2005 SCI Region V Conference An Interview with Steven Stucky
Christopher Gable Ralph S. Kendrick
Butler University RSK: Congratulations on winning the Indianapolis, Indiana Pulitzer Prize this year! How does one feel UPCOMING November 11–13 after winning such a distinguished award? co-hosted by Were you surprised by it, and has your life CONFERENCES Frank Felice and Michael Schelle been much different since?
2006 Region VII Conference During the second weekend of November, SS: I can’t pretend that I’m not pleased University of New Mexico 2005, approximately 48 composers from that this year my number came up. It’s not In conjunction with the John Donald all across the country converged on the that I think that objectively my piece was Robb Composers Symposium campus of Butler University for the SCI the “best” one, of course, but a committee April 2–5, 2006 Midwest Chapter (Region V) Conference. of respected peers found the piece worth Host: Christopher Shultis After nine full-length concerts in three discussing in the company of some of the E-mail: [email protected] days, we were all exhausted, but thrilled by other terrific pieces American composers the experience and warmed by the gave us over the past year. That’s enough 2006 National Conference generosity of the conference’s co-hosts, to encourage a composer to think he San Antonio, TX Frank Felice and Michael Schelle. There hasn’t been wasting his time, and to September 13-17, 2006 was networking, socializing, rehearsing, inspire him to keep trying to do his best. Co-located Conference with the and reuniting, all during informal meetings And it’s hard to be cynical about seeing College Music Society at the on-campus Starbucks, or local your name inked in on the junior end of a restaurants, as well as at the off-campus list that contains your boyhood heroes 2006 National Student Conference Broad Ripple Brew Pub. I always find it (Aaron Copland! Charles Ives!). Arizona State University amazing how small the world of composi- October 2006 (Dates TBA) tion is, and am happy to meet someone I never expected to be singled out this Submission Deadline: TBA who went to school with so-and-so, who year, not after various controversies Host: Glenn Hackbarth also studied with this person, and who surrounding the music prize in recent E-mail: [email protected] knows your best friend’s sister. In any years, and not so soon after the criteria event, we were blessed by unseasonably were broadened to reach beyond what we 2006 Region IV Conference warm weather and clear skies, which used to call “classical” music (a move that I Middle Tennessee State University showed off the beautiful campus and seconded in principle, even while wonder- October 26–28, 2006 pleasant residential setting in a great light. ing how it might work in practice). Like Submission Deadline: TBA many others, I thought that Pulitzer juries Host: Paul D. Osterfield would feel compelled over the next few E-mail: [email protected] years to test the new boundaries—and perhaps they will. You can’t really be 2006 Region II Conference prepared for the avalanche of attention Hamilton College, Clinton, NY that descends the minute the prizes are November 10–11, 2006 announced. There is a nice irony, though, Submission Deadline: TBA in the fact that—since the Pulitzers are Host: Sam Pellman really about journalism and thus obses- E-mail: [email protected] sively covered by journalists—the glare of Overall, the performances were outstand- the media machine alights once every 2007 Region V Conference ing, with special kudos to the students and spring on exotica like contemporary music Clarke College, Dubuque, IA faculty of Butler, who obviously invested a and contemporary poetry. It may be a sort February 22–24, 2007 great deal of time into committed perfor- of accident that we composers get swept Submission Deadline: TBA mances of often quite challenging music. into the limelight once a year along with Host: Amy Dunker Hats off in particular to Michael Schelle, the journalists, but it sure can’t hurt the E-mail: [email protected] who not only helped organize many of the cause we all believe in.
