| Sign up for our weekly e-blast |
Classical, Vocal and Theatre Contributor
Megan Browne Helm grew up singing, dancing and acting. Inspired by Emma Kirkby as a high school student in St. Louis she went on to study voice and sing with the Collegium Musicum at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio where she also had a radio show of contemporary classical music on WOBC. At the University of Kansas she had the pleasure of working with former Kings’ Singer, Simon Carrington in his Collegium Musicum and Oread consort. Years later, she was a choral fellow at the Yale School of Music’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She is currently singing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus under the direction of Charles Bruffy.
As a freelance music and culture writer her work can be found on KCMetropolis.org, presentmagazine.com, the Lawrence Journal World, Shawnee Magazine, Leawood Lifestyle Magazine and KC Parent. She was one of 26 journalists in the country chosen as a NEA Institute Fellow for Classical Music and Opera at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Her current interest is how classical music remains relevant through active collaborations with artists in different fields, including science. She also sees a connection between classical music, travel and food as a way to engage all of the senses in a 360 degree cultural experience. She blogs at raworganum.wordpress.com.
Wed, Apr 08, 2009
Classical/New Classical Review: The Calder Quartet works hard to Champion 20th Century Chamber Music The Calder Quartet works hard and plays hard. They have a cerebral approach that challenges listeners to expand.
Mon, Apr 13, 2009
Classical Review: When Ax played it was exquisite. At sixty years of age, he plays with a sensible passion.
Wed, Feb 04, 2009
Sandi and the Kansas City Symphony, led by Assistant Conductor Steven Jarvi, presented an eclectic evening of hits and classic songs from Broadway musicals.
Tue, Feb 10, 2009
In this stop motion animated adaptation by Susie Templeton, Peter is a sulky modern-day Russian boy living in poverty with his grandfather in a shack outside of a large metropolitan city.
Tue, Feb 10, 2009
Tafelmusik isn’t just a fine orchestra of excellent talent and experience. They use their gifts to tell stories through the music of the past. They play with wit and understanding which makes the experience of hearing them multidimensional.
Wed, Feb 18, 2009
Set before an elaborate Baroque gate to the European gallery, the ensemble re-created a program Sunday afternoon that centered on flute music of the French Baroque.
Wed, Apr 22, 2009
When telling friends 'in the know' that I was going to see Ivan Moravec’s recital, the overall response was, “Lucky you, he’s wonderful. You won’t be disappointed.”
Mon, Feb 02, 2009
Puppetry is an ancient art form and children all over the world have enjoyed the retelling of folk tales and stories for centuries. Paul Mesner and his band of merry puppeteers imaginatively recreate stories ancient and modern in an authentic way letting the audience experience what a puppet show should be.
Wed, Feb 25, 2009
It sounds like the start of a really bad joke, but Wu Man and her friends James Makubuya and Lee Knight presented a mind blowing concert that ultimately left audiences feeling good about the prospect of world peace.
Wed, Jan 21, 2009
Watching a jazz combo on a large stage, in a theater, is still a novel approach and although experiencing jazz in its natural habitat, bars, clubs and dives, offers the listener the chance to have a drink, tap toes and dance, it isn’t an appropriate venue for children.
Sun, Apr 26, 2009
The Lawrence Chamber Orchestra champions a young hopeful and inspires a community of loyal subscribers.
Wed, May 13, 2009
Take a Ralph Vaughn Williams pastoral English folk song suite and mix in a heavy chorus from 'Carmina Burana,' add the tone poem sensibility of Strauss, (Richard-not Johann) the leit motives of Wagner and sprinkle well with the songs from Riverdance. Voila…Howard Shore’s crowd-pleasing, easy-to-swallow 'Lord of the Rings.'
Mon, May 18, 2009
Angry double stops led into an ending that demonstrated Skride's fierce skills. She reveled in the final movement like a gymnast who knew she had won the gold.
Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Ira Glass took the Lied Center stage last Saturday night, sat behind a makeshift audio console and proceeded to start the show... in complete darkness. Most of the audience had never seen the man behind the iconic radio show "This American Life" and the suspense was killing us.
