My Favorite Composers and Artists

Classical Music (in the lay sense of the term):

• Johann Sebastian Bach, my favorite composer.  I was already "hooked on Bach," so to speak, when I was growing up, but it was my experiences singing with the University of Miami Collegium Musicum in their 1994-1995 season that forever ensured my devotion to this amazing composer.  That year, the Collegium joined with two other choirs and two orchestras for a performance of the complete St. Matthew Passion.  It was the most powerful musical experience of my life.  I had never even heard the St. Matthew Passion before, so needless to say, I was blown away.  The choir flew in soloists (including Julianne Baird and Stephen Rickards).
• George Frederick Handel.  Despite several years of singing great works in high school, I entered college without ever having heard Handel's Messiah.  It is now one of my favorite works, and I have been honored to perform several of the soprano solos in production with the U.C. Singers.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  I have loved Mozart's music for as long as I can remember.   A few childhood memories: there was a TV commercial for the Connecticut Yellow Pages in which a chamber orchestra (maybe a string quartet?) was seated.  The conductor walked out, stood on his head, and started waving his feet to conduct.  The orchestra broke out witha beautiful rendition of Mozart's "A Little Night Music," at which point the view switched to a circled entry in the Yellow Pages: "conductive shoes."   We thought it was hilarious.  An unforgettable memory is that of seeing the movie Amadeus in the theater.  It was also interesting to learn, in college, about the historical innacuracies of the movie in a lecture repeated annually by our Chamber Singers director, David Schildkret.
• Franz Joseph Haydn.  Glorious!  That is the only word I can use to describe Haydn's music.  Every time I sing something he wrote, or listen to a performance, I think, "Wow, Haydn is wonderful.  I have to learn more of his music!"
• Frederic Chopin.  I first fell in love with Chopin's music after watching a PBS special on his life and works when I was in high school.  Shortly afterwards, I watched the little-seen movie "Prelude," about Chopin's life and starring Hugh Grant (before he got so famous).  I was tremendously moved by both pieces, and by the beautiful music that wended through both.
• Franz Liszt.  I like to listen to Liszt when I am in the mood for dark and powerful music.  I have one poignant memory involving Liszt's music.  When I was a child, my family vacationed in Florida.  The motel we stayed in had a (very little-used) piano in the hallway.  One afternoon, I sat down and began to play my very limited repertoire of piano music.  I didn't think anyone else was around.  An elderly man approached, and asked if I would play something for him.  "If I know it," I replied.  He requested Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody, of which the main tune was familiar, but which was way out of my league, skill-wise.  I sadly had to decline his request.  But every time I hear the Rhapsody I think of him.
• Gilbert and Sullivan.  Their music is pure fun.  Witty, harmonious, tunes that will stay in your head, and biting commentary on British society of the day.  The melodramatic nature of their songs is especially appealing to me in an era of big-drama Broadway (though I have nothing against Broadway musicals, and indeed enjoy them).  Still, Gilbert and Sullivan's music refreshes.  One of the highlights of my early musical career was playing the role of Mabel in our high school production of "Pirates of Penzance."  Anyone who has pirates taking a break from pirating to kneel down and sing an ode to poetry is worth another listen!

Celtic

• Loreena McKennitt.  I was introduced to Loreena McKennitt's music by a park ranger friend who lent me a CD, and when I expressed how much I enjoyed the music, gave me a tape.  Haunting, ethereal, I have never heard anything quite like her music.  Otherworldly, beautiful, powerful...
• Clannad.  Also see the unofficial website.  Clannad - the musical venue from which Enya sprang - is a family affair that does beautiful work.
• Enya.  I discovered Enya's music when I was in college.  Some of her songs still evoke memories of hanging out with my friend Bekka.  Her music is outstanding and her website is a lot of fun.  Think Harry Potter meets Celtic music (if that makes any sort of sense...).

