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Classical Editor and Contributor
Christopher (Topher) Levin is a composer, pianist, music theorist, and music blogger based in Kansas City, MO. His compositions have been performed at music festivals across the US and in Europe. He has spent two summers in Paris, France studying music at the Ecole Normale de Musique through the EAMA program. His trio for clarinet, piano, and percussion is published in the SCI Journal of Scores.
Topher holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (M.M.) in music theory and (M.M.) in composition and from James Madison University in Virginia (B.M.) in composition. Primary composition teachers have included John S. Hilliard, Paul Rudy, Zhou Long, James Mobberley, Chen Yi, Claude Baker, Narcis Bonet, Michel Merlet, and João Pedro Oliveira. His piano teachers have included Patricia Brady and Karen Kushner. Topher maintains a piano studio of 22 students.
Having recently completed a Master's thesis on the beautiful complexities of Chinary Ung's trio, Spiral I, Topher turned his writing attention to the more informal blogging medium. He has taken to it quite well, sharing posts on strange and wonderful music and art found across the web with a modest but growing number of blog followers. He looks forward to writing for KCM and sharing with its readers the stories of all the amazing musicians performing in Kansas City.
Tue, Sep 21, 2010
Most pianists consider J. S. Bach’s "Goldberg Variations" to be one of the most important pieces of the keyboard literature, so when a pianist, in this case Robert Weirich, undertakes performing the complete piece live, it’s a huge undertaking, both for the performer and audience.
Tue, Oct 05, 2010
Organized by the UMKC Conservatory’s Alumni Association, 10 former students and associates of pianist Richard Cass pay tribute to his musical life. Former Professor of Piano, Cass passed away last November after a brief illness, having taught at UMKC for 29 years from 1975–2004.
Tue, Oct 12, 2010
Soprano Renée Fleming and pianist Bradley Moore present an evening of Viennese gems with a few delightful forays into jazz realms and signature arias.
Tue, Oct 19, 2010
Last-minute substitute Gilles Vonsattel transported Kansas City to La Belle Époque Paris with a perfect recital program and an enthralling performance.
Tue, Oct 26, 2010
Enduring neo-swing ensemble Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wows the Lied Center with their tribute to legendary band leader Cab Calloway.
Tue, Nov 02, 2010
Ranging from chamber repertory staples like Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and Chopin, to opera and Broadway arrangements, Piazzolla tangos, and a bit of jazz, Park University's Fête fundraiser offered something for everyone.
Tue, Nov 09, 2010
When impresario Richard Harriman passed away earlier this year, it was pianist Emanuel Ax who volunteered to play a memorial concert of Schubert and Chopin.
Tue, Nov 16, 2010
Tepid performances of pieces by Pulitzer Prize-winners Leon Kirchner, Jennifer Higdon, Paul Moravec, John Corigliano, and Steven Stucky left our reviewer cold during newEar's November concert.
Tue, Nov 23, 2010
Stalwarts Pinchas Zukerman and Yefim Bronfman captivated with their program that took listeners on a journey from Classical to high Romanticism.
Tue, Dec 07, 2010
The Friends of Chamber Music and UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance combined forces last week to bring distinguished pianist Leon Fleisher to Kansas City for a mini-festival of sorts as part of the Music Alliance.
Tue, Jun 07, 2011
In the penultimate program at the Lyric Theatre before their move to the Kauffman Center next fall, the Kansas City Symphony met increasingly-high expectations on Friday with aplomb to deliver a standout concert with guest conductor Juanjo Mena and guest pianist Markus Groh in performances of Grieg, Beethoven, and Schumann.
Tue, Jan 04, 2011
Have a passion for those who tickle the ivories or finger the fretboard? Check out Topher Levin's spring preview of pianists and guitarists who will appear in Kansas City over the next few months.
Wed, Jan 19, 2011
KCM's Christopher Levin recently spoke with French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet about his touring schedule, recording projects and his flair for fashion. January 28th, Thibaudet will appear in recital on the Harriman-Jewell Series.
Wed, Jan 19, 2011
It takes an amazing performer playing an amazing piece to follow Beethoven's Grosse Fuge. The Kansas City Symphony struck that balance with guest soloist André Watts on Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto.
