2013 Events Archive Table |
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OCTOBER 2013
World Premiere of
Transformations
for Solo Cello
Maksim Velishkin, Cello
Carol Worthey
has this to say about the
Maksim Velichkin
concert on October 28th, 2013 at Silverlake Library in Los
Angeles: "World-class cellist Maksim Velichkin presented the
World-Premiere of my solo cello work
Transformations
tonight with spontaneity, passion and lyricism, not to
mention dazzling technical skill! All this lent it a very
'ALIVE' feeling. While he was playing, I felt as if I were
hearing the piece just as I'd imagined it in the first
moments of creation! I'm glad to say
Transformations
received a long and rousing response from the audience and
many warm comments! Thank you, Maksim! The whole concert was
delightful."
Before Maksim played Carol's composition, he invited her to
give a little description of the work and show the audience
her portrait of Bach at Forty-Eight. Here you see a photo
from the presentation.
A new person to Carol named Ted came up to the composer
after the concert and said, "It was really beautiful. I
loved the lyrical qualities of it, but what really struck me
was that there were surprises. I really liked that aspect
of it a lot!" Surprises — yes, Carol says, "I always
aim for those. Surprising but satisfying moments!"
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OCTOBER 2013
'Love and Lament': Stanley Wong Moves His Hong Kong Audience
Pavane Gitana
the Asian Premiere
Stanley Wong, Piano
Music by Carol Worthey
Concert Pianist
Stanley Wong
, who has performed numerous works by
Carol Worthey
, honored her yet again on October 16th, 2013 with a
performance of
"Pavane Gitana"
in a noon-time recital at Saint John's Cathedral in Hong
Kong, China. This was the Asian and Chinese Premiere of the
work.
This is what the Pianist
Stanley Wong
had to say:
"In this mini-concert, I presented 4 piano solo works
juxtaposing the feeling of 'love' and 'lament'.
"Regarding the program, there are 3 pieces related to
paintings — the
Granados'
Goyescas
(in the style of
Goya
) and contemporary composer
Carol Worthey
's
Pavane Gitana
which is interrelated to composer's art-work. While
Augusta Read Thomas'
Love Twitters
is a surprising improvisation on
Irving Berlin
's hit song 'They say it's wonderful'.
Program:
Enrique Granados – Quejas o la maja y el Ruisenor from Goyescas
Augusta Read Thomas – Love Twitters (2007)
Carol Worthey – Pavane Gitana (2012) Asian Premiere & Hong Kong premiere
Enrique Granados – Los Requiebros from Goyescas
Enrique Granados – Quejas o la maja y el Ruisenor from Goyescas
Augusta Read Thomas – Love Twitters (2007)
Carol Worthey – Pavane Gitana (2012) Asian Premiere & Hong Kong premiere
Enrique Granados – Los Requiebros from Goyescas
An additional thrill was a note that Stanley was sent by an
audience member, a perceptive analysis of the skillful
programming design of the concert with some words that made
Carol's heart sing:
"Thanks for the wonderful recital. By alternating
between "lament" and "love", and playing the fourth Goyescas
first and the first one last, you effectively created an
impression of a single cohesive work climaxing into a
virtuosic ending. What's more, although your first two
pieces were composed in different eras, they're nicely
unified by the common theme of trills. Speaking of which, I
especially liked your bell-like trills in Quejas which were
further enhanced by the cathedral's acoustics. Overall, I
loved Pavane Gitana the best - it's the most moving piece to
my ears today."
--- Tak-Shing Chan,
audience member at the concert who sent this
to Stanley after the concert (on facebook)
audience member at the concert who sent this
to Stanley after the concert (on facebook)
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OCTOBER 2013
World Premiere
RESCUE:
A True Story
Elayne Boosler, Comedienne
Julia Heinen, Clarinet
Ruslan Biryukov, Cello
Dmitry Rachmanov, Piano
(Book by Elayne Boosler and Music by Carol Worthey)
What a phenomenal smash success the World Premiere of
Rescue: A True Story
was! Certainly one of the highlights of
Carol Worthey
's entire lifetime of composing! A packed audience of over
four hundred greeted the world premiere of
Rescue: A True Story
with laughter, tears and long ovation cheers! It was truly
electric to feel the communication sizzling back and forth
from the performers to the audience when world-renowned
comedienne and animal rescuer
Elayne Boosler
was narrating her very humorous, colorful and
heart-wrenching story about Annie, her very own rescue dog,
while three of the world's best musicians played
Carol Worthey
's music. Carol worked hard to set just the right mood and
tone for a slew of animal characters, including a feisty
raccoon and fellow puppies in the shelter.
