BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Rachel Franklin - ECPv6.18.4//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://rachelfranklin.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Rachel Franklin REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T133000 DTSTAMP:20260809T151241Z CREATED:20260809T150820Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T151241Z UID:5169-1790856000-1790861400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Jazzing the Classics - The Enduring Influence of American Jazz on Classical Music\, Lecture 1 - Jazz Invades Paris\, Paris Rolls Over DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jazzing-classics​\n \n \n \n \n \n Beginning in the earliest part of the 20th century\, European “art” or “classical” music enjoyed a brief but intense romance with American jazz. If its perceptions of this unique American artform were sometimes distinctly misguided\, its enthusiasm made up for it. For some it was a charming caprice\, for others a raucous symbol of democracy. \nIn a 4-session course\, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and historic and contemporary film clips to explore early jazz origins and how American ragtime and jazz conquered Parisian nightclubs in the feverish pre- and post-World War I era\, powerfully influencing composers from Ravel to Milhaud and Stravinsky. She traces the role of jazz in the ‘20s and ‘30s as a symbol of political freedom and cultural modernity for artists such as Shostakovich\, Krenek\, and Walton in capitals including Moscow\, Berlin\, and London. She concludes in the U.S.\, where many composers including Aaron Copland\, George Gershwin\, and John Alden Carpenter used jazz as a deep source of inspiration while struggling to come to terms with its identity as a highly complex\, home-grown African American artform. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \n“Jazz ‘er up! Broadway’s conquest of Europe!” So announced the New York Times jubilantly in 1921. It was nothing new for Parisians to amuse themselves with foreign cultural traditions\, but the intoxicating syncopations and sounds of American ragtime and popular dance music had already been taking root there for several decades. Claude Debussy had been enchanted by John Philip Sousa’s marching bands\, while James Reese Europe’s Black military band\, the Hellfighters\, mesmerized huge French crowds\, adding to the disruptive energy driving works like Erik Satie’s anarchic ballet Parade. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-jazzing-the-classics-the-enduring-influence-of-american-jazz-on-classical-music-lecture-1-earth-jazz-invades-paris-paris-rolls-over/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/JazzingTheClassics.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T193000 DTSTAMP:20260912T222517Z CREATED:20260912T222337Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T222517Z UID:5210-1791054000-1791055800@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Rachel Franklin for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Inside the Classics DESCRIPTION:https://www.bsomusic.org/experience/insidetheclassics/\n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Rachel Franklin is delighted to be the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Strathmore Music Scholar-in-Residence. She gives all the BSO’s pre-concert presentations at their Bethesda\, MD venue\, Strathmore Hall as part of their “Inside the Classics” series. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/rachel-franklin-for-the-baltimore-symphony-orchestra-inside-the-classics-37/ LOCATION:Music Center at Strathmore\, 5301 Tuckerman Ln\, North Bethesda\, MD\, 20852\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/stravinsky_prokofiev_october3rd.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T133000 DTSTAMP:20260809T151326Z CREATED:20260809T151053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T151326Z UID:5175-1791460800-1791466200@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Jazzing the Classics - The Enduring Influence of American Jazz on Classical Music\, Lecture 2 - The Twenties Roar In DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jazzing-classics​\n \n \n \n \n \n Beginning in the earliest part of the 20th century\, European “art” or “classical” music enjoyed a brief but intense romance with American jazz. If its perceptions of this unique American artform were sometimes distinctly misguided\, its enthusiasm made up for it. For some it was a charming caprice\, for others a raucous symbol of democracy. \nIn a 4-session course\, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and historic and contemporary film clips to explore early jazz origins and how American ragtime and jazz conquered Parisian nightclubs in the feverish pre- and post-World War I era\, powerfully influencing composers from Ravel to Milhaud and Stravinsky. She traces the role of jazz in the ‘20s and ‘30s as a symbol of political freedom and cultural modernity for artists such as Shostakovich\, Krenek\, and Walton in capitals including Moscow\, Berlin\, and London. She concludes in the U.S.\, where many composers including Aaron Copland\, George Gershwin\, and John Alden Carpenter used jazz as a deep source of inspiration while struggling to come to terms with its identity as a highly complex\, home-grown African American artform. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nAfter the devastation of the Great War\, the world reached madly for entertainment and French artists continued their adoration of all things modern and American. Popular Parisian drinking spots regularly featured American popular performers\, and composers such as Maurice Ravel and Darius Milhaud created large-scale works directly inspired by the ragtime and early jazz they heard there. Franklin’s selections include Ravel’s two piano concertos and opera L’enfant et les sortile`ges\, Milhaud’s La Création du Monde and L’Histoire du Soldat by Stravinsky. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-jazzing-the-classics-the-enduring-influence-of-american-jazz-on-classical-music-lecture-2-the-twenties-roar-in/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/JazzingTheClassics.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T133000 DTSTAMP:20260809T151545Z CREATED:20260809T151541Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T151545Z UID:5184-1792065600-1792071000@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Jazzing the Classics - The Enduring Influence of American Jazz on Classical Music\, Lecture 3 - Weimar\, London\, and Moscow Get Syncopated DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jazzing-classics​\n \n \n \n \n \n Beginning in the earliest part of the 20th century\, European “art” or “classical” music enjoyed a brief but intense romance with American jazz. If its perceptions of this unique American artform were sometimes distinctly misguided\, its enthusiasm made up for it. For some it was a charming caprice\, for others a raucous symbol of democracy. \nIn a 4-session course\, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and historic and contemporary film clips to explore early jazz origins and how American ragtime and jazz conquered Parisian nightclubs in the feverish pre- and post-World War I era\, powerfully influencing composers from Ravel to Milhaud and Stravinsky. She traces the role of jazz in the ‘20s and ‘30s as a symbol of political freedom and cultural modernity for artists such as Shostakovich\, Krenek\, and Walton in capitals including Moscow\, Berlin\, and London. She concludes in the U.S.\, where many composers including Aaron Copland\, George Gershwin\, and John Alden Carpenter used jazz as a deep source of inspiration while struggling to come to terms with its identity as a highly complex\, home-grown African American artform. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nOther nationalities were also fascinated by jazz\, which fed a fierce desire to build a new cultural language for their ravaged countries. However\, as both fascism and communism menaced new intellectual movements\, jazz and American popular music became highly political in countries undergoing upheaval and repression. Franklin includes the work of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht in their Mahagonny Songspiel\, Ernst Krenek’s Jonny spielt auf\, and Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff’s jazz piano pieces. Shostakovich’s Jazz Suites and the very English Façade by William Walton are also featured. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-jazzing-the-classics-the-enduring-influence-of-american-jazz-on-classical-music-lecture-3-weimar-london-and-moscow-get-syncopated/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/JazzingTheClassics.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T193000 DTSTAMP:20260912T223501Z CREATED:20260912T223458Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T223501Z UID:5213-1792263600-1792265400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Rachel Franklin for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Inside the Classics DESCRIPTION:https://www.bsomusic.org/experience/insidetheclassics/\n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Rachel Franklin is delighted to be the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Strathmore Music Scholar-in-Residence. She gives all the BSO’s pre-concert presentations at their Bethesda\, MD venue\, Strathmore Hall as part of their “Inside the Classics” series. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/rachel-franklin-for-the-baltimore-symphony-orchestra-inside-the-classics-38/ LOCATION:Music Center at Strathmore\, 5301 Tuckerman Ln\, North Bethesda\, MD\, 20852\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/alsopconducts_october17.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261022T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261022T133000 DTSTAMP:20260809T151739Z CREATED:20260809T151735Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260809T151739Z UID:5189-1792670400-1792675800@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Jazzing the Classics - The Enduring Influence of American Jazz on Classical Music\, Lecture 4 - Concert Halls and Controversy in the US DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/jazzing-classics​\n \n \n \n \n \n Beginning in the earliest part of the 20th century\, European “art” or “classical” music enjoyed a brief but intense romance with American jazz. If its perceptions of this unique American artform were sometimes distinctly misguided\, its enthusiasm made up for it. For some it was a charming caprice\, for others a raucous symbol of democracy. \nIn a 4-session course\, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and historic and contemporary film clips to explore early jazz origins and how American ragtime and jazz conquered Parisian nightclubs in the feverish pre- and post-World War I era\, powerfully influencing composers from Ravel to Milhaud and Stravinsky. She traces the role of jazz in the ‘20s and ‘30s as a symbol of political freedom and cultural modernity for artists such as Shostakovich\, Krenek\, and Walton in capitals including Moscow\, Berlin\, and London. She concludes in the U.S.