Terrance McKnight: Welcome to the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park from WQXR, I'm Terrance McKnight.

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: We are here live tonight, streaming on the radio at 105.9, or your smart speaker, streaming at wqxr.org. Did you hear that crowd? Crowd, where you all at?

[cheering]

Terrance McKnight: That's right. We're in Central Park. Tonight we're going to broadcast a live performance from ECCO. ECCO is the East Coast Chamber Orchestra. It's a collective of string musicians from around the country. Every year these musicians travel from their positions with some of the great orchestras around the country, some of the great chamber orchestras in the United States, and they come together to not only share music, but to share friendship. They've got a wonderful program for us tonight.

They've got a reputation of playing old music and new music. They're going to live up to that reputation tonight. This group was founded in 2001. Right now we're going to meet the violist, Jessica Thompson. Please welcome Jessica.

[applause]

Jessica Thompson: Hello, everybody.

Terrance McKnight: Jessica, now, we've had a few concerts out here this summer. One was rained out, one was sunned out.

[laughter]

Terrance McKnight: We've got about 80 degrees in Central Park tonight. So it's just the perfect weather for not only the players, but for all the instruments.

Jessica Thompson: Yes, we lucked out. Haze aside, we've got great weather.

Terrance McKnight: Okay. Tell us about the program that you have for us tonight.

Jessica Thompson: Okay. Well, we will be starting with an arrangement of the well-known Bach Chaconne for solo violin for string orchestra, an arrangement that was done by one of our ECCO members, Michi Wiancko, who is not playing with us tonight, but she is one of the founding members of ECCO, a fabulous violinist and composer. It's the chaconne that everyone knows. Maybe as you've never imagined it, or maybe as you've always imagined it and just never heard it.

We'll be finishing the first half with a commissioned piece that was written for us about 12 or 13 years ago by composer David Ludwig, titled, Virtuosity. Meant to showcase what ECCO can do. There are solo parts for a member of each section and it culminates in a sort of concerto grosso with a surprise at the end. In the middle, we'll be hearing Gershwin's Lullaby, and I really can't think of a more lovely sweet piece for a summer evening.

Terrance McKnight: Now, tell us about-- I'm just looking around, I don't see a-- how are you doing, man?

[laughter]

Terrance McKnight: There is no conductor.

Jessica Thompson: There is no conductor.

Terrance McKnight: Is this is sort of a democratic approach to putting together programs? How does it work?

Jessica Thompson: Yes. ECCO is a-- we are a collective, we make decisions collectively. In rehearsal, everyone feels free to speak up and we try different ideas. Democracy might not be the most efficient way of getting things done, but it results in a really special music making.

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: Well, let's get to it. We're going to start tonight with the chaconne by Sebastian Bach, arranged by Michi Wiancko, comes from Bach's Partita No. 2. It's in the key of D minor. Welcome to the broadcast on WQXR, and welcome, ECCO, to Central Park.

[applause]

[MUSIC - J.S. Bach/arr. Michi Wiancko: Chaconne, from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004]

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: We're live in Central Park. The chaconne from Bach's Partita in D minor, arranged by Michi Wiancko, performed by the ECCO, East Coast Chamber Orchestra, live here in Central Park. I'm Terrance McKnight with you on WQXR. They're going to play some music by George Gershwin coming up next. We're out here at Central Park, where it's about 80 degrees, for this live broadcast featuring ECCO. Bach wrote that music for one violinist, but it sounds so nice being played by the 15 members of ECCO, arranged by Michi Wianko.

This group doesn't have a conductor or artistic director, so what you just heard is performed by a group of musicians who play in a sort of democratic approach to making music. They've got Lullaby by George Gershwin coming up next. He composed this work as an exercise. He was just a student. In fact, Gershwin was 19 years old when he wrote this music. Originally for piano, we're going to hear it played by ECCO. 15 members playing strings live out here at Central Park where, again, it's a beautiful night. You can probably hear them tuning up. This is the last in our series for the summer. Here is this music by George Gershwin on WQXR.

