NYCC | In The Loop | Sep. 20, 2008

We hope to see everyone at our first meeting of the year tomorrow, Sep 21, as we kick off our seventh season! We are meeting from 2-5pm, at the Ellington Room at the Manhattan Plaza. The address is 400 West 43, enter at Ninth Avenue, and head up to the second floor. We'll be hearing two special presentations, one from GENE MARLOW and another from ADAM BERKOWITZ. Also, GENE MCBRIDE will be presenting music from his opera,  On Burning Ground.

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Percussionist STEPHEN SOLOOK is offering a course in "Writing for Percussion." He writes: "This Fall composers will have an opportunity to finally understand and collaborate with a percussionist about what is possible and what is not to a point that they will feel functional.  This 14 week course is dedicated to understanding the fundamentals of writing percussion. The class is geared towards composers of the college level and beyond, and was started because of how often myself and peers were approached about what is possible and what is logical. The class will be held in the centrally located area of Mid-town Manhattan at the French American School of Music."

 

Highlights include:

- Small Classes

- Weekly Assignments

- A Focus on Fundamentals

- All Standard Classical Percussion Instruments

- Drumset

- World Instruments

- Solo, Chamber, and Orchestral Settings

- Commissioning Project

- Possible Guest Lectures

 

Seating is limited! Call the French American School of Music at (212) 246-7378 for more information.

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MADELEINE SHAPIRO cellist and director of ModernWorks, writes in with a concert of interest to the NYCC: An evening of Interactive Cello and Dance Performance, in collaboration with the PalindromePerformanceGruppe, Robert Weschler, director and Dan Hosken, music and sound design

 

"View a sneak preview of what PalindromePerformance Gruppe is taking to

Istanbul, Turkey in November. Cello, dance, electronics and eye-poping technology combine for an informal evening, with a Q and A included. This demonstration and public showing of a new work-in-progress features ModernWorks' cellist/director MadeleineShapiro, and dancers of the PalindromePerformance Gruppe from Stuttgart, Germany. Composition and interactive music programming is by Dan Hosken. Using infrared technology, motion tracking technology and real-time digital signal processing the stage environment is influenced by the performers. Stage lighting and music are controlled by the movements of musicians and dancers in seldom-seen ways."

 

Tuesday, September 23 at 8pm at The Construction Company

10 East 18th Street, third floor buzzer

(Between 5th Avenue and Broadway)

Admission: $15.00, $10.00 students/seniors (tickets at the door)

212 924-7882

 

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Violinist MIRANDA CUCKSON writes: "I'd like to let you know about my upcoming Transit Circle concert on September 21 at Mannes College (150 W 85th street). I hope you can come! This is the second TC concert that I am directing- a contemporary music concert in which I and colleagues of mine will perform recent works by living composers. I'll be joined on the 21st by pianist Blair McMillen, flutist Christoph Bösch, violist Daniel Panner and cellist Sophie Shao. Admission is FREE and it's at 7:30pm."

 

The program:

Stefano Gervasoni:  Due Voci for violin and flute

Beat Furrer:  Presto for flute and piano

Michael Hersch: the wreckage of flowers  for violin and piano

Robert Cuckson:  String Trio

Mario Davidovsky:  Quartetto for flute and strings

Program for Sep 21 Salon

New York Composers Circle

First Salon of the Season.

Sunday, September 21, 2008, 2 p.m.
Manhattan Plaza Ellington Room
400 West 43rd Street

Program

1. Discussion of Organizational Matters and Reports
John de Clef Piñeiro, NYCC Executive Director, will bring us up to date
on administrative matters. (Approx. 1/2 hour.)

2. Special Presentations
Clarinetist Adam Berkowitz will give a special presentation on extended clarinet techniques. He will demonstrate circular breathing, multiphonics, vocalization, double tonguing and other techniques on clarinet and bass clarinet. He will discuss this from both the perspective of a clarinetist and of a composer.
(Approx. 1 & 1/2 hours)

Gene Marlow, NYCC Director of Media Relations, will give a talk entitled "Two Conventions: One a Microcosm of the Other." Marlow attended the National Performing Arts Convention, and the Jazz Radio Programmers Annual Conference. He will recommend that what was learned at these conferences can be and should be applied to the NYCC.
(Approx. 1/2 hour.)

3. Audition of Members's Works
[Due to the length of the presentations at this Salon, our customary music portion of the Salon must be abbreviated.]

Gene McBride -- Act 1, Scene 1, No. 4, from his opera "On Burning Ground." This recording features live singers with a Sibelius orchestra.
(Approx. 10 minutes.)

4. Conclusion and Refreshments

NYCC | In The Loop | Sep 7, 2008

Here's hoping everyone had a restful and productive summer – the New York Composers Circle is now entering its seventh season, and it is time to get things started! Our first Sunday Salon this year will be on September 21 from 2-5pm, at the Ellington Room at the Manhattan Plaza. The address is 400 West 43, enter at Ninth Avenue, and head up to the second floor. If you haven't had a chance to attend one of our get-togethers yet, we sure hope to see you there

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We'll be entertaining two special guests at the Sep 21 Salon. First, clarinetist ADAM BERKOWITZwill offer a presentation and demonstration of four extended techniques, namely: circular breathing, multiphonics, vocalization, and double tonguing on clarinet and bass clarinet. He will discuss these techniques from a clarinetist's perspective and how composers could use them in their work. Many of you will remember that Adam has performed for the NYCC before, and we are very fortunate that he has graciously offered to give us this very worthwhile "tutorial" in contemporary clarinet techniques.

Also, NYCC Director of Media Relations GENE MARLOW will offer a presentation, "Two Conventions: One a Microcosm of the Other." Gene will discuss his observations of the June National Performing Arts Convention (NPAC) held in Denver, and the Jazz Radio Programmers Annual Conference in Rochester, New York. Gene indicates that "While the NYCC is small in comparison to some of the organizations and 4,000 people who attended the Denver conference, NYCC's mission, activities, and challenges are part of the overall performing arts industry in the United States. What was learned by the attendees at the NPAC can be and must be applied to the NYCC."

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For those interested in dance projects, here is some information about about Dance/NYC. They are a service organization dedicated to supporting the 5500+ dancers and the 500+ dance companies in New York City. They are currently working on two initiatives to bring together composers/musicians with dancers/choreographers who are interested in commissioning work for dance compositions. There will be a workshop on October 1st in conjunction with G. Shirmer, which will include a panel of freelance musicians. This is a wonderful opportunity for musicians and dance artists from the New York community to meet. They report: "We would love to have musicians in attendance at this event. Additionally, we will be adding a "Musicians/Composers Resource Directory" to the Dance/NYC website, where dance artists can find a listing of musicians/composers interested in working with dancers/choreographers."

If you are interested in being included in the Dance/NYC resources guide, please forward your contact information and a brief description (50 words or less) of your work to info@dancenyc.org or call 212.966.4452 for additional information.

If you are interested in attending the October 1st event, please RSVP at www.dancenyc.org. Look to the bottom right hand corner of the home page under "what's happening".
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Keep your announcements, concerts, and good news coming to your friendly In The Loop editor, Richard Russell, at InTheLoop@nycomposerscircle.org. (And let me know if you prefer to be removed from the list.) Until next time, let's keep each other In The Loop!