The Apple Orchard - YouTube Premiere

We're delighted to announce the YouTube Premiere of a new film: The Apple Orchard

The Apple Orchard
by
Lori Laitman and Dana Gioia

The premiere is at 4:00pm GMT today (Friday 22nd March), and the film will be available to watch on the same link afterwards. Do join us for the live unveiling if you're free at that time. If you would like a reminder, on the premiere page you can click on the Notify me button and then click the little bell to receive notifications. Or subscribe to the channel to receive notification of all our uploads.

The film alternates between a performance of Laitman’s melodic music by tenor Daniel Norman and pianist Simon Lepper and slow animation created from watercolours by Ian Beck, which were commissioned for this project. This video is a follow-up to our film of Lori's Sarong Song and follows the same model of a hybrid presentation of classical song, poetry, and original art.

Lori says of the project:

"The Apple Orchard was composed in 2004 when I discovered Dana Gioia's beautiful poem. Its evocative story and exquisite language, particularly the phrase “spring’s ephemeral cathedral," drew me in. I dedicated the song to my father-in-law, Dr. Gershen Rosenblum, as an 80th birthday gift. During the pandemic, I teamed with Dan Norman and Positive Note Films, and this is our second release. Dan and pianist Simon Lepper’s extraordinary rendition of the song blend with famed illustrator Ian Beck’s beautiful custom watercolors. This merging of visual art with music and poetry is a new way of presenting artsong."

Watch it by clicking on the button below, and please do share with your friends and family!

3 recents CDs featuring Lori's music

Soprano Laura Strickling's 40@40 CD was released on the Bright Shiny Things label on August 18, 2023. Accompanied by pianist Daniel Schlosberg, the CD features the first 20 of the 40 compositions Laura commissioned for her 40th birthday. Lori's song, Thanks a Latte, to a poem by Caitlin Vincent, is included.

Lori Laitman sets Caitlin Vincent’s “Thanks a Latte” in an arioso that adroitly moves through various sections and tempos that respond to the poem with skilful text-painting. Laitman gives Strickling ample opportunity to explore drama and humor. The soprano has fun with the song, providing a welcome diversion from the moodier pieces.— Sequenza 21

Mezzo-soprano Kathryn Leemhuis's debut CD Before She Became Fire, was released on September 14, 2023 on the BCM&D Records label. The recording features Lori's And Music Will Not End, a short cycle with poems by Anne Ranasinghe and John Wood — here recorded for the first time in the mezzo-soprano version. The CD also includes the premiere of Lori's Presence, to a poem by Marcia Menter. This haunting poem was written in memory of poet Susan de Sola.

The Decho Ensemble, comprised of soprano Katherine Petersen and saxophonist Jacob Swanson, released their debut CD (entitled Decho Ensemble) on September 14, 2023. This is the second recording of Living in the Body — to poems by Joyce Sutphen.

All recordings are available on all streaming platforms.

Featured artist with Cincinnati Song Initiative and The Hartt School, April 2024

From April 2 – 5, 2024, I will be the featured guest when the Cincinnati Song Initiative (CSI) and The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, overseen by Sam Martin, join forces for a festival of American song. The spotlight concert will feature my songs. For more information please click here.  

This, and My Heart — Dickinson portrait, October 2023 with The Verdi Chorus

The California Verdi Chorus celebrates its 40^th season this year and will on October 15, 2023 will present  “This, and My Heart” — a portrait of Emily Dickinson, which includes music by Tom Cipullo, Steve Heitzeg and myself. For more information please click here. 

Mezzo-soprano Marie Seidler and pianist Wolfram Rieger concert in Berlin, March 2024 to include Lori's music

Mezzo-soprano Marie Seidler and pianist Wolfram Rieger will be performing my She Died (Emily Dickinson) on March 16, 2024 at the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, Germany. Also on the program are songs by Mussorgsky, Mahler, Poulenc, Duparc, Ravel, Ives, Barber, Smyth, Eisler, Barbara and Weill. For tickets, please click here.