The Scientist enjoyed making musical instruments more than doing his duties as an inventor for the Soviet Union, but he is remembered as an innovator and a genius for both. It was his tinkering with the musical instruments that lead to his sophisticated devices used to spy on the US Ambassador and others in Moscow for seven years. His eavesdropping invention he made for the Soviets won him prestige and respect from both Russia and the United States. In his final years Leon Theremin invented hands free devices that are still considered cutting edge technology today, but these whimsical and unbelievable inventions were destroyed by the Soviets because Russian ideology didn’t sync with Theremin’s passion as a creator of musical instruments. The only record we have that they existed at all comes from an article Harold Schonberg wrote in the New York Times in 1967 when he toured Theremin’s lab in the Moscow Conservatory of Music. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
Tag: classical music
52. Theremin: The Cellist, The Scientist, The Instrument
Leon Theremin was a creative and curious soul who lived his life as a Russian Scientist but was a musician and entrepreneur. Had he left Russia like his biographer’s father before the outbreak of World War One maybe he would have enjoyed a peaceful and productive life- we’ll never know. His story is still compelling, you just have to overlook the Russian spy he was turned into to recognize a genius that just wanted to play, invent and discover.
More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
51. Encore: Madame Moneyball
The Opera America Conference comes to Pittsburgh next month and Pittsburgh Opera is gearing up with two very special Operas to be performed at the August Wilson Center and the Bitz Opera Factory. This episode about the marketing insight of creating an Opera season was written last summer. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
50. Encore: The Sightreader’s Survival Kit with Charles and Rachel Stegeman
Charles and Rachel Stegeman team teach violin and viola in their Boot Camp, but they also possess sightreading skills that make them extremely desireable players in some of the most competitive corners of the music industry. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
48. Analysis: Mapping Musical Forms
Some people want a complete map when they do things including listening to music, and others are content to wander through enjoying the musical scenery while journeying through the pieces. Either way is fine, but even the wanderer can enjoy a little mapping time to time. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
46. Risky Business in Music and Math
Musicians can make cutting edge art, but is it going to hurt anyone if it goes badly? Cognative Scientists deconstructed the decision making process- we’ll take a deep look at what they found. More in the Show Notes at Accelerandocast.com
45: Pittsburgh Opera’s Chorus Master Mark Trawka
This month Verdi’s Il Trovatore returns to the Benedum, and its been almost a quarter century since we’ve seen this Grand Opera here in Pittsburgh. Mark talks about the work the Pittsburgh Opera Chorus is doing in the weeks and months ahead of opening night. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
44. Nuance to Noise: I-IV-V-I
Pop music has nearly abused the cadence formula that stems from our western roots in Gregorian Chant. Entire songs are comprised of the four chords (somethimes even less) that were used in Authentic and Plagal cadences. Developing good ears isn’t a quality unique to musicians. Other careers need the ability to focus and filter sounds. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/
43. Ecosystems and Orchestras
Twitter and YouTube are both open platforms- where users can reinvent the purpose by uploading content from various sources. Its what makes them so vibrant and popular: The users do the creating. So think of an orchestra as an environment for creation and change beyond the parameters it was intended. The musicians bring expertise and ideas that continue to strengthen its foundation. Over time its not unlike a coral reef or an ecosystem that brings synergy and growth in a landscape with seemingly few nutrients. More in the show notes at accelerandocast.com
42. “Serenata Nocturna” with Walter Morales
Edgewood Symphony Music Director Walter Morales brings a lifetime insight to the music of Spain and Latin America when he conducts the orchestra in March at the Katz Auditorium in Squirrel Hill. the concert features music of Piazzolla, Ginastera, De Falla and others with guests Amanda Russo Stante and Alejandro Pinzon. More in the show notes at https://accelerandocast.com/show_notes/