NYCC | In The Loop | Nov 20, 2010

Reminder: Our next SUNDAY SALON is tomorrow Sunday, November 21, at 2:00 pm, at Eugene McBride's apartment, 484 West 43rd St., Apt. 14M. We will be hearing pieces by HUBERT HOWE, CESAR VUKSIC, and guest composer MATTHEW WEBER.

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TAMARA CASHOUR writes in about the inaugural concert of Operavant, her new opera company, which will launch this Sunday, November 21st at 5pm in Long Island. "We are the invited guests to a concert series entitled The Robinson Hour, held each month at the Gloria Dei Church in New Hyde Park. This is a concert-style performance but will feature some selections from operas which we will perform in modern staged versions later on. Many of you will be at the salon, but hope to see some of you L-Islanders if you happen to be home on the island." The address is 600 New Hyde Park Road,  New Hyde Park, Long Island  11040. Suggested donation $10. More info at 516-354-6956.

NYCC | In the Loop | Nov 7, 2010

Our next SUNDAY SALON is Sunday, November 21, at 2:00 pm, at Eugene McBride's apartment, 484 West 43rd St., Apt. 14M. If you would like to schedule a work for the members to hear, please send Richard McCandless (richard.mccandless@verizon.net) that information. (We will also have time for people to bring works on a non-scheduled basis, so feel free to bring something along without formally submitting it.) If you choose to submit a work, please send the following: (1) title, (2) instrumentation, (3) performers, (4) if it's live, a recording, or MIDI, and (5) length.

Please send submissions no later than Nov. 12 to Richard McCandless at: richard.mccandless@verizon.net

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Congratulations to CESAR VUKSIC, who in addition to being a fine pianist and composer, also paints. His "Water Creatures Series" was exhibited in Freeport, Long Island in the Art Alcove of the Recreation Center, presented by the Long  Island Arts Council.  His works were exhibited for three weeks in late October/early November.

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PERI MAUER has been selected to be one of  the participant composers in the MUSIC WITH A VIEW series at the Flea Theater during the upcoming 2010-2011 season, Kathy Supove, curator. She will present her composition BLOGARHYTHM. 

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PETER DIZOZZA wrote the script and score for A Question of Solitude, inspired by and dedicated to The James Bond Legacy. It's currently in a two-week engagement running concurrent with the Tri-Fold Book-Art Exhibition with remaining dates on November 12 & 13. It's at the WAH Theater for the Performing Arts, at the corner of Broadway and Bedford (135 Broadway, 3rd floor, Brooklyn 11211). Tickets on sale at wahcenter.net and through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/134979

A challenging exploration of mind, memory, poetry and music. Investors colonize beneath the earth's surface. Uncle James and Senior Bond infiltrate as James Bond confronts his solitude.  Running time: 90 minutes with intermission. Performed live by Peter Dizozza, Mike Hill, Flemming Laursen, Annie Levey, Sam Moree,  Zach Pethoud, Kat Yew and Lydia Woods.  Featuring art by Sam Moree and Orin Buck.

Friday, November 12^th and Saturday November 13 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $18.00 and $10.00 with student ID/senior. For reservations, please visit www.wahcenter.net, or call 718-486-7372. Tickets may also be purchased in person half-hour prior to the performance at The WAH Theater for the Performing Arts (135 Broadway, 3rd floor). TDF accepted.

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DANA DIMITRI RICHARDSON and RICHARD BROOKS  will be featured composers in a concert presented by the (Just) Music Duo, a flute and percussion ensemble. To be held Tuesday, November 16 at 7 PM at the Tank, 354 West 45th St, (between 8th and 9th Avenues) NYC, NY 10036. Admission $10. For more information call 212-563-6269. Advance tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets, 1-800-838-3006 or on the internet

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/getcode.html?e_id=134462

(Just) music is a flute and percussion duo that was formed by two graduates of SUNY Purchase in a Brooklyn basement in 2009. Alice Jones (flute) and Cesare Papetti (percussion) have performed in New York City at Symphony Space, the Look and Listen Festival, the Composers Now! Festival, and the Tank as well as across Europe and China. 

In "Bachatelles," Richard uses some of Bach's favorite contrapuntal techniques to develop a theme based on Bach's name in a modern style, while Dana's "Reverie and Dance" is in two parts that express the contrasting moods of the title, dreamy contemplation followed by a call to action whose irregular meters owe a debt to Balkan folksong.

Other composers on the bill are Leo Kraft, Eleanor Cory, Paul Hefner, Herbert Deutsch, George Cork Maul. The concert is produced by the Long Island Composers Alliance.

 

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From JOSEPH PEHRSON, we hear word of the next Composers Concordance concert, "Bow vs. Blow." Composers Concordance begins its 27th season with a continuation of a "Contrast" theme, pitting different groups of instruments and instrumental colors against one another. The concert is at 8pm on Friday, December 3rd. Austrian Cultural Forum 11 E. 52^nd Street. (212) 319-5300. This is a free concert.

This year, the two "competing" groups consist of the string duo of Zentripetal - Jennifer DeVore, cello and Lynn Bechtold, violin-the "Bow"- against  the Brass Trio B3+ of Franz Hackl, trumpet, John Clark, horn, and David Taylor, bass trombone-the "Blow" of the brass colors.

