Worthgold Publishing

Carol's 'Sandcastles' In Good Company on an Exciting New CD Release

Carol Worthey 's joyous celebration of a family of children building a sandcastle is featured along with works by Antonion Vivaldi , Paul Hindemith and Olivier Messiaen in a brilliant new CD on Crystal Records, "Weiss Family Woodwinds — Then and Now", with Dawn Weiss , Flute, David Weiss , Oboe and Abe Weiss , Bassoon.  The work, commissioned by Dawn Weiss for her family trio, was beautifully world-premiered in April 2010 in a performance Worthey describes as "the epitome of perfection, a dream for this composer."  The CD also features works by Eugene Bourdeau and Tomas Svoboda .

This superb collection of woodwind works by a remarkable family of woodwind players can be purchased Here!

'Russian Scenes' wakes its audience up and gets it drunk with music!

In a late-night performance that was hailed in an avalanche of cheers by an exhilarated audience glad they had stayed to the end, Carol Worthey 's dazzling evocations of Russian Life, cello duet Russian Scenes was given a a scintillating performance by Rostropovich proteges, Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin , Cellists. The work takes us to eight varied scenes typical of Russian environments from a skating waltz on the frozen Volga, to a Russian tearoom, to a confrontation between a strict dancemaster and a flighty prima ballerina, to the Trans-Siberian Railroad chugging through a lonely forest, ending in a hilarious musical rendition of a Russian party that ends in a tipsy mix of vodka and champagne — given the formality of so many classical audiences it is so refreshing to see how the audience loves to feel free enough to laugh, aided by the panache of the performers' antics! Ruslan and Maksim have fun with this piece and so does the audience, by all indications.

Maksim Velichkin , as Curator, has been assembling an impressive number of soloists and chamber ensembles to present an eclectic series of chamber music concerts, mostly classical or contemporary but sometimes Jazz and World Music, at MiMoDa, a spacious dance and acoustic space with lofty ceilings and an informal but cutting-edge feel where MiMoDa Dance Recitals also take place. This exciting new venue can be accessed by walking to the back of the Paper & Plastik Cafe, that is, if you can manage to not have your nose and tummy direct you to the counter to enjoy a Latte and piece of scrumptious sour cherry or apple pie before the performance (highly recommended).

These MiMoDa concerts which are scheduled approximately every two weeks are located in the back of Paper & Plastic Cafe at:

5774 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90010
For information, call 323.937.0488

'Romanza' for Horn & Piano given a second reading

Zinkali Trio
Elise Carter , Flute
Susan LaFever , Horn
Laura Ravotti , Piano

Susan LaFever , Horn and Pianist Laura Ravotti joined forces to give a second reading of Carol Worthey 's Horn and Piano version of "Romanza."   The work was enthusiastically received.

Sunday, October 20, 2010, 6 p.m.
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
1950 Batchelder Street
Brooklyn, New York 11229

West Coast Premiere of
'The River' in Beverly Hills

Carol Worthey was invited to perform her solo piano work "The River" at this delightful, elegant piano salon featuring the gorgeous new Steinway grand recently acquired by renowned Composer/Pianist/Educator (and Carol's dear friend) Deon Nielsen Price . Deon is indomitable and — after a house fire in her Culver City home — determined to make "lemonade out of lemons" in her beautiful temporary abode in Beverly Hills, by putting on a series of concerts.  Her new Steinway resounded with color and sparkle in the Great Room of the home while an appreciative audience listened to music from the Americas, Heitor Villa Lobos , Antonio Lauro , and contemporary compositions by Adrienne Albert , Deane Bottorf , Philip Gilberti , Howard Quilling , Deon Nielsen Price herself (performing as the Price Duo with her gifted clarinetist son, Berkeley Price ) and Carol Worthey , giving the West Coast Premiere of her evocative new work "The River".

Many painters (including Carol) had loaned the Price family a colorful collections of works that graced the tall walls of the concert room. Playing such a wonderful new piano and getting a warm response from the audience made this a memorable experience!

Steinway Concerts in the Canyon
September 25, 2010
"Music of The Americas"
in a concert dedicated to the loving memory
of Deon's late father, Dr. W. LaGrand Nielsen
and sponsored by Steinway Piano Gallery of West Hollywood
9660 Heather Road
Beverly Hills, California

'The River' flows from Carol Worthey's Fingers on International Radio

Carol Worthey was deeply honored by being invited by the Orchestra of Southern Utah and the hugely popular internet radio program Classical Music Discoveries to the charming town of Cedar City, Utah to be a Special Guest on the 14th Annual Recital Series and Classical Music Discoveries Radio Recital.   Host of the radio show Sandy Hedgecock interviewed Carol about her music, paintings and poetry and Carol read several poems on the air, portraits of the months of April, May, July, September and October, poems which seem to parallel the changing seasons in Utah.

The college town of Cedar City with its Victorian and craftsman homes, its pines shifting in the quiet breeze and its campus with its famous Shakespeare Festival has a very special atmosphere of Old World calm and timelessness.  Nestled in a valley surrounded by monumental scenery, most notably the natural cathedral of Zion National Park, with its glowing rose and orange in the setting sun, the streets of the town have a calming intimacy that is very welcoming and quite a contrast to the hugeness of its surrounds.  Zion is a magnificent testament to the glory of nature, a sacred spot to the Native Americans and appropriately named Zion by the traveling Mormons on their way to find Salt Lake.  What is most remarkable is that this mammoth natural cathedral was carved by a river over the eons.  A river, now a seemingly harmless and not-so-wide babbling stream, carved these caverns and statues — how remarkable was it then that the lyrical solo piano composition Carol chose to perform live on international radio is the musical incarnation of a River... and evokes the River of Life.

