 
Bagdad, Beethoven & Blues
Staten Island Advance - Friday, March 28, 2008
Beethoven and The Blues are holding down two-thirds of the upcoming
Richmond County Orchestra program. Fair enough.
But the third B in the program is for something called "Bagdad" (not
"Baghdad"). Bagdad, which is not an acceptable substitute for the
correct spelling of the Iraqi city (despite hundreds of thousands of
Google hits to the contrary) refers to a couple of things.
As a formula, B-A-G-D-A-D refers to specific guitar tuning. Baghdad
would never work since there's no "H" note. "Bagdad" also refers to
a short 2002 composition written by Milos Raickovich, a professor of
music at the College of Staten Island. RCO will be giving the piece
its New York premiere. It is an anti-Iraqi-war piece offering solace
to veterans, combatants and mourners.
The Beethoven will be Symphony No. 8 and The Blues will come from
several sources, all local. They are singer Queen Tipsy (aka Phyllis
Forman) saxophonist Ray Scro and composer Frank Lakewood. The
orchestra will perform his "Lakewood Blues."
"Bagdad, Beethoven and The Blues" will be conducted by orchestra
founder Alan Aurelia at 3 p.m. Sunday in St Peters R.C. Church, 53
St Marks Place, New Brighton. Tickets: $15, students admitted free.
Information: 718-390-4306
By Michael J. Fressola
Reprinted here with permission
from the
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