{"id":34647,"date":"2020-05-14T09:09:35","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T13:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=34647"},"modified":"2020-05-14T09:09:46","modified_gmt":"2020-05-14T13:09:46","slug":"music-spotlight-chesco-native-auer-new-name-still-great-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=34647","title":{"rendered":"Music Spotlight: Chesco native Auer, new name, still great music"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Laura Auer<\/p><\/div>\n

The entertainment industry has been thrown into a state of disarray by COVID-19. Shows have been cancelled, album releases have been indefinitely delayed and nobody knows where or when it will end.<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks, this column will feature musicians and entertainers from Chester County and look at what is happening with them right now.<\/p>\n

First up is a singer from West Chester who has changed her name during her career more times than pop singer Dua Lipa has changed her hair color in the last few weeks (platinum blonde, orange, brown, pink).<\/p>\n

That singer is Laura Diane Auer \u2013 formerly known as SOLA \u2013 formerly known as Laura Promiscuo \u2013 formerly known as Laura Mills.<\/p>\n

Auer became her surname a few months ago when she married Kevin Auer at the Chester County Court House on Christmas Eve 2019. She had returned to her hometown for the wedding and then went back to her current home in the Larchmont section of Los Angeles. Auer had moved to Southern California a few years ago to pursue the next phases of her career as an entertainer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a touring musician for a long time,\u201d said Auer, during a phone interview Wednesday night from her home in L.A. \u201cIt was hard to be an indie musician.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I started doing voice acting and that led to my move to Los Angeles. And it led to the animation project I\u2019m working on now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Auer’s 2019 wedding on the courthouse steps in West Chester.<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to working on an animation project, Auer has just put the finishing touches on her new album \u2013 \u201cIn Love.\u201d Since it is not a good idea to release an album without being able to do a tour in support of the album, the release date for Auer\u2019s new LP has yet to be determined.<\/p>\n

\u201cI worked on the album in L.A. with my producer Tim Sonnefeld, who is a two-time Grammy winner,\u201d said Auer. \u201cHe used to work at MilkBoy Studio in Philadelphia. He came to L.A. around the same time I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sonnefeld is also a Chester County native \u2013 a Phoenixville High alumnus. After graduating from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, he established himself as one of the top record producers in the Mid-Atlantic region and also toured with his own band Town Hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just finished our entire record together \u2013 10 songs,\u201d said Auer. \u201cWe cut the album over the course of a couple years at Red Star Records in the Silver Lake area of L.A. I have already released a few of the songs under the name SOLA.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a total fusion album with Arabic melodies, Spanish guitar, Middle Eastern scales and African drumming. I guess you could call it pop with world, classical, fusion and pop influences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Auer\u2019s previous album, \u201cChasing\u00a0Down the\u00a0Dream,\u201d was recorded with Sonnefeld at MilkBoy Records in Philly in 2014 and released under the name Laura Promiscuo. It featured eight of\u00a0her original songs, including \u201cCloser to You,\u201d \u201cWater Is\u00a0Wide,\u201d \u201cTake Me As I Am\u201d and \u201cSweet Lovin\u2019 Boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTim started working with me in the latter stages of that album,\u201d said Auer. \u201cThe songs on that album were more singer\/songwriter songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back in the early part of the 2000s, Auer was Laura Mills \u2013 a student at West Chester Henderson High School. She was an athlete as well as a musician during her high school days and played field hockey and lacrosse under the Warriors\u2019 legendary coach Kim Jackson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was somewhat rebellious back then and had some clashes with Coach Jackson,\u201d said Auer. \u201cNow, looking back I\u2019m really grateful for what she taught me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Auer was a singer long before she was an athlete.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was growing up, there was always singing going around in our home,\u201d said\u00a0Auer, during a previous interview. \u201cMy grandfather had an operatic voice and my father sang. My family listened to opera, classical music, classic rock — and a lot of Disney music.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to play viola at a young age. I even played viola in the high school orchestra. I attended Penn State University as an operatic voice major.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in an a capella group there. That is what inspired me to start writing — and to become a solo artist. I was a voice major, but I didn\u2019t want to just sing opera or classical. I liked all different kinds of music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diversity has played a major role in\u00a0the talented singer\u2019s musical development.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started songwriting, I was writing soul music, pop songs, R&B and soulful songs,\u201d said\u00a0Auer, who trained with world renowned artists\u00a0including international tenor, Maestro Antonio Conte Pugliese, and Arlene\u00a0Shrut, head vocal coach at The Julliard School.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always very influenced by the Doors, Ani DiFranco, Ella Fitzgerald and Mariah Carey. Other influences are Tina Turner, Otis Redding and Sam & Dave.\u201d<\/p>\n

