Vietnam to open K-pop training center

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By Dang Khoa  &nbspDecember 20, 2022 | 06:54 pm PT

Vietnamese compete in a K-pop dance cover competition in Hanoi in 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy


A new branch of South Korea’s World K-POP Center will provide classes to local artists looking to become Asia’s next pop sensations.

Vietnam Television Cable Corporation (VTVcab) is working with World K-POP Center in order to open the institution next year.

Bui Huy Nam, general director of VTVcab, said this is the first time South Korean experts would be directly training Vietnamese musicians in the ways of pop music. The school’s instructors will also play a direct role in discovering and introducing local talent to the world, he said.

Nam added that the center’s mission was to help the K-Pop and V-Pop culture industries thrive and grow both locally and internationally.

One program slated for next year after the center’s inauguration is “Click The Star.” This reality TV show produced by the center will aim to find, train and manage young Vietnamese talent according to a uniquely K-pop model.

World K-POP Center has collaborated with international broadcasters and entertainment/production companies to train professional performers and other players in the music industry. It currently has branches in China and Japan, as well as other international localities.

K-pop is a genre of popular music originating in South Korea, featuring catchy music and dance performances. Many K-pop artists have come to perform in Vietnam in recent years.

K-pop fever hit Vietnam in the early 2000s when Korean TV shows and pop songs achieved an unusually high level of popularity, long before Psy’s “Gangnam Style” took the world by storm.

According to a May 2019 survey by HCMC-based market research firm Q&Me, 51 percent of Vietnamese like South Korean pop music and 68 percent like South Korean TV serials.




Watch Rachel Leo in her “Last Call” video – Aipate

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New Zealand’s Rachel Leo is an artist who has to be on your radar. Seeking to emulate her idols such Kiana Ledé, Maggie Rogers and Yebba, the singer is creating addictive pop tunes. Her newest single “Last Call” will definitely have you singing and dancing along.

The funky disco-influenced electo pop record was co-written and produced by Drax Project. For a song about infidelity and a strained relationship, “Last Call” is refreshingly playful.

“While it was initially a really painful situation to write about,” Rachel notes. “I had so much fun writing this with the Drax Project boys in their Pōneke studio! After a long gossip sesh about what happened, we got creative with the lyrics using metaphors that nod to the local bar and nights out where everything went down.”

The Devan Narsaiand-directed music video is well depictive. Watch it and check out Rachel Leo on Instagram.



Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman details her favorite albums of 2022

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Asheville, NC, band Wednesday followed last year’s fantastic Twin Plagues with a new cover album, Mowing the Leavings Instead of Piling ’em Up, in March, and they signed to Dead Oceans in September with an excellent new single, “Bull Believer.” It’s among their most unrelenting, intense, and chaotic, guided by the songwriting of guitarist/vocalist Karly Hartzman. Karly told us about some of her favorite releases of the year, including They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, SASAMI, Enumclaw, brittle brian, and more. Read her list, complete with commentary, below.

Wednesday have a few shows lined up for 2023, including Primavera Sound, Kilby Block Party, and a date opening for Drive-By Truckers at one of their “HeAthen’s Homecoming” shows. See all dates below.

Karly Hartzman’s Favorite Albums of 2022
Whats up bitches!!!!!
Here are my (Karly) fave albums of the year. No particular order cause I can’t decide.

MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs

Listen, this guy is my boyfriend. Even if he wasn’t though this would still be one of my top albums of all time. Jake’s songwriting is just getting real honed in, and it’s got that funny and sad shit happening simultaneously that I can never get enough of. I’ll always appreciate when there’s hyper specific details in songs that somehow can describe a universal feeling. “… Seed fell out of the feeder And the birds are eating on the ground, Jackass is funny Like the Earth is round. Rogan’s home for the holidays The conversations are good and the dinners are great. If only for being homemade.” I also love that I got to watch how all the music we were listening to around the time this was being written fed into it sounds. We wore out the Band and the Purple Mountains CDs in our minivan the year surrounding and I hear all that and more in here without it being a bastardized worship album.