Wed, Feb 23, 2011
Omaha bassist Jeremy Baguyos joined KcEMA for the musically diverse but unfortunately glitchy concert, "Back to the Source Code."
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
KCMetropolis presents the second part of Topher Levin’s conversation with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who will be in recital at the Folly Theater this Friday as part of the Harriman-Jewell Series.
Wed, Jan 26, 2011
The Parker Quartet showcased their considerable modern chops on works by Hindemith and Kurtág. It's not often Mendelssohn and Dvořák take a back seat, but such was the case in their Music Alliance performance.
Tue, Feb 01, 2011
Jean-Yves Thibaudet's program for the Harriman-Jewell Series captivated with his performance of Liszt rarities.
Tue, Feb 08, 2011
A new collaboration melding science, technology, music, and ingenuity, Dark Matter presented their divide-bridging showcase "Orbit" at Union Station's Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium.
Wed, Feb 16, 2011
Ginger Rogers wasn't the only native daughter to have birthday celebration this past weekend. The magnificent mezzo-soprano, Joyce DiDonato, sang songs of love from the French and Italian repertoire during her appearance on the Harriman-Jewell Series.
Wed, Feb 23, 2011
Twenty-five-year old Rafał Blechacz dazzled The Friends of Chamber Music audience with his stunning Mozart and Chopin interpretations on Friday night's Master Pianist Series at the Folly Theater.
Tue, Mar 01, 2011
Tucked away in picturesque Parkville, MO lies some impressive talent at Park University's International Center for Music. Star pupil Behzod Abduraimov charmed with Chopin's Second Piano Concerto and the conductor-less string orchestra presented Tchaikovsky's lush Serenade for Strings.
Tue, Mar 01, 2011
Packing the audience into All Souls Unitarian Church, the Bach Aria Soloists with guests Hector del Curto and Gustavo Casenave stepped... er... danced outside of their usual repertory and looked south to the music of tango master Astor Piazzolla.
Tue, Mar 08, 2011
Joining the likes of Ben Heppner, Juan Diego Flórez, Maxim Vengerov, and Luciano Pavarotti, Philadelphia-born tenor Stephen Costello made his American recital debut Saturday night at the Folly Theater as part of the Harriman-Jewell Series. Stripped of his costumes and sets, with only himself and accompanist, the rising opera star showcased a beautiful voice and a bundle of nerves.
Tue, Mar 08, 2011
With a concert of pieces by composers and performers in the infancy of their careers, Michael Stern lead the Kansas City Symphony through performances of Wagner, the premiere of Adam Schoenberg's "American Symphony" and, Jonathan Biss on Brahms' D minor Piano Concerto.
Tue, Mar 22, 2011
Since being named the first American winner of the Chopin International Piano Competition in 1970, Garrick Ohlsson has delighted world-wide audiences with refined artistic performances. His recital of Chopin and Granados for The Friends of Chamber Music brought his mastery to the Folly Theater on Saturday evening.
Wed, Mar 16, 2011
Classical Recording Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year, pianist Natasha Paremski graced the Folly Theater courtesy of the Harriman-Jewell Discovery Series with delightful works from Chopin, Prokofiev, and Kahane.
Wed, Mar 30, 2011
Last weekend, the Kansas City Symphony showcased a program of French and French–influenced music from Berlioz to Barber. Guest conductor Larry Rachleff led the Symphony’s performance of Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” and Ravel’s Concerto in G Major, featuring guest pianist Ingrid Fliter.
Wed, May 18, 2011
Mixing theatre with choral music, Charles Bruffy and the Kansas City Chorale presented their Shakespeare in Song program in collaboration with members of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. Built around the language of William Shakespeare, verse and prose from the Bard’s plays and sonnets served as the text for all twenty choral pieces, while local actors performed Shakespearean scenes in between selections.
Tue, Jun 14, 2011
The Simon Carrington Chamber Singers' program was a diverse blend of old and new as the billing "Juxtapositions" would imply, but it was in three modern pieces where the choir most excelled Friday night at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Tue, Aug 16, 2011
Classical Editor Topher Levin attended almost all the concerts in late 2010–11 by big name pianists and vocalists. Who presented his favorite recitals of the season? Read inside to find out.