 

Zentripetal duo will be performing the following pieces: Away/Home for violin, cello, and electronics by Lynn Bechtold; Beara for solo cello by Sean Hickey; a duo for both instruments by Lei Liang entitled Gobi Canticle; and Al' Airi Lepo Sviri, a solo piece for violin and electronics by Milica Paranosic. Contrasting brass solos and duos from B3+ include Blues & Variations for Monk for solo horn by David Amram, performed by John Clark; Fur Elise for trumpet and bass trombone by Arvo Part; Franz Hackl's work for trumpet and horn "Dahier" Brass for 2; and David Taylor's extravagant Bach Pedal Excercitium, emphasizing the low end of the bass trombone.

For the finale, four individuals closely associated with Composers Concordance will be writing movements for the five instruments combined. The 5 Suite will be written by composers Joseph Pehrson, Gene Pritsker, Dan Cooper, and Luis Andrei Cobo. Video will be provided by the talented videographers Astrid Steiner and Carmen Kordas.

NYCC | In The Loop | Oct 18, 2010

This season's first NYCC concert is tomorrow, Tuesday Tuesday, October 19, 2010 @ 8pm 

Saint Peters Church at Citigroup Center

Lexington & 54th Street

$20 suggested donation, payable at the door

Please join us as we enjoy these compositions!

Richard Brooks Impressions, Two Songs on poems of Oscar Wilde, for high voice and piano

Don Hagar Four Songs Old and New, for tenor and piano

Martin Halpern The Testament of Koheleth, for baritone and piano

Debra Kaye Finding Accord, for piano trio

Eugene McBride Chancy, for violin and cello

Christopher Montgomery Grasping the Present, for cello

Frank Retzel Three Songs of Seamus Heaney, for soprano and piano

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Our next SUNDAY SALON is Sunday, October 24, at 2:00 pm, at Eugene McBride's apartment in the Manhattan Plaza, 484 W. 43rd St., apt. 14M. (Thanks to Gene for hosting the event!)

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RICHARD D. RUSSELL will have three pieces performed on October 24, 2010 at the Bell and Barter Theater in Rockaway, NJ: A Poe Fantasia (which has been presented by the NYCC in the past) and two premieres: Eldorado and Annabel Lee for voice and piano trio. Details are at inmidairproductions.wordpress.com. All of the day's pieces will have a theme tied in with Edgar Allan Poe, including the premiere of a mini-opera, The Tell Tale Heart by Robert W. Butts. The concert starts at 3pm, and tickets are available for $15 by emailing your total tickets desired to: seasonal.sunday.salons@gmail.com. Tickets at the door are $25, so save $10 by registering early! A wine and cheese reception is included in the ticket's cost.

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Two new chamber operas by MARTIN HALPERN, The Sacrificed and The Sacrificer, will have world premiere productions at the New York New Church, 114 East 35th Street, Manhattan, on October 28, 29 and 30, 2010.  All performances start at 8 PM.

 

Freely based on Euripides' plays Alcestis and Iphigenia in Tauris, the operas explore the theme of human sacrifice in contrasting ways.  In the first, it is presented as a virtuous and noble act for the common good; in the second, as an expression of religious fanaticism resembling present-day terrorist practices. 

 

Featured in the cast of The Sacrificed are soprano Nancy Loesch as Alcestis, tenor Aram Tchobanian as her husband Admetus, and baritone Jim Trainor as Charon, ferryman of the dead to Hades.  In The Sacrificer, soprano Judith Barnes is featured as Iphigenia, baritone Jim Trainor as King Thoas, tenor Blake Friedman as Orestes, and mezzo-soprano Shirley Perkins as the goddess Artemis.  The pianist for both operas is Earl Buys.

 

Stage direction  is by Sonya Baehr, and music direction by the composer.

 

Tickets, at $20, can be reserved online at www.theatermania.com or by calling Theater Mania at 212-352-3101.

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The New York Composers Circle is proud to announce the winner of its fourth annual Composers' Competition: SCOTT D. MILLER, for his composition "Polychrome Stride," for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano.  The work will be performed at the NYCC's fourth and final concert of the season, at 7:30 P.M. on Saturday, June 4th, 2011, at the Symphony Space Thalia, Broadway and 95th St.

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TAMARA CASHOUR's previously announced engagement of November 14 has been canceled, but she writes that she will participate as a reader in Truman State University's upcoming:  Composing Women: Truman State University's 16th Annual Womens and Gender Studies Conference, held in Kirksville, MO from October 27-30. Tamara's paper is entitled: A Feminist Aesthetic Platform for Opera:  Deconstructing Poulenc-Cocteau's THE HUMAN VOICE.  The paper will detail Tamara's deconstructionist production of the sung monodrama LA VOIX HUMAINE, which she produced at NYC's Wings Theatre in conjunction with her M.A. studies at NYU in opera production/feminist avant-garde theatre techniques. Scenes from the production will also be shown in conjunction with the reading. Tamara's work in deconstructionist staging techniques will form the basis for her new opera company: OperAVANT, Inc.; an inaugural concert is scheduled for November 21st @ 5 p.m. as part of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church's THE ROBINSON HOUR (New Hyde Park, Long Island); more info in a later IN THE LOOP.

