A SINFONIA D Preparing Luciano Berio’s whirling tour-de-force for amplified singers and orchestra

KENDRA BROOM, mezzo-soprano, is a student One year ago, as Curtis planned a performance season informed by the in the opera program and one of the eight singers groundbreaking Darmstadt school of composition, a tantalizing idea surfaced: for Sinfonia . Could Curtis present Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia ? CONNER GRAY COVINGTON , conducting fellow, this kaleidoscopic, complex masterwork is rarely performed for a reason: it’s tough prepared the orchestra before the arrival of guest to put together. Singers join the orchestra, offering sung and spoken texts from many conductor Ludovic Morlot. sources—in various languages—that overlap and tumble into one another. the orchestra parts are just as complex, drawing on a multiplicity of musical styles and inspirations. ZACHARY MOWITZ is principal cello of the Add amplification of the voices and two different venues, and the planning for preparation, Curtis Symphony Orchestra. rehearsal, and performance could easily become overwhelming. SUSAN NOWICKI , vocal studies faculty and So Curtis embraced the challenge. pianist, prepared the vocal scores for rehearsal From research last summer, to coaching and rehearsing singers through the fall, to and coached the singers. putting it all together with the orchestra in January, four individuals deeply involved in the preparation reflect on the eight-month-long process that led to performances at Verizon Hall PHOTOS BY PETE CHECCHIA in philadelphia and Carnegie Hall in New York, as part of the Darmstadt all-school project. I

K Confidence is that feeling you have before you fully understand the situation. C I

W Last spring i eagerly accepted the task of preparing eight singers for the Sinfonia O

N performance. i have prepared and performed numerous contemporary pieces in the

N

A course of my career, i am a big fan of Berio, i was familiar with the piece in a general way, S

U and i felt up to the challenge. S My confidence quickly evaporated as details became clear. A rumored piano reduction was, sadly, nonexistent. Vocal parts would not be available until months after i wanted to start rehearsals with the singers. the guest conductor would be arriving three days before the concert. And look what else was on the program: Mahler One! expletives flowed! As i took several deep, cleansing breaths, i assessed my available resources: a full score that often required a magnifying glass to decipher the complex detail of Berio’s idiosyncratic and inconsistent notation; several theoretical analyses of the piece; and multiple wonderful recordings (though it would take several attempts to follow along without getting lost). the density of the score also frustrated my attempts to recreate much of it at the piano. it was becoming clear that this was the biggest challenge i’d ever faced. How would More Online i present a reasonable representation of the piece, keep everyone on track, and still have Learn about performances related to the enough brain space to hear everything that was going on? all-school project at www.curtis.edu/Darmstadt Solution: Delegate! i contacted my wonderful colleague and fellow vocal studies coach, Donald St. pierre. We planned to split up the score to create an ad hoc, two-piano version to accompany rehearsals beginning in the fall. But what about materials for the singers?

16 OVer tONeS SpriNg 2016 A

IA

SUSAN NOWICKI KENDRA BROOM W b i r f t i a a s i w a w n t t i L c t i o o s m t t o b n n e h r h h o i t e

e n h n n n y u f p a o a m f w r e i i e c t

m o

e i a i i i b

t o

m u d d d r e d a g e r r

t l t e t o M h r v a n e r

i t i u d i s h n s c h

r

l y e m e w n a n e e

s

s e m f t a e

t

l t t

i

d e m e w i

h

i e h

o a m p l g l m u n d e t n z l a n w h a r b

e x

a e h o c e n e

r e

e , w e t r y

g p b d e s i c a t

e n c e w o e c e i

e r e

a g

n s t

o

s m a U p e e

o o n i r s r e h d w h v h g o

d t t

c d i c

r p k n g r e r v r a u

r

t e t o u . M e f e

o n e d h r r t

e p i , e

a

h r e e a a b m l r

h a r

n

m e e t a

h c

d a d e h t t t n r d a r n

S u d t o r a a w e g e h , s g g o e n c r h

e e h n t

r u d s n e

u r g t s h

e

a a e r r i o

f o a o n

a n a w h e o d i t p o s a

n y i r

e e t t a

n n k i o r w l f t i s t s

p o

o a n

n u t n

a n o s i c v

m S d

p a e i d t g

w f e n i

t i r m i v

n t f

s a h t e r

c d i i s i t

l e

l t

m o h

L e

g n d d e a n o a i w y

. l e e

i t h p e a c ”

d

b n u n o

r ,

s y u v

v s

g y C n A b i w u e s

d o ) a c i w t

r u

r

g u s e b e e

s

t

t t h : “ o g e r u o e o o p

n t r l o h o

i d

i m r r u i n a a h h p a r s a e r s t l e a n l w t n p y

t

u e

t a t d c t o

d u h o o f

l c n h o e é a m

e o a f a e

r i l f l t n e o

u v i u t u d t n n i

r

n a d s

n o

i d r b n n n d a h n e

a o

K e o n e e n s r e l d

r

s n t t

e c e s s

l e t

e , e d A n e n s

n i i s o

h

d c

t .

