The premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is shrouded in mystery and legend surrounding the events that arose from it. Although the myth that there was a protest at the premiere is nothing more than a myth, the audience reaction was quite notable as it was not the customary etiquette…

The premiere of Edwin Guevara Gutiérrez’s Ibero-American Landscapes was very different from what I was expecting. I initially was planning on attending the premiere online, but ended up deciding on attending in person. Walking into Crowder Hall, in which the performance took place, I was not surprised to find audience…

In 1830, Hector Berlioz composed and premiered his Symphonie fantastique, a piece consisting of 5 movements. Berlioz was constantly compared to Beethoven, who was alive and well-known during Berlioz’s time. However, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique was ground-breaking in his musical interpretation of an execution scene and his overall musical interpretations of…

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is one of his most well-known works, especially for his inclusion of the well-known melody, ‘Ode to Joy.’ Having been considered one of the greatest composers of his time, it’s not hard to imagine the Ninth Symphony being well-received by his audience at the premiere…

Handel’s Messiah is a traditional piece played within the month of December, when everyone is preparing for the holidays. This occurs so often, it is often hard to not equate it with the holiday season now a days. However, Messiah is an oratorio, a sort of opera-sounding, non-opera piece meant…

The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is very popular tale amongst a wide audience. It is a myth that often acts as a symbol in much of the modern literature and is portrayed in works of art inspired by the myth itself, like Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown…

The London Premiere of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker With many annual productions by multiple ballet companies and symphony orchestras, it is safe to say that The Nutcracker ballet and Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite” are among the beloved American favorites during the holiday season. …

In February of 2020, my high school choir and I were scheduled to travel up to Flagstaff to participate in Northern Arizona University’s annual Jazz and Madrigal Festival (often lovingly referred to as JazzMad). Having attended JazzMad the year before, I was excited to attend again for my last year…