The premiere of Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat Major was so rocky that most critics don’t even count it as a valid performance. The Kapelle Kleines Schwein Leipzig, for whom it was written, was facing financial ruin. All but one of the ensemble’s instruments had been pawned to pay off gambling debts. So when it came time to perform the piece, only violinist Dieter von Dinklaker played the notes as written (though a severe sneezing fit limited his participation from measure 152 to the end). The other bandsmen alternately hummed, whistled, and wheezed their lines, much to the bewilderment of the composer, who slinked sheepishly out of the theater when the fourth movement began with the labored ululation from a sacrificial goat.
Eager to put the first ill-fated premiere of his Octet behind him, Mendelssohn promptly scheduled a second, “improved” performance. First, though, he crossed out the Kapelle Kleines Schwein Leipzig dedication on the score and replaced it with “Durch jedes Instrument gespielt warden,” or “to be played by any instrument.” But his revision backfired when the Prague Brothers Improvisatory Collective outbid the competition to play the tune. And PBIC’s rendition didn’t even involve a goat!
Composer’s Voice Presents it’s Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Craig Hultgren, cello: 15 one-minute pieces by 15 composers from around the world, writing specifically for this project and performer to be premiered on this concert! This international collaboration will present the music of Daniel Arite; Emanuela Ballio; David Bohn; Chris D. Burton; Deiter Buwen; Ross Feller; Matt Horrigan; Magdelena Kress; Serban Nichifor; Douglas Ovens; David R. Peoples; Robert Percy; Alan Shockley; Juan María Solare; Luca Vanneschi.
The theme for this Fifteen Minutes of Fame is Occupy Cello - Upsetting the Musical Status Quo For acoustic solo cello Criteria for selection: Playable forward-looking concepts that challenge the traditional role of the instrument Resource for contemporary cello techniques
Cellist Craig Hultgren is a long-time activist for new music, the newly creative arts, and the avant-garde. He is the recipient of two Artist Fellowships from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, he is a member of Thámyris. A cellist in the Alabama Symphony, he also plays in the Chagall Trio and Luna Nova. In 2004, the Birmingham Sidewalk Film Festival 48-Hour Scramble cited him for the best soundtrack creation for the film The Silent Treatment. Every other year he produces the Hultgren Solo Cello Works Biennial, an international competition that highlights the best new compositions for the instrument.
Also with music and performances by
Greg Bartholomew Katarzyna Bryla Hui-Chuan Chen
Douglas DaSilva Burt Mason Serban Nichifor Denise Stillwell
Robert Voisey Ben Vokits David Wolfson Emily Wong.
This performance will feature special guest choreographer Callie Hatchett
with dancers Caroline Dietz and Allison Schieler
Choreographer Callie Hatchett has performed in the works of Deborah Jowitt, Cherylyn Lavagnino, Sydney Skybetter, Thaddeus Davis, Charles Weidman, and Terri Weksler. Callie has presented her choreography at Dancenow’s RAW Festival, NYC10, Music and Motion, the Bessie Schonberg Choreography Intensive, and for Andalusia Ballet.
Douglas DaSilva is a composer, guitarist, educator, curator, and film-maker in New York City. As Artistic Director for the Composer’s Voice concert series “DaSilva knows just how to tempt you with a delicious array of musical desserts that titillate your ear.” NM421
His compositions have been described as “very individual, and to us has a very clear personality” by Duozona in Classical Guitar Magazine.
Poland’s brilliant young violinist Katarzyna Bryla has won first prizes in the National Children's Art Competition in Warsaw at the very young age of eight, National Violin Competition in Gdansk; National J. S. Bach competition in Zielona Gora where she was also awarded a special prize for the best performance of Bach, and the International Contemporary Music Competition in Warsaw.
The music of award-winning American composer Greg Bartholomew’s work is frequently performed by such highly-regarded ensembles as the Langroise Trio, Alaska Brass, and the Mexico City Wind Quintet, and such acclaimed choirs as the Cascadian Chorale, Portland Vocal Consort, and the Pink Singers (London). “Bartholomew's music has a lilting grace that makes listeners want to join in”--Ruth Bingham, Honolulu Advertiser, March 15, 2010 “You will enjoy this work immensely and want to hear more …”--Paul Shoemaker, Music Web International, February 2009. “A fine composer not afraid of accessibility …”National Public Radio classical music.
