Aaron Jay Kernis finished his two-year stint as Astral Artists’ first composer in residence with two spectacular pieces that starred a spectacular soprano. Kernis has been blessed with a genius for choosing texts.
March 22, 2011
Press
March 19, 2011
Berlioz’s “Harold in Italy,” with the San Diego Symphony and viola soloist Cynthia Phelps, was a tour de force.
Aaron Jay Kernis composed ‘A Voice, a Messenger,’ a concerto for trumpet and orchestra, for Philip Smith and the New York Philharmonic. The New York Philharmonic has championed Mr. Kernis’s music since 1983, when the composer was only 23 years old. “It had something that appealed to me,” Mr. Smith says. “It was music that reflected his faith.”
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra opens its season Oct. 8 at Carnegie Hall with a program of Stravinsky, Bach and Beethoven. The evening leads off with the world-premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis’ Concerto with Echoes.
September 27, 2009
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra opens its 37th season Oct. 8 at Carnegie Hall with a program of Stravinsky, Bach and Beethoven. The evening leads off with the world-premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis’ Concerto with Echoes. Kernis recently discussed his new work, the latest installment in the Orchestra’s New Brandenburg commissioning project:
August 21, 2009
Variety and Laura Karpman talk about the how her Ask Your Mama and how it came to be; based on an epic 1961 poem by Langston Hughes, the 104-minute score boasts an eclectic lineup including opera star Jessye Norman, jazz singer Nnenna Freelon, hip-hop band the Roots, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (George Manahan will conduct). Thanks to a recording Karpman discovered during her two years of research and writing, Hughes’ voice can be heard during portions of the show.