tour expanded to include Kitchens, becoming the now well-known Kitchen and Garden Tour, hosted by the Guild.

2005

- Nationally recognized, award-winning violinist Joshua Bell performed a benefit concert at Strings.

2007

- “Strings and Stetsons” was the 20^th Anniversary celebratory fundraiser, a lively evening of dinner, dance, auction, and a concert by Riders in the Sky.

2008

- A 4 million dollar capital campaign was successfully completed to build the Strings Music Pavilion, now the leading concert experience in Steamboat Springs.

2009

- For the first time, music students played at the “Donor’s Prelude” with Strings School Days featured musician Alpin Hong.

2010

- A biking component was added to the Kitchen and Garden Tour to appeal to Steamboat’s new Bike Town USA initiative.

2011

- To celebrate the 25^th Anniversary, the Guild decided to “light up” the Strings Park to support youth programs and Strings School Days. Donate to Light Up the Night today!

2012

- 25 years later, we still host the “Donor’s Prelude” and Reception. Donate $100 or more today to receive your invite.

The Appoggiatura Isn't the Reason Some Songs Make You Cry

2012-02-15T17:03:00.002-07:00

People can’t stop talking about Adele’s sweep of six Grammy Awards and her come-back performance after undergoing vocal surgery. Now everyone wants to know, how does she do it?

The Wall Street Journal thought they found her secret recipe for success in a musical term called an appoggiatura.

Without starting a debate about the real definition, an appoggiatura is really just a composer’s abbreviation. If you’re reading an article on NASA you know that NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. If you had to read National Aeronautics and Space Administration every time instead of NASA it would take you longer to read the article. Just like an abbreviation, the appoggiatura makes certain musical phrases easier to read. Even if you can’t read music, which example below looks like it would be easier to play?

It seems unlikely that this musical shortcut is the trick to producing a #1 selling record.

A writing professor once told me, if there’s no conflict, there’s no story. In a creative fiction class, we were challenged to think about our characters’ lives before the story begins. A catalyst, an incident, an accident, an experience, must spark the beginning of the story, otherwise there’s no reason to write. Similarly, there must be an element of tension and release in music.

Basic music composition typically involves a chord (two or more notes played simultaneously) sustained underneath a melody. At times the melody will include notes that are not part of the chord. This is called dissonance. When the melody returns to a note that is part of the chord, the dissonance is resolved. One study has found that the resolution of the dissonance frequently coincides with an emotional climax.

Here enters the appoggiatura. This musical ornament creates an opportunity for dissonance to occur, which is how the Wall Street Journal and NPR came to their conclusions that the appoggiatura creates the emotion, ultimately leading to a hit song.

But Dan Wilson, co-writer of “Someone Like You,” thinks that the appoggiatura is not solely responsible for an emotional song. “With Adele, we wrote this song that was about a desperately heartbreaking end of a relationship, and she was really, really feeling it at the time, and we were imaginatively creating. That walked her back through that experience. And when you and I listen to that song, we walk through her shoes through that heartbreaking experience.”

Music is a story. Like a novel without conflict, music without dissonance is flat and boring. Dissonance can happen with an appoggiatura, but it can also happen at other points in the melody. And even conflict alone cannot speak to our emotions. It is the characters, the situation, the words that evoke feelings and make connections. So sorry future songwriters, it looks like you'll have to keep using a variety of techniques to make a #1 hit.

Favorite Different Tempo Artists, Part 1

2012-02-10T13:11:00.001-07:00

Tibetan Monks - Strings Music Pavilion - 2010

With so many artists performing at Strings, it’s not surprising that some of our patron’s favorite memories are of Different Tempo artists. Here are some of the names that keep popping up:

Neville Brothers
Ruthie Foster and Keb Mo
Front row at Paula Cole.
The Buddhist Monks were the best. We loved the caterpillar and mock turtle.
Natalie MacMaster's 1st concert.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo. We bought a recording and relive that concert often.

If Ruthie Foster was your favorite memory of Strings MusicFestival, you can see her in Steamboat Springs again Tuesday February 14th for a special Valentine’s Day Concert with Paul Thorn. Order tickets online or by calling the Box Office (970) 879-5056 x 105. Tickets are $39 in advance and $44 the day of the show, so buy your tickets now!

Joshua Bell Plays in a Metro Station: Would You Stop to Listen?

2012-02-09T10:21:00.001-07:00

Joshua Bell Incognito

A while back, professional violinist Joshua Bell conducted a social experiment with The Washington Post. He played some of Bach’s greatest works, on the violin, in street clothes, at DC's L'Enfant Plaza metro station, during rush hour. The concept behind the experiment was, would people recognize great music and beauty in a mundane setting at an unexpected hour? If they recognized the beauty would they stop and listen? Out of thousands of people, only a few stopped to listen, and only one recognized Joshua Bell.

Joshua Bell certainly has a significant presence in the subway. The Washington Post article notes, “You don't need to know music at all to appreciate the simple fact that there's a guy there, playing a violin that's throwing out a whole bucket of sound; at times, Bell's bowing is so intricate that you seem to be hearing two instruments playing in harmony. So those head-forward, quick-stepping passersby are a remarkable phenomenon.”

It does seem to be a remarkable phenomenon that such an anomaly could be so blatantly ignored, so why didn’t people stop to listen to one of the best violinists of our time, playing one of the most intricate pieces of famous classical music, on a $3.5 million violin?

Plugged in. You listen to music during your commute. To make the journey faster, because you can’t get that new hit single out of your head, because you don’t want to listen to the obnoxious conversation going on next to you. The volume is turned up loud to block everything else out, so of course you didn’t hear a violin this morning.

Perception. People who play music in public places in hopes of tips are sketchy. If you can’t make money any other way, you’re dangerous or violent, maybe even homeless or a drug addict. Don’t get close, don’t make eye contact, and you’ll live to see another day.

Classical music sucks. You don’t care one cent for classical music, so why would you stop, even if it’s the best violinist in the world playing a one-of-a-kind instrument. And don’t expect even a penny for a tip.

No recognition. Out of context, you don’t recognize a master. Joshua Bell looks different in a t-shirt and a baseball cap. Or you don’t know who he is in the first place.

Preoccupied. You’re not anticipating enjoying a beautiful concert. Instead you’re thinking about that presentation you have to give, your proposal review, your two kids who are fighting. There’s not enough room in your brain at the moment to register that something is different this morning.

Too busy. Your alarm didn’t go off, you missed the bus, you had to go back for your lunch, in short you’re running late. No time to stop and appreciate the beauty, there’s an upcoming deadline you can’t miss.

I’m sure you can add a few more, but the real question is would you have stopped that day? Do you stop on a daily basis for something out of the ordinary? Do you even notice something out of the ordinary?

Most of the articles written after the study marveled at how strange it was that no one stopped to listen to Joshua Bell. After all, people spent $100 the night before to see him in concert, and here he was playing for free. The takeaway message was that no one slows down to appreciate or observe things around them and because of that we miss out on great things. It’s bad that so many people don’t stop and pay attention to the world around them. But is this the right assumption to make?

All of the reasons above seem like perfectly legitimate excuses to not pause for a moment. It’s unclear whether someone who did stop had a better day than someone who didn’t. Maybe we find beauty in our lives in other ways. So would you change any of your habits to stop and recognize a special moment?

2012 Strings Tickets On Sale April 4th

2012-02-03T15:18:00.001-07:00

My favorite memory of Strings is "the excitement of the first show of the season!"

"Strings gets better every year! Horray for Strings!!"

Storm Meadows - 1989

Mark your calendars: Tickets for Strings Music Festival’s 25^th Anniversary Season go on sale Wednesday, April 4 at 9:00am Mountain Daylight Time.

Keep checking our website to see who's coming this summer!

Ticketmaster Watches Through the Eyes of Facebook and Spotify

2012-02-02T07:52:00.001-07:00

In 2005 a new term was developed: social commerce. According to Wikipedia, social commerce uses social media to assist in the online buying and selling of products and services. And with more than 800 million active users, it’s not surprising that a subset of social commerce is Facebook Commerce.

Ticketmaster recently released an application taking advantage of Facebook Commerce. The interface lets you to buy tickets through Ticketmaster without leaving Facebook. In addition, the app makes suggestions as to what concerts you may like, based on your Spotify listening history. You can also tell your friends which events you want to go to, when you’ve bought tickets, and where you're sitting.

While it seems like more than ever big brother is watching every key stroke we make, the real goal of the program is to promote concerts. Officials say that 40 to 50 percent of tickets at shows go unsold because people didn’t know about them. By plugging into our Facebook and Spotify habits, Ticketmaster hopes to fill and sell-out more shows. But if the goal is to promote bands, then Spotify, and other groups, should take it one step further.

Ticketmaster sells tickets to the large concert halls and venues. Typically these venues see artists that already have a large following. Often people travel for a concert, which means they also have to book a hotel room and maybe even a flight. If people go to that extent to see a favorite band, then they probably already follow the tour schedule.

But what about bands that play at music festivals, bars, schools, or even for free in public parks and restaurants? Ticketmaster doesn’t sell tickets to these events, so Spotify users still might not know that their favorite artist is performing nearby. If 40 to 50 percent of seats for well-publicized, large-scale events are empty, imagine how many are empty in smaller venues.

We need to step away from social commerce, and return to where the business came from: social media. Social media has always been about sharing – whether it’s a funny cartoon we come across, inviting friends to a birthday bash, or browsing things to do this Friday night. Instead of trying to sell us a ticket, use all that data to appeal to our musical tastes. If we know the app will tell us about everything, not just Ticketmaster tickets, we’ll be more inclined to use it. And who knows, maybe we'll even buy a ticket.

Strings Music Festival Coins Different Tempo Definition

2012-01-27T09:12:00.001-07:00

Different Tempo: dif▪fer▪ent tem▪po, noun

A rate of movement or music that is not alike in character or quality; dissimilar. Often, a non-classical concert.

Strings Music Festival coined the phrase Different Tempo to classify all non-classical concerts. Music at these concerts has ranged from jazz to blues, theatre to opera, country to folk, and rock to pop. Each season a variety of artists is presented to appeal to many tastes in music.

Strings Program Book - Different Tempo Series - 1994

Different Tempo Series History

1990: Leo Kottke and Karla Bonoff were the first non-classical musicians to hold concerts at Strings.
1994: The Different Tempo Series was born. Performers included Free Flight, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor.

