Pick the music you want your favorite skaters to skate to in the coming season!

[rtureck]

I'm a sucker for warhorses:
Mao: SP - "Reverie" Debussy, LP - "Piano Concerto No. 2" Rachmaninoff

My second time of responding to your suggestion of music for Mao. This time about LP. I think Rach PC2 is a good choice for her, but her choreographer/music editor may need to do a bit of work. Rach PC2 is a wonderful piece of music, many skaters won multiple medals with this piece Chen Lu, Cohen. Fumie etc With the right the cut of the music from Rach PC2, I think Mao will glide through the ice like a butterfly over a pond of waterlilies with this piece.

Not sure why another poster categorically rejected Rach for Mao. The one time Mao skated to Rach won her olys silver, and world gold, not shabby. For some reason, both Mao fans and Mao detractors heavily criticize Bells for different reasons. I guess fans of Mao prefer the light, angelic Mao to Chopin solo piano music etc. Tat chose an orchestral version of Prelude to C sharp minor (Bells of Russia), which was not what Rach had in mind when he first wrote the piece anyway. It was written for piano. Anyway Mao was on fire when she skated Rach's Prelude at worlds. Unless another skater in the future can do a better job at interpreting Prelude to C sharp minor, I consider this as one of Mao's signagure pieces.

About "no Rachmaninoff for Mao" from silverlake, I can't disagree more. I think Mao will be so good at Rach's rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, thre are 24 variations to choose from and mood ranges from subdue ethereal in e.g variatin 18 (somewhere in time theme) to firy ( and I mean literally) variation 7 taken from Dies Irae. I thnk Mao will be firy (without being Macarbe) if she skates to variation 7

Silverlake I really disagree the generalization of no one composer for one skater. I mentioned earlier that I want Ravel PC2 second mvt for the so ethereal Fumie. I can easily see the same Ravel piece for the even more ethereal Mao. Oh I do think of YuNa when I think of Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit.

[ImaginaryPogue]

silverlake, you have the "Song for India" as a link for Joannie's LP, not Madame Butterfly. Some intriguing choices for all.

oleada, Eric Radford and Anne Marie Giroux skated to "Summer" this season (Link)

[silverlake22]

About "no Rachmaninoff for Mao" from silverlake, I can't disagree more. I think Mao will be so good at Rach's rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, thre are 24 variations to choose from and mood ranges from subdue ethereal in e.g variatin 18 (somewhere in time theme) to firy ( and I mean literally) variation 7 taken from Dies Irae. I thnk Mao will be firy (without being Macarbe) if she skates to variation 7

Silverlake I really disagree the generalization of no one composer for one skater. I mentioned earlier that I want Ravel PC2 second mvt for the so ethereal Fumie. I can easily see the same Ravel piece for the even more ethereal Mao. Oh I do think of YuNa when I think of Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit.

My biggest issue with Rachimaninoff is that it is becoming overused in figure skating programs, and I'd like to see Mao perform to more original selections of music. Her exhibition pieces are so great because they are upbeat and unique, Rachmaninoff in general and especially Paginini is reptitive and boring. Yuzuru Hanyu and Rachael Flatt both performed to Paginini this season and I didn't find either program great, they are such talented skaters and I felt that wasn't really showcased in those programs. My all time favorite Mao program was her Chopin SP from the 06-07 season so I think picking soft, airy music will really be a smart choice, and while Paginini is soft at parts, it is also heavy in others.


^^ I just fixed the link for Joannie, thanks for the update.


