Richard D. Russell » Sofia Dimitrova

Photos from “It Takes A Rainbow”

Richard D. Russell — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:46:18 +0000

“It Takes A Rainbow” with book and lyrics by Emily Clare Thompson and music by Richard D. Russell, premiered May 9, 2013.

It’s a very good show in its simplicity. The curtain rises on a village of brown lizards who are safe and warm at home, “Where All is Brown.” Several lizards decide to explore the outside world, where they find red frogs (“When You’re Seein’ Red”), orange and yellow frogs (“Citrine Samba”) and so on. One by one the lizards change color. They learn that difference is nothing to fear. They return home to teach the king and queen that “It Takes A Rainbow.”

It’s a great little show, about 45 minutes long, and was a big hit with students, teachers, and parents. The staging, while simple, was exceedingly effective, especially the costumes! (See also the program, on this website.)

Here are several pictures from the show. (Thanks to Sofia Dimitrova for lending her photography skills!) Click the image (within your browser) to enlarge.

Emily Clare Thompson and Richard D. Russell at the school sign

It’s a blockbuster! The crows waits to enter the theater.

“Where All is Brown”

A brown lizard learns how great it is “When You’re Seein’ Red”

“When You’re Seein’ Red”

The “Citrine Samba”

“Explore The World of Green”

“You Gotta Sing the Blues”

“You just can’t be unhappy when you’re blue or indigo”

“Searching high, searching low!”

The Purple and Violet Hoedown

The lizards return home in transformed colors

“It Takes a Rainbow”

Emily Clare Thompson reading acknowledgements

Emily Clare Thompson introduces Richard D. Russell

Emily Clare Thompson and Richard D. Russell after the show

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NYCC’s February 2013 concert

Richard D. Russell — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:29:29 +0000

The New York Composers Circle presented a concert at Saint Peter’s Church at the Citigroup Center on February 19, 2013. Among the pieces performed were two of my compositions, “Amid the Blinding Snow” and “Crossing the Bar.”

Soprano Sofia Dimitrova sang the two songs, backed by the Glass Farm Ensemble. Glass Farm is Yvonne Troxler, piano, Gregor Kitzis, violin, and Matthew Goeke, cello. The performances were excellent and I hope to have video or audio posted here soon.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about Sofia Dimitrova at her website:
sofiadimitrova.com

And more about the Glass Farm Ensemble is here:
glassfarm.org

Richard Russell introduces his pieces

Sofia Dimitrova

Sofia Dimitrova with Glass Farm Ensemble

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Sofia Dimitrova to perform Richard Russell songs February 19

Richard D. Russell — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:21:24 +0000

Sofia Dimitrova

Soprano Sofia Dimitrova will perform two Richard Russell compositions, “Amid the Blinding Snow” and “Crossing the Bar.” This will be the New York premiere of the two pieces, which are for soprano and piano trio.

The venue is Saint Peters Church at Citigroup Center, Lexington Avenue at 54th Street. The concert starts at 8pm, and there is a suggested donation of $20.

Other pieces on the concert:
Roger Blanc Maneuvers, for vln & vla
Richard Brooks Lamentations
Jacob E. Goodman Variations for a Rainy Afternoon
Carl Kanter Summer Quartet, for string quartet
Debra Kaye Duet After Winter, for 2 vlns
Eugene Marlow La Femme d’un Temps Passe’ au Pre’sent

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Sofia Dimitrova performs “Time is Not an Option”

Richard D. Russell — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:26:37 +0000

Sofia Dimitrova accompanied by Catherine Miller

Sofia Dimitrova performed “Time is Not an Option” as part of the New York Composers Circle’s Outreach Program last October 21 at Stuyvesant High School. Sofia was accompanied by pianist Catherone Miller, and they also performed Paul Moravec’s “The Rose and the Nightingale,” Kevin McCarter’s “3 Songs,” and Menotti’s “Monica’s Waltz.”

I was asked some very interesting questions: (1) Do I consider my music harmonic or atonal? (2) Can you give some examples of how composers draw upon different influences today? (3) What’s the hardest part about being a composer of classical music in these times?

That last question was particularly apt, since my answer was about finding audiences for new contemporary music, which was the very reason this outreach concert happened. Here are some pics, and I hope to post video soon.

