ISB and the Year of Collaborative Music
Click here to read Kurt Muroki’s article for Chamber Music magazine, “Beyond the Trout Quintet.”
Click here to read Ali Yazdanfar’s article in the
Vol. 34 No. 1 issue of Bass World magazine,
“The String Quintets of George Onslow.”
The ISB is a partner organization in the Music Teachers National Association's (MTNA) “Year of Collaborative Music.” From March, 2010 through March, 2011, we will be encouraging ISB members to present concerts and events that promote the role of the bass in small ensembles. This is an inclusive initiative, open to amateurs and professionals in all styles of music: jazz, rock, classical, folk, free-form improvisation, and everything else that our members play. It can include classical chamber groups, bass ensembles, jazz combos or any other small group.
For this project, collaborative music is defined broadly as any activity involving two or more musicians, particularly one-per-part, non-conducted ensembles. The umbrella definition would include professionals, amateurs, families, retirees, students of all ages or any combination of interested musicians.
One goal of the YCM is to encourage the creation - by adaptation, improvisation, or writing - of new works of all genres for small ensembles that include bass. For classical musicians involved, there is a great wealth of untapped chamber music repertoire with bass. Another goal of this initiative is to encourage bassists to search for and perform lesser-known works. We will be promoting many different sides of the bass as it is used to create music in all types of groups.
As a part of the yearlong celebration, MTNA has designated January 22, 2011, as the International Day of Collaborative Music (IDCM), one special day devoted to collaborative music making throughout the world. We are hoping that ISB members around the world will create events that celebrate this ideal.
Performers: Let us know of performances that emphasize the bass’s role in collaborative music in any style. Send us the names of performers, a brief description of the concert or event, the location, and contact information to info@isbworldoffice.com.
University Teachers/Professors: Organize an event at your institution (particularly for January 22, 2011), and contact us to be an official ISB Collaborative Music partner. We will help publicize your event on our website and e-newsletter.
Amateurs: Let us know what ideas you have, and what resources you have found to help you connect with other musicians for collaborative music readings and performances.
If you have any questions, contact the ISB at info@isbworldoffice.com.
RESOURCES
Here are some helpful links for collaborative music:
MTNA’s webpage for the Year of Collaborative Music is www.mtna.org/Default.aspx?tabid=677.
ISB member Paul Nemeth has created a massive database of chamber music works with bass. If you’re looking for repertoire ideas go to www.paulnemeth.com/basschamber.htm.
Double Bass.org also has a chamber music listing at www.double-bass.org/music.html.
ISB board member and chair of its YCM initiative Jeremy Kurtz will be posting articles relating to the Year of Collaborative Music and chamber music with bass on his website throughout the year at www.jeremykurtz.com/writing.html.
The Amateur Classical Musicans Association has relevant information for finding other musicians who are looking for chamber groups at www.nycclassical.com.
The Chamber Music Network also has helpful listings for finding other musicians at www.acmp.net/index.php.
Calendar of events
2010
April
Double bass students of Professor Lev Rakov at the Moscow Conservatory performed a variety of ensemble music in concert on April 20, 2010: Cerubini’s “Duetto” for cello and double bass; Russel’s “Duetto” for bassoon and double bass; Runsvik’s “Straussin the Doghouse” for double bass quartet; Petrova’s “The Double Bass Himself” for bass quartet; and Franz Pillinger’s "Von Amadeus bis Jazz" duos for two double basses.
June
The Marie Selander & Tuomo Haapala "Voice and Bass" duo will perform music
by Selander and Haapala at a concert in Frankfurt, Germany, June 4, 2010 at
the university, and at the "Musik i sagobygden" (Music at the Tale Village) festival in southern Sweden. For more information email Tuomo Haapala at: th@julita.nu.
Farley Pearce presents a concert featuring the Viennese bass at 2 PM on June 9, 2010. He’ll perform sonatas by Sperger for both bass and cello and bass and viola on historically set-up instruments during the Berkeley Early Music Festival at the Berkeley City Club in Berkeley CA. Also on the program is the Rossini Duetto, also featuring Viennese tuning for bass, Suite in E Minor for viols by Marais, a Handel sonata for violin and the Biber Passagalia for violin. The musicians are Farley Pearce, double bass, Amy Brodo, cello, Heidi Wilcox, violin, and Jonathan Salzedo, harpsichord. |
ISB member Nico Abondolo’s composition Piano Trio No. 1 from “Love and Marriage” was performed on June 11, 2010 as part of the Malibu (California) Friends of Music’s annual “American Celebration” concerts at the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture.
July
The Des Moines Metro Opera Chamber Music Concert Series featuring members of the 2010 DMMO Summer Music Festival Orchestra presents two chamber works that include double bass on July 11, 2010, 7:30 PM, at Lekberg Recital Hall of the Simpson College Music Building in Indianola, Iowa. Featured works include Streichsextett aus Capriccio by Richard Strauss with Jeremy Baguyos (double bass), Debra Akerlund (violin), Bernie Vaughn (violin), Christine Prince (viola), Linda Benoit (viola), and Colin Ferguson (cello) and Quintet in G-Major (Op. 77) by Antonin Dvorak with John Tuck (double bass), Dawn Posey (violin), Jung-Min Shin (violin), Susan French (viola), and Colin Ferguson (cello). The double bass part is an adapted cello part and works surprisingly well on the double bass.