As for Yuna doing a ballet program, it would be cool to see. She isn't particularly balletic IMO but I'm sure she could do a good job with any program. If she does a ballet piece though, I hope it is dramatic, Yuna has the best facial expressions and body language in the business. I think she could do well in a Midsummer Night's Dream program where she portrays Tatania http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LvCV...eature=related , you know, now that she's a queen and everything

[Lilith11]

As for Yuna doing a ballet program, it would be cool to see. She isn't particularly balletic IMO but I'm sure she could do a good job with any program. If she does a ballet piece though, I hope it is dramatic, Yuna has the best facial expressions and body language in the business. I think she could do well in a Midsummer Night's Dream program where she portrays Tatania http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LvCV...eature=related , you know, now that she's a queen and everything

I would love to see Yu-na do a balletic program. 1). It would push her artistically and technically and 2). I have a feeling to truly achieve the look needed, she'd need to take ballet lessons to get full extensions, excellent posture and carriage (I think it's fine as it is, but her posture right now would not suit ballet music), and last but not least... pointed toes. I think it would challenge her and that's what you need to stay at the top; a challenge.

Btw, what about potential choreographs for the skaters for next season? I'd love for Yu-na to work w/Tom Dickson again; he choreographed Tango de Roxanne, which is one of my absolute favorites

[silverlake22]

I would love to see Yu-na do a balletic program. 1). It would push her artistically and technically and 2). I have a feeling to truly achieve the look needed, she'd need to take ballet lessons to get full extensions, excellent posture and carriage (I think it's fine as it is, but her posture right now would not suit ballet music), and last but not least... pointed toes. I think it would challenge her and that's what you need to stay at the top; a challenge.

Btw, what about potential choreographs for the skaters for next season? I'd love for Yu-na to work w/Tom Dickson again; he choreographed Tango de Roxanne, which is one of my absolute favorites

Roxanne was amazing but Yuna and David are so tight I don't see her leaving him and getting someone else to choreograph her programs. Yuna, Brian, and David are a dream team!

[Lilith11]

Roxanne was amazing but Yuna and David are so tight I don't see her leaving him and getting someone else to choreograph her programs. Yuna, Brian, and David are a dream team!

I think David would be open to collaborating w/another choreographer; didn't he and Tom work together for Lark Ascending? Because I remember this one clip where he's talking about the making of Lark but on Yu-na's page, it's credits Tom O.o But I believe that David even said he'd be okay w/it :3 Besides, here's the bright side; it'd expose David to other artistic approaches and could help him as a choreographer as well. Artists don't thrive off of isolation; they grow when exposed to new and different styles and keep themselves open-minded ;D

And besides... Tom Dickson's choreograph for footwork is GORGEOUS See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0LvJxsA88A

Absolutely lovely :3

[rtureck]

My biggest issue with Rachimaninoff is that it is becoming overused in figure skating programs, and I'd like to see Mao perform to more original selections of music. Her exhibition pieces are so great because they are upbeat and unique, Rachmaninoff in general and especially Paginini is reptitive and boring. Yuzuru Hanyu and Rachael Flatt both performed to Paginini this season and I didn't find either program great, they are such talented skaters and I felt that wasn't really showcased in those programs. My all time favorite Mao program was her Chopin SP from the 06-07 season so I think picking soft, airy music will really be a smart choice, and while Paginini is soft at parts, it is also heavy in others.

I think in some ways pachabel is more overused than Rach. Anyway, there are 24 variations in rhapsody/ Paganini, there is a huge variation of mood in that piece. Rachael chose variation 18 (which is the more light and airy variation among the 24) is not Mao, and I believe Mao is more balletic / ethereal than all current top competitive skaters including Rachael and Yuzurau. I am not saying rhapsody is perfect for Mao, just disagree the so generalized statement from you of "no RAch for Mao please". I am currently listening to the 3rd mvt of Rach symphony #2, and the clarinet solo / haunting melody from the strings are to die for (LOL even the Beatles stole this meldoy), and perfect for Mao (at least for exhibition). I am not aware of any skaters have used Rach symphony 2, so at least Rach sym 2 is not overused.

[silverlake22]

^^ That's true. I'm not familiar with much Rachmaninoff, only Paginini, and certain selections at that. I'd like to see Mao branch out and do something a little different though, maybe something modern and dramatic which is why I thought Phillip Glass.

