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All comments by Liz Stover

People Are Talking: UMS presents Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis at Hill Auditorium:

Hi all–
Here was last night’s setlist. Hope you enjoyed the show!
Liz Stover, Associate Programming Manager, UMS

Braggin in Brass
Toot Suite: Part I, Red Garter
Over the Hill and Out of the Woods
Swing House
Yes, Sir That’s My Baby
Inferno: Movement II, Insatiable Hunger
Two Bass Hit
Piece for Piano Solo and Jazz Band: Animal Dance
Windows
Lonesome Boulevard
Stage West

Encore:
Toot Suite: Part III, Red Carpet

People Are Talking: UMS presents Gabriel Kahane & Friends at Arthur Miller Theater:

HI all!
Here’s Thursday night’s setlist:

yMusic:
Andrew Norman: Music in Circles
Nico Muhly: Balance Problems

Child’s Song (from For the Union Dead)
The Drinker (from For the Union Dead)

Kahane solo:
Once the Ocean Takes You (Yotam Haber)
Sylvia Plath (Ryan Adams)
The Only Interesting Thing… (Chris Thile)
Ich grolle nicht (Robert Schumann)
Neurotic and Lonely (Gabriel Kahane, from Craigslistlieder)
Don’t Even Listen (Andrew Norman)
The Folks Who Live on the Hill (Jerome Karn)

Intermission

Last Dance
Barn Song
North Adams
Winter Song
LA
Durrants
Charming Disease
Merritt Pkwy
Coney Island (February House)
Goodnight to the Boardinghouse (February House)
Faithful
Great Lakes
Calabash and Catamaran

—

Where are the Arms

Liz Stover
Associate Programming Manager, UMS

People Are Talking: UMS presents Chiara Quartet: Free Community Concert:

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for coming tonight. Here are the set lists from tonight’s concert by the Chiara Quartet:

Set 1:
Jefferson Friedman String Quartet No. 2 (1999): I
Nico Muhly “Diacritical Marks” (2010): II, I
W.A. Mozart String Quartet K. 590: I
Gabriela Lena Frank “Milagros” (2010): Adios a Churin
Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet Op. 80: IV

Set 2:
Jefferson Friedman String Quartet No. 2 (1999): II
Antonin Dvorak String Quartet Op. 96 “the American” (entire)
W.A. Mozart String Quartet K. 465: II
Gabriela Lena Frank “Milagros” (2010): Tingo Maria

Liz Stover,
Associate Programming Manager, UMS

People Are Talking: UMS presents Aspen Santa Fe Ballet at Power Center:

Hello everyone!
We wanted to quickly address the technical difficulty this evening with the audio in the last piece on tonight’s program. There was an unfortunate malfunction with the CD which caused the audio to skip (which did not happen in the company’s technical rehearsal yesterday afternoon).
We sincerely apologize for the interruption this caused, and thank the audience for their patience, and the company for addressing the problem so quickly and completing the piece.
Thank you so much for joining us tonight!
Liz Stover
Associate Programming Manager, UMS

People Are Talking: UMS presents The San Francisco Symphony American Mavericks Festival:

Thanks for your comments Emily, but thanks even more for your beautiful solo on Thursday!! You, Samantha, and the Chamber Choir were so great. Thank you and your colleagues for your hard work in preparing the piece for this amazing program. We had a photographer at the performance and I have some photos to share with you and Jerry of your performance, so look for those soon!
Liz Stover, UMS

In response to:
"
I am so thankful to be living in a city that brings such talent and innovation as the San Francisco symphony’s maverick tour. I was so honored to be able to participate in the Bates’ “Mass Transmission” and it was so cool to be able to work hand in hand with the composer, watching his dreams come to life was certainly an experience that will not be forgotten. I also loved the Cowell piece in the first performance. Mr. Denk performed the work with such conviction and musicality there were many times that I forgot that he was playing with his arms or elbows! I was surprised how melodic this piece was in many parts and I enjoyed watching Mr. Denk. He seemed like he was loving every moment that he was playing! Thank you UMS for bringing the San Francisco Symphony to us! What a treat!
"
by Emily Goodwin

