The Music Man: Piano Lesson

Recorded in 1962 at Northern Valley Regional High School, Demarest, NJ

Toni Holm and Lois Dolt

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It is the night before the Celtic Festival of Beltane, an ancient May Day ritual where the otherworldly realm draws close. As Druids march, dark spirits rise in the shadows—only to be conquered by the brilliance of light. Young maidens hang festive boughs while blindfolded boys meet on the drumlins to eat charcoal-marked ember cakes. One unlucky fellow drawing the stained piece must leap the bonfire flames three times to satisfy ancient tradition.

Thus begins The Eve of Beltane, a mesmerizing new play by today’s guest, Coni Koepfinger (Playwright, Poet, & Yogi). Join host Marshall on Mister Radio as we explore this mystical production and dive deep into the creative process.

"Creative expression through art manifestation is one way to access an act of eternal love, for if we are not creative we will be destructive." — Coni Koepfinger

Featured Music & Performances

• "Dance of the Stags" – Joe Izen (Composer, lyricist, and co-author)

• "Eve of Beltane" – Joe Izen (Composer, lyricist, and co-author)

• "Jenny" – Performed by James Scheider

• "I'll Fight For Love" – Joe Izen (Composer, lyricist, and co-author)

• "If That Is Not A Father" – C. Michael Perry (Composer), Arranged by Leicester Bay Theatricals (Vocal Demo)

• "And We Won't be Home 'Til Mornin'" – Joe Izen (Composer, lyricist, and co-author)

Production Credits

• Producer: Mary Ellen Ashley

• Production Team: Corey Brunish, Jon Hayden, John Melo

• Media Courtesy: Music, graphics, audio, and video clips are courtesy of Coni Koepfinger, Joe Izen, C. Michael Perry, James Scheider, and the late Robert Rhodes.

Connect With Our Guest

• Guest: Coni Ciongoli Koepfinger (Resident Playwright / Creative Director)

• Platform: New Play Exchange, New York, New York

• Profile: View Coni's Work on New Play Exchange

https://newplayexchange.org/users/7796/coni-koepfinger

Support Mister Radio

Thank you for listening to Mister Radio with your host, Marshall!

• Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and leave us a review.

• Tune In: Be sure to join us next week for another brand-new episode of Mister Radio.

The Music Man

Recorded in 1962 at Northern Valley Regional High School, Demarest, NJ

You Got Trouble

Wilson Ford and Ensemble

The Music Man: Iowa Stubborn

Recorded in 1962 at Northern Valley Regional High School, Demarest, New Jersey

Ensemble

The Music Man: Overture

Recorded in 1962 at Northern Valley Regional High School, Demarest, New Jersey

The Music Man: Rock Island

Recorded in 1962 at Northern Valley Regional High School, Demarest, New Jersey

Richard Livingson and Traveling Salesmen

Marshall Katzman, train conductor

From the iTunes Vaults, originally published Jun 8, 2020

93 . Here I Am, Lord

Here I Am, Lord

1. I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin

My hand will save.

I who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

(Refrain)

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord,

If you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

2. I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

Give them hearts fo love a-lone.

I will speak my word to them.

Whom shall I send?

(Refrain)

Bergen Highlands United Methodist Church Hymnal #593, Here I Am, Lord

Vocals: Steve Freides

Bronwen Eastwood

Guitar: Steve Freides

ABRAXAS, from the 1971 album Lone Wolf by Kurt Carpenter. Recorded on analog tape Circa 1970 7 1/2 IPS 2-TRACK stereo

Alan Hovhaness: Unveiling One of the Great Composers of the 20th Century

"He has been composing music since he was four years old and at the age of eight found it necessary to defend his original style against the criticisms of his piano teacher. Since then after study in the New England Conservatory; the winning of two Guggenheim grants; and

recognition through a National Institute of Arts and Letters award, the critics and the public are mostly on his side. Downes of the New York Times pronounced him "one of the most individual and exotically expressive American composers of the rising generation." In his own words he was led to quote "search for an idiom more worthy of the wonderful tradition I had discovered."

For boldness and delicacy of imagination, for originality and individuality without eccentricity, for a great number of compositions each fresh and distinctive, for fusing old melody with modern technique and spirit, in short, for making music to lift the hearts of men as only music can, Bates College wishes to confer upon Alan Hovhaness, the honorary degree of Doctor of Music."

Thus reads the declaration read by Charles F. Phillips, the president of Bates College on June 7, 1959.

Today it is my honor to present William Holst, Alan Hovhaness' stepson, who served as co-author and curator of the book, Alan Hovhaness: Unveiling One of the Great Composers of the 20th Century.

Symphony No. 63, "Loon Lake", Op. 411 was performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, directed by Stewart Robertson, and recorded in 2007 at Henry Wood Hall, in Glasgow, Scotland.

"Macedonian Mountain Dance" featuring pianist Sahan Arzruni courtesy otherminds.org

Hovhaness: Sonata for Harp & Guitar, Op. 374 "Spirit of Trees" - V. Andante appassionato

https://youtu.be/CpaP5Et798A?si=24HqR-pdmKbItb_t

Special thanks to Maestro Gerard Schwarz, Artistic and Music Director of the Palm Beach Symphony, Charles Amirkhanian, Executive & Artistic Director, and Liam Herb, Production Director for otherminds.org. Our fact checker was Steve Freides.

Our theme music was played by ULULATION! Mister Radio is available wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. Subscribe to our podcast and leave us a review, and don’t forget to tune in for another episode of Mister Radio!

Today's guest journeyed from Soviet Russia to The United States of America to become a key member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. With the Messengers, he has performed at major concert halls, clubs, and festivals all over the world, and made numerous television appearances with the Messengers in Europe, Japan, and Brazil. In the United States he has made television appearances on "To Tell The Truth", the PBS network, National Geographic Today as well as CNN.

It is my pleasure to introduce Valery Ponomarev to the show.