Tue, Aug 23, 2011
Emanuel Ax and Marc-André Hamelin are among the visiting pianists coming to Kansas City this fall. Jazz fans can catch Grammy-winning pianists Herbie Hancock and Peter Nero as well. 2011 marks Liszt's bicentennial and both UMKC and KU will present festivals in his honor. Organ aficionados will surely want to catch performances by David Briggs and Jan Kraybill.
Mon, Sep 19, 2011
Classical editor Topher Levin snapped some shots of Sunday's open house at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. With over 50,000 in attendance, the event drew 2.5 times more eager citizens then originally anticipated despite the rainy weather.
Wed, Sep 21, 2011
The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists presented visiting organist David Briggs, who impressed with his concert at the Community of Christ Temple on Monday. The UK- and Boston-based artist offered repertory staples of Messiaen and Franck as well as several programming surprises.
Wed, Oct 05, 2011
Pianist Marc-André Hamelin spoke to KCMetropolis Classical Editor Topher Levin recently about his upcoming Harriman-Jewell Series recital, Hamelin’s recent publication of his "Twelve Etudes in the Minor Keys," the Godowsky/Chopin Etude transcriptions, and a new recording of Haydn sonatas.
Tue, Oct 11, 2011
Jane Solose continued the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance’s Liszt 200 Series, celebrating the composer’s bicentennial with a full program of Liszt piano works. The centerpiece was the composer’s massive Sonata in B minor.
Wed, Oct 19, 2011
Pianist Marc-André Hamelin delivered a sophisticated, nuanced recital of Liszt, Berg, Debussy, and his own compositions Saturday evening as part of the Harriman-Jewell Series. Each piece informed the next, bringing new insights to wonderful repertoire.
Wed, Nov 02, 2011
Midori, whose reputation has earned her single-name status, presented a well-played program of Mozart, Shostakovich, Schumann, and Schubert as part of the Harriman-Jewell concert series. With pianist Özgür Aydin, the pair performed last Thursday evening for a sizable weekday Folly audience.
Wed, Nov 02, 2011
In the second Classical Series program at the Kauffman Center, the Kansas City Symphony and Symphony Chorus took to the stage to present Brahms’ "Ein deutches Requiem," along with some Messiaen and Beethoven, before a sold-out audience Friday evening.
Wed, Nov 16, 2011
Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky “That Subliminal Kid,” joined forces with UMKC’s Graduate String Quartet to present "An Acoustic Portrait" in conjunction with the Nelson-Atkins exhibit on Romare Bearden prints. The multimedia presentation combined DJ sampling, live music, and video to explore visual and audio collage and improvisation.
Tue, Nov 22, 2011
The Kansas City Symphony under Michael Stern with soloist Behzod Abduraimov wowed with a program of twentieth century masterpieces by Bartók, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and Hindemith.
Wed, Dec 14, 2011
Taking the audience on a gradual progression from solemn classical favorites to jazzy pop standards, Octarium showcased polished professionalism and magnificent musicality.
Wed, Dec 14, 2011
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance presented the Conservatory Wind Symphony in their final concert of the fall semester with works by Paul Dukas, Virgil Thomson, Christopher Theofanidis, and Arnold Schoenberg. The concert also featured a prize-winning work by a UMKC student composer.
Wed, Dec 21, 2011
Witty and wonderful in their winter concert, the Burning River Brass showcased slick arrangements and commendable chops as part of the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College.
Wed, Dec 21, 2011
Celebrated violinist Mark O’Connor brought an entourage of diverse styles and talented performers to his Folly Jazz Series appearance Saturday night for sizable, appreciative crowd.
Tue, Jan 03, 2012
In the spring 2012 piano and organ season, Kansas City will have host high profile artists, some up-and-comers, some local favorites, and the dedication of a very special new organ.
Tue, Jan 24, 2012
Playing to a standing-room only crowd, pianist Freddy Kempf rightfully chose shorter works which were friendly to the younger audience for his Harriman-Jewell Series appearance on Friday night.
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