“The word 'viral,' comes to mind as a trendy but disquietingly accurate image for Robert Voisey's infectious enthusiasm. " -60x60: netsuke for the musical mind -- Richard Arnest, Sounding Board, Spring 2011. “Composing electroacoustic and chamber music, his aesthetic oscillates from the romantic to Post Modern Mash-Up.” Chris Pasles's article in the Los Angeles Times. Voisey’s work has been performed in venues throughout the world including: Carnegie Hall, World Financial Center Winter Garden Atrium, and Stratford Circus in London.
Benjamin Vokits currently performs in New York City as principle tuba of the Greenwich Village Orchestra and the Richland County Orchestra. He has also performed with the Manhattan Symphonie, Chealsea Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, One World Orchestra, Broadway Bach Ensemble, New Amsterdam Orchestra, Hellenic Society Orchestra, and Brooklyn Repertiore Opera. Mr. Vokits performed the NY premiere of the Phillip Sparke tuba concerto as soloist.
Composer's Voice Concert Series is an opportunity for contemporary composers to express their musical aesthetic and personal "voice" created in their compositions. Started in 2001, the “Composer’s Voice” concert series is presenting its 11th of 31 concerts scheduled in throughout the world for 2013, Sunday, May 19, 2013.
Composers selected for this Fifteen Minutes of Fame are:
Daniel Arite, Emanuela Ballio, David Bohn, Chris D. Burton, Deiter Buwen, Ross Feller, Matt Horrigan, Magdelena Kress, Serban Nichifor, Douglas Ovens, David R. Peoples, Robert Percy, Alan Shockley, Juan María Solare, and Luca Vanneschi
Composer's Voice Concert Series is an opportunity for contemporary composers to express their musical aesthetic and personal "voice" created in their compositions. Started in 2001, the “Composer’s Voice” concert series has presented over 100 concerts throughout the world.
This Fifteen Minutes of Fame performance is in memory of the Belgian poet Eugene Van Itterbeek
(Kessel Lo, Belgium, 21.01.1934 - Sibiu, Romania, 24.04.2012 - Doctor Honoris Causa For Excellence in Poetry of the International Poetry Association Federation, USA) and will include fifteen 1-minute-songs based on the poem i of Eugène Van Itterbeek, "BIENTOT" Mrs. Georgeta Stoleriu (soprano) and Mrs. Violetta Stefanescu (piano). The concert will take place on April 25, 2013 at the Romanian Athenaeum.
Composers included in this Fifteen Minutes of Fame are:
Rodrigo Baggio, David Brooks, Sheila Forrester, Paul Gelsing, Fermino Gomes, Collin Gosper, Anna Imaykina, Francis Kayali, Alexander Kusztyk, Akmal Parwez, Adrian Pop, David Ramsey Jr., Jana Skarecky, Pasquale Tassone, and Christopher M. Wicks
Fifteen Minutes of Fame honoring Eugene Van Itterbeek
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 7:00 PM
FILARMONICA “GEORGE ENESCU”
Romanian Athenaeum
Strada Benjamin Franklin 1-3
Bucharest, Romania
The World Premiere of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: David Bohn, organ featuring 15 one-minute works by 15 composers written specifically for this event by composers: Daniel Arnold; Rodrigo Baggio; Pedro Bernardez; James Bohn; Erik Branch; Scott Brickman; Fermino Gomes; Stanley Hoffman; Dmitry Kitsenko; Bettie Ross; Edward Ruchalski; Aurelio Scotto; Juan Maria Solare; Jean-Pierre Vial; and Justin Walker will take place 12:15, Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at the Faith Lutheran Church, 601 E Glendale Avenue, Appleton, Wisconsin 54911.
Composers selected for Fifteen Minutes of Fame with David Bohn include:
Daniel Arnold,
Rodrigo Baggio,
Pedro Bernardez,
James Bohn,
Erik Branch,
Scott Brickman,
Fermino Gome,
Stanley Hoffman,
Dmitry Kitsenko,
Bettie Ross,
Edward Ruchalski,
Aurelio Scotto,l
Juan Maria,
Jean-Pierre, and
Justin Walker
Electronic Music Midwest is dedicated to programming of a wide variety of electroacoustic music and providing the highest quality performance of electronic media. This annual festival consists of approximately nine short concerts (about 1 hour in length) over the course of a weekend in Autumn. Our goal is to bring together vibrant and interesting artists of all forms, give them a vehicle for their expressions, and a place for them to share ideas with others.