Tue, Jun 16, 2009
"Baroque in Motion," the world premiere collaboration of the Bach Aria Soloists and the Owen/Cox Dance Group, fused sound to skin. Allowing the music to inform every aspect of the dance, from the individual motions to the overall design, choreographer Jennifer Owen elegantly interpreted every note. Photos by Charles Stonewall
Mon, Jun 22, 2009
The viewing is relaxed. It's a little like putting on a show in your own backyard -- only the stage is a professional space with modern technology and the yard is 10 acres!
Mon, Jun 29, 2009
The beautifully restored Liberty Hall is a venue filled with 19th century charm and a perfect setting for a night of music composed in that era. Mix in some 20th century composers such as Heitor Villa-Lobos and Alberto Ginastera, and audiences were treated to some of the most passionate music in the vocal repertoire.
Mon, Jun 29, 2009
Walking into the Coterie Theatre for the world premiere of U: BUG: ME at Crown Center was like walking into a wild dance party. A conga line weaved through the house while the resident rock band wandered through the crowd laying down their funky groove. The atmosphere screamed "FUN!"
Mon, Jun 29, 2009
Listening to James Seaver's "Opera is My Hobby," offers audiences a conduit through which the great voices of the past can still inspire and amaze us today.
Thu, Jul 23, 2009
Like walking through a Baroque garden, a Romantic landscape painting or an unpredictable Modern field of wildflowers, the 2009 Summerfest season is inspired by natural beauty.
Mon, Aug 03, 2009
For musical theater lovers, seeing a show at the Starlight Theatre in Swope Park is a summer tradition. The beautifully renovated theater boasts restaurants, dancing fountains and a fabulous gift shop. Cotton candy vendors hawk their wares before the curtain goes up creating a carnival atmosphere that fit the show perfectly.
Tue, Aug 11, 2009
Theatre in the Park closed its 40th anniversary season last weekend with a Kansas legend: "The Wizard of Oz." Whether it was due to the ingenious costumes, the versatile sets or the passion of the amateur performers, this was one well-conceived and expertly directed production.
Sun, Aug 16, 2009
Theatre in the Park closed its 40th anniversary season last weekend with a Kansas legend: "The Wizard of Oz." Whether it was due to the ingenious costumes, the versatile sets or the passion of the amateur performers, this was one well-conceived and expertly directed production.
Tue, Sep 01, 2009
Octarium's Artistic Director, Dr. Krista Blackwood, enjoys mining for underperformed musical material. Her programs have consistently offered listeners a taste of the obscure. Whether the group is commissioning brand new pieces specifically for their voices, altering existing pieces for eight soloists, or digging the depths of choral libraries for works unknown, the result is always a program with surprises around each turn.
Mon, Sep 14, 2009
Under the silver spiral of the Community of Christ temple in Independence, New York Polyphony joined the Young MAIsterSingers for the MAI 30th Anniversary concert this past weekend. The performance was more than just beautiful voices resonating in a brilliant space; these young people had been touched by the careful tutelage of the late Millicent A. Daugherty. It was in her honor that the performance was dedicated.
Tue, Oct 06, 2009
How on earth could a dramatic radio interpretation of a science fiction book possibly cause mass hysteria? Were the Americans of 1939 so gullible and naïve as to think Martians were actually invading New Jersey? After seeing, hearing and feeling the re-enactment of H.G. Wells and Howard Kochs' "The War of the Worlds" as presented by the uber-talented L.A. Theatre Works, I'm no longer surprised by the infamous impact.
Mon, Oct 12, 2009
Much has been written about Dame Evelyn Glennie. Articles abound reminding us that she is deaf, that she is a woman and that she is a percussionist. Without those qualifiers she is an artist, like any other, making her living playing on the stages of the most famous performance halls in the world. Focus, instead, on the music.
Tue, Oct 13, 2009
Quality Hill Playhouse is celebrating Phase 1 and 2 of a major renovation this season with a well deserved sigh of relief. After years of cramped, inadequate quarters the cast and staff can stretch out, and audiences will be able hear and see better engineered performances.
Tue, Nov 03, 2009
Dame Emma Kirkby reminds me of Shakespeare's Queen Mab, that mythological fairy that makes mischief in people's dreams. Taking the Polsky Theatre stage at Johnson County Community College last Friday night with lutenist Jakob Lindberg, she presented the music of John Dowland and Henry Purcell.
Tue, Nov 24, 2009
In the Coterie Theatre's new production of "Little House on the Prairie," big questions are asked.