Julia Heinen
on clarinet provided both subtle nuances and striking
panache,
Ruslan Biryukov
extolled the rich expressiveness of the cello with his
luscious sonorities and sensitive phrasing, and pianist
pianist
Dmitry Rachmanov
wowed with the harmonies and melodies that flowed
effortlessly from his fingers. Eclectic musical styles set
many scenes, some of them downright scary, some jaunty,
others lyrical and poignant: rhythmic dancelike music with
"barks" for the puppy scenes, hilarious Klezmer for the
Raccoon, evocative nightfall moods with forest birds and a
hint of danger, daring dissonance for the dog fighting
scene, and majestic classical poignancy for the final
portraits of Annie as she found her "forever home" at long
last! As Carol's daughter said, "At the end, there wasn't a
dry eye in the house."
Here you see a batch of terrific photos taken by
Dean Stefan
after the Premiere of
Rescue: A True Story!!
They capture the delight of the 'show'!
The accolades and congratulations poured in from the
audience and here are some of the raves and comments:
"Thanks to all of you for a wonderful show today. Carol,
your music is beautiful! It was a roller coaster of emotions
and I enjoyed every note. Great cause and wonderful music."
— C. G.
"It was truly a scintillating work, Carol. I loved every
second. So much lightness, pathos, musical jokes, beautiful
melodies and all so perfectly formed. Even some klezmer
music! Not to mention the other ethnic tunes. It all fit so
well and integrated beautifully with the narration. I think
the music would work beautifully even alone. Congrats to
you! And to the first-rate musicians, Ruslan Biryukov,
Julian Heinen & Dmitry Rachmanov. A thrilling afternoon.
Many thanks to Elayne Boosler for making all this possible.
Her narration was sparkling. And thanks to the dog, Annie,
for inspiring the whole thing. Who would believe a dog could
send humans to such heights in her name?"
— A. P.
"Carol, your music is magnificent. An unforgettable
performance."
— M. M.
"Congratulations, and thanks, Carol for a work that,
with humor, brought repeated tearing to my eyes. What a
lovely tribute in music to a life deeply felt and lovingly
lived. It brought repeated tearing to my eyes at the same
time the humor was generous, warm, lovingly felt, and
allowed us all to deeply live and emphathize.
Congratulations, too, on another successful concert and an
ambitious start to the new season of the GPO."
— B. W. G. B.
"Your music really brought out the tenderness, humor,
pathos and all wonderful emotions to a very sweet story.
Congratulations, Carol! It was a joy to be there to cheer
you!"
— A. A.
"...Carol Worthey, you are the voice of every woman who
seeks to help and make the world a better place...your music
transposed this fact in every caring notes you composed for
this performance. I wish you well, thank you for believing
so much in yourself that you are brave enough to share and
inspire pure human and animal community! Today, you are
immortal to me! Thank you for your generosity!"
— A. L-G.
"It was moving, heart-warming, and delightful!"
— J. A.
"Soooooooo thrilled to be there tonite Elayne! . Mazel
Tov! Such a powerful and touching story... And how brilliant
is Carol Worthey's??? ENCORE!!!! XOXOXOXO"
— L. B. H.
"OMG, I had the honor of being there. Didn't expect the
flood of tears. Absolutely perfect. Tom and I thoroughly
enjoyed the performance, and we both remarked to each other
that you and Elayne are a great pairing!!"
— J. C. V.
"Bravo Bravo Bravo! Just returned from Glendale where
Roberta Rubio and I saw Elayne Boosler and Carol Worthey's
"Rescue-A True Story". I LOVED THE STORY and the music...