Folk/ Contemporary

• Bok, Trickett & Muir.  I grew up listening to this wonderful folk trio.  Gordon Bok's resonant baritone, Ed Trickett's thoughtful tenor, Anne Mayo Muir's alto, and their myriad instruments (hammered dulcimer, guitar, flute, and pennywhistle, to name a few) blend in folk tunes alternately delightful and sad, soulful and stirring.  I have been fortunate enough to see them several times in concert, and they are as gracious in person as one would expect from listening to their music.  I have one funny memory of seeing Ed Trickett in concert in Rochester, NY, where he parodied the trio's song that has the chorus ending "...the world is always turning toward the morning," singing a song that went instead, "...your enginge will be turning in the morning" (highly appropriate to cold, icy Rochester).
• Bill Staines.  Another wonderful folk singer from my childhood.  I heard Bill Staines sing live a number of times at Roaring Brook.  His mellow voice and poignant lyrics are a great mix.  One of my favorites of his songs is called "River."
• Tom Paxton.  Tom Paxton is an amazing folk artist who has written songs that have me falling out of my chair laughing, as well as others that move me to tears.  A very witty political commentator, Paxton has written songs about things like the US Postal Service's statement in the 80's that in the event of a nuclear war, they would make sure the mail got through (the response Paxton's song has? "...what a wonderful change that would be").  He has also written some beautiful love songs.
• Iain McIntosh.  The thing I remember best about this gifted, gentle man was his wonderful sense of humor.  He, too, introduced me to beautiful and moving folk songs, among them "The Writing of Tipperary" (based on a true story), "Flowers From the Wrong Man," and "No Man's Land."  I was saddened to learn that he died a year or so ago.  His music will be missed.
• Romantica.  Many thanks are due my dear friend Val for introducing me to this wonderful group.  I'm not quite sure how to characterize them, but their songs are beautiful.  If you haven't heard of them, definitely check out their music.
• David Wilcox.  I first heard David Wilcox sing when he opened a coffee-house concert starring Tom Chapin in Massachusetts.  He was wonderful.  His music is often slow and somewhat sad, beautifully written.
• Suzanne Vega.  Suzanne Vega's music rocked my world when I first heard it.  I was in high school, and her powerful lyrics, haunting melodies and straight vocal style really appealed to me.  I spent many hours listening to her records (for those of you who are considerably younger than I, records - or LP's - are what we listened to before CD's or mp3's).
• Joni Mitchell.  I really have to thank a fellow geologist and park ranger, Mike, for re-introducing me to Joni Mitchell's music.  We worked in Everglades National Park together, and scoured second-hand CD shops for recordings of hers.  She has an ethereal voice that is unlike any other I've ever heard.

Rock

• Sting.  Sting's music, lyrics, musicianship, style, topics... he is amazingly talented in many, many respects; a musical Renaissance Man, if you will.  I love his use of odd meters in songs (7/4, 5/4, etc.).  I'll never forget the first time I heard the song "Russians" from his album "The Dream of the Blue Turtles."  The music still makes chills creep up my spine, and I was delighted to hear the introductory melody in a classical work (a Russian composer, though I cannot remember which) when I was listening to NPR recently.
• Indigo Girls.  Beautiful, vibrant, strong music.  I first saw them perform live when I was in college, and had the treat again when I was in grad school.
• The Beatles.  My first love of rock and roll.  I strongly associate The Beatles with my friend's father, Russell, who loved them and owned many of their albums.  He died in 2003 at the age of 47, and I still think of him every time I hear certain Beatles songs.

Broadway

• Julie Andrews.  I put this link here as a tribute to my favourite Broadway star.  Julie Andrews' gorgeous voice, incredible range (an astonishing FOUR octaves), and grace (and humor!) are delightful in the film work she has done.  I continue to be sad that she wasn't cast in the film version of either Camelot or My Fair Lady, though Mary Poppins was certainly a wonderful addition to the musical scene.  I am so glad that she continues to grace the screen despite complications from her vocal surgery.  I devoutly hope that her full vocal powers return.

Music Humor

• Great Concert Disasters.  The title of the site is self-explanatory.   Very, very amusing.

Local Groups

• Athens Master Chorale.  A wonderful group, conducted by the very talented Joe Napoli.  This is my third year singing with them - the best group I've ever sung with.
• Athens Symphony.  Our local orchestra!  A graduate professor of mine - who taught the best class I've ever taken, incidentally - and his wife are both in the French horn section.
• University of Georgia School of Music Events.  Athens is a "music town" in more ways than one - if you have never checked out the free concerts offered at the School of Music, you should!

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