The Bruce Gertz Quintet performs Thursday, July 15th, 9 – midnight, at the Chianti Jazz Lounge, 250 Cabot St., Beverly, MA. Members of the quintet are Bruce Gertz, double bass, Phil Grenadier, trumpet, Rick DiMuzio, tenor saxophone, Steve Hunt, piano, and Austin McMahan, drums.
The Paul Unger String Trio, with double bassist Paul Unger, appears July 16,
2010, 5:30-7:30 PM at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, TX.
“Fiddlesticks!”, a 1927 silent film starring a double bassist, written and directed by Frank Capra, presented with a new score by Maurice Saylor performed live by the Snark Ensemble with Michael Cameron, double bass on July 24, 2010 at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, East Building Concourse Auditorium.
On Tuesday, July 27, 2010, the annual “Basses Loaded” concert takes place at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, more than twenty double basses playing trios and quartets.
The 2010 Omaha Conservatory Summer Music Institute presents the Quintet in A Major “Trout” by Franz Schubert on the July 28, 2010 OCMI Faculty Recital at 7 PM. The concert takes place in Omaha, Nebraska in the Recital Hall of the Strauss Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The performers are Anne Madison (piano), Mary Amador (violin), Jesse Griggs (viola), Christina Aldred (cello), and Jeremy Baguyos (double bass).
August
The Presto String Quartet, with ISB member Peter Griesinger (who also covers cello and piano), violinist Elizabeth Stancliffe, violinist Laurie Schaller and violist/violinist Ted Smeltz, performed at Shakespeare in the Park in Buffalo, NY, August 4th.
Double bassist Dan Styffe and vocalist Annika Skoglund will give the world premiere of a new trio for mezzo soprano, bass and piano by Norwegian composer Asbjørn Schaatun on August 28, 2010.
October
The Concert Artists of Kean University in Union Township, New Jersey perform on October 14, 2010, 8 PM, at Enlow Recital Hall. The program, “En France,” will include George Onslow's Quintet for Strings in G minor, op. 51 (1835) as well as music by Debussy, Duparc and Poulenc. Performers are Brennan Sweet & Victoria Stewart, violins; Brett Deubner, viola; Susannah Chapman, cello; Anthony Scelba, double bass; Katherine Harris, soprano; Romie de Guise-Langois, clarinet; Lisa Hansen, flute; Robbin Gordon-Cartier, harp; and Allison Brewster Franzetti, piano. Tickets available in September 2010 at http://www.keanstage.com/. Concert will be streamed online.
Bassiona Amorosa, the international double bass ensemble from Germany, will play a concert in Carnegie Hall in the Isaac Stern Auditorium, New York City, on Friday, October 22, 2010. To purchase tickets and for concert Information call 212-247-7800 or go to www.carnegiehall.org.
November
The Concert Artists of Kean University in Union Township, New Jersey perform on November 18, 2010, 8 PM, at Enlow Recital Hall. The program will feature music by Samuel Zyman, Kean Concert Artist Composer in Residence, and conclude with the world premiere of Samuel Zyman’s Quintet for Strings. Performers are Brennan Sweet & Victoria Stewart, violins; Maurycy Banaszek, viola; Susannah Chapman, cello; Anthony Scelba, double bass; Lisa Hansen, flute; Romie de Guise-Langois, clarinet; Caroline Stinson, cello; and Gabriela Martinez and Allison Brewster Franzetti, piano. Tickets available in September 2010 at http://www.keanstage.com/. Concert will be streamed online.
Chris White (Virginia Symphony Assistant Principal Bassist) and VSO violinist Pavel Ilyashov will play together in two performances of Bottesini's Grand Duo Concertante with the orchestra. Performances are on November 18, 2010 at St. Bede's Church in Williamsburg and November 20 at Regent University in Virginia Beach.
Double bassist Dan Styffe and pianist Gonzalo Moreno will perform Frank Proto’s “A Carmen Fantasy” as part of the Oslo (Norway) Philharmonic Chamber series on November 20, 2010. Also on the program will be including Dutilleux´s Quartet “Les Citations” for oboe, harpsichord, double bass and percussion with Dan Styffe, bass, Christian Berg, percussion, David Strunck, oboe, and Knut Johannesen, cembalo.
2011
February
The world premiere of "Gesta Romanorum" by Robert Zimmerman, a musical drama
for seven players based on a medieval morality tale, takes place February 6,
2011, 4 PM, at Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont. The performers are
Joe Schor, violin, Luke Baker, double bass, Ron Lively, clarinet, Jerry
Lanoue, bassoon, Sue Green, trumpet, Doug Personette, trombone, Bob Vacca,
percussion, and narrator and conductor Robert Zimmerman.
March
The Concert Artists of Kean University in Union Township, New Jersey perform a concert version of Rigoletto on March 24, 2011, 8 PM, at Enlow Recital Hall. Katherine Harris, soprano; Joy Hermalyn, mezzo soprano; Jin Hwan Byun, tenor; Richard Hobson, baritone; Bae Joon Lee, bass; Allison Franzetti, piano; and Anthony Scelba, double bass. Tickets available in September 2010 at http://www.keanstage.com/. Concert will be streamed online. |