Incredible! Thank you for telling this oh so important tale!
"Tail"!"
— L. B. H.
"Good thing you served cake afterwards. Probably makes
up for the crying."
— K. W.
"The concert -- your musical creation -- was beyond
wonderful, Carol. You literally glowed the entire time, and
graciously shared your warmth with everyone there. I have
had the privilege of spending numerous wonderful moments
with you, but yesterday...well, it all just took my breath
away. Jeff and I enjoyed the afternoon (and subsequent
evening!) so very much, and we both look forward to many
more such magical times with you and "the family." Love you
so much my heart hurts!!"
— N. C.
"It was such a great show and venue. We had a wonderful
time, with or without cake."
— M. M.
"The minute [Elayne] said "Annie", I was done! Not just
weepy eyes, but huge tears rolling down my face! Such a
beautiful story... And made me think of what happened to my
little guy "Archer" before I found him running in traffic!
What you do is so important!!!! Here's to Annie and "that
rescuer and her husband"!!!!"
— L. B. H.
"You are AMAZING Carol !!! It was beyond a joy to hear
your exquisite music and Elayne and the story (funny AND
heart wrenching) and the superb musicians. Thanks so much
for inviting us! You should take this piece on the road..."
— T. V.
"She made me cry like a baby tonight..."
— D. L.
"I am so happy to have attended the concert and that it
was beautiful. If I can describe what I felt about your
music for the presentation, I would say it was very
poignant-I noticed a lot of moist eyes in the audience at
the end of the story. Carol, it was beautiful to see how
warm and accessible the music was. My favorite parts were
the descriptions of how the various dogs would describe
themselves, and the final number which was so heartfelt.
There was no mistaking the bigness of heart and emotion that
just poured out of the music. All throughout I felt a
consummate, experienced hand guiding us through the story
with ease and mastery-your hands that is! I really was
blown away and feel privileged to be working with you [as a
composition student]. It really was a triumph, Carol! The
performers were all excellent-I'm sure that helps! Too bad
they didn't get a chance to play that little French song you
showed me. Was that what was sold for the auction?
[Yes, in a sense, it was the original pencil-and-paper with
full arrangement of "Strolling by The Seine" aka Chanson
Francais.]
"
— E. K.
"Brava, Carol! I really enjoyed it. You have such a gift
for storytelling in your music. it was very moving."
— C. 0.
"Great music & Great story:) Made me laugh and cry !
Enjoyed a lot. Thank you!!"
— Y. H.
"What a delight to hear your wonderful musical setting
of a sweet/poignant story about Brownie/Annie etc. It was a
wonderful afternoon! You should be very happy to have such a
delightful work out in the world! congratulations, dear
Carol!"
— A. A.
"What a great show!! Bows, Bow wows!!"
— D. A.
"Excellent in every way! A marvelous achievement. You
should all be very proud."
— M. D. W.
"Thank you Elayne Boosler for sharing what will become
an American classic"A Dog's Rescue". Most comedians prime
objective is to stimulate humor. Laughter and joy. But this
evening, I damn near cried like I was five years old
watching the ending to Disney's Old Yellow for the first
time when the four legged hero must be put down. When I was
introduced to this event, the event was promoted as a
narration of the classic"Peter and the Wolf". I loved this
story since second grade. Our teacher Ms.McCune, who looked
like the little lady in the Tweety Bird cartoons, would play
a Disney LP narrated by the great Hans Conrad in the
afternoon break period instead of recess when the weather
was bad. Peter and his pop gun against the wolf. I still
recall the record album. Here, we have a dog that survives
abandonment by various owners and like the classics "Lassie
Come Home" or the movie we watched last night "Homeward
Bound" with the grandchildren, this story will soon be a
family classic. Thank you for allowing us to be the first
folks worldwide to feast on this great human story of
compassion, determination, salvation and love. Great
storytelling and great music. Well done my friend. Well
done. My dog was also rescued, but it is she that has
rescued me. I like to think I am a better man by God's
grace, my wife's support, and our dog Lady's unconditional
love. Again, great work of literature and music."
— V. W.