[MUSIC - George Gershwin: Lullaby for Strings]

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: George Gershwin's Lullaby, played by the East Coast Chamber Orchestra out here in Central Park. We're out here at the Naumburg Bandshell. I'm Terrance McKnight here with you on WQXR. We're just getting started here. Lots of great music coming up. We'll hear from Jennifer Higdon. David Ludwig is a contemporary composer. They're going to play his piece next. He's going to come up on stage, I'm going to talk to him during intermission, but he's going to come up on stage and talk to the orchestra and talk to our audience out here in Central Park. It's a beautiful night. Here he is.

David Ludwig: Sorry, I just realized I was supposed to talk. How cool is this? I have to say. My name is David Serkin Ludwig, I'm the composer of the next piece, Virtuosity.

[applause]

David Ludwig: Thank you. As a New Yorker, this is very special for me, with ECCO, with WQXR. I am the dean of music at Juilliard, where I also teach composition. I'll tell you about my piece. I do see people maybe taking pictures and video. That's fine. Just tag me.

[laughter]

David Ludwig: My piece, Virtuosity, was written for the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in 2013, I think it was. The theme of that week was virtuosity. I wanted to explore then with micro concertos. There are five movements in the piece. Some of them run into each other, but you'll be able to tell. The first one is a double violin concerto, the second is a viola concerto, the third is a cello concerto, the fourth is a bass concerto, and the fifth is a concerto for ECCO. Concerto for orchestra. In the fifth, I attempt what composers think of for virtuosity with a double fugue. So the themes will follow each other.

What is a concerto? It's simply one or two instruments playing solo against an orchestra. That dynamic was very, very interesting to me. These are micro concertos, because each one's about five minutes long. Speaking of, they do teach us in composer school to never speak longer than the piece is.

[laughter]

David Ludwig: So I will leave it at that, but again, profound thanks to WQXR, to these incredible musicians, some of whom I've known a very long time, and to you for being here. Thank you so much.

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: Composer David Ludwig. I'm going to talk more to him, but here's this piece played in Central Park by ECCO. The piece is, Virtuosity- Five Microludes for a String Orchestra. When composers and musicians thank WQXR for being here, we have to thank you because you make us possible. We couldn't do it without you. We're live here at Central Park, and here is the music.

[MUSIC - David Ludwig: Virtuosity - Five Microludes for a String Orchestra]

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: From the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, that was David Ludwig's Virtuosity - Five Microludes for a String Orchestra. David Ludwig is going up on stage, shaking the hands of East Coast Chamber Orchestra, taking a bow. Beautiful night out here in Central Park. About 80 degrees. We're going to talk to David Ludwig, get a little background on him and the piece that we just heard. Such a lovely audience. Glad you could join us here on the radio on WQXR for the final broadcast this season from the Naumburg Bandshell.

Well, it's intermission out here in Central Park. This is the last concert in the season. This has been a hallmark of summers here in New York for 120 years, these concerts. Elkan Naumburg, who built the bandshell, fell in love with classical music as a teenager, but he couldn't afford the prices of tickets. So after he made his fortune on Wall Street, he did something about that. He started this concert series. Now his great-grandson, Christopher London, carries on that tradition. We're happy to bring you these concerts live here on WQXR. You are listening to classical New York, WQXR 105.9 FM and HD Newark, 90.3 FM WQXW Ossining, and WNYC FM, HD2 New York.

In just a few minutes, we're going to hear more music by the East Coast Chamber Orchestra. We're going to play some music by John Adams, hear some Jennifer Higdon on this program, but before we get to that, let's meet this composer whose music can only be matched by his outfit that he's wearing tonight. He's got this gorgeous frock, I'll call it.

David Ludwig: Thank you.

Terrance McKnight: Its lavender is lovely. David, it's lovely to sit across from you. It's lovely to hear your music. I was just talking about Christopher London and his connection to his great-grandfather. Man, when I was a student studying Beethoven, listening to scores and listening to recordings, it was your grandfather that I listened to a lot. We're going to talk about Rudolf Serkin in a bit, but I want you to talk, before we get to that, just tell us about the piece. What inspired you to write that piece, to take on that chaconne by Bach. First of all, how're you doing?