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EUGENE MARLOW, NYCC Membership Director, is pleased to announce the release of "Celebrations: The Heritage Ensemble Interprets Festive Melodies from the Hebraic Songbook" (© 2010 MEII Enterprises; RT 48 minutes), the latest contemporary world music album from his Heritage Ensemble.

 

The Heritage Ensemble is dedicated to the concert performance of liturgical and folksong Hebraic melodies in various jazz, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian styles, with a touch of classicism for good measure. There are nine tracks: four from the Chanukah festival, two from Purim. An original composition, "Yotvata"--a mixture of classical and jazz--celebrates the creation of the leading dairy kibbutz in Israel. An eighth track, "Halleluyah," from the liturgy, is a solo piano arrangement. A unique feature of "Celebrations" is a ninth track narrated by Dr. Marlow that describes The Heritage Ensemble's history, repertoire, and philosophy. Musical clips from the current album and a forthcoming CD (to be released in Spring 2011) underscore Marlow's comments. The musicians: multi-Grammy nominee drummer Bobby Sanabria, who also serves as album co-producer, along with Dr. Eugene Marlow, the Ensemble's founder, arranger, leader, and keyboardist. Other performers include Nuyorican percussionist Cristian Rivera, NEA performance grantee saxophonist Michael Hashim, and acoustic/electric bassist Frank Wagner. This is the second album from The Heritage Ensemble--the sixth from composer/arranger Eugene Marlow. The group's first album was "Making the Music Our Own" (© 2006 MEII Enterprises). Of this CD, Isaiah Sheffer, Artistic Director Emeritus, Symphony Space (New York City), said: "Gene Marlow's 'Making the Music Our Own' is a remarkable musical achievement--traditional liturgical melodies meet up with a contemporary jazz sensibility, and are rediscovered in a new musical and spiritual light!" All of Marlow's albums are available at cdbaby.com.

NYCC | In The Loop | Sep 18, 2010

A reminder that this year's first SUNDAY SALON will be held Sunday, September 19, at 1:00pm. We'll be meeting in Jacob Goodman's apartment, 310 West 72 Street (#16A) at 1pm. We will precede the event with a Steering Committee meeting at noon for those who are interested.

 

As our main event on Sunday JOHN EATON will present the DVD of his opera "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" — a fantastic way to kick off our new season! See below for the rest of the afternoon's agenda.

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In October, JOHN DE CLEF PINEIRO's "Rhapsody in Blues" will be premiered in Buenos Aires and Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. The performers are Guido Arbonelli, clarinet, and Michele Fabrizzi, piano, the same duo who performed the piece at Symphony Space last season. As John dryly notes: "With that, my Rhapsody will have now been performed repeatedly on three continents. Next . . . Asia and Africa?  :))" 

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In addition to John Eaton's DVD presentation of his opera, the following lineup has been arranged for Sunday's Salon:

2. Audition of Guest Composer's Work

Paul Pinto -- "Three Miniatures" for trombone and trumpet; soprano clarinet and 'cello; voice and electronics presented on a CD recording. (Approx. 7 min.)

3. Audition of Members' Works

Dana Richardson -- "Violin Sonata No. 4, 1st movement." Andrea Shultze, violin, Chris Oldfather, piano, on a CD recording. (Approx. 10 min.)

Richard Brooks -- "Four Play" the New Hudson Saxophone Quartet on CD. (Approx. 7 min.)

Jacob Goodman -- "Beneath the Trees" a cycle of three songs. Derrick Ballard, bass-baritone and Edmond Schonberg, piano, on CD. (Approx. 9 min.)

The remaining time will be devoted to presenting other works by members or guests in attendance.

NYCC | In The Loop | Sep 1, 2010

From all of us at the New York Composers Circle, hope you had a great and productive summer! It's time for us to begin gearing up for the next season of the NYCC. As many of you know, we welcome RICHARD BROOKS as our new Executive Director, joined by DON HAGAR in a new role of Associate Executive Director. And of course we thank JOHN DE CLEF PIÑEIRO for his untiring years of service heading our collective.

This year's first meeting will be our SEPTEMBER SALON, to be held Sunday, September 19, at 1:00pm. We'll be meeting in Jacob Goodman's apartment, 310 West 72 Street (#16A) at 1pm. (We had previously published another day and meeting place, so be sure to update your calendar.) We will precede the event with a Steering Committee meeting at noon for those who are interested.

It's a time for new beginnings in a new season; we very much hope to see you at our Salon!

NYCC | In The Loop | June 21, 2010

Just one more event to wrap up the 2009-2010 season, and that is next weekend’s JUNE SALON, to be held Sunday, June 27, at 3:30pm. We’ll be meeting in the Symphony Space Rehearsal Room, Broadway and 95th Street (entrance on 95th Street). Many thanks to RICHARD McCANDLESS for organizing the program:




Program
1. Discussion of Organizational Matters and Reports
John de Clef Piñeiro, NYCC Executive Director, will bring us up to date on administrative matters. This will be his valedictory Salon as NYCC Executive Director, concluding his second two-year term. (Approx. 30 min.)