People Are Talking: UMS presents The San Francisco Symphony American Mavericks Festival:

Shawn, so great of you to chime in! I’m so happy to see some people from San Francisco joining the conversation. I hope you had fun singing the Bates piece. I know I loved it in Ann Arbor.
-Liz Stover, UMS

In response to:
"
Yes, there would be some very quiet sound still coming from electronic media. And Bates wanted the final cord of the chorus to be soft and linger. I was not there at this concert, but I did sing in the chorus during its world premier in San Francisco 03/15-17. So, you just attended the 4th performance of this new piece. 🙂

The longest silence I have ever experienced was under maestro James Conlon. It was Verdi Requiem that we performed in October 2011. I believe the silence with longer than 30 second.
"
by Shawn Ying

People Are Talking: UMS presents Sweet Honey In The Rock at Hill Auditorium:

Hi all–
Here’s tonight’s setlist:

1. I’ve Been Buked
2. Breaths
3. Sabumoya
4. Don’t Worry
5. Prayer To The One
6. Denko
7. Chant
8. Mercy Me
9. Greed
10. Redemption
11. See Line
12. Forever Love
13. Harry Moore
14. Other Side
15. Ella’s Song

Encore:
Operator

Hope you enjoyed the concert!
Liz Stover, UMS

People Are Talking: UMS presents The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Chamber Ensemble:

Hi Bert–
The Ensemble’s tour manager let me know that unfortunately, their music is unavailable in the US. They are hoping that they will have CDs available the next time they visit the US.
Liz

In response to:
"
Good question Bert–I’ll check in with their tour manager to see if they can direct us to any recordings. I’m not sure that the chamber ensemble has any as I think that’s the reason they didn’t sell any CDs at the concert. I bet the full orchestra has recordings though. I’ll let you know what I hear.
Liz Stover, UMS
"
by Liz Stover

People Are Talking: UMS presents The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Chamber Ensemble:

Good question Bert–I’ll check in with their tour manager to see if they can direct us to any recordings. I’m not sure that the chamber ensemble has any as I think that’s the reason they didn’t sell any CDs at the concert. I bet the full orchestra has recordings though. I’ll let you know what I hear.
Liz Stover, UMS

In response to:
"
Great concert. Liked the variety esp. the horse racing, Silk Road, and Suona player. Have they made any CD recordings?
"
by Bert Ramsay

People Are Talking: UMS presents The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Chamber Ensemble:

Hi everyone–
Here is the set list from last night’s concert.
1. Overture – The Flowing Water (performed by Gu Qin)
2. Relics – performed by Gu Qin and Xiao
3. Moon’s Reflection on Erquan – Erhu Quartet
4. Horse Racing – Erhu
5. In the still of the night – Quintet
6. The Silk Road – Ensemble Music
7. Moon Light on the Spring Water – Ensemble Music
Intermission
1. Autumn Yearning by the Dresser – Xiao and Gu Zheng
2. Drama – Percussion Trio
3. Jijiruling – Ensemble Music
4. The Rainbow Skirt and the Feathered Coat – String Ensemble
5. Hundreds of Birds pay homage to the Phoenix – Suona and the Ensemble
6. Flowers Blossom on a Full-moon night – Ensemble Music

People Are Talking: UMS presents The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra: From the Canyons to the Stars:

Hi MusicLover!
I just wanted to jump in and let you know that with this winter’s Renegade events, a great opportunity through our department of Education and Community Engagement accompanies all of these performances in the form of UMS Night School! UMS Night School is held at the Ann Arbor District Library Downtown Branch on Monday evenings over the next few weeks. On Monday, February 6 at 7pm, we’ll be discussing the Einstein and Hamburg Symphony performances, as well as talking about upcoming performances by Random Dance and Tallis Scholars. It’s free and no advance registration is required so please join us–we’d love to have your voice in the discussion of these performances! More info is here–check it out for the dates of each meeting (Night School is not meeting tomorrow, 1/30): http://ums.org/s_education_community/public_programs.asp
-Liz Stover, UMS

In response to:
"
Riding down in the elevator, I heard someone ask: “Did you enjoy it?” Her friend’s answer came back: “Me neither.” I intruded tactlessly: “What makes you think it SHOULD be enjoyable?”