Auer\u2019s love of the music of the Doors took her down the cover band path for a period of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was touring with the Soul Kitchen Collective for a while,\u201d said\u00a0Auer. \u201cThey\u2019re a Doors tribute band. In 2013, I decided to go solo and changed my name from Laura Mills to Laura\u00a0Promiscuo.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother\u2019s maiden name is\u00a0Promiscuo\u00a0and I really took pride in my grandfather\u2019s name. I\u2019ve been performing live forever but my first show as Laura\u00a0Promiscuo\u00a0was at Pietro\u2019s Prime in West Chester in August 2013.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a while, Laura Promiscuo morphed into SOLA, who was billed as, \u201ca singer and songwriter with a seductive and sultry musical style similar to female pop icons Sade and Lana del Rey– additionally drawing from crossover world artists like Sting, Shakira, Annie Lennox and Robert Plant.\u201d<\/p>\n

SOLA began recording with music producer and cinematographer Simon Rogers and electronic violinist and Coatesville native Brian Fitzy. Her first video, \u201cCloser To You,\u201d won several songwriting awards and jumpstarted her solo singing career. SOLA toured the U.S. as a singer-songwriter and then moved to Hollywood in 2015.<\/p>\n

During this time, SOLA was also writing music for TV and film when her photographer connected her with Brazilian DJ\/producer, Rey Vercosa, who was spinning for festivals in Ibiza. Vercosa asked her to write songs for his label, RV Records. Their most recent compilation album, \u201cIbiza Summer 2018,\u201d went straight to #1 on Beatport, the world\u2019s largest dance music streaming platform.<\/p>\n

Auer also holds a 200-Hour Teaching Certification in Ashtanga Yoga and occasionally leads Kirtan sessions, a powerful, meditative concert experience that often escalates in energy to what is called a Devi rave.<\/p>\n

Raves of another type are looming in the future for Auer in the form of rave reviews for her animated project and rave reviews for her upcoming album. How soon they will arrive depends on COVID-19. Hopefully, it will be sooner than later.<\/p>\n

Video link for Laura Diane Auer\/SOLA\/Laura Promiscuo — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=94rFZXDaaXk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vimeo link for Laura Diane Auer — https:\/\/vimeo.com\/lauradianeauer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For now, attending a live show is just something to dream about. In the meantime, there is plenty of live music available via internet streaming.<\/p>\n

Troubadour 77, which features Chester County native Anna Wilson<\/a> (Piano\/Lead Vocals) and her husband Monty Powell<\/a> (Guitar\/Vocals).<\/p>\n

is inviting music fans to join the duo for their weekly\u00a0“T77 SQUARED CONCERTS”\u00a0featuring songs from their new album, \u201cRevolution & Redemption,\u201d which was just released on April 10.<\/p>\n

The next edition of “T77 SQUARED CONCERTS” is scheduled for May 14 at 8 p.m. at https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Troubadour77music\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Video link for Troubadour 77 — https:\/\/youtu.be\/Nidewi0Z3-s<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The New York Guitar Festival\u2019s online performance series, \u201cReverend Gary Davis: In Search of the Harlem Street Singer,\u201d celebrates its final days of the festival this week. For its first-ever online festival, NYGF commissioned a diverse group of stellar artists to explore the music of blind blues musician Rev. Gary Davis. Tune in to the New York Guitar Festival YouTube Channel<\/a>at 4 p.m. EDT each day to watch performance premiers by Warren Haynes (May 14), and Larkin Poe (May 15).\u00a0Additionally, \u00a0NYGF announced that it will host a special \u201cencore\u201d performance by Bill Frisell on May 16.<\/p>\n

On May 15 at 2 p.m., King Diamond\u00a0will be streaming\u00a0\u201cSongs for the Dead: Live at the Fillmore in Philadelphia\u201d\u00a0via Knotfest.com<\/a> and\u00a0King Diamond’s social properties — Knotfest.com<\/a>:\u00a0http:\/\/www.knotfest.com\/<\/a>; Knotfest Youtube:\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC2LUkxI77a5XeoIeQJzmV4Q<\/a>; King Diamond\u00a0Youtube:\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/realkingdiamond<\/a>; and King Diamond\u00a0Facebook:\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kingdiamond\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jorma Kaukonen\u00a0<\/strong>performs his seventh solo free Quarantine Concert from the Fur Peace Ranch on May 16 at 8 p.m. EDT. For six weeks, Kaukonen has been performing, telling true-life tales and talking about his songs, often playing them on the very guitar he wrote the song on. It is a fascinating look at this artist’s history and influences.<\/p>\n

