YouTube star Lindsey Stirling on tap in Brown County; BSO plans 3 holiday concerts
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
You'll generate cacophony when you say the violin is the hardest instrument to master. People will smirk. They'll mention oboe, harp, horn, accordion.
But how about playing the violin while you're dancing at cliff's edge?
Platinum-selling Lindsey Stirling is coming to the Brown County Music Center next month, and she'll be plucking strings while leaping stage-left-to-right. The American violinist, songwriter and dancer performs choreographed violin programs to classical, pop, rock and electronic dance music.
I will never stop applauding the dancers; they never stop rehearsing. A few days off, and setbacks set in. But to dance AND play one of the hardest-to-learn instruments simultaneously slam dances my brain cells.
In the not-too-distant future: 'Mystery Science Theater 3000': The Time Bubble Tour, coming to Brown County
More than 13 million subscribers and 3 billion-plus viewers of YouTube apparently agree. Six years ago Forbes ranked Stirling #4 on its annual YouTube artists list; she was the highest-ranked woman. Her headline tours have played to a total audience of more than 800,000 worldwide, and her literary debut, "The Only Pirate at the Party," which she wrote with her sister, Brook S. Passey, hit The New York Times' bestsellers list.
She had noticed performers' hesitancy to spend enough energy marketing themselves, so she attended film school and has hence become a social media pundit.
"You have to be a businesswoman."
In 2017 Stirling released her first holiday album, "Warmer in the Winter," featuring classic and original songs. It was the #1 new Christmas album that year, beating pop music heavyweights such as Gwen Stefani and Sia. It was also the bestselling new holiday album and the best performing holiday album on Pandora, with more than 40 million spins.
The Christmas album marked another special release in 2018 with new songs as well as classics. Her single “Carol of the Bells” is still the only instrumental song ever to reach the Top 10 at AC Radio and last year peaked at #1 on Holiday Radio.
This time of year, gaudiness reigns. "I hold a V.I.P. experience in the afternoons before the evening Christmas shows, and my fans and I all wear our ugly Christmas sweaters," Stirling said.
She also shares a new inspirational story each holiday season. One year she talked about gratitude and how it needs to become our "default setting." One thing for which she is thankful is her lifelong determination. As we all know, talent is everywhere; rugged drive isn't.
If you go
WHAT: Lindsey Stirling's live "Christmas Program 2021” and “Ugly Christmas Sweater V.I.P. Party."
WHEN: 8 p.m. Dec. 6.
WHERE: Brown County Music Center, 200 Maple Leaf Blvd., Nashville.
TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3nok5lp.
MORE: Find Lindsey Stirling at lindseystirling.com.
Bloomington Symphony Orchestra to celebrate holidays, winter
For the past five years, violinist and conductor Alejandro Gómez Guillén has served as artistic director and conductor of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, which is busy preparing for three holiday performances.
I happened to catch his "Wade in the Water: Exploring Florence Price’s Symphony No. 4 & Art Songs" last month, and let me tell you this musician can galvanize an orchestra. The concert and readings with singing (by Marquese Carter) immobilized me. I woke up thinking about that program for days afterward (and being mad that Florence Price's works had remained tucked away for many years because the composer was not only a woman but Black). In 1933, Price became the first Black woman to have a composition performed by a major U.S. orchestra in this country.
Previous: Bloomington Symphony Orchestra to perform works of Black composer Florence Price
Guillén's work toward his doctorate includes a critical edition of Colombian composer Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto, and bringing dances from Bach’s orchestral suites — in their original style — to emerging orchestras. He stuck to history in his approach so that modern instruments could produce the appropriate sound.
For the holidays, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s "Celebrate the Season" show returns with themes of peace and thanksgiving. At both the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and the Brown County Music Center, audiences will hear “Sleigh Ride” as well as new music. No sing-alongs this year, however, due to COVID-19.
"Maybe it’s all about baking cookies and sipping hot chocolate," Guillén said. Regardless of the season's reason, he expressed joy that people are choosing to share it with the orchestra.
The pieces highlight aspects of winter, with diverse points of view — and dancing by members of MotionArts Academy and its director, Kristin Iovino.
"We will also share music from the Jewish-American diaspora with the traditional 'Ma’oz Tzur' and amazing writing talents in Schönberg’s 'Les Misérables' and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 'The Sound of Music.'"
Versions of "Carol of the Bells" and "Greensleeves" offer surprises, and there will be music from classic movies such as "Miracle on 34th Street," "Home Alone," "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and some Dr. Seuss. Even "Frozen" gets a turn.
In downtown Bloomington at the Buskirk-Chumley, the group will perform both before and after the lighting of the Canopy of Lights on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The two family-friendly shows frame downtown’s street twinkling: first comes the shorter concert, featuring a North Pole visitor. Next is the orchestra's expanded show, which will livestream; tickets for this will be available soon.
Get in the holiday spirit: Residents can shop these local markets and crafts ahead of Thanksgiving
The Dec. 11 show is at the Brown County Music Center.
"We did a previous holiday show at the Music Center two years ago, but COVID-19 made last year impossible," said Donna Lafferty, the orchestra's executive director. "That venue is gorgeous, the acoustics are remarkably good, and wow, it's so professional."
Dancing, singing, storytelling and you-know-who will rule. This time, it's not all about the instruments.
"It's nice to share the spotlight with our friends, particularly with our holiday shows," Lafferty said.
And it's not just about Christmas.
"This is a chance for us to showcase other holiday traditions."
Lafferty enjoys holiday cooking and spending time with her "cute husband and cats."
And when kindergartners start breakdancing to "Sleigh Ride," she knows the orchestra has done it again.
If you go
WHAT: "Celebrate the Season," Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, three shows at two locations.
WHERE: 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.
WHEN: 5:30 and 8 p.m, Friday, Nov. 26.
TICKETS: BCT Box Office, bctboxoffice.org, 812-323-3020. Vaccine verification or negative COVID-19 test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue.
BROWN COUNTY MUSIC CENTER SHOW
WHERE: 200 Maple Leaf Blvd., Nashville.
WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.
TICKETS: browncountymusiccenter.com or ticketmaster.com, 812-988-5323. Vaccine verification or negative COVID-19 test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue.
MORE: bloomingtonsymphony.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Lindsey Stirling to perform in Brown County; BSO plans holiday shows
