May 4: Today’s Music History

may4th

 

•  1655 ~ Bartolomeo Cristofori, Italian instrument maker, inventor of the piano. He was credited with designing the first pianoforte, which he called “the harpsichord that plays soft and loud”.
More information about Cristofori

• 1886 ~ The first practical phonograph, better known as the gramophone, was patented.

• 1920 ~ The Symphony Society of New York presented a concert at the Paris Opera House. It was the first American orchestra to make a European tour.

• 1928 ~ Maynard Ferguson, Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader

• 1930 ~ Roberta Peters (Peterman), American soprano, Metropolitan Opera, Jewish Cultural Achievement Awards in Performing Arts in 1997.

• 1931 ~ Ed Cassidy, Drummer

• 1945 ~ June Christy sang with the Stan Kenton band on one of the most famous of all big band hits, Tampico.

• 1951 ~ Jackie (Sigmund) Jackson, Singer with The Jackson Five

• 1955 ~ Danny Brubeck, Drummer, Dave Brubeck’s son

• 1956 ~ Pia Zadora, Singer

• 1956 ~ Gene Vincent and his group, The Blue Caps, recorded Be-Bop-A Lula for Capitol Records in Los Angeles. Interesting note: Vincent had written the tune only three days before he auditioned in a record company talent search that won him first place. The record was rush-released just two days later and became a rock and roll classic.

• 1959 ~ Randy Travis (Traywick), Singer

. 1979 ~ Lance Bass, member of American pop boy band NSYNC (Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass) who had hits from late nineties to early 2000’s including top hit Singles “Bye Bye Bye”, “This I Promise You”, “Girlfriend”, “Pop” and “It’s Gonna Be Me” NSYNC and has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands in history.

• 1996 ~ Alanis Morissette started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with Jagged Little Pill. The record produced six successful singles, including ‘You Oughta Know’, ‘Ironic’, ‘You Learn’, ‘Hand in My Pocket’, and ‘Head over Feet’. Do you have a favorite track from the album?

Flute Concertino in D major, Op. 107 by Cécile Chaminade from Concert for Ukraine

 

 

Cécile Chaminade’s Flute Concertino in D major, Op. 107, was composed in 1902 for flute and piano and later arranged by herself for flute and orchestra.The piece remains a standard and popular part of the flute repertoire.  

Helen Haeun Kim is an active flutist, her performances appeared on premier venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall, BBC Radio 3 & 4, TBN UK, and Prague’s Církev československá husitská. Most recently, Ms. Kim had recitals in Morocco, Germany, France, and Czech Republic in 2019.

Ms. Kim currently works for Dallas Symphony Orchestra as a Teaching Artist and teaches flute at the Birdville High School in North Richland Hills.

Liz Sellers, Pender pianist,  began studying the piano at age three and came to the public’s attention when she won the grand prize at the Grand Prix Seoul Music Festival at age eight.

Her portfolio consists of piano performance, visual art, as well as directing choral and orchestral ensembles.  Previously she served as the music director at the Marine Corps Air Station in New River Chapel, Jacksonville, North Carolina. She has worked as a lecturer, music educator, and opera coach at Craven Community College, the International Christian School, as well as several adult community choirs and ensembles in France, Italy, Scotland, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. As a concert pianist, she has performed at the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe (2014); with the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra (2016); and in 2018 delivering a concert at Carnegie Hall.

 Ms. Sellers was granted the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance with a second major in Chamber Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  She received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance, with a second major in Violin, and Composition from the University of Sung-Kyul, Seoul, South Korea. Liz received the Certified Diploma Execution with a major in Piano Performance from the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris in France.

The Pender Concert Supporting Ukraine on April 23 featured Liz Sellers on piano, Brian on harp, and local professional musicians, including woodwind quintet, drums, organ, guitar, flute, penny whistle, singing and violin.

Concert repertoire included: Harp arrangements by Debussy, Piano trio of Jazz/Baroque, Flute Concertino by Chaminade, Woodwind Quintet with music of Duke Ellington, The Widor Toccata Organ Symphony Movement V and an Irish session!

There was no charge for this concert but there was a free will offering taken to support Ukraine through Advance #982450, UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery. This fund provides direct assistance to those in Ukraine as well as assistance to Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries.

One hundred percent of all Advance contributions go to the designated cause. (The independent charity watchdog, “Charity Watch,” gives UMCOR an “A+” ranking, and includes the UM organization on a highly selective list of charities it recommends when considering how to support the Ukrainian people. Read more)

The United Methodist community in Ukraine, though quite small, is actively engaged in assisting neighbors in need. Global Ministries is in touch with the church’s leadership as well as with church leaders in countries welcoming those who are fleeing from violence in Ukraine.

Click this link and choose UMCOR to send direct aid. In the memo line, put Advance #982450, UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery.

Thank you for your support!