“Region V” ...continued on page 6 “Stucky” ...continued on page 8
TheSociety SCI Newsletter of Composers, XXXVI:2 Inc. March—April 2006, XXXVI:2Page 1 The Society of Composers, Inc. Region V John G. Bilotta SCION Editor The Society of Composers, Inc. is a Dan McCarthy professional society dedicated to the The University of Akron Bruce J. Taub promotion of composition, performance, Journal of Music Scores Editor understanding and dissemination of new Frank Felice and contemporary music. Members Butler University Richard Brooks CD Series Producer include composers and performers both Region VI in and outside of academia interested in Nassau Community College addressing concerns for national and Samuel Magrill Mike McFerron regional support of compositional University of Central Oklahoma Web Master activities. The organizational body of the Lewis University Society is comprised of a National Phillip Schroeder Council, co-chairs who represent Henderson State University Matthew McCabe regional activities, and the Executive Web Content Editor Region VII Committee. University of Florida Bruce Reiprich National Council (2005–2006) Thomas Wells Northern Arizona State University Audio Streaming Project Manager Thomas Wells Glenn Hackbarth The Ohio State University President Arizona State University The Ohio State University Geoff Kidde Region VIII Submissions Coordinator Region I Manhattanville College Charles Argersinger in Purchase, New York Scott Brickman Washington State University University of Maine at Fort Kent Ronald K. Parks Patrick Williams Winthrop University Beth Wiemann University of Montana Membership and Media Relations University of Maine Terry Winter Owens Region II John Beall Independent Composer Student Conference host Anneliese Weibel Representative West Virginia University SUNY-Geneseo Nikitas J. Demos David Gomper Daniel Weymouth Student Chapters President Emeritus SUNY-Stony Brook Georgia State University Greg Steinke Region III Daniel Perttu President Emeritus Student Representative Harvey Stokes Gerald Warfield The Ohio State University Hampton University General Manager Kari Juusela Bruno Amato Berklee College of Music Peabody Conservatory of Music at John Executive Committee (2005–2006) SCI/ASCAP Student Commission & Hopkins University Grants Coordinator James Paul Sain Region IV Chair Glenn Hackbarth University of Florida Student Conference Coordinator Mark Engebreston Arizona State University University of North Carolina Bruce Bennett at Greensboro Newsletter Editor Phillip Schroeder Reed College Producer, SCI Performers Michael Timpson SeriesHenderson State University University of South Florida
Page 2 The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 directed the Choir of Christ Episcopal MEMBERS’ ACTIVITIES Church in performances of Bartholomew’s The SCI Newsletter Beati Quorum Via and The Tree. On the COLUMN same concert, the Quartet from Cornish Editor: Bruce Bennett College of the Arts—soprano Vanessa Please email current information on your Circulation: 1,400 Rose Ament, flutist Samantha Bosch, activities to: Annual Subscription Rate: free with cellist Tracy Hagen, and pianist Jessica membership (electronic delivery) SCI Newsletter Andrews—performed Bartholomew’s On Frequency of Publication: bimonthly. Bruce Bennett, Editor the Trunks of Strong Trees. [email protected] Please send articles, reviews, and Jenni Brandon member activities (email preferred) to:
Daniel Adams SCI Newsletter Bruce Bennett, Editor Reed College Portland, OR 97202 (504) 220-1157 [email protected]
For other business: Gerald Warfield,General Manager Jenni Brandon’s The Wildflower Trio for Society of Composers, Inc. oboe, bassoon, and piano was performed Old Chelsea Station, Box 450 on the New Directions Concert series on New York, NY 10113-0450 Daniel Adams’s composition Khromas Sunday, February 26th at St.Paul’s Diabolus for trombone solo and Episcopal Church in Bakersfield, Califor- [email protected] percussion ensemble was recently nia. This series, part of the Bakersfield www.societyofcomposers.org released on a compact disk entitled Symphony’s concert season, is directed “Greetings From...” produced and distrib- by Howard Quilling. Copyright © 2006 uted by the National Association of The Society of Composers, Inc. Composers, USA. Tom Flaherty All rights reserved Greg Bartholomew
SCION John Bilotta, Editor
SCION, SCI’s on-line electronic news, provides information on opportunities for composers. News items, announce- ments, comments, and other material for publication may be sent via e-mail to:
Mail, telephone calls, and fax messages Cellist Roger Lebow and marimba player should be directed to: David Johnson premiered Tom Flahery’s Cellorimbian Flights on the Monday On February 15, 2006 Bethany Lutheran John G. Bilotta, SCION Editor Evening Concert series at the Los Church in Seattle, Nancy Kern directed 1699 Agadir St. Angeles County Museum on January 9, voci femmine in a performance of Concord, CA 94518 2006. Bartholomew’s A Rainy Day. She also Telephone: 925-685-9259 “Members” ...continued on page 4
The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 Page 3 “Members” ...continued from page 3 tive Music System at New York 2002 Region VII conference at Northern Jerry Hui University’s Composers Forum Concert Arizona Series, Black Box Theater (New York City, University. Feb. 14, 2006); Minute Percussion at the Jerry Hui’s “Three Facets of Love,” was 24th Concordia University Electroacoustics Powers’ wife, Martha (who plays on every premiered on concerts by Sospiro, a Festival (Montreal, Canada, Oct. 12, piece on the CD except one) takes center graduate vocal chamber group in Univer- 2005); and A Miniature Odyssey and stage in 3 short piano pieces, two of which sity of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon on Minute Percussion on the Radio Broad- she performed at the 2005 National February 25th, 2006, and received a cast, Martian Gardens, Massachusetts Conference at Central Oklahoma Univer- repeat performance on February 28th, Public Radio (July 10, 2005). sity. Also heard are Prelude and Baccha- 2006. It is a collection of three settings nal for violin, horn, and piano, Reading adapted from the Song of Solomon, in His recent articles include “Beyond Babble: Issa for viola and harp, and In Silence Latin, written for SATB double quartet, or A Text-Generation Method and Computer Under Many A Star for clarinet, violin, and large choir (divided into half choirs, with Program for Composing Text, Music and piano (heard at the 2001 Region VI two optional solo SATB quartets). Poetry,” Leonardo Music Journal, Vol.15, conference at the University of Kansas). No.1 (2005) and “An Integrated Technique for Transitional Synthesis Between Non- More information is available at Timothy Polashek Pitched and Pitched Timbres,” Journal www.swanswingpress.com, and the CD SEAMUS (The Society for Electro-Acoustic may be purchased online at CD Baby. Music in the United States), Vol. 18, No. 2 (2005). David Smooke
Tim is a music professor and director of The music of faculty composer David the electronic music center at Lehman Smooke, including a world premier and a College in Bronx, NY. Chicago premier, was presented at the Merit School of Music in Chicago on Daniel Powers February 25, 2006. The concert featured some of the best performers of new music in Chicago, including pianist Amy Dissanayake, mezzo-soprano Julia Bentley, violinist Stefan Hersh, oboist Pat Morehead, members of the Fifth House Ensemble, and members of the Merit Timothy Polashek recently recorded a new School of Music Faculty. album of his music, titled “Wood and Wire” (Albany Records, 2006), which includes Pianist Amy Dissanayake, featured soloist the following compositions: Porcupine for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Quest (2002), Piano Sonata (2005), MusicNOW series, performed the Re- Garden Rain (2005), Kite Sonata for Two quests, which was written for her and Pianos (2003), A Few Moments Inside recently recorded for CD release. She also (2005), and Sockets Nocturne (2004). made her conducting debut with the Tim’s recent performances include Sonata Chicago premier of Stillness and Occur- for Tape at the Fifteenth Annual Florida Daniel Powers’ new CD, titled "Spring and rence, a composition for eleven players. Electroacoustic Music Festival at the Fall," is now available. This CD presents a Famed mezzo-soprano Julia Bentley gave University of Florida School of Music (April selection of songs and (mostly) shorter the world premier of the song cycle Anna 2006) and the Society for Electro-Acoustic chamber works, many of which have been Liffey, which was composed for her. Music in the United States 2006 National heard, and in some cases premiered, at Violinist Stefan Hersh, founder of the Conference and Festival at the University various SCI conferences over the past Callisto Ensemble, was featured in Perfect of Oregon School of Music (coming in several years. Included are 10 songs, Mate. Oboist Pat Morehead, founder of March 2006); Hot-Tempered Arpeggios at including “O You Whom I Often and CUBE and member of the Merit School of Spark Festival of Electronic Music and Art Silently Come,” which was the winner of Music faculty, played Taste Sensation, a 2006 (Minneapolis, Feb. 25, 2006); the 2003 Ned Rorem Award for Song CUBE commission written for Dr. Stanzas for Alto Saxophone and Interac- Compostion, and was premiered at the Morehead in 2003, along with Merit School faculty member, cellist Herine Coetzee.