The Fur Peace Ranch Station FREE Live Stream Concert link is — https:\/\/m.youtube.com\/watch?v=7iq_cd06otU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Kennedys<\/p><\/div>\n

On May 17, The Kennedys All-Request Livestreaming Concert is slated to get underway at 2 p.m. straight from their New York apartment to your home. The Livestream link is\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZnDndntVAXE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Metropolitan Opera (www.metopera.org<\/a>) is offering \u201cLive Opera Streams\u201d nightly with a schedule that this week includes such classics as \u201cMacbeth,\u201d \u201cDon Carlo\u201d and \u201cIl Barbiere di Siviglia\u201d (\u201cThe Barber of Seville\u201d).<\/p>\n

The schedule for the upcoming week is: May 14, Britten\u2019s\u00a0\u201cPeter Grimes\u201d; May 15, Donizetti\u2019s\u00a0\u201cLucia di Lammermoor\u201d; May 16, Verdi\u2019s\u00a0\u201cRigoletto\u201d; and May 17, Verdi\u2019s\u00a0\u201cNabucco.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that the 2019-20 season of Opera Philadelphia (operaphila.org<\/a>) has been cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company is extending its season online with\u00a0video streams of five recent productions, including four new works\u00a0that received their world premieres from 2015-2019.
\nThe five operas will receive digital premieres from May 1 through May 29 on YouTube. Following each digital premiere, the operas will remain available on-demand for varying lengths of time through Aug. 31, 2020.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Week 3 of the company\u2019s Digital Festival O features a broadcast of Rossini\u2019s comic masterpiece\u00a0\u201cThe Barber of Seville,\u201d premiering on\u00a0May 15 at 8:00 p.m.\u00a0on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0and operaphila.org<\/a>. Following Friday\u2019s digital opening night, the 2014 production will stream on-demand through Monday, June 29.
\nThis stellar cast features baritone\u00a0Jonathan Beyer\u00a0as Figaro, mezzo\u00a0Jennifer Holloway\u00a0in her company and role debuts as Rosina, tenor\u00a0Taylor Stayton\u00a0as Count Almaviva, bass\u00a0Kevin Burdette\u00a0as Dr. Bartolo, soprano\u00a0Katrina Thurman\u00a0as Berta, and bass-baritone\u00a0Wayne Tigges\u00a0as a scene-stealing Don Basilio, all under the baton of Jack Mulroney Music Director\u00a0Corrado Rovaris.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cBarber of Seville\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/F-iR8fLrTSQ<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WRTI 90.1 is broadcasting four concerts by the talented young musicians of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) during the month of May in 2020. Performing with exceptional soloists and conducted by Maestro Louis Scaglione, the four-week schedule includes full concerts from 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020.<\/p>\n

The broadcasts \u2013 two of which will feature works by West Chester\u2019s Samuel Barber — will take place on May 10, 17 and 24 from 4-6 p.m. and will be co-hosted by WRTI\u2019s Kevin Gordon and Maestro Scaglione. It is available on the radio at WRTI 90.1, streaming at WRTI.org<\/a>, and on the\u00a0WRTI App<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n

The following concerts are planned in May:<\/p>\n

May 17, 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

PYO Concert featuring organist Alan Morrison and\u00a0Bravo Brass Alum and\u00a0Euphonium Soloist<\/p>\n

Joel Collier<\/p>\n

(Performance date:\u00a0June 5, 2016)<\/p>\n

The performance opens with Samuel Barber’s\u00a0Toccata Festiva, featuring internationally acclaimed guest organist Alan Morrison. Next on the program, Joel Collier is guest soloist with PYO in the U.S. premiere of\u00a0Symphony Concertante\u00a0by Roland Szentpali. It is followed by\u00a0Blue Cathedral\u00a0by Pulitzer Prize winner and Philadelphia-based composer Jennifer Higdon and concludes with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s\u00a0Symphonic Dances.<\/p>\n

May 24, 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

PYO Concert featuring\u00a0Violinist Michael Ludwig, Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Boys Choir, and guest vocal soloists Alexandra Nowakowski, Eric Rieger, and John Viscardi<\/p>\n

(Performance Date: June 4, 2017)<\/p>\n

The musical selections include the winning composition by Alan Mackwell in the Inaugural Young Composers Competition titled\u00a0Secretly Ramses\u00a0the Second, Glazunov\u2019s\u00a0Violin Concerto with Michael Ludwig and Orff\u2019s\u00a0Carmina Burana with the Mendelssohn Club Chorus, Philadelphia Boys Choir, and vocal soloists Alexandra Nowakowski, Eric Rieger, and John Viscardi.<\/p>\n