Babehoven – Sunk

Babehoven also released a full length record this year, but I’ve just spent more time with the EP and saw a lot of the songs live so it’s got a special place in my heart. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Maya Bon is the queen of vocal melody. Also honest to goodness she’s just got one of my favorite voices to listen to. An iconic line: “There is something I said that I regret but he thought that he showed me Fugazi. I don’t know how to explain how that feels it doesn’t make sense why it hurt me.” Also love 7 minute long “Twenty Dried Chilies”. That song is sadness in such a big way I can appreciate.

Police and Pea – I Want an Authentic Tail

This release was recommended to me by my boyfriend and guitarist of Wednesday Jake “Music Jake” Lenderman. He said it would be right up my alley and was 2000% right. We were deep into a long tour and in the middle of some long drive and listening to this revived me. So many special sounds and so much joy. The freedom and fun these songs evoke can just really pull ya out of a deep deep hole of thinking everything is stupid and worthless. It is okay to have fun!!!!!!

Friendship – Love the Stranger

Hot dog, Friendship is just a consistently good ass band. I’m gonna let some lyrics speak for themselves cause as you may or may not know: songwriter Dan Wriggins is in that big boy Iowa writing program. “Everything you’ve got that isn’t busted yet is wearing down every time you use it… Hammering down is how I’ve been getting through. Strong arming life is my bonehead tried and true… Both of us showing zero signs of relenting. I’m usually lost and I’ve got precious little finesse. But I’m still the boss, I’m still tougher than the rest.” Like… kinda makes ya feel like everyone else could just shut the hell up, ya know?

Trhä – endlhëdëhaj qáshmëna ëlh vim innivte

This person is purposefully mysterious and difficult to find any information about but they are extremely prolific. They have had four releases this year and their most recent is my favorite. The music has been giving me something I desperately needed! Don’t know how else to put it into words.

They Are Gutting a Body of Water – s

So I think this is only called “s” now cause streaming services made a mistake on their end… now I don’t remember what the record was originally supposed to be called. It’s reminiscent of the Berenstain Bears mandela effect thing. Amazing. The fact that TAGABOW just went ahead and changed all the names on other sites to match is iconic. Doug just always provides the chunky guitars and noises I need, without it being a regurgitated mess of rips from other shoegaze bands.

SASAMI – Squeeze

SASAMI was probably the best live show I saw this year. Direct and terrifying eye contact, 1000000% energy, insane guitar shit. These songs are so cool. I especially love the scarier songs. “Skin a Rat” was probably my most played song of the year.

Enumclaw – Save the Baby

These babies just do it right. The live performance of these songs is fucking exilerating, and I love remembering them jumping around on stage when I listen to these songs. This is a honed in record, riffs and vocal melodies that get that shit ACROSS with haste. Another record that make your life feel a little lighter when you’re in the fucking dregs of life.

brittle brian – Biodiesel

I went on a walk around my neighborhood to listen to this one. I kept just having the resounding thought that this album is just special, special, special. I love all the little bits in this record, feels like a creaky old house! The vocal melodies are unpredictable in the most comforting way. Songs and sounds like this just keep me excited to make music.

Bitchin Bajas – Bajacillators

I’ll always just have a deep love for everything this band does. We’ve been playing this record at the house a lot. I just love an ambient record that can provide a comforting soundtrack to your daily goings on.

—

WEDNESDAY: 2023 TOUR
Apr 1, 2023 40 Watt Club Athens, GA w/ Drive-by Truckers
May 12, 2023 – May 14, 2023 Kilby Block Party Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 3, 2023 Primavera Sound Barcelona, Spain
Jun 9, 2023 Primavera Sound Festival Porto, PT
Jun 10, 2023 Primavera Sound Madrid, Spain



Where Is Apple Music Classical? The Upcoming Streaming Service, Explained

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Apple acquired Primephonic in August last year and planned to combine and release its own classical music app by the end of 2022. But where is it?