David Ludwig: Good. It's nice to see you, nice to meet you.

Terrance McKnight: Yes, let me shake your hand.

David Ludwig: Yes, likewise. [laughs] Thank you for having me. The piece is Virtuosity, so I'm trying to explore all aspects of virtuosity and not just playing fast notes, but colors and rhythms and melodies and all the things that come together when we organize sound into music. I thought, "Well, what better way to end than really one of the first truly virtuosic pieces, the Bach Chaconne?" Actually, the very first sound that we hear is the first chord of the Bach Chaconne, and it keeps coming back. I don't know that people hear that necessarily, but I hope that they feel it.

Terrance McKnight: Now, Bach wrote that music for just a solo violin.

David Ludwig: That's right.

Terrance McKnight: Yes, but when you heard it, you just heard something-- heard it a little more blown out.

David Ludwig: [chuckles] I did.

Terrance McKnight: Did you grow up studying violin, or are you a pianist?

David Ludwig: Oh, I wish. I play a lot of instruments badly, but I was actually a classical guitarist, believe it or not. My wife is a violinist, so she's kind of my editor-in-chief. Yes, I just-- it's such a iconic piece, and it was one I just want to set up and kind of reveal at the end.

Terrance McKnight: How'd you feel about what we heard tonight?

David Ludwig: Oh, they're awesome. I mean, they've been playing this piece a long time. They just recorded it. I mean, these are all virtuosi. Every single person in that group could step forward and play an incredible concerto in five minutes from now. So it's an incredible privilege to be able to write for them.

Terrance McKnight: Now, I should mention to our listeners that you're not only a composer and a classical guitarist, but you are an administrator. You're the Dean and Director of Music at Juilliard.

David Ludwig: That's right. That's right.

Terrance McKnight: Before you came to Juilliard, you were at Curtis. Now I'm wondering, is there any connection between you and East Coast? Were these your colleagues? Were these your students? What's the relationship between you and this orchestra?

David Ludwig: I remember when the founders were founding it, I did go to school with a number of the people in the group. This piece was a commission from a chamber music festival where I've been in residence for about 20 years. That was the commission for that year. I had the privilege of writing the piece for ECCO.

Terrance McKnight: Now, a lot of our listeners, I'd imagine a few of our listeners at least know the name Rudolph Sorkin. So many recordings. Such great work around music by Beethoven and Brahms and Shubert, all those great romantics. Did you know your grandfather?

David Ludwig: I did. He died when I was a teenager. He died in 1991, I think. I knew him. He was incredible. One moment someone would be playing music and he would be so focused, and the other, my aunt and uncle's mother bought him a gorilla suit for his, I think, 80th birthday. He just jumped into it and ran all around the house. That that was the person he was, but the moment music started playing, suddenly everything came into focus. I have to say, what you said at the opening is meaningful to me because about your own experience listening to my grandfather's music and his playing, I don't know what role did that have for you?

Terrance McKnight: It was just instructive. I wanted to listen to great recordings of the music that I studied and I guess one of my teachers pointed me in that direction and I just became a huge fan, and then Peter Serkin and your family. I'm wondering, is that mantle that you're carrying on? Because I know your grandfather was affiliated with Curtis as well. It's almost as if you're walking in those footsteps.

David Ludwig: There's not too many places I could go where-- I went to Oberlin for my undergrad and my grandfather loved Oberlin. My uncle Peter loved these places. He taught at Curtis, he taught at Juilliard. He went to Curtis. I was the head of composition at Curtis for a long time, did a lot of programming. Very much my role at Juilliard now is to think about the education and artistic direction of the school, what that means, how students can find meaning in what they do, how they can look toward 21st century project based careers. I think like Curtis, Juilliard is moving to be tuition free as well, which will be a game changer. I guess the short of it is there are a lot of shoulders I'm standing on, a lot of family members, but being a part of the communities I've been a part of is incredible. They walk alongside me. Actually every time I meet someone like you, it's as I studied your grandfather's recordings growing up, it's like he's alive again for a little bit.