2. Audition of Members' Works
Aleksei Stevens -- "Movement for Piano" with pianist Na Rong performing. Mr. Stevens' presentation is in response to the NYCC's American Music Center opportunities listing.
(Approx. 7'30")


Gene Marlow -- "Bilbililos" and "Adon Olam" for saxophone, piano, bass, drums and percussion featuring composer member Gene Marlow's "The Heritage Ensemble" in a studio recording.
(Approx. 17 min. for both pieces.)


Dana Richardson -- "Dark Energy" for piano four hands featuring Stephanie Ho and Saar Ahuvia on a CD recording.
(Approx. 7'30")


David Picton -- "Adirondack Nostalgia" for baritone voice and piano. This will be a live performance, performers to be announced.
(Approx. 3 min.)


The remaining time will be devoted to presenting other works by members in attendance.




3. Conclusion and Refreshments
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JOSEPH PEHRSON writes, "On June 21, 2010, I will have the privilege of having my music played on a concert organized by Patrick Grant called H2Opus, part of "Make Music New York." The time is 7-9PM and the location is Waterside Plaza, NYC, 23rd Street & the East River.” This is a FREE event and I will also be performing keyboard in all the pieces with a terrific ensemble consisting of:


Patrick Grant, - composer/keyboard/electric guitar,
Kamala Sankaram - composer/voice/accordian,
Gene Pritsker - composer/ electric guitar,
Dan Cooper - composer/electric bass,
John Ferrari - drums, marimba,
Kathleen Supove - keyboard,
Lynn Bechtold - violin and
Marija Ilic -keyboard


This should be a fun concert, right on the river with a "water based" theme. Specific information and directions can be found here on Patrick Grant's website:
http://www.patrickgrant.com/H2Opus.html
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JOSEPH PEHRSON and performer member CHRISTINA ASCHER figure in our next item, in which Christina presents a recital called “Perchance to Dream” featuring John Patrick Popham on cello. “Perchance to Dream” is a program exploring dichotomous states of perception and spaces between dreams and reality and includes three world premieres.


CHRISTINA ASCHER, contralto
JOHN PATRICK POPHAM, cello
Present music by
ALICE SHIELDS, JULIA WERNTZ, JOSEPH PEHRSON, MICHAEL OESTERLE, MOHAMMED FAIROUZ, VIERA JANARCEKOVA


Sunday, June 27, 2010, 8 p.m.
Tenri Cultural Institute
43A West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
(212) 645-2800
Admission: $20 / seniors & students - $10
tickets at the door.
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ROGER BLANC writes: “I'm performing an original piece of mine for electric guitar and digital piano on Sunday, June 27 at 1:00 PM at Jan Hus Church, 351 East 74th Street, NYC (between 1st and 2nd Avenues) as part of the "Composer's Voice" concert series (http://www.voxnovus.com/, http://www.janhus.org/). Transportation - take the 6 train to 77th and Lexington, walk south and east. Please view the attachment for further details, and I hope to see you there!”
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RICHARD RUSSELL will have two song cycles performed at Mannes College of Musc on June 30 at 8pm. Performer member SOFIA DIMITROVA will perform “Time is Not an Option,” the Voices Up! awarded commission recently performed at Fordham University. Sophia Munoz will be the accompanist. Also, a premiere of “Four Shakespeare Songs in Madrigal Style” will be performed by Sofia Dimitrova and mezzo Christina Goyne. Mannes is at 150 West 85 Street, and the concert is free.

Announcing the 2010-2011 NYCC season!

Dear NYCC Community,

This is to announce the Program Committee's approved works for performance during the NYCC's 2010-2011 season, it's ninth consecutive season of public concerts.

After examining all of the works submitted for next season, the Program Committee determined that all were acceptable and suitable for performance and programming at the NYCC's record fourth season of four public concerts.

Shown below are the final selected compositions with their instrumentations.

In all, 26 works by NYCC Composer Members, Honorary Members, and our annual Composition Competition winner, will be performed at public concerts next season, in addition to which will be other works (not yet determined), included as part of our Community Encores outreach recital series. 

This demonstrates yet again how and the extent to which the NYCC provides continuing annual opportunities for its members to have their work publicly presented.

As always, many thanks are due to our fellow members (several of them new this round) who served on the Program Committee, chaired by Honorary Member John Eaton, for performing this indispensable function for our organization. 

Yours in music,

John de Clef Piñeiro

NYCC Executive Director

Concert 1:

Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010: Saint Peter's Church, Citigroup Center

     

Richard Brooks  Impressions, Two Songs on poems of Oscar Wilde, for high voice and piano

Don Hagar  Four Songs Old and New, for tenor and piano

Martin Halpern  The Testament of Koheleth, for baritone and piano

Debra Kaye  Finding Accord, for piano trio

Eugene McBride  Chancy, for violin and cello

Christopher Montgomery  Grasping the Present, for unaccompanied cello

Frank Retzel  Three Songs of Seamus Heaney, for soprano and piano

Concert 2:

Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011: Saint Peter's Church, Citigroup Center

John Eaton  Piano Variations 1957

Jacob E. Goodman  Three Bagatelles, for piano

Carl Kanter  Suite for Violin and Piano

Paul Moravec  Impromptus for Piano (1999)

Dana Dimitri Richardson  Für Elitza, for piano

Concert 3:

Tuesday, April 5, 2011: Saint Peter's Church, Citigroup Center

Brian Fennelly  Sock Monkeys, for two clarinets

Eugene Marlow Three Pieces for Woodwind Trio (fl, cl, alto sax)

Peri Mauer  Rhapsodance, for clarinet and piano

Gayther Myers  Sonata Solo, for unaccompanied bassoon

David Picton  Music for the Birds, for woodwind quintet

Richard D. Russell  Fast Tides, Slow Tides, for flute and piano

Cesar Vuksic  Tango Variations, for clarinet and piano

Concert 4:  

Saturday, June 4, 2011: Thalia Theatre (at Symphony Space)

Roger Blanc  Poem for Guitar and Harp

John Eaton  Elegy for Jane, for mezzo soprano, mandolin, guitar, and harp  (world premiere)

Hubert Howe  Timbre Study No. 7. CD (electronic) and dancer

Richard McCandless  Rivers, for two percussionists

Joseph Pehrson  Motorfogger, for electric cello

Robert S. Cohen  An Ant's World, for 5-octave marimba

And the NYCC's Fourth Annual Competition Winner, to be announced

NYCC | In The Loop | June 4, 2010

Hold the date: Our JUNE SALON is Sunday, June 27 at 3:30pm. We’ll meet in the rehearsal studio of Symphony Space, 95th street and Broadway; all are invited!
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JOHN DE CLEF PIÑEIRO’s piece "Minute Square" was one of the works performed in the 10-hour music and dance extravaganza that took place May 30 at the FOFA Gallery, at Concordia University, in Montreal. John’s piece was part of the 60x60 Dance Order of Magnitude presentation, in which Vox Novus presented ten hours of music, dance, and video, featuring one-minute works by 600 composers, the most ever to be programmed in a single show. The show is part of Congress 2010, the largest annual interdisciplinary gathering in North America, expecting approximately 10,000 visitors this year.
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DANA RICHARDSON’s “Reverie and Dance” for marimba and flute will receive its world premiere on June 10 at 9:30pm at The Tank, 354 West 45 Street. The program, “From Earth with Love,” exploresa series of musical postcards from six countries written for flute and marimba. Each work dates from the last 25 years and celebrates the unique and beautiful voice of a different cultural perspective. The program includes music by Gareth Farr, Peter Maxwell Davies, Jean-Michel Damase, Astor Piazzolla, Tsuneya Tanabe, and features a world premiere by Long Island composer Dana Richardson. (just)music is a flute and percussion duo that was formed by two graduates of SUNY Purchase in a Brooklyn basement in 2009. Alice Jones (flute) and Cesare Papetti (percussion) have performed in New York City at Symphony Space, The Stone, the Look and Listen Festival, the Composers Now! Festival, as well as across Europe and China. Tickets are $10. For more information, see www.TheTankNYC.org.


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JOHN EATON’s latest opera premieres on Tuesday, June 15th at 8pm at Symphony Space in the Peter J. Sharp (large) Theater
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Composed by John Eaton with a libretto by Estela Eaton
$30 General Admission
Members, Students, Seniors $20
Day of Show $32 (2-hour adv Rush tickets available $10)
BUY Event tickets online, or call 212-864-5400


THE CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY OPERA (CCO) presents THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON by John Eaton with the participation of THE POCKET OPERA PLAYERS, AT THE 2010 ACA FESTIVAL OF AMERICAN MUSIC.


Following his success with the hilarious stage opera, Pumped Fiction (2007), John Eaton and the Pocket Opera Players, present Eaton’s new work, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Featured artists will include Chris Trakas, Baritone, Linda Larson, Soprano, Jennifer Connor, soprano, Jennifer Roderer, Mezzo-soprano, Tony Boutté, Tenor, and Dominic Inferrera, Bass-baritone. Karl Kramer is conducting and the director is Marco Capalbo.


John Eaton comments on the choice of this story: “It was that dramatic line that attracted me to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in the first place. The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, always remembered to keep the surface level of his writing engaging and amusing. The story of Benjamin Button is full of surprises, hilarious incidents, and completely ironic situations that keep you on the edge of your seat. So often in theater experiences, and especially in opera, you find yourself wondering if the author really asked himself if anything was happening on the stage-to paraphrase the composer-critic, Virgil Thomson. The first scene of my opera is taken almost verbatim from the Fitzgerald story. There is an abundance of movement and excitement throughout this production-much of it taken directly from the original story.”


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Every summer Mannes College of Music hosts the Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance. Directed by Marc Ponthus, the IFCP brings together a diversity of approach, talent, and experiences during a week and a half of workshops, master classes, lectures, and symposium. Daily concerts feature some of the most significant performers, composers, and thinkers working in contemporary music today. This year’s opening concert (JUNE 15) features a work by the NYCC’s own BRIAN FENNELLY. Hair-raisingly virtuosic pianist Marc Ponthus, mesmerizing violinist Rolf Schulte and “Revolutionary Flutist and Composer” Robert Dick perform:
Pierre Boulez: Sonatas 1 and 3 (including Constellation Miroir with two pianos),
Elliott Carter: Four Lauds
Brian Fennelly: Sigol Musings
Luciano Berio: Sequenza (for flute)
Robert Dick: Heat HIstory (for flute with Glissando headjoint) [World Premiere]


