Escala Electrifies With New AlbumBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The popular talent show ``Britain's Got Talent'' has discovered its share of musical sensations like Paul Potts, Andrew Johnston, Connie Talbot, and most recently, Susan Boyle. The all-female electronic string quartet Escala is proving to be no exception. Composed of cellist Tasya Hodges, violinist Izzy Johnston, violist Chantal Leverton and violinist Victoria Lyon, the group found fame when they reached the finale of ``Britain's Got Talent" last year. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, Hodges talked about Escala's experience joining the hit TV show and recording their first album. The four girls met when they worked in the string section of the orchestra on tour with band McFly in 2005. Prior to that, Leverton and Lyon were in a junior orchestra together, and Leverton also worked with Johnston in a group named Wild. ``We were all originally musicians, and the community is small, so we knew each other for a long time. … The four of us got together as a band to play at parties and weddings. We've been together forJul 14, 2009
Fall Out Boy Excited to Perform in KoreaBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American rock band Fall Out Boy is gearing up for their first performance in Korea at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Icheon, June 24. Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy's bassist and lyricist, appeared apologetic to their fans in Korea for taking such a long time to perform here. ``I got a lot of emails (from Korean fans) asking us when we're going to get there. We're really excited about our first performance in Korea. We're looking forward to go and see our fans this summer,'' Wentz said in a phone interview with The Korea Times. Wentz will be joined at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival by the rest of Fall Out Boy: vocalist and composer Patrick Stump, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley. Wentz and Trohman formed a band in Wilmette, Ill. in 2001, later joined by Stump. In one of their early shows, the band asked the audience for name suggestions. One fan shouted ``Fallout Boy,'' referring to the sidekick to Radioactive Man on ``The Simpsons,'' and the name stuck. Little did the band members know how much success they wouldJul 13, 2009
Romanticism Reigns in Alexeev’s WorldBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Dmitri Alexeev recently appeared as a jury member at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition ― an event founded in honor of the American pianist who captured top prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow during the height of the Cold War in 1958. Alexeev himself partook in a historic cultural exchange some 20 years ago, when he played with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea. It was the first time a Russian ensemble visited Seoul since the North-Side divide of the Korean Peninsula. ``Now of course it’s completely different,’’ the master pianist told The Korea Times, Friday evening at KBS Hall, downtown Seoul, before performing with the Hannu Litnu-led KBS Symphony Orchestra. He had wowed crowds the previous evening at Seoul Arts Center with a timeless Russian work, Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2. ``It was good, with a nice orchestra and a good conductor, and the audience was enthusiastic,’’ he said, recalling the evening. Only recently has the technically taxing, emotionally tumultuous piece been spotligJul 13, 2009
Great Mountain Fest to Fathom Song MeaningsBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The Great Mountain International Music Festival & School (GMMFS), Korea's foremost summer music event, explores the meaning of song titles in its sixth edition, which opens amid the backdrop of Yongpyeong, Gangwon Province's cascading mountains from July 22 to Aug. 14. Having attracted more than 40,000 festival goers from near and far last year, it is one of the most highly evaluated arts events by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This year's program, titled ``What's in a name?'' includes well-known pieces as well as ones that are rarely heard of, said the event's artistic director Hyo Kang. ``I hope this will be an opportunity to experience how a composer expresses the title of a piece of music and how the audience perceives that musical scent,'' said the Juilliard professor. The festival's most popular section, the Great Artist Concert series, welcomes back musicians of the highest caliber including members of the conductor-less ensemble Sejong and cellist Chung Myung-wha. On July 31, violinist Chee-Yun and pianist Evan SoloJul 8, 2009
Jarasum Gears Up fo Jazz in FallBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It's the middle of summer, but preparations are already underway for this fall's 6th Jarasum International Jazz Festival. The popular jazz festival runs from Oct. 15-18 on Jara Island, Gyeonggi Province. Korea's premier international jazz festival offers an initial line-up of well-known names in jazz from all over the world. The list includes Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, Italian trumpet player Enrico Rava, French accordionist Richard Galliano, Portuguese singer Maria Joao and band Chico & the Gypsies. Bridgewater is described as a ``consummate entertainer'' having won two Grammy Awards and a Tony Award. She is also the host of a syndicated radio show, and a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization. Rava is one of the most well known Italian jazz musicians, having played with some of the best musicians around the world, and released numerous albums. Cohen, a bassist, composer, and singer, is known for combining Middle Eastern, European, and AJul 7, 2009
