Music Director, Jeri Lynne Johnson's thoughtful presentations are a fascinating mixture of music and history.  The "lessons" are delivered through informative program notes, short narratives from Johnson and musicians, and a careful selection of music.  Rather than a dry delivery of information, Johnson spices up the program by including the native form of music that weaved its way into the classical genre through it's influence on the composers.  Faced with these direct comparisons the…

Usually when people think of "classical" music they think of orchestras, or violin virtuosos, or pianists, but they don't necessarily think of guitar. The guitar's typically thought of as a rock instrument. The guitar, however, was a favorite instrument of master orchestrater, Hector Berlioz, violin virtuoso, Níccolo Paganini and pianist Franz Schubert. Berlioz was the first major composer who wasn't a keyboard player and rather would use the guitar to help with harmony, orchestration, etc.…

I had the honor Monday night to have a coveted seat on stage for the composers recital at the Curtis Institute of Music.  What a remarkable experience!  

In case you have not had the pleasure of attending a recital in Curtis's Field Concert Hall, let me describe the surroundings.  In the normal…

We invite you to join the Philadelphia Fans of Classical Music and meet other classical music enthusiasts in Philly.  Our group is for those who enjoy going to concerts, listening to recordings, who want to…

This is a narrative I wrote back in '09 about my first encounter (in 2008) with the famed Wanamaker Organ, the largest organ in the world, which is located in Center City's Macy's Department Store. Enjoy!

Playing the Wanamaker



In the center of Philadelphia there sits a tall,…

"For all human sentiments there is a time of early blossoming, a day of generous enthusiasm that gradually fades until nothing is left of happiness but a memory, and glory is known for delusion.  Of all these delicate and…

Here is an excellent piece by WHYY's NewsWorks featuring David Ludwig, who teaches composition at the Curtis Institute of Music.  Be sure to listen to the audio clip associated with the article, too, as it provides musical examples and additional information.  

Stravinsky sounds through artistic melange of…