1995: The Different Tempo Series moved to Friday nights.

Battle of the Super Bowl vs. Classic Opera

2012-01-25T13:43:00.001-07:00

Cheapest NY City Opera Ticket: $25

Cheapest NY Giants Ticket: $75

Clearly the assumption that no one goes to opera because it’s too expensive is false.

Not to mention that Super Bowl tickets are going for as much as $14,000. With even the cheapest Super Bowl ticket, you could buy more than six whole season subscriptions to the NY City Opera. The choice is difficult: treat your family to entertainment for a whole year or splurge on yourself for one night.

While the Super Bowl looms, my statement a while back that society gathers at the playing field rather than at the opera house is more apparent than ever. But why do Americans pay top dollar for sporting events and think a classical concert is too expensive?

Supply and Demand Controls Ticket Prices

Law 1: If demand increases and supply remains unchanged, then prices will rise. There’s only one Super Bowl each year with a limited number of seats. Millions of Americans put value on the game, which has pushed prices higher and higher.

Law 2: If supply increases and demand remains unchanged, then prices will fall.

Attendance at opera concerts is at a relatively stable number and the supply for tickets is plentiful. Therefore the price for an opera concert is actually quite affordable.

Ticket prices for both opera and football are actually accurate based on what the people can and will pay. This shifts the dispute from the cost of the ticket to the level of the demand. So why was opera, one of the most popular entertainment types of all time, surpassed by football?

Juxtaposing Football and Opera

To answer the question one NPR blog reader wrote, "It is more an issue of prioritization. No one, including the federal level of decision makers, puts the arts at top priority. Therefore, it does not seem of value to pay $30 to $50 for a ticket. Conversely, $200 for a sporting event seems like a bargain. Paying $10 each morning at Starbucks is no problem. If the arts are valued, people will go. Period."

Inherent differences between a show and a game may lead people to place more value on a game. An opera has a script to follow. A specific opera will be the same story every time, although interpretations will make each performance different. Like movies, many people feel the need to watch an opera only once, unless of course it’s your favorite. However, just because the Giants and the Patriots met at the Super Bowl in 2008 does not mean that the story will have the same ending in 2012. No one knows the outcome. And whenever New England plays New York in any sport it's going to be exciting to watch.

New England fans are some of the most passionate in the country when it comes to sports. In fact, Travel and Leisure Magazine just dubbed Boston #2 for sports crazed cities and residents are “guilty of gloating about their championship sports teams.” Fans pick a side and loyally defend it. Opera lacks this camaraderie. There are no bets to be made, no jersey’s to wear, no opponents to bash. Everyone is on the same team. There’s neither anyone to love nor anyone to hate so a crowd of opera goers does not feel the same connection with each other as a crowd of Patriots fans.

The media also contributes to the popularity of sports. How many ESBN channels cover football 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, even when it’s not in season? How many channels cover opera? How many times does football make the 5:00 news? How many times does opera? Of course the American people want more football, so media broadcasts it to catch viewers, which in turn hooks more people on football. Opera lovers don’t demand opera news, which means it doesn’t get broadcast, which means new people don’t learn about it.

Opera Still Entertains

While trends abroad show that opera is making a comeback (more people in Great Britain attend theatre shows than sports events) there’s no sign that this is true in the United States. But opera has stolen a few news headlines recently. Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, is hosting a competition where she will sign one or two opera singers to her record label. She hopes to get the genre back in the mainstream. And Morris Robinson (featured above) is a football player turned opera star, which goes to show that anything is possible. While opera may not be the top subject posted on Facebook, it's still singing.

Favorite Classical Pieces at Strings

2012-01-20T08:06:00.001-07:00

Strings Music Festival began with only classical concerts, so it’s not surprising that some of our patron’s favorite memories are about classical pieces:

“Rhapsody in Blue”

“The beauty of Haydn’s “Gyspsy” Trio, Poco adagio, cantabile. Tears streamed down my face - I had to sniffle during the trills.” -Susan Davis

“The orchestra performances.”

“Performing “A Soldiers Tale” by Stravinsky with Andres Cárdénes on the violin, leading and Verne Lundquist as the narrator.” -Joe Williams

“This year’s full symphony orchestra performances and the Mendelssohn piece four years ago.”

“The chamber music, loved it!”

Classical music remains an important part of Strings programming with concerts every Wednesday and Saturday night during the summer festival season. Which composers would you most like to hear at Strings? Leave your comments below.

Spotlight: Ruthie Foster

2012-01-18T09:07:00.001-07:00

"There's no denying the power of Foster's monstrous voice..."
-Paste Magazine

Ruthie Foster

In the past few years, Ruthie Foster has exploded in the music world, experimenting with blues, rock, gospel, folk, R&B, and country music. “It didn’t matter to me what genre it was… I just took it all in as great music - music that moved me.”

Foster performs from the heart staying true to her core message, “that through all of the ups and downs of living, you must stay true to yourself. The pain as well as the joy of love, the strength it takes to weather life’s challenges, the hope that grows from seeds of faith and wisdom inspires my music.”

Her newest album, Let It Burn, showcases her powerful voice, without limiting herself to one genre. She covers songs from Pete Seeger to Johnny Cash and even dips into Adele, one of the most popular artists of the year. Steamboat Springs radio station KUNC writes that Foster sings Adele’s “Set First to the Rain” as if she owns it and that she seems to own every song she sings. Foster’s original works are even more contagious than her covers and evoke strong emotions that touch the soul.

Awards

2012 - Nominated for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year, and DVD of the Year

2011 & 2010 - Blues Music Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

2010 - Grammy Nominee for Best Contemporary Blues Album

2010 - Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year

2009 - Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album

Ruthie Foster Live
Ruthie Foster will perform a Valentine's Day Concert with Paul Thorn at the Strings Music Pavilion on February 14th at 7:30pm. Order tickets online or by calling the Box Office (970) 879-5056 x 105.

Strings Announces Online Gift Shop

2012-01-13T09:00:00.002-07:00

When you visit Steamboat Springs once a year, are you part of the group that wants to see the new posters, hats, and t-shirts? For the shopaholics out there, some anticipate peaking in the window of the Strings Music Festival Box Office to see what’s new. This patron even included swag as a favorite memory:

The cookbook! Time for a new edition?

If you missed out on buying a 2011 t-shirt or don’t want to wait until next summer to get the 2011 Highlights CD, now is your chance! You can buy cookbooks, t-shirts, CDs, and gift certificates online via our newly launched gift shop. Get your favorite Strings swag all year long.

Click here for the Strings Gift Shop.

Steamboat Springs Musicians Rise to Fame

2012-01-12T08:17:00.001-07:00

If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to play more music, this week is your chance to act on your intentions.

The Tugboat will be hosting the Colorado SongwritersCompetition presented by the 7908 Aspen Songwriters Festival tonight at 9:30pm. Finalists from six Colorado towns will be invited to attend the festival for free and the winner will perform at the 7908 finale concert.

Steamboat Springs is a hot spot to launch a career in music. Check out these other famous musicians who have ties to Steamboat:

Keller Williams dabbles in many genres including bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, electronica/dance, jazz, and funk. Williams began his relationship with The String Cheese Incident by offering to play with the band for free in exchange for ski passes to Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp.

Reese Roper is native to the Boat, born right here in Steamboat Springs. He was the lead singer and chief song writer of the ska band Five Iron Frenzy, who broke up to pursue “real life,” but have recently gotten back together. In an interview with mousertime, he says re-entering the performing world is, “like riding a bike on a tight rope with replacement hips and knees.”

Steamboat’s Inferno, previously at Gondola Square, had a knack for spotting bands that would make it big. Artists who performed here before they took off include Dave Matthews, Phish, and Guster.

With all that spare musical talent soaked in Gondola Square, the Tugboat is the perfect place to discover Steamboat’s next star. Good luck to our competition winners - put Steamboat Springs back on the map!

We Want Your Input

2012-01-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Strings Music Festival has undergone many changes in the past 25 years, and we know the future holds even more. We would love to hear your opinion about Strings Music Festival. This survey will take less than five minutes to fill out and will help us plan our program for the years ahead.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Make Music Part of Your New Year's Resolution

2012-01-05T14:21:00.002-07:00

This year the National Association of Music Merchants is urging people to get involved in “Pledge to Play,” which encourages those who have always wanted to play a musical instrument to achieve their dream. A recent Gallup Pole indicates that the majority of Americans wish they did play a musical instrument - 85% in fact.

The “Pledge to Play” website, wannaplaymusic.com, has information about the benefits of playing music. Studies have shown that children who play music do better in school and in life. Adults who play music have lower stress levels and a positive outlet for emotions.

A few of the top New Year’s Resolutions of the nation even allow room for spending more time with your instrument or learning a new one. Coming in strong at #6 on New Year's Resolution lists include Askmen.com’s "make more time for hobbies" and 2011resolutions.org’s "learn something exciting."

Not surprisingly, many of America’s professional musicians have resolutions relating to their career. Paste Magazine spoke to 40 musicians and groups and found that their New Year's Resolutions ranged from writing more songs, listening to new musicians, and practicing with a metronome, to stop eating fast food and cleaning their apartments. But a few musicians have joined the learn-to-play-a-new-instrument band: Anais Mitchell wants to learn to play the violin and Lydia Loveless wants to get better at the guitar.

All of these people resolving to play music have inspired my own New Year’s Resolution: to play the piano at least three days a week. What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

Holiday Children's Concerts: Moguls to Mozart

2011-12-30T13:51:00.001-07:00

Strings Music Festival has presented a holiday children’s concert since 1991. The first concert was held at the Sheraton in Steamboat Springs and was called “Moguls to Mozart.” In 1994, Katherine Collier, our music director at the time, developed an educational story about Mozart. The performance was called “Mozart’s Magical Life in Music” and was later adapted for the internet, where teachers around the country used it as a classroom tool. You can find the complete presentation by clicking here.

Top Female Artists of 2011

2011-12-29T10:45:00.002-07:00

For hit music, 2011 was the year of girl power. In the Billboard year end charts, seven of the Top 10 albums were from female artists and female artists took the majority of Grammy nominees in the categories record of the year, album of the year, and best solo pop performance, among others. From MTV to Billboard to Grammy nominees to our own office, here’s the consensus on the best ladies of 2011.