Apple acquired Primephonic, a classical music streaming service, in Aug. 2021 and planned to launch a dedicated classical music app of its own by the end of this year. More than a year later — and with less than two weeks remaining before Apple misses its target — where is the company’s upcoming streaming service? Apple routinely purchases smaller companies to incorporate their technology into its products and services. The company has acquired services like DarkSky and high-profile names like Beats over the years. Regardless of the type of purchase, every company Apple acquires usually fits into its portfolio of products and services in some way.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

Apple Music is a streaming service tailored to the average listener, with over 100 million songs across various genres. But not all streaming services take that approach. Tidal is a service that offers high-quality music streaming, and Primephonic — the company purchased by Apple — solely aimed to provide quality classical music to users. Though there is classical music on the main Apple Music subscription service, the company must have seen a potential market for a standalone classical music app. However, classical music metadata doesn’t work as modern music does via streaming, which poses a problem to potential service providers.

Related: Miss Apple’s iPod Classic? Listen To Spotify Or Apple Music On Web Version


Apple’s Plan For A Standalone Classical Music App

When Apple announced its purchase of Primephonic in August 2021, the company said it would immediately incorporate some classical music features into Apple Music and planned to release a classical music app by the end of 2022. Apple provided existing Primephonic subscribers with six free months of Apple Music and immediately ceased new subscriptions to the classical music app. Apple shuttered the service soon after on Sept. 7, 2021. However, more than a year later, the promised Primephonic is nowhere to be seen.

There has been no mention of Apple’s planned classical music app since that date, and there are just days left in 2022 for the company to reach its own proposed deadline. Apple might have decided to delay the launch of the app to 2023 or is looking for a way to integrate the service fully into Apple Music. Meanwhile, the company has introduced brand-new features to its main music streaming service, like Apple Music Replay and Apple Music Sing. It’s unclear where Apple’s dedicated classical music app stands in 2022, but it doesn’t look like the company is meeting its goal more than a year after taking Primephonic offline.

More: Apple Music’s Take On Spotify Wrapped Is Here: How To See Your 2022 Replay

Source: Apple

Country Singer Jordan Harvey Is Engaged to Girlfriend Madison Fendley After Romantic Castle Proposal

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© Provided by People
John Mackie | @johnmackie_ Jordan Harvey and Madison Fendley

Jordan Harvey is engaged to his “Alabama Girl”!

The country singer-songwriter popped the question to girlfriend Madison Fendley on Sunday at Dundas Castle in his native Scotland after two years of dating.

“Life has changed significantly for the better,” Harvey, 30, tells PEOPLE. “I couldn’t imagine doing life without Madison and every day she makes me a better person. I’m excited for the next chapter of life together!”

Though the singer, who performed with King Calaway before going solo, says he typically lives life “in the fast lane” and isn’t much of a planner, he took a different approach for such a special occasion.

“I was definitely nervous before because I wanted to make sure that the proposal was perfect for Madison,” he says. “I made sure that I planned everything out down to the finest details and I am so glad that I did because this is a moment that neither of us will ever forget!” he says.

Luckily for Harvey, everything went to plan, something he jokes is “rare” for him — and a potential brewing storm even held off on showering the proposal with rain.






© Provided by People
John Mackie | @johnmackie_ Jordan Harvey and Madison Fendley

“The only other concern was the fact that George [the castle dog] was roaming the exact spot I wanted to use for the proposal,” he says. “But luckily a few treats were thrown his way, and he went on his happy way.”

The “I Will” singer says he and photographer John Mackie scoped out the grounds together to find the perfect angles about an hour before the proposal. Harvey then picked up his future bride, 26, and drove her to the castle, when she was told that Mackie was snapping photos for a Christmas calendar.

“I said to Madison, ‘Honey, there’s a guy taking photos, let’s not get in his shot,’ and she agreed,” Harvey recalls. “As we got closer I said to John, ‘Sorry mate, do you mind if we walk in front of the camera?’… That’s when I took Madison’s hand and dropped to one knee.”

Though Harvey says he “blacked out” from that moment on and doesn’t remember what he said, it was perfect for Madison, a professional dancer and choreographer.

RELATED: King Calaway’s Chris Deaton Ties the Knot with Molli Benson — All the Details






© Provided by People
John Mackie | @johnmackie_ Jordan Harvey and Madison Fendley

“I was at a total loss for words,” she says. “After I said yes, I felt an immense sense of happiness, peace and gratitude and still haven’t stopped smiling.”

