February can sometimes get a bad rap. It’s the shortest month of the year, the excitement of the holidays long gone, and spring is still a distant reality for many. At PARMA, however, we made the most of 28 days along with our artists, recording partners, and production team, with fruitful sessions stateside and internationally.
Recording Sessions
We kicked February off in the Czech Republic with the Benda Quartet and double bass soloist Lumír Kavík and the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, recording works for composers Jan Jarvlepp and Marilyn Bliss, respectively.
“We had a great session Tuesday with Jan [Košulič] and the orchestra, and I’m looking forward to the next stage…. The orchestra played well and Jan [Košulič] knows the music, so I think we will be able to make a lovely recording.” – Marilyn Bliss
Mid-month, the Janáček Philharmonic was once again at work capturing an orchestral composition by Jarvlepp.
“I love the sound of the string orchestra.” – Jan Jarvlepp
Back stateside, our team got to work at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport MA. With the Atlantic Ocean as our backdrop, we got to work. First up, we recorded for composer Mark Simon with Trio Casals’ Anna Kislitsyna on piano. The composer was able to attend in person, with COVID precautions taken by all.
Pianist Anna Kislitsyna and composer Mark Simon during a recording session at the Shalin Liu Performance Center
A few weeks later, we were back at Shalin Liu with the full Trio Casals, recording string trio works for composer Richard Brown and Trio cellist/composer Ovidiu Marinescu. With Recording Session Director Brad Michel at the production helm, we captured three pieces in the final days of the month.
Live Stream Video Sessions
While our sessions team was busy capturing new music in the recording studio, our video production team worked alongside two staple New England arts organizations to bring live music to audiences in a safe and cinematic way.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra
The Portland Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with PARMA’s Live Stream team, will make their Winter/Spring concert series available through ticketed events online. In mid-February, we traveled up the coast to Portland ME to capture the PSOs “Shostakovich & Tchaikovsky” program. With our on-site production team producing the high-quality audio and video stream, the PSO was able to share their performances with audiences who cannot yet attend in person due to health concerns.
Capturing the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s Shostakovich & Tchaikovsky program
The Portsmouth Music Hall
Back in the PARMA HQ neighborhood, we teamed up with our longtime friends at the historic Portsmouth Music Hall to stream three of their February concerts to virtual audiences. Over the course of two weekends, we streamed three of their concerts: Vapors of Morphine, Livingston Taylor, and Martin Sexton. These performances, once again captured with the highest-quality video and audio, were the first live-streamed performances in the Music Hall’s 142-year history.
We’re proud to work with artists and arts organizations to bring music of all kinds to the right audiences. With a busy March ahead, we’re excited to continue bringing musical inspiration to life.