Adele

The most listened to song this year is “Rolling in the Deep” from 21. The song’s fierce lyrics give women all the power while the man is left burning in despair. “Someone Like You” also tells girls that once they’ve said goodbye to one man it’s time to move on and find another.

- Seven Grammy nominations, including record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year
- #1 on Billboard’s Top 10 Songs
- #1 on Billboard’s Top 10 Albums
- #1 on MTV’s Best Songs

Lady Gaga

As usual, Lady Gaga pushed the envelope with costumes and creativity in her new album. “Born This Way” certainly hits on girl power as well as power for all races, sexual orientations, religious groups, and economic backgrounds. The music video even shows a stripped Lady Gaga, uncharacteristically without costume, heavy makeup, done-up hair, or over-the-top accessories, showing that she too is accepting of her natural self.

- Three Grammy nominations: album of the year, best pop solo performance, and best pop vocal album
- #3 on Billboard’s Top 10 Albums
- #5 on MTV’s Best Songs

Rihanna

Rihanna hit the top of the charts with her feature in Kanye West’s “All of the Lights.” But “We Found Love” from Talk That Talk also snuck its way into popularity. More hopeful than Adele, Rihanna sings to the ability to find love even in your weakest moments.

- Six Grammy nominations, including album of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal album
- #9 on Billboard’s Top 10 Albums
- #3 on MTV’s Best Songs

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is an overnight sensation who exploded this year with her debut album Pink Friday and hit single "Super Bass." Playful and flirty, Nicki Minaj explores the fun side of being a girl, batting eyelashes at boys across the bar, the fluttering heart of a new crush. But she knows she’s hot stuff, which means he better treat her right.

- Three Grammy nominations: best new artist, best rap performance, and best rap album
- #8 on Billboard’s Top 10 Songs
- #7 on Billboard’s Top 10 Albums
- #2 on MTV’s Best Songs

My Favorite Memory of Strings is Ken Greene

2011-12-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

Ken Greene

“Ken Greene - Always lucid information about music and composers, clearly spoken and concise.”

“Ken Greene’s commentary, which always added an extra dimension.”

“The knowledge and presentations by Ken Greene…always inspiring!”

“Ken Greene makes every piece so much more meaningful with his commentary. I love his sense of humor and funny anecdotes about composers. It cracks me up to think of Mozart throwing pages of manuscripts out the window before the ink was even dry. I think what Mozart could have done with a computer. Thanks Ken for making the composers into real people.”

Ken Greene has been the Strings Music Festival commentator since 1988. His witty notes and historical facts presented before classical pieces let the audience’s imagination roam while listening to the music. Thank you, Ken for your many years at Strings.

The Nutcracker - A Holiday Favorite

2011-12-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

Last week I explored the newest holiday hits, but one classical work has been on the top of the holiday hit list since its premiere on December 18, 1892: The Nutcracker, composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The Story

The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, a young girl, who is given a nutcracker as a Christmas gift from her godfather. Enamored by the figurine, she falls asleep under the Christmas tree with him in her arms. She then enters into a fantasy land with toys larger than life and embarks on a journey full of battles, snow, and sweets. The most famous rendition of the story is The Nutcracker and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffman.

The Music: Variations and Arrangements

The ballet provokes powerful emotions with its dramatic crescendos contrasted with delicate phrases. One of the highlights of the piece is the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," which incorporates the celesta, a novel instrument for the time. Tchaikovsky wanted to be the first to use the celesta at a concert in Russia, so he had it secretly shipped from Paris, France. The sound of the celesta was to be such a surprise that it wasn’t even allowed to be played until the last rehearsal. Simon Rattle, conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker, and other musicians share more englightening stories in the video below.

For those of you who prefer non-traditional versions, there are plenty of boogie woogie, pop, and jam band arrangements of The Nutcracker.

Jazz lovers will enjoy Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s The Nutcracker Suite interpretations, recorded in 1960.

And The Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s piece “A Mad Russian’s Christmas” kicks the ballet up to the rock level.

Music from The Nutcracker has also slipped into many movies, films, and television shows, but my favorite incorporation is in Disney’s Fantasia. The film includes eight of Tchaikovsky’s dances, illustrated with fairies sprinkling drops of dew, mushrooms and flowers energetically dancing, and fish lurking in seaweed.

Tomorrow night Strings Music Festival presents The Nutcracker with Jim Gamble Puppet Productions. This adaptation uses marionettes and the full-size puppets to bring the story to life. The show is sold-out, but you can call the box office on Thursday at (970) 879-5056 x 105 to see if any tickets have become available.

Strings Music Festival has History in Miami, Florida

2011-12-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Miami String Quartet

Would you like to go to Florida for a Strings Music Festival concert? Well, in the early 90’s you could have!

1990: Strings had its first concert in Miami, Florida on a cruise ship. At the time, many people from Florida were visiting Steamboat Springs. Newcomers were invited to attend the concert to get interested in Steamboat and Strings.

1991: Strings presented its second Miami concert: The Miami String Quartet performed at the Howard Hughes Plantation in Coral Gables. At this time the Guild also had two branches: one in Steamboat Springs chaired by Gloria Smith and one in Miami chaired by Susan Fields.

We eventually moved all operations back to Steamboat, but The Miami String Quartet has remained one of the regular favorites, returning for concerts in 2000 and 2007.

Holiday Hits

2011-12-14T09:20:00.001-07:00

Most people admit there’s nothing like a little Christmas music to get into the holiday mood. Whether it’s the Christmas Classics by Bing Crosby, Mannheim Steamroller’s many arrangements, or traditional Christmas songs by your favorite orchestra, everyone has a guilty pleasure. And each year there’s more music to choose from. Pop artists love releasing holiday albums, and some of this year’s include Michael Bublé’s Christmas, Lady Gaga’s A Very Gaga Holiday, and don’t forget the Cast of Glee’s Christmas Album, Volume 2.

Perhaps the most popular Christmas album this year is Justin Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe. It has already reached #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 and remains in the #3 spot this week. While some of my friends expressed concern that I had listened to the album on Spotify, I admit that I caught a little Bieber Fever. For the most part Bieber’s musical collaborations and mix of new songs with classics hit the holiday spot. But his slow tempos and relaxed jazzy sound brought me back to an older holiday album.

In 1998, NSYNC released Home for Christmas. This album reached the top of Billboard’s #1 Holiday Albums, and in the height of the boy band era, all my friends had it on repeat that Christmas. With two NSYNC albums released in the same year, everyone impatiently awaited the debut of No Strings Attached. In 2000, No Strings Attached became NYSNC’s most popular album, and it still holds the record for the most albums sold in one week.

Bieber’s boyish charm has certainly put him among the ranks of NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, so perhaps Under the Mistletoe is more than just a cute holiday album. By stealing the spotlight this winter, he might just be setting up his next release to have the most sells ever, moving his career from a boy band frenzy to an established adult artist.

Whether it’s a great career move or just plain fun, I have to admit that I love the new holiday albums. What are your favorites to listen to during the holidays?

Leonard Slatkin Conducts at Strings - 1992

2011-12-09T09:31:00.002-07:00

Conductor Leonard Slatkin with the Strings Music Festival Orchestra

"My favorite memory of Strings is Slatkin conducting our first orchestra."

Leonard Slatkin, Stings Music Festival

In the beginning, Strings Music Festival only presented a few chamber music concerts each summer. It wasn’t until 1992 that we held our first orchestra concert. Leonard Slatkin, conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, was the first Strings guest conductor. CBS Sunday morning came to Strings to film a segment and we made national news that September. This year marked the transition of Strings from a small community organization to a nationally known music festival.

Many Opportunities for Young Musicians in Steamboat Springs

2011-12-07T11:15:00.002-07:00

Simon Boyar with students at the Strings Music Pavilion

Even though Steamboat Springs isn’t the center of an arts and culture hub, our young music students have the same opportunities as students from a big city.

In the early part of November, the best music students of the region gathered together in Aspen as part of the Northwest Honor Band. This year, 13 Steamboat Springs High School students were represented as part of the 100-piece hand-picked band. High school band director Jim Knapp says the students he nominated “are all very committed and dedicated, and it showed in how they achieved: they all ranked very high in their sections.”

The Northwest Honor Band lets the best music students perform together, expanding their repertoire to more challenging music than they typically play at school. “It’s inspiring to see all these different music students come together and put something together like that,” said Honor Band student Samantha Trahan.

But closer to home there are more opportunities for young musicians. Two high school flutists performed in the flute choir under the direction of Ernest Richardson, Music Director for the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra (SSO). A branch of the orchestra, the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra Education Ensembles Concert is a place where non-professional community musicians, including youth, have the chance to play and perform. “It was really neat to play with a group of flutists who are better than me and who I can really learn from,” 14-year-old Melissa Requist said after the rehearsal.

While Richardson was here, he also visited the schools to lead rehearsals and workshops. The Lark Ascending, a Vaughn Williams composition, was certainly the highlight of the concert, and Richardson led discussions in the schools regarding how the piece made the students feel. Richardson was pleased with the strong reactions from the students and said, “When children have this visceral response to music, it affirms its power. It just takes a moment to be presented to someone, and slowly it becomes more and more meaningful.” At the SSO holiday concert, young string players performed Lo How A Rose E’er Blooming with the orchestra, further increasing youth performance opportunities.

This boom in extra-curricular music education took off in 2007 when Strings Music Festival launched the Strings School Days program. Strings' school outreach programs began in 1997 as Youth Touring, where an original show presented the history of the Yampa Valley with music to elementary schools. Today the program involves three weeks of workshops and rehearsals with all school-age music students, field trips where non-music students see a presentation by a professional musician and performances by their peers, and two nights of free community concerts.

Now in its third cycle, we are proud to announce Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) as the next Strings School Days collaborator. DBR is a Haitian-American composer, violinist, and educator, who has performed all over the world, including at the Macau International Music Festival, the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, and the Sydney Opera House. DBR made his Carnegie Hall debut with the American Composers Orchestra performing his Harlem Essay for Orchestra, a Whitaker commission.

DBR plans to become the Creative Director for Strings School Days and hopes to incorporate the use of film, video, dance, singing, and spoken word to design a multi-media concert experience. He also hopes to bring local artists and musicians into the program so that the students can create and maintain long-term relationships with community members. DBR says, “These types of initiatives help to define a community and give young people a greater sense of their world beyond the confines of their school, using collaboration as conversation and a means by which every voice counts and is counted.”

