Author archive for leonard slatkin

  • FEBRUARY 2021: Recovery Edition, Part 29

    Those of you who are performers know that we typically had no patterns when it came to a daily schedule. Rehearsals and concerts would occur at any time. This variability affected virtually all our regimens, including diet and family. We settled into a life of inconsistencies.

    That is how it was for more than fifty years of my existence. Ten months into pandemic life, things are quite different. It is almost impossible to remember the time when I had to set my alarm clock, which very rarely had the same waking time as the previous day. Even though I have had my share of either sleepless nights or trouble entering the Land of Nod, a 7:30 reveille has now become the norm, as has falling asleep well before midnight.

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  • JANUARY 2021: Recovery Edition, Part 28

    Hallelujah! 2021 has arrived, perhaps a bit more slowly than any of us would have preferred. And with it comes a very slight degree of optimism. Many believe that things could not get much worse, but that remains to be seen. Vaccine distribution has signaled a possible return to life as it was a year ago, but alongside signs of hope are some hidden warnings that our behaviors have forever changed.

    For me, one of those warnings is apparent in how I get my entertainment fix these days. Being an avid movie fan, I have the opportunity to indulge in classics from years gone by and view previously undiscovered gems of the silver screen, all from the comfort of home. Meanwhile, I can devour whole seasons of worthwhile or escapist television in just a few sittings.

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  • JANUARY 2021: Wellness Initiative

    When I received a request from violinist Holly Mulcahy to write about what music we might use to improve mental health as we cope with the pandemic, I focused my attention on the words she used to describe our possible emotions (“anxiety, sadness, fear, anger, manic energy, lack of motivation”) as well as her directive: “pick a single work that reflects and supports that emotion, and then pick a secondary work that alleviates that feeling just a notch up or down.”

    Hmm … that was a tough one. Were the musical remedies limited to the world of classical music? How could one really choose just one emotion? Was this request adding to the already burdensome weight of isolation?

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  • DECEMBER 2020: What I Did on My Spring, Summer, and Fall Vacation

    As we come to the end of this decade, which has taken place in less than one year, it seems like a good idea to take stock of what has been accomplished during a time when it has felt like we could do nothing. Many of us have had to find opportunities where none seemed to exist, and perhaps some of us will come out of 2020 a little wiser.

    Being a conductor was not the best profession during the self-imposed and sometimes-mandated lockdown period. The instrumental and vocal artists could at least practice. What was I supposed to do—stand up and wave my arms? After a few weeks of cancellations, I realized that looking over the scores meant to be rehearsed and performed in the near future was a futile exercise. Instead, I would go down to my library and peruse pieces that I either have never conducted or might want to revisit at some time.

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  • DECEMBER 2020

    For your listening pleasure this holiday season, I am happy to share Inspired Themes from the Inspired Films, an album arranged and conducted by my father, Felix Slatkin, in 1962. The recording features twelve tracks from the great biblical epics. On one of them, my parents are the violin and cello soloists, marking the only time they ever performed a duet for a commercial release.

    Happy Holidays!

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  • NOVEMBER 2020: Recovery Edition, Part 27

    All of a sudden, there is a break in the gloom. For the first time in quite a while, people are actually starting to believe there will be a future. Perhaps for that reason, many are still acting irresponsibly. More on that in a minute.

    With the possibility of three vaccines being available as early as next month, it is not out of the question to look at what lies ahead in terms of—well, almost everything. Schools can start to plan for the winter semester, and if not that, the spring. Businesses will look carefully at their books and determine how best to get back to work. Musicians will be thinking about what it will be like to perform with their colleagues again.

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  • Slatkin Receives 35th GRAMMY Nomination

    November 24, 2020

    Leonard Slatkin is nominated for a 2021 GRAMMY Award in the category of Best Choral Performance for the world-premiere recording of Alexander Kastalsky’s Requiem for Fallen Brothers, available on the Naxos label. The piece is a tribute to the fallen heroes of World War I, combining Orthodox and Gregorian chant with hymns from the allied nations.

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  • NOVEMBER 2020: Recovery Edition, Part 26

    Amidst all the furor during this election season, it has been easy to forget that the tiny world of classical music has its own battles to fight. For a few days, COVID-19 has not been top of mind, even as cases in the United States have reached all-time highs that increase on a daily basis. Few have been paying attention to the stock market, even though the delay in getting election results should be an indicator that nothing is normal. We have sputtered to find ways to entertain and amuse ourselves as we look for diversions to alleviate our ennui.

    Two items on the musical front have caught my attention over the past couple of weeks, one somewhat frivolous and the other potentially serious.

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  • NOVEMBER 2020: Recovery Edition, Election Day Special

    With lines stretching for blocks, waiting times of more than eight hours, and many ballots cast early, either in person or by mail, voter turnout is of historic proportions despite all the chaos and turmoil of 2020.

    With that in mind, we sometimes forget that we are voting not only for president, but also for members of Congress, state officials, and various local initiatives. It can get very confusing, but that was the case right from the start. In December of 1788–January 1789, the United States held its first election, and it did take almost two weeks to get the results and determine who had won.

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  • OCTOBER 2020: Recovery Edition, A Side Trip

    Whatever happened to the calm before the storm?

    As I write this, we are about a week away from the election, or as I prefer to call it, “Waiting for the Seventh Trumpet.” Any diversion of attention is welcome during this time, and some charming events took place this past weekend. Not that any of them were accomplished in a traditional way, but they certainly put the political contest out of mind for a brief while.

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