When we look at great art, do we insist on enjoying it? Music is written for all sorts of reasons and purposes.

As I hear it, this piece is expressive of moods and feeling states evoked by the crumbling defenses of Nature against the inroads of Man. We hear awe at the wildness of Western landscapes and the stomping and grinding of man’s machines as they crush all. The music is challenging to the ear as befits this struggle. No wonder we saw people leaving during the performance.

Is the video irrelevant trash? Not to me in this case. Yes, art should not be exploited for political purposes. I found that in this work music and film were compatible. I found neither distracting from the other. Certainly this film was made at a time of great public concern with the fate of Nature — more active concern than at the time when the music was written. But reinterpretations are, for better or worse, very common today, both here and in Europe. I’d say the film arguably put the music in a plausible context. Which is why I should enlighten Timothy Tikker that a reinterpretation by a later film maker of a an earlier composer’s work — even if he finds it wrong-headed and even if the film maker is a Jew and the composer an anti-Semite — is not necessarily an act of revenge. (“Stupidity,” he writes, is the ONLY other possible explanation he can think of!) I’d be happy if he passed this news on to the “countless” others who allegedly share his appalling bigotry.

I do have questions: 1) Was this theme of man against nature Messiaen’s (probably not) or is it Landau’s (or just mine)? 2) Did Messiaen anticipate any multi-media presentation? I ask because I thought the visual material was very well done and evocative (even though a bit repetitive and obvious at times. Clichéd it is not. If you prefer a film with scenes of the great parks of the West, then please don’t think that this would be highly original. National Geographic has scooped you.) Which means that if Messiaen had the theme in mind, but not the visual reinforcement, then I wonder how effective the music would be by itself in expressing it.

And two suggestions: 1) Listeners would do well to attune their ears to Messiaen’s rhythms, sonorities, and harmonies before they witness this work, (e.g., by listening to the Turangalila Symphony) to feel somewhat familiar with these cadences. 2) I wonder whether UMS has ever considered organizing post-concert sessions with its Education department. I would have enjoyed — yes, enjoyed — getting clarification of some things and hearing how people felt and what they thought. I bet I’m not the only one. Now that weeknight concerts start at 7:30 (a splendid idea) an optional session of this sort would provide some closure of the experience for those people who want it. Naturally, not every concert needs this to the same degree. (Einstein would have benefited.) Such an institution will make concert going more satisfying for many in a way that pre-concert talks cannot.

As is true so often, UMS gave us a most valuable experience.
"
by Music Lover

People Are Talking: UMS presents Denis Matsuev at Hill Auditorium:

You’re right, he did! I just dug deep into the UMS archive to confirm. Good memory!
-Liz @ UMS

In response to:
"
If I remember correctly, he played Liadov’s Music Box in 2010 as encore after Rachmaninov.
I sincerely hope one day he would make a jazz album. Absolutely enjoyed it!
"
by ums fan

People Are Talking: UMS presents Denis Matsuev at Hill Auditorium:

Good evening everyone! What a great recital and an amazing audience on a Monday night! Here are the encores from tonight’s concert:

Anatoly Liadov: The Music Box, Op. 32
Rodion Shchedrin: Humoresque
Frederic Chopin: Etude Op. 25, No. 9 in G-flat Major “Butterfly”
Denis Matsuev: Jazz Improvisation

Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

People Are Talking: UMS presents Stile Antico at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church:

This was such a beautiful concert!! Tonight’s encore was William Byrd’s “Vigilante.”
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