Windy Nights at Strings

2011-12-02T15:18:00.003-07:00

The Strings Tent in 2007

In case you missed it, we had 75 mph winds with gusts up to 123 mph in Steamboat Springs yesterday. Extreme weather is not uncommon up here in Northwest Colorado and some of our patron's most unforgettable Strings memories involve the wind.

"The wind blowing through the old tent and everyone wondering if the tent was going.”
"Sheet music blowing on the Gallery deck."
"Holding the music stands on windy nights at Storm Meadows.” -Ted G
“Clothespins holding the music."
"On the deck at Storm Meadows and the wind blowing the music stands.”

It was always exciting with concerts outside dealing with music blowing away and tent sides flapping. Fortunately the new Pavilion decreases influences from the weather and we sustained no major damage in this most recent storm.

More Love than Hate in A Cappella Music

2011-11-30T10:57:00.003-07:00

A cappella music, which seems like a new fad right now, actually started in the 15^th century as a type of church music sung without accompaniment. Recently, it has grown in popularity at high schools and colleges where a cappella groups arrange pop songs. Using only their voices, the group creates a background of music, mimicking the sounds made by drums, guitar, piano, etc., while one person sings the lead.

NBC’s show The Sing-Off has moved a cappella a little bit higher into the mainstream by hosting a competition where the winning group takes home $200,000 and scores a recording contract with Sony. On Monday night The Pentatonix took home the season three championship title, and I have to admit they were my favorite from the beginning.

Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles was a judge on the show, and she shared some insight on a cappella music with New York Magazine. When asked why people are either obsessed with a cappella music or hate it and she replied, “I don't know why it’s such a hot bed of dispute; it’s interesting. My sister did it when I was growing up, so it was always something I sort of revered and couldn’t wait to be a part of. I love that in the a cappella community, we’re all sort of self-professed nerds and we wear that badge with pride. Like, ‘Yeah, we’re music nerds, get over it!’”

After a quick trip through the blogosphere it seems like New York Magazine is right when they say people either love it or hate it. Here’s what others say.

Lisa Notes loves a cappella music: “You take ownership. There are no instruments filling in the gaps for you. You’re on your own, sink or swim. That means sometimes it can sound fairly rough, but other times, it can send chills down your spine when you hear nothing except a beautiful blend of human voices.”

Vocal Blog writes about the love/hate relationship promoters have with a cappella groups: “Promoters hate a cappella groups, because they are eccentric niche artists on the music market. Promoters love a cappella groups, because it’s easy for them to do radio interviews and mini-showcases including live singing and beatboxing.”

The Contemporary A Cappella Society has one blogger who hates female a cappella groups: “No one wants to hear 15 girls sing high F's. Could you please just pack it low? Sopranos come a dime a dozen and I know that they're pretty much who auditions for you, but you don't need to make them all sing in the stratosphere all of the time....actually, you don't need anyone singing in the stratosphere any of the time.”

A cappella is certainly more loved than hated at my college. Out of our three a cappella groups, the all-male group, Ithacappella, is the most popular. People wait in line an hour before the doors open to secure the closest seats and the largest assembly room in the Campus Center fills to standing room only with people lingering outside in the hallway.

Perhaps the most well-known a cappella group is Rockappella who have produced more than 20 albums. They have performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and even made an appearance at Strings Music Festival in 1999.

So are you with the love crowd or the hate crowd? Should we bring another a cappella group to the Strings stage?

Spotify Makes Sharing Legal

2011-11-22T14:22:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned last week, Spotify has paid all the royalty rights to broadcast songs to its listeners. So if the service is free and Spotify has to pay to stream songs, then how does it operate?

The free Spotify service takes advantage of advertising to cover some of its costs. Every now and then the music is interrupted for a radio ad. Some ads also pop up on the Spotify interface while the music is playing. As far as I can tell, there is no way to minimize or close these ads before their allotted screen time is over. In this way, the advertising is less like the banners you see on websites and more like TV commercials where you have to wait the five minutes to get back to the show.

Spotify also offers a premium service. For $4.99 a month users can access the service ad free, and for $9.99 a month they can use Spotify on a mobile device. As smartphones are becoming more and more popular, this option will probably appeal to more consumers. Those who want to have all the latest music at the gym, in the car, and other places iPods are commonly seen, may switch over to using a cell phone and Spotify.

So these two ways are partly how Spotify hopes to make a profit, but what about the artists?

Spotify is legal because it has contracts with the record companies. The record companies in turn have contracts with their artists. Since record labels are private companies it’s not possible to determine how much money individual artists will make from Spotify. Information is Beautiful has an interesting chart comparing what artists make versus the record companies.

So will Spotify increase or decrease album sales? Some argue that Spotify will decrease album sales because no one will buy music they can get for free. MusicOMH blogger writes, “Ownership of music will become meaningless and people will no longer feel the need to possess something which is available free on tap to their laptop or mobile.” But others, like Kenneth Parks, Spotify’s chief content officer, believes Spotify may increase music sales. He says “There's no evidence of our service cannibalizing music sales. On the contrary, there's evidence that we're generating new revenue from a demographic that hasn't purchased a lot and are now reengaged.”

So what is the answer? Probably both. Some might buy more, some might buy less. In my point of view, Spotify should only increase music consumption, rather than eliminate it. Let’s look at an example. As of September 2011, 10 million copies of Adele’s 21 Album had been sold. If those were all purchased at an average price of $9.99 on amazon.com, then that would be a profit of $99,900,000. Now let’s say each of those people who bought the CD listens to it only once on Spotify. And let’s say Spotify only pays royalty rates of one cent per listen. Just that one album alone has already made an additional $1,100,000.

It remains to be seen how artists and record labels will benefit from Spotify, but it’s hard to argue against a service that generates revenue for the music industry. Whether it’s listening to an album at a friend’s house, checking out a CD from the library, or looking up a song on the internet, music sharing is here to stay.

Thank You Gloria Gossard

2011-11-18T11:53:00.001-07:00

My favorite memory of Strings is, “The Persuasions singing Happy Birthday to Gloria Gossard.”

The Persuasians at the Strings Tent - 1995

Gloria Gossard

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, we want to say “thank you” to Gloria Gossard. This remarkable woman had a contagious sense of humor, a love of the community, and a generous spirit. Gloria Gossard began her work with Strings Music Festival in the late 1980s and went on to become a board member from 1993 to 2000. She loved attending Strings concerts and set the record for the most concerts ever attended.

In the community she is remembered as the 1998 Philanthropist of the Year, the 2000 winner of the Hazie Werner Award for Excellence, the 2008 winner of the biennial Steamboat Springs Heritage Award, and for the Gloria Gossard Park on Emerald Mountain. From history, to the arts, to the environment, Steamboat Springs would not be what it is today without her.

Spotify: A Blend of Music Software

2011-11-15T09:50:00.002-07:00

On a snowy Steamboat weekend with the mountain not yet open, I decided to get myself up to date on the newest music software: Spotify.

After navigating to Spotify and clicking sign up, my Facebook account information was automatically entered and all I had to do was accept the terms of agreement. No new username, no new password, no new endless pages of information, and I was in. After a quick software download I had a whole new music library at the tip of my fingers. Or should I say libraries.

Growing up at the brink of the digital music sharing age I’ve used it all, from Napster to LimeWire to Pandora. But my favorite experience to date has been iTunes. Arriving at my dorm for my first semester of college, I immediately plugged in my laptop, subwoofer, and speakers so I could listen to music while I unpacked. When I loaded iTunes, I noticed that half a dozen other libraries had popped up on my computer. I clicked on a song from another library and it played in my room through my speakers. It was only my first day and I was already in love with the college life.

After further research, I discovered that this type of music sharing was known as a peer-to-peer network. I could listen to music from anyone logged on to the dorm network who shared their iTunes library. I didn’t own the music, it wasn’t physically on my computer, but I could listen to it.

Logging into Spotify for the first time brought me back to those early college days of music sharing. Except this time I wasn’t connected with only the few hundred people in my dorm, I was connected with the millions of other Spotify users. Spotify searches the internet for songs and then streams them to the listener.

And the reason why it’s caught on so quickly is that it combines features of some current music software; you can listen to a specific song, like looking it up on YouTube, play random music of the same genre, like Pandora, and make playlists like iTunes. In fact, Spotify basically borrowed the entire iTunes interface, and it’s so similar that iTunes users will have no trouble navigating the features. And all those iTunes playlists you created for the gym, the car, and when your friends come over automatically sync to Spotify so you can keep them, change them, or add to them. Now you don’t actually have to own the music; you just have to search for it.

Spotify vs iTunes

Spotify also brings me back to my college dorm years of listening to my friends’ music. On the right hand side of the interface I can see a list of my Facebook friends that also use Spotify. Clicking on a friend, I can see his top artists, top tracks, and any playlists that he’s made public. Friends can also send music to my Spotify account if they want me to hear something. Joining Spotify Social also lets you see what your Facebook friends are listening to in real time.

Eliot Van Buskirk, music technology expert, tells NPR: “It gets closer and closer to that original Napster feeling. ‘What do my friends have? Can I have that?’ And now it's like, ‘Yes, you can.’”

Unlike the other music sharing services that have been disbanded, Spotify has all the legal rights to broadcast the music. Check back next week for another post on Spotify’s business plan and how artists and record labels may benefit.

So what will Spotify do for Strings? Well, this past summer I was asked to create a playlist for the Encore dinner. After perusing my classical music selection, I realized most of what I had was piano music and not all of it was appropriate for background music. I ended up pulling together a mix of pieces from our past Strings Highlights CDs, which left me wanting more. Next year, when I need to make a playlist I will have a much larger variety of music to choose from. And instead of loaning someone my iPod and hoping that “Evacuate the Dance Floor” doesn’t accidentally start playing, all I’ll have to do is share the playlist on Spotify and whoever decides to DJ can log on and use it.

My Favorite Memory of Strings is...

2011-11-11T13:40:00.001-07:00

...the Music Directors.

John Sant’Ambrogio

Andrés Cárdenes is the best music director ever.
-Kathy and Keith

Andrés Cárdenes Rocks!