Undaunted by the global audience listening live, Carol's performance was heartfelt and stirring and was greeted by a very warm response from the live audience in the church.  A varied group of performers joined Carol in the program, and Canadian Composer/Pianist Matt Herskowitz closed the concert with a whirlwind of pieces from Chopin and Schumann to his own improvisations. Carol was especially delighted with the hospitality given to her and Ray by the Orchestra of Southern Utah at a bed and breakfast there, so that the couple could celebrate their 30th anniversary in a charming Victorian home!

September 14th, 2010, 7 p.m.
Orchestra of Southern Utah & Classical Music Discoveries 14th Annual Recital Series
Internet Radio Recital
coordinated by Ken Hedgecock
St. Jude's Episcopal Church
70 North 200 West
Cedar City, Utah

East Coast Reading of
'Romanza' for Horn & Piano

Zinkali Trio
Elise Carter , Flute
Susan LaFever , Horn
Laura Ravotti , Piano

Carol Worthey 's 'Romanza', originally composed for Violin & Piano was requested to be transcribed by the composer for Horn and Piano by Italian master horn virtuoso, Luca Benucci , who has plans to record the work in the near future on his first solo CD.  When renowned American hornist Susan LaFever met Carol Worthey at the Faces of Eve Concert in early April 2010, impressed by Carol's music, she asked the composer if she had any chamber works for horn.  Thus 'Romanza' had an East Coast reading with Susan being accompanied by Laura Ravotti .

Carol's work was featured on the concert along with works by personal friends Adrienne Albert , Katherine Hoover and Douglas Townsend , among others.

Carol is proud of the fact that a portion of the concert proceeds were donated to the families of the September 11th Fund.

St. Augstine's Episcopal Church
6 Old Post Road North
Croton-on-Hudson, New York 10521

'Russian Scenes' comes to Beverly Hills for yet Another Performance!

The Los Angeles Cello Quartet regaled an enthusiastic audience in the elegant and intimate salon setting in Beverly Hills.  The concert series is a testament to Deon Nielsen Price 's indomitable spirit after suffering a house fire and subsequently deciding to host a wonderful series of concerts in her "new" temporary home with its impressive Great Room.  The fabulous Cello Duo Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin regaled the audience with selections from Carol Worthey 's 'Russian Scenes', a work that they have continued to perform over and over as one of their signature works that has proved to be resoundingly popular with audiences.

The Cello Quartet, consisting of Ruslan Biryukov , Maksim Velichkin , Hope Easton , Garik Terzian and guest Patricia Ryan presented a virtuosic display of their cello talent in works by Bach-Gounod , Deon Nielsen Price , Adrienne Albert , David Popper , Frederic Chopin (Deon playing her glorious new Steinway grand) and ending with yet another virtuosic showpiece by David Popper .

Steinway Concerts in the Canyon
August 29, 2010
"Los Angeles Cello Quartet"
in a concert dedicated to the loving memory of Deon's late father, Dr. W. LaGrand Nielsen and sponsored by Steinway Piano Gallery of West Hollywood
9660 Heather Road
Beverly Hills, California

'Monster Diva' Invades The Quiet of A Library and Causes 'Tears on Velvet'

The hushed environment of a library seemed to explode (the doors kept the rest of the building quiet) as Timur Bekbosunov , Tenor and Mary Au , Piano rendered 'Monster Diva', a song (lyrics and music by Carol Worthey ) inspired by Timur's flamboyant persona on stage.  It has become a dashing and dramatic signature song for this charismatic artist, ably accompanied by Mary Au .  This was followed by a contrasting work, Carol's 'Tears on Velvet', lyrics and music by the composer, a tender song of lovelorn woes with a piquant mix of Renaissance and contemporary sonorities.

Liana Cohen Concert Series presented Timur Bekbosunov , Internationally Renowned Tenor & Concert Pianist Mary Au

Saturday, July 24, 2010, 3 p.m.
Los Angeles Public Library
Will & Ariel Durant Branch

Timur Premieres His Signature Song 'Monster Diva'

What is the striking-point when something "over the top" becomes so real and so powerful that all concepts of what is beautiful or charming, ugly or "too extreme" fly out the window? Tenor Timur Bekbosunov is such an alive performer that he reaches into the corners of the heart and breaks down shock waves in his audience, winning them over with his immense talent to own the room and lazer beam into the inner life and dream world of each individual there. Fascinatingly, before and after the show, Timur is without affectation, as genuinely nice, easy-going and attentive to others as he is electric and flamboyant on stage. It's an amazing contrast — but it's... Timur!

Bekbosunov has sung solo with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel , in Tobias Picker 's acclaimed opera "An American Tragedy" and in art song recitals in Europe and America. In a totally different vein, he has developed a very edgy cabaret show "Timur and The Dime Museum", offering numbers from Kurt Weill to Nine-Inch Nails , showpieces that sit somewhat uncomfortably (until you surrender to them) on the feverish border between extreme sophistication and "doomsday" barbarity.

Carol Worthey did not know what to expect when she went to see Timur's cabaret show (part of the Aloud Series at the Mark Taper Auditorium in Los Angeles' Central Public Library) eager to witness her concert pianist friend Mary Au play an electrified upright Toy Piano. Backed up by a band consisting of violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, drums, accordion as well as toy piano, Timur was dressed in Flash Gordon-like costumes with collars that jutted out like fins on fifties cars. Sporting a tail he sometimes whirled temptingly like a wicked watch chain, Timur intoned in a rich baritone or a perfect falsetto. His impromptu banter with the audience before each number was impishly humorous and totally at ease. Although he is from Kazakhstan and sang one song in Russian, Timur is fluent in English and every word he sang was clear. He is both subtle and direct — a fascinating performer whose eye contact and stage presence rips away any sense of non-involvement in his audience, leading them to scream, laugh, clutch their hearts and cheer to the rafters! Maybe Bette Midler was like that when (early on in her blaze of a career that ended up with her as a Disney artist) she sang in the gay steam-baths of Manhattan... there aren't many comparisons! Timur is unique and gives new meaning to the word "charisma."