Afterward, the happy couple headed back to Harvey’s house and enjoyed champagne, and “in true Scottish fashion, a wee dram” (known across the pond as a shot of Scotch Whisky).

Harvey says he knew Madison was the one almost instantly — and has had her engagement ring ready to go for nine months as he planned the perfect time amid their busy schedules, which included moves to New York and Chicago for Madison and the making and promotion of a record for Harvey.

“I knew from our very first date that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her,” he says. “On our one-year anniversary I brought it up and we both agreed we could see us growing old together.”






© Provided by People
John Mackie | @johnmackie_ Jordan Harvey and Madison Fendley

Madison says she also knew from their first chat that they had something special.

“After the first conversation I had with Jordan, I said, ‘That guy is going to be my new best friend,'” she recalls. “What I didn’t know is that on top of that he would become the love of my life. I knew very early on that I wanted to marry him, but wanted to take the time to build a strong foundation before getting engaged.”

She continues: “Each and every day he gives me a glimpse of what our future will look like together and makes me feel so loved, desired, respected, and supported. I truly am looking forward to tackling life with my best friend!”

Read the original article on People



Madison County Composer and Conductor Speaks on 50-Plus Years of Band Connections

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Night after night, a young Bill Murphy waited for his older brother, Allen Murphy, to return home and head straight to his room, where Allen would sit on his bed and remove his euphonium horn from its case. For roughly two hours a night, Allen practiced his instrument while Bill stood nearby to watch all the way through.

Seeing his older brother pursue something with such passion moved Bill deeply, he says, especially since it provided him something to look forward to and take comfort in amidst a volatile home life rife with physical abuse.

“I was frankly amazed that he could come home and practice with such dedication in spite of everything,” Murphy says. “I ultimately have the music he showed me to thank for a sense of community I discovered that kept me from going down a trail many abused children can find themselves on—turning to drugs and alcohol or crime.”

Bill Murphy’s school life also proved to be tumultuous, as he began 7th grade in 1969, during the first days of mandatory integration in schools following the efforts activists worked tirelessly toward during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Murphy and a number of other white students rode buses to the formerly all-Black Stone Middle School in Melbourne, Fla., and tensions at the school often boiled over during his time there.

Stone faced frequent bomb threats, which would force students to relocate to the nearby outdoor fields while authorities investigated. Murphy also witnessed riots erupt outside the school, with police cars ending up turned over or burned.

‘Sense of Community, Shared Purpose’

Amidst the chaos, Murphy found sanctuary and community with the school band after he discovered a natural talent for playing the saxophone. Within his first semester, the budding musician found himself moved from the school’s beginner band to the advanced band. When he later moved on to Melbourne High School, he came under the tutelage of music instructor Andre Arrouet, who formerly served as band director and music supervisor for Brevard County, Fla.

“I consider the connections I made with Director Arrouet and all the band families I met at school to be what saved my life as a kid,” Murphy says. “As soon as I turned 16, I packed up a suitcase, left home and went out on the streets to get away. Those band families took me in at different times while I was working toward getting into college.”

Bill Murphy (center), who graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance, served in the United States Air Force Band for more than a decade before moving on to become a music instructor in the Madison County area. Photo courtesy Bill Murphy

After graduating from Melbourne High School, Murphy enrolled at Brevard Community College in 1975. Two years later during the summer of 1977, he took a job performing with the Walt Disney All American College Band at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Later that year, Murphy joined the United States Air Force Band. Stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., he continued his education at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where he received a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance in 1979.

During his stay at Keesler, Murphy went on to serve as director of the base’s jazz band. He later transferred to Travis Air Force Base in northern California and served as director of the Commanders Jazz Ensemble.

Murphy retired from the Air Force in 1994 and moved to Madison, Miss., where he took a job as a music teacher at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. While teaching, he spent three years organizing a series of “Summer Jazz Camps” in Ridgeland, where students regularly performed at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson. Murphy also spent several years teaching music composition at USM and at Murrah High School in Jackson.

Today, Murphy works as a private guard for the Mississippi Department of Transportation while continuing to independently write and record his own music. In July 2023, he plans to move to Orlando, Fla. to pursue a doctorate in music composition at the University of Central Florida, where he plans to put a new band together and work as a teaching assistant.

“The relationships I found while pursuing music were what hooked me and kept me going at it for more than 50 years—the connections I found through bands, the sense of community, the shared purpose that comes from working together as a group,” Murphy says. “Music and other forms of art like theater can do just as much to bring young people together and teach them these skills as any school or college athletics program.”

Murphy has a 35-year-old son named Joshua Murphy, who works as a software engineer in Dallas, Texas.

Classical music is proving more popular than ever on the internet

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STOCKHOLM, Dec 20 — Elitist, outdated, old-fashioned. Prejudices about classical music can be deep-rooted. However, it’s a musical genre that keeps on finding ways of renewing itself in the hope of rallying a younger audience. And that, it seems to have found on social media, in particular on YouTube.

So suggests the first annual report from Epidemic Sound, a Swedish company that offers easy access to over 35,000 royalty-free compositions. It shows that the use of classical music on YouTube has increased by 90 per cent in the last 12 months. This would make classical music the genre that has seen the strongest growth among content creators in 2022.

So what’s driving this renewed interest in the compositions of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert? Their timelessness, it seems. Indeed, the expression “classical music” itself evokes the idea of the genre not being tied to a contemporary age. The works belonging to this musical repertoire seem to cross the ages, contrary to certain songs that remain forever associated with a very precise moment in time.

These pieces also have the advantage of conveying a wide range of emotions, and can therefore be used as a soundtrack for a wide range of content. The classical repertoire is used in humorous and educational videos, as well as in news and fashion reports, according to the “Sound of the Internet” report. YouTube artist Cecilia Blomdahl uses classical pieces to introduce her 491,000 followers to her life in the Svalbard archipelago, located halfway between the North Pole and the Norwegian mainland. “Classical music […] can be both melancholic and joyful depending on the footage, so the genre fits really well with the feeling I want to evoke in my videos,” she said.

Bringing classical music to new audiences

Musicians such as Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen and Hampus Naeselius are benefiting particularly from this musical trend. The Swedish pair are the classical music composers whose pieces have been used in the most YouTube videos this year, according to Epidemic Sound. Trevor Kowalski, Megan Wofford and Franz Gordon also make the list.

For Oscar Höglund, CEO of Epidemic Sound, this could serve as inspiration to others. “I expect there will be an even larger movement towards storytellers using classical music in their content, which also creates an opportunity for classical music artists to continue to modernize the genre and appeal to new audiences,” he explains.

This renewed interest in the classical repertoire is not limited to YouTube. It is just as prominent on TikTok, Gen Z’s favourite social network. The #classicalmusic hashtag has over 2.3 billion views on the platform. And classical works feature in videos as diverse as a rehearsal video from the trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, and a video of someone cutting pumpkin seeds into tiny strips. Here too, classical music proves its versatility.

@ibrahimmaaloufofficiel SOLD OUT #classicalmusic show where I will be playing my Third Symphony !! Thank you to everyone coming to watch the show #symphony #tiktokmusic son original – Ibrahim Maalouf

If these new uses can annoy purists, they have the merit of encouraging TikTok’s young users to discover — and appreciate — a musical genre that’s all too often viewed as stuffy and outdated. Indeed, research suggests that under 35s massively turned to the classical repertoire during the Covid pandemic. In fact, their consumption increased by 17 per cent between April 2019 and April 2020, according to a study produced jointly by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Deezer and the British Phonographic Industry.

And it’s a phenomenon that TikTok is fully aware of. The short-form video platform partnered with Warner Classics to release, in August, a compilation of the most listened-to tracks on the application. Here, all the songs had been reworked by the German Babelsberg Film Orchestra, including orchestral versions of Say So by Doja Cat, No Roots by Alice Merton or Wipe It Down by BMW Kenny. An initiative that’s sure to help bring classical music to new audiences. — ETX Studio

I’ll Take You Out: Incredible Indiana singer-songwriter Jacob Dircksen wants to make it last on Sixteen – Independent Music – New Music

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Inspiring us to take charge of each day, Jacob Dircksen waits for those dreams to come true on one of the most uplifting singles to hear today and it’s called Sixteen.