w y

i e n

i v t

L e

w o d

a t a

h s e t n l n s o t e h e

o a f ’ t

e o h e

u i p a u o p

p s r n

e é o e

a d n n e g r r e i d a f f

o h e t p r e t d v

e h é

d f e . t i r

s ,

g

h

p s e . p y e

s g h

r m

i a n S i u e ” e t

e

c i l t n t . - e t

t a u h

i i d i n r l l a

i h

n a s c y S l h o o e n a l p (

n

A

g e n m e e i d , h g k t f B o t t e d c

m t e s s

a g i e e a

h

u a e i r

i f

f

e u c

e f b

t e e t o B l

n s i

t u r n o a t n C i n r w p . l r e o o p n e

r . r e r h e n e

e n u l d f e ) e z t a d s g v d f r t r i g l s o h e d

r v

t r d o t

e s e i

t

l e ’ m

t w - i n c o a

o s i e s c y s e s a

h t d n

l o

b c r o h h i o

h ’ o v n b f o a t o r z k a n i s o e W h

n a ’ e e

m e

n e e f r r t t n

c s a d i t

v s e g o s r a i h h n o s

s

r m e

e DIARY g c e n o s

e S e x i

M

t a e o n r t e r e u z c g n f

f k p

e h d m g i c d h o o u

r l t

e .

t i z n g

n t e

h a h e o i

p o f

h a s i n r a s s s e o f o t t c i e h x n n

o

o m ) c o u

o i a h s e r t

b t h

f , f B c n n k p

h

a o d i n h o e

m g m s s l t S

t

, e t i o t

t e l

e e n x , h a p a

a h

e r e e t . h a m

i f

r r S r

h

e e r a n

m t o s p a

t

e o e d n d e d ’ r e i

s i . n w a f e s s o m n r a i o p a l e c

n i o e s a u i

r o

m t e t n r v g . h w n

n h d t S

e o t

t

, r

s , e S g t h a s c e g

i i h S a

a h e d

r e i e u a t e a o s e i a i h n t l e i c e o r a t t c i c q s

l e ’ l l e u g n n - m h

i o s m r s g a i l s

r o a

s t h u l n . s u f d

s

p s p d e f

s i y

h L u l n n

m

m

B i r a e u i o a . e i

a s

i i a

o l

e e s l a s e t d w c n a t r t a

l s t A

e l a r

t , f y r l

h t s

b k e w

i m

n w r

c u l o c V r a o a , o c d

S

l t -

l

e u

e n i f e k o d o f

y t p u a ’ ,

s f w a e o v i y

s t

t e s l , g h e

o r

l t r y

h o t p

s o

e h m n

t s r r e m e s t t t t s k o

b t o h

e , l d e e

u u t h ’ h e n

i

x L a

y

. m

s

c c a c p h e

d d u o

n s g e w i t t o

c e e a A s k r

s

s

T h i

a u e f

s r

y i f h n w e t a o o l e

b e e c t n o i d a

o

a o l p c

c e r h t c o d d s a n l e d l u s o g u s

t u t

o o

n r o s x e a c r k

r f

v h o , p . i z m

o e

n o o i k n y

o d t n l A t o

U e o r z f w ( ,

s d ,

a j f e d t n g t n

t

q d r

e s t e

c

. a t t n

h , w d h h t a e e t l

a

n

u t c

h a

e i h h b , h n n w m C h h e

— b

t a a

t h

l ; o a d u a i e b e c e i k d

v e e t o o a s i u m f p t u t t m o e y n

f

n u e c

o a h

a

e u t s b o n i f r r a l v n

l i h a

e e t t

d i r s v n o e e s t e t n r e b

m e r r

a b : x w i t m

(

o e s i a e i r s d c

t s s t t m “ e o i l r t m t

D u e d s f . t

l e h e d

i o ’