People Are Talking: UMS Presents Beijing Guitar Duo w/Manuel Barrueco in Rackham Auditorium:

Tonight’s encore was an arrangement by Sergio Assad titled “Charlie Chaplin Medley.”
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

People Are Talking: UMS Presents Audra McDonald at Hill Auditorium:

As promised–here is last night’s setlist:

JERRY BOCK / SHELDON HARNICK
“When Did I Fall in Love?” from Fiorello! (1959) (arr. Eric Stern)

JASON ROBERT BROWN
“Stars and the Moon” from Songs for a New World (1995)

RICHARD RODGERS / OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II
“It Might as Well Be Spring” from the film State Fair (1945)

BURTON LANE / ALAN JAY LERNER
“Hurry! It’s Lovely Up Here” from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965)

GUS KAHN/WALTER DONALDSON
“My Buddy” (1922) (arr. Einhorn)

TERRY SHAND/JIM EATON
“I Double Dare You”

IRVING BERLIN
“Moonshine Lullaby” from Annie Get Your Gun (arr. Einhorn)

STEPHEN SONDHEIM
“Moments in the Woods” from Into the Woods (1987)

GEORGE GERSHWIN/IRA GERSHWIN
“He Loves and She Loves” from Funny Face (1927)

ADAM GUETTEL – [AMcD solo piano]
“Migratory V” from Saturn Returns (1998)

JERRY BOCK/SHELDON HARNICK
“Dear Friend” from She Loves Me (1963)

FREDERICK LOEWE / ALAN JAY LERNER
“I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady (1956)

GABRIEL KAHANE
“You Looked Sexy,” “Neurotic and Lonely,” and “Two Years Ago. My Sister and I… (Some Dipshit Through [sic] Out My Bottle” from Craigslistlieder (2006)

JUDD WOLDIN/ROBERT BRITTAN
“Whose Little Angry Man are You?” from Raisin (1973)

FRANK CHURCHILL/OLIVER WALLACE
“Baby Mine” from Dumbo (1941) (arr. Einhorn)

KANDER/EBB
“Go Back Home” from The Scottsboro Boys (2010)

FRANK LOESSER
“Can’t Stop Talking” from the film Let’s Dance (1950)

ADAM GWON
“I’ll Be Here” from Ordinary Days (2009)

JULE STYNE/BETTY COMDEN/ADOLPH GREEN
“Make Someone Happy” from Do Re Mi (1960) (arr. Einhorn)

HAROLD ARLEN / E.Y. “YIP” HARBURG
“Ain’t it de Truth,” cut from the film Cabin in the Sky (1943)

ENCORE:
STEVE MARZULLO/JAMES BALDWIN
“Some Days”

People Are Talking: UMS Presents Audra McDonald at Hill Auditorium:

Hi everyone!
So glad to hear this concert was so meaningful to many of you. Just wanted to let you know that I’ll post the full setlist here as soon as I get it from her manager. Stay tuned and check back!
Also–did anyone else notice the single flower petal fall from the flower arrangement on stage when she was talking about her father after the song she played at the piano? It was like he was there…
Liz Stover, UMS

People are Talking: UMS Presents Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:

Hi Doug–
To briefly respond to your complaint about starting the show late–I just wanted to offer a sincere apology! UMS always tries to start on time, and at the very least, no later than 5 minutes after our published start time. However, as you mention, there are times where we are unable to do so, and usually due to issues outside of our control, whether they are artist- or patron-related. There were some last-minute miscommunications going on backstage Saturday evening that pushed us back 15 minutes–I’m sorry for the frustration.
And in the future, for anyone who experiences discomfort with the volume of a performance, our ushers are always prepared with earplugs at amplified concerts. Please feel free to ask an usher for some when you arrive or during the show.
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

In response to:
"
After starting 15 minutes late as usual for UMS events — the cacophony became quickly unbearable. Shame on the Hill Auditorium organizers — you have a fine concert hall with wonderful accoustics and the music was so incredibly OVERAMPLIFIED that the decible level was unhealthy and unbearable (the amplification would have been too loud for an outdoor concert let alone an indoor concert in Hill). I liked some of the music but the amplification level made it unbearable and I had to flee after 1 hour. I get around 50 UMS tickets each season, but I will avoid getting any non-classical tickets to any Hill Auditorium events in the future.
"
by Douglas Wayland

People are Talking: UMS Presents Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:

Hi all!
Here is tonight’s setlist, as given to me by the manager! Hope you enjoyed the show.