Andrés leading and conducting the orchestra in the fabulous Pavilion.
-Cheryl Kutscher

Mom and Dad, thank you music family! We love piano!
-Isabel and Tino Cárdenes

Andrés Cárdenes and Monique Mead

Did you know that our Music Directors help out with Strings all year round? When they're not in Steamboat they are lining up musicians for the next summer and choosing music for the program. Our past Music Directors have been John Sant'Ambrogio (1988-1993), Yizhak Schotten and Katherine Collier (1994-2008), and Andrés Cárdenes and Monique Mead (2009-present).

Music Therapy Helps Our Veterans

2011-11-09T15:45:00.001-07:00

Amazing Grace. Taps. America the Beautiful. These and other patriotic songs and hymns are playing around the nation this week at memorial services and parades honoring and remembering our veterans.

In 1919 President Wilson first proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" The day originally honored veterans and remembered soldiers lost in World War I.

Today we still celebrate Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day, on November 11. But for some veterans, the music associated with Veterans Day strikes a deeper chord.

One group of veterans meets regularly at the Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in southern New Jersey. They gather together to listen to Dr. Mary Rorro play her viola. You can watch the video below to see one session and hear some of the stories from the veterans themselves.

Dr. Rorro picks familiar songs that may evoke a specific emotion or recall a particular memory. Some are upbeat and lively while others are mournful or calming. This music therapy program helps the veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The American Music Therapy Association has shown that music therapy has many positive effects for those dealing with PTSD. Music therapy can reduce anxiety and stress, positively change mood and emotional states, and enhance feelings of control, confidence, and empowerment.

“At times, music can serve as a springboard during discussion,” Dr. Rorro says. “You can feel the weight of some of the emotional state of the group.”

Many veterans are unable to find the words to talk about their experiences. Listening to music in the company of others with similar experiences allows them to better cope with feelings, emotions, and memories.

“Music gives all a chance to express ourselves, to share our souls, to share our feelings with each other.” -Participant, Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy, New York University

Most people know someone who has served or is currently serving our country. To celebrate them this Veterans Day, bring them a little music. Whether you’re a musician yourself and play them a tune, bring them to a concert, or send them a playlist, music is a great way to share a moment.

The Guild: 22 Years of Strings Support

2011-11-04T09:35:00.004-06:00

Strings Music Festival Guild 1990

“I remember the first Guild. I was there when we coined ‘Noteworthy Affairs.’”

My favorite memory of Strings is… “the many years I volunteered for Strings and my years with the Guild. I have many wonderful music friends and memories from those days.” -Ann Perry

The Guild of Strings Music Festival has been around almost as long as the festival itself. The Guild began in 1990 and was started by Gloria Smith, Molly Cox, Criss Fetcher, Lynn Greco, Ja Hanson, and Carol Ryan. Nine of the original Guild members are still involved with Strings today. Back then their goal was to organize and help Strings with fundraising events.

And they are still at it today. This year, they raised $25,000 for Strings Music Festival through events such as the Kitchen and Garden Tour and the Silent Auction. They are also a critical part of our concerts, providing leadership for the other community volunteers. To get involved with the Guild, email chloe@steamboatvillagebrokers.com.

What is your favorite Guild memory?

The Glass Castle: A Look at Poverty in America

2011-10-31T10:17:00.007-06:00

“I’m worried about you,” I said. “Tell me what I can do to help.”

“You want to help me change my life?” Mom asked. “I’m fine. You’re the one who needs help. Your values are all confused.” – The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

On Wednesday, Strings Music Festival will present a one-hour theatrical adaptation of Jeannette Walls’ best-selling memoir, The Glass Castle. This performance strays from our typical music concert and I thought it appropriate to address one of the themes of the book. If you haven’t read it, perhaps my editorial below will entice you to read the book, attend the performance, or both.

Poverty continues to exist in America and countless organizations across the nation are devoted to providing food, shelter, and clothing to the poor. But before we try to solve the poverty problem, first we must look at why it exists. Some say there aren’t enough jobs or that wages are too low. Others say the government’s definition of poverty is inaccurate. The list goes on, but most agree that external factors, such as unemployment rates and welfare, may contribute to some of the poverty problem. However, we also must take into consideration the internal factors, individual psychological make-up, that may lead to poverty.

In Jeannette Walls’ memoir The Glass Castle, she tells her own story of growing up in poverty. Yet, none of the typical assumptions seem to apply to her. Her parents both had jobs, and chose to leave them. Her mother owned a house and land where they could live at no cost. Her mother also inherited some land that may have been worth as much as one million dollars. So why did the Walls never have enough food to eat or adequate shoes on their feet?

Internal factors may explain some of the reasons. Jeannette’s parents, Rex and Rose Mary, ultimately quit their jobs because they had bigger dreams. Her mother wanted to be an artist and so quit teaching so she could focus on painting. Her father wanted to be an entrepreneur, so he quit working for the mines to design new inventions for gold mining. But her mother never became a famous artist and her father never did build the glass castle.

Rex and Rose Mary Walls needed some guidance to make their dreams come true. With some instruction, Rex could have moved from the design phase to the implementation phase. Perhaps he really could have struck it rich with some help on how to turn an idea into reality. Rose Mary could have used some advice on owning a house or perhaps being a landlord. Once the family moved from their house, she could have rented it to have a stable source of income each month. She could provide for her family and have free time to work on her art. But Rex and Rose Mary Walls chose not to seek help, or heed advice, and instead opted to live in the moment, ultimately leading to a life in poverty.

While individual psychological make-up can lead a person to poverty, it can also let her escape. In her memoir, Jeannette illustrates this point once she is old enough to have some freedom from her parents to make her own decisions. She works many jobs and saves all her money. She takes her schooling seriously and seeks out mentors who help her dreams to come true. She puts together a plan, follows through, and ends up with food on the table and a bed to sleep in every night.

Jeannette sums up the pull between external and internal factors near the end of the book:

One day Professor Fuchs asked if homelessness was the result of drug abuse and misguided entitlement programs, as the conservatives claimed, or did it occur, as the liberals argued, because of cuts in social-service programs and failure to create economic opportunity for the poor? Professor Fuchs called on me.

I hesitated. “Sometimes, I think, it’s neither.”

“Can you explain yourself?”

“I think that maybe sometimes people get the lives they want.”

“Are you saying homeless people want to live on the street?” Professor Fuchs asked. “Are you saying they don’t want warm beds and roofs over their heads?”

“Not exactly,” I said. I was fumbling for words. “They do. But if some of them were willing to work hard and make compromises, they might not have ideal lives, but they could make ends meet” (pg. 256-257).

Jeannette Walls

Poverty is not the only theme of The Glass Castle. The book also touches on other topics, including child abuse, sexual harassment, and alcoholism, all of which form a starting place for discussion. If you haven’t read the book, the one-hour theatrical verbatim performance, will give you all you need to know about the story. Afterwards you will be able to participate in a full discussion on the themes.

Glass Castle Events:

November 1, 6:30pm Library Hall: Interactive drama-in-education discussion of The Glass Castle with seasoned theatre professionals from The American Place Theatre.

Free – RSVP to jlay@steamboatlibrary.org

November 2, 6:30pm Strings Music Pavilion: A 90-minute with pre and post show discussions.

$15 for adults; $10 for teens - buy tickets online at stringsmusicfestival.com, by calling (970) 879-5056 x 105, or by vising the Strings Music Festival Office or the Bud Werner Library front desk.

November 3, Soroco High School: An Outreach performance with students who have studied The Glass Castle will include workshops with actress Sarah Franek and education specialists from The American Place Theatre.

Llamas on the Strings Stage

2011-10-28T11:08:00.002-06:00

“My fondest Strings memory is the llama kids concert with a llama on stage. And the front page of the Steamboat Today with a picture of the orchestra and our current music director with the llama.” Mary Ann Duffey – Strings Music Festival Board of Directors

Can you guess which Strings affiliate appeared with the llama in this picture?

Hint: the photo was taken in 1996. Post your answer below!

Classical Music Enters the Playing Field

2011-10-25T11:01:00.005-06:00

Many argue that Americans place more emphasis on professional sports than on professional music. Athletes make millions of dollars a year, while musicians are lucky to make a hundred thousand. Sports arenas constantly get makeovers, while theatres and performance halls look the same as they did when they were first built. Yet professional athletes might not be as good as they are today without the help of classical music.

Since the 1970’s when professional football player Lynn Swann first announced that he took ballet lessons to help improve his agility on the playing field, ballet has become a staple of American football. And professional football players aren’t the only ones to dance. NBA player Clyde Austin Drexler, Olympic Track and Field Star Maurice Green, and professional snowboarder Louis Vito all have history with dance. Even here, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has started a dance program to help with pre-season training. Not to mention the hit television series, Dancing with the Stars, that puts pro athletes up on stage with pro dancers.

So what are the benefits for athletes taking dance lessons?

On the physical side, dance lessons improve balance, flexibility, agility, stamina, and strength. Peak Performance relates in great detail many of the benefits football players specifically can gain from dancing. Cross-training is an important part of any sport: soccer players lift weights, marathoners swim laps, and athletes of all sports run to improve cardiovascular ability and endurance. Dance is just another sport in the cross-training line up.

But dance is different than other cross training options, because dance is not just a sport, but it is also an art. With dance, there is music. Specifically, traditional ballet pairs with classical music, both for warm-up barre routines and elaborate ballet corps performances.

While athletes are training for their next game they are also gaining appreciation for classical music. In the dance studio they learn about tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and phrasing, just as a classical music student learns in a music class. Athletes may even recognize some of pieces if they flip to a classical music radio station. Classical music becomes familiar and recognizable.

By taking a deeper look, we see that classical music has not really disappeared, but has just changed. Today our society gathers at the playing field rather than at the opera house. But there is still music on the field. The athletes themselves move to the music, the team works together like a synchronized ballet corps, and then fans sing along to their favorite fight songs.

Even Famous Musicians Eat PB&J

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Quirky musicians are as much a part of Strings Music Festival as the music that they play.

We try to prepare for everyone’s needs with our abundance of supplies backstage. We have bobby pins, lint rollers, band-aids, make-up, and anything else you could think of to help beautify before a concert. We also know that mysterious holes develop in bags and socks, jackets, and ties disappear, so we’ve got extras of those too. For our musicians who forget to eat before they come, we’ve also got chocolate, nuts, trail mix, mints, and other snacks. But sometimes we just can’t guess what our artists will want.