\, where many composers including Aaron Copland\, George Gershwin\, and John Alden Carpenter used jazz as a deep source of inspiration while struggling to come to terms with its identity as a highly complex\, home-grown African American artform. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nWhile jazz was exploding in popularity throughout the United States and the great jazz masters were beginning to emerge\, the classical music community harbored a profound ambivalence about this home-grown phenomenon and its roots in the cultures of African and enslaved people. Composers with an eye to the future had to decide whether to embrace it as a valid music of the time or condemn it as a cheap passing phase. Franklin examines the ballet Skyscrapers by Carpenter\, Copland’s Piano Concerto\, and the ever-changing perspective of George Gershwin’s greatest works. Inevitably\, the greatest jazz composers such as Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis pronounce the not-so-final word on how jazz has found its way permanently into modern concert halls. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-jazzing-the-classics-the-enduring-influence-of-american-jazz-on-classical-music-lecture-4-concert-halls-and-controversy-in-the-us/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/JazzingTheClassics.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T143000 DTSTAMP:20260912T223808Z CREATED:20260912T223804Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T223808Z UID:5217-1792936800-1792938600@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Rachel Franklin for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Inside the Classics DESCRIPTION:https://www.bsomusic.org/experience/insidetheclassics/\n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Rachel Franklin is delighted to be the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Strathmore Music Scholar-in-Residence. She gives all the BSO’s pre-concert presentations at their Bethesda\, MD venue\, Strathmore Hall as part of their “Inside the Classics” series. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/rachel-franklin-for-the-baltimore-symphony-orchestra-inside-the-classics-39/ LOCATION:Music Center at Strathmore\, 5301 Tuckerman Ln\, North Bethesda\, MD\, 20852\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/mozartmeetslatinmasters_october25.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261106T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261106T193000 DTSTAMP:20260912T224235Z CREATED:20260912T224230Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T224235Z UID:5220-1793991600-1793993400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Rachel Franklin for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Inside the Classics DESCRIPTION:https://www.bsomusic.org/experience/insidetheclassics/\n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Rachel Franklin is delighted to be the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Strathmore Music Scholar-in-Residence. She gives all the BSO’s pre-concert presentations at their Bethesda\, MD venue\, Strathmore Hall as part of their “Inside the Classics” series. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/rachel-franklin-for-the-baltimore-symphony-orchestra-inside-the-classics-40/ LOCATION:Music Center at Strathmore\, 5301 Tuckerman Ln\, North Bethesda\, MD\, 20852\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sheherazadesibelius_november6th.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261109T184500 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261109T201500 DTSTAMP:20261108T180454Z CREATED:20261108T180449Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T180454Z UID:5226-1794249900-1794255300@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Great Composer-Pianists: Mendelssohn\, Liszt\, Prokofiev\, and Rachmaninoff\, Lecture 1 - Felix Mendelssohn DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists\n \n \n \n \n \n Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin provides a unique look at the monumental keyboard talents of four great composer-pianists and how their performing virtuosity influenced the piano works audiences enjoy today. \nWith a legacy of printed compositions but almost no recordings\, how can we get closer to the white-hot moments of creation and performance when these artists poured out their genius for fortunate and astonished listeners? How did the composers’ musical imaginations and their signature performance styles influence the development of how pianos would be constructed and sound? And did their contemporary audiences even comprehend what they were hearing? \nFranklin offers a fascinating exploration into the creative minds—and hands—of a quartet of piano pioneers celebrated for their prowess as composers and performers. She concludes each lecture by performing a work by the spotlighted composer. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts.​ \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nA true child prodigy as both pianist and composer\, Mendelssohn brought a beautiful new freshness\, luster and Romantic warmth to the piano repertoire. Throughout his painfully short life\, he worked tirelessly as a groundbreaking conductor and entrepreneur\, but his relentless professional life didn’t prevent him from composing a wide foundational canon of piano work that has been beloved by players ever since. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-great-composer-pianists-mendelssohn-liszt-prokofiev-and-rachmaninoff-lecture-1-felix-mendelssohn/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/great-composer-pianists.