The Gospel Truth “In a Nutshell”

LVP Principal Harp Kimberly Glennie presents the joy of gospel through the lens of composers William Grant Still and Florence Price.

Kim’s Introduction to Gospel

 

Learn more about Florence Price

Kim Glennie interviews Linda Holzer, Professor of Music at UA Little Rock, celebrating the amazing life and music of Florence Price.

Listen to Florence Price

Watch the LVP Principal String players play Florence Price’s String Quartet No. 2, Mvt. II

Learn more about William Grant Still

Sara Ortiz from Black Mountain Institute interviews Stephen Caplan, LVP Principal Oboe to learn all about the incredible impact of William Grant Still’s music.

Listen to William Grant Still

Watch LVP Principal Harp, Kimberly Glennie play William Grant Still’s Mol’e from Folk Suite No. 2

Learn more about Gospel Music

Kimberly Glennie interviews Skye Dee Miles and Dr. Alphonse Anderson to learn more about gospel music and what makes it special.

Listen to some classic gospel tunes

Watch Skye Dee Miles and Spencer Baker perform some of gospels “greatest hits”

Curated Listening List

Kim has put together a playlist of her favorite gospel music and music by William Grant Still and Florence Price. Simply click ‘next’ after viewing each video to go to the next example. Enjoy!

Gospel Listening

William Grant Still: Ennanga

Did you think you were going to get past hearing the piece William Grant Still wrote to honor the African harp called the ennanga, on my watch? Not a chance. The first thing I want you to know is that this piece is being played by harpist Ann Hobson Pilot, who was the first black … Continued

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Florence Price: Symphony No. 1 in E minor

This is the piece that caused such a stir and received such incredible honor and notice for Mrs. Price. She wrote to a friend in 1931 that she was lucky to have broken her foot because it gave her much needed time to be able to work on this symphony. She also wondered when she … Continued

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William Grant Still “Sorrow”

It amazes me that this piece so poignantly expresses and addresses our own time. This is the second movement from William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony, which was the first symphony of a black composer to ever be performed by a major American orchestra in 1931. In 1936, William Grant Still conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic … Continued

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Marion Williams “A Mean Old World”

Here is a spiritual that is a wonderful example of many of the characteristic elements used by both William Grant Still and Florence Price. Listen for: 1. Form of the verse is AABA 2. Spaces are left at the end of phrases for improvised inserts. Also improvisation is expected on the melodic line. 3. Call … Continued

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Extended Techniques “In a Nutshell”

LVP Principal Harp Kimberly Glennie presents the fascinating and wacky ways that musicians are asked to play their instruments in this month’s “In a Nutshell” topic affectionately called, “You want me to what!?”

Kim’s Introduction to Extended Techniques

 

New Sounds, New Horizons: Expanding the Musical Palette

Donato and Kim discuss the ways that extended techniques have influenced music.

 

Photo Gallery

Click the button below to view some examples of these techniques and what they look like in the music. Extended Techniques Photo Gallery

 

Curated Listening List

Kim has put together 9 examples of pieces that use these exciting and unusual techniques. Simply click ‘next’ after viewing each video to go to the next example. Enjoy!

Extended Techniques Listening List

 

LVP Musician Demonstrations

Watch LVP musicians demonstrate some of these amazing techniques.

Romeo and Juliet “In a Nutshell”

Romeo and Juliet has been the inspiration for countless artistic works. In classical music, three very different composers took three very different approaches to telling the story through music.

Listen to an excerpt of the Las Vegas Philharmonic playing Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet Overture-Fantasy in 2018.


Leonard Bernstein: Mambo from Symphonic Dances from West Side Story