"I'm glad I had tissues. What a beautiful dog and
heartfelt narration. Kudos to all involved with this
wonderful project."
— K. C.
"Brava, brava, BRAVA for the beautiful music yesterday.
You are one talented lady!!!"
— C. B.
"Wow! I really loved everything about the performance
yesterday. I loved the little Dog Story. Usually I roll my
eyes at people with pets, but this piece made me feel for
the animal. I am concerned about people's carelessness with
animals. I loved the Klezmer for the racoon. Your music for
the story was terrific."
— N. S.
"Such an amazing evening!!! Such an honor to meet you
Carol Worthey! ENCORE ENCORE!!!!"
— L. H.
"The concert was FANTABULISSIMO!!!
— R. M. T.
"It was a very powerful piece and should be performed
everywhere!"
— M. D. W.
LA Splash:
Review of Elayne Boosler's Rescue-A True Story—A
Wonderful Concert That Makes You Laugh and Cry
By
Georja Umano
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SEPTEMBER 2013
Carol Pays Homage to Bach and to Will & Ariel Durant
Homage to Bach
the Third Performance
Maksim Velichkin, Cello
Music by Carol Worthey
It is such an intense pleasure to a composer when a work
calls for more than an isolated premiere, more than even a
second welcome performance, because a third performance
seems to send the music off into the future with a promise
of endurance and appreciation! It is with this sense of
anticipation and gratitude, that
Carol Worthey
entered the
Will & Ariel Durant Library
on West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood California on
September 28th 2013, awaiting the third performance of her
Homage to Bach
by the masterful cellist who first premiered it,
Maksim Velichkin
. It must be mentioned that Carol has been reading the
Durants' eleven-volume
History of Civilization,
is looking up all the words (
Will Durant
is her favorite writer in the English language --- This
historian-philosopher has the most copious and precise
vocabulary of any author or researcher she has ever
encountered) so in her eyes, the
Will & Ariel Durant Library
is absolutely sacred ground! Couple this with nearly every
seat in the cheerful concert room being filled and you have
the makings of a very enjoyable event. But nothing could
have prepared
Carol Worthey
for the concert that ensued: Brilliant and
straight-to-the-heart! Maksim outdid himself with every
cello piece, including the most beautiful performance of
Homage to Bach
yet. Four contemporary composers were in attendance,
Adrienne Albert
,
Elliot Goldkind
,
Stephen Kohn
and
Carol
and each was regaled with a great performance and
enthusiastic audience response. At the end, Maksim put down
his cello, went to the upright piano and turned it into a
concert grand in a blistering display of improvisational
mastery the likes of which Carol has never heard in her
entire life. This was one concert where a recording would
have born witness to genius. Breathless, the composers left
the sacred ground wherein love of books and delight in music
join.
Music is a dialogue — it communicates emotion and
states-of-being beyond the conveyance of words, a dialogue
flowing from Composer to Performer to Listener. Styles
change through the eras, but the dialogue continues.
Sometimes a feeling or a song so captures the mood that it
continues through all the scenes of history, transformaing
itself in myriad ways but still essentially recognizable.
Homage to Bach
for solo cello is the final Theme & Variation that ends
the work
Transformation
, a somewhat self-contained and extended variation (which in
Bach-like style)
is
truly a dialogue. Composer
Carol Worthey
had just attended a seminar on Composing for Classical
Guitar which pointed out the brilliant use in Bach's
celebrated Suites for Unaccompanied Cello of what the
seminar leaders called intermittent Counterpoint. In this
technique three layers (sometimes more) exist within the
range of a solo guitar (and cello), layers that can be
coordinated to produce chords and melodic content. The
lower range functions as the bass, the top usually bears the
strongest melodic interest and the middle not only fills out
the chord but also has its own melodic and rhythmic
structure forming and interweaving melody. What makes this
technique for conveying harmonies and melodic threads
"intermittent" is that each layer (the top melody or
harmonizing part; the middle melody and mid-chord tones; the
lower bass notes with their own melodic path) is broken up
time-wise into fragments that demand an eager ear to tie
them into coherence.
