Tag Archives: ladies musical club of seattle

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Classical Music on the Cheap: Lunchtime Concerts

In this episode of “Classical Music on the Cheap”, we explore concerts that fit right into your weekday lunch hour. For those who work in downtown Seattle, there’s a wealth of midday events happening just steps away from your office. These hour-long concerts are a great way to sample classical music in bite-sized portions. The best part? All of these performances are completely free.  So grab a sandwich and coffee from the corner cafe, and let’s check out our options.

A performance by Janet Anderson on piano and Nancy Kirkner on solo English handbells (Photo: Sherman Clay Seattle)

Sherman Clay Pianos presents a free piano concert every Thursday at 12:15pm in their showroom just around the corner from Westlake Center. The next recital in the series is on September 27 and features a program of British music performed by Janet Anderson on piano and Nancy Kirkner on English handbells.

Head to the historic Daniels Recital Hall at Fifth and Columbia for themed programs of popular audience favorites. These free noontime concerts are held on the last Thursday of each month. “Music of the Americas”, the next performance in the series, is on September 27. Pianist Jensina Oliver presents works by Joplin, Gershwin, Bolcom, Ginastera, and Piazzolla.

Members of the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle present a free noontime concert at the Seattle Art Museum on the first Thursday of each month. On October 4, pianist Janet Anderson and English handbell artist Nancy Kirkner perform the same program of British music that they’ll play this week at Sherman Clay Pianos. In November, oboist Gail Perstein, soprano Frances Garcia, and pianists Asta Vaicekonis and Taotao Liu will take the stage.

The Central Library is another popular venue for Ladies Musical Club performances. These free monthly concerts are held at noon on Wednesdays. The next concert in the series is on October 10 and features traditional Welsh folk songs as well as piano works by Scriabin and Respighi.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Classical Music on the Cheap: Opera at the Library

Classical music often gets a bad rap as being a status symbol for the wealthy.  There’s a popular misconception that classical concerts are prohibitively expensive affairs attended by snobbish rich folks. Author and classical music critic Alex Ross sums it up well in his recent post in The New Yorker‘s arts & entertainment blog:

If popular stereotypes about classical music held true, the genre should have had no social or political relevance in 2011, one of the darkest and angriest years in recent American history. Classical music is, we are given to understand, the playground of the one per cent, the province of the super-rich. When concerts are depicted in the movies, you see élites in evening wear gazing snootily through archaic eyewear at misbehaving interlopers.

In reality, the price of a Seattle Symphony or Seattle Opera ticket is comparable to a seat at a rock concert or sports event. There are also plenty of free and nearly-free classical concerts that are every bit as exciting as the high-profile celebrity recitals and opera productions. Discounts and deals on tickets abound. Classical music is actually quite accessible to everyone–you just have to know where to look.

In this new monthly series, “Classical Music on the Cheap”, I’ll explore different ways of enjoying classical music in Seattle without breaking the bank.  So whether you’ve resolved to spend less, get out more, or expand your musical horizons, be sure to check out Seattle’s vibrant classical music scene this year.

This month, I head to your local branch of the Seattle Public Library for a free preview of Seattle Opera’s production of Attila, the 1846 opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The previews began this week and continue through next week in preparation for the opening night of Attila on January 14. Several branches around the city will be offering previews, which feature a lecture, musical excerpts, and video clips. Learn about the history and story of the opera and get a behind-the-scenes peek at the Seattle Opera production.

If live music is what you’re after, SPL’s Central Library hosts a free monthly concert series presented by the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle. This month’s recital is on January 11 at noon and features works by Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, Czerny, and Arutiunian. Violinist Candice Chin, clarinetist David Frank, and pianists Jim Whitehead, Risa Jun, and Yelena Balabanova will perform. If you work downtown or on First Hill, this concert series offers a great excuse to get out of the office at lunchtime. The Ladies Musical Club also offers free concerts at other Seattle venues, including the Seattle Art Museum, the Frye Art Museum, and local retirement communities.

The Central Library also hosts other free concerts and musical events from time to time.  Check the Central events page for a schedule and more information.