Joshua Bell’s Newest Album “French Impressions” Showcases the Theater’s Acoustics and Recording Abilities
The 300-seat MIM Music Theater, designed to give concertgoers an extraordinary, intimate experience, has hosted musicians from around the globe ranging from k.d. lang and Jordin Sparks to Mamady Keita and Ahmad Jamal. This January, the superb acoustics and exceptional recording capabilities of the nearly two-year-old Musical Instrument Museum’s theater will be highlighted when the first commercial album recorded at the venue is released to the public.
Grammy-winning violinist Joshua Bell and his recital partner, pianist Jeremy Denk, recorded their new album, “French Impressions,” in November 2010 while they were in Phoenix for a fund-raising performance at the Musical Instrument Museum. The CD will be released worldwide on Jan. 10, 2012, and offers an interpretation of works by Saint-Saëns, Ravel, and Franck.
“The goal for any producer is to find a venue that has suitable acoustics and also makes the artist feel as comfortable as possible,” said Steven Epstein, the album’s multiple Grammy-winning producer. “The MIM Music Theater has the perfect balance of those elements and was the ideal location for Joshua and Jeremy’s collaboration.”
Bell is often referred to as the “poet of the violin.” His 2004 album “Romance of the Violin” was chosen as Classical CD of the Year by Billboard magazine and he was named Classical Artist of the Year. Bell performed all of the violin solos in “The Red Violin,” helping the film win an Oscar for Best Original Score. Denk has appeared as a soloist with many major orchestras including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, and the London Philharmonic.
“With the release of this CD, we join other great museums including the Grace Rainy Rogers Auditorium at the Met in recording works of art,” said Charly Brems, production manager at the MIM Music Theater. “The MIM Music Theater was designed to be an optimal recording space, with its acoustics, top-of-the-line recording equipment, and handpicked instruments including a Steinway Model D grand concert piano that has been voiced especially for the space.”
Other highlights in the MIM Music Theater include a Yamaha Recording Custom drum kit, Fender Deluxe Reverb 1965 Reissue, Vox AC30 Heritage H2, and a selection of microphones that rival other top-rated theater facilities.
“French Impressions” will be available for purchase at the Museum Store. The Musical Instrument Museum is located at 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix (corner of Tatum and Mayo Boulevards, just south of Loop 101). Please visit theMIM.org or call 480.478.6000 for more information.