The concert is June 15 at 8pm at Mannes, 150 W 85th Street, (212) 580-0210 x4884. Admission for events at Mannes:
$20/$10 for students
$8 for individual master class or lecture; please email ifcp@newschool.edu to reserve a seat
Student performances are free of charge; Tickets are available at the door beginning one hour prior to each event
For more information and other concerts in the series, see http://www.ifcpny.com/


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RICHARD BROOKS’s String Quartet #4 will receive its world premiere by the Zukofsky Quartet at the Thalia, Symphony Space on June 19, 2010 at 4 pm during the American Composers Alliance Annual Festival. As you can probably guess, a fair number of NYCC composers are represented in the year’s festival taking place June 15-19, including the aforementioned John Eaton opera… see also Richard McCandless and Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy, along with others who have been guests of the NYCC in the past at http://composers.com/June-Festival-2010.


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MARTIN HALPERN’s ”Triptych,” a bill of three new one-act chamber operas by Martin Halpern, will be performed at the New York New Church, 114 East 35th Street in Manhattan, on June 24, 25 and 26 at 8 PM.


The first opera, The Stronger, is freely based on the play by August Strindberg; the second, The Sculpture, is freely based on Henrik Ibsen’s When We Dead Awaken; the third, The Proposal, is freely based on the play by Anton Chekhov. Taken together, the three operas are a set of variations on the theme of requited and unrequited love.


Featured in the cast are sopranos Judith Barnes and Nancy Loesch, mezzo-soprano Darcy Dunn, tenor Michael Boley, and baritone Vaughn Lindquist. The pianist is Earl Buys, whose performance in Mr. Halpern’s chamber operas Purgatory and The Death of Oedipus in October, 2009, earned this accolade from reviewer Joel Benjamin: “In an intensely satisfying evening of music and drama, his playing was as thorough-going and passionate as any orchestra’s.”


Music direction is by Mr. Halpern, and Aram Tchobanian is stage director and production coordinator.
Tickets, at $20 for each performance, may be reserved by calling Theater Mania at 212-352-3101 or online at www.theatermania.com.

New Competition Deadline for Receipt of Submissions: July 31, 2010

New York Composers Circle--4th Annual Composition Competition:
Revised Call for Submissions and Extended Competition Deadline

The New York Composers Circle is pleased to announce its Fourth Annual Composition Competition, open to composers of all ages who live in the New York metropolitan area, other than NYCC members and prior NYCC contest winners. The winning composition will be performed at one of the NYCC's four public concerts during the 2010-2011 season, and the winner will also receive a one year's free membership in the NYCC.

Please submit no more than one score, together with a CD (if available), of a solo or chamber ensemble work preferably 6-12 minutes in length, but in no event more than 15 minutes, and scored for not more than *five* performers on instruments not requiring special purchase, rental, or cartage costs.

*Note that in an instance where a submitted work would require (or would be deemed by the Competition Committee, in its sole judgment, to require) a conductor, in addition to up to five performers, then the work may only be considered eligible for award if the contestant either (a) offers to conduct the work himself/herself, or (b) commits to funding the entire cost of a conductor chosen by the contestant to rehearse and conduct the work.  (If requested by the winning contestant, the competition Committee may seek out a suitable conductor for the winning work, whose fee would be paid in full by the contestant.)*

The work should not have been previously premiered.  Include in your covering letter a brief bio, a brief program note for your work, and contact information (phone, e-mail and mailing addresses).  All submissions not accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope will be discarded after the winner is announced.

*The extended deadline for receipt is Saturday, July 31st.*

Send your submission to:

              New York Composers Circle
              c/o Jacob E. Goodman
              310 West 72nd St., 16A
              New York, NY 10023
              E-Mail: jgoodman@ccny.cuny.edu

Submissions may also be left with the doorman at that address.

For information about the New York Composers Circle, please go to the NYCC website: www.nycomposerscircle.org

NYCC | In The Loop | Apr 19, 2010

Our APRIL SALON is this Saturday, April 24 at 2:30pm, with special guest Neil Baldwin, author, teacher, and former head of the National Book Awards Botanical Garden. He'll be speaking to us about a number of topics, including creativity. His full bio and information can be read at http://www.neilbaldwinbooks.com/

A program for the Salon is included below; note especially an earlier start time if you'd like to attend the Steering Committee Meeting. We'll meet in the rehearsal studio of Symphony Space, 95th street and Broadway; all are invited!

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Our THIRD CONCERT of our 2009-2010 season is almost here! Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 8pm. The full program can be read at the NYCC blog (nycomposerscircle.blogspot.com) by scrolling down to the April 11 entry. We'll be again at Saint Peters Church at Citigroup Center Lexington & 54th Street; there's a $20 suggested donation, payable at the door. Our composers and pieces are:

Roger Blanc, Four Vignettes for Solo Clarinet.

