Big Ups to David Lang and Christopher Theofanidis who have just been appointed to the faculty of the Yale School of Music. They will teach graduate students in the school’s composition program as well as teach courses and participate in the performances of their works. Both earned masters and DMA degrees from the Yale School of Music before embarking on their illustrious careers. Lang, professor of composition (adjunct), is the most recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize in music. Theofanidis, associate professor of composition (adjunct), is both a frequently-performed composer and a respected educator. The composition appointments were announced at
Read moreLazy, hazy summer days… Not much really happening, unless you hoof it to some festival or other… Or, for the price of simply wearing out your finger clicking, you could spend the better part of the next couple weeks feasting on the treasure trove that is the Other Minds website. Founded in 1993 by Jim Newman and Charles Amirkhanian, the Other Minds Festival has become a San Francisco Bay-area institution, supporting the exposure for and exchange between a vast array of new-music and musicians important these last twenty-plus years, on or off the beaten path. The festival doesn’t simply rely on the concert-hall, but
Read moreA little while back on S21, I mentioned the good news that the indomitable / indubitable / inscrutable / incontinent Kalvos & Damian were bringing back an online-only version of their (ASCAP Deems Taylor) award-winning broadcasts. Though the name has changed from New Music Bazaar to In The House, The show retains all of its trademark off-the-wall storytelling, banter, and enthusiasm for sharing the music and thought of all kind of interesting NON-POP musicians at work today. Our duo may be out in the wilds of rural Vermont, but there isn’t anything backwoods about their awareness of the new-music scene. Each
Read moreCharles Wuorinen, who turns seventy today, has been commissioned by New York City Opera to compose an opera based on Annie Proulx’s short story Brokeback Mountain. It is scheduled to be produced in 2013. Happy Birthday CW! http://pressroom.nycopera.com/pr/nycopera/news/_prv-BrokebackMountain.aspx
Read moreThe Paul Bailey Ensemble is a self-described “alternative / classical garage band” busy these last few years in and around Los Angeles. Though Bailey (The bulky but sharp-looking fella in the center of the photo, surrounded by some of the PBE posse) gets naming rights and creates a large amount of the featured music, the ensemble performs works by a number of other like-minded composers, too — most living, a few dead guys as well. That “like-mind” is post-minimal, with equal parts 1980s minimalism, 1680s Purcell, and heavy doses of the rock-band riff factor (though there’s usually no drumkit in the ensemble,
Read moreAn Evening of Contemporary Chamber Music with the Locrian Chamber Players Saturday, May 31st at 8 PM Riverside Church Entrance at 91 Claremont Avenue (North of W. 120th Street – One block W. of Broadway) Free Admission www.locrian.org Featured performers: Calvin Wiersma, Conrad Harris, Danielle Farina, Greg Hesselink, Diva Goodfriend-Koven, and Emily Wong Henri Pousseur Minima Sinfonia (world premiere) Yehudi Wyner Madrigal (NY premiere) Louis Andriessen Xenia John Ross Deux Melodies d’Aspel Bill Douglas Celebration IV Christian Carey Butterfly Flourish (world premiere)
Read moreJames Combs, composer… Ah, where to start?… I met James years ago, in our formerly-shared hometown of Seattle. Truly a “regular-Joe” in person, giving little hint of the ornate wheels spinning underneath. An anecdote on James’ blog seems a perfect illustration of the man and the work: A Minimalist Experience A boring Sunday, really not so much different than any other Sunday. March 16, 2008, I went for a drive to run some miscellaneous errands. My wife informed me that we were in some need of household items which could be purchased at the nearest store. So heading to the
Read more[youtube]ZViZUoJwH-w[/youtube] Not really a religious piece but makes even a good atheist like me tear up. The Protecting Veil is Tavener’s masterpiece but as short pieces go, this one is special. Who has recommendations for other Orthodox Easter listening?
Read moreWilfrido Terrazas, phenomenal flautist and busy-busy beaver in the Mexican new-music scene, just passed along notice about a fantastic series of concerts coming up the start of next month in NYC. 3G: Tres Generaciones Music Festival May 2–7 The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) hosts a celebration of composer Julio Estrada and three generations of New Music from Mexico. This May 2–7, ICE invites New Yorkers to partake in a trailblazing cultural exchange when it hosts this six-day celebration of avant-garde music from Mexico. The Festival will showcase the work of three generations of Mexican composers: esteemed musical pioneer Julio Estrada; the second
Read moreMarvin Rosen has a very special program coming up this Wednesday on his always brilliant radio program. John Psathas, one of New Zealand’s leading composers, will join Marvin live in the WPRB studio on April 23, 2008, from 8:30 am ET until 11:00 am ET during a special extended edition of Classical Discoveries. The entire five hour program starting at 6:00 am ET is titled: “In The Land Of Kiwi” will be totally devoted to music from New Zealand. The program can be listened to on line at www.wprb.com Quick, without looking it up, name 5 New Zealand composers. Here’s a video of
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