Author: Joshua Banks Mailman

Joshua Banks Mailman (PhD, music theory, Eastman School; AB, philosophy, U of Chicago) is a theorist, analyst, critic, philosopher, performer, technologist, and composer of music, teaching at Columbia University, UCSB, NYU, and University of Alabama. He researches form from flux: dynamic form. His writings appear in Perspectives of New Music, Music Theory Spectrum, Music Analysis, Journal of Sonic Studies, Psychology of Music, Music Theory Online, Open Space Magazine, and Leonardo Electronic Almanac. His essay “Improvising Synesthesia” appears in Leonardo Electronic Almanac v.19/3, special issue on Live Visuals. He is co-chair of the Analysis of Post-1945 Music Interest Group of the Society for Music Theory. He developed interactive music technologies presented at the 9th Sound and Music Computing Conference (Copenhagen, 2012) and International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition (ICMPC), the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ESCOM) (Thesseloniki, Greece, 2012), and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF 2015). www.joshuabanksmailman.com http://alabama.academia.edu/JoshuaBMailman
American Music Center, Classical Music, Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Music Events, New York, Twentieth Century Composer

“Milton Babbitt at 100” Collide-O-Scope Music performs Babbitt’s Arie da Capo, Wuorinen, Bunk, and Bailey this Friday

The centenary of the legendary composer Milton Babbitt (1916-2011) is ocassion to celebrate. After Augustus Arnone’s three recitals earlier this season playing Babbitt’s complete solo piano works, now his group Collide-O-Scope Music is treating us to another rarely performed gem: Babbitt’s Arie da Capo (1974). It’s the major mixed ensemble chamber work from Babbitt’s middle period, and named in dedication to its original performers, the Da Capo Chamber Players, whose flutist Patricia Spencer is also now a member of Collide-O-Scope and is part of the ensemble performing Arie this Friday—now that’s authenticity! Arie ca Capo rewards the listener on repeat hearings, which thankfully

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by Joshua Banks Mailman
Classical Music, Composers, Concert review, Concerts, Conferences, Contemporary Classical, Downtown, Electro-Acoustic, Events, Experimental Music, Festivals, Lectures, Media, Music Events, New York, Percussion, Performers, Sound Art, Strange, Twentieth Century Composer, Women composers

The New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF) takes Manhattan

Most New Yorkers are walking about, minding their own business, completely oblivious to the international sonic earthquake vibrating through their midst all week: The New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival (NYCEMF). The first wave of the festival (seven concerts) took place as part of the New York Philharmonic’s Biennial at National Sawdust in Brooklyn last week. Yet the lion’s share of the festival is happening right now: 28 more concerts during June 13-19, at Abrons Arts Center on Grand St., for a total of 35 concerts. Yes you read that correctly: 35 concerts of electroacoustic music, including some 350 works,

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by Joshua Banks Mailman
American Music Center, Classical Music, Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Music Events, New York, Piano, Recitals, Twentieth Century Composer

Arnone plays Babbitt: A double bill

   (This is an expansion of an earlier post for a concert ultimately postponed due to snowstorm Jonas in January) Augustus Arnone performs a double bill of Milton Babbitt’s solo piano works including the complete Time Series, at Spectrum, Sunday March 6, at 12-5 pm (12 and 3:30) This year marks the centenary of the legendary composer Milton Babbitt (1916-2011). To my ears, his extensive body of piano works especially channels his singular charm as a raconteur. Over the decades a number of pianists have championed some of his major piano works, for instance Robert Helps and Robert Miller performing and recording his Partitions

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by Joshua Banks Mailman