Tue, Nov 10, 2009
The University of Kansas has been actively striving for more cross disciplinary collaborations, particularly between the arts and sciences. The Spencer Museum of Art and the Lied Center joined forces last year to examine climate change and global warming. "Ferocious Beauty: Genome" along with the family program "Darwin the Dinosaur" presented in September, fit nicely into the evolution exhibit at the Natural History Museum and the annual Origin of Species celebration which will kick off next week.
Tue, Nov 10, 2009
Contemporary compositions can exciting - if a little catawampus. And seeing an elaborate collection of pitched percussion on stage is always a thrill for this reviewer. It is impossible to anticipate what is to come.
Mon, Nov 30, 2009
The Messiah by Handel can be an oratorio warhorse of epic proportions. An annual favorite, orchestras and choruses all over the world join together to recount the life of Christ from cradle to crucifixion. The Independence Messiah Singers joined by the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus under the baton of Steven Jarvi "sang" in the holiday season last Saturday night at the Community of Christ auditorium.
Mon, Nov 30, 2009
Spirits haunt every aspect of Nathan Granner's one man production of Dicken's Christmas Carol adapted by Peter Bodine. This fresh interpretation of the traditional favorite is akin to the Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Winters, Orson Wells, radio drama variety with songs and carols setting the mood and forwarding the action. There are no big budget sets, props or costumes.
Tue, Dec 08, 2009
When the Heartland Men's Chorus rolled out a kitchen set complete with the late Julia Child (played to perfection by Ron Williams) I knew I was in for a treat. The tasty piece "Fruitcake" was a fascinating mix of musical ingredients sung by the different sections of the Choir, overlapping in cannon. Sung together with "Christmas is Delicious" and "It's the Most Fattening Time of the Year," I ate it all up with a spoon.
Tue, Dec 08, 2009
The liturgical opera "The Wise Women" is billed as a mystery fable by Conrad Susa. In his own words, the composer describes it as “high church redesigned by the littlest angel.” There is a definite Anglican sensibility in the opera’s use of children, shepherds, angels and the holy family, but there is a twist. These wise women have voices, and they use them.
Tue, Dec 15, 2009
Christmas is the time of 'Lessons and Carols' - lessons coming from the Biblical tradition and carols first intoduced by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century, becoming popular throughout Europe in the 15th century. The male vocal ensemble, Cantus joined with Theater LatteDa of Minneapolis Friday night at Yardley Hall to teach a lesson of a different sort with carols from all over Europe.
Tue, Dec 15, 2009
Straight No Chaser bounded onto the stage of the Lied Center in Lawrence, Saturday night with the energy of a spirit squad. With fingers snapping, knees bending, and backs arching, I half expected them to make a three person high pyramid complete with basket tosses. Hearing them at the University of Kansas somehow completed the College connection.
Tue, Dec 15, 2009
Mid-America Arts Alliance has opened its grant cycle for both its Community Engagement with Touring Artists (CETA) and its Regional Touring Program (RTP). The deadline for CETA grant applications is Feb. 1, 2010. Presenters may apply for multiple artists' appearances under the CETA program.
Mon, Dec 21, 2009
Julianne Baird has a reputation for being one of the world's leading interpreters of Baroque vocal music. Her expressive soprano voice has been described by the Washington post as "one of the most extraordinary voices in the service of early music." I had heard about her and seen her name headlining at the Boston Early Music Festival for years, but this was my first chance to hear her live.
Tue, Dec 29, 2009
Lucky american audiences may have had the opportunity to enjoy a live performance at New York's Metropolitan Opera, but few have had the luxury of seeing, hearing and feeling world-class European talent from such legendary venues as La Scala in Milan or the Gran Teatre Del Liceau in Barcelona.
Mon, Jan 18, 2010
In a recent blog entry on the Techonology in the Arts website, writer Amelia Northrup interviewed marketing guru, Ron Evans from Groupofminds, to discuss how cell phones and mobile applications are changing the way we view the arts.
Tue, Jan 12, 2010
Jazz Winterlude at Johnson County Community College last weekend was like a three-day reunion of some of the most experienced Jazz talent in Kansas City. Performed in concert venues, as opposed to bars, audiences were able to focus on the soul-filled melodies and intricate improvisations without any distractions.