It is the challenge of the Composer to create each layer as
a discernible thread within the fabric of the whole; it is
the challenge of the Performer to unroll each layer and
fulfill the quest for richness amid transparency of line.
And when both composer and performer do their missions well,
the ear of an attentive listener is able to discern all
three strands and follow top-middle-bottom, savor the
harmonies, catch the snippets and piece it all together.
Breaking the layers up into portions not only allows one
solo player to sound like an ensemble, conveying the full
richness, it also wakes the listener up, asking him or her
to connect what-goes-where across the subtle silences and
breaks. This method Intermittent Counterpoint fascinates
Carol and so it colors the entire set of variations,
becoming the "modus operandi." Carol felt there was no
better way to end a solo cello work than with a humbly
offered tribute to the absolute master of this technique, J.
S. Bach.
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SEPTEMBER 2013
The Poetry of Flute
Quatrain
for Solo Flute
World Premiere
Alice Pero, Flute
(along with Poetry Readings by Poets Alice Pero & Nancy Shiffrin)
When
Carol Worthey
was asked to compose a piece for
Alice Pero
, who is a both a renowned poet and a dazzling flutist,
Carol began to conceive a piece for flute that echoed both
disciplines, poetry and flute. There is something native to
the dulcet, pastoral tones of a flute that lends itself to
the subtle art of poetry. The result was
Quatrain
for solo flute. Like a quatrain, which is a four-line
stanza, this work is divided into four sections. The very
first seven notes are mystical, with a Japanese-like scale
that suggests ancient reflective pools in zen gardens and
yet the theme has a contemporary flavor. The theme is
explored in the rich but gentle low register and in the
bright high register and seems to be asking an unworded
question of the listener. The next two sections take the
theme into rapid runs and staccato tonguing, exploring the
virtuoso, birdcall aspects of the flute. The final movement
returns home, perhaps to answer the mysterious question
posed at the beginning with a suggestion of completion
— questions and new possibilities. And yes, all this
is
in the music. (A recording of the Premiere is
anticipated.)
On Friday evening, September 27th, 2013 the world-premiere
of
Quatrain
took place in a 1920's mansion devoted to the art of
language where the largest collection of poetic journals and
chapbooks in the Western US is on display or for sale and
where workshops and readings take place just about every
day:
Beyond Baroque
in Venice, California. In an intimate space where many
famous poets have read their works over the years, poet
Nancy Shiffrin
read from her book
The Great Unknowing
and Alice read from her book
Thawed Stars — poems whimsical, wise, telling.
The audience was intent on every word. A long and loud
applause greeted
Alice Pero
's brilliant performance of
Quatrain
. Carol is planning new versions of this work, since it has
qualities unlike anything she has created up to this point.
Poetry lives and she feels that
Quatrain
is bound for a long life too!
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JULY 2013
World Premiere of
"Pavane Gitana"
for Solo Piano
Carol Worthey, Piano
The World-Premiere of
Pavane Gitana
("slow Gypsy dance") for Solo Piano was performed by the
composer
Carol Worthey
at this
Steinway Concerts at the Ranch
concert on Saturday, July 20th, 2013.
Throughout her life, Carol has gone to the piano to
communicate her feelings — the piano has become a
dear, lifelong friend. The night her beloved dog Sophie
died, Carol went almost in a trance to the piano to expiate
her grief in an improvisation. The feeling was so intense
that Carol didn't feel she could continue writing it, so she
wrote down the theme and abandoned it in a stack of paper.
Years later when she was in the process of moving out of a
house she'd lived in for twenty years, Carol ironically
found the scrap of paper and realized that it deserved to be
a completed work and that she needed to take grief and loss
to a new place. Adding ornamentation, rich harmonies and
surprising twists, the composer was able to transform sorrow
into passion and tenderness. The word "pavane" originated as
a stately and sensual Medieval dance; Ravel's famous
Pavane for A Dead Princess
added the connotation of a memorial piece written in
tribute.