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261115T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261115T143000 DTSTAMP:20260912T224516Z CREATED:20260912T224513Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T224516Z UID:5223-1794751200-1794753000@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Rachel Franklin for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Inside the Classics DESCRIPTION:https://www.bsomusic.org/experience/insidetheclassics/\n \n \n \n \n \n Dr. Rachel Franklin is delighted to be the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Strathmore Music Scholar-in-Residence. She gives all the BSO’s pre-concert presentations at their Bethesda\, MD venue\, Strathmore Hall as part of their “Inside the Classics” series. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/rachel-franklin-for-the-baltimore-symphony-orchestra-inside-the-classics-41/ LOCATION:Music Center at Strathmore\, 5301 Tuckerman Ln\, North Bethesda\, MD\, 20852\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ohlssonplaysbrahms_november15.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261116T184500 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261116T201500 DTSTAMP:20261108T181314Z CREATED:20261108T181219Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T181314Z UID:5232-1794854700-1794860100@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Great Composer-Pianists: Mendelssohn\, Liszt\, Prokofiev\, and Rachmaninoff\, Lecture 2 - Franz Liszt DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists\n \n \n \n \n \n Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin provides a unique look at the monumental keyboard talents of four great composer-pianists and how their performing virtuosity influenced the piano works audiences enjoy today. \nWith a legacy of printed compositions but almost no recordings\, how can we get closer to the white-hot moments of creation and performance when these artists poured out their genius for fortunate and astonished listeners? How did the composers’ musical imaginations and their signature performance styles influence the development of how pianos would be constructed and sound? And did their contemporary audiences even comprehend what they were hearing? \nFranklin offers a fascinating exploration into the creative minds—and hands—of a quartet of piano pioneers celebrated for their prowess as composers and performers. She concludes each lecture by performing a work by the spotlighted composer. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts.​ \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nLiszt’s mesmerizing pianism was so extraordinary that many believed he had supernatural powers\, and his thousands of concerts frequently left pianos in sad smoking heaps. The astonishing technical demands of his music remain as daunting now as when he first performed and published\, and the legacy of his many superb students continues to be carried forward through modern conservatories onto the world’s great concert stages. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-great-composer-pianists-mendelssohn-liszt-prokofiev-and-rachmaninoff-lecture-2-franz-liszt/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/great-composer-pianists.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T210000 DTSTAMP:20261111T214901Z CREATED:20261111T213037Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T214901Z UID:5290-1795201200-1795208400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:SONOS Trio at the Oxford Community Center: "Coming To America\, A 250-Year Musical Journey" DESCRIPTION:https://oxfordcc.org/product/rachel-franklin-sonos-250th/​\n \n \n \n \n \n SONOS is Chamber Music with a Twist. Led by acclaimed pianist Rachel Franklin and featuring the consummate talents of violinist Christian Tremblay and fretless bass player Jonathan Miles Brown\, their programs explore the cross-pollination between different musical art forms\, with compelling stories of how these musical cultures intersect. Blurring the edges between timeless chamber works and jazz improvisation\, SONOS have performed widely throughout the mid-Atlantic area\, delighting audiences with their imaginative storytelling\, unique instrumental sounds\, and fiery virtuosity. \nComing to America celebrates the extraordinarily rich cultural and musical heritage of the United States\, fueled and fertilized by the contributions of those who came for a better life\, those who came to escape persecution\, and those who came enslaved. The program features spirituals and immigration songs\, jazz\, and classical works from Beethoven to Bernstein. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/sonos-trio-at-the-oxford-community-center-coming-to-america-a-250-year-musical-journey/ LOCATION:Oxford Community Center\, 200 Oxford Road\, Oxford\, MD\, 21654\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Rachael-Franklin-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261122T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261122T170000 DTSTAMP:20261111T215048Z CREATED:20261111T214649Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261111T215048Z UID:5298-1795359600-1795366800@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:SONOS Trio at the WCR Center For The Arts: "Coming To America\, A 250-Year Musical Journey" DESCRIPTION:https://www.wcrcenter.org/sonos\n \n \n \n \n \n Coming to America celebrates the extraordinarily rich cultural and musical heritage of the United States\, fueled and fertilized by the contributions of those who came for a better life\, those who came to escape persecution\, and those who came enslaved. The program features spirituals and immigration songs\, jazz\, and classical works from Beethoven to Bernstein\, and Dvorak to Chick Corea. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/sonos-trio-at-the-wcr-center-for-the-arts-coming-to-america-a-250-year-musical-journey/ LOCATION:WCR Center for the Arts\, 140 N 5th St\, Reading\, PA\, 19601\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/SONOS-COMING-TO-AMERICA-2025-Outside-copy_cropped.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="WCR Center For The Arts":MAILTO:rentals@wcrcenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261123T184500 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261123T201500 DTSTAMP:20261108T182213Z CREATED:20261108T181749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T182213Z UID:5238-1795459500-1795464900@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Great Composer-Pianists: Mendelssohn\, Liszt\, Prokofiev\, and Rachmaninoff\, Lecture 3 - Sergei Prokofiev DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists\n \n \n \n \n \n Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin provides a unique look at the monumental keyboard talents of four great composer-pianists and how their performing virtuosity influenced the piano works audiences enjoy today. \nWith a legacy of printed compositions but almost no recordings\, how can we get closer to the white-hot moments of creation and performance when these artists poured out their genius for fortunate and astonished listeners? How did the composers’ musical imaginations and their signature performance styles influence the development of how pianos would be constructed and sound? And did their contemporary audiences even comprehend what they were hearing? \nFranklin offers a fascinating exploration into the creative minds—and hands—of a quartet of piano pioneers celebrated for their prowess as composers and performers. She concludes each lecture by performing a work by the spotlighted composer. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts.​ \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nProkofiev’s reputation as a ferocious idol smasher brought him shocked reviews internationally but belies the fact that he was one of the 20th century’s greatest\, most tender melodists in the true Russian style. His piano music doesn’t just reflect his own brilliant technique but explores strange\, beautiful landscapes filled with evocative storytelling and magic. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-great-composer-pianists-mendelssohn-liszt-prokofiev-and-rachmaninoff-lecture-3-sergei-prokofiev/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/great-composer-pianists.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261130T184500 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261130T201500 DTSTAMP:20261108T182708Z CREATED:20261108T182703Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T182708Z UID:5245-1796064300-1796069700@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Great Composer-Pianists: Mendelssohn\, Liszt\, Prokofiev\, and Rachmaninoff\, Lecture 4 - Sergei Rachmaninoff DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/great-composer-pianists\n \n \n \n \n \n Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin provides a unique look at the monumental keyboard talents of four great composer-pianists and how their performing virtuosity influenced the piano works audiences enjoy today. \nWith a legacy of printed compositions but almost no recordings\, how can we get closer to the white-hot moments of creation and performance when these artists poured out their genius for fortunate and astonished listeners? How did the composers’ musical imaginations and their signature performance styles influence the development of how pianos would be constructed and sound? And did their contemporary audiences even comprehend what they were hearing? \nFranklin offers a fascinating exploration into the creative minds—and hands—of a quartet of piano pioneers celebrated for their prowess as composers and performers. She concludes each lecture by performing a work by the spotlighted composer. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts.​ \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nUtterly extraordinary as pianist\, conductor and composer\, Rachmaninoff bestrode the musical world like a colossus. Particularly in the United States\, he built a career as a legendary concert performer and\, despite his quiet\, almost dour demeanor\, became a musical superstar worshipped by a dazzled public\, and set new standards for pianistic genius. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-great-composer-pianists-mendelssohn-liszt-prokofiev-and-rachmaninoff-lecture-4-sergei-rachmaninoff/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/great-composer-pianists.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261201T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261201T140000 DTSTAMP:20261108T205009Z CREATED:20261108T205005Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T205009Z UID:5266-1796130000-1796133600@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y: A Celebration of French Music: From Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel\, Lecture 1 - 700 Years in Two Hours DESCRIPTION:https://www.roundtable.org/live-courses/music/a-celebration-of-french-music-beauty-revolution-reinvention​\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\nWe begin with French music written before the 19th century\, starting with the mystery and beauty of early 12th-century polyphony by Léonin and Pérotin from the mighty School of Notre-Dame. Touching briefly on exquisite work by Guillaume de Machaut (14th century) and Josquin des Prez (15th century)\, jump forward