t

e

t

r e l

w , s s t

n h i r l

i

a e m s e i

m n i e e s e t

y h l l i r n r w

g

h v t o e i h a n n s

i . x d b e e

t e g e e p n o

i e

e c e s o n e t i t c s c t a i h n u w c n d i t r

v g ’ r a o s s

b

c i a s b

t h o a r a s b

t y

f a , e , t e r h w

i h m l i

l s i

i e t t

n o s e m e

e r n l a r n y e i a h e a

p h e e f s t g . n d n t o c ’ g w d u

l e s n e t

e s h o a a t —

o r d

l n c l l e n e n l y n e y t t t , A S S w c A S j S o a i m r o i o t i i u b

n i n d i .

u p t n n s s

f o f h o d P a a e d o y c

v

n r

i n g d t u n e i o e i e h r

e

c r i

v s N

n b a s e f r

e t x a t r o e t y o

i c o s n , C i u . f a i

w c i C

f m g n n o u n t i i t s r i o

h g r c

f t g t t r l e c n i e e e k n e i e s n

l n e i r d f

S l t

s t o e c e

S d m i l : —

w g w n o

r K y y d

f a o i C m e

l o t C c

e n h y o

n p w r h o a d

t v i n m h

e a n e r i h n c n o s a n n i s t m

c g

n e t e o c B d , r h t y

r o o

o r

t e

n o G r t

p O e n p

h e t o S — o h r

r f m a a h m i c a o e u n n y

h n OV f

p

d g e K

e a o e C s b

h n s n s p n o e e e e i t d , i e n r c i

v r a a a r s d

a

tON i d e A r n n k .

f s l h u r i g

n i

e l s n

a e n a t , t e u g a e o d

s

S D B e r n t e f l s p S a r o . r u i e r p s s

n o r n ,

i

i a l i o a N l l g m d g

2016 1 7 A L L-SCHOOL PROJECT nailed the opening chord—no sweat. On another occasion, as we began to push a section towards the very fast performance tempo, the combination of concentration and mounting elation was palpable. there were even some smiles as we cruised toward the final double bar .

M During the first few weeks, we discussed performance practice, and Susan Nowicki, our O

O fearless leader, walked us through some of the more difficult passages. the fifth movement, R B in particular, includes a breakneck stream of consonants that we very slowly brought up A R

D to speed. throughout the process, we layered individual and group rehearsals, both to N

E maintain the clarity of the eight voices and to learn to blend our instruments together. K On any given day, we could be rehearsing alone, in pairs, within vocal group (altos and sopranos), or as a full ensemble. i remember a December rehearsal with the four-hand, two piano reduction that Susan and Don St. pierre had worked tirelessly to construct, Conner Covington as our conductor, and all eight voices singing through the third movement , almost up to tempo. it was the first moment when i thought, “Okay, we can do this.” then i remembered that we still had to incorporate the microphones.

N Sinfonia is probably the most dense, complex piece that i’ve ever studied and conducted. O T

G Confronting it for the first time was quite daunting, but i began by reading all that i could N I

V find on the piece. i found some resources online in which Berio himself discusses some of O C

his ideas and vision for the piece, and these helped me understand his musical language R

E and his fascinating choices of texts for the singers. N

N Needless to say, trying to wrap my head around the complexity of the score and struggling

As we began to push a O C to discern the meaning behind the piece was a challenging task. in November i joined the section towards the very fast singers’ rehearsals with their wonderful coaches, Susan Nowicki and Don St. pierre, which performance tempo, the gave me an opportunity to ease myself into the piece with a smaller group rather than having to try to lead the process with the full orchestra from the beginning. combination of concentration

and mounting elation was Z

T Before the thanksgiving break i had taken a Berio score and my part from the orchestra I

W library to look over in my extra bit of free time. i play a good deal of chamber music with

palpable. there were even O M

Abi Fayette, this year’s concertmaster, and she mentioned that it would be good to start trying Y some smiles as we cruised R to understand the challenges we would be up against in a few months’ time, presenting A H

C Sinfonia alongside the Mahler First Symphony. A

toward the final double bar. Z She couldn’t have given me better advice. i didn’t actually start practicing the part right —Susan Nowicki away. instead, listening and slowly figuring out how to decipher the score gave me a great head start on internalizing this wonderfully complex work. the most important thing i accomplished during this score study was simply finding what i could rely on rhythmically throughout the piece—just so i would always have something to fit the cello part into, especially if we ever got lost. (i soon discovered how much i had been overlooking the percussion in the orchestra.) With this kind of work behind me, going into the first

