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The Political Beethoven
by Marc Shulgold The world changed drastically during Beethoven's life. There were violent revolutions, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the reshaping of Europe, etc. Creative artists took notice of those changes. Some, in fact, helped spur on society's new ways of...
Brooklyn Rider Rides Again
by Marc Shulgold Brooklyn Rider. What a cool name for a string quartet. And just as the foursome chose a memorable moniker, the 15-year-old group has adopted an aggressive artistic goal. Violist Nicholas Cords sums it up succinctly: “We want to remove the barriers...
A Pianist Shares the Joy of Playing
by Marc Shulgold Before we visit with this marvelous young musician, let's get a couple of things out of the way. First, how to pronounce his name: Jan Lisiecki doesn't sound anything like it looks. So, let's say it together: Yon Lih-SHETT-ski. His parents, as you...
Collaborating to Create a Concerto
by Marc Shulgold For a while, a few years back, Sharon Isbin's phone began to ring with regularity – but not from scammers or nosey relatives. On the other end was Chris Brubeck, son of legendary jazz artist Dave Brubeck. And Isbin, one of the world's leading...
Hadelich Explores New Possibilities for Performance
by Marc Shulgold As the effects of the Covid-19 virus continue to alter life as we've known it, concert halls stand empty around the world, forcing touring musicians to rethink ways of sharing their artistry with audiences. World-renowned violinist Augustin Hadelich...
Meet Harumi: An Interview Between Center Co-Founder Kathy Kucsan and Violinist Harumi Rhodes of the Takács Quartet
Harumi Rhodes is a “deeply expressive violinist” (New York Times) and a member of the world-renowned Takács Quartet, a resident ensemble at the University of Colorado Boulder. Kathy Kucsan sat down with Ms. Rhodes in early 2020 to discuss her passion for chamber music...
Voices of the Festival: Interview with Catherine Turner, Principal Horn
Catherine Turner, Principal Horn, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra The 19th Amendment celebrates its 100th birthday in 2020. In the spirit of this landmark anniversary, Executive Director Elizabeth McGuire begins a series of interviews featuring women of the Colorado...
Voices of the Festival: Interview with Viviana Cumplido Wilson, Principal Flute
Viviana Cumplido Wilson, Principal Flute, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra The 19th Amendment celebrates its 100th birthday in 2020. In the spirit of this landmark anniversary, Executive Director Elizabeth McGuire begins a series of interviews featuring women of the...
May Update
We write to you today with the unfortunate news that the 2020 Colorado Music Festival has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having sustained hope throughout these past months that presenting the Festival would be possible, we now accept that we are unable...
April Update
As I’ve witnessed the impact of COVID-19 unfold upon our musical community worldwide, I find it most compelling to see musicians band together to support each other, share each other’s uplifting performances, and serve as beacons of happiness and compassion to one...
Growing Up With Beethoven
by Peter Oundjian, Music Director Read a message from Peter regarding COVID-19 > When you grow up in a house full of people playing the piano, you tend to hear “Für Elise” quite a lot. As aggravating as it is to hear that opening being practiced hundreds of times...
March Update
Dear Friends of the Festival, I am deeply saddened to witness the impact of the coronavirus on many of our own Festival musicians and peer institutions throughout the world, yet heartened to see so many individuals offering support to those impacted. Like me, many of...