Red Square
J.A. Kawarsky composer
London Symphony Orchestra
Miran Vaupotić conductor
The concept of color has influenced several of popular music’s most memorable melodies — from Sinatra’s Blue Moon to Prince’s Purple Rain, and even Kermit the Frog’s It’s Not Easy Being Green. Enter composer J.A. Kawarsky, who throws his hat in the ring with RED SQUARE, a jubilant union of original musical ideas with hints of popular music references sprinkled throughout, and no shortage of twists and turns. Kawarsky challenges listeners to identify which compositional quotes may have derived their placements from the color red with this short and snappy symphonic work, performed in this Navona Records release by the acclaimed London Symphony Orchestra.
Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Composer | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Red Square | J.A. Kawarsky | London Symphony Orchestra | Miran Vaupotić, conductor | 5:46 |
Recorded June 6, 2024 at LSO St. Lukes in London, England, United Kingdom
Session Producer Brad Michel
Session Engineer Jonathan Stokes, Classic Sound Ltd.
Editing, Mixing & Mastering Melanie Montgomery
Executive Producer Bob Lord
VP of A&R Brandon MacNeil
A&R Chris Robinson
VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
Production Manager Martina Watzková
Production Assistant Adam Lysák
VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Aidan Curran
Digital Marketing Manager Brett Iannucci
Artist Information
J.A. Kawarsky
Dr. J.A. Kawarsky (b. 1959) is Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton in New Jersey. Kawarsky received his B.M. in composition from Iowa State University and his M.M. and D.M.A. from Northwestern University, where he studied with John Paynter, Alan Stout, and Frederick Ockwell. In 1982, Kawarsky conducted the Opera Company of the Negev Region in Be’er Sheva in Israel. Before coming to Westminster in 1989, he taught at Fort Hays State University, the University of Wisconsin, and Moraine Valley Community College.
London Symphony Orchestra
Widely acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, The London Symphony Orchestra was named by Gramophone as one of the top five orchestras in the world. A world-leader in recording music for film, television, and events, it was the official orchestra of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games ceremonies, memorably performing Chariots of Fire on stage in the opening ceremony, conducted by Simon Rattle and with Rowan Atkinson.
Miran Vaupotić
Acclaimed as “dynamic and knowledgeable” by the Buenos Aires Herald, Croatian conductor Miran Vaupotić has worked with eminent orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Berliner Symphoniker, the Russian National Orchestra, the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV, Orchestre de Chambre de Genève, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional Argentina, and others, performing in major halls around the globe such as Carnegie Hall, Wiener Musikverein, Berliner Philharmonie, Rudolfinum, Smetana Hall, Victoria Hall, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Dubai Opera, Tchaikovsky Hall, International House of Music, CBC Glenn Gould Studio, and more.
Notes
Having grown up on a multitude of songs which utilized a color, or few, in their lyric or name (e.g., Big Yellow Taxi; Blackbird; Blue Moon; Purple Rain; Orange Colored Sky; Heart of Gold; Silver Bells; Bad, Bad Leroy Brown; White Christmas, etc.), the one that seemed to have been played the most was Kermit the Frog’s It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green (Joe Raposo, composer; Jim Henson, original singer). This song was a constant in most American households between 1970 and 1990… often to the point of ad nauseam.
In response, I composed Red Square, borrowing ideas (i.e., ok, stealing from the best) and used songs, children melodies, ideological music, theme songs, national anthems, short quotes from other composers, and even music that has no connection to “red.”
Your job as a listener is to recognize what songs/tunes/anthems/etc., which may have derived from “something” red. I wish you well.
— J.A. Kawarsky