Lullaby
Balkaneros
St. Bartholomew Night
Dreams
Natura
So Novo ssi
Presidente
Bijav
Bajuski
Kvariigro
Aven Ivenda
Maki, Maki
Ausencia
Back-seat of my car
Cirbirbela
Gas-Gas-Gas
Twist
Truck-driver’s song
Death
Ederlezi
Mesecina
In the Death Car
—-
Jeremija
Opa Cupa
Bulgarian traditional
Caje Sukarije
Bella Ciao
(No Name)
Kalasnikov
Belly-Button of the World

People Are Talking: UMS Presents Dan Zanes & Friends at the Power Center:

Hi Jen!
So glad you enjoyed the show–DZ&F are a really great group. I don’t even have kids and I love them!
As Beth mentioned below, the space at Rackham is great for a family show. It’s like one big living room with lots of room to dance! But in recent years, we’ve steered away from presenting amplified music in Rackham due to comments we’ve had from audience members and artists about the sound quality of amplified music in Rackham–that was our reasoning for giving Power Center a try this time around!
Thanks for coming!
Liz Stover
Programming Coordinator, UMS

In response to:
"
What a great show! Loved the songs from the new album. Last time we saw these guys they played at Rackam – perhaps a better venue than the Power Center. There was a lot more room to dance at Rackam.
"
by Jen Sopoci

People Are Talking: UMS Presents Emerson String Quartet at Rackham Auditorium:

This afternoon’s encore was the Finale from Haydn’s Op.77, No.2.

People Are Talking: Tetzlaff Quartet:

Hi all!
As an encore, the Quartet played the second movement from Dvorak’s Quartet No. 14 in A-flat Major.
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

People Are Talking: St. Petersburg Philharmonic:

Most ensembles rehearse or sound check in Hill Auditorium before they perform. The Orchestra did have a rehearsal on Saturday before the concert.
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

In response to:
"
What is also interesting about the Russian performance style is the lessor role of the brass playing especially in the Sheherezade. Both the trumpets and trombones had a much smoother sounds and were not as prodominate.

Your comments about the Russian ochestra’s approach to rhythms is interesting which I think leads to lack of clarity. For me, this took something away from the Rachmaninoff piece.

I am wondering if the issues they had were related to the Hill Auditorium. I am wondering if they reherse there prior to the performance? The clarity did improve as the evening went on. Hill is known for excellent acustics, but can be tricky if you do not watch the conductor and are only listen to the sounds around you.
"
by another music lover

People are Talking: Concertante with Rafal Blechacz:

What a great concert! I was blown away by the Chopin concerto and loved hearing the Schoenberg as well–what a beautiful program. Mr. Blechacz played Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in c-sharp minor as an encore.

People are Talking: Rafal Blechacz, piano:

Hi EL!
Mr. Blechacz played the third movement scherzo from Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in A Major Op. 2, No. 2.
Liz Stover, UMS Programming Coordinator

In response to:
"
I forgot to ask–can someone please tell me the name of the encore piece?
"
by EL

People are Talking: New Century Chamber Orchestra with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg:

I enjoyed the polka.

In response to:
"
What great comments! This ensemble clearly has a ton of fun playing together and that visible joy they take in music-making really seemed to give us, the audience, permission to have our own fun.

The encores for the evening were:

Alfred Schnittke’s “Polka” and

“Bess, You Is My Woman Now” from George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”

–Mary, UMS
"
by Mary Roeder

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