Robert S. Cohen, String Quartet # 2 "A Day in the Life"

Hubert Howe, Sextet, for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, & piano

Eugene Marlow, Une Jeune Fille... For violna & cello

Peri Mauer, Morning, Night, & Noon, for 2 clarinets 

Nataliya Medvedovskaya, Fantasy for viola and piano

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There are a couple of NYCC related concerts taking place this week—whether by composers or performers— that have already been mentioned in prior In the Loop emails. For instance, JOSEPH PEHRSON, NATALIYA MEDVEDOVSKAYA, TANIA LEON, PAUL MORAVEC, and RICHARD RUSSELL all have events coming up in this week. This seems an opportune time to remind everyone you can always head to nycomposerscircle.blogspot.com to browse through past postings and get details on NYCC member events. Also, feel free to subscribe to the RSS feed!

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Flutist MICHAEL LADERMAN will be performing two virtuosic works for coloratura soprano, flute, and piano: "Lo, Here the Gentle Lark" by Sir Henry H. Bishop and the "Bravura Variations on a Theme by Mozart" by Adolph Adam. The concert is this Thursday, April 22 at 8 PM at the Richmond Room at Turtle Bay Music School, 244 E. 52 St. between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. This concert is part of a "cabaret-recital," featuring soprano Molly Watson and pianist Eugene Rohrer, designed to recreate the style of the salon performances that took place in the 19th century. Michael reports that rehearsals have been going well, and the concert should be a lot of fun!

Admission is $20. If you are free and would like to attend, please reserve a seat by emailing Triple L Productions at molly.watson@att.net or calling (718) 267-0079. Seats are limited.

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Lovers of opera, especially contemporary opera, will be interested to know about the New York City Opera's eleventh annual VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab, featuring ten new works by some of the brightest emerging and established talent in contemporary opera. Over the past ten years, VOX has presented over 100 operas, and 40 of these have gone on to become full productions. This exciting program is free to the public on April 30 - May 1. More info at 212-870-7744 or www.nycOpera.com

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Program for the Saturday, April 24, 2010 Salon

Symphony Space Thalia Rehearsal Studio

95th St. and Broadway(Entrance on West 95th street)

 

Special Thanks are expressed to Robert Cohen for making arrangements for our having this Salon's guest speaker and to Richard McCandless for coordinating and preparing this program for our Salon.

 

1.  Steering Committee Meeting—The NYCC Steering Committee will meet from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. All members are invited to attend, especially any members seriously considering becoming a nominee for Executive Director.

 

2.  Discussion of Organizational Matters and Reports—John de Clef Piñeiro, NYCC Executive Director, will bring us up to date on administrative matters starting at 2:30.  (Approx. 30 min.)

 

3.  Special Presentation—Special guest speaker Neil Baldwin will speak about the creative process. Information about Mr. Baldwin and his work is available in the email distributed to the NYCC membership on April 5 and at www.neilbaldwinbooks.com.

(Approx. 1 hour)

 

4.  Audition of Members' Guests' Works 

Joe Rubenstein -- Two Romances for piano, the composer performing. (Approx. 15 min.)

 

Robert S. Cohen -- Three Nights in Sofia for violin and piano, presented as a MIDI version. (Approx. 10 min.)

 

David Picton -- Seascape (With Fugue) for piano, presented as a MIDI version. (Approx. 5 min.)

 

Gayther Myers -- Quintet for Winds (a work in progress) for woodwind quintet presented as a MIDI version.  (Approx. 12 min.)

 

The remaining time will be devoted to presenting other works by members in attendance.

 

5.  Conclusion and Refreshments

NYCC | In the Loop | April 11, 2010

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A reminder: Our APRIL SALON is again on a Saturday: April 24 at 2:30pm, with special guest Neil Baldwin, author, teacher, and former head of the National Book Awards Botanical Garden, served on the program committee for the 2008 annual meeting of the Organization of American Historians, and is a member of the Writers Guild of America (East), the National Arts Club literary committee, the Director's Council of the Montclair Art Museum, the Century Association, and PEN American Center.

We'll meet in the rehearsal studio of Symphony Space, 95th street and Broadway.

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Our THIRD CONCERT of our 2009-2010 season is Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 8pm. A program should be uploaded to the NYCC blog this week, but for now, here's the short list: We'll be again at Saint Peters Church at Citigroup Center Lexington & 54th Street; there's a $20 suggested donation, payable at the door

Roger Blanc, Four Vignettes for Solo Clarinet.

Robert S. Cohen, String Quartet # 2 "A Day in the Life"

Hubert Howe, Sextet, for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, & piano

Eugene Marlow, Une Jeune Fille... For violna & cello

Peri Mauer, Morning, Night, & Noon, for 2 clarinets 

Nataliya Medvedovskaya, Fantasy for viola and piano

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Several NYCC names will be featured in "Facebook Friends: A Concert Curated by Douglas Townsend" to be held Tuesday, April 20, 2010, at 7:30pm at Saint Peter's Church at Citigroup (54th Street and Lexington Ave.) Six premieres from nine composers who are Facebook Friends, to be performed in a live concert and videotaped for YouTube by Dan Simon and podcast by Classical Music Discoveries. Townsend's CHAMBER CONCERTO NO. 3 for flute, horn and piano included.

In addition to works by Douglas Townsend,  Katherine Hoover, Daniel Dorff, Steve Cohen, Bruce Lazarus, Carl Worthey, three NYCC composers included on the concert are TANIA LEON, PAUL MORAVEC, and NATALIYA MEDVEDOVSKAYA. A reception will follow.