Sofar Sounds (https:\/\/www.sofarsounds.com\/v\/listeningroom<\/a>) has these streams upcoming \u2013 Lady Sanity on May 14 at 3 p.m.; Bia Ferreira & Doralyce on May 15 at 3 p.m. and MwS on May 16 at 3 p.m.<\/p>\n

Nonprofit organization,\u00a0JusticeAid<\/a>, has announced\u00a0Voices To Protect The Vote, an at-home benefit concert in support of its 2020 beneficiary,\u00a0Election Protection\/888-OUR-VOTE<\/a>. The virtual event, taking place on\u00a0May 18 at 7 p.m. on\u00a0JusticeAid’s YouTube<\/a>\u00a0and hosted by NYC’s WFUV Program Director\u00a0Rita Houston, will shine a light on issues of voter suppression and serve as a gift of uplifting music during these difficult times.<\/p>\n

Performing artists\u00a0Paula Cole, David Shaw and Zack Feinberg of The Revivalists, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Leyla McCalla, Kandace Springs,\u00a0and\u00a0Paine the Poet\u00a0will headline the event. Each year JusticeAid organizes concerts and public forums to educate the public about key civil rights challenges, while raising vital funds to support grassroots organizations addressing these issues. This year’s focus is on voter engagement and voter suppression.<\/p>\n

ONCE Somerville<\/a>\u00a0(https:\/\/www.oncesomerville.com\/<\/a>) is a place for fans of the venue to interact and enjoy performances under the ONCE Presents identity. The programming will range from music to comedy, yoga, tutorials and more. The following is the lineup for May:<\/p>\n

14, Sophia Belle of Home Despot at 7:30 p.m.; 15, Dave Derby of the Dambuilders at 7:30 p.m.; and 16, The Talk Show! with Bethany Van Delft & Carolyn Castiglia, with Nick Chambers and Shalewa Sharpe at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

GRAMMY Museum\u00ae\u00a0(www.grammymuseum.org<\/a>) has announced the next round of new and never-before-released free digital content while the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles is closed until further notice in light of COVID-19. The Museum’s Public Programs digital series features new intimate sit-down interviews with artists and musicians recorded via Zoom, as well as archival Programs from its 200-seat Clive Davis Theater. The Museum is also releasing exhibit slideshows featuring items from past exhibitions.<\/p>\n

The full May schedule is: 16, Jordan Davis; 18, Dave Stewart with Thomas Lindsey; 20, Shinedown; 23, Bush; 25, Brandy Clark; 27, JP Saxe; and 30, The Zombies.<\/p>\n

Paste Magazine has posted the following list of live streaming concerts:<\/p>\n

May 14<\/p>\n

Don McLean & Ron Pope
\nWhen:\u00a05 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Paste Happiest Hour on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Ben Gibbard
\nWhen:\u00a07 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Death Cab for Cutie on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Japanese Breakfast
\nWhen:\u00a07 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Japanese Breakfast on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Josh Groban
\nWhen:\u00a09 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Josh Groban on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby
\nWhen:\u00a09 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Waxahatchee on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>;<\/p>\n

The Avett Brothers
\nWhen:\u00a010 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0The Atlanta Braves on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May 15<\/p>\n

The Tallest Man on Earth
\nWhen:\u00a03 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0The Tallest Man on Earth on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Josh Radnor
\nWhen:\u00a05 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Paste Happiest Hour on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Frankie Cosmos
\nWhen:\u00a09 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0@frankiecombos on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>;<\/p>\n

Runaway Horses with Margo Price
\nWhen:\u00a09 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Margo Price on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May 16<\/p>\n

Courtney Barnett, Georgia Maq & more
\nWhen:\u00a05 a.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0@courtneymelba on Instagram;<\/p>\n

Bad Bad Hats
\nWhen:\u00a05 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0Bad Bad Hats on\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May 17<\/p>\n

Todd Snider
\nWhen:\u00a012 p.m. ET
\nWhere:\u00a0The Purple Building<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The entertainment industry has been thrown into a state of disarray by COVID-19. Shows have been cancelled, album releases have been indefinitely delayed and nobody knows where or when it will end. Over the next few weeks, this column will feature musicians and entertainers from Chester County and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[6518,12107,12109,12108,12079],"class_list":["post-34647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-laura-auer","tag-live-music-streams","tag-the-met-opera","tag-troubadour-77"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34647"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34648,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34647\/revisions\/34648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}