Live music, microtonally and otherwise...

Friends on MMM,

I know, I know: where has ListMom been these days?

Biddy, very biddy.

I've watched the traffic, and wished I could download/listen to the music posted recently. Suffice to say it will happen, and I'm gladdened for the activity. In less than 24 hours I'll have time to devote to the larger world again.

But for now, if anyone is in striking distance of San Diego tonight, Saturday, April 27th, you can treat yourself to a fun concert. I've had the pleasure of 'co-producing' a program with the San Diego Symphony with guest artist Steve Schick. Called "Heartbeats of the World", it is an orchestral and otherwise survey of pulse, rhythm, and all the groove that moves; of sound from percussion that makes one more in tune with the underlying movement that abounds.

Details are: San Diego Symphony with Steve Schick, Copley Symphony Hall, 7th and B, San Diego, 8:00 pm. One night only...

Opening with a percussion quartet improvisation that plays off a heartbeat, the concert continues with a wide array of musics: Chavez's evocative "Sinfonia India", "Temezcal" for a pair of maracas and taped accompaniement, a world premiere by Ward-Steinman, and more orchestral fare.

Then the fun starts: after a video featuring Steve, myself, and Jung-Ho Pak (SDS Artistic Director) shot at Home Depot on a search for sounds, Steve and I will perform on instruments I have built from found materials. Seriously microtonal, I'll be uploading audio and photos later on so you can see that Mom doesn't offer only lip service to microtones.

The culmination of the evening is Tan Dun's extraordinary "Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra", featuring one soloist and two semi-soloists playing an array of percussion instruments in and out of water! We've built special basins for performing: clear basins filled with water, lit from inside so that all movements are glowing and illuminated, and mic'ed. Many sections, including Steve's evocative cadenza, involve simple *playing* the water, rhythmically and elsewise. It is a deeply satisfying experience.

I've spent weeks on this project, compiling, rehearsing, collaborating, and I have to say that up to this point is has been one of the most involving and moving collaborations of my musical life. If any of you can attend, you will feel my joy and humility in the act of causing music to spring to live and love.

I wish you all the best, and will be more in attendance once the weekend is over.

Onward and up,
Jon

`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`
Real Life: Orchestral Percussionist
Web Life: "Corporeal Meadows" - about Harry Partch
http://www.corporeal.com/
NOTE:
If your reply bounces, try --> jonszanto@...

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., "Jonathan M. Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:

/makemicromusic/topicId_2755.html#2755

> Friends on MMM,
>
> I know, I know: where has ListMom been these days?
>
> Biddy, very biddy.
>
> I've watched the traffic, and wished I could download/listen to the
music
> posted recently. Suffice to say it will happen, and I'm gladdened
for the
> activity. In less than 24 hours I'll have time to devote to the
larger
> world again.
>
> But for now, if anyone is in striking distance of San Diego
tonight,
> Saturday, April 27th, you can treat yourself to a fun concert. I've
had the
> pleasure of 'co-producing' a program with the San Diego Symphony
with guest
> artist Steve Schick. Called "Heartbeats of the World", it is an
orchestral
> and otherwise survey of pulse, rhythm, and all the groove that
moves; of
> sound from percussion that makes one more in tune with the
underlying
> movement that abounds.
>

***Well, congrats, Jon! This sounds like the "big time" to me! As I
recall, this is the orchestra you "generally" play with, so it's nice
to know you could talk them into something like this. How did you do
that, just out of curiousity??

best,

Joe Pehrson

Joe,

{you wrote...}
>***Well, congrats, Jon! This sounds like the "big time" to me! As I >recall, this is the orchestra you "generally" play with, so it's nice to >know you could talk them into something like this. How did you do that, >just out of curiousity??

To tell the truth, a lot of the impetus comes from the outgoing artistic director, Jung-Ho Pak, who is a very forward-thinking music director. He is also the artistic and/or music director of the New Haven Symphony in CT, so be on the look-out for him to have similar innovative programming there (this particular series is called the "Light Bulb" concerts.

And if *any* of you are ever in striking distance of a performance by Steve Schick (who was a regular and founding member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, DON'T MISS IT! He is, hands-down, one of the most compelling performers you will ever hear/witness. Seriously!

I'm going to forward you some more info, off-list...

Cheers,
Jon