Conrad Tao’s glorious exercises in parody, persistence and technology

Conrad Tao

By Kurt Gottschalk, 02 February 2025

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“settings suggesting a harpsichord in a 2,000-gallon tank of reverb”

Reviewed at Carnegie Hall: Zankel, New York City on 31 January 2025

Debussy, 12 Études, L.136

Tao, Improvisation for Lumatone

Arlen, Over The Rainbow (trans. Conrad Tao)

Tao, Keyed In

Schumann, Auf einer Burg, Op.39 no.7

Conrad Tao, Piano, Lumatone

A superb all-Mozart concert in Cleveland

Timothy Robson, 11th July

Conductor Jane Glover capitalized on The Cleveland Orchestra’s affinity for Mozart in a Sunday evening concert at the Blossom Music Center, with the versatile pianist Conrad Tao.

****1

A slow and busy hour with Conrad Tao at Tanglewood

Kurt Gottschalk, 15th August

The pianist artfully puts together a program of great feeling with no overt thematic thread but a strong emotional one.

*****

Young lions Tao and Rana tear into Beethoven

Laurence Vittes, 18th May

When it was announced from the stage that Gustavo Dudamel would not be conducting due to a "family emergency," the orchestra played for Conducting Fellow Stephen Mulligan as if he were a maestro.

*****

A ghost of an opera at BAM

Jacob Slattery, 7th September

David Lang’s new opera the loser opened the Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Wednesday night, but simply lacked theatricality.

*1111

TSO sparkles despite flashy soloist debut

Catherine Kustanczy, 18th October

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra offered a rich performance of works by Holst, Shostakovich, Grieg and Marquez. Conductor Robert Moody brought out the lyrical side of the orchestra, even if its members were nearly over-shadowed by an over-enthusiastic soloist.

***11

Kansas City Symphony mit Pintscher und Überraschungsgast in Amsterdam

Michael Klier, 26th August

Was für ein furioser Einstieg: Matthias Pintscher, der frischgebackene Chefdirigent des Kansas City Symphony entführt sein Orchester direkt am Anfang seiner ersten Spielzeit über den großen Teich zu einer Europatournee.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.