Quick notes from our hosts

It's interesting how things coincidentally converge. German-born conductor Alexander Mickelthwate, the music director in Winnipeg, will replace Dennis Russell Davies in his second (cancelled) week of SPCO appearances. As chance would have it, he previously was an assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Back in 2004, he led that ensemble in a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall which featured, for the first time before a "public" audience, a performance with the hall's new pipe organ (with its festival Frank Gehry-designed façade). That concert was broadcast on PIPEDREAMS on MPR on Sunday, April 25. A fine way of introducing the community to Alexander Mickelthwate!

- Michael Barone

It never ceases to amaze me how much wonderful new music there is to share in the community around here. This past week, the oboe and bass combo Vecchione/Erdahl Duo performed at St. Therese Care Center in New Hope. I attended and participated in a concert they did a couple weeks ago at the Lakeville Arts Center, a wonderful venue which hosts theater and music events, including chamber music. The Duo and friends performed entertaining works by Morton Gould, Timothy Goplerud and others. And I had the chance to narrate the Story of Babar in a musical setting. My young niece who's just learning to read followed along with a copy of the book from her seat. Youngsters and oldsters both had an enjoyable afternoon.

- Steve Staruch