Classical Classroom

Are you ready to rumble?? Because these classical composers and musicians are. In this Classical Classroom short, learn all about how rivalries between musicians go back as far as music does, and how music is better for it.

Audio production by Todd "Mr. T" Hulslander, with a mean left hook from Dacia Clay and jabs by MusicLab intern, Daniel Webbon.

Music used in this episode includes:

– "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti from the Rocky soundtrack

– "Lithium" by Nirvana from Nevermind

– "Hypnotize" by the Notorious B.I.G. from Life After Death

– Overture from The Barber of Seville by Giachino Rossini

– Sinfonia Veneziana: Allegro assai by Antonio Salieri

– Horn Call from Act 2 of Siegfried by Richard Wagner

– Music of Changes, Book 1 by John Cage

– Structures by Pierre Boulez

– Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, op. 15 by Ludwig van Beethoven (played by Lang Lang)

– "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift from Red

Osvaldo Golijov's "Ayre" – an amazing exercise in contrasts – is unlike any other piece you've ever heard on Classical Classroom. In fact, is it classical music?? Percussionist Craig Hauschildt (who works for a group called Da Camera that brings tons of classical music to Houston) answers that question, plus, we both try and fail at pronouncing a lot of words.

Audio production by Todd "Trouble" Hulslander, with snacking and oversight by Dacia Clay.

Music used in this episode:

– Ayre (2004) by Osvaldo Noé Golijov

– Folk Songs by Luciano Berio

– "Debaser", from the album Doolittle, by the Pixies

For more about Da Camera of Houston, visit www.dacamera.com.

In honor of Beethoven's 240-something birthday, Keith Weber, Grammy-nominated Producer, Director of Music and Organist at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Houston, and Artistic Director of Grace Song, Inc., talks about just who this "Beethoven" guy was, why he was officially excused from having manners at parties, and all about his "Missa Solemnis" mass.

Audio production by Todd "Todd Rundgren" Hulslander without a lick of help from Dacia Clay.

Music used in this episode:

– Ludwig van Beethoven's Missa solemnis in D major, Op. 123

For more information about Grace Song, Inc., go to www.gracesong.us.

We all know The Nutcracker, right? Wrong! In this episode of Classical Classroom, Shelly Power (director, Houston Ballet Academy) and Michael Remson (executive director, American Festival of the Arts) blow your minds with the history of the ballet and a behind-the-scenes look at the massive undertaking that putting on the show entails every year.

Audio production by Todd "Pas de Todd" Hulslander with sugarplum fairies dancing in her head by Dacia Clay.

The Nutcracker:

– Score by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky

– Original choreography by Marius Petipas and Lev Ivanov

– Libretto adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

For more about the Houston Ballet, go to www.houstonballet.org.

For more about American Festival for the Arts, go to www.afatexas.org.

Handel's Messiah is a beloved Christmas favorite. But, as Robert Simpson, founder and artistic director of Houston Chamber Choir, tells us, it is oh-so-much more than the "Hallelujah" chorus. Like, 250 pages more. All of which we cover in this half-hour episode. Just kidding!

Audio production by Todd "Jolly Old Saint Toddolas" Hulslander with stockings hung by the mixing board by Dacia Clay.

Music used in this episode:

– George Frideric Handel, Messiah, HWV 56

For more about the Houston Chamber Choir and their upcoming performance of Messiah, go to www.houstonchamberchoir.org.

Happy Thanksgivukkah everyone! That's right: the Julian and the Hebrew calendars have aligned this year to create a day even more amazing than Hanukkah and more delicious than Thanksgiving. There won't be another until the year 79811! To honor this rare occasion, Cantor Benjamin Matis of the Shelter Rock Jewish Centerin Roslyn, New York in Long Island schools us on the history and music of Hanukkah.

Audio production by Todd "Toddfurky" Hulslander with a side of help and gravy from Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode includes:

• John Williams' Star Wars (Main Theme)
• Ma'oz Tzur (Ashkenazi and Sephardic versions)
• George Frideric Handel's Judas Maccabaeus (HWV 63)
• Richard Tucker singing "Sound an Alarm" (Judas Maccabaeus)
• David Paskin, The Ballad of Thanksgivukkah
• Aaaand, of course, this gem:

https://youtu.be/KX5Z-HpHH9g

Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring was so revolutionary that its alien sounds literally incited a riot at its premiere. Dr. Ana María Otamendi, Venezuelan pianist and professor at the University of Houston tells us why! And btw, we are aware that it's Fall. But we don't even care!

Audio production by Todd "Travesty" Hulslander with aspersions cast by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode:

• Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring

Check out Ana Maria's performance of her arrangement of The Rite of Spring on December 4th at the University of Houston's Dudley Recital Hall. For more information, go to www.uh.edu/class/music.

Beethoven's 7th Symphony (Yes! We finally talk about Beethoven!) is one of independent producer, author, documentary filmmaker, and Peabody Award-winner, Wesley Horner's favorite pieces of music. In this episode, Wes takes us on an emotional journey through this masterful musical conversation. Caution: you may want to dance or weep – or dance and weep – when you listen to this.

Audio production by Todd "Toddtastic" Hulslander with deep, brooding glances from Dacia Clay.

Music we used in this episode: - Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, 2nd movement

Also, I couldn't help noticing that during our conversation, Wes and I started to sound a little like "NPR's Delicious Dish":

Was Tchaikovsky's Symphony VI (aka "Pathetique", aka "Suicide Symphony") a suicide note or did he die of cholera, per the Official Word? You decide after this intweeging lesson with clarinetist and Shepherd School of Music Professor of Music, Michael Webster!

Audio production by Todd "Toddsy Woddsy" Hulslander with roof raising by Dacia Clay.

All music used in this episode was played by the Houston Youth Symphony, of which Prof. Webster is the Artistic Director and Conductor. Like what you hear? Go hear HYS play this piece (Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, Pathétique) live in their Side-by-Side Concert with the Houston Symphony. For more information, go to www.houstonyouthsymphony.com!

1, 2…1, 2 this is just a test… A classical music test! In this episode, Professor St. John Flynn gives Dacia an oral examination of terms she's (supposedly) learned in the last 26 episodes of Classical Classroom. Has she learned anything?? It's nail-biter!

Audio production by Todd "Totes" Hulslander with late night cramming and pizza consumption by Dacia Clay.