Author: JM

Perhaps it is fitting that an orchestra that came into being during the “unprecedented times” of “a city recovering from war and pandemic” is celebrating its 100^th birthday this year. That said, while the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (of Birmingham, England) celebrated its birthday in a – yes – unprecedented way, it was also an innovative and forward-thinking commemoration.

Given the current restrictions on large gatherings like concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been thinking quite a bit about the ways in which performers are continuing to engage with audiences across time and space. I firmly believe that art conducted online is just as much art as any live, in-person performance, just through a new medium, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) illustrated this beautifully. While I would have loved to hear them perform in the immaculate acoustic environment of Hill Auditorium as they were scheduled to prior to the pandemic, and headphones undeniably will never match that experience, the new artistic medium of the internet in turn allows for greater accessibility, flexibility, and learning.

For me, the online format meant that through interviews, videos, and historical photos included in the presentation, I was able to learn far more about the CBSO as an organization than I ever would have at a live performance, and I have to say that I was impressed by what I learned. Through outreach, commitment to its community, and investment in younger generations, the CBSO seems to be paving the way for orchestras of the 21^st century. Their youth ambassador program, which was highlighted during the celebration, quite literally puts the orchestra in the hands of the younger generation by giving a group of young adults age 16-21 the opportunity to program and present their own concert with the full CBSO. The CBSO is also not limited to the “classics” of composers from previous centuries, and though there is always room for improvement, it was delightful to see new music, old music, and music from pop culture all on the same program (according to their website, the CBSO performs “music that ranges from classics to contemporary, film music and even symphonic disco”). As a student studying music performance myself, it is heartening to see an orchestra so committed to creating a vibrant, relevant artistic community.

One of my favorite pieces was cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto in A Minor. Even through the medium of the internet, the expressivity of his playing was evident, which has made me even more excited for his upcoming UMS digital recital with his sister, Isata Kanneh-Mason, in October! Roopa Panesar’s sitar playing for A R Rahman’s Slumdog Millionaire Suite was also superb, and the excellent camera work for that piece added to the experience. Under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle, the orchestra also performed works by Sir Edward Elgar (the first conductor of the CBSO), Igor Stravinsky, and Hannah Kendall.

Overall, although I missed the experience of seeing the CBSO perform live with Sheku Kanneh-Mason at Hill Auditorium, their online centenary celebration offered a window into the orchestra that I never would have gotten from a live concert. Though it may be different than what we are used to, arts engagement during the pandemic can offer entirely new perspectives on artists and their work.

The CBSO’s 100^th Birthday Celebration is no longer available for streaming through the UMS website, but it can still be viewed on YouTube.

James Taylor’s new album American Standard has an overwhelmingly familiar feel to it, which I think is both to its benefit and to its detriment. While it delivers on the expectations alluded to in the title (the album contains American musical standards including well-known showtunes and popular songs such as “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” from Guys and Dolls and “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s ), it does not really introduce any new material since all the songs featured are covers.

As noted above, Taylor’s new album consists exclusively of covers of well-known American songs. Even though the songs he chose are essentially all beloved tunes, this was a bit disappointing to me, given that Taylor is known as both a singer and as a songwriter. At the least, I had hoped for some original songs, even if they were not written by Taylor himself.

That said, the album still has a lot to offer, and I found it quite enjoyable to listen to. The word that keeps coming to mind in relation to the collection of songs is comfortable. Not only is Taylor’s warm, mellow voice comforting to listen to, but Taylor sticks to a relatively comfortable vocal range and his signature vocal style. For instance, Taylor’s rendition of “God Bless the Child” is undeniably in his own musical mold, and consequently quite different than Billie Holiday’s original version (which has made its own mark as an American standard). I did not, however, find myself constantly comparing the two when listening to Taylor’s version because the way he has made the song is own is rather classic and singular in its own way. There is not anything wild or revolutionary on this album, but that is clearly the point. The instrumental accompaniment is simple and never overpowering, consisting mainly of guitar with some light percussion. It is easy to imagine that Taylor is singing straight to the listener, and each song seems like a story that Taylor is telling personally.

Overall, American Standard blazes no new trails in American music, but it does continue the legacy of one this country’s most popular recording artists. (Taylor has won multiple GRAMMYs, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and has sold over 100 million records). Especially given the turbulence of the current world, perhaps Taylor’s artistic choice to play off of familiarity was what was needed at this moment.

Though today Mandy Moore may be better known for her career as an actress – she is the voice of Rapunzel in Tangled and plays Rebecca Pearson on the television series This is Us – she is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. Fans of This is Us will have been exposed to glimpses of Moore’s work on the show, since her character Rebecca is also a singer, but her albums offer a better picture of Moore as her own vocal artist. Silver Landings, released in 2020, is her seventh studio album.

The music itself eludes categorization into a single genre, instead audibly combining elements of pop, rock, and folk both from now and decades past. Indeed, both the musical style and the lyrics seem to be reflective of Moore’s career up to this point. For instance, her song “Fifteen” is in reference to her early success (she was fifteen when her debut single “Candy” launched her into the spotlight in 1999). The deliberateness of this album an especially notable treat for listeners, given that Silver Landings is Moore’s first album in over a decade; her last album, Amanda Leigh, was released in 2009.

Most of the album is upbeat in a relaxed and laid-back sort of way that seems evocative of the ends of long summer days, but one of my favorite songs is actually the slower ballad “If That’s What It Takes.” To the slow strumming of guitar, Moore sings “As the years keep slipping away / We’ll be the birthday cake / While the world turns itself inside out / We’ll be the butterfly / When they’re burning the carnival down / We’ll stay on the Ferris wheel / Oh baby, if that’s what it takes.” Another one of my favorites is the more upbeat but still reflective “Stories Reminding Myself of Me.” The line “Turning a corner so bittersweet” from the refrain seems representative of the entire album.

Overall, the feel of Silver Landings is one of a mature and varied musical style, with the album offering listeners a balanced plate of sonic influences. Moore deftly changes the timbre of her voice to match the lyrics and mood of the song, going from cool and detached to a warmer and richer sound. I found the album to be both mood-lifting and relaxing to listen to, which makes it a welcome escape from the current world.

If you are familiar with any of Mandy Moore’s previous work as a singer or as an actress (or even if you aren’t), I would recommend her newest album, Silver Landings.