The Likeness

Dinklaker Hall, dedicated to and named for the Hoosegow Symphony’s legendary conductor of 51 years, featured a marble likeness of the great maestro in the lobby next to the depilation center. He is shown with his right arm outstretched, baton clasped firmly between thumb and fifth finger, in a pose concertgoers saw for half a century. Not seen are the eleven figurines that preceded the final one in which the sculptor, Miles Pringler, forgot to include the baton. Pringler’s been trying to get rid of the things on Craig’s List for more than a year but there’ve been no takers so far.

David Gunn
www.DavidGunn.org

Great Thanks to everyone who donated to WGDR/WGDH radio! We're still alive and flapping. - Jim Cross

Thank you everyone for donating to to WGDR! WGDR has been a great advocate of 60x60 over the past 11 years! For the decade celebration WGDR did a 10 hour marathon of 60x60. Almost all of the submissions for that year got radio airplay. Take a listen! It is all archived here at:
http://www.wgdr.org/60x60-radio-extravaganza-archive/

The call for the 11th Annual 60x60 is here!!!
We are hoping to go back to WGDR again to do another 60x60 Radio Request Extravagnaza marathon, so this is a great way to get some airplay of your music!

Jim Cross
http://www.wgdr.org

Calling for works for the 60x60 Wave Farm Mix

But wait there is more! There is the 60x60 Wave Farm mix!

November 14, is the deadline for the 60x60 Wave Farm Mix open call for submissions. Vox Novus and Wave Farm are delighted to collaborate on this special edition of 60x60 focused on Radio Art. and we look forward to listening to your 60 second works.

Vox Novus's 60x60 and Wave Farm are calling for one-minute radio art works!

Vox Novus and Wave Farm are delighted to collaborate on a special edition of 60x60 focused on Radio Art. Artists are invited to submit recorded works (created with, for, about radio and transmission) with durations of 60 seconds, to be included in the eleventh annual 60x60 project; a FM broadcast on Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7-FM; and distributed as a Wave Farm Dispatch Series download. 60 compositions will be selected to be played continuously in a one-hour live event and broadcast.

60x60 is a project of "signature works" and short works created specifically for the 60x60 project. Excerpts of larger works are strongly discouraged. Works generated from procedures (i.e. mathematical matrices, organizational systems, or computer programs,) remixed works, or themes and motives recomposed from other of the composer's own work are acceptable. On the occasion of this special collaboration with Wave Farm, 60x60 is specifically seeking radio art composition submissions.

In addition to the 60x60 Wave Farm Mix, Vox Novus is calling for submissions for several other themed mixes including: the International mix, New York Minutes mix, Latin American Mix and others. Details for other mix submissions can be found at: http://www.60x60.com/submission

60x60 Guidelines

Special conditions for the 60x60 Wave Farm Mix:

Questions about 60x60 can be sent to support@voxnovus.com

Works selected for the 2014 60x60 project will be announced on the Vox Novus newsletter NM421: http://www.NM421.com and Wave Farm’s monthly newsletter (subscribe at http://eepurl.com/yRqVP) in January 2015.

60x60 is a one-hour-long show made by sequencing 60 pre-recorded pieces by 60 different artists, each piece a minute in length or shorter. 60x60 has been presented in many performance formats including TV shows, radio shows, multimedia and multidisciplinary events, as well as published several albums of works. Since 2003, 60x60 has received thousands of submissions from over 30 countries. Highlighting the work of a great many artists and composers, 60x60 testifies to the vibrancy of contemporary composition by present a diverse array of styles, aesthetics, and techniques being used today http://www.60x60.com.

Wave Farm is a non-profit arts organization that celebrates creative and community use of media and the airwaves. Our programs provide access to transmission technologies and support artists and organizations that engage with media as an art form. (Wave Farm is incorporated as free103point9 Inc.) For more information, visit http://wavefarm.org/archive/593tvb

The Kids Are All Bright

Composer's Voice, September 28, 2014
Review by Jack Crager

The September 28 Composer's Voice performance at Jan Hus Church is billed as the Fourth Annual Children's Month concert. And the show's curator, CV Artistic Director Douglas DaSilva, regularly teaches music to young people. So we can expect some kids' stuff this afternoon. But not exclusively. Like The Simpsons, this set proves that kids' stuff can operate on two levels and be fun for grownups. And as with The Beatles, we see that work created by and for adults can be thoroughly enjoyed by youngsters. While much of the show is aimed at kids, it's with a provocative twist: Challenge yourself to ponder this grown-up material as well.

