Christian Carey, Author at Sequenza21

American Music Center, Composers, Contemporary Classical, File Under?, Media, Orchestras, Women composers

NY Phil’s Curious Omissions

Yesterday, Alex Ross wrote a short essay on The Rest is Noise about next season’s offerings at the New York Philharmonic. After discussing several highlights, including Stockhausen’s Gruppen at the Park Avenue Armory, the NYPO’s first presentation of a piece by Philip Glass (!), and a new work by John Corigliano, he pointed out some curious omissions. Ross wrote,”The Contact! series will elicit new works from Alexandre Lunsqui, Yann Robin, and Michael Jarrell. The series has no American music this year, nor is there any music by women in the entire season.” Like Ross, I’m very excited by some of

February 5, 2011February 6, 2011 by Christian Carey

Composers, Deaths, File Under?

Babbitt Starter Kit?

A few people asked me which works would I would recommend to serve as a starter course for Milton Babbitt’s work. That’s a tricky one: I’d say String Quartets Nos. 2 & 6 Partitions Around the Horn Piano Concerti Philomel All Set. Any other suggested Babbitt samplers out there? Here’s a wonderful essay in remembrance of Milton by David Rakowski. Over at my blog File Under ? , I’ve shared some of my own memories of Milton.

January 30, 2011January 31, 2011 by Christian Carey

Composers, Concerts, New York

Composers Play Composers Marathon to include Babbitt Tribute

Composers Concordance is hosting a Composers Play Composers Marathon tonight featuring 21 participants. Peter Jarvis has sent word that, in honor of Milton Babbitt’s recent passing, he’ll be performing Milton’s Homily for snare drum on the event. The organizers have shared more details in a promotional video (below). Tickets are $20, but you get a free beverage along with a dynamic evening of music-making. Sunday, January 30 · 7:00pm – 10:00pm Drom 85 Avenue A (between 5th & 6th Sts.) New York, NY Director: Sound Liberation Co-director: Composers Concordance (& CC Records) International Street Cannibals

January 30, 2011January 30, 2011 by Christian Carey

Brooklyn, Contemporary Classical, Orchestras

New Kid on the (Brooklyn) Block

Congratulations to Alan Pierson. Effective immediately, the conductor, composer, and director of Alarm Will Sound will join the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra as their new Artistic Director. It’s no secret that the Brooklyn Phil has been facing significant challenges of late. During the recession, with the help from the 온라인 슬롯 company, they’ve endured straightened finances and had to curtail their programming. Pierson is part of an effort to reboot it as a lithe unit, an “urban orchestra.” The ongoing plan is that the Phil will reconnect with the community and widen its reach by having a presence in a number

January 20, 2011November 25, 2023 by Christian Carey

Chamber Music, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Festivals, File Under?, Video

An Ecstatic Trailer for an Ecstatic Festival

Merkin Hall’s Ecstatic Music Festival kicked off this week with a seven hour long marathon of concerts on Monday. The focus of the festival is on connections between contemporary classical and current indie/pop music. Artists from both sides of the stylistic street are performing. This year, the festival runs all the way until March 28th. This pop/classical hybridization may not be everyone’s cup o’ joe (John C. Adams has had some less than charitable things to say about it of late), but it certainly is inspiring to a number of composers in their 20s and 30s, and the energy of

January 18, 2011January 18, 2011 by Christian Carey

Classical Music, File Under?, New York, Orchestras

Gilbert to direct Juilliard Conducting Program

As Daniel Wakin reported today in the NY Times, Alan Gilbert has been announced as the incoming Director of Conducting and Orchestral Studies at the Juilliard School. He replaces James DePriest, who will remain on the faculty as Principal Conductor and Director Emeritus. Gilbert will also get some help from James Ross (currently at the University of Maryland), who will serve as his assistant, providing a “more permanent presence” than that of a frequently touring maestro. Gilbert plans to integrate his work at the New York Philharmonic, where he assumed the post of Music Director in 2009, with his teaching

January 13, 2011 by Christian Carey

Chamber Music, Choral Music, Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Electro-Acoustic, Experimental Music, File Under?, Interviews, New York

Jeff Gavett talks about Ekmeles

On Tuesday 1/11, newish New York vocal ensemble Ekmeles presents a program of music by Martin Iddon, Alvin Lucier, and David Lang at The Tank. I caught up with Ekmeles’ director, baritone Jeff Gavett to learn more about the event. Carey: Why did you form the group Ekmeles? Gavett: “While New York is home to many exceptional instrumental groups dedicated to contemporary music, there is a relative paucity of new vocal music. Ekmeles was created to fill the gap, and bring adventurous new music for solo voices to audiences that otherwise have little or no chance to hear it.” “Our

January 8, 2011January 8, 2011 by Christian Carey

Contemporary Classical, Electro-Acoustic, Experimental Music, File Under?

Unsilent Night

Here’s how Phil Kline celebrates the holidays, with a moving installation “boombox” symphony. Unsilent Night festivities took place in a number of venues in 2010 as well: keep an eye out for videos on YouTube.

December 25, 2010 by Christian Carey

Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Experimental Music, File Under?, New York

SEM Holiday Concert on Tuesday

Since 1984, the SEM Ensemble, directed by Petr Kotik, has given annual Christmas concerts. But these are not your usual holiday fare! The programs mix works from the New York School, other pieces in the avant-garde/experimental tradition, and early music. On Tuesday evening December 21 at the Paula Cooper Gallery in Chelsea, SEM will present J. S. Bach’s Fugue in 6 Voices from A Musical Offering (1747), Kotik’s 1st String Quartet (2007-’10), Why Patterns? (1978) by Morton Feldman, and two works by Christian Wolff: Small Preludes (2009-’10) and, incredibly, the American premiere of a work dating from 1958: For Six or Seven Players (for

December 19, 2010 by Christian Carey

Brooklyn, CDs, Chamber Music, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, File Under?, Interviews

Pieces of Eight: AME at Galapagos on Monday

The American Modern Ensemble performs Pieces of Eight, a program of sextets at Galapagos in Brooklyn on Monday, December 13, 2010. Among the eight under-40 composers featured on the concert is Sequenza 21’s own Contributing Editor Armando Bayolo. I recently caught up with AME’s Artistic Director Robert Paterson and asked him for some details about the show. Here’s what he had to say. “Pieces of Eight consists of works by composers from all over the United States, including Xi Wang from Texas, Armando Bayolo from Washington, DC and David Ludwig from Philadelphia. I chose these particular works because they are wonderfully

December 11, 2010December 13, 2010 by Christian Carey

Author: Christian Carey