Wed, Jan 20, 2010
Maestro Bernard Labadie is a leading conductor of music from the Baroque and Classical periods. With a subtle gesture and a light lift of his baton, he led the Kansas City Symphony last Friday night in a program of lighthearted, perennial fan favorites by Schubert and Mozart.
Tue, Jan 26, 2010
Kansas is proud to be the home state of two of the world's most beloved mezzo sopranos: Joyce Di Donato and Joyce Castle. Local audiences are accustomed to hearing them in recital through the Harriman-Jewel Series and at KU, so it must have been with some trepidation that the young Sasha Cooke took the stage at the Lied Center.
Tue, Feb 02, 2010
As Midwest theaters continue to create new performance pieces based on our regional history, "Life on the Mississippi" presented at the Coterie Theatre will be enjoyable to audiences everywhere.
Tue, Feb 02, 2010
To perform with an orchestra, a soloist must have stage presence, passion and skills. They must be able to handle the pressure, relate to the accompanist and communicate with the audience. UMKC's 2010 Concerto/Aria Finalist Concert was an unparalleled opportunity to view some talented young musicians.
Tue, Feb 02, 2010
As a humanitarian, Weston Noble generously gave his time and talent last Saturday to guest conduct a sing-a-long of choral classics to raise money for a noble cause, Arts in Prison.
Mon, Feb 08, 2010
Expertly navigating the twisted terrain of several selections, Quink demonstrated its polyphonic prowess. The singers flawlessly sensed timing and tuning. There was never a distracting sway, nod or toe tap to reveal their internal beat. It was a treat to savor the group's elegant sounds.
Tue, Feb 16, 2010
Gloriously supported by the Kansas City Symphony, violinist Karen Gomyo poured her heart and soul into a performance last Friday at the Lyric Theatre, playing the ex-Foulis Stradivarius of 1703, which was her absolute equal.
Mon, Feb 15, 2010
The Fine Arts Chorale knows how to show an audience a good time. "Heartfelt Voices: Our Ode to St. Valentine's Day" blended a fresh, exciting program of love songs with art by Jenny Hahn, chocolate from Andres along with wine and a bit of bubbly courtesy of Rimann liquors.
Mon, Mar 08, 2010
It was clear that the Albers Trio are friends as well as siblings - the sisters seem to have that uncanny sibling ability to know what the others are thinking, feeling and how they will react. For an ensemble, like a trio, that skill is magical.
Mon, Mar 15, 2010
Taiko simply means "drum" in Japanese. Although its roots can be traced to ancient court music, the modern communal taiko ensembles came about in the late 1950's. Living and working together in a Dojo-like community in the country, the musicians are free to focus on their art form.
Tue, Mar 23, 2010
William McGlaughlin and the Bach Aria Soloists are "Inspired by Bach." Bill McGlaughlin is sentimental about Kansas City. "The look of the town, the rolling hills, the Missouri River and the Flint Hills further out in Kansas, it's a beautiful place with the nicest people."
Tue, Mar 30, 2010
All musical roads lead to Bach. Not one of the many J.C. Bach's or the significant W.F or C.P.E Bach but - the big guy - Johann Sebastian Bach. From the simple educational pieces in the Notebook for Anna Magdelena Bach to the mind blowing complexity of the Concertos for Solo Violin, musicians all over the world have grown up with Papa Bach.
Mon, Apr 12, 2010
It's been a long time since I've heard two great artists share a recital stage - but Saturday night the Harriman-Jewell Series brought three of Canada's finest musicians together. Tenor Michael Schade, baritone Russell Braun and his wife, pianist Carolyn Maule presented a program full of poetry, prayer and pent-up passion.
Wed, Apr 21, 2010
Quadrivium is a non-traditional quartet of top notch talent. Rebecca Ashe, flute, Cheryl Melfi, clarinet, Mark Stuaffer, cello and Kari Johnson on piano, mix it up with energy and attention to minute detail. Together just over a year, the ensemble plays everything "from Beethoven to Weber" but love collaborating with living composers.
Tue, May 11, 2010
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church may just be one of the best venues to hear Baroque music in Kansas City. Hearing the Kansas City Collegium Vocale directed by Ryan Board and the Kansas City Baroque Consortium directed by Trilla-Ray Carter in the beautiful and resonant space for the first time, I was struck by the fact that one doesn't need to go to the Boston Early Music Festival to hear rich and rewarding programming.
