Harriet Hoctor and Yo-Yo Ma

The rejuvenative force of spring (or is it hunkering down for the winter?) leads to many an autumn baby. This week In the Muse would like to celebrate the birthdays of two  alliteratively named figures whose work can be found in the Music Division’s diverse collections. Vaudeville, Broadway, and film dancer Harriet Hoctor was born September …

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Tickets Available: Doric String Quartet and Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet

Tickets are now available for two very different and exciting quartets appearing at the Coolidge Auditorium. Reservations may be made for a nominal service charge at Ticketmaster. Friday, November 19, 2010 at 8:00pm Doric String Quartet Prize winners in the Osaka and the Borciani competitions, this London-based ensemble makes its first American appearance at the Frick …

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Always Look on the Bright Side of the Music Division

The first episode of the landmark television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus premiered on this date in 1969 on BBC One.  The comedy program practically defined irreverence during a time of counter-cultural upheaval – but who would have guessed in those tumultuous times that the series would one day inspire a hit Broadway musical? Perhaps …

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And the Strads Play On…

The Strads. They make string players salivate, and everyone knows the name to be synonymous with excellence. But how much do you really know about these pristine creatures of sound? Let’s start with the name – “Stradivarius”. Many are at least familiar with the fact that these string instruments were created by the famous violin …

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