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One violin, constructed in France circa 1820, acts as the catalyst for a singular Composer's Voice concert. Symbolizing the DaSilva family’s musical legacy, the instrument has been painstakingly passed from uncle to father and now to son Doug. My Dad's Violin fetes over eighty-six years of brotherhood. For the last several years, DaSilva, in a display of magnanimity, has invited countless friends and colleagues to play his treasured family heirloom. A DVD featuring gifted violinists demonstrating the instrument's capabilitieswas concocted to share with DaSilva’s family in Brazil. This concert, a natural outgrowth from DaSilva’s desire to procure an endless number of musicians to play his violin, ensued. The concert spotlights over two dozen short scores from a range of lively composerswith performances by nineteen munificent violinists, showcasing the instrument's plush tones and kaleidoscopic spirit.
The concert unfolds like a decadent tasting menu at a four-star restaurant. Your ears gobble everything up, but with so much bounty it can be challenging to fully savor each piece.
Some compositions make you wish you could press repeat. Naila Nombeko's brief but potent composition, Piece for solo violin, adroitly rendered by the impassioned Stanichka Dimitrova, acts as a caffeinated romp evoking the turgid psyche of a provoked soul before artfully transitioning into subdued introspection.
David Morneau's Post-Partita presented by Eva Ingolf, operates as an inkyrumination on Bach. Plucking a short portion of Sarabande from the master of contrapuntal harmonies' Partita no. 2 in D Minor, Morneau crafts silky melodic ropes, punctuated with moments of breathiness that gently coil into expansive spirals. Matt Frey offers ANCHOR with the delightful Maya Bennardo on the violin. Strong slices with the instrument’s bow elicit punchy assaults, which cut like a finely whetted hatchet. Similar to an eddy, this piece roils and thrashes until it ceases abruptly. Michael Reit, rock roots belied by his brunette dreads, performs a composition originally written for his five piece band entitled Duke in Deed. Its rowdy rhythms and rollicking melody coupled with Reit's vivacious playing make you want to cut a rug.
Even with the rapid-fire changing of the violinists, certain musicians capture your attention withnimbly wrought interpretations that demonstrate the multi-hued palette of DaSilva's pater's violin. Katarzyna Bryla, delicate glasses perched atop her nose, belies her sober demeanor with vivid, inspirited playing. She treats three short pieces, all varying remarkably in tenor, like precious jewels, each reflecting an unmatched polish and hue, which she honors by highlighting their unique sonorous properties. Wielding her bow like a master chef, she sweeps effortlessly from emphatic cleaves to small, pristine flickers of the strings. Bryla brings articulate resonance to the pitched emotion of Improvisation created by Daniel Mihai, South American warmth to One Minute for Dad's Violin composed by José Hernán Ciblis, and a handsome sheen to Luigi Montanari 1904 constructed by George Kontogiorgos.
Spunky Hana Segerstrom, black locks accented by a quirky streak of teal, makes maximum impact with her rendition of brother Eric Segerstrom'sNocturne. Her expressive playing, each note treated like a turbulent love poem, teases out the full emotion of the piece, leading you to envision a heady swirl of impressionistic splatters.
Approximately three-quarters of the way through the concert, you may start to feel a little full; your capacity to listen attentively taxed. But DaSilva knows just how to tempt you with a delicious array of musical desserts that titillate your ear. Megan Gould lustily performs Fantasies on RafRaf, composer Jamshied Sharifi’s jaunty and gleeful bubble of a work inspired by renowned oud player Anouar Brahem.
Mari Kimura, playing her own composition, Joāo Goes Digital, coaxes shimmering walls of keening beauty from the violin, which dissolve, one on top of the other, into the ether. The last selection ends with levity. Conway Kuo brings charming dash to Jason UlyssesDaSilva’sA10Thunderbolt. In honor of Dasilva’s grandfather who worked on the construction of titular planes, Kuo utilizes vocal intonations to simulate bombing and shooting, layered overcompelling violin contrivances. The concert ends with enthusiastic applause spiced with hearty laughs.
It’s a beautiful thing to witness a treasured family legacy, generously passed from one violinist to another, highlighting a veritable smorgasbord of musical delicacies from intrepid contemporary composers. The violin, no longer a sui generis instrument dedicated to a solo player’s predilections, emblematizes music as a bountiful gift, passed from hand to hand, spirit to spirit.
- Erin Bomboy
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Journeyman conductor Arthur P. Toscanini (no relation to Lloyd) was in a pickle. He was scheduled to lead the Christmas Eve concert of the Northern South Carolina Symphony Orchestra in Fingerville when his car broke down. As luck would have it, the area taxicab drivers were on strike, and Fingerville was serviced by neither bus nor train. Then Arthur had the bright idea of air-mailing himself directly to the concert hall. A parcel packing company did an excellent job of bundling him up, even using the music scores to pad his keister. Alas, the packers failed to regard the maestro’s baton as a potentially dangerous weapon and simply slipped it into his coat pocket. The Fingerville coroner later surmised that the artificial intelligence chip accidentally switched on during transit, sensed a nine-eight rhythm in the rocking of the aircraft, and began to self-conduct “The Ride of The Valkyries.” Firmly trussed and unable to defend himself, poor Toscanini bore the brunt of 236 ferocious downbeats.