to the Baroque period\, which saw the meteoric rise of French opera and non-vocal instrumental music. Then enjoy splendid dance music and opera selections by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau\, plus witty keyboard pieces by master clavecinist Francois Couperin. \n\n\n\n\n\n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nFrance is an immeasurable powerhouse of cultural achievement. Through French politics and history\, philosophy\, fine arts\, and cuisine\, our lives continue to be influenced by the Gallic vision of society. And in many ways\, the history of French music is also the history of Western music. But what makes French music French? Join talented speaker and pianist Rachel Franklin on a journey through eight centuries of French music. \nFranklin will lead students from the mysterious polyphony of medieval Notre-Dame to the revolutionary sounds of twentieth-century modernism. Together\, we will explore the grandeur and elegance of the Baroque through the music of Lully\, Rameau\, and Couperin\, then encounter the excess\, spectacle\, and virtuosity of nineteenth-century France in works by Berlioz\, Meyerbeer\, Bizet\, Saint-Saëns\, and Alkan. Students will follow the musical lineage from Saint-Saëns to Fauré and from Fauré to Ravel\, discovering how generations of composers passed ideas\, influences\, and inspirations from one to another. From there\, we will experience the sensuous refinement of Fauré\, Debussy\, and Ravel before witnessing modernism shatter established conventions through the irreverent music of Satie and Les Six. Finally\, we will conclude with Olivier Messiaen\, whose visionary music and profoundly moving Quartet for the End of Time occupy a singular place in twentieth-century musical history. Along the way\, discover how French composers continually reinvented beauty\, drama\, color\, and musical expression. \n  URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/roundtable-by-the-92nd-street-y-a-celebration-of-french-music-from-berlioz-to-debussy-and-ravel-lecture-1-700-years-in-two-hours/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/sub-buzz-9040-1555351669-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y":MAILTO:hello@roundtable.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261208T140000 DTSTAMP:20261108T205523Z CREATED:20261108T205520Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T205523Z UID:5272-1796734800-1796738400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y: A Celebration of French Music: From Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel\, Lecture 2 - Excess\, Outrage & Virtuosity DESCRIPTION:https://www.roundtable.org/live-courses/music/a-celebration-of-french-music-beauty-revolution-reinvention​\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\nIn the 1800s\, it seemed that the horrors of the French Revolution had unleashed a taste for massive scale and spectacle. The startling musical program of Hector Berlioz’s brilliant Symphonie Fantastique combines sexuality\, drugs\, and diabolism. The melodramatic grand opera Les Huguenots by Giacomo Meyerbeer involved much death and destruction\, plus perilous stage machinery. Meanwhile Georges Bizet’s Carmen was very different\, featuring a revolutionary heroine who defies the social hypocrisies of the time. We also enjoy dazzling piano music by Camille Saint-Saëns and Charles Valentin Alkan. \n\n\n\n\n\n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nFrance is an immeasurable powerhouse of cultural achievement. Through French politics and history\, philosophy\, fine arts\, and cuisine\, our lives continue to be influenced by the Gallic vision of society. And in many ways\, the history of French music is also the history of Western music. But what makes French music French? Join talented speaker and pianist Rachel Franklin on a journey through eight centuries of French music. \nFranklin will lead students from the mysterious polyphony of medieval Notre-Dame to the revolutionary sounds of twentieth-century modernism. Together\, we will explore the grandeur and elegance of the Baroque through the music of Lully\, Rameau\, and Couperin\, then encounter the excess\, spectacle\, and virtuosity of nineteenth-century France in works by Berlioz\, Meyerbeer\, Bizet\, Saint-Saëns\, and Alkan. Students will follow the musical lineage from Saint-Saëns to Fauré and from Fauré to Ravel\, discovering how generations of composers passed ideas\, influences\, and inspirations from one to another. From there\, we will experience the sensuous refinement of Fauré\, Debussy\, and Ravel before witnessing modernism shatter established conventions through the irreverent music of Satie and Les Six. Finally\, we will conclude with Olivier Messiaen\, whose visionary music and profoundly moving Quartet for the End of Time occupy a singular place in twentieth-century musical history. Along the way\, discover how French composers continually reinvented beauty\, drama\, color\, and musical expression. \n  URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/roundtable-by-the-92nd-street-y-a-celebration-of-french-music-from-berlioz-to-debussy-and-ravel-lecture-2-excess-outrage-virtuosity/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/OIP-3456306227.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y":MAILTO:hello@roundtable.