Tag: New Music

The Fisher Ensemble “At the Hawk’s Well”

By Harlan Glotzer

Entering the Chapel at the Good Shepherd Center this evening, I was struck with the calm and focus of a dedicated artistic space. This was largely due to the beautiful ambiance of the stage and sonic arena created by the Fisher Ensemble for the world premiere of the piece At the Hawk’s Well even before it officially began. I was greeted by a stage, though stark, not lacking in visual interest. Two paper masks created by Louise McCagg sat atop three blocks arranged in a stair pattern, which was in turn flanked by two white screens lit from behind. Simple blacks and whites, but I couldn’t help but follow my eyes around the set three or four times before I felt satisfied that I had truly seen the initial image. The strong but soothing angles were accompanied by prerecorded recitation. I could not quite make out what I was hearing, but the male voice on the PA was smooth and low. I could pick out a word or two here and there, but it seemed less important what was being said and more the flavor of how the sounds filled the architecture of the stage. All this before the music even started! I knew I was in for a treat.

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45th Parallel debuts in Portland

By Lorin Wilkerson

Saturday night, January 16th, marked the inaugural concert of a new Portland chamber music group that goes by the name of 45th Parallel.  Its goal is to make a home for chamber music by talented local musicians, to “bring Portland’s rich chamber music culture out of the living room and onto the stage.”  Last night’s concert at the Old Church was rich indeed, featuring a sort of A-list of some of Portland’s finest string players, in this case all members of the Oregon Symphony (and other groups).  The evening featured three works, by de Bériot, Verdi and Tchaikovsky, all of which works were influenced by opera or ballet.

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Review: Paul Taub Celebrates 30 Years of Music-Making in Seattle

By: R. M. Campbell

The flute is not a traditional major solo instrument but Taub, by virtue of hard work, a lot of talent and a nose for provocative new work, has nearly made it one. He is often in concert in Seattle, either by himself or with others, as well as traveling in the United States and Europe to give concerts. He came to Seattle and Cornish in 1979, after studies at Rutgers University and the California Institute of the Arts with such noted musicians as Michel Debost, Samuel Baron, Marcel Moyse and Rpbert Aitken. Early on he demonstrated an avid interest in contemporary music, a path he has pursued with vigor and intelligence.

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Breakfast with Paul Taub

This Saturday, acclaimed local flutist Paul Taub is celebtrating 30 years in Seattle with an anniversary concert at Cornish College.  Seattle audiences know Paul well through his work with the Seattle Chamber Players, his solo flue recitals, and through his work as a Cornish faculty member.  I was lucky to be able to sit down with Paul this past weekend and chat with him about his upcoming concert.  The concert will feature works by a number of composers, many of whom Paul has gotten to know through his association with the Seattle Chamber Players. 

As you will hear in Paul’s own words, anyone interested in the flute and new music should definitely check out this concert.  On a side note, anyone interested in perfect pancakes and delicious, garlic laddened scrambled eggs should head over to the Blue Dog Kitchen in the U-District (thank you Paul and thank you Yelp). I recommend the Blue Dog Special with veggies.

Third Angle brings the newest of sounds from China in stellar concert

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There’s a huge landscape for new music in China, and the Third Angle New Music Ensemble explored a bit of that territory in an exciting concert on Friday evening (October 24) at the Fields Ballroom in the Portland Art Museum. That landscape (both external and internal) is being discovered and given a voice by Chinese composers who are fusing sounds from the East and West in exciting ways. Third Angle found a way into the heart of these sounds and delivered intriguing performances of music by Chen Yi, Jia Daqun, and Ye Xiaogang. To make the concert even more special, Xiaogang was present, as was special guest soloist, the zheng virtuoso Haiquiong Deng.

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Third Angle creates upbeat concert of music by Jennifer Higdon

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It has got to be a little nerve-wracking to play the music of living composers when they are in the audience, but the stakes are even higher when a two-time Grammy winning composer is sitting in the front row, alert as a robin in spring time. Yet members of the Third Angle New Music Ensemble stepped up and played their hearts out last night (May 15) at the Old Church in a concert that primarily featured the music of Jennifer Higdon.

Things started off sort of like a rock concert when the audience (which almost filled the hall to capacity) enthusiastically greeted the performers as they walked onto the stage even though their appearance was somewhat tardy. In a short preparatory remark, Higdon told how the first number on the program, “Celestial Hymns” had been played at the Angel Fire, New Mexico, which is at a very high elevation, and that she had worried that the ensemble there might pass out because of the demands of the music. I got a sense of what she was referring to because clarinetist Todd Kuhns had to breathe life into a note that he sustained for a very long time right at the beginning of the piece. Supported by crisp playing from his comrades, violinist Ron Blessinger, violist Brian Quincey, cellist Hamilton Cheifetz, and pianist Susan Smith, Kuhns used superior breath control to get the most out of this evocative work, and together the ensemble took us to a higher plain that was soothing and satisfying.

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Jennifer Higdon chats about life as a composer

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The Third Angle New Music Ensemble will play several works by Jennifer Higdon in its upcoming concert this Friday at 7:30 pm at the Old Church in downtown Portland. Higdon’s music has been much in demand by vocal and instrumental ensembles, and she has garnered a couple of Grammys as well. I talked with Higdon last week about her life and work.

You have done many residencies over the past few years; so where do you call home?

Higdon: I’ve lived in Philadelphia for the past 22 years; so I think of it as my home base. This is the first year in a while that I haven’t been in residence with an orchestra. I couldn’t squeeze it into my schedule.

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Composer John Paul talks about writing new music for rediscovered silent film

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Composer John Paul, who heads the music department at Marylhurst University, has written a score for the silent film “City Girl,” which will be shown at the Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Festival. The festival will show 10 films in ten days and ” John Paul’s score will accompany “City Girl” at 7 pm on May 8 at the James Ivory Theater, Villa Maria, on the campus of Marylhurst University. Tickets are $10.

I talked with John Paul a couple of weeks ago about this intriguing project.

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