Album ReviewsDave Matthews Band `Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King' (Warner Korea) With their first album since 2005, Dave Matthews Band is once again at the top of its game. The album is dedicated to the band's late saxophonist LeRoi Moore, whose nickname inspired the whimsical title. Dave Matthews Band always seems to have a crazy, wild energy and funky sounds, and this album is no different. They take it to the next level with tunes like ``Shake Me Like a Monkey" and ``Funny the Way It Is." ``If this is the last album that I make, it's the only album I hope people will listen to," said frontman Dave Matthews. And he's right, ``GrooGrux" is a gem. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Jul 7, 2009
Conductor Lee to Bring Korean Musicality to LondonBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Korea's rising young conductor Lee Young-chil, 39, who already holds several positions with major European orchestras, debuts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra July 10 at Cadogan Hall, London. Founded in 1946, the Royal Philharmonic has been led by maestri Andre Previn and Vladimir Ashkenazy, among others, and now Charles Dutoit. As with any given premiere ensemble, it is highly selective in appointing guest conductors or soloists. ``Nobleness goes to blossom and brilliance,'' Mlad Fronta magazine in the Czech Republic said of Lee, who was recently appointed chief foreign conductor of the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra in Prague and has recorded CDs under the local EMI label. He is also the chief guest conductor at the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra and is regularly invited to the helm of other ensembles. Born in Seoul, Lee holds degrees from Mannes College of Music and the State University of New York. After studying under Vasil Kajandjiev in Sofia, Bulgaria, he became chief foreign conductor at Polvdiv State Philharmonic and foreign permJun 30, 2009
Lady Gaga Returns to Seoul in AugustBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Pop sensation Lady Gaga is making good on her promise to come back to Seoul for a solo concert. She will be back for a concert Aug. 9 at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, as part of ``The Fame Ball Tour.'' Since her debut last year, Lady Gaga has topped the charts around the world with dance songs like ``Just Dance,'' ``Poker Face,'' ``Paparazzi,'' and ``Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).'' Her flamboyant stage performances and taste for avant-garde and haute couture fashion also attracted much attention, leading some to call her the ``new Madonna.'' The 23-year-old New York native visited Seoul three weeks ago to promote her album ``The Fame.'' During her press conference, Lady Gaga said she was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception from Korean fans. Lady Gaga, who is currently planning a fall tour with hip-hop star Kanye West in the U.S., had hinted then at a possible concert in Seoul, although she gave no details. Korean fans were given a taste of what to expect from Lady Gaga during a show at Club Answer, Cheongdam-dong, June 1Jun 30, 2009
Album ReviewsDaniel Merriweather `Love & War' (SonyBMG) Australian singer Daniel Merriweather first became known when he was featured in Mark Ronson's hit song ``Stop Me.'' Now, he has finally released his debut album, ``Love & War,'' produced by Ronson, who was also responsible for Amy Winehouse's acclaimed ``Back to Black.'' With his husky voice, Merriweather croons his way to listeners' hearts with R&B and new soul tunes like ``Impossible,'' ``Red,'' and ``Could You.'' ``Change'' gets a bit of a hip-hop flavor courtesy of rapper Wale, while ``Water and a Flame,'' his duet with soul diva Adele, is another standout track. Judging from this album, Merriweather has a bright future ahead in music. _Cathy Rose A. Garcia The Veronicas `Hook Me Up' (Warner Korea) The Veronicas are one of the most popular acts in Australia right now. Composed of twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, the Veronicas originally released their second album, ``Hook Me Up,'' in Australia in November 2007, but it is only now being released in Korea. The Veronicas were originally known for thJun 30, 2009
Ensemble Ditto Inspires the YoungBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Chamber music here, like in other parts of the world, remains an acquired taste, and there are very few sizeable events exclusively devoted to it that can even begin to match those in Europe. Ironically, Ensemble Ditto -- which wrapped up its two-day festival Sunday at Seoul Arts Center, and continues to tour the country through Friday -- seems to face a different sort of challenge. With reaching out to a diverse audience being its motto, Ditto has thus far been successful in attracting more than enough attention. It has made the minor genre something of a rock festival with a cult following -- meaning, of course, mostly young female supporters, many of whom are new to classical music. Very few music critics and reporters were seen attending the Seoul shows. The Mozart-meets-MTV appeal perhaps eclipses its serious musicality. The chamber group brings together some of the most talented artists based in the United States: violinist Stefan Jackiw, who became known as a child prodigy; Ji-Yong, the youngest pianist represented by premier manaJun 29, 2009