Category Archives: News

Performances and Events

Amy Beach’s Piano Concerto in NYC on April 19!

Amy Beach’s magnificent Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 45 will be performed in NYC by pianist Asiya Korepanova together with Pegasus: The Orchestra under the direction of Karen Hakobyan!
Saturday, April 19, 7:30pm, Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufmann Center
‘The New World – A Journey of American Music’
Pegasus: The Orchestra
Karen Hakobyan, music director
Soloist: Asiya Korepanova, piano
Amy Beach Piano Concerto in C sharp minor, Op. 45
Nicholas Gawley ‘Appalachia’, Rhapsody for Orchestra (world premiere)
Antonin Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in E minor ‘From the New World’
For more info and tickets, please visit here!
Recently Released Recordings

New CD Album Release of Amy Beach Orchestral and Vocal-Orchestral Works Recorded by the Munich Symphony Orchestra!

We are thrilled to announce the CD album release of various Amy Beach orchestral and vocal-orchestral works by the Munich Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Joseph Bastian!

The instrumental works are Beach’s monumental Symphony in E Minor, Op. 32, “Gaelic Symphony” and Bal Masqué for Orchestra, Op. 22, and the 3 vocal-orchestral works are (1) Eilende Wolken, Segler die Lüfte, Op. 18, “Maria Stuart” (text by Friedrich Von Schiller), (2) Jephthah’s Daughter, Op. 53 and (3) 3 Songs, Op. 21: No. 2. Extase (text by Victor Hugo).

The three vocal works on this album (all première recordings) are imbued with poetry and drama. It was particularly moving for the Munich Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Bastian and the singers Angela Brower and Camille Schnoor to bring these sounds back to life for the first time in over a century, as far as is known.

https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=SM488

New Scholarship, Newly Available Music Editions

New Amy Beach Publications: Late Piano Works: Far Awa’, The Lotos Isles, The Water-Sprites “Caprice” & A September Forest

We at Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy are happy to announce the release of our new Amy Beach publication, consisting of four, previously-unpublished solo piano works: Far Awa’, Op. 43, no. 4 (1936), The Lotos Isles, Op. 76, no. 2 (c.1930), The Water-Sprites, Op. 90, no. 2 “Caprice” (c.1921) & A September Forest (1930)! This new critical edition was coedited by Dr Kirsten Johnson, FRSA and our Senior Music Editor Chris A. Trotman, and includes fingering/pedaling suggestions by Dr. Johnson.
You may purchase this fine new edition from our online shop!
Newly Available Music Editions

New Publication: Sonata for Violoncello & Piano, Op. 34 (featuring edition by Pamela Frame)

We at Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy are happy to announce the release of our new Amy Beach publication – Sonata for Violoncello & Piano, Op. 34 – transcribed from original violin part for violoncello. Our edition includes an edited version by cellist Pamela Frame and an unedited, direct transcription. Pamela Frame recorded her transcription, along with other works by Beach and Rebecca Clarke, in an album by Koch. You may learn more and purchase this new edition in our online shop page.
Newly Available Music Editions, Recently Released Recordings

New Publications: Three Pieces for Piano Four-Hands and Variations on Balkan Themes for Two Pianos, Op. 60!

We at Women’s Philharmonic Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy are happy to announce the release of our new Amy Beach publications for piano four-hands and for two pianos. “Three Pieces for Piano Four-Hands” is a collection of three individual works, while “Variations on Balkan Themes for Two Pianos, Op. 60” is an extensive arrangement by Beach of her revised solo piano work by the same name. You may purchase these works from our online shop – here!
Special thanks to Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov of the Genova & Dimitrov PianoDuo for their collaboration with our Senior Music Editor Chris A. Trotman in proofreading and recording these incredible works. Their CD album (CPO 555 453-2) is available from their website – here!
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Performances and Events

Amy Beach’s monumental Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 45 will be performed this weekend by pianist Kara Huber and the Ashland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of brilliant conductor Michael Repper!

Amy Beach’s monumental Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 45 will be performed this weekend by pianist Kara Huber and the Ashland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of brilliant conductor Michael Repper – Conductor! More info here.
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Performances and Events

In Wayne PA (not far from Philadelphia) April 13 & 14, performances of Amy Beach’s moving choral-orchestral work, “Canticle of the Sun.”

In Wayne PA (not far from Philadelphia) April 13 & 14, performances of Amy Beach’s moving choral-orchestral work, “Canticle of the Sun.” More info on the flyer below!
A translation by Matthew Arnold of a 12th-century text by Saint Francis of Assisi, Beach came across the poem by accident in the summer of 1923 when she had just arrived at the McDowell artists’ retreat. She was “forcibly” taken by it: “I went out under a tree, and the text took complete possession of me. As if from dictation, I jotted down the notes of my ‘Canticle.’ In less than five days, the entire work was done.” (_Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian_, p. 233 by Adrienne Fried Block)
Performances and Events

“Because I Could Not Stop,” based on Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters with music by Amy Beach!