Pam Geppert’s favorite Strings Memory is when the Avett Brothers requested peanut butter, jelly, and milk for their backstage food. I guess Moms know what’s up when they send their kids off to school with the PB&J lunch. If it’s good enough for the Avett Brothers, it’s good enough for you!

What else do you remember about our musicians? Post it here on our blog or email it to cristin@stringsmusicfestival.com.

Strings 25th Anniversary: Leave Your Memories...

2011-10-14T11:56:00.005-06:00

“For the first season of Strings in the Mountains, we planned a series of eight concerts to run throughout July 1988; four short Wednesday concerts on the deck of the Steamboat Athletic Club and four regular length chamber music concerts on Saturday nights in the conference room of the Athletic Club. We hoped for a total of 200 people to attend all eight concerts. An hour before the first concert was to begin on Wednesday evening, hoping that someone would attend, we walked out the front doors and were startled by a what seemed to be an endless line of people waiting to get in. In a panic we quickly scavenged the entire building, grabbing every chair or stool in every room to accommodate all the enthusiastic people who had come to experience the first concert of Strings in the Mountains! When we ran out of seating on the deck, we expanded into the conference room and restaurant and even removed windows to let the audience seated inside hear the music. The weather was spectacular, the concert was wonderful and Strings was launched.” Betse Grassby - Strings Music Festival Operations and Programming Director

Who knew that this first concert 25 years ago would evolve into a staple of summertime in Steamboat Springs. To celebrate Strings Music Festival’s 25th birthday, we’re going to bring you fun facts and memories of Strings every Friday. Have a memory you’d like to share? Post it here on our blog or email it to cristin@stringsmusicfestival.com.

Michael Jackson Still Hits #1

2011-10-12T16:13:00.004-06:00

Numerous Guinness World Records and Hall of Fame inductions, 26 American Music Awards, 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles and now a number one cell phone application. More than two years after his death, Michael Jackson is still in the limelight, but this time for more than one million downloads of “The Michael Jackson Doctor Trial App.” Even with no new music, The King of Pop still hits the top of the charts.

With the help of the new phone app, the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray has dominated internet news, and blogs are brimming with discussion over what really happened on June 25, 2009. Only 18 days before he was set to launch the This Is It Tour, Michael Jackson was pronounced dead due to an overdose of propofol, a sleep aid drug. With a tour that would go down as “The biggest audience ever to see an artist in one city,” “The most amount of people to attend a series of arena shows,” and “The fastest ticket sales in history" looming, it’s no surprise that Jackson was nervous. Millions of fans anxiously awaiting the return of a pop star, who had supposedly hung up his touring career more than ten years ago, would undeniably cause sleepless nights. Everyone seems to have an individual theory on the death, including one woman who insists that Jackson is still alive, according to Huff Post blogger Tanya Young Williams. Certainly with theories like that the court has a difficult task in finding who’s to blame for the overdose.

Yet how ironic that a tour titled This Is It really was it for Michael Jackson. With apparent health issues long before he decided to go on tour, the grueling schedule of a concert nearly every day for six months could have led to doubts if he really had it in him. Perhaps the title was meant to tell the world that this tour really would be the last, similar to Michael Jordan’s third retirement speech. Or maybe he knew that merely launching the tour would be the last thing he ever did for his music career.

But it’s not all depressing in the world of Michael Jackson. Coinciding with the Murray Trial is the opening of a new Cirque du Soleil show, Michael Jackson - The Immortal World Tour. Other famous musicians including the Beatles and Elvis have already been commemorated with a Cirque du Soleil show, so it’s logical that Michael Jackson be immortalized along with the rest of the music pioneers of our time. During the show, Jackson’s music morphs into more than just the hits we remember today. Moonwalking above the stage, actors dressed like the Jackson 5, life size bats flying to “Thriller” create a new life for his number one hits.

In the end, the This Is It Tour was never really “it” for Michael Jackson. Long after the trial verdict is made, all the new photos and videos have been streamed on the internet and Cirque du Soleil moves on to a new commemorative show, the Michael Jackson’s music will still play on the radio, be performed in local bars and fill homes around the world.

Thanks for a Great Season

2011-08-31T11:17:00.004-06:00

It’s hard to believe that Strings Music Festival’s 24th Season has already come to a close. The summer has flown by and we’ve enjoyed seeing every performance with all 14,500 of you! Special thanks to all of our sponsors, donors, contributors and supporters. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Here are a few final pictures from the summer.

The World Premiere of Eagle Girl, an original story inspired by Native American folk tales, brought many audience members back to the magic of their childhood.

Alice: Reimagining Wonderland concluded our Modern Storytelling week with dancers, abstract images and musical sketches.

Steamboat favorites Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky returned once again to the Strings Music Pavilion as part of the folk supergroup Red Horse.

Barrage stomped the stage with their high-end fiddling and energetic dancing.

Thank you all for a wonderful summer. We'll see you next year!

Head for the Hills Meets USA Pro Cycling Challenge

2011-08-23T15:17:00.006-06:00

It’s the last summer weekend before Labor Day and Steamboat Springs is once again going to be packed with visitors. On Friday afternoon the USA Pro Cycling Challenge arrives in town. After an 83-mile bike ride from Avon, the cyclists will roll in around 3:30pm.

As usual, Steamboat has pulled out all the stops for the tour, hosting events all day Friday and Saturday. Along with expos, award ceremonies and factory tours, there’s a variety of live music. Here’s where you can find it:
11:00am-1:00pm – Lifestyle Expo
1:00pm-3:00pm –Lifestyle Expo, featuring Loose Change
5:00pm-7:00pm – Ciao Gelato
5:30pm – Howelsen Hill, featuring 3 Twins Broadband with members of the Subdudes

Don’t forget to add Strings’ final concert of the season, Head for the Hills, to your to-do list. Cool bluegrass with a blend of traditional harmonies, a myriad of music styles, and sonic landscapes, is a perfect end to a hot summer day. The show is on Saturday night at 8:00pm. Tickets are $25 in advance and $28 the day of. You can purchase tickets online at www.stringsmusicfestival.com, by calling the box office at (970) 879-5056 x 105, or in the Strings office.

Mid-Summer Highlights

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August has arrived, which means we’re halfway through our summer season here at Strings Music Festival. Here are some more memorable moments from July. If you want to see more pictures, visit our Facebook page and our Picasa photo albums.

Two pianos and two piano players are better than one!

July 13 ~ Piano Duo

Great Big Sea rocked the ‘Boat with a wild show!

July 16 ~ Great Big Sea

July 17 ~ Free Community Matinee

Strings School Days favorites Simon Boyar and Alpin Hong returned with Jessica Tivens for our 2nd Free Community Matinee: Bach to Broadway.

Banana Slug String Band brought out some awesome animal hats and had the kids up on stage doing animal dances.

July 26 ~ Banana Slug String Band

Everyone raved about the Encore Concert with Mark Masri and Anne Cochran. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful evening.

Thank you John and Carrie Hayden for hosting the event at your gorgeous home.

And thanks to all our donors for supporting all we do here at Strings!

Modern Storytelling

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It’s not very often that we have the opportunity to hear a World Premiere. And it’s even less often that we have the chance to talk with the composers of a World Premiere. But this week Strings Music Festival brings you two World Premieres, plus another new performance and the chance to talk with the composers.

Modern Storytelling week presents two nights of music, multimedia, dance, traditional folksongs, folklore and popular tales, all of which tell a story through music. With an original Native American inspired folk tale and a new take on Alice in Wonderland, you’re sure to be captivated by each story. Before the concert, hear the inspiration behind the compositions by attending our free Meet the Composer talks at the Bud Werner Memorial Library.

The Elements

Meet the Composer – Tuesday August 2, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

World Premiere – Saturday, August 6, 8:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

Marilyn Taft Thomas’s The Elements are five short sound poems representing the elements Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Space Time. Featuring strings, winds and percussion, the musical blend of instruments combined with tempo changes and dynamics depict important resources on our planet.

Eagle Girl

Meet the Composer – Wednesday August 3, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

World Premiere – Wednesday August 3, 7:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

David Stock’s Eagle Girl is an original story inspired by Native American folktales. A small ensemble plays music similar to the haunting sounds of the Native American flute and drums. Behind the ensemble, images flip on a projector screen to bring the story to life. Throughout the piece, a narrator tells the story in the traditional folktale manner. The combination of illustration, music and narration will leave you wanting to find out what happens next.

Alice: Reimagining Wonderland

Meet the Composer – Friday August 5, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

Performance – Saturday August 6, 8:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

Joseph Hallman’s Alice: Reimagining Wonderland is the biggest production ever held on the Strings stage. Complete with music, dance, song and narration, fifteen dancers and musicians tell a variation on Lewis Carroll’s famous tale of Alice in Wonderland. This performance will feel like a Broadway play as well as a chamber music concert.

Spotlight: Shawn Colvin

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“I consider myself as a singer first, but something that really helped me come into my own is that there's not a separation between me singing and me playing the guitar. The two fed off the other.” -Shawn Colvin

About Shawn:

3 Time Grammy Award Winner

8 Albums Released

2.5 Million Albums Sold

50-60 Shows Performed Yearly

Starting her career at the relatively late age of 33, Shawn Colvin has proven herself as a singer, songwriter and guitarist for over 20 years. She still tours nationally and internationally and has appeared in films, on television and the radio. Movie soundtracks featuring Shawn Colvin include Serendipity, Runaway Bride and The Emperor’s New Groove.

Shawn Colvin’s album, These Four Walls is a storyline of her life covering her childhood in South Dakota, the success of her first #1 song and her personal struggle as she turned 50. Public Radio Exchange’s special follows her writing and recording process in 2006 as Shawn writes her experiences in music.

"Colvin's breathy voice conveys the emotion, yearning, sadness, and even the occasional joy and hope behind the melodies." -Amazon.com

As part of her summer 2011 tour, Shawn Colvin visits Steamboat Springs this Friday to perform at Strings Music Festival. For tickets call the box office at (970) 879-5056 x 105.

Modern Music Appreciation

2011-07-14T09:35:00.002-06:00

With NPR’s classical blog buzz of the week about the Brooklyn Rider String Quartet recording of composer Philip Glass, our very own Meridian Quartet’s “Modern Masterpieces” theme is well-timed.

Perhaps the most well-known working composer, Glass’ music consists of evolving rhythmic patterns and complex themes. His music tends to place more emphasis on highlighting the melody, rather than focusing on timing, as in traditional classical pieces. As a modern composer, his work is respected and generally well-appreciated.