First up is young pianist JP Redmond playing his own composition, "Prelude on Old Hundredth." The piece starts with a series of harmonically rich chords, then shifts into a march-like, sauntering rhythm that soon gives way to lines from the familiar melody of "Old Hundredth" (also the tune from other classic hymns such as "The Doxology" — "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow"). Redmond's work deftly weaves these varied elements back and forth, ending on a series of mysterious chords that sound unresolved and final at the same time.

Next is the CV mainstay, "15-Minutes-of-Fame," curated and performed by violinist Katarzyna Bryla and pianist Hui-Cuan Chen. This set is an exercise in controlled mood shifts. It begins with a meditative segment, Rodrigo Baggio's "Stage to Stage," in which trickling piano notes play against mournful violin lines; this segues into Erik Branch's "Sword of Blood and Silver," where the tempo picks up with the piano's roiling arpeggios, settles back, then builds to a climax before descending to a resolution. In Gareth Rhys Jones's "Whitechapel, 1888," a march-like assurance underpins a musical motif that is traded between instruments, boisterously expanded, and brought back to a smooth finish. Later, the frenetic energy of Daniel Mihai's "High Levels in One Video-Game," with short staccato bursts exchanged between instruments like darting bats, gives way to the drops and trickles and plucked violin notes of Jody John Ramey's "Level-Up," followed by the lively gallop and assertive figures of Shigeru Kan-no's "Condensation." At the set's conclusion, we hear the discordant tension of Michael Maiorana's "Boss Battle: Gearbox" segue into the sweet mini-melodies of Inna Buganina's "Returning"; then the lightly rendered, dancing arpeggios of Alexander Simon's "Unfated End [Game Over]" shift to the constructivist sound and edgy chords of the final tune, Laszlo Kékszakállu's "Yorkville Separatist." The tight interchange between the performers allows them to navigate this musical maze without a hitch.

To follow this tour de force, the young virtuoso pianist Yumi Suerhiro performs a composition by Blair Whittington called "Rainbow." This piece's complex bass rumblings are offset by twinkling treble lines, dropping into a softer section that feels like a peaceful but restless dream, gradually building momentum before resolving in a series of lilting, lovely major chords. A master of dynamics, Suerhiro provides a delicate touch in the soft passages, as well as enough strength to literally shake the hall in the loud ones.

Now for something different: Ben Vokits on the tuba, accompanied by Andrew Pak on piano, performing Greg Bartholomew's "In Seaspray, Barefoot." Befitting its wonderful title, this tune has a playful, dancing start that gradually builds energy and seems to sway to and fro, then settles into a smooth, drifting section in which we can imagine that the protagonist is happily swimming in a rest stroke.

Next up is guitarist Roger Blanc, playing his own composition, "Episodi," with Emiko Hayashi accompanying on piano. Early in the piece, the piano figures dominate, with Blanc's electric guitar lines woven in so low-register and low-key that they sound like a viola; this section gives way to a quick back-and-forth between guitar and piano licks that builds in intensity and complexity and then abruptly ends on a mysterious, long-fading chord.

But what about the kids? They'll surely go for the next piece, "The Quangle Wangle's Hat," featuring music by David Morneau and words from the classic tale by Edward Lear. Morneau plays trombone alongside tenor Eapen Leubner, whose melodramatic renderings of the daft poetry, combined with Morneau's ominous music, make for a ludicrous combo worthy of Monty Python. The trombone lines gallop along while the operatic vocals spout gibberish about the Quangle Wangle and his big hat like a town crier on full alert. "And all were as happy as happy could be, with the Quangle Wangle Quee!"

The final piano set is performed by Laura Leon, who presents a suite of short pieces that ebb and flow almost like a miniature 15-Minutes-of-Fame. Leo Kraft's "Music for a Day" progresses from a sprightly short intro to a moodier section with low notes and occidental-sounding chords, then a jumpy interlude followed by a thoughtful, meditate phase, finally settling into a rejuvenated finish. The next piece, Peter Schichele's "Small Serenade," features a more conventional procession of chords offset by clumps of irregular interjections, ending on an upbeat note.

To close out the afternoon with the children's music theme, soprano Michelle Ferrara and guitarist Douglas DaSilva perform two pieces by composers whose ages are in the single digits. First is Moaz Mneimneh's "If the Sun Was Green," a piece with a catchy and memorable melody with a lyric that resonates like a koan. The final piece is Vrinda Trivedi's "10 Little Bunnies," in which the richness of rabbit-ness is rendered in operatic soprano flourishes offset by charming, acoustic guitar lines. These pieces indicate that their creators have vision beyond their years — yet like visual art created by children, they show a clarity, vibrancy, and freedom of expression that all too often fades with maturity. We could all benefit, from time to time, by trying on The Quangle Wangle's Hat.