- David Gunn - www.davidgunn.org
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We would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season! May it be filled with bright lights and much music!
Warm wishes from Rob Voisey, Douglas DaSilva, and the entire team of Vox Novus.
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Congratulations NOLAN STOLZ !!!!!!!!
Nolan is the official winner of Composer's Voice Dance Collaboration! John Maycraft came in second place. Marilinda Santi received the most votes from the physical show, but Nolan pulled ahead during the online voting portion.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your beautiful music with the Composer's Voice Dance Collaboration! It has been such a treat for Rae, Sam, and me to dance and choreograph to such stunning compositions. "- Erin Bomboy
Check out the video and find more out at:
Composer's Voice Dance Collaboration - the Public Decides
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In celebration of 60x60's celebration of a decade of one-minute works. 60x60 has created its second UK Mix comprising of composers and sound artists from the United Kingdom. Elainie Lillios is the audio coordinator for this mix.
60x60 (2012) UK Mix include:
Monty Adkins,
Torsten Anders,
Hannibal Eric Andersen,
Robert Bentall,
David John Bird,
Paul Burnell,
Bernard Clarke,
Ricardo Climent,
Adam Cullen,
Philip Watts d'Alton,
Aidan Deery,
Gordon Delap,
Robert J Dow,
Roger L Doyle,
Ambrose Field,
Diego Garro,
Gerard Gormley,
Daniel Grossman,
Kerry L Hagan,
Christopher Haworth,
Connor Hutton,
Fergus Johnston,
Elischa Kaminer,
Ka Yau Lau,
Sebastien Lavoie,
Augustine Jan Seth Maranatha Bannatyne Leudar,
Jesse Lyons,
John Howard Maycraft,
Danny Mc Carthy,
Daniel Clive McCallum,
Stephen McCourt,
Liam Molloy,
Moore,
Peter Mottram,
Roger Norwood,
Emma O'Halloran,
Mariko Otake,
Felipe Otondo,
Lefteris Papadimitriou,
Karen Power,
Stephan Probst,
Robert Ratcliffe,
Philip Reeder,
Peter Roberts,
Paul J Rogers,
David Warren Ross,
Stephen Jay Schumacher,
Richard Scott,
Les Scott,
Nichola Scrutton,
Achilleas Sourlas,
Joe Stevens,
Stollery,
Theo Vidgen,
Patricia Walsh,
Lisa Whistlecroft,
Tom Williams,
Paul Wilson,
Simon D. Wilson, and
Nena Zinovieff
You can find more out at:
60x60 (2012) UK Mix
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Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Jacqueline Martelle (flute)
Deadline January 1, 2013
Vox Novus is calling for one-minute solo flute works composed for Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Jacqueline Martelle to be performed at the Mother’s Day, May 12, 2013 Composer's Voice concert in New York City. The one-minute FLUTE works are to be written specifically for this project, which will be performed by Jacqueline Martelle. As a mother of three adult sons, Martelle suggests that the compositions may incorporate any aspect of the theme of Mother’s Day, including childhood, motherhood, sons, daughters, parents, etc. The compositions should be for solo flute.
Click here for more details
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Liana Valente
(voice & piano)
Deadline January 1, 2013
Vox Novus is calling for one-minute pieces for soprano Dr. Liana Valente with piano composed for Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame to be performed Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at the Tuesday Music Club (an affiliate member of the National Federation of Music Clubs) in Lakeland, Florida. The one-minute pieces are to be written specifically for this project. The concept of these compositions revolves around Dr. Valente singing and playing the pieces; Dr. Valente has a powerful and expressive soubrette/coloratura voice with a rich and full middle range; she possesses moderate piano skills, able to accompany her voice studio members when singing German Lieder, French melodie, American art songs and operatic repertoire such as Mozart’s “Deh vieni,” and “Porgi amor” and Massenet’s “Va! laisse couler mes larmes.” The call is for scores that incorporate humor, poignancy, satire, and/or other surprises into the compositions.
Click here for more details
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60x60 Dance is seeking choreographers and dancers of all styles and genres to participate in the upcoming 60x60 Dance event in Toronto on Sunday March 10 at 8 p.m.
http://www.60x60.com/calls/
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conTemplum’s annual New Music Symposium
Posted: 19 Dec 2012 08:31 AM PST
Expiration of Opportunity:
The second annual National Student Electronic Music Event will be hosted this year at Temple University in conjunction with conTemplum’s annual New Music Symposium. The event will feature a keynote address by Ge Wang, one of the primary creators of ChucK audio programming language and co-founder of Smule.
read more 
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The 2013 Salvatore Martirano Memorial Composition Award
Posted: 19 Dec 2012 08:23 AM PST
Expiration of Opportunity:
Salvatore Martirano Award
read more 
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Workshop Intensive for Composers and Musicians: Silk Road Music - DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JAN 12
Posted: 17 Dec 2012 10:59 AM PST
Expiration of Opportunity:
DEADLINE TO REGISTER EXTENDED: January 12, 2013
Please visit this web page to apply: http://www.earsay.com/bwb/opps/workshop/index.php
The Big World Band
in collaboration with the
Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra
presents
Workshop for Composers and Musicians: Silk Road
the music of the Silk Road from the Mediterranean to China,
with a focus on plucked stringed instruments and percussion.
January 12 & 13, Vancouver, BC, CANADA
read more 
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