Greetings all! I am excited about our concert season this fall, and I wanted to talk to you a little bit today about why the concert in Statesville in September and this week’s concert in Troy are so much fun for me. The name of the concert is “Opera and Broadway” but the truth is that I get to perform with one of my favorite opera singers, John Fowler. For those of you that do not know him, he is an opera star, a tenor who has sung in the world's premier opera houses, including New York's Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and German Opera Theatre. Mr. Fowler was awarded an Emmy for his portrayal of Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème as part of PBS's Live from Lincoln Center television series, a role he has sung over 300 times on major operatic stages worldwide. 

I first met John about fifteen years ago when I was working with the North Carolina Opera Company (with the director John Galbraith) and John was singing the role of Cavaradossi in a production of “Tosca” at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh. We became fast friends from then on, and we worked together again as he played Rodolpdo in “La Boheme”. Over the years we have done countless performances together including some concerts featuring my own compositions, and also productions with his opera company Southeast Opera Experience.  

People ask me what it is like to work with John, what makes him stand out in opera.  I have to say that he does have this most incredible voice, but it is his ability to deliver that voice with this most incredible intimacy that is there even in a big opera house; that execution and emotion that he brings to a role. He makes the role his own and then he just pulls you in…very passionate, very articulate, very sensitive. Of course there is that big opera sound that we all know and love, but the joy is in his sincere and emotional singing. 

That’s why I so love working with John. I grew up with my father who was a great opera singer for many years. I remember I would crawl and sit under the piano while my mother rehearsed with him and other singers. They came through our home constantly, every day, and sang and talked and visited. When I work with John and his group of artists it feels like home to me. It is so comfortable, and that makes me so happy to have opportunities to work with such a talented individual. 

I think this also makes him a different kind of teacher which is why he has many students that have become prominent performers in their own right. I do not mean that he does not teach them technique, but he does so much more. He is really good at spotting the potential in a voice and showing students how to bring this out, maybe transitioning from a baritone to a tenor, expanding their range, or even creating a repertoire with a new direction. He also brings his vast experience to the direction about stage roles and actually show students how to sing a tenor part, but with the complete package…how you think, how to feel the pain and the tears, and how that sparks such emotional intensity in the voice. I saw him work with Jeff Gwaltney in this manner, and it completely changed his approach to opera. 

I think if you ever want to listen to John, well I just adore anything that he sings, but his Puccini is perfect. I also love his Rodolpho, (which is one of his signature roles) and his Cavaradossi aria is so beautiful it is like an emotional spark. But of course my all-time favorite is when he played the part of The Prodigal Son in my own oratorio “The Parables”! I am hoping we can do this again as a performance perhaps this spring. It is so personal to me, and to hear his voice in that work brings me such joy. 

People also ask me about how John approaches a performance or a rehearsal and to be honest, when I think of John I think of that famous Pavarotti quote: “If you are not sweating, you’re not working hard. If you’re not working hard, you’re not good enough. And if you’re not good enough, go away.” That’s how hard John works. I don’t think people understand that. He is that dedicated to the music, and it’s not about the roles, or the fame or the house you live in, or anything else. That’s what he teaches other musicians. If you want to perform at such an intense level, you have to be prepared for that level of commitment. That is the way my father and mother raised me to think about the music, and that is why John is so special to me.  

If you want to listen to John here is his Emmy award winning performance of Rodolpho. 

Hi everyone! Paul and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I thought I would take the time today to tell you about my favorite recipe to cook for the holidays. Of course Paul and I love so many wonderful seasonal foods, but the Borsh soup that my grandmothers on both my father and mother's side taught me to cook is the one that is a favorite in our kitchen here in our home in Troy. I remember when I was a girl walking into their homes and smelling the wonderful Ukrainian flavors on snowy evenings. If you would like to try it, here are my recommendations:
First make some stock. It can be from beef bones or some nice organic chicken stock. (I myself use beef soup bones in filtered water and cook it overnight).
Then flavor the stock. Add some sauteed onions and carrots, a bay leaf, some salt and pepper to taste.
Next add potato. Use three or four nicely sized, cubed to your preference, and let this boil slowly.
Then prepare beets and beans. You need to cook each of these separately. Take 3 to 4 whole beets, peel them and boil them in water that has a tablespoon of vinegar in the pot until they are tender (Some people prefer to roast the beets in the oven). Soak and cook 1 1/2 cups of white beans with some salted water until they are also tender (You may use black beans also if you prefer).
Finally combine the soup ingredients. Cut the beets into french fry like chunks, add the beans, cut a 1/4 head of fresh cabbage, add some roasted garlic cloves tp taste, then take diced or whole canned tomatoes and add it all to the stock and potato pot. 
In the end add the sweet pepper and flavors! While it is all slowly simmering take some sweet Bulgarian Red Pepper and sautee it in some olive oil, and add to the soup. Finally mix some garlic and salt to taste!
Don't forget the sour cream! Keep tasting and flavor to suit your self! When it is ready to serve be sure to garnish your delightful bowl of Ukrainian Borsh with some fresh sour cream! Enjoy!

I hope you have time to try this recipe over your holiday break! Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to you all! Don't forget to check out our website music tracks so you can enjoy our holiday music while you cook!

As our new concert season approaches this week we wanted to talk to you about the person who has had a tremendous impact on Sophia's artistry and life; her father Stanislov Stephanovich Pavlenko. The picture on this blog is of him as Sultan in Rimsky Korsakov (the opera that has the music in it that is commonly known as the 'Flight of the Bumblebee') Stanislov was born in a small village in Ukraine, and like all Soviet children of the World War II era he suffered during the war. We are fairly certain that his father was killed in the final assault on Hitler's bunker in Berlin and that his mother (Sophia's grandmother) died soon thereafter of malnutrition and deprivation. Stanislov was subsequently raised in Kiev, Ukraine on the banks of the Dnipro River by his aunt Natasha.

