How many singers can fit into the KUHF Studio?

June 30, 2009

Last Monday, we set a record for "Number of Musicians" to squeeze into our George Geary Performance Studio -- 40! The entire Moores School of Music Concert Chorale, along with Director Betsy Cook Weber, performed live and talked about a milestone that they, themselves, have achieved: an invitation to perform & compete at one of Europe's oldest & most prestigious choral festivals, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales, July 6 - 12! KUHF's Charles Bornstein grabbed his camera & wide-angle lens to capture some moments from their Front Row session.

Camping out in the Geary Performance Studio ....


... warming up and waiting for showtime!


The clock says 12:16pm. The live interview has begun!


All smiles after a great studio session ...

The rehearsing never ends!

Filing out ... and (soon) off to the U.K.!

Thanks to Betsy Cook Weber & the MSM Concert Chorale for a truly beautiful & memorable afternoon of music on the show.

If you missed it, here's host St.John Flynn's interview with the group.

Good luck in Wales, MSM Concert Chorale!

Snapshots of a World Premiere

June 10, 2009--Before Houston MET was Houston MET, it was the Delia Stewart Dance Company. And back in 1987, it hired a young, Belgian dancer who would later become known as SLAM.

Following his Houston stint, Salim Gauwloos auditioned for Madonna in NYC. "Actually the sexiest thing in Madonna's Blonde Ambition Tour may well be the Belgian dancer Slam, the audience has special eyes for him."- Liz Smith for the Daily News
After working with pop icons such as Aretha Franklin, George Michael & Elton John, Salim returned to his classical roots, and now he's choreographed a new dance piece for Houston MET -- a contemporary ballet inspired by the idea of a world of perfect harmony.

ELEVATED makes its World Premiere on Houston MET's Summer Sampler Program at Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday, June 12, 8:30pm (FREE). For more on Salim, including photos from his Vogue-ing days, check out his website and his June 10th TFR interview. [Rehearsal photos by Facundo Gabba]

And The Winners Are ...

June 8, 2009

Congratulations to the 2009 Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Young Artist Competition Winners!

FIRST PRIZE: Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet
WINNING PERFORMANCE: Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A major
BIO: Romie is a fellow of The Academy - A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School & The Weill Music Institute. A graduate of Yale & McGill University, she is also an award-winning chamber musician with her ensemble, Sospiro Winds.
AWARD: The Grace Woodson Memorial Award, $5000 and a solo appearance on the Houston Symphony's Dollar Concert, July 12, Jones Hall.

SECOND PRIZE: Hee-Young Lim, cello
WINNING PERFORMANCE: Elgar's Cello Concerto in e minor
BIO: Hee-Young graduated from the Korean National University of the Arts, where she was the youngest student ever accepted. She is currently in her second year of the Masters program at the New England Conservatory.
AWARD: The Houston Symphony League Award, $2500 and a solo appearance on the Houston Symphony's Summer Symphony Nights concert, June 27, Miller Outdoor Theatre

THIRD PRIZE & AUDIENCE CHOICE: Jeewon Lee, piano
WINNING PERFORMANCE: Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
BIO: Jeewon graduated with honors in economics & piano performance at Northwestern University, before studying at Juilliard. Currently a doctoral student of Jon Kimura Parker at Rice University, she was also a 2008 Ima Hogg finalist.
AWARD: The Selma Neumann Memorial Award, $1000; The Herman Shoss Audience Choice Award, $250

FOURTH PRIZE: Can Gao, violin
WINNING PERFORMANCE: Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, "Turkish"
BIO: Can was the first-prize winner of China's National Violin Competition in 2006. A co-founder of the Beijing New Music Ensemble & graduate of China's Central Conservatory of Music, Can currently attends the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
AWARD: The Jean Whitbread Kucera Award, $500

Tune into "The Front Row" in the coming weeks to hear interviews with the artists and re-broadcasts of their winning performances!

[Biographical details courtesy of the Houston Symphony. Awards announced on June 6, 2009 following the Competition's Final Round]