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Sofia Dimitrova in NYCC Outreach: “Time is not an Option”

Richard D. Russell — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:17:11 +0000

Sofia Dimitrova

Although this event is not open to the public, I’d like to share that Sofia Dimitrova will perform “Time is Not an Option” as part of the New York Composers Circle’s Outreach Program. The date will be October 21 and the venue is Stuyvesant High School. Sofia will be joined by pianist Catherine Miller and NYCC Executive Director emeritus, John de Clef Piñeiro, who will say a few words about each piece. In addition to my piece, Sofia will also perform Paul Moravec’s “The Rose and the Nightingale,” Kevin McCarter’s “3 Songs,” and Menotti’s “Monica’s Waltz.”

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“Time is Not an Option” featured in NYCC Outreach

Richard D. Russell — Wed, 18 May 2011 01:14:50 +0000

On May 16, 2011, soprano Sofia Dimitrova performed “Time is Not An Option” accompanied by Tamara Cashour–in an outreach program presented by the New York Composers Circle. The venue was Hunter College High School on Park Avenue on the Upper East Side. The hour-long recital was emceed by the Executive Emeritus of the NYCC, John de Clef Pi√±eiro. Ms. Dimitrova performed many 20th (and 21st) Century works, including pieces by Menotti, Paul Moravec, and Aaron Copland.

The concert was attended by about 100 ninth and tenth graders. A question-and-answer session yielded some interesting thoughts: does a singer prepare differently for modern music than for music by (say) Mozart? What is the process of composing all about? How does one go about starting a new composition?

Here are several pictures from the afternoon–click image for a larger view.

Richard D. Russell introduces his piece

Tamara Cashour, Sofia Dimitrova, John de Clef Pi√±eiro

Tamara Cashour, Sofia Dimitrova

Tamara Cashour and Sofia Dimitrova

Sofia Dimitrova

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Sofia Dimitrova to perform Time is Not an Option

Richard D. Russell — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:26:35 +0000

On May 16, 2011, soprano Sofia Dimitrova will perform the song cycle “Time is Not an Option” at Hunter College High School on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, in a concert being presented by the New York Composers Circle’s Outreach program. This is the fourth time a selection of mine has been included in the NYCC’s Outreach program. For more information on the NYCC, click here.

Tamara Cashour is the pianist, and John de Clef Pi√±eiro will host the event.

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Two Song Cycles featured in Mannes College of Music Concert

Richard D. Russell — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:30:00 +0000

On June 30, 2010, the Mannes College of Music was treated to some really great performances of two song cycles of mine. Soprano Sofia Dimitrova, accompanied by Sophia Munoz, performed Time is Not an Option. After the intermission, Sofia Dimitrova was joined by mezzo Christina Goyne in premiering Four Shakespeare Songs in Madrigal Style. These scores, by the way, are available at RDRussell.com — just click on “compositions.”

Here’s several pics from the evening (click to enlarge).

Sofia Dimitrova, with Sophia Munoz on piano

Sophia Munoz and Richard Russell compare notes

Sofia Dimitrova

Sofia Dimitrova and Christina Goyne

Christina Goyne

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Two Russell pieces at Mannes College on June 30

Richard D. Russell — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:58:00 +0000

Sofia Dimitrova

Christina Goyne

Two pieces by Richard Russell will be featured in a concert at Mannes College of Music on June 30, 8pm. Mannes is at 150 West 85th Street in New York, and the concert is free and open to the public.

The first piece is a world premiere of Four Shakespeare Songs in Madrigal Style, featuring soprano Sofia Dimitrova and mezzo Christina Goyne. The second piece is Time is Not an Option, the awarded commission from Voices Up! recently premiered at Fordham University. Hope to see you there!

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“A Poe Fantasia” sung in NYCC’s “Encores Outreach Program”

Richard D. Russell — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:49:00 +0000

On Friday May 7, the New York Composers Circle presented an “Encores” Outreach Program at the JASA West Side Community Center on the upper west side of Manhattan. Soprano Sofia Dimitrova, accompanied by Catherine Miller, performed my “A Poe Fantasia” and works by Paul Moravec, Copland, Menotti, Ives, and Kevin McCarter. The NYCC’s Executive Director, John de Clef Pi√±eiro, emceed the event, providing an educational overview of 20th Century art song.

The only problem with these events is that since I’m taking pictures, I don’t always get a chance to get a picture of me in there! But here are several pics of the day’s event. (Click for larger size.)

Catherine Miller and Sofia Dimitrova relax before the concert

Sofia Dimitrova and Catherine Miller compare notes

NYCC director John de Clef Pineiro addresses the audience

Another view of John de Clef Pineiro

Sofia Dimitrova sings

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