Terrance McKnight: Let me just ask you quickly before we move on to the second half of this show, is there any pressure? We read it in the news, we see it on the news about some universities being pressured to change course. Are you feeling any of that over at Juilliard?

David Ludwig: I think we're staying the course that we've seen stayed and keeping our values. We're thinking about what makes excellence. Excellence means a broad, diverse community. Excellence means being creative and thinking in an enterprising way, being imaginative. Excellence means being technically incredible and the very best you can be.

I think the idea is that we want every student, but not just the students, every person there to be realizing their full potential or at least have the opportunity. The short answer is no, we're staying the course and making music and dancing and acting as we've always been doing.

Terrance McKnight: I wish you continued success. I see that you're not only leading your students in word, but indeed and in dress as well. Thank you so much, David.

David Ludwig: You have a great shirt on, though, I have to say. That is fabulous. After this, I'm going to [crosstalk] Yes, mutual admiration.

Terrance McKnight: All right. Good decision. [crosstalk]

David Ludwig: Thank you.

Terrance McKnight: We are still here at Central Park. That was David Serkin Ludwig talking to us. He's the dean and director the Juilliard School. He's a composer. We just heard his piece played by ECCO, a piece based on Box Chacon Virtuosity - Five Microconcertos for String Orchestra performed by the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, ECCO.

Now, in just a few minutes, they're going to take the stage with music by Jennifer Higdon and John Adams. Before we get to the second half, let's hear a little music from the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts from 10 years ago. This is the chamber ensemble called The Knights, regular performers out here at the band show. Here they are from a 2015 performing music by Antonin Dvořák, his Czech Suite, The Knights on WQXR.

[music]

Terrance McKnight: Welcome back to the second half of the show.

[applause]

We're out here at the Naumburg Band Show at Central park. I'm Terrance McKnight. I'm the afternoon and evening host on WQXR, New York City's classical music station. Now, if you're listening on the radio on your smartphone, we just heard something from a concert that was right here 10 years ago. That was the Knights performing Antonin Dvořák's Czech Suite. Tonight, it's all about the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, ECCO performing in this iconic venue on this last concert of the season from the Naumburg Band Show. Now, we've already heard some wonderful music, right?

[applause]

We've got more. We're going to hear music by Jennifer Higdon and music by John Adams. Before we get to it, let's hear from another member of the orchestra. We're going to meet Jia Kim. She's going to give us the insights scoop on the orchestra. Hey, Jia.

Jia Kim: How are you? Hi.

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: Nice to meet you.

Jia Kim: Nice to meet you.

Terrance McKnight: In the setup, I talked about this being a group of string players that not only make great music, but you all are friends. Now, was there a particular person that invited you into the orchestra or? What made you want to play with these folks?

Jia Kim: I had heard about the East Coast Chamber Orchestra for many years before my first concert with them about five years ago. I was thrilled to be invited to play with them. It was really an incredible experience making music with people at ECCO. Every single person here is a fantastic musician. They're generous people.

[applause]

I have so much to learn from them each time. That's the best thing to do, is to play with people that you think are better than you, that can pull you up. I feel very lucky.

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: Is there a favorite memory that you have over the last five years?

Jia Kim: I think the most recent big project we had was actually recording David's Virtuosity at Juilliard alongside another piece that was written by Vijay Ayer with Shy Wasner on the piano. Can't believe. Don't tell him.

Terrance McKnight: He just heard it on air. He's probably listening.

Jia Kim: He's a dear friend. He's a dear friend, and I know his daughter dearly. Anyway, so beautiful pianist. We had a wonderful collaboration and took that concert on tour and played it in a few different cities and got to record it in our beloved Juilliard School. That was a very special experience. Unforgettable. David has been very generous and encouraging in the whole journey.

Terrance McKnight: Now, you all picked the perfect night to be out here in Central park because there have been a couple of occasions where the concerts didn't really go on as planned due to weather, but you all seem to be on a good track record. You all been performing out here, I think since 2015.