Jacob Dircksen is an Indiana-based indie singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who grew up in the music world and hasn’t stopped since.

”Jacobs writing style seems to reflect his life struggles and successes, and his music speaks clearly on his own personal experiences about life, loss, and love.” ~ Jacob Dircksen

A proud member of the United States Marine Reserve, Jacob Dircksen performs with so much passion and desire to be happy with a special human. Taking us through a few years and guiding us through what it takes to make a relationship work out, we find a glorious soundtrack to young love.

Sixteen from Indiana-based indie singer-songwriter Jacob Dircksen is an absolute anthem to millions of lost souls. Showing us deep inside and showing us self-aware lyrics with romance in abundance, this one of the most electrifying releases so far in 2022.

When you know it’s special, never let it go without a fight.

Hear this fine single on Spotify and see more on the IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen



Why Kentucky musicians Goodman, Childers, Billy Strings standout in best albums of 2022

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What distinguishes the best popular music recordings of 2022? Well, women, for one thing.

Six of the 10 entries on this critic’s pick roundup come from female artists representing multiple generations. Expand that to examine the entire list and you have music that encompasses bluegrass, folk-fortified rock ‘n’ roll, ambient soundscapes, blues-informed pop, vintage jazz and more.

So kick back this Christmas weekend with a look back at these expert recordings from the year nearly gone. All are presented as equals with no ranking system. But make no mistake. In this lineup, the women took charge.

S.G. Goodman: “Teeth Marks”

“Teeth Marks” has Fulton County native Goodman expertly balancing a level of unspoiled dynamics with the kind of confessional songwriting skills most folk artists would kill for. But “Teeth Marks” is no folk record. At one moment, Goodman can a deliver lone, shattering vocal that sounds like it was pulled from the darkest of hollers. The next she can plug-in and pilot an electric charge as assured and it is immediate. “Answered the call to rock and roll” she sings early on. That she does and then some.

Samara Joy: “Linger Awhile”

Samara Joy is a jazz singer — not a pop or R&B stylist hoping to mine swing and soul inspirations to up her hip factor, but a serious jazz stylist. This Bronx-born 23-year-old possesses the chops and vocal phrasing smarts to embrace jazz clearly on its own terms. Styles shifting from vocalese to the blues along with accents recalling giants like Sarah Vaughan abound on this collection of standards by Gershwin, Monk and more. But there is nothing imitative about this brilliant young artist. What you hear is pure Joy.

Amanda Shires: “Take it Like a Man”

From the instant she breaks into a buzz saw fiddle break on the album opening “Hawk for the Dove,” Amanda Shires fashions a wonderfully ragged quilt of American pop references with a powerfully fractured cinematic flair and a voice that is equal parts Dolly Parton and Patti Smith. “I know the cost of flight is landing,” she sings tellingly on the title tune to “Take It Like a Man,” an album grounded in earthy desire but dressed in a sense of pop bravado that can’t help but soar.

Billy Strings: “Me/and/Dad”

Strings may be the hottest guitar picker of his generation in or out of bluegrass circles, but the beauty of “Me/and/Dad” is how it promotes a familial fondness for old school country and Americana over warp-speed progressive grass. As the title suggests, the record centers on Strings collaborating with mentoring stepfather Terry Barber. From that emerges a love of traditional bluegrass so authentic that you will swear “Me/and/Dad” was cut in 1972, not 2022.

Aoife O’Donovan: “Age of Apathy”

There is a delicacy to Aoife O’Donovan’s voice that recalls Alison Krauss. Her songs, though, possess a ghostly quality, one that reflects a sense of restlessness that blows through these songs like a desert wind. Folkish in design but not always intent, the Joe Henry-produced “Age of Apathy” possesses plenty of melodic accessibility. O’Donovan’s gift, though, is coloring a set of wistful narratives with a voice that sounds gorgeously haunted.

Andrew Bird: “Inside Problems”

The beauty of Andrew Bird’s music is you never really know where you will wind up. True to its title, “Inside Problems” has Bird internalizing much of the socio-political unease of 2019’s “My Finest Work Yet” to emerge with music that is far more intimate. That translates into a four-piece band, along the pizzicato and plucking of Bird’s violin work, that takes us on a cerebral joyride, shifting from stark chamber-style unrest to Velvet Underground-style dynamics.

