Ahead of its Oct 23rd general release date Adam Golberg, the actor who portrays all-too-well a modern “avant-something” composer/performer in the new film (Untitled) (with score by David Lang), will be making an appearance on CBS’ Late-Late Show with Craig Ferguson tonight at 12:35 AM. (Hey, if you can’t get actual new-musicians on the mainstream media, might as well settle for someone who plays one!) Here’s hoping Ferguson picks up on the quirky charm and knowing ribbing, rather than the more typical “I just don’t get these losers” read. Sure, hipster new-music meets hipster gallery is an exotic, pretentious, even
Read more[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCPjK4nGY4[/youtube]
Read more[Ed. note: Composer and S21 regular Chris Becker sat down recently with the one and only Matana Roberts. I told him I’d love to feature his interview, and so here it is: ] ……………… Saxophonist, composer, fanzine writer, and blogger Matana Roberts is the current artist in residence at Issue Project Room (NYC) where she is developing and presenting in a series of concerts material for her “large scale…sound narrative” COIN COIN. COIN COIN might be described as a multi-movement composition utilizing composed, improvised, and pre-recorded music along with elements of theater (projections, candles, chains) to give voice to a
Read moreI’m in Baltimore covering the world (intergalactic) premiere of Judith Lang Zaimont‘s piano concerto, “Solar Traveller” with Timothy Hoft and the Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble led by Harlan Parker. I caught the dress rehearsal yesterday and a composer masterclass, and will do some interviews today and film the concert tonight. (There is also Husa’s Music for Prague 1968 and Carolyn Bremer’s Early Light [based on the Star Spangled Banner] on the program!) So I was amused to find this as I was checking news this morning: (CNN) — Scientists at NASA have discovered a nearly invisible ring around Saturn —
Read moreSuzanne Fiol, founder, artistic director, and driving force behind ISSUE Project Room, died yesterday. The web site announcement reads in part: Born on May 9, 1960, Suzanne died at 1:05 pm on Monday, October 5, 2009, after fighting a courageous and inspiring battle against cancer. Suzanne passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Details are here.
Read moreSarah Lipstate is a musician and film maker. She’s only been in New York for a few years, but has already made a name for herself as a strong, independent voice on the guitar. Her primary focus is Noveller, her solo guitar project, which presents gorgeous and evocative sound-scapes that are deliberate and slow building. In an age where so much music is at the click of a mouse, it’s exciting to see a musician who doesn’t care about getting to the point too quickly. In order to fully experience Noveller, you have to be on for the whole ride.
Read moreGustavo Dudamel is here! But I should quote the posters on buses, lamposts and billboards: “Pasion Gustavo”, “Radiante Gustavo”, “Dramatico Gustavo” (please forgive the absence of diacriticals). The home page of the Los Angeles Times, the still-staid Times, has a special section on Dudamel, down to an article on his childhood (gosh, that’s recent history) complete with photos at age 5, treatment awarded to the most headline-worthy. With the posters on buses, I really don’t think that the Phil is trying to sell concert tickets to bus riders. Instead, they are blanketing the area with the word that something exciting
Read moreOld age isn’t for sissies or the timid and I think the same thing can be said about writing for the stage, especially if it’s the operatic one. It took Verdi years before he produced something that worked on the boards. Evan Ziporyn’s no stranger to the stage–he’s written and performed Shadowbang–and his new two-act 140 minute amplified opera A House in Bali has much to recommend it. The story is drawn from gay Canadian composer Colin McPhee’s (1901-1964) 1946 memoir, with ancillary material drawn from the words of the two other main Western characters–anthropologist Margaret Mead and painter Walter
Read moreOne of the totally unexpected perks that has come along with producing my podcast is all of the press releases that started showing up in my inbox, and even CDs in the mail once in a while. Well, last night was another first for me: an invitation to screen a new film before its release. I like films and like to follow what some of my favorite directors and screenwriters are up to, but I am far from an aficionado—so I won’t pretend to be one here. If you hadn’t heard, there is a new film coming out this month
Read moreI thought it might be nice to close out the month of interviews from Chicago by featuring a couple musicians from dal niente. The ensemble has some great concerts planned for October, but I caught violinist Austin Wulliman and flutist Shanna Gutierrez back in June. Austin’s episode is worth listening to just to hear him say, “I love me some Scelsi”. You don’t hear that very often, but it’s true, oh so true. Shanna talks a little in her episode about interesting experiences with composers, but the real value is in the seemingly endless list of resources she mentions if
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