From Bevan Manson

ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

Rafael-

Thank you for giving our composers group ‘Improvisatory Minds’ some space in your erudite and perceptive blog.
 
I’ve been perusing your writing and am impressed (and grateful) that you write with such musical detail. The review of Moonkyung
Lee’s recording of Tchaikovsky’ s good old workhorse was so refreshing in that vein.
Also enlightening are your many reviews/mentions of some stellar musicians that West Coasters might not be familiar with, such as 
the highly expressive musicians Allen Harrington and Laura Metcalf, to name two. (Due to the latter, now I’ve heard the Metcalf/Boyd duo, from
“Boyd Meets Girl”).
 
On a more personal note, it’s also good to see my old classmate Rick VanMatre get some well deserved air time, as well as our friend and former IM member Gernot
Wolfgang. Perhaps we will all land in Cincinnati one of these days. Finally, in case you run into Matt Zory in the symphony (you seem to know everyone in Cincinnati’s vast musical scene), a hello from Bevan.
 
Thanks again,
best regards-
 
Bevan Manson
Oxnard, CA
 
 

Published by ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

Rafael de Acha has enjoyed a distinguished career in the arts as a performer, stage director, producer, and educator. He was born and grew up in Cuba. At the age of 17 he moved to the United States to study Drama at the University of Minnesota, and later Languages at L.A. City College, Music at the Juilliard School of Music, at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, and at the New England Conservatory of Music, from which he received the Master's degree. He has taught courses on the History of Music at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and at Florida International University, and contributed writings and reviews to Seen and Heard International (www.seenandheard-international.com ) and to this blog. He co-founded the award-winning New Theatre in Coral Gables, Florida, where he produced and staged twenty seasons of classical and contemporary theater, including fifty world premieres of plays that went on to have international and national productions on and off Broadway, including Ana in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz (Pulitzer Prize for Drama 2002 and Tony Nomination 2003.) In 2006 he was presented with a citation from The Dade County Cultural Affairs Council for “trailblazing contributions to the arts in South Florida.”