Zach Carstensen

Jordan and Hadelich lead the Chicago Symphony through its repertoire sweet spot Not long ago, while spending a week in New York, I found myself walking through Central Park after a concert by the New York Philharmonic, wondering which composers belong to which American orchest…

Jordan and Hadelich lead the Chicago Symphony through its repertoire sweet spot gatheringnote.com/2025/10/14/j...

My thoughts on the CSO's recent Brahms, Dvorak, Kodaly concert with Philippe Jordan and Augustin Hadelich.

The type of meaty, big boned concert the CSO plays better than anyone else. It’s been a long, stressful summer, but it’s so good to be at Orchestra Hall again.

In Chicago, a new venue makes its case with Hickey’s audacious piano work Sapiens Chicago has no shortage of performance spaces, but none quite like The CheckOut. Housed in a former 7-Eleven on Clark Street in Uptown, the venue opened its doors September 12th under the stewardsh…

In Chicago, a new venue makes its case with Hickey's audacious piano work Sapiens gatheringnote.com/2025/09/30/i...

The CheckOut is Chicago's newest music venue. My thoughts on the venue and Sean Hickey's large piano piece Sapiens is below.
seenandheard-international.com/2025/09/a-ne...

Another small venue in Chicago, but one with alcoholic Slurpees

I’m almost certain Don Giovanni has an STD

My first time hearing the NY Phil at Geffen Hall.

I’ve been to NYC many times, but I can’t recall ever laying eyes on the NY Public Library 🤷.

The fall music season is off and running. My review of Nova Linea Musica's opening recital with Conrad Tao.
seenandheard-international.com/2025/09/guar...

One of the smallest venues I’ve ever been in.

Lovely evening on a rooftop

Fall highlights from Chicago’s 25/26 classical music season Labor Day has passed, taking with it the last illusions of summer leisure. What follows, as reliably as the shortening days, is the arrival of a new classical music and opera season. Chicago’s 2025…

Lots of music on the horizon as the 2025/2026 season gets underway. Here are some of the highlights this Fall. gatheringnote.com/2025/09/09/f...

Christoph von Dohnányi Die Frau ohne Schatten Final scene, San Francisco Opera, 1989 Ron Scherl/San Francisco Opera  Christoph von Dohnányi died yesterday in. Muni...

Christoph von Dohnányi has died, age 95. I only saw him conduct twice but both were extremely memorable.

irontongue.blogspot.com/2025/09/chri...

Elizabeth Catlett, Abstract Expressionism and one beautiful arch from the Chicago Exchange.

Esa-Pekka Salonen’s new roles in L.A. and Paris show S.F. Symphony made a costly mistake Esa-Pekka Salonen’s new positions in Los Angeles and Paris highlight the blunder made by the San Francisco Symphony in letting him walk away, former Chronicle music critic Joshua Kosman writes.

"It turns out there are arts administrators — some of them right here in California — who understand the importance of innovative creative leadership."

I'm back in the SF Chronicle this morning, with thoughts on Salonen's new posts in LA and Paris. www.sfchronicle.com/entertainmen...

Finally! In a few weeks I will hear the NY Philharmonic for the very first time in their recently refurbished Geffen Hall play Beethoven's 5th and Corigliano's 1st symphonies.

They/them win Banff quartet prize - Slippedisc The 15th Banff International String Quartet Competition  was...

This is a willfully ignorant, mean spirited headline share.google/JIAyx9UF0qPu...

Amelia was also very well done and an important milestone for Seattle Opera. These are just the ones that I remember hearing in performance.

I found Fire Shut Up in My Bones incredibly moving. The Revolution of Steve Jobs a pretty good biopic. I liked the Listeners for Mazzoli's music. X: the Life and Times of Malcolm X was an interesting counterpoint to the John Adams' music from the same time.

I've been thinking about this question. I've enjoyed every late 20th and early 21st century opera I've heard - except Blue. Nope on Blue. The one I put on the stereo the most is Doctor Atomic however. So maybe that one is my favorite?

What’s An Orchestra For? – Mulling Salonen’s Resignation and a Dispiriting San Francisco Sequel Esa-Pekka Salonen Among my most-read blogs is “What’s An Orchestra For?” – Mulling Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Resignation from the San Francisco Symphony.” I posted it on March 26, 2024, and it stil…

"Desperate orchestras hug three survival strategies. They engage big-name soloists... They program a bloat of standard repertoire. They schedule as many pops events as their institutional conscience can tolerate..."
www.artsjournal.com/uq/2025/08/w...

Favorite contemporary opera?

Experience Handel’s Water Music on the Chicago River After last year’s debut, Music of the Baroque is bringing back The Chicago Water Music to the Chicago River on Wednesday, September 10th. Dame Jane Glover will once again lead the ensemble fr…

Experience Handel's Water Music on the Chicago River gatheringnote.com/2025/08/13/e...

Very interesting! 👇

And Robert Schumann

Thanks Heinrich Heine

Music of the Baroque’s Theodora is free to view for a limited time In the lead up to Music of the Baroque’s emerald anniversary season, they are making last season’s performances free to view for a limited time. This week, Handel’s Theodora is on…

Muisc of the Baroque's March performance of Theodora is free to view for a limited time.
gatheringnote.com/2025/07/25/m...

Berkshire Record Outlet calls it quits An unfortunate email arrived in my inbox yesterday from the folks who run the Berkshire Record Outlet: Dear fellow music-lovers, The time has come to announce our closure within the next sixty days…

Berkshire Record Outlet calls it quits gatheringnote.com/2025/07/23/b...