For the first few minutes, Carol did not know what to think — then she decided to take it all in and became mesmerized, sitting on that feverish point between beauty, charm, ugliness and entrancement and surrendering to its immediacy. Timur can win over a spinster or a nun — he's dangerous on stage! Meeting Carol after the show, the tenor (now in normal attire) greeted her warmly, hugged her and declared, "Carol! I'm so glad you could make it... I've been wanting to meet you. I'm so excited — We're going to do your songs on July 11th!" (This was the first Carol Worthey had heard of this! Was Timur psychic or was he mistaking her for someone else?) Given that surprise opportunity, Carol knew enough to nod smilingly in agreement.

Worthey woke up the very next morning with the words and melody of a song in tango rhythm, a portrait of Timur's edgy cabaret persona... "Monster Diva/sacred and profane us.../when you entertain us. Intimate and racy/slightly indigestible.../but oh so tasty." Since the contrast of Timur on stage and Timur in person was so distinct, Carol devised the end of the song to reveal the "clown taking off his makeup": "Monster Diva, tell us you believe a/person can be real/and feel what you feel/and never hide behind glitter/or pose on a litter/of pride and lost passion:/It's no longer in fashion/to be anything else.../but yourself." The lyrics tumbled out that morning and in the next few days, the composer created a work designed to be a theatrical Signature Piece for this amazing performer, with piano accompaniment to start. This is to be arranged for his Dime Museum band. "Timur and The Dime Museum" will premiere "Monster Diva" in its full band version on December 9th, 2010 at Emeritus College, Santa Monica, California. This is a show you don't want to miss!

And what of the second song? Taking to heart Timur's words that he would sing several of her songs on July 11th, Carol dusted off an old poem-song that had never been fully written down, "Tears on Velvet." This second song, about a romance-gone-dead, mixes elements of a Renaissance song with contemporary harmonies. It makes striking use of Timur's wide range from his expressive baritone to his tender falsetto.

Carol created the cover artwork after arranging and notating the scores for both songs.

And so it was that the Premiere of "Monster Diva" and "Tears on Velvet" did indeed take place on July 11th, 2010 (as Timur had prophesied) at the cordial Beverly Hills home of fellow composer Deon Nielsen Price in her continuing series "Steinway Concerts in The Canyon." Pianist Mary Au accompanied the varied program to perfection on the sonorous new Steinway piano in the Great Room. The concert featured works by many contemporary composers, most of whom attended: Adrienne Albert , Lera Auerbach , Daniel Corral , John Frantzen , David Lefkowitz , Deon Nielsen Price , Tobias Picker (with a solo piano work) and Carol Worthey . (All but Lera Auerbach and Tobias Picker were there to accept enthusiastic applause.)

How did the audience react to Timur's "Monster Diva" ? To say it was an instant hit is an understatement. The room came alive, cheers, ovations. Carol Worthey may often dream her lyrics and music during sleep — but this performance was a composer's dream!

Print Production

Painter Carol Worthey takes care to personally supervise the making of each of her limited edition fine art prints to ensure that it is exact in every detail to the original painting.  Here we see Master Photographer / Printmaker Errol Higgins and Carol Worthey inspecting a print of "Out for A Walk" (on the table) for an East Coast Collector.  After the print is deemed exact in every way, Carol carefully signs and numbers it on the back to authenticate it.  Then the paint is allowed to cure for a day, after which it is glazed and allowed to dry for a second day.  The print is then sent to be stretched on a wood frame and a custom shipping box is created to ensure the artwork arrives in perfect shape.

This particular collector has also purchased the framed original of "Tuscany: Laundry Day", one of Carol's personal favorite paintings.

If you would love to own a limited edition print of "Tuscany: Laundry Day" , "Out for A Walk" or any other original or print, please contact us by clicking here or visit us at www.TheTranquilMoment.com

Timur and The Dime Museum

Carol Worthey was electrified by the performance of renowned operatic tenor Timur Bekbosunov and his band in "Timur and The Dime Museum", part of the ALOUD Series at the Mark Taper Auditorium inside Los Angeles Central Library, a show that gave new bite and aliveness to the "cabaret" feel with songs that spanned from Kurt Weill to Nine Inch Nails.   Backed up by a band consisting of accordion, bass saxophone, viola, violin, acoustic bass, and Carol's friend virtuoso pianist Mary Au on Toy Piano, Timur gave a breathtaking performance sporting outrageous costumes (and occasional falsetto — his range is impressive) to the cheering and packed house!

As added serendipity to the evening, Carol ended up sitting in between two performers who had worked with Timur, professional violist Carolyn Corazo and coloratura soprano Michelle Bourque .  Afterwards, Timur welcomed his admirers and colleagues with his genuinely nice and easy-going personality, so in contrast to his mesmerizing dramatic presence on stage.  Is it any wonder people throng to his shows?

This is what Carol Worthey wrote to Timur Bekbosunov in a note:

"Loved your electric/eclectic performance last night at the Library!  I woke up at dawn totally inspired and energized with a new song!  You truly are riveting and engaging and span the panorama of emotions — a great showman, an outstanding singer and a truly creative artist with uncanny charisma and tongue-in-cheek humor to boot — the Dime Museum band, the outfits and the dancers were the perfect touch!  WOW now stands for 'Watch Out World', Timur is here!"

This photo captures the excitement of "Timur and the Dime Museum" show and Mary Au , after she'd played Toy Piano (perfect touch!), shown here playing her Cell Phone on which she's also a virtuoso!  One of the costumed players is behind Carol Worthey ... a ghostly figure of his former self on stage!  Don't you just LOVE Carol's new HAT!!!

The Garden of Flowing Fragrance!