You can find more as well as see and hear some of the performances at the following link: http://www.ComposersVoice.com/media/

Jack Crager

Upcoming Performances

Composer’s Voice presents the Purchase Brass Ensemble

Sunday, November 9th, 2014 at 1:00 pm

Composer’s Voice presents the Purchase Brass Ensemble premiering works from their current Vox Novus call-for-scores and the World Premiere of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame. Pamela Sklar, bass flute & Suzanne Mueller, cello. Guest Curator: Alyssa Reit

Composer’s Voice presents the Purchase Brass Ensemble premiering works from their recent Vox Novus call-for-scores by Greg Bartholomew, Shigeru Kan-no, Christopher Bill, Kevin Timothy Austin, Gary Powell Nash.

Trombone sensation Christopher Bill will be performing: Chris is best known for his all-trombone arrangements of popular songs. His YouTube Channel has been gaining popularity since the summer of 2012 when he posted his version of Owl City's "Fireflies" for six trombones. More recently, a cover of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" where Chris uses a looping station to compose the song on the spot went viral in the spring of 2014. His videos have since amassed over 5 million views and a following of over 48,000 subscribers. In April 2014, Chris independently released his first cover album, Breakthrough.

The Composer's Voice Concert Series, listed as “One of the premier showcases for promising composers” by Time Out New York

The Composer’s Voice Concert Series is a collaboration between Vox Novus and Jan Hus Church. Performances are short chamber concerts held at Jan Hus Church and are an opportunity for contemporary composers to express their aesthetic and personal voice.

Founded in 2001 by Robert Voisey, the Composer's Voice Concert Series has had more than 100 concerts in New York City. Works are chosen from a wide range of contemporary composers and performed by dedicated musicians devoted to new music. The series has presented the works of hundreds of living composers from around the world. Concerts are held two times a month in the afternoon on the second and last Sundays of most months. The performances are recorded and archived to further promote the new music, performers, and composers. Audio, video, scores, and programs can be found on the Composer’s Voice website. www.ComposersVoice.com

Composer's Voice concert
Sunday, November 9th at 1:00 pm
Jan Hus Church
351 East 74th Street (between First and Second Avenues)
New York, New York 10021
FREE ADMISSION

Calendar

2014 AGBU Sayat Nova International
Composition Competition

AGBU is deploying efforts to attract the interest of young composers to classical music and the traditional Armenian repertoire. If the encounter between classical musicians, of written tradition, and traditional musicians, of oral tradition, is sometimes difficult, it is all the more richer. Together they create the musical heritage of tomorrow.

Hence, the idea of the Sayat Nova composition competition is born, combining modernism, tradition and Armenian inspiration. It aims to discover talented young composers, help them financially, record their works, and diffuse them.

When it was first introduced in 2006, the Sayat Nova Composition Competition proved to be a laboratory of creativity. Amidst festivities for AGBU’s centennial, a panel of expert judges reviewed an impressive range of submissions. On December 9, 2006, it ultimately granted Artur Akshelyan with the first prize. That night, Akshelyan’s piece was brought to life by the Armenian Diaspora Chamber Orchestra through a memorable performance in the Salon Opéra at the Intercontinental Hotel in Paris.

The 2012 AGBU Sayat Nova International Composition Competition was a great success as evidenced by the 22 candidates participating from around the world. Two young composers were distinguished: Tomas Berreiro, Mexican, was granted the 2nd Prize for his work The Death of the Nightingale and Ernest Dulgaryan, Armenian, the 3rd prize for Whispers. In addition to the Sayat Nova competition prize, Tomas Barreiro was awarded the Special Prize "Carnegie Hall” by the jury. As such, his composition was interpreted during the AGBU - NYSEC Annual Concert in December 2013 in the prestigious New York concert hall.

Contest participation conditions:

The 2014 Sayat Nova competition candidates will have to compose for a chamber ensemble consisting of 3 (three) instrumentalists (piano, cello and duduk) and a woman's voice, mezzo- soprano register (spoken or sung).

The duration of the piece must be within 7-10 minutes.

The piece must include one quotation, in any form, from a text of Daniel Varoujan in Armenian or translated into a Western language (i.e. English, German, French, Italian, Spanish or Russian).

The deadline for submission of works is no later than 28 November 2014.

See more at:
http://sayatnova2014eng.agbueurope.org

This concert is being featured on
Music Avatar!

Music Avatar is a great new way to upload works for composer opportunities hassle free!

You will be able to submit, update, and modify your submission all the way up to the deadline date of the opportunity.

Take a look at this opportunity and more at:
www.MusicAvatar.org