18 OVer tONeS SpriNg 2016 ZACHARY MOWITZ CONNER COVINGTON SUSAN NOWICKI r s M t o s p i b t p s f S t t e t h i o o a c s w a b e f o H i n o i h h h e o i o i u n e

h v a n

p f n n u a e a a r o n n c e n m r

h a e e e u p e

s c

y a f r r d d t t

V m o a

g g

J w o t e

s l t t r i

e h n t t r

e t O A m a l h f d

p

u m e w h h e e o e

i h y w e r — a t t i w r h e

d i c n r r

j o r i l n o h e r e a e r t h n - u e b r e w w u , d i i i

s s s s h u i o a i

l

p d e s c s l

r e

z

, r e

p g t p i M o a s a

p e s h w t a t e j n i a

w e h

d

m

a

a o t r o i n a h i i r n d f u v t f g a s r l r

a

n d n c

a t i u r h a n e h

t n i o a a e e g e m d a t y u c r r u i i t

n s o a r g y p r l t n e ,

l w o i , h

t s

d o

p e

e l o s

i H

e n

s p l e t t s

e

f t u r w a

g a n o

b t

l o d u a

o o s o e t ,

o u a n d r

p e

g r s e

r , t s

t s f g y s a n t l f h

l

g l s a r o

t r t s h r e

i i o r

r t d a h v m i

t y

o

c l i c n e c l s . e

e

n d o d l s o a t i i i l n a y e

n a k

l c e i o l ; h

n n t t s h g n e b y e d d e s u

n o

t d l

a ,

h c h i

d

n l g e s e t

g w

s t e c — f

o s e

u i c f n d o

f a a e

o t e o a i

s t s e n

s d k

r o

w f n t

h t c o w o

u n n d

h t

t r t s o s g e t a h i e i u f a v

r . r i j e e a t e p

o

g e s r

d i r e

m l e u l n o d

a a v e o e h c c n o n

a t

t

l i h a r n e m

t

g r s

s u g

i

e r

h

t n s a t n t e h , g e w n n y o c r m s i t e i

o h y r

i a h r h l n i v n o

i e a e

l l v

e t v s d e

t e y r

a t s e i w e w y i d e e h t e n h o

t

u f g i , e r o d e s h a v

e s t o e

n

i

i n

t s m d r l e e i s e r m r L o c a

p t

i o f m n t w k y e n t o t h i e e i n e

a d f r

a

h i

h r e n n u r s n

e g e b f , t

u i s a e a i r g r o e m q e

e

i f o r S g n w i t d r

e d o , c o a d b s l e s v n n

n a h r j h c s

u e i r f

f

t a h o

t o l r r i e o f n e u

o s v d r m e

l y a t t h n

i

i , g a e l u t t i v

i

f h t e h , h s t - c

o t s l t

l n p h n r o a e

t h h i f o n t t h h w l

i s h e h o k t e a o

r t u n s e

i w c

r e e g

t h

t e t e n o f

k l

r n f a e m

n c i w e C n e

g h

y i o d t

n u

a i r a e M i e u a c h n o r o u t h . n e

p g g n , a u

.

l o i e

a c y

s e

r r n t

r a t u n t m l a c o t h a f l n a .

a n A x u h

e h r s

o

c e

r

o l t

s t t r m “ r t r t s a n l

n l t r o p h d r i

e r

i e e , h

u

t c n a t s u u s n c w r

l n i w l v d

e m h

i n r

e

t h

a o e t o o n e t e a r h r r r m u w o e h a g

i s o h a t t a

u e

p

e u

t i p m o -

o t e c B a l t l i o p o g e , t u i t w i s , s y u r l e n r e s n

a i d

t l s

l h y y r

h t f a e a a e s l

i s i o

a

h r m

t d y r i c , d

a s d

p

a i r e r p r t r

h , t

t f l k a a o o

i

h

i

o w

b p t h i

b n l a o r i m n l o e c n

b i a n o t

s n f u e n i i e u t s o r y i q

e a d

h h

t g i v f

e

h . c n e , p d r l s

i f i n t t m g s t i u

k

u

e e l a v e a i c c t e

w l t e h e , m r

M y t t h q e e r t v

d t i c a r i n i t . o r

, o a i e

c l n a h

o i c e

u k u

w

s e o d g

t a c a n o v

c k

r o t .