Pianist and Collaborative Artist Mary Au delivered a delightful "East Meets West" illustrated lecture and concert at the Visitors Pavilion by the gorgeous new Chinese Garden at Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. The music included works by Composers Adrienne Albert , Chen Yi , Deon Nielsen Price , Zhou Tian and Carol Worthey 's "Jade Flute in Lo-Yang" , all of whom (except Chen Yi) were present. Mary enlightened the appreciative audience on the history and defining characteristics of these two vast musical traditions and how composers today are working to meld the best of both worlds to create evocative and stirring works. She pointed out that it is the composers' intent is to do honor to the unique qualities of Eastern and Western music, while showing that as human beings we have more in common that we have to divide us. It was an inspiring evening in a beautiful setting.

	Jade Flute in Lo Yang (midi)
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Wedding Joy!

Carol Worthey adores her beautiful, generous, sweet and talented daughter Megan Worthey and her caring and attentive groom, Nibbs (Nabill or Billy) Mourad . The two have been a team for many a year and it was a special delight to know that their love (which has weathered the storms of life and gathered strength and loyalty through the years) would be officially recognized as Husband and Wife. So on May 15th, 2010 the two were joined. Carol followed tradition by crying buckets of tears during the ceremony, but managed to avoid severe dehydration... her waterproof makeup stayed intact through some miracle of modern engineering.

Here you see the magnificent beauty Megan Worthey-Mourad exuding the glow of this happy moment, dressed in classic elegance. Isn't she radiant?! (Carol says that Megan is a beauty inside and out. Case in point: "Mom" was treated like a Queen, with professional hair, makeup, manicure and pedicure.)

Without a doubt this was the most beautiful wedding Carol has ever been to, with every detail thought out to perfection: Lush colors of purple, lilac, green and taupe, the gracious garden setting, the magnificent flower arrangements by a gifted floral designer, the scrumptious feast, the special tree laden with festoons of orchids and greenery — and most of all the love shining in the air all about! The couple was wed under the symbolic "tree of life", the same tree that had graced their invitation.

You can see Carol decked out in her most beautiful finery for the occasion, just as she emerged from her home to go to the grand event!

Carol took a leaving picture of her fabulous husband Ray Korns , handsome as ever in his Glen Plaid suit, just before going to the wedding.

Also, here is Carol, glowing, before the ceremony had begun.

How wonderful it is to be with family at such a joyous occasion! It was an unforgettable day!

The passionate and beautiful World Premiere of Carol Worthey 's "Romanza" for Violin and Piano performed by Piano virtuoso Beth Levin and Yuki Numata , Violin given at the 'Facebook Friends' concert in New York City, curated by Douglas Townsend .

Facebook Friends NYC Concert

This was more than a concert — this was a music event with its pulse on what's happening in the world of global communications. Shall we begin at the beginning? Let's start with a pertinent question:

Is Facebook capable of finding and nurturing new friendships or is it really more geared toward locating those lost friends from way back when? "Yes" to both possibilities. It's all in how you utilize the social network.

It was June 2009 when Carol Worthey 's street-smart and beautiful daughter Megan said, "Mom, you just HAVE to get on Facebook and get with the program." Tentative at the first entry into this social media network, Carol suddenly recalled how some of her most memorable conversations had been with strangers she'd met only once and had never seen again, people who revealed pieces of their lives sitting next to her on trains or in the loneliness of a near-empty bus station. "What IF..." Carol asked herself, "there are people out there that I am supposed to meet in this life, people of generous nature, brilliant, caring, passionate about life and the importance of the arts? These are the people — wherever they are around the world — that I want to connect to and share my thoughts and events with." This would be a search for REAL companions, people she would hear from again and again and not lose along the journey.

And so it was that the first three such friends Carol found on Facebook became genuine friends: Concert pianist Beth Levin , who seems to keep one hand on the piano keyboard and the other hand on the computer keyboard with fascinating posts about all kinds of things (although with two hands on the piano, Beth creates treasuries of sound in effortless manner) and one of the Deans of American music, composer and musicologist Douglas Townsend and his endearing wife Jean Townsend . Upon hearing Carol's music, Beth Levin had contacted the composer and became the first performer to start an ongoing series of concerts and premieres engendered by new and extraordinary Facebook Friends . To this day, Carol Worthey says, "Facebook works! But don't just self-promote non-stop or boringly text message 'I want a pizza now!' — make genuine friends and care about them in all the aspects of their lives. If you want to be a Facebook Virtuoso," Carol quips, "you must use it virtuously, to say significant or playful things with the intent to present wisdom and sincerity to others. The rest will follow. No one exists alone. All performance arts evolve out of real friendship as they are collaborative efforts. And such are enriched by a real desire to make life better for others."

Now we're getting to the turning point in this drama:

It was Douglas Townsend 's brainstorm "What about a Facebook Friends Concert?! " toward the end of 2009 that instigated the long series of plans leading to the unparalleled community of composers and performers who came together on April 20th , 2010 in Manhattan: Jean Townsend , Douglas' right-hand gal, became the organizing genius behind this extravaganza, while Douglas Townsend skillfully curated the concert, choosing an assembly of composers that would give intensity and contrast to an evening of musical exploration, all of them friends on Facebook. What a concept!

We're talking nine composers and their various signature pieces, three different string quartets, seven concert pianists, three flutists, one horn player, one solo violinist, one soprano/narrator, we're talking a BIG DEAL. As the last arrangements of venue, concert program-making and final rehearsals took place, Jean Townsend had a bright idea: What if Carol Worthey as both a composer and painter did portraits of all nine composers for the concert program cover? Worthey agreed and set about utilizing the photographs submitted by the composers, rendering them in black and white (graphite pencil and acrylic highlights). During that process of portraiture, Carol was challenged not only to do perfect likenesses but more importantly to give that spark of inner life to each face that would make the portraits more personal than the photographs. From all reports, each composer was very pleased with the results! (You can see portraits drawn by Carol in the photos.)