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T133000 DTSTAMP:20261108T184044Z CREATED:20261108T183420Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T184044Z UID:5250-1796904000-1796909400@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Two Holiday Masterworks: Handel’s Messiah and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker\, Lecture 1 - Messiah DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/two-holiday-masterworks\n \n \n \n \n \n As the winter draws near and preparations begin for seasonal festivals of wonder and sacred joy\, no classical music more powerfully expresses the sense of glory and enchantment than two pillars of the holiday repertoire: Handel’s mighty oratorio Messiah and Tchaikovsky’s exquisite ballet The Nutcracker. Each year\, when people experience these deeply loved cornerstones again\, their sense of returning feels complete\, but how well do they know these seemingly familiar classics? \nBehind each composer’s triumphant achievement lies a history filled with complex personal struggles\, bereavement\, social and political change\, and religious controversy. Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin takes a deep dive into what factors shaped the creativity of both Handel and Tchaikovsky\, and why Messiah and The Nutcracker continue to inspire. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nHandel composed his Messiah in a white-hot burst over just 24 days\, and its Easter 1742 premiere in Dublin was an extraordinary success. Ticket demand was so intense that the promoters famously asked women not to wear hoop skirts and men to leave their swords at home to make “room for more company.” But a year later in London\, Handel encountered profound controversy about performing sacred scripture in a public theater and even avoided using its title. Today his Easter offering has become a Christmas staple and millions participate joyfully in its performance every year. While exploring the Messiah’s celestial musical range\, Franklin also examines Handel’s formidable character and gargantuan eating habits\, and his rocky partnership with his librettist Charles Jennens. She surveys Dublin and London’s vibrant 18th-century concert life and considers the enduring search for spiritual transcendence through this majestic music. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-two-holiday-masterworks-handels-messiah-and-tchaikovskys-nutcracker-lecture-1-messiah/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/two-holiday-masterworks.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261215T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261215T140000 DTSTAMP:20261108T205917Z CREATED:20261108T205914Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T205917Z UID:5278-1797339600-1797343200@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y: A Celebration of French Music: From Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel\, Lecture 3 - Passing the Flame DESCRIPTION:https://www.roundtable.org/live-courses/music/a-celebration-of-french-music-beauty-revolution-reinvention​\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\nSaint-Saëns was Gabriel Fauré’s deeply revered teacher. And Fauré was equally influential as the chief mentor for Maurice Ravel. Connections continue on a less exalted level\, as singer Emma Bardac was mistress to both Fauré and Claude Debussy. Whether composing religious works or fantasy tableaux\, Fauré\, Debussy\, and Ravel combined sensuosity and extreme refinement. Explore Fauré’s beautiful Requiem\, Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune\, and Ravel’s shimmering hommage to his fallen friends during the Great War\, “Le Tombeau de Couperin.” \n\n\n\n\n\n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nFrance is an immeasurable powerhouse of cultural achievement. Through French politics and history\, philosophy\, fine arts\, and cuisine\, our lives continue to be influenced by the Gallic vision of society. And in many ways\, the history of French music is also the history of Western music. But what makes French music French? Join talented speaker and pianist Rachel Franklin on a journey through eight centuries of French music. \nFranklin will lead students from the mysterious polyphony of medieval Notre-Dame to the revolutionary sounds of twentieth-century modernism. Together\, we will explore the grandeur and elegance of the Baroque through the music of Lully\, Rameau\, and Couperin\, then encounter the excess\, spectacle\, and virtuosity of nineteenth-century France in works by Berlioz\, Meyerbeer\, Bizet\, Saint-Saëns\, and Alkan. Students will follow the musical lineage from Saint-Saëns to Fauré and from Fauré to Ravel\, discovering how generations of composers passed ideas\, influences\, and inspirations from one to another. From there\, we will experience the sensuous refinement of Fauré\, Debussy\, and Ravel before witnessing modernism shatter established conventions through the irreverent music of Satie and Les Six. Finally\, we will conclude with Olivier Messiaen\, whose visionary music and profoundly moving Quartet for the End of Time occupy a singular place in twentieth-century musical history. Along the way\, discover how French composers continually reinvented beauty\, drama\, color\, and musical expression. \n  URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/roundtable-by-the-92nd-street-y-a-celebration-of-french-music-from-berlioz-to-debussy-and-ravel-lecture-3-passing-the-flame/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/how-ravel-and-debussy-entangle-with-the-jazz-guitar.png ORGANIZER;CN="Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y":MAILTO:hello@roundtable.