Jia Kim: Yes. We love it here. We love playing for the people of New York. It's our favorite city. It's a joy to be here tonight.

Terrance McKnight: Is there particular music that works better outdoors in this band show?

Jia Kim: I think our second half is going to be pretty great. The first piece on the program, Jennifer Higdon's String, is a piece written for string players. Very appropriate for ECCO. It explores different rhythms and textures of the string instruments. You'll really enjoy the dialogue between all the instruments. Finishing the concert will be John Adams Shaker Loops, which is a favorite of many of us, ours. It's perfect to play that here at Central park in nature as we listen to the birds and as we enjoy the beautiful skies and each other. We couldn't think of a better place to perform these two pieces.

Terrance McKnight: Let's get to it, Jia Kim.

[applause]

Here we are live from the Naumburg Band Show at Central Park. This is ECCO, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra performing Jennifer Higdon's String. It comes from her Concerto for Orchestra. You're listening to WQXR.

[music]

[applause]

The East Coast Chamber Orchestra, ECCO, performing String comes from the Concerto for Orchestra by Jennifer Higdon. We've got one piece left on this program. Glad you're still with us here on WQXR, and it's music by John Adams, Shaker Loops. Now this is one of his most performed pieces.

It had a bit of a journey to get to string orchestra version that we're going to hear tonight because it started off as a string quartet titled Wavemaker, but John Adams wasn't really satisfied with that version, so he imagined a septet that would take the idea of loops, often seen in compositions that use tapes to repeat musical figures in a loop or on repeat.

Tonight's version comes from a 1983 arrangement for string orchestra. There are 15 players up on stage tonight, ECCO, these players come from around the country. They get together to play music and they also are dedicated to education. They offer interactive children concerts and small group master classes and one on one lessons. Many of these players have solo careers as well.

Glad to have them out here in the park again this summer. This is the final broadcast from the Naumburg Band Show on WQXR for the summer. It's been delightful. What a great way to wind up the series. Just about 80 degrees here in the park. Beautiful night, no helicopters flying above right now. The music is really able to be heard. Lots of folks out here, lots of WQXR listeners. Let's get to the music. Shaker Loops by John Adams. You're about to hear it on WQXR.

[music]

[applause]

Terrance McKnight: Shaker Loops performed by ECCO, the East Coast Chamber Orchestra. That's music by John Adams performed at the Naumburg Band Show in Central park live on WQXR. Folks are starting to stand for this orchestra. This orchestra performs standing. They've been here for almost two hours performing out at the park. This final broadcast from the Naumburg series this summer. I'm Terrance McKnight.

We've come to the end of the 2025 season here at the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts. Oh, we've had some wonderful ensembles this year. The Knights were out here. Orchestra of St. Luke's a far cry. We had the Nosky Band, Aisslinn Nosky bringing her baroque band out here and of course, tonight, winding up with ECCO. We heard music by Jennifer Higdon, John Adams, composer David Ludwig again with Johan Sebastian Bach. Heard some music by George Gershwin on tonight. Orchestras elegantly but comfortably dressed. As I mentioned, they stand to perform without a conductor.

East Coast Chamber Orchestra is made up of orchestral string players from around the country. A big thanks to the WQXR team, including engineers George Wellington, Noriko Okabe, Bill Siegmund and Neil Shaw. Our production team includes Lauren Purcell-Joiner, Laura Boyman and the incomparable Eileen Delahunty. A great thanks to Christopher London, president of the Naumburg Orchestral Society and Anthony Bracewell, executive director, and the Naumburg staff, including stage manager extraordinaire Pati Dynes. Also thanks to Wilson's Showtime Services and our friends at SummerStage.

I'm Terrance McKnight. Thank you for listening. I'm going to return you to the studio where our good friend Miyan Levenson has some great music for you for the rest of your evening. Thanks for spending time with us here on WQXR. Keep listening. It only gets better.

[01:53:56] [END OF AUDIO]

 

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