In the photos you see a panoramic "fisheye" view of St. Peter's Church (mid-Manhattan at 54th Street and Lexington Avenue) the concert venue, with its high ceilings and resonant acoustic space, a photographic tour-de-force shot and assembled by Carol's husband Ray Korns , who Worthey considers the "wind beneath her wings."

The concert was special from start to finish. The individual "voice" of each composer (only eight were able to attend, due to a family emergency) sang out with indelible charm, each composition very different in style and mood, brought to life by vivid performances at the highest level of passion and technical skill. Steve Cohen 's "Quartet for Strings, Movement No. 1" began the concert, a lush, beautifully crafted work showcasing each instrument, sometimes tender, sometimes agitated, but always warm with a combination of feeling and musical thought. The Bleeker String Quartet distinguished themselves with every turn. In "Thin Ice" by Katherine Hoover exciting clashes and rhythmic pulses portrayed both the courage it takes to "get out of the box" and face new adventures and the shaky tension of finding oneself on thin ice. It was performed with aplomb by Pianist Marian Conti . The inviting two movements (Slow and Rondo) of Douglas Townsend 's "Chamber Concerto No. 3" for Flute, Horn, Piano and String Quartet revealed Townsend's contrapuntal brilliance and his insightful skill in blending and contrasting the timbres and ranges of all the instruments in his ensemble. Albert Pae on flute, Kelly Csillam on Horn, David Oei on Piano and the Townsend String Quartet beautifully presented this rich work in a long awaited world premiere. Nataliya Medvedovkaya charmed us with an evocative fairy story told in narrative and song. "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" , created by her when she was nineteen, was beautifully performed by Pamela Sklar on Flute, the Composer and Miriam Brickman on four-hand piano with Felicity Graham , Soprano and Narrator, setting just the right tone of sophistication and childhood wonder. After intermission, Tania Leon 's "Mistica" took us to the sound-universe of her native Cuba, full of jungle stirrings, rhythmic hints at trains and other local color and a background of sentiment amongst the misty colorations inspired by Tania's abiding love for her Mother (sounds Tania knew her Mom would recognize) and her native land. Adam Kent at the piano brought us on the trip to Cuba. Carol was delighted to see her friend Tania once again, since she had first met her at the 2008 International Congress of Women in Music in Beijing, China. Bruce Lazarus ' "November Sonata", performed by Barbara Siesel on Flute with the Composer at the piano, skillfully fused subtle jazz touches with contemporary feel to evoke the changing seasons of November, May and August, a musical calendar that was effective and commanded interest throughout.

Now was the moment Carol Worthey had awaited, with her husband by her side, a work inspired in a dream by her desire to give him an anniversary present: "Romanza" shone in the air with a radiance that seemed to last longer than the notes themselves, floating in the memory — Consummate Pianist Beth Levin and superb Violinist Yuki Numata pulled all the stops out for a truly passionate and sonorous premiere! The audience responded in turn and it seemed that love really WAS in the air.

The final work by Pulitzer-Prize-winning Composer Paul Moravec "Vince and Jan: 1945" was a sweet journey into the memories of Moravec's parents, a musical series of snapshots of their romance during World War II, with hints at longing and tension (it was wartime, after all) and the nostalgia inherent in those days. Moravec's re-orchestration with contemporary chords of the wartime song, "I'll Be Seeing You" (his parent's favorite song) took the phrase "all day through" into new and subtle domains of feeling and sound. A very beautiful close to this concert, magnificently presented by the Madison String Quartet .

At the end of the concert all the composers stood to be photographed as they were presented individual prints of the artwork portraits created by Carol Worthey , indeed a special limited edition of only nine prints, wrapped in gala ribbons. Smiles and congratulations abounded. In the photos you see Carol's joy as she wrapped the prints in the ribbons, minutes before Facebook Friends Concert began.

Also in the photos are the proud composers after the concert, each one a "star" and truly a "Facebook Friend."

Long Live Music and Long Live Facebook and the friendships, both intimate and global that can come from real communication in this electronic age of wonders!

Here is the World-Premiere performance for Violin and Piano recorded at the concert:

	Romanza (Yuki Numata, violin / Beth Levin, piano)
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'Romanza' Travels to Hong Kong

Gifted Pianist Gloria Chuang , who hails from the Mid-West, was specially invited by the Hong Kong Institute of Education to present a seminar revealing how women composers have prevailed through times when they were not encouraged to become a major force in the contemporary scene.  Carol Worthey 's "Romanza" (in its solo piano version that combines the soaring melodies of the Violin/Piano version with a pianistic feel sufficient to evoke the contrapuntal textures of the Violin version) launched Gloria's recital that followed her well-researched talk.  Works by other contemporary women composers followed, "Night Poem" by Sheung Ping Lai , "Thin Ice" by American Katherine Hoover , "Bagatelles for Children" by Chinese-American composer Chen Yi , followed by two works by American composer Leslie Hogan , "Sleep" and "Thoughts that Fit like Air."

"Beyond Clara Schumann: The Path to Current Compositions by Women" A Workshop & Concert by Concert Pianist and Noted Educator Gloria Chuang

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010, 8 p.m.
In the Concert Hall,
Hong Kong Institute of Education
Hong Kong, China

The extraordinarily perfect World Premiere of Carol Worthey 's "Sandcastles" by the Weiss Family Woodwinds , Flutist Dawn Weiss (who commissioned the work), Oboist David Weiss (also a Virtuoso on Musical Saw) and Bassoonist Abraham Weiss given in a concert a the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.

After the delicious concert and extraordinarily perfect World Premiere of her Sandcastles, Carol Worthey wrote this to each performer in the Weiss Family Woodwinds, Flutist Dawn Weiss (who commissioned the work), Oboist David Weiss (also a Virtuoso on Musical Saw), Bassoonist Abraham Weiss and Alpha Hockett Walker , David's wife on Piano:

"Dear Dawn, David, Abe and Alpha,

"The feeling, clarity and precision throughout [the premiere] really expressed how I had envisioned 'Sandcastles' in the ideal world of my musical imagination — and you brought the Ideal into reality. All of you play together with such synchronicity of mood, nuance and timing that it really connects with the audience and conveys what each piece is about. I was especially impressed with everyone's beautiful tone, it's always beautiful and you execute all the virtuosic flourishes so effortlessly. (Well, we know you work hard to get to effortlessness — but what a tour de force this whole concert was!)

"It was a beautifully performed concert throughout! The programming of works was really well-thought-out and in the perfect sequence. (My husband Ray commented on that too.) Every one of my friends who came was blown out by how good you all are!

"I didn't mind being "upstaged" by a $7.50 Stanley Hardware Store saw — who would mind when the sound is so exquisitely beautiful that I was practically moved to tears, but smiling instead, with my mouth gaping open at the same time, totally amazed. It's really one of the most beautiful instruments I've ever heard.

"I wish I had Abe's email so please pass this on to him: Abe, you show the world how beautiful the bassoon is! Alpha, you are a terrific pianist, you are "on top of everything", and your arrangements are really delightful and expertly done — I was very impressed.

"So please know how proud I am of the premiere and the whole concert. I can't wait to hear the recording and to see the video. (To top this all off, no one coughed in the audience during my piece.)

"THANK YOU, ALL! It was an evening and a premiere that is indelible in my memory!"

Here is the Audio MP3 of the world-premiere performance recorded at USC:

	Sandcastles (Weiss Family Woodwinds - World Premiere)
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Recording: 'Romanza' for Horn & Piano

Every now and then a composition demands to be heard in multiple instrumentations — this is rare but when it happens, Carol Worthey pays heed . 'Romanza' is such a work. Originally conceived for solo piano (premiered by Beth Levin in November 2009), Carol was inspired to rethink the work for Violin & Piano. By adding the resonance and expressivity of the violin, the original fabric has been enriched with new countermelodies and vibrant colors.

And so it was that when internationally renowned horn virtuoso Luca Benucci asked Carol if she had a work he could feature on an upcoming CD release, she immediately thought of 'Romanza' because it seems to breathe something essentially "Italian." Carol had met Luca Benucci in Florence when he conducted her 'Fanfare for The New Renaissance' on Opening Day of the 2007 Florence Biennale Art Exhibit. Luca is an irrepressible force of nature, a warm-hearted and extremely charismatic performer who plays with intense skill and sensitivity. The horn has a nobility of tone and a lyricism in its soul that Carol wanted to tap into to give this new adaptation its own flavor, somewhat similar to the Violin & Piano version but unique in its own right. Since the horn is also one of the trickiest instruments to play, Carol had to choose wisely what would work and what might be problematic, while not talking down in the least, but making the horn soar and giving it runs that would show off Luca's fabulous "chops."

Here is the recording that Luca Benucci made in Florence, accompanied by Pianist Nazareno Carusi.

 

	Romanza (Luca Benucci, Horn / Nazareno Carusi, Piano)
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How did this work come about in the first place? Carol has this to say about the birth of Romanza:

"One morning, in that 'twilight time' just before waking to full consciousness, I heard in my sleep the lyrical, passionate opening theme of Romanza (all of it wholecloth, melody, harmony, interweaving textures) vibrant in rich sonority. It just poured out of me and after I began to realize I was composing in my sleep, I had to force myself awake to rush to the piano to capture it as quickly as it was flowing out of my heart and imagination. This happened a few weeks before my twenty-ninth wedding anniversary to Ray Korns , who nurtures me every day, so it was infused with how I feel about having found my helpmeet in life. ('Helpmeet' is a great old word meaning 'a loyal mate who is there for you no matter what.') But as the piece evolved, other nuances of the word 'Romance' began to surface: 'Romance' is not only about passionate and sensuous love, but in olden days the very word sang of grace, spontaneity and dashing adventure. It's kind of a 'Three Musketeers' word! I gave the title an Italian accent as Romanza because (having fallen in love with Italy on my 2007 visit to Florence as a composer and painter) I recognized unabashedly that this composition was rooted just as much in Tuscany soil as it was in my American and Jewish roots. I fashioned the work essentially as a Theme and Variations. The challenge became to create variations that took the theme somewhere, furnishing contrast while holding to the same level of intensity as the main theme. As the piece developed, it took on the scenario of a romantic conversation and so countermelodies were interwoven as dialogue. ...Everyday life with its mundane chores punctuated by stressful news can drown a sense of romance. But let's not let romance die! It is the lifebreath of what makes life worth living!"

World Premiere 'Lament / Vocalese' - Arietha Lockart, Soprano / Mary Au, Piano

'Faces of Eve' A celebration of women, their lives, loves, and longing

If you listen hard enough to the venerable halls at Greenwich House Music School, situated in the heart of the charming brownstone streets of Manhattan's West Village, you can hear the faint memories of violin and piano practice and the echoing footfalls of future ballerinas. Memories aside, the school reverberated with the excited banter of children currently studying there, letting all the waiting composers know subliminally that music studies are alive and well when parents care and children's interests are fostered. What a wonderful school!

Before the concert began, each composer in attendance was ushered one by one into a special room to be brilliantly interviewed about their music for a podcast ^* that will be broadcast from Greenwich House Music School's website.

The energy in the air was palpable as the audience gathered in the hall to get their reserved tickets. After all it is not a common occurrence to have seven living composers there at a concert featuring their music. Indeed, the buzz was out, since the concert would be enriched by a total of six world-premieres, an American premiere and three New York premieres.

Every seat in Renee Weiler Concert Hall was soon filled, an audience not only of well-wishers and music lovers, but full of renowned musicians: cellist Nathaniel Rosen , composer Douglas Townsend , concert pianist Beth Levin , International President of Mu Phi Epsilon Music Fraternity Fran Irwin along with other members of Mu Phi Foundation and many top professional instrumentalists in Manhattan. You could feel the electricity in the air! Featured composers in attendance came from all over: Adrienne Albert , Deon Nielsen Price and Carol Worthey (all three from Los Angeles), Mary Lynn Place Badarak (who lives on an Indian Reservation in Arizona), Mary M. Boyle (from Atlanta, Georgia), Lydia Busler-Blais (from Vermont), and Host Beth Anderson (composer and organizer of the three concerts that form the annual "Women's Work" Series). The composers and audience were not disappointed. In her capacity as gracious host, Beth Anderson called each composer to come up in front of the stage for a brief discussion, adding some personal insights to the audience's appreciation of the pieces.

We were treated to an audible feast, performances that captured the moods and flavors of each composer's work. And what a voice we heard that night! Arietha Lockhart (coloratura soprano who hails from Atlanta, Georgia) has a ravishing, effortless voice with an impressive range and an equally impressive and engaging dramatic flair. Ms. Lockhart can encompass emotions from despair to ecstasy, from passion to teasing humor and her innate sense of phrasing is coupled with easy breath control and command of tone color. Carol Worthey sincerely believes that Arietha's talents should by all rights propel her to the position of a Major Star world-wide throughout the operatic and recital world. This is no ordinary singer. Ms. Lockhart was accompanied sensitively throughout this tour de force concert by brilliant and indefatiguable collaborative artist, pianist Mary Au (from Los Angeles). Arietha and Mary gave each composer the joy of hearing their music portrayed with beauty, meaning, and perfect touches of intensity, humor or pathos.

The concert was organized to express the lives of women throughout all the cultures of the world, their sorrows, their challenges, their nurturing ways and their strength and love. And it did communicate this overall theme: A celebration of women as seen by women composers and poets/lyricists and performed largely by women, with a few men to add spice to the event. We women are in a word "cool"... or are we "hot"?! We are BOTH!

The concert began with Mary Lynn Place Badarak 's "Two Songs from Believers", setting an inspirational, reverent mood at the start. This was followed by Adrienne Albert 's piquant, amusing and beautiful setting of "The Owl and the Pussycat" which delighted the audience with its charming use of lyrical melodic patter and curious wordplay. Mary M. Boyle 's "Maternity" for Soprano, Clarinet & Piano was touching in its irony, revealing the stress of childbirth, especially when it ended with the death of a newborn. This emotional work led beautifully into Carol Worthey 's piece, "Lament/Vocalise". Here the grief many mothers have had to bear when their child dies became expressed in a song without words — in a place where words are no longer vehicle enough to express or release grief.

When Carol was called up before her composition was performed to address the audience about "Lament", she had this to say:

"We have all had moments of sorrow and moments of joy. There are many shades of sadness and my Lament has a certain sweet, nostalgic sadness, like the gentle sadness you feel remembering a lost love. Music is the most healing of all the arts... wouldn't you agree?"

[Murmurs throughout the audience of agreement about music's healing quality were loudly audible. Carol continued.]

"My work is intended to free up the often locked-in emotion of sorrow and to take you the listener to a higher place where grief is released and redemption can occur... and joy."

How happy Carol is to say her world-premiere went splendidly, with Arietha spell-binding the audience with her soaring full-throated E and D above high C at the end! The composer had purposely built the strength of the vocal line bit by bit in order to make this spectacular ending possible. The hearty and long applause was gratifying!

Each piece in the concert was given the respect that great interpreters give to whatever work they perform, but with a certain attentiveness to detail that comes from collaborating with living composers, where one can really dig deep and ask the composer what exact effects they want. The elegant Sharon J. Willis charmed the audience with her "Love Ritual", which depicts the transformation from flirtation to date-disappointment of a contemporary college girl... a sort of humorous and telling mini-opera that Arietha Lockhart made come alive with fantastic timing and nuance. Not in attendance but represented in this pantheon of women composers were famed composer Lera Auerbach with a dramatic setting of her own introspective poems and those of Sylvia Plath and Maxine Kumin in her "Songs of No Return" and world-renowned composer Chen Yi 's evocative setting of an ancient Chinese poem in "Bright Moonlight".

For variety of timbre, a few delightful instrumental works were presented, featuring the brilliant clarinetist Berkeley A. Price ( Deon Nielsen Price 's son and a true virtuoso on various sizes of the instrument, performing his mother's delicious and colorful instrumental suite "Yellow Jade Banquet" and a lovely and lyrical "Adagio" by Mary M. Boyle ) and Jordan James on French Horn (who played with great beauty of tone and fluency in Lydia Busler-Blais' poetic work "Moon Lilies" ). After hearing Deon's ten course Chinese meal described in musical terms, Carol was starving. So it was fitting and necessary that the performers and composers traipsed over to a French restaurant around the corner and enjoyed a filling repast and all kinds of good cheer!

But the musical feast was the best of all!

^* You may hear this podcast of composer's interviews (soon) by going to http://greenwichhouse.org Also at http://www.myspace.com/womenswork various selections of each composers' works can be heard, including Carol's "Cadence for Olivia" for flute and piano.

'Russian Scenes' - World Premiere Performance

Masterful Cellists Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin presented an unforgettable world-premiere of Carol Worthey 's eight "Russian Scenes" in a performance capturing the total spirit and nuance of each scene. The two Rostropovich proteges took the audience on this musical trip with their dramatic and comedic flair, sheer virtuosity and beautiful sensitivity. Carol says,

"It truly is a composer's dream to have performers who take the care to master one's work and convey the emotional landscape to others in a colorful and unique way! I think of the cello as 'the voice of humanity' and at this concert you SPOKE!"