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261217T133000 DTSTAMP:20261108T183954Z CREATED:20261108T183639Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T183954Z UID:5256-1797508800-1797514200@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Smithsonian Associates: Two Holiday Masterworks: Handel’s Messiah and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker\, Lecture 2 - The Nutcracker DESCRIPTION:https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/two-holiday-masterworks\n \n \n \n \n \n As the winter draws near and preparations begin for seasonal festivals of wonder and sacred joy\, no classical music more powerfully expresses the sense of glory and enchantment than two pillars of the holiday repertoire: Handel’s mighty oratorio Messiah and Tchaikovsky’s exquisite ballet The Nutcracker. Each year\, when people experience these deeply loved cornerstones again\, their sense of returning feels complete\, but how well do they know these seemingly familiar classics? \nBehind each composer’s triumphant achievement lies a history filled with complex personal struggles\, bereavement\, social and political change\, and religious controversy. Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin takes a deep dive into what factors shaped the creativity of both Handel and Tchaikovsky\, and why Messiah and The Nutcracker continue to inspire. \nBritish-born Franklin has been a featured speaker for organizations including the Library of Congress and NPR\, exploring intersections among classical and jazz music\, film scores\, and the fine arts. \n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nTchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker is an exquisite vision of fairytale beauty\, but beneath its lavish\, shimmering veneer his sweeping music expresses a blend of bittersweet nostalgia for a faraway childhood\, and tremendous personal grief for the sudden death of his beloved sister. Nowadays\, Nutcracker is adored internationally but its initial run was poorly received and Tchaikovsky died decades before it achieved success. Franklin explores its narrative roots in the much stranger original tale by E.T.A. Hoffman\, considers how the Russian Imperial Empire’s love of luxury is subtly reflected in Clara’s magical visit to the Kingdom of Sweets\, and traces the ballet’s evolution through such inspired productions as George Balanchine’s for New York City Ballet. URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/smithsonian-associates-two-holiday-masterworks-handels-messiah-and-tchaikovskys-nutcracker-lecture-2-the-nutcracker/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/two-holiday-masterworks.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261222T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261222T140000 DTSTAMP:20261108T210201Z CREATED:20261108T210158Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261108T210201Z UID:5284-1797944400-1797948000@rachelfranklin.com SUMMARY:Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y: A Celebration of French Music: From Berlioz to Debussy and Ravel\, Lecture 4 - Modernism Smashes Old Idols DESCRIPTION:https://www.roundtable.org/live-courses/music/a-celebration-of-french-music-beauty-revolution-reinvention​\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n“Enough of clouds\, waves\, aquariums\, water sprites\, and nocturnal scents; what we need is a music of the earth\, everyday music.” With those inflammatory words\, mover\, shaker\, and trouble-maker Jean Cocteau relegated Debussy to the musical history books and ushered in the reign of eccentric genius Erik Satie and his group of rambunctious protegés Les Six\, which included Darius Milhaud and Francis Poulenc. Finally\, Franklin spotlights the great Olivier Messiaen\, whose place in musical modernism is utterly unique. His Quartet for the End of Time is a deeply moving 20th-century landmark. \n\n\n\n\n\n——————————————————————————————————————————————— \nFrance is an immeasurable powerhouse of cultural achievement. Through French politics and history\, philosophy\, fine arts\, and cuisine\, our lives continue to be influenced by the Gallic vision of society. And in many ways\, the history of French music is also the history of Western music. But what makes French music French? Join talented speaker and pianist Rachel Franklin on a journey through eight centuries of French music. \nFranklin will lead students from the mysterious polyphony of medieval Notre-Dame to the revolutionary sounds of twentieth-century modernism. Together\, we will explore the grandeur and elegance of the Baroque through the music of Lully\, Rameau\, and Couperin\, then encounter the excess\, spectacle\, and virtuosity of nineteenth-century France in works by Berlioz\, Meyerbeer\, Bizet\, Saint-Saëns\, and Alkan. Students will follow the musical lineage from Saint-Saëns to Fauré and from Fauré to Ravel\, discovering how generations of composers passed ideas\, influences\, and inspirations from one to another. From there\, we will experience the sensuous refinement of Fauré\, Debussy\, and Ravel before witnessing modernism shatter established conventions through the irreverent music of Satie and Les Six. Finally\, we will conclude with Olivier Messiaen\, whose visionary music and profoundly moving Quartet for the End of Time occupy a singular place in twentieth-century musical history. Along the way\, discover how French composers continually reinvented beauty\, drama\, color\, and musical expression. \n  URL:https://rachelfranklin.com/event/roundtable-by-the-92nd-street-y-a-celebration-of-french-music-from-berlioz-to-debussy-and-ravel-lecture-4-modernism-smashes-old-idols/ LOCATION:PA ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rachelfranklin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/erik-satie-jpg-100-1920x1080-2403885015.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y":MAILTO:hello@roundtable.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR