Unmasking Mozart while playing it safe
For soloists Clay Ellerbroek and Anna Kate Mackle, the pandemic brings new challenges for Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. But it’s worth it for “Mozart’s idea of heaven.”
Daniel Black named resident conductor
We are thrilled to announce that Daniel Black is our new resident conductor, our first in more than a decade. He conducts, composes and – new skill! – makes virtual orchestra videos during pandemics. Congratulations, Dan!
How the arts became essential in a pandemic world
Has the pandemic doomed orchestras and the arts, especially in the schools? No way. Not if we’re creative. A unique view from a TFO Teaching Artist during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Suffrage song gets new life through technology
Conductor and composer Daniel Black found inspiration in his great-grandmother, a prominent suffragette in Wisconsin in the early 20th century, for his arrangement of Daughters of Freedom. Learn more about how the video was created, today on the blog.
Playing second fiddle to COVID-19: TFO violinist keeps the music and herself going
With no concerts and lots of uncertainty, TFO violinist Sarah Shellman writes on how she and her colleagues work to keep the music — and themselves — going. Today on the TFO Blog.
Natalie Hoe gives Mozart Clarinet Concerto a voice
Principal Clarinet Natalie Hoe will perform Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto on a Masterworks concert for the first time this weekend. No pressure! Find out her secret to the sublime work as well as her nerves, today on the TFO Blog.
Winter dreaming: Don’t underestimate Tchaikovsky & Sibelius
Get a fresh take on Tchaikovsky’s seriously underrated Symphony No. 1 and the rest of this weekend’s concert straight from the conductor, Daniel Black – his debut on our Masterworks series.
Meet new Principal Tuba TJ Graf
One of Principal Tuba TJ Graf’s most memorable performances was on the football field instead of the stage: the Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show with Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2014.
He’ll always be a one-note wonder for alligators
Principal Tuba Bill Mickelsen has played thousands of concerts for TFO in 40 years, but few notes have resonated like low B-flat for a swamp full of alligators. We look back with author Jeff Klinkenberg as Bill retires.
That’s a wrap! How do TFO musicians spend summer break?
TFO musicians performed more than 130 concerts this season. Whew! As the season ends, it’s time for umbrella drinks and long vacations, right? If only. Find out how some musicians keep busy over the summer, today on the TFO Blog.
