Concert Review: The Pointillist Procedure

Pianist Ian Hobson continues his Debussy and Ravel series at SubCulture.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

The pianist Ian Hobson is giving a six recital series at SubCulture this season.
Photo from the artist's website, courtesy Hemsing Associates.

The pianist and academic Ian Hobson may not be as well known as the flashy virtuosos who pack the schedule of major concert venues. However, sometimes the best recitals are those that are on a more intimate scale. On Wednesday night, Mr. Hobson, a veteran soloist and conductor and recording artist who also teaches music at Florida State came back to New York for the third of six recitals this season at SubCulture. Tucked downstairs on Bleecker Street, this funky downtown performance space is currently in a struggle to reclaim its spot at the front of the cutting edge of Gotham performance venues.

Concert Review: The Captain of Quirk

The New York Philharmonic celebrates Carl Nielsen's 150th.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

He's 150! Birthday boy Carl Nielsen was féted Monday night by the New York Philharmonic.
Photo from CarlNielsen.org.

Sometimes the best birthday parties are the intimate ones. On Monday night, members of the New York Philharmonic gathered at SubCulture, the basement performance space on Bleecker Street, to celebrate the 150th birthday of Danish composer Carl Nielsen. The occasion also marked the conclusion of The Nielsen Project, music director Alan Gilbert's plan to record and release most of the composer's major orchestral works on the Da Capo label.

Concert Review: Plucked Courage

The Jake Schepps Quintet at SubCulture.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Members of the Jake Schepps Quintet with Mr. Schepps second from right,
onstage Wednesday night at SubCulture.
Photo by the author (who's no photographer--give him a break.)

The instruments of traditional Appalachian string music (banjo, mandolin, fiddle, double bass, acoustic guitar) are generally associated with American roots rather than the performance of classical or modern "art" music. Sure there are a few recent examples of cross-over (Peter Schickele's "Kentucky cantata" Blaues Gras coming immediately to mind) but it's not a group of instruments one associates with cerebral music.On Wednesday night, the Jake Schepps Quintet challenged that thesis with a bright and innovative performance at the downtown performing arts space SubCulture.

Concert Review: Put Them Together, and What Have You Got?

The American Modern Ensemble plays SubCulture.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Samples of an electrocardiogram (pictured) were used in the New York premiere of
Robert Paterson's I See You at SubCulture.

The Chamber Music of America conference is in town and New York is thrumming to the sound of scraped, plucked, bowed and strummed fiddles of all shapes and sizes. On Thursday night in the subterranean depths of SubCulture, that fabulous concert venue tucked neatly under Bleecker Street, the American Modern Ensemble hosted a concert dubbed String Theory: a marathon showcase of modern chamber music, featuring three other chamber ensembles and a stack of world premieres.

Concert Review: Playing in the Basement

At SubCulture, six young composers make CONTACT!
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Slide on this: trombonist Joseph Alessi makes CONTACT! at SubCulture.
Photo by Chris Lee © 2014 The New York Philharmonic.

The NEW YORK PHIL BIENNIAL is in its second week. On Tuesday night, six members of the Philharmonic gathered at SubCulture for the second CONTACT! program of the festival, featuring works commissioned for solo performers by a minor galaxy of talented young composers. The concert, hosted by SubCulture co-founder Eric Kaplan showed the brilliance and diversity of each composer, and the talents of featured Philharmonic players in these very different compositions.

Concert Review: A Postcard from the Rockies

The Complete Aspen Music Festival and School (abridged) at Subculture.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

Star, wood in Aspen. Conductor Robert Spano in the Rockies.
Photo by Michael Brands © 2013 Aspen Music Festival.

It is no mean feat to pack the entire intent and purpose of a major summer music and educational festival into an entertaining four-part program lasting just two hours, but that was the feat attempted Wednesday night as The Complete Aspen Music Festival (Abridged) arrived at Subculture.

With its intimate atmosphere, barrel-arched ceiling and warm vibe, this funky downtown downstairs performing arts space was an ideal venue for this concert, which combined Romantic and modern chamber music with a short masterclass given by former Metropolitan Opera star (and current professor at Bard College) Dawn Upshaw. Stressing the importance of music and education, the 65-year old Aspen Festival showed itself at its very best as one of this country's most important breeding grounds for young musicians.