Boston Microtonal Society news

Subject:
A message from James Bergin
Date:
Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:40:30 -0400
From:
Julia Werntz <JuliaWerntz@comcast.net>
To:
BMS group9 <JuliaWerntz@comcast.net>

Dear Friends,

As Executive Director of the Boston Microtonal Society, I am pleased to
write that NotaRiotous, our chamber ensemble devoted to the performance
of
microtonal music, has just concluded an exhilarating 2006-2007 season.
Our
spring concert, held on May 13 at the First Church in downtown Boston,
included stellar performances of challenging and engaging microtonal
chamber
music by Boston composers Hillary Zipper, Joseph Maneri, Julia Werntz
and
James Bergin; Californian James Tenney; and German composer Manfred
Stahnke.
Earlier in the season, our fall concert at MIT�s Killian Hall featured
the
world premiere of a new work by Ezra Sims, Im Mirabell, written for
NotaRiotous. The enthusiasm demonstrated by our audiences was a sign
that
our mission to promote the composition, performance and study of
microtonal
music is a viable one. To the many of you who helped with the 2006-2007
season, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude.

The founder of BMS, Joseph Maneri, retired from the New England
Conservatory
of Music this spring after almost forty years of tireless and
passionate
teaching of harmony, counterpoint, improvisation, and, of course, his
legendary microtonal course -- the only one of its kind in the country.
His
teaching has inspired a host of composers, improvisers, performers and
teachers. We are thrilled to announce that NEC has appointed composer
Julia
Werntz, BMS Artistic Director and member of the Northeastern University
faculty, to take over Joe�s classes in microtonal composition and
performance, and thus continue to introduce this vital musical language
to
young musicians.

We are happy to report that the Boston Microtonal Society was recently
awarded a prestigious grant from the French-American Fund for
Contemporary
Music (FACE), in partial support of our upcoming fall program, �The
French-American Link,� celebrating that connection in microtonal music
by
French composers Alain Bancquart (member of BMS board of directors),
Pascale
Criton, Jean-Francois Charles, Franck Yeznikian, and Americans Jason
Eckhardt, Julia Werntz, and myself. We hope to be able to host some of
the
composers during the week of the concert to work with our players, and
also
to enable their participation in a symposium at one of our local
universities.

As we prepare for the 2007-2008 concert series, we would like to ask you
to
join us by contributing to our annual fund. The FACE grant represents an
important part of our season budget, but your financial support is
urgently
needed in order for us to bring our projects to fruition. Your
contribution,
in any amount, would be greatly appreciated and, of course, your
donation to
the Boston Microtonal Society is tax deductible.

NOTE: for your convenience, donations now may be made by credit card, or
with your PayPal account, through the Boston Microtonal Society website,
if
you click here:
http://bostonmicrotonalsociety.org/Pages/Contributions.html

Alternatively, you may send a check or money order to:

Boston Microtonal Society
55 Beacon St.
North Adams, MA 01247

The Boston Microtonal Society is dedicated to the exploration of the
infinite and exciting possibilities that are attainable through the
growth
of microtonal music. Your gift will ensure that growth, effecting a
lasting,
positive change on the world of contemporary music.

Sincerely,
James Bergin, Executive Director

For more information about our musicians and our fall season, please
visit
our web site:
www.bostonmicrotonalsociety.org

--
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Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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John, Julia, BMS, et al,

Just a note concerning the composer you refer to as
"Californian James Tenney".

As you may know, he died a few months ago from a
recurrence of cancer.

Among other things, he wrote a book called
"Consonance and Dissonance".

To my knowledge he was a Canadian who was from, or at
least lived most of his adult life in, Toronto,
Ontario.

Mark Rankin

--- "John H. Chalmers" <JHCHALMERS@UCSD.EDU> wrote:

> Subject:
> A message from James Bergin
> Date:
> Wed, 20 Jun 2007 15:40:30 -0400
> From:
> Julia Werntz <JuliaWerntz@comcast.net>
> To:
> BMS group9 <JuliaWerntz@comcast.net>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> As Executive Director of the Boston Microtonal
> Society, I am pleased to
> write that NotaRiotous, our chamber ensemble devoted
> to the performance
> of
> microtonal music, has just concluded an exhilarating
> 2006-2007 season.
> Our
> spring concert, held on May 13 at the First Church
> in downtown Boston,
> included stellar performances of challenging and
> engaging microtonal
> chamber
> music by Boston composers Hillary Zipper, Joseph
> Maneri, Julia Werntz
> and
> James Bergin; Californian James Tenney; and German
> composer Manfred
> Stahnke.
> Earlier in the season, our fall concert at MIT�s
> Killian Hall featured
> the
> world premiere of a new work by Ezra Sims, Im
> Mirabell, written for
> NotaRiotous. The enthusiasm demonstrated by our
> audiences was a sign
> that
> our mission to promote the composition, performance
> and study of
> microtonal
> music is a viable one. To the many of you who helped
> with the 2006-2007
> season, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude.
>
> The founder of BMS, Joseph Maneri, retired from the
> New England
> Conservatory
> of Music this spring after almost forty years of
> tireless and
> passionate
> teaching of harmony, counterpoint, improvisation,
> and, of course, his
> legendary microtonal course -- the only one of its
> kind in the country.
> His
> teaching has inspired a host of composers,
> improvisers, performers and
> teachers. We are thrilled to announce that NEC has
> appointed composer
> Julia
> Werntz, BMS Artistic Director and member of the
> Northeastern University
> faculty, to take over Joe�s classes in microtonal
> composition and
> performance, and thus continue to introduce this
> vital musical language
> to
> young musicians.
>
> We are happy to report that the Boston Microtonal
> Society was recently
> awarded a prestigious grant from the French-American
> Fund for
> Contemporary
> Music (FACE), in partial support of our upcoming
> fall program, �The
> French-American Link,� celebrating that connection
> in microtonal music
> by
> French composers Alain Bancquart (member of BMS
> board of directors),
> Pascale
> Criton, Jean-Francois Charles, Franck Yeznikian, and
> Americans Jason
> Eckhardt, Julia Werntz, and myself. We hope to be
> able to host some of
> the
> composers during the week of the concert to work
> with our players, and
> also
> to enable their participation in a symposium at one
> of our local
> universities.
>
> As we prepare for the 2007-2008 concert series, we
> would like to ask you
> to
> join us by contributing to our annual fund. The FACE
> grant represents an
> important part of our season budget, but your
> financial support is
> urgently
> needed in order for us to bring our projects to
> fruition. Your
> contribution,
> in any amount, would be greatly appreciated and, of
> course, your
> donation to
> the Boston Microtonal Society is tax deductible.
>
> NOTE: for your convenience, donations now may be
> made by credit card, or
> with your PayPal account, through the Boston
> Microtonal Society website,
> if
> you click here:
>
http://bostonmicrotonalsociety.org/Pages/Contributions.html
>
> Alternatively, you may send a check or money order
> to:
>
> Boston Microtonal Society
> 55 Beacon St.
> North Adams, MA 01247
>
> The Boston Microtonal Society is dedicated to the
> exploration of the
> infinite and exciting possibilities that are
> attainable through the
> growth
> of microtonal music. Your gift will ensure that
> growth, effecting a
> lasting,
> positive change on the world of contemporary music.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> James Bergin, Executive Director
>
>
> For more information about our musicians and our
> fall season, please
> visit
> our web site:
> www.bostonmicrotonalsociety.org
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.1/857 -
> Release Date: 6/20/07 2:18 PM
>
>

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