Stanislov was encouraged by the Soviet army to become a singer after being extremely popular as a troop entertainer. He was a successful high tension wire tower builder, but he left that world when he auditioned for (and was accepted by) the Moscow Conservatory. He was admitted at the extremely young age of 25 because of his exceptional baritone voice. He met Sophia's mother Larisa while she was assigned to the National Opera House of Ulan Ude on the far shores of Lake Baikal in Siberia. He was the honored artist and leading bass soloist of that house and he fell in love with Larisa there. Soon thereafter Sophia was born!  Later, Larisa groomed him as his vocal coach to become one of the most renowned Bass Baritones in the history of the Soviet Union.

They moved back to Kiev when Sophia was one year of age because Stanislov was chosen to run the No. 2 Opera House that was new. He was among the first wave of artists hired there. Larisa would later become the vocal coach for the National Opera.

Over the years his career took him all over the Soviet Union. He was however an outspoken advocate for Ukrainian independence. He refused to join or support the Communist party and his career was affected by that political stance. Public media and publicity exposure was censored and he was therefore never allowed to leave the Soviet Union as a result. 

Sophia's memories: " I remember my father's long conversations about art, philosophy, and music. He basically exposed me to culture and shaped my vision. I do remember seeing him sing on stage, but it is his conversations that I cherish the most. He was so well versed, and he had a keen sense of humor! He left me so much for my life, but he also gave me life lessons to which I always adhere. "Strive for excellence. Behave yourself with dignity. Always perfect yourself. Have a sense of honor. Never ever forget to represent the great country of Ukraine with honor. Believe in yourself." My father proved by example that all is possible with discipline and dedication. Most of all my father adored high art. He felt that it was the pinnacle of the human experience. My father's influence on others reflected these thoughts. The legacy of his voice, the way he performed on stage,the artistic force of his artistry all combined to make him revered. But he was also considered to be a true friend's friend. He was intensely loyal and would do anything to help his comrades. People valued his reliability. He was the one there for them during times of trial.
Special note from Paul: Stanislov died in 1996. I have actually seem people stop Sophia on the streets of Kiev to get her autograph because she was his daughter. That should give you an idea of how truly revered his memory is is. Sophia has also been invited to stay with Ukrainian and Russian fans, colleagues, and friends throughout the world over the years...just because she is his daughter. This says a lot about his legacy as an artist and a man.

Just recently (about a month ago) my good friend Jason McKinney called to ask me if I could take time to arrange three spiritual compositions for his performance this coming weekend. I am so glad I did this project. I do feel that I am pleased with the arrangements. They are "Wade in the Water", "Shenandoah", and "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" Completing the project is very exciting, and I really love Jason's voice, so I look forward to hearing the performance premiere as his special guest this weekend!

These arrangements took me four days to create the initial piano composition. I then spent several days on orchestration, and of course there is the task of proofreading and editing. All in all it was a very big job, and the month was intense at times with hours of work at the piano.

I think it is funny how sometimes people think that composing is all inspiration and developed by sunshine and breezes and starry night romance. The fact is that it is not glamorous at all. All you do is sit and work. You have the job to do and you have to sit down and do it.  You have to lock yourself in a room and spend hours creating the melodies and harmonies.

It can also be very intimidating. I mean on this project I was so concerned that I would be respectful of the African American heritage and musical tradition. You also have to be certain that you are not letting other arrangements into your work for fear of having that influence in your arrangement. When I have played other arrangements they are there in my head and I have to clear them out. It is very important to begin only with the pure melody. Luckily, I had only heard one arrangement of Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, so I was able to approach that arrangement with a really fresh start!

The most exciting part for me however will be hearing the arrangements with full orchestration. You just do not know until that moment how it all comes together! I look forward to this concert!

The picture you see is a sample of my notebooks. I like hand write the composition at the piano and then transcribe it to the computer.

We really enjoyed hosting the a cappella competition a couple of weekends ago.  Congratulations to all of our young musicians for carrying on this tradition of unaccompanied harmonies. It was such a fun time listening to such a wonderful group of musicians. It also reminds me of my musical heritage. Many do not know that the a cappella tradition is found in my Ukrainian roots. The traditional Russian Christian service is a tradition that goes back to the olden times of the year 988 when Prince Vladimere Grand Duke of Kiev (my hometown!) accepted Christianity and adopted a service that had purely vocal sound and no instruments. This music continued in the 18th century when Dmitri Bortniansky and Peter Turchaninov gave the ancient chants harmonies and structure as the first sacred composers of the Imperial Court Capella (yes....that is where the name comes from).
 

Diane Von Furstenberg is my absolute favorite designer. I love all of her clothes. Her prints her patterns pretty much everything about her!. I even have a favorite pair of boots that are so amazing. She inspires me not only because of her incredible talent but because her logo is a love knot that is on a medallion crest that my father gave to me that represents my country of birth. . I used to scribble that love knot when I was a child on all of my papers at school and even my compositions. Her designs remind me of my youth in Ukraine. I wish everyone would find people to inspire them. I wish everyone would read The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny. It is like a 'Hobbit" for adults ...or the Master and Marguerita by Mikhail Bulgakov...this book is truly inspirational. One of my compositions Abadonna, was inspired by that novel...the fifth angel sounding the trumpets! .... Even the Cameron Diaz body book inspires me...to eat healthy!