Carol hopes the deep feelings expressed take you to a place
of healing and beauty. This past Autumn
Pavane Gitana
made its debut as a Violin/Cello duet, but was premiered in
its original form at this concert. To create the art cover
for the score, the composer/artist studied traditional Gypsy
dress and lifestyle and then drew from imagination. The
Gypsy girl in the foreground wears authentic dress. Behind
her runs a little dog, added in homage to Sophie, initial
inspiration for the piece.
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MARCH 2013
World Premiere of
"Solitaire: Theme & Variations"
for Solo Cello
Suzanne Mueller, Cello
Monday, March 24
th
, 2013
Bayard Cutting Arboretum
Winter Concert Series of the Islip Arts Council
Cross Island
is the name of a celebrated professional duo consisting of
cellist
Suzanne Mueller
and pianist
Elinor Abrams Zavas.
This concert — part of the Winter Concert Series put
on by the Islip Arts Council in the beautiful garden setting
of an arboretum on Long Island — features both solo
works for each instrument and delightful duets.
One of the highlights of this musical afternoon will be the
World-Premiere of
Carol Worthey
's latest work,
"Solitaire: Theme & Variations"
for Solo Cello, especially commissioned by cellist
Suzanne Mueller.
Suzanne will be recording
"Solitaire: Theme & Variations"
on her upcoming solo CD
"Solitaire",
to be released this summer. Carol has fashioned a rich
tour-de-force for solo cello that plays with two ideas
inherent in the word "solitaire": The many card games that
bear that name, each with different layouts and unique
challenges, and the concept of "solitary-ness", which
embodies a spectrum of emotions from loneliness to
reflective solitude to the joy of being oneself. Working
with both the idea of variety (the many games) and
solitary-ness, the composer utilized the time-honored
approach of theme and variations, transforming a soulful
melody representing "loneliness" into a variety of styles,
eras and moods, from a Renaissance romp to a passionate
tango to blues and beyond. Ms. Mueller has told the
composer that — especially after the recent sorrow of
her father's passing — the work resonates with her in
its spectrum of emotions. Carol is very excited to have
this premiere on Long Island, where she often visited her
beloved Opera Singer Aunt, Uncle and cousins as a child.
The concert program was inventive, featuring beloved
favorites and new discoveries, alternating between solo
works and duets of all kinds, including
Beethoven
's Twelve Variations on
"See, the Conqu'ring Hero Comes"
from
Handel
's
"Judas Maccabeus",
a number of pieces from
Gliere
's
"Album Leaves",
Richard Rodney Bennett
's
"All in a Garden Green"
and
"Buskin"
from his
"Six Country Dances",
selections from
"Danzas Argentinas"
by
Alberto Ginastera
and
Astor Piazzola
's
"Escualo",
plus works by
Chopin,
Glazunov,
and works by renowned women composers of the past, American
composer
Amy Beach
and Romantic era composer,
Clara Schumann
(
Robert Schumann
's wife and one of the most celebrated concert pianists of
her day). The concert closed with free improvisation by the
duo.
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FEBRUARY 2013
Celebrating
The Chinese New Year:
A Gala Concert
Pianist, Stanley Wong
in Hong Kong
Sunday, February 17th, 2013, 6:30 p.m.
Parsons Music Recital Hall 14th Floor
Times Square, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
The concert featured exuberant and joyous works to highlight this festive time of year:
| "Romanza" for Solo Piano | Carol Worthey |
| "Variations on a Theme by Mozart" | Yves Ramette |
| "Sandburg Suite" | Victoria Bond |
| "Starlight" | David Liptak |
| "A Simple Ditty" | Carol Worthey |
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JANUARY 2013
WINDS, WORDS & SONG CONCERT
Saturday, January 12th, 2013
Celebrity Centre International Pavilion
5930 Franklin Avenue Hollywood, CA 90028
A truly exciting concert featured music of
Composers
J.S. Bach
M. Ravel
P. Hindemith
Carol Worthey
M. Ravel
P. Hindemith
Carol Worthey
with performances by
Alice Pero, Flute & poetry
Sisu Raiken, Soprano
Sheila Zimmermann, Flute
Paul Switzler, Piano
Sisu Raiken, Soprano
Sheila Zimmermann, Flute
Paul Switzler, Piano