Glass also strives to bridge many genres with his music, including cinema and fine art. His String Quartet Number 4, nick-named “Buczak,” commemorates Brian Buczak’s life as an artist. Buczak lost his life to AIDS, and Glass captures in music the many emotions we feel just after the loss of a loved one. The long chords, high-reaching notes and circular variations, all in minor modes, mimic the mourning cycle of denial, anger, bargaining and depression. The quartet ends by settling into the peaceful, major mode where after a long struggle we finally accept the loss. The Meridian Quartet will perform the first and third movements of the quartet at today’s Music on the Green performance.

Also included in “Modern Masterpieces” are compositions that push the boundary of “music.” Pieces that explore realms of tonality and noises rather than melody and rhythm often give people the impression that the music is weird or unpleasant or not even music at all. Prospect Blog writer David Stubbs challenges people to think of John Cage’s “4:33” (also part of today’s program) as “sound art.” This way, as we listen, we will bring a new set of cognitive schemes to the experience, rather than our prior expectation of how music should sound. Thus modern classical music must be listened to in a different way than traditional classical music, just as we listen and enjoy jazz, rock, and rap differently.

Guardian Blog writer Alex Ross writes, “All music is an acquired taste; no music is everywhere beloved.” We hope that today’s concert will give you a little taste of modern music. You may find parts you love, you may find parts you hate, but hopefully you will take away another cognitive layer to add to your definition of music appreciation.

The Meridian Quartet

The Meridian Quartet will perform the next two Thursdays starting at 12:15pm at the Yampa River Botanic Park. The program on Thursday July 21 is “From Russia with Love,” featuring Russian composers Borodin, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. On Thursday July 28, “How Does It Make You Feel?” presents emotional music from Mozart and Schubert, among others.

The Meridian Quartet is Strings Music Festival’s 2011 Young-Artists-in-Resident quartet. Founded in 2008 when the members were all Fellows in the New World Symphony, they have been with Strings for three seasons. The members are Anastasia Storer on violin, Claude Halter on violin, Karl Pedersen on viola and Anne Lee on cello.

Opening Week Highlights

2011-07-12T14:57:00.003-06:00

Strings Opening Week kicked off with three sold out concerts and over 4,000 people enjoying the show in the Strings Music Pavilion. Here are some of our favorite moments:

You know the concert is going to be good when the crowd gives a standing ovation before the band has even played a note. What a way to kick off Strings 24th season with Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis as opening night.

July 1 ~ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

July 5 ~ Peter Davison

We love when the kids get a chance to be on stage. Here they are with Peter Davison learning how to spin plates.

July 6 ~ Donors Prelude

All of our 2011 Donors enjoying their reception at the Strings Café tent outside the Pavilion. A huge “Thank You!” from all of us at Strings. Because of you it’s all possible!

A wild Opening Night Orchestra concert complete with Andrés’ flying hair, energetic bow strikes and applause that brought down the house.

July 8 ~ Opening Night Orchestra

July 9 ~ Dala

The Dala girls’ smiles alone were enough to light up the stage, not to mention their gorgeous melodic voices and talented guitar and piano playing.

Meet Strings Music Director - Andrés Cárdenes

2011-07-05T10:03:00.001-06:00

For the past eighteen years, Andrés Cárdenes has enriched Strings Music Festival with his expertise. As a Music Director for the festival, Cárdenes assembles seasons of music that tie a summer together with a cohesive theme, as well as presents distinct musical works that separate one season from the next.

Before arriving in Steamboat Springs for the summer, Cárdenes served as a judge for the International Tchaikovsky Competition held in Moscow, Russia. Cárdenes is no stranger to the competition, winning Second Prize in 1982, and was handpicked as a judge for his qualifications as a musician and conductor and for his unbiased nature.

Cárdenes is recognized as a violinist, violist and conductor. To showcase all of his talents in one setting, the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra was created, and Cárdenes spent 11 seasons conducting and playing. During his time there, he premiered 15 works and programmed pieces by well-known composers that hadn’t been performed in over 50 years.

Cárdenes will start off the season with Strings this week at the Donors Prelude and the Opening Night Orchestra. Utilizing his talents as both a violinist and a conductor, he will perform on violin on Wednesday night and conduct Saturday night’s concert. Wednesday night Cárdenes will perform “Ferdinand the Bull,” as well as stirring pieces by Prokofiev and Brahms. Saturday night opens with Rossini’s famous Overture to Barber of Seville, features French masters Fauré and Ravel and concludes with Brahms’ rousing Hungarian Dances.

The rest of the classical season presents a variety of concerts from featured soloists, to World Premieres, to dance, to a multimedia show. Cardenes’ diverse and engaging performances will keep you coming back all summer long.

Spotlight: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

2011-06-29T14:35:00.001-06:00

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

This week the most well-known big band and lead jazz musician, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, will perform on the Strings Stage. Wynton Marsalis, a jazz pioneer, received his first trumpet at the age of six and began performing with a band at the age of 12. He has played everything from classical to funk and picked up nine Grammy awards along the way for both classical and jazz records.

Even from the beginning Marsalis’ soul has been in jazz. In the early years, getting a jazz gig was tough, but eventually Marsalis broke through. He even describes jazz as America’s music, “It’s part of the fabric of our country - the way we speak our language, the way we interact with each other, the tensions and dynamics that make our country what it is, the basic forms and things that we use to comport ourselves - all of that is in jazz.”

Marsalis was the driving force behind bringing jazz a place in New York, co-founding the original jazz program and creating what is now known as Jazz at Lincoln Center. The world’s first institution for jazz, the Frederick P. Rose Hall, also opened due to Marsalis’ influence. He currently serves as Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center and Music Director for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Check out Marsalis’ recent appearance on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, where he talks about his childhood, his passion for music and his experience with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

On Friday July 1, Steamboat Springs will watch the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performance in the intimate 550 seat Strings Music Pavilion. The band typically plays in much larger venues and there’s no bad seat in the house. With our brand new sound system, you’ll feel like you’re in the front row whether you’re sitting in the back or outside. The concert is completely sold out, but lawn seating has just been announced.

What To Know About Lawn Seating

-Ticket price is $55.

-Tickets go on sale at 9:00 am Friday 9/1 at the Strings Box Office.

-You must purchase tickets in person and the limit is 2 tickets per person.

-Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable, rain or shine.

-Lawn seating is located outside Section A of the Pavilion.

-Seating begins at 7:15 pm. Any articles placed on seats before 7:15 pm will be picked up and removed.

-Our sound system is installed outside, so you will be able to hear the concert well.

-You will have a limited view of the stage.

-The doors to the Pavilion may shut at any time during the concert due to rain or temperature.

-No entry inside the Pavilion.

Ride Steamboat with Strings

2011-06-22T14:22:00.003-06:00

Biking through Strings Park

The peddlers are out in packs in Steamboat Springs. This week is bike to work week and today local restaurants provided free breakfast for commuters. June is also officially recognized as Bike to Work Month in Colorado, and Steamboat Springs is celebrating it with the bike commuter challenge. Teams are currently competing for the most miles biked and the most trips taken and have already logged over 10,000 miles.

Two large scale bike tours also came through Steamboat Springs in the past week. Yesterday, 1,500 cyclists were in town on the BicycleTour of Colorado. The weeklong tour covers 460 miles and visits Estes Park, Granby, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs and Frisco. Last week Ride the Rockies brought 2,000 cyclists to town on their 400 plus mile weeklong tour of Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Edwards, Steamboat Springs, Granby and Georgetown.

Featured Garden

To add to the biking frenzy, Strings Music Festival has our own bike friendly event coming up on Saturday, July 16. The Strings Kitchen and Garden Tour visits five delightful kitchens and six stunning high-altitude gardens right here in Steamboat Springs. A Master Gardener at each house will let you in on all the gardening secrets.

Starting at the Strings Music Pavilion, bikers will pedal up to Lake Catamount to visit two homes, then ride to see one home at Fox Estates. From there they will head back down into town and visit two more houses at Priest Creek Ranch. The route then takes a scenic trip along Steamboat Boulevard, stopping to see a kitchen and garden at Mountain View Estates, then continues downtown via Fish Creek Falls Road. The journey concludes with a fantastic garden nestled in downtown Steamboat Springs.

Featured Home

The bike loop is approximately 35 miles on paved and gravel roads. If 35 miles is too long, bike part of the loop and drive the rest. Our van will pick you up when you need assistance.

Tickets are $25 and are on sale now at the box office or online. The Strings Kitchen and Garden Tour is presented by the Guild of Strings Music Festival and all proceeds benefits Strings Music Festival.

11 Days 'Till Showtime!

2011-06-17T09:26:00.002-06:00

Our season kicks off in less than two weeks and we are busy putting together the final touches. We’ve had shipments arriving all week – program books, t-shirts, toys, and other surprises for our concerts. Gary has been hard at work in the Pavilion staining benches and painting fixtures. New flowers arrived, and our grounds crew is making the park beautiful for your evening picnics. The tent is up and Steamboat Meat and Seafood is ready to serve you dinner.

With all the pre-season work going on around here, we’re hoping that you’ll take a moment to stop by to check out the scene and buy some tickets. Don’t forget that the Strings coupon in the local coupon book expires July 1, so come buy your 20% off ticket before it’s too late!

Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow

Our next online ticket deal will start Monday June 13 at 9AM. Get two tickets for the price of one to see Cheng and Chow conquer two pianos simultaneously and fit four hands on one piano. You might mistake the amount of sound for a full size orchestra! The concert is on Wednesday July 13 at 7:00PM. Ticket cost is $40.

New Works Festival This Week

2011-06-13T11:18:00.001-06:00

Strings isn’t the only one who’s thought of making music in these mountains. The Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp has hosted performances for 98 years. Today begins the annual New Works Festival, which connects artists from many backgrounds to create original works of art.

Like Strings, Perry Mansfield is an integral part of our artistic community and developing young performers. During the summer, students attend workshops and work personally with professional dancers, directors, musicians, composers, writers, and actors. Famous faces such as Jessica Biel, Dustin Hoffman, and Stephen Schwartz have lingered in this serene mountain valley to perfect their skills and pass on their wisdom.

