Webb Returns to Stage for New Concert Feature
The composer performs alongside a group of classically trained musicians who began their musical training in childhood.
By Adam Lin ·
Composer Jimmy Webb will perform his song "Up, Up and Away" in a new public media feature. The segment is available to viewers through the Passport streaming library. This addition joins a rotating collection of arts performances and documentaries that subscribers can access at home.
The program showcases a diverse lineup of instrumentalists who joined the orchestra at various stages of their lives. Several performers began their musical education during their school years. For example, Nathan Meltzer started playing the violin while attending elementary school in Vienna. Keila Wakao began studying the instrument at age three and was raised in a musical family.
Other artists in the feature have distinct international backgrounds. Pianist Dmitry Yudin moved from Moscow to the United States to live with his older sister. Violinist Allison Taylor traveled to India, where she stated that she did not previously know much about the instrument. These personal histories provide context for their current professional roles in the ensemble.
The feature also includes profiles of award-winning musicians. Violinist Julian Rhee is a winner of a 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant Award. The Balourdet Quartet, Njioma Chinyere Grevious, Sandbox Percussion, and pianist Clayton Stephenson also received the same grant in 2024. These honors recognize emerging talent in the classical music field.
The broadcast includes interviews with conductors and actors. Conductor Gemma New discusses her goal of creating a collective musical experience for the orchestra. The feature also follows Robert "Silk" Mason as they make their long-awaited Broadway debut. Luke Evans appears in a segment about his return to theatrical roles in "The Rocky Horror Show."
Additional performers in the lineup include cellist Leland Ko, who credits his teachers for his musical development. Bassoonist Eleni Katz shares her experience at the New World Symphony. The program also features Daniel Dae Kim, a Tony nominee, as he returns to the stage. Andrew Durand and Jasmine Amy Rogers are profiled in behind-the-scenes segments.
The feature highlights the collaborative nature of the orchestra. It includes a string quartet composed of Lucy Wang, Hao Zhou, Aiden Kane, and Tate Zawadiuk. The segment is part of a larger library of content designed to support local public media through viewer donations.
Source: Cascade PBS