The entire "Positive Motions" concert displayed an effortless level of artistry that furthers the motion so spectacularly launched at the Glendale Philharmonic's Inaugural Concert. The first concert of the Glendale Philharmonic created a sky-high precedent of excellence that shook the rafters of the beautiful acoustic hall at First Baptist Church of Glendale, creating a buzz throughout the Greater Los Angeles community and stunning the skeptics and critics so that they had to say and put in writing, "Something GREAT is happening in Glendale! Listen UP, folks!" The February 6th "Positive Motions" Cello Concert PROVED that this was not a One-Shot Hit! Carol was proud to have been featured on the program with the world-premiere of Deon Price 's new work for Cello Quintet "If Life Were to Sing!", a work with fascinating textures and colors.

Carol states,

"Nothing to me is more exciting than seeing a Renaissance at birth, growing in recognition and in the beauty, hope and solace great music can bring to the world. And nothing is more gratifying personally to me as a composer than seeing my latest 'baby' so beautifully brought into the world!"

Hear the world premiere performance below, Either all of the "scenes" (in the first sound bite) or choose to hear an individual scene. The full titles and descriptions precede each soundbite.

"Russian Scenes" for Cello Duo
"Русские мотивы" для двух виолончелей

 

	Russian Scenes (Русские мотивы) [All 8 Scenes]
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1.	Russian Bearfight:	Unfair squabble, one huge bear against a smaller but clever bear.
	Битва медведей.	Неравная борьба - один большой медведь против небольшого, но смышленого медведя.

 

	1 Russian Bearfight (Битва медведей)
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2.	Witticisms at The Teahouse:	Polite sarcasms while sipping cherry jam and tea together.
	Шутки в чайной.	Вежливые изречения во время распития чая с вишневым вареньем.

 

	2 Witticisms at the Teahouse (Шутки в чайной)
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3.	Forest Murmurs on the Grand Siberian Railroad:	Depends which way you are headed.
	Шопот леса на Транссибирской магистрали	о чем говорит лес, зависит от того, в какую сторону вы держите путь.

 

	3 Forest Murmurs on the Grand Siberian Railroad (Шопот леса на Транссибирской магистрали)
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4.	Ice-skating:	On the slippery rim of the Volga with ankles too weak.
	Катание на льду	на слабых ногах по скользкой поверхности Волги.

 

	4 Ice-skating (Катание на льду)
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5.	At The Ballet Barre:	With the Dance Master and the Prima-Ballerina at war.
	Балетный станок	учитель по балету бранит прима-балерину.

 

	5 At the Ballet Barre (Балетный станок)
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6.	The Steam Bath:	Then a plunge in snow, but wolves are slyly waiting.
	Прыжки в снег после бани	a волки поджидают украдкой.

 

	6 The Steam Bath (Прыжки в снег после бани)
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7.	A Stately Promenade:	From one masterpiece to another down the halls of The Hermitage.
	Роскошное место для прогулок:	по залам Эрмитажа - от одного шедевра к другому.

 

	7 A Stately Promenade (Роскошное место для прогулок)
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8.	Vodka, Blini, Caviar, Champagne:	Pastries, laughter, blini, broken glass, vodka, vodka, vodka, vodka!
	Водка, блины, икра и шампанское	сладости, смех, блины, разбитое стекло, водка, водка, водка!

 

	8 Vodka, Blini, Caviar, Champagne (Водка, блины, икра и шампанское)
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Preparing for the world premiere performance of Carol Worthey 's eight 'Russian Scenes' for cello duo, Rostropovich proteges Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin present each scene for the composer for the first time during rehearsal.

Carol was pleased and excited with the performance and had few notes for the performers, looking forward to the premiere with anticipation.

A Choral Taste of LA

Every year Jim Raycroft , member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, invites a number of Los Angeles area composers to bring selections from their choral works (often unpublished) to this day-long sight-singing fest. This year, on Saturday, January 23th he presented the 9th Annual "A Choral Taste of Los Angeles" . Participants sing through new works by the composers and usually get to keep copies as well.

This year's presenters included: Jim Raycroft , Eric Whitacre , John Scott , Nick Strimple , Albert McNeil , David Joyce , Bill Cunliffe , Matt Aldrich and Kevin St. Clair . Christoph Bull also ably accompanied on piano.

The gourmet lunch is always a hit following a heady morning of sight-singing in preparation for the afternoon session.

Carol Worthey and her husband Raymond Korns are once again happy to lend enthusiastic support to Jim Raycroft and his efforts to encourage and promote all greater Los Angeles based singers, choral directors and choral composers.

Podcast Star!

Carol Worthey , looking very "radio", while being interviewed for her podcast on "Classical Music Discoveries" , the #1 internet radio "podcast" in the world with thirty million listeners.

Host Ken Hedgecock really has a knack for asking intriguing and insightful questions and for making someone feel relaxed and at home — asking questions that Carol did not know in advance whatsoever but which Ken made her feel she had been waiting to answer all her life. The result was a one hour and fifty minute interview on such passionate concerns as the power of music to bring people together worldwide, the importance of active listening and anecdotes about fascinating people she has known such as Leonard Bernstein and others. The ultimate honor of all was that Ken and his delightful wife, fellow Host Sandy Hedgecock , decided to do something unheralded in their history: provide listeners with a two-hour podcast, with a good deal of the interview, numerous selections played by world-class performers, and even a striking collection of Carol's artworks and photographs. Maybe Carol doesn't JUST look "radio", maybe this opportunity to communicate to so many classical-music lovers around the globe made her "radiant" with an unparalleled happiness.

The podcast was first air'd on December 31st, 2009 and to date has garnered 5.38 Million downloads. At this point, the show will continue to run through March and we will keep you posted on the show's status.

Carol wishes to thank Ken and Sandy for putting on a ongoing, successful series that spreads classical music and joy throughout our world.

Hear Carol Worthey 's New Year's interview hosted by Ken Hedgecock and podcast to 30 million listeners throughout the world!