Become an active listener

VAIL ” The 2007 summer season of Performance Preludes continues on Sunday at 5 p.m. when Marc Shulgold, music critic for the Rocky Mountain News, returns to the Valley to help audience members connect to classical music. The talk takes place at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.

In his pre-concert discussion, Shulgold will provide insight about Tchaikovsky’s life. The Russian composer was often misunderstood during his life, and Shulgold will explain how this impacted Tchaikovsky’s music. He will also describe the inherent drama in Tchaikovsky’s “Fourth Symphony.”

“This is powerful, exciting and emotional music. Tchaikovsky is so beloved because emotion is so well expressed in his pieces,” Shulgold said. “By creating knowledge, hopefully people will get closer to the music.”

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Shulgold learned about the arts from working with Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Martin Bernheimer at the Los Angeles Times from 1957 to 1987. He, then, joined the staff of the Rocky Mountain News, and after 20 years Shulgold has proven himself as one of the most respected voices for classical music in the region. Shulgold has also contributed articles and reviews to Chamber Music, Opera News, Student Musician and other publications.

Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and the Vail Symposium have co-presented Performance Preludes for three years. These free pre-concert discussions offer a unique chance to discover the stories behind the music and gain additional appreciation for the art of music. The talks are held at 5 p.m., and concerts begin at 6 p.m. Informal in structure, the preludes provide background and insight about the composers, repertoire and orchestra of the evening.

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The talks are free and open to the public.

For complete Bravo! artist roster, program details, and ticketing information please visit http://www.vailmusicfestival.org or call 827-5700.