As residents of a rural western town, we don’t have the opportunity to view performances in their raw stages, as we would if we lived in New York City. The New Works Festival lets us experience a fresh performance in a natural setting, juxtaposing city culture with country living. Many of these snippets will later become fully formed plays and we can witness the transformation of a fleeting idea to a full production. The rehearsals are free and open to the public and take place all week long. The shows are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and are $15 for stage readings and $20 for the dance performance. For a full schedule of events click here.

Buy Now!

2011-06-08T10:11:00.001-06:00

$20 ticket for Dala

Saturday July 9 at 8:00PM, Strings Music Pavilion
Visit our website TODAY ONLY for discounted ticket price, while supplies last. Discounts valid on a limited number of tickets, so be the first to buy!

” [Dala]..make some beautiful harmonies on these hook-laden, lyrically impressive tracks. Transportingly ethereal singers, the Dala gals can work up some powerful emotions, make a religion out of lonely introspection and even crack the occasional Canada joke.”
- L.A. Times

As Canadian folk singers, Dala has won audiences over with their rich harmonies and infectious performances. Be prepared to be completely captivated by the blend of Amanda Walther’s soprano and Sheila Carabine’s alto voices. Check out Girls from the North Country, a live concert weaving original songs and classics, that won Dala the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for “Vocal Group of the Year.”

Spotlight On You

2011-06-06T10:34:00.001-06:00

Looking to play some music tonight? Join host Jay Roemer at The Boathouse Pub for open mic night. Starting at 8:00PM, local performing artists come together in a warm, supportive setting to play for an audience, rather than just their pets. Music, comedy, poetry, anything that can be performed in a microphone, is welcome.

The event is free and open to the public. Anyone under 21 is requested to register before 8:00PM, and any performer over 21 receives free beer. Come support our local up and coming Steamboat musicians or surprise us with your own hidden talents.

Lady Gaga: A New Definition of Musical Worth

2011-06-02T15:24:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, newspapers around the country covered Lady Gaga’s record breaking album sale of Born This Way. Of the 1,108,000 album copies sold in the first week, 440,000 sold on Amazon.com for only 99 cents. We’ve known since the creation of Napster that the music industry would face enormous changes and it seems we’ve reached a pinnacle. If Lady Gaga can sell her newest album for only 99 cents, how many others will follow suit to try to break her record?

These days, artists profit most through concert tours, promotions, ad campaigns, etc., not from album sales. Access to free music on websites such as YouTube and Pandora has certainly decreased record sales. It seems that artist goals to increase fan numbers are out of sync with record companies trying to stay alive.

The controversy on what music is worth:

Ish Cuebas, vice president for music merchandising of Trans World Entertainment, says in the New York Times, “I can understand what Amazon did, but I think it devalues music even further. In the customer’s mind it’s worth 99 cents.”

Lady Gaga herself tells the Wall Street Journal that she doesn’t think her own album in digital form is worth more than 99 cents.

Do you think access to low-cost or free albums devalues music? Share your thoughts below.

Watch Glee Tonight in Steamboat

2011-05-26T11:20:00.003-06:00

Steamboat Springs’ Middle School students have created their own production of Glee! Described by middle schooler McKendry as an “exaggerated realistic” plot, the film puts a local spin on the popular TV series. As the Glee Season Finale aired on Tuesday, today’s Steamboat showing is right on cue.

Students created characters, wrote the script and picked pop songs to emphasize key moments in the storyline. We love to see student involvement in music and film, especially when they can use their own creativity to take ownership of a production.

Sponsored by the Steamboat Springs Arts Council, the film will air tonight at 7:00PM at the middle school. Read more in the SteamboatToday.

Did you attend the showing? Share your thoughts below.

Promoting Music in Steamboat Springs Schools

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Simon Boyar and Jim Knapp during Rehearsal

During the first week of May, Strings Music Festival brought marimba player Simon Boyar to Steamboat Springs to perform with eight local school groups. Over the course of the week, Simon rehearsed with each group at the schools and at the Strings Pavilion, where students took field trips to watch their peers perform. The program concluded with two nights of performances, just about filling the house with friends, family members, teachers and other supporters of young musicians.

Students Arriving at the Pavilion for Field Trips

But Strings School Days is more than just a weeklong event. In May of 2010, Simon met with all the groups. After getting a feel for each group, he decided to write original pieces specifically for the Christian Heritage Choir, the Lowell Whiteman Primary School String Orchestra, the 7^th Grade Percussion Ensemble and the Yampa Valley Select Band. Simon visited Steamboat Springs again in January to see how the ensembles sounded and to give them notes for the May concerts.

At the shows, Simon expressed his gratitude that Steamboat Springs recently voted to keep the fifth grade band program, advocating that the arts are important for students’ development and experiences. Programs such as Strings School Days excite students about the arts, bonding them with a group of peers, motivating them to practice music for a World Premiere and giving them the chance to perform with a professional.

The students spoke positively about the experience, describing it as “special,” “cool” and “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“The students are inspired and boy has it transformed my percussionists! I know that you were really only here a short time but you made an incredible and lasting impact on our school!” –Band Director Jim Knapp to Simon Boyar

“What an opportunity for my students! You brought an element to their performance that they have never experienced. It was exciting for me and I can only imagine the impact on them! They are still talking about it- of course.” - Strings Director Mary Anne Fairlie to Simon Boyar

Check out our links section on the side bar for photos and videos of Strings School Days.

Step Afrika! to Stomp Strings Stage!

2011-03-07T16:04:00.001-07:00

Friday, March 18th, be prepared for one of the most exciting shows to hit the Strings' stage - Step Afrika! The first professional company devoted to stepping, DC's world-renowned Step Afrika! will bring a high-energy performance to Strings Music Festival.

"Always visually and musically exciting" - The Washington Post

Stepping is a unique dance created by African American college students. The body is used as the instrument to create different rhythms and sounds through different footstep combinations, claps and spoken word.

"Stepping is tap dance without tap shoes, James Brown without the music of the JBs, Cab Calloway sans piano, a marching band without John Philip Sousa. It is jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and rap without instruments. Stepping is lean and mean. The music comes from the synchronized interplay of hands and feet, from chants and hollers. It is a way to make music using the body as instrument." —The Washington Post

Step Afrika! performs as part of the Strings Winter Series at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 18, in the Strings Music Pavilion. Tickets cost $40 for adults and $25 for kids age 6-17, and are available at Strings Music Festival (970-879-5056 x105 or http://www.stringsmusicfestival.com/).

WATCH STEP AFRIKA! IN MOTION

Dailey & Vincent Visit Strings Music Pavilion

2011-02-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

At the astounding rate that Dailey & Vincent have been piling up awards, accolades and No. 1 hits, it seems unfathomable that this bluegrass duo has only been on the radar since 2008.

“What a great sound. Not since the Louvin Brothers has music touched me this deep. I expect them to go all the way to the top and stay there,” says Dolly Parton.

The duo exploded on the bluegrass scene with their debut album “Dailey & Vincent,” taking home seven awards at the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. No other artist has ever before swept that pair of awards in the same year – a feat all the more impressive because they had released their debut album and begun touring only nine months earlier. Their second album, “Brothers From Different Mothers,” arrived a year later, immediately landing at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart and hovering in the Top 5 for the next three months. It also garnered them three more IMBA awards, including back-to-back Entertainer of the Year. Their third album, “Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers” followed suite with another No. 1 debut in 2010. Dailey & Vincent have recently been nominated for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Elizabeth” from this album. Most recently they brought home seven awards from the SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards including Bluegrass Band of the Year and Entertaining Group of the Year.Dailey & Vincent “totally blew me away,” says Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers. “These guys are for real, inside and out, and have some of the best harmony I’ve ever heard. They can flat out sing and pick! I’m their biggest fan.”

Dailey & Vincent is Jamie Dailey, the former lead singer with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and Darrin Vincent, formerly with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Although new as a duo, they’ve each won copious awards and star-studded bragging rights en route to this partnership. Both men were raised in musical families and have played bluegrass since the age of three – Dailey in Tennessee and Vincent in Missouri.

Together, Dailey & Vincent’s incomparable harmonies and well-honed musicianship have won over fans of southern gospel, country, folk and traditional bluegrass. “A new dynasty may be taking shape in bluegrass music,” says the Wall Street Journal.

Join us Tuesday, February 22nd at 7pm at Strings Music Pavilion for an unforgettable performance by Dailey & Vincent. Ticket Information.

LISTEN TO DAILEY & VINCENT

Tango Quartet Extasis Performs at Strings Pavilion

2011-01-27T16:31:00.001-07:00

Last night the Strings Music Festival audience was entertained with dramatic Argentine tango music performed by Extasis. Extasis is a tango quartet based out of Denver. They walked the audience through the history, instrumentation, culture and rhythmic structure of tango music.

The bandoneon defined the tango quartet and is a type of concertina instrument particularly popular in Argentina. Some would say it looks like and accordion but the key difference being that the direction of button movement is parallel with the direction of the bellows movement with the bandoneon.

The tango ranged from traditional to contemporary, as well as tango songs that a listener might recognize from Hollywood. The crowd was excited when Extasis started playing “Jealousy”, which has been the theme song in many movies.

The Strings Music Festival Winter Series continues February 22nd with Dailey and Vincent known for their great country and bluegrass music. They were recently nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Don't miss this concert!

WATCH EXTASIS PERFORM "JEALOUSY".

Simon Boyar Returns for Strings School Days

2011-01-21T15:38:00.001-07:00

Professional percussionist and marimba player, Simon Boyar, returned to Steamboat Springs last week for Strings School Days. Simon composed several pieces of music for students around the area, including Lowell Whiteman Primary School, Hayden High School, Christian Heritage and the Steamboat Springs High School and Middle School. Over 500 students and 30 adults were a part of the program.

Simon not only entertained the students with his talent on the marimba but also instructed along the way. The students were excited to play different tempo music and will continue to practice Simon's pieces throughout the next several months. He returns in May when the students will perform his compositions at the Strings Music Pavilion.

Students had a chance to ask questions of Simon, which ranged from "Can you play Lady Gaga?" to "What is your favorite baseball team?" He answered by playing Lady Gaga's Poker Face and let them all know the Yankee's are his favorite team. Simon Boyar currently lives in Brooklyn, NY and is perhaps the most electrifying and innovative young percussionist on the music scene today.

WATCH SIMON BOYAR WITH THE STEAMBOAT 7TH GRADE PERCUSSION GROUP.