Since its beginning, EMM has programmed over 500 new electroacoustic compositions. Composers have traveled from around the world to graciously share their music with audiences in the Midwest. However, EMM is about more than just playing new music. We strive to create an environment conducive to building community interaction. Most concerts are approximately one hour long, and composers have plenty of time to "talk shop" with each other as well as interact socially with students and audience member
"…Johnson played beautifully, displaying a firm musicality and a flair for drama." - Kansas City Star
"…her sensitivities rather extraordinary, baroque while futuristic." - www.acousticmusic.com
Kari Johnson is a pianist who specializes in new music and electronic music performance. Praised by critics for her "amazing musicality" and "flair for drama," Ms. Johnson works to create a dynamic, captivating experience for her audience. Like most pianists, Johnson began her training in traditional classical repertoire. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, she developed an interest in playing rarely performed and highly stylized works, particularly music of the early baroque and late twentieth century.
Call for Submissions
Kansas City Kansas Community College and Lewis University are pleased to announce an international call for submissions for the Electronic Music Midwest Festival, to be held October 24-26, 2013 at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Each concert will feature an 8.1 speaker diffusion system. Acclaimed pianist Kari Johnson will be the featured performer and composers are encouraged to submit works for her consideration. Any composer regardless of region, age or nationality may submit one work.
EMM accepts all electroacoustic works, but we especially seek music that falls within one of the following categories:
1) Composition for piano and fixed media and/or live electronics
2) Two channel works for fixed media
3) Up to eight channel works for fixed media
4) Instrument(s)/Voice(s) and fixed media or live electronics (composer to provide performers)
5) Works for video
6) Sound Installations and Interactive Media (composer to provide all non-standard equipment)
7) Live Laptop works
8) Live Interactive works
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Crawford-Ashe Titania (Queen of the Fairies)
Deadline May 24, 2013
Vox Novus is calling for one-minute pieces composed for 15-Minutes-of-Fame: Titania, Queen of the Fairies with Katherine Crawford & Rebecca Ashe (mezzo-soprano and flute) to be performed at the September 15, 2013 Composer's Voice concert in New York City. This call is open to all composers. The one-minute voice and flute pieces will be performed by Katherine Crawford (mezzo-soprano) and Rebecca Ashe (flute). All works must be 60 seconds or less.
All compositions must be based solely on lines spoken by the character Titania (Queen of the Fairies) in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The composer is free to use any combination of these lines as he wants. The full text of A Midsummer Night's Dream is freely available here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext98/2ws1710h.htm
Preference will be given to compositions that capture the drama and spirit of Shakespeare's play.
Katherine Crawford, a warm and versatile mezzo-soprano, holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from St. Olaf College. She enjoys performing in the styles of opera, operetta, and musical theater, and is especially interested in contemporary and experimental works.
Flutist Rebecca Ashe is a freelance musician and appears across the country as a performer, lecturer, and masterclass clinician. A new music performer and collaborator, she has partnered with several composers and has performed at several festivals, including Electronic Music Midwest (Resident Artist for 2010 Festival), Society of Composers, Inc., Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance (KcEMA), the New York City-based Composers Voice Series, SPARK, SEAMUS, and the Electroacoustic Juke Joint. She can be heard on Plastic Time, an album of music by composer Jorge Sosa.
Composer's Voice is calling for performance proposals for its concert scheduled December 8th, 2013.
The theme for the concert is "Hard Eight" All proposals must be less than 8 minutes in total; applicants are STRONGLY urged to keep their proposals for performances between 4-8 minutes.
The concert is a celebration of Composer's Voice founder and Director Robert Voisey for his 44th birthday.
Performance Proposals should include:
- Title
- Relation to theme – (program notes)
- Instrumentation
- Length of performance
- Biographies of performers and composers
- All proposals should be submitted by August 8, 2013 to composersvoicesubmit@gmail.com
- The email subject should read Hard Eight – your name - Title of Proposal
Chosen applicants will receive a performance slot on Composer's
Voice concert December 8th, 2013 at Jan Hus Church in New York City,
PR and administrative assistance from Composer's Voice, and the heartfelt appreciation
of Robert Voisey. :)
Proposals should indicate if they need Vox Novus and Composer's Voice
to help recruit musicians. Any and all questions should be address to
composersvoicesubmit@gmail.com with "Hard Eight" in the subject heading.
Dice (commonly known as craps), is a game often played for money where the player (referred to as the shooter) rolls 2 dice hoping to roll a winning combination. The number 8 can be obtained 3 ways. The "easy way" by rolling a 6 and 2 or a 3 and 5, or the "hard way" by rolling a 4 and 4. "Hard" numbers are any 2 pair combinations: 2 and 2, 3 and 3, 4 and 4, 5 and 5, and 6 and 6. Betting on the "hard" number combination results in a larger return when it is thrown.
Rob Voisey will be turning 44 on this Composer's Voice concert in December; and it will be "hard" as the age suggests. *Crap* :)