Excerpts of “Because I Could Not Stop,” based on Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters with music by Amy Beach, will be broadcast on Classical NEPM on Sunday, March 31 at 7 p.m.

“Because I Could Not Stop” is a coproduction of the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts, the Ensemble for the Romantic Century of New York City and the Emily Dickinson Museum of Amherst and was funded by the Augustine Foundation.

For more info, visit their website here.

New Scholarship, News

New Book on Beach offers rich insights

It’s rare that a major piece of Beach scholarship comes along, one that enriches our understanding of the composer with a vast amount of insightful detail and perception.  The Cambridge Companion to Amy Beach is a newly published volume that will be essential reading for a wide range of music lovers.

Edited by distinguished scholar E. Douglas Bomberger, here is the volume’s Table of Contents

Part I. Historical Context:

  1. Between composer’s desk and piano bench: Amy Beach’s life and works — E. Douglas Bomberger
  2. Amy Beach and the women’s club movement — Marian Wilson Kimber
  3. ‘A reality of glorious attainment’: Amy Beach’s Macdowell colony — Robin Rausch
  4. Amy Beach and her publishers — Bill F. Faucett

Part II. Profiles of the Music:

  1. Amy Beach’s keyboard music — Kirsten Johnson
  2. Songs of Amy Beach — Katherine Kelton
  3. ‘Worthy of serious attention’: the chamber music of Amy Beach — R. Larry Todd
  4. The power of song in Beach’s orchestral works — Douglas W. Shadle
  5. Choral music — Matthew Phelps
  6. Beach’s dramatic works — Nicole Powlison

Part III. Reception:

  1. Phoenix redivivus: Beach’s posthumous reception — E. Douglas Bomberger.
Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events

Amy Beach’s “Jephthah’s Daughter” performed and reviewed in Boston!

As our catalogue of music publications by Amy Beach continues to grow, we are reminded of this well-deserved Boston Globe review of Beach’s “Jephthah’s Daughter” for Soprano & Orchestra, Op. 53, brilliantly performed by soprano Sarah Pelletier and the New England Philharmonic! You may read the review below or visit the Boston Globe site.

New Scholarship, New Website Content, Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events, Recently Released Recordings

Happy Birthday, Amy Marcy Beach!!!

As part of our celebration of her extraordinary life and work, we at Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy will soon be releasing our edition of four, previously-unpublished solo piano works, including her exquisite “A September Forest.” You may learn more about this work by Amy Beach and others by visiting our Publications Page.
“A September Forest” was beautifully recorded by pianist Dr Kirsten Johnson, FRSA, and you may listen here.
Recently Released Recordings

New CD Album Features Amy Beach’s Violin Sonata Arranged for Flute & Piano by Miriam Terragni (flute) & Catherine Sarasin (piano)!

Congratulations and Brava to Miriam Terragni (flute) & Catherine Sarasin (piano) on their recently-released CD album entitled Female Composers of the Romantic Era, Vol. 2, which features their flute/piano arrangements of Amy Beach’s Violin Sonata and Amanda Maier-Röntgen’s Violin Sonata in B minor!! More info and where to purchase this wonderful addition to the growing Amy Beach discography may be found at this link.
Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events

Premiere of Amy Beach’s Maria Stuart: Scena & Aria for Alto & Orchestra, Op. 18 in Bismarck!

The premiere of Amy Beach’s Eilende Wolken, Segler der Lüfte (or Wand’ring Clouds, sail through the air) from Maria Stuart: Scena & Aria for Alto & Orchestra, Op. 18 will take place on February 4, 2023 in Bismarck, ND, featuring soprano, Tammy Hensrud, as part of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra‘s program entitled American Women! The soloist and orchestra will be performing from the first published edition of Maria Stuart available from Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy. The concert will also include Florence Price‘s Symphony No. 4! More info and tickets may be found at this link.
Performances and Events

Amy Beach Choral Music in the Netherlands!

Will you come and listen? Among other things, we sing very beautiful a cappella pieces by Amy Beach, gems for a women’s choir. For the first time we perform in the chapel of the Eemklooster, a beautiful location for a program around Shakespeare, with music about elves, witches and other creatures in a special forest. Twan Vet, city poet of Amersfoort, has written very beautiful connecting texts, including a crash course in poetry. We are getting fabulously guided on the wing by Irina Parfenova.
New Scholarship, Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events

Jephthah’s Daughter for Soprano & Orchestra Premiere in Boston!