[ayayukiituka]

I'd love to Mao skate to Provetsian Dance or ballet Coppelia for her FS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChoRfYn5qP4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-6_3Iul4_k
She answered a couple of interviews that she felt like using a kind of music that has story. So those would be great
As for her Sp,as many says Chopin music must be nice

[evangeline]

Yu-Na Kim: I would love, love to see Yu-Na skate to Prokofiev's Cinderella Suite; IMO, she is one of the few female skaters with the presence to pull it off. Plus, Prokofiev is criminally underused in figure skating:
Prokofiev: Cinderella Suite, Cinderella's Waltz OR Cinderella Suite, Grand Waltz

Mao Asada: Something light to bring out the ethereal quality of her skating:
Berlioz: Un bal from Symphonie Fantastique
I also think a Debussy piece will suit Mao extremely well, perhaps his Arabesque No. 1?

Jeremy Abbott: I would say he is probably the only skater right now that is expressive enough to be able to pull off one of my favourite pieces of music ever, Rachmaninoff's Trio elegiaque in D Minor: Moderato. I want him to skate to it with his angsty tortured poet costume from earlier this season (the one with the necklaces).

Miki Ando: No more of that character-playing posing crap! What Miki needs, IMO, is music that allows her to charge up and down the rink with abandon and show off her jumps and power skating. Something like Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Or if Miki is up to it, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walkure.

Joannie Rochette: Puccini's O babbino mio caro, though without the vocals of course.

Johnny Weir: Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. But it has to be circa-2005 Johnny Weir with that incredibly buttery-smooth flow. Though it's probably impossible to fashion a decent figure skating program with only this music.

[Tinymavy15]

Yes, please Mio Bambino Caro for Joannie!! That would be lovely.
I would love to see Patrick Chan skate to Afternoon of a Faun... not for the whole program, he needs something faster at somepoint but I want him take the artistic strides I know he can handle.

If Virtue and Moir keep competing i can't imagine them topping Mahler, so this is a tough one. I would love to see a swan lake from though, but a very modern swan lake.

Mirai should make sure her choices are mature but certainly something she can perform and feel comfortable in. I personally hope she will pick for one of the programs something like light chamber music, or maybe the soundtrack to Emma.

Yu-na's next programs I agree should be a big decison, she and Wilson have made very smart choices recently and even took a risk with Bond. I agree that Cats would be A nice SP. For her LP I want to see something very dramatic as opposed to the light and carefree Gershwin of her last program. Maybe Mozart's Requiem or something of that sort.

[silverlake22]

Mirai should make sure her choices are mature but certainly something she can perform and feel comfortable in. I personally hope she will pick for one of the programs something like light chamber music, or maybe the soundtrack to Emma.

Totally agree about Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walkure for Miki! Her Symphony LP from last season was my favorite program of her's ever, and clearly it was well received by the judges too considering the big score of 126+ she got for it at the 09 Worlds, this piece is very similar and even more powerful, I think Miki would do a very good job with it.

I think you are spot on with Mirai. She needs to branch out from the "cutesy" programs, but still be age appropriate. Emma would be lovely or like I mentioned before, the Love in Venice soundtrack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJDN1wpTcv0, it is light but slightly melancholic and would require Mirai to really emote to the music and work on her expression rather than just flashing a cute smile. Love in the Time of Cholera would also be nice for Mirai, so many different selections to chose from too, I like the last part the best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvQ80...eature=related

Glad everyone seems to like the idea of Joannie doing a Madame Butterfly program, I think that would be simply divine

I really want Caroline to branch out and skate to something more upbeat, perhaps Edwin Martin's Gypsy Dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRoUN...eature=related . It would be a challenge but might help her skate faster and work on her choreography.

[mylastduchess]

I would love it for Mao to skate to Mio Babbino Caro actually: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVnOKylRDM

[silverlake22]

I would love it for Mao to skate to Mio Babbino Caro actually: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVnOKylRDM

That could be cool, but it is rather heavy. Mao said she wants to skate to light, soft music in the coming season.

[miki88]

I would like Mao to skate to soundtrack of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind I remember Chen Lu skated to an arrangement of this music, but I prefer this arrangement better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9ZEIfu1Bi4