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Soprano MELISSA FOGARTY has several concerts coming up this spring, and was the recipient of an Anna Sosenko Assist Trust Grant. Congrats, Melissa! Have a look at www.melissafogarty.com

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RICHARD RUSSELL was among four composers commissioned by Fordham University's in-house poetry group, Poets Out Loud, to set texts by their poet members. The resulting compositions will be premiered Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm in a concert billed as "Voices Up!" Rich was paired with poet Elisabeth Frost, and the resulting song cycle is called "Time is Not an Option."

The concert has been coordinated by the esteemed musicologist Lawrence Kramer, who will also have original work on the concert. Other composers on the bill include Martin Hennessy, Alexander Nohai-Seaman, and Mary Ann Joyce-Walter. In addition the poet Elisabeth Frost, other featured poets are Heather Dubrow, Edward Hirsch, Janet Kaplan, and D. Nurkse.

The performers are from Bard College's music program: sopranos Clarissa Lyons and Ilana Zarankin, with Shun-Yang Lee on piano.

The premiere will be Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm at Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus, Columbus Avenue at 60 Street, in the 12th Floor Lounge. The concert is free and open to the public.

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Celebrating the poems of Emily Dickinson, the inaugural concert of In Mid Air Productions will be held April 25 at 3pm at the Bell and Barter Theater & Cultural Center, 13 Church Street, Rockaway NJ 07866. Billed as "A Little Madness in the Spring" the concert features compositions by Robert Butts and Raphael Fusco, along with two pieces by RICHARD RUSSELL: "When Time is Over" and a chamber ensemble arrangement of "The Tune is in the Tree." The singers are Marjorie Berg and Pamela Stein. A wine and cheese reception will follow.

For ticket info, directions, and more info, head to inmidairproductions.wordpress.com or email seasonal.sunday.salons@gmail.com.

Sneak peek at the NYCC's April 27 concert program

Click to enlarge!

Roger Blanc / Live Music - Thursday 4/8

Roger Blanc and friends - Live at Gizzi's

9:00 - 10:00 PM, Thursday, April 8

featuring Billy Eric and David Picton

(also, check out "Misery Loves Company" from 8:00 to 9:00)

Gizzi's Coffee Bar

16 West 8th Street (west of 5th Ave., east of Macdougal)

New York, NY 10011

http://www.gizzisnyc.com/About_Gizzis.html  

http://www.gizzisnyc.com/Music_Nights.html  

$3 per person table minimum

N or R to 8th Street, walk west

OR

A,B,C,D,E,F,V to West 4th Street; walk north, then east on 8th Street

NYCC | In The Loop | Mar 27, 2010

Tomorrow is our MARCH SALON: Sunday: March 28, at 3:30 pm in the rehearsal studio of Symphony Space, 95th street and Broadway. We will have a special guest on hand: Alexa Babakhanian (composer, pianist and singer) will talk briefly about her current work, setting very short Japanese tanka verses with music, art, dance, and video. She will also present to us a live reduced version of some of the settings that will involve music, dance, video, and reading of the verses. In addition, she will talk about the project, which is based on Hokusai's series of prints known as "One Hundred Poets."

All are invited; hope to see you in our new time and space!

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Our SECOND CONCERT of our 2009-2010 season is next Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 7:30 pm. This concert will be at Symphony Space Thalia, and is billed as a 75th Birthday celebration for Honorary Member, JOHN EATON. The NYCC celebrates its collaboration with the a special guest ensemble, the No Borders Quartet ensemble from Italy, on its first concert tour in the USA, which will feature prominently in many of the evening's performances. $20 tickets are payable at the door. Here's the concert lineup:

Richard Brooks, Circular Motions 

John de Clef Piñeiro, Rhapsody in Blues

John Eaton, Some Spectres

Brian Fennelly, Three's Company 

Patricia Leonard, Venetian Moonlight 

Dana Dimitri Richardson, Pan and Selene

Please join us as we welcome our special guests from Italia!

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Tonight (Saturday, March 27) JOSEPH PEHRSON's  "Mating" for electric guitar and cello will be featured at the Parkside Lounge. Greg Baker plays electric guitar with Dan Barrett on cello. This should be an exciting show—from 8:30PM to 10:30PM—a combined effort between the International Street Cannibals and the Composers Concordance, with lots of varied pieces. The Parkside Lounge is at 317 East Houston between Ave. B and C. (Take the F train to Second Ave. and walk east 2 blocks.) Admission is a suggested $7, with the proceeds to be used as a benefit for Haiti.  More info at streetcannibals.com

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JOHN DE CLEF PIÑEIRO's aforementioned "Rhapsody in Blues" will not only be performed Tuesday evening at Symphony Space, but also at NYU on Monday, March 29. The piece has been "on tour" in concerts and music festivals in Europe is being "brought back to the U.S." by the Italian piano/woodwind ensemble No Borders Quartet as part of its first U.S. concert tour.

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Mezzo-soprano Christina Goyne will perform a special arrangement of RICHARD RUSSELL's "When Time is Over" on Thursday, April 8, at 8pm. The venue is Christ and St. Stephens at 120 West 69th Street. Also on the program are selections by Gounod, Debussy, and Brahms; The accompanist is Jason Wirth. The concert is free, but pay-what-you-wish donations accepted!