o e l l m p h ” p a v g . s

r o t h r y

e l s u i l f h

n

t z c l

e t n e y h e r e e

e t e M o d o m

r i r o e f a o y o t e

r t t

s i n d r g o o e h i u r w

e o n p r h h o t s

y

o f n s e c

e

o n r

g

a t a

t r o r u t m e C t t e e

e t p u s a h f h

r i f h o

n e n h r i p t d p

l

c o l l t o l a s e d e a t s p h l s w y m

e u l o o k

i o e a l a e h n e b . y r u

a s s r e y

i s e

s t i t w r . e y d n r t t c

n e e

N n e a s

d l h n

m a s r f a t s d r s r h : t t e c

n i

o s h n

e o

a e o c

t m o

e r t a w e s i e n a

p a b

e h r g e o c . e

r t

h r n l o

i c i

n

w m o i i i m c o t — l s e

a e t i i

w l e d r ’ v

r a b h e n w e e h e t d u t w f r

l

a e

i i e

y o h

. a g i h d r o k e g e s t

o g p s e w H a

t y . e a e

y i n r a A a

i e h r u i s

,

h

t n t a n i n l m h e

B r s

i

g m l h a c e n a l t

a t a t c t h ,

s l r g

g t i

a e d o

h r s

u t l e t t t

n e s a p s n h a a e t a l o

. a h s h e s i

g

o

t , . h w

t d n l r d e a l p b

t M s o

n n

W e i y a e l i

i A o t s f o e

c

l e

p i n a i n o

o d s h

t t s

t

t h t

n f

m

c d o a

H e h e d t h i h e

n h n e o r i c

e i y n o F o l r s h

, b t n

e d r

e o e y

n p n e

p t B

a s f n g u t o b i i l r t s

e h i x r

u u

t e e l h e r o l e h w e n e

3

n f n e a l

i d l t e e l , i f l l r e p n r e t r , r

e g

r d 0

n l o t d t e o ,

l

p - i r t

d s v s o i e i g

p b o a

n

r w r a

h e

r o n e m b m a e m C

r r s n

b e

s u e n k w s h t a

, s e e t g u d r f

h t o v

. d e

t o e h i o l o i y a t i e e d f

r a w t

s y

c e n f

e t i c o

o r w r a n

w t u a

s o t w u r n u r

r i A a i t e u e m u u a h u t r e o c m o h r

s i i c e d s

r e

t f s k o t e r n a e

e b a p i

d n e

e e s a e h

a

w p

e e s a n

r

t d a w e a i d h b

i l , s n f , l i o

t

n u m d t l

o a e s

l l

o e s

e c b t

e u s t t

l l u o h a n r e

t s o s u t

l , e t , e e r d t s e s A S f r e C o t L H c L c w a w p a t r e o o o i u u u r o o a b g d c

n n d d s l

n t n m r o h h l u e h a i c d h . n o o n v

t e e c t n

e e P d u v v

e e a

s t v h

e r e r c i i c r

g

i N a t c c t o i o f c

t r n m r r

C w

o i c o i a o t n a M M r o c m s n a o i w

r a m h

m v i a o o o ’ l p i v s i

s

a i n p f

r r l n c t i o e

a l i l

n o l l d l r e t n

l k t o o e e l i e o g

r h

g h e n i e f c t t s x

r

n m v t t e .

A c h s e i

o c : d

n e

. e

H o s

t l c b e o o n l g . c a a o a e

i , r

n o

o e g l c c l m

r w

o n d e Z

r e r h a h t r e s d u o p

a i e e r h h

d l

e e

c c — u i

c d s r n e F c f t h e s o t

e

s

a r t

a h J c h

m r r c

o a h y Z S r

a o l e

f e e e h y b o m i p i n e a n

n a t

g

s i u r S a f h M t n y f s n s c e u e r t a o i i a n o h t o r t e n . t r e e n OV s s l f f w y s a r g s h i o

r i , a t a n w w

r i a n

e o d l a t e c e m y a r i i z r i f

i t t o a . a t

t tON

h e h

n t s w i M

n d s h s C i

i e d t n

i o i e g n t a

h n c u e - o o

d f r g e g c p S c n

w e

e t i t u e

S e a h o r l p i p g n s e r t r

t

i

o

z e i

N

g

2016 1 9 A L L-SCHOOL PROJECT