Surely Amy Beach is so well-known that we don’t need to advocate for her any more, right? Wrong! Here’s an important AMAZING piece that will receive its WORLD PREMIERE on Dec. 5.
Read about it here
Concert details here
Performances and Events, Recently Released Recordings

Upcoming performance of Amy Beach’s Cadenza for Beethoven’s 3rd Piano Concerto by renowned pianist, Daniel Glover!

As part of his series entitled “Symphonies and Concertos without Orchestra (a Covid Compromise),” Daniel Glover will be playing Beethoven’s 3rd Piano Concerto with Beach’s Cadenza this Friday, Dec. 18 at 7pm. The YouTube link for viewing the concert is https://youtu.be/w-WEHzbB40M, and the concert recording will remain available.

https://www.oldfirstconcerts.org/performance/daniel-glover-symphonies-and-concertos-without-orchestra-a-covid-compromise-friday-december-18-at-7-pm/

 

Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events, Recently Released Recordings

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra Premieres Amy Beach Browning Song Arrangements!

As part of their program entitled “She’s the First: Music to Celebrate the 19th Amendment’s Centennial,” the Boston Landmarks Orchestra together with soprano Brianna J. Robinson performed the world premiere of Amy Beach’s “The Year’s at the Spring” and “Ah, Love, but a day!” arranged for soprano, piano and string orchestra!

The arrangements that are so beautifully performed were generously donated by Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy and were made by Chris A. Trotman, Director of Publications for WPA! If you wish to know more about the works and/or wish to purchase the music, please visit https://www.amybeach.org/music/publications/.

The YouTube video below begins at the portion featuring Amy Beach and their performances of these new song arrangements, enjoy!

Performances and Events

An upcoming concert will feature Beach’s Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor, Op. 45 in Miami, Florida!

Concerto pianist, Asiya Korepanova, will be joined by Orchestra Miami under the direction of Elaine Rinaldi to present their program entitled “Miami Mujeres,” which is in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment giving Women the right to vote! The concert will also include works by three other note-worthy women composers – Tania León, Amy Beach, Florence Price and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

The concert takes place at 8:00 PM on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, at First Miami Presbyterian Church, located at 609 Brickell Avenue, Miami, FL 33131. VIP tickets, which include the post-concert reception and a reserved seat, are $60 per person. General admission seating for the concert only is priced from $5 to $40. Limited free parking is available at the church parking lot; spillover parking is available at the Bank of America parking garage adjacent to the church. Tickets and complete information can be found at www.orchestramiami.org or by calling (305) 274-2103.

Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events

Beach’s monumental Festival Jubilate, Op. 17 will be performed by the Congressional Chorus!

The Congressional Chorus under the direction of David Simmons and joined by piano, timpani and strings will be performing Amy Beach’s monumental Festival Jubilate, Op. 17 as part of their concert entitled “Nevertheless, She Persisted…Music of America’s Women Composers!” Beach wrote this work for the dedication of the Woman’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1892! The newly-revised, reduced edition (originally for full orchestra, but reduced for piano, timpani and string quintet for this concert) of Festival Jubilate is made available by Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy, and specifically WPA’s Director of Publications Chris A. Trotman! The full orchestral version will also be released soon by WPA. The concert will also include works by many other American composers (visit URL below for more info).

The concert will take place this Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, 4:30 pm in the historic Church of the Epiphany, and tickets are Preferred $39 (Preferred), $32 (General), $20 (Young Patrons ages 22-30, General) and $10 (Student ages 8-22, General).

For more info and to buy tickets, please click here.

Performances and Events

Boston Globe Article Concerning Upcoming Beach Symphony Concert by the Mercury Orchestra in Boston!

A Boston Globe article concerning the upcoming concert featuring Amy Beach’s monumental “Gaelic” Symphony performed by the Mercury Orchestra under the direction of Channing Yu! Presented by the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, the Mercury Orchestra will perform at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, Charles River Esplanade, Aug. 7, 7 p.m. Free. 617-987-2000, www.landmarksorchestra.org

Newly Available Music Editions, Performances and Events

An Upcoming Concert by the Mercury Orchestra will Feature Beach’s Monumental “Gaelic” Symphony!

An upcoming concert will feature Beach’s monumental “Gaelic” Symphony!

In their program entitled STANFORD & BEACH, the Mercury Orchestra under the direction of Channing Yu will perform both Beach’s Symphony and Stanford’s Phaudrig Crohoore, ballad for chorus and orchestra on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 at 7:00 pm at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade, Boston, MA (Rain location TBD). The concert is free admission and no tickets required. For more info, please visit http://www.mercuryorchestra.org/concerts.html

The Mercury Orchestra will be performing the Beach Symphony using the revised edition score/parts available from Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy (www.wophil.org). Also, both Dr. Liane Curtis (Founder/President of WPA) and Chris A. Trotman (Director of Publications & Editor-in-Chief of WPA) will be attending!