Tue, Jun 29, 2010
From the moment the pilgrims stepped off of the Mayflower, a capella congregational singing became an important symbol of religious freedom in America. It was clear that sacred music was no longer going to be the domain of the professional Kapellmeister, but a function of the people.
Fri, Sep 17, 2010
BongoTini gives audiences an aural trip to the tropics through exploring the wonderful possibilities of 1950s and 60s-inspired exotica.
Tue, Sep 21, 2010
Digital Honkbox Revival, a joint venture between Kansas City Arts Institute and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, was a cross-media event featuring collaborations in music, dance and visual art.
Tue, Sep 28, 2010
Members of the Kansas City Symphony provide a crucial entryway into the exciting world of classical music with an accessible composer and a story that enchants in "Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery."
Tue, Oct 05, 2010
Men behave badly and surprisingly actually get what they wish for in American Heartland Theatre's production of Norm Foster's "The Love List." Is that a good thing?
Tue, Oct 12, 2010
Commercial classical radio stations are a dying breed in America, but thanks to the dedication of Patrick Neas of KXTR Classical 1660, we in the Midwest still have a station dedicated to classical music.
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
Angst, jealousy, rumors, back-stabbing, lies, exclusion, passion, anger, depression, drug and alcohol abuse—is it Grand Opera or the life of a modern teenager? Collaborative opera, "One False Move," brings girls together for social change.
Tue, Feb 08, 2011
With four major engagement in different ensembles around town over the next four weeks, local powerhouse soprano Sarah Tannehill is very much in demand. KCM's Megan Browne Helm spoke with Tannehill about her musical background, schedule, new music, and her upcoming engagements with newEar, Northland Symphony, Kansas City Chorale, and the Liberty Symphony.
Tue, Feb 15, 2011
With four major engagement in different ensembles around town over the next four weeks, local powerhouse soprano Sarah Tannehill is very much in demand. KCM's Megan Browne Helm spoke with Tannehill about her musical background, schedule, new music, and her upcoming engagements with newEar, Northland Symphony, Kansas City Chorale, and the Liberty Symphony.
Tue, May 24, 2011
The audience of the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra and Chorus filled the Lyric to near capacity Friday night to hear them join the dramatic mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke in a concert of Brahms, Beethoven and Prokofiev.
Tue, May 10, 2011
Blending the sounds of Kansas and New York Cities, Karrin Allyson and friends closed the Folly Theater's Jazz Series on Saturday with tastes of many genres and styles.
Wed, Jun 08, 2011
Exotic pageantry, Lou Diamond Phillips and Rachel Bay Jones shine in Starlight's production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I."
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
As the Joplin tornado tore through the town, lives, homes, and businesses were lost. Local cellist and Joplin native Trilla Ray-Carter is organizing efforts help musical students get instruments back into their deserving hands.
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
What do gangsters, rodeos and rat poison have to do with working in an office? Starlight's latest movie-turned-musical will answer these questions and more in the engaging romp that is "9 to 5: The Musical."
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
Reworking "The Wiz" into a show for all ages, the Coterie Theatre exceeded expectations in this sassy, snappy production. The dancing and acting talents mixed with the diverse musical styles capitalized on the story's familiarity and appeal.
Tue, Jul 12, 2011
Summerfest asks the question, “How has music transformed you?” as the through-line for its 2011 season. With Week One offerings ranging from new works to classic favorites, the audiences was treated to fine performance of rarities.
Mon, Aug 01, 2011
The week-long Jewell Early Music Summer Festival gets underway with a celebration of German and Austrian Baroque music at Caenan Castle. In this first of four concerts, members of the Kansas City Baroque Consortium are joined by talented early music performers from the KC metro and St. Louis.
Tue, Aug 23, 2011
Kansas City may be the city of fountains, but it could equally be called the city of choirs. Many fine ensembles happily call the metro home and they are busy preparing their fall seasons. A plethora of famous solo vocalists will also be gracing our city's stages including Placido Domingo, Diana Krall, Mavis Staples, and Rufus Müller.
All material contained in KCMetropolis.org is the property of or licensed for use by KCMetropolis.org. Any use, duplication, or reproduction of any or all content of this publication is prohibited except with the express written permission of KCMetropolis.org or the original copyright holders.
RSS 2.0 Feed