I regret having allowed myself to be distracted last week from my self-imposed duty to tell you about several promising musical happenings that are now history. Like the September 30 evensong service at Grace Church and organist Bill Gudger’s organ recital. My apologies to the artists. I didn’t even toot the CSO’s horn for their mighty go at Carmina Burana last Saturday. But I wonder if it would’ve made much difference, as the Gaillard was jam-packed anyway. And everybody certainly got their money’s worth. Look for my happy review in this week’s edition of the City Paper … or look for a link to it here in Eargasms, if you aren’t able to grab a copy.
Now looming are some more choice events for you to consider. The first is almost upon us: an Oktoberfest celebration, but Celtic style … coming our way on Thursday, October 4. The Taylor Music Group – whose fine festival centered around Celtic music and the choral arts comes our way every June – will present the exuberant young fiddlers of Na Fidleiri at 7 p.m. at the I’On Creek Club. Besides the classy entertainment, there’ll be wine and hors d’oeuvres, plus a silent auction. Admission is $20; $35 for a couple.
On Friday (Oct 5), the CSO will open their promising new series known as Backstage Pass at the Sottile. This series, formerly known as Casual Classics, is a similarly laid-back look at the music of classy, but cool composers both old and new – but mostly new. This Friday’s affair will feature a trio of nifty 20th-Century composers from Argentina: classical master Alberto Ginastera, Tango King Astor Piazzolla and contemporary sensation Osvaldo Golijov. You just wait.
Never fear: none of this is the kind of tuneless, ugly stuff that gives modern music a bad name. Anybody with ears and a healthy curiosity about the best in modern classics will get a real kick out of these early evening crowd-pleasers. I say early evening, since these events will all begin at 7 p.m. and run without intermission – so you’re back on the street with much more of Charleston’s nightlife ahead of you by 8:30, tops. And DON’T come all dressed up – ‘cause the conductor (Scott Terrell) and the orchestra WON’T be. On top of first-rate music-making, there’ll also be pre-concert cocktails, an informal behind-the-scenes atmosphere, and stimulating stage-speak that’ll help you get the most out of the music. Be there – I sure will be.
Next week, the College of Charleston has a pair of interesting events in store: Monday night’s 8:00 p.m. piano recital by Professor Douglas Ashley at the Simons Center Recital Hall. The music will include items by Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Lili Boulanger and Béla Bartok. The next day’s noon-hour St Luke’s Chapel Series will show off the classical guitar of Gregory Guay, in works by J.S. Bach and Heitor Villa-Lobos.
I cant leave out the Charleston New Music Collective’s Tuesday evening event (8 p.m. at the Simons Center Recital Hall, C of C), featuring the Claudia Quintet: an accomplished and versatile group from New York that was formed a few years back to perform both completely notated new music and improvisatory jazz-based material.
Stay tuned – with an exciting new season getting into full swing here in the Holy City, you’ll be seeing a lot more blogging from me from now on.
