TABLE OF CURRENT EVENTS Using the Events page: To view an event, simply click on the title text from the Table of Contents below. Doing so will take you to a description of the event and associated images. Clicking on the image will present a higher resolution version, clicking again restores the original image. At the bottom right of each detailed description, you will find a "top" link that will move you to the top-of-page and a "toc" (or table-of-contents) link that will move you there. Happy viewing! --Webmaster

FEBRUARY

"Russian Scenes - World Premiere Performance"

"Russian Scenes - Rehearsal"

JANUARY

"A Choral Taste of LA"

"Podcast Star!"

"Happy New Year!"

Masterful Cellists Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin presented an unforgettable world-premiere of Carol Worthey's eight "Russian Scenes" in a performance capturing the total spirit and nuance of each scene. The two Rostropovich proteges took the audience on this musical trip with their dramatic and comedic flair, sheer virtuosity and beautiful sensitivity. Carol says,

"It truly is a composer's dream to have performers who take the care to master one's work and convey the emotional landscape to others in a colorful and unique way! I think of the cello as 'the voice of humanity' and at this concert you SPOKE!"

The entire "Positive Motions" concert displayed an effortless level of artistry that furthers the motion so spectacularly launched at the Glendale Philharmonic's Inaugural Concert. The first concert of the Glendale Philharmonic created a sky-high precedent of excellence that shook the rafters of the beautiful acoustic hall at First Baptist Church of Glendale, creating a buzz throughout the Greater Los Angeles community and stunning the skeptics and critics so that they had to say and put in writing, "Something GREAT is happening in Glendale! Listen UP, folks!" The February 6th "Positive Motions" Cello Concert PROVED that this was not a One-Shot Hit! Carol was proud to have been featured on the program with the world-premiere of Deon Price's new work for Cello Quintet "If Life Were to Sing!", a work with fascinating textures and colors.

Carol states,

"Nothing to me is more exciting than seeing a Renaissance at birth, growing in recognition and in the beauty, hope and solace great music can bring to the world. And nothing is more gratifying personally to me as a composer than seeing my latest 'baby' so beautifully brought into the world!"

 
 
 
 
 

Hear the world premiere performance below, Either all of the "scenes" (in the first sound bite) or choose to hear an individual scene. The full titles and descriptions precede each soundbite.

"Russian Scenes" for Cello Duo
"Русские мотивы" для двух виолончелей

	Russian Scenes (Русские мотивы) [All 8 Scenes]	17:46
		download

1.	Russian Bearfight:	Unfair squabble, one huge bear against a smaller but clever bear.
	Битва медведей.	Неравная борьба - один большой медведь против небольшого, но смышленого медведя.

	1 Russian Bearfight (Битва медведей)	01:37
		download

2.	Witticisms at The Teahouse:	Polite sarcasms while sipping cherry jam and tea together.
	Шутки в чайной.	Вежливые изречения во время распития чая с вишневым вареньем.

	2 Witticisms at the Teahouse (Шутки в чайной)	02:21
		download

3.	Forest Murmurs on the Grand Siberian Railroad:	Depends which way you are headed.
	Шопот леса на Транссибирской магистрали	о чем говорит лес, зависит от того, в какую сторону вы держите путь.

	3 Forest Murmurs on the Grand Siberian Railroad (Шопот леса на Транссибирской магистрали)	02:04
		download

4.	Ice-skating:	On the slippery rim of the Volga with ankles too weak.
	Катание на льду	на слабых ногах по скользкой поверхности Волги.

	4 Ice-skating (Катание на льду)	03:05
		download

5.	At The Ballet Barre:	With the Dance Master and the Prima-Ballerina at war.
	Балетный станок	учитель по балету бранит прима-балерину.

	5 At the Ballet Barre (Балетный станок)	01:40
		download

6.	The Steam Bath:	Then a plunge in snow, but wolves are slyly waiting.
	Прыжки в снег после бани	a волки поджидают украдкой.

	6 The Steam Bath (Прыжки в снег после бани)	02:20
		download

7.	A Stately Promenade:	From one masterpiece to another down the halls of The Hermitage.
	Роскошное место для прогулок:	по залам Эрмитажа - от одного шедевра к другому.

	7 A Stately Promenade (Роскошное место для прогулок)	03:01
		download

8.	Vodka, Blini, Caviar, Champagne:	Pastries, laughter, blini, broken glass, vodka, vodka, vodka, vodka!
	Водка, блины, икра и шампанское	сладости, смех, блины, разбитое стекло, водка, водка, водка!

	8 Vodka, Blini, Caviar, Champagne (Водка, блины, икра и шампанское)	01:34
		download

 
 

top    toc   

Preparing for the world premiere performance of Carol Worthey's eight 'Russian Scenes' for cello duo, Rostropovich proteges Ruslan Biryukov and Maksim Velichkin present each scene for the composer for the first time during rehearsal.

Carol was pleased and excited with the performance and had few notes for the performers, looking forward to the premiere with anticipation.

 
 

Every year Jim Raycroft, member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, invites a number of Los Angeles area composers to bring selections from their choral works (often unpublished) to this day-long sight-singing fest. This year, on Saturday, January 23th he presented the 9th Annual "A Choral Taste of Los Angeles". Participants sing through new works by the composers and usually get to keep copies as well.

This year's presenters included: Jim Raycroft, Eric Whitacre, John Scott, Nick Strimple, Albert McNeil, David Joyce, Bill Cunliffe, Matt Aldrich and Kevin St. Clair. Christoph Bull also ably accompanied on piano.

The gourmet lunch is always a hit following a heady morning of sight-singing in preparation for the afternoon session.

Carol Worthey and her husband Raymond Korns are once again happy to lend enthusiastic support to Jim Raycroft and his efforts to encourage and promote all greater Los Angeles based singers, choral directors and choral composers.

 
 

Carol Worthey, looking very "radio", while being interviewed for her podcast on "Classical Music Discoveries", the #1 internet radio "podcast" in the world with thirty million listeners.

Host Ken Hedgecock really has a knack for asking intriguing and insightful questions and for making someone feel relaxed and at home — asking questions that Carol did not know in advance whatsoever but which Ken made her feel she had been waiting to answer all her life. The result was a one hour and fifty minute interview on such passionate concerns as the power of music to bring people together worldwide, the importance of active listening and anecdotes about fascinating people she has known such as Leonard Bernstein and others. The ultimate honor of all was that Ken and his delightful wife, fellow Host Sandy Hedgecock, decided to do something unheralded in their history: provide listeners with a two-hour podcast, with a good deal of the interview, numerous selections played by world-class performers, and even a striking collection of Carol's artworks and photographs. Maybe Carol doesn't JUST look "radio", maybe this opportunity to communicate to so many classical-music lovers around the globe made her "radiant" with an unparalleled happiness.

The podcast was first air'd on December 31st, 2009 and to date has garnered 5.38 Million downloads. At this point, the show will continue to run through March and we will keep you posted on the show's status.

Carol wishes to thank Ken and Sandy for putting on a ongoing, successful series that spreads classical music and joy throughout our world.

Hear Carol Worthey's New Year's interview hosted by Ken Hedgecock and podcast to 30 million listeners throughout the world!

If the embedded Podcast above is offline, as can happen when their servers are overloaded, you can go directly to the podcast here: "Classical Music Discoveries".

[Note: The Flashlight Advertisement is their major sponsor, please be patient, the interview starts immediately after this ad! --Webmaster]

 
 

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!