Roger Eno: “The Turning Year”

The ambient music Roger Eno has explored through the years, both on his own and with older sibling Brian Eno, has usually unfolded through electronics. For “The Turning Year,” he unplugs for a suite of 14 instrumental works where acoustic piano colors the soundscapes. Suitably prog-style accompaniment comes from chamber-style strings. Running from minimalistic to meditative, the music summoned on “The Turning Year” by the Other Eno makes for 2022’s most regal chill-out record.

Bonnie Raitt: “Just Like That…”

Few pop artists of any generation have aged with more obvious grace than Bonnie Raitt. She sounds like royalty on “Just Like That…” At 73, her singing is clear and robustly confident, but bears a hint of world-weariness that suits these 10 songs nicely. The only thing that has changed about her sterling guitarwork is its placement. Here, it seeps into the crevices of her songs and singing to make their sense of age glow.

Tyler Childers: “Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?”

There is no question that “Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?” is an indulgence for Lawrence County’s master song stylist. It’s a record that recasts the same eight tunes in three different settings over three separate records. But what riches there are here, from a sense of gospel fervor that triggers some of Childers’ most expressive vocal work to arrangements that ignite a sense of spiritualism through layers of stark reflection, brass/strings-led jubilation and remix invention. What a ride.

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway: “Crooked Tree”

Following a 2020 album (“… But I’d Rather Be With You”) of stylistically far-reaching covers recorded mostly in COVID-caused isolation, “Crooked Tree” blasts forth with a vigorous set of Tuttle originals propelled by the live drive of her masterful Golden Highway band. Guests abound (Margo Price, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gillian Welch), but what distinguishes “Crooked Tree” is Tuttle’s rustic storytelling, scholarly bluegrass/Americana instrumentation and golden singing.

©2022 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Linda Catlin Smith – Wilderness (European Première)

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Behind today’s Advent Calendar door is a beautiful, contemplative orchestral work by Canada-based composer Linda Catlin Smith. Wilderness was composed in 2005, and while it would be inaccurate to call it a work for violin and orchestra (still less a concerto), a solo violin has a role distinct from the rest of the instruments. However, the extent to which the violin is fully separate, i.e. representing the explorer of the wilderness created by the orchestra, isn’t merely debatable but changes throughout the course of the piece.

As wildernesses go, Smith’s is a relatively mild one, strange rather than directly inhospitable. The environment is one typified by clusters, forming a smeary texture in the strings, while the winds and brass tend towards shorter sustained chords. The combined effect is somewhat vaporous, more like a complex cloud formation than a solid wilderness of rock or land. As such, the solo violin’s halting journey through this is made through a process of floating and gliding. It’s this tone of elegance, even grace, permeating Wilderness that minimises how unsettling it feels, generally occupying a restful place, perhaps sparse but nonetheless colourful.

Yet there are elements of disquiet; barely three minutes in the harmony takes an unexpected turn into darker hues, and on a couple of occasions Smith imbues the music with solemnity via deep tolling tones in the bass, like a heavy processional. All the same, the violin’s negotiation of these sequences requires no more apparent effort than clearing a small cloud of smoke with the wave of a hand. One can read its non-virtuosic language as being tinged with caution and concern, though equally it has a rapturous quality suggesting this wilderness is a place of glory. Occasionally the winds reinforce the violin line with imitative counterpoint, reinforcing further a sense of sympathetic connection between the violin and the rest of the orchestra.

Towards the work’s conclusion the music grows in warmth, briefly hinting at something triadic, perhaps a resolution of sorts, but its continuation is less obviously conclusive, harmonically speaking. Having fallen silent for a while the violin now aligns with the rest of the violins for a time, suggesting unity (the score is marked “tranquillo”). It’s followed by perhaps the most rich passage in Wilderness, a sublime, mesmerising, soft tutti flexing while the violin sings high above, bringing the piece to a simple, uplifted end.

The first European performance of Wilderness was given by the BBC Scottish Symphony conducted by Ilan Volkov, at the 2017 Tectonics festival in Glasgow.

Full score (perusal)