Page 4 The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 Other works included: Dance Music for Jeffrey Hass Named 26th Annual The Nissim Jury recognized Paul Richards electric guitar and flute, performed by Merit Recipient of the ASCAP Foundation (Gainesville, FL) for Special Distinction for faculty member Tom Clippert and Jennifer Rudolf Nissim Prize Music for Midsummer, a 13-minute Clippert, flutist for the Quintet Attacca; and orchestral work. Castles in the Sky for toy piano and two Paul Richards Receives Special violas. Distinction The Jury also awarded Tyler White (Lincoln, NE) Honorable Mention for Mystic Composer David Smooke has taught Tyler White Receives Honorable Trumpeter (Symphony No.2), for Baritone music composition and theory at the Merit Mention and Orchestra with text by Walt Whitman, School of Music since 2000 and also duration 22 minutes. teaches music theory and history at The ASCAP Foundation announced that Roosevelt University. In his compositions, Jeffrey Hass as the recipient of the 26th The judges for this year’s Nissim Award he seeks to create a pitch universe where Annual ASCAP Foundation Rudolf Nissim were: Michael Morgan, Music Director of the common ground between spectralist Prize. The Prize was awarded for Sym- the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Artistic and tonal consonances is highlighted and phony for Orchestra with Electronics, a 27- Director of the Oakland Youth Orchestra, juxtaposed with experimental composi- minute work in four movements, selected Music Director of the Sacramento Philhar- tional techniques. Natural phenomena from amongst nearly 250 submissions. monic, and Artistic Director of Festival serve as an inspiration, reflected in Hass will receive a prize of $5,000. Opera in Walnut Creek; Gil Rose, Artistic melodies reminiscent of bird calls and in Director of the Boston Modern Orchestra pulsing yet unpredictable rhythms similar Jeffrey Hass is currently a Professor of Project (BMOP); and Diane Wittry, Music to tidal wave patterns. Moments of pure Composition at Indiana University, Director of the Allentown Symphony and sometimes static sonic exploration Bloomington, where he serves as the Orchestra and the Norwalk Symphony coalesce into long sinuous melodies or Director of the Center for Electronic and Orchestra. funk-style grooves. Computer Music (CECM), having previ- ously taught music theory and composition The Nissim Prize is funded by The ASCAP The compositions of David Smooke have on the faculties of Rutgers University and Foundation through a bequest of the late earned numerous awards including a the Interlochen Center of the Arts. His Dr. Rudolf Nissim, former head of MacDowell Colony Residency Fellowship compositions have been premiered by the ASCAP’s International Department. Nissim and the William Schuman Prize for Most Louisville Orchestra, Memphis Symphony, joined the ASCAP staff immediately after Outstanding Score from the BMI composer and the Concordia Chamber Orchestra emigrating to the United States from awards. His works have been featured on and have had performances at Lincoln Austria in 1940. festivals nationally and have been played Center and at national music conferences by ensembles including the Saint Paul of the Society of Composers, International The Nissim competition is open to all Chamber Orchestra, the Pacifica String Computer Music Conference, International ASCAP members who compose concert Quartet, eighth blackbird, the California Double Reed Society, SEAMUS, and the works requiring a conductor that have not E.A.R. Unit, the International Contempo- College Music Society. Hass received a been professionally premiered. To rary Ensemble, Syzygy (the faculty new Bachelor of Music from Vassar College, a encourage the professional premiere of the music ensemble of Rice University), the Master of Music from Rutgers University prize-winning work, ASCAP makes University of Iowa New Music Ensemble, and a Doctorate from Indiana University. supplementary funds available. and the U.N.C. Greensboro Faculty String He studied composition with Richard Quartet. He holds a B.A. from the Univer- Wilson, Robert Moevs, Frederick Fox, sity of Pennsylvania and an M.M. from the Donald Erb and Bernhard Heiden. His Peabody Conservatory and is nearing Alert! band and orchestral works have won If you teach in a department or school completion of his Ph.D. from the University several national competitions and are of Chicago. of music, please ensure that concert published by MMB Music Publishers and programs presented by your university Ludwig Music Publishers. Recordings of Terry Vosbein are being collected and sent to both his works have been released by Indiana ASCAP and BMI on a regular basis. University Press, Albany Records, Society Each agency, which relies on these Vosbein’s composition Village Scenes for for Electroacoustic Music in the US programs, extracts performance alto saxophone and piano was performed (SEAMUS), Arizona University Record- information and determines the amount at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall on February ings, and RIAX Records. of royalty credited to each composer 6, 2006, featuring James Bunte on alto based on a sample rate. saxophone and David Riley on piano.
The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 Page 5 “Region V” ...continued from page 1 conference that openly referred to this “Levodextrophobia (the fear of things to logistics of the conference, but also country’s current political climate. Finishing the left and right sides of the body). conducted the Jordan College of Fine Arts off this opening concert in hilariously Composers Orchestra on three perfor- swanky style was Michael Schelle’s Concert III featured electronic and elec- mances of SCI composers’ works. Gimme Shelter, written for and performed troacoustic music. Andrew Houchins was by Butler faculty Larry Shapiro and well-represented with Tuba Concrete, Aesthetically, a wide variety of styles were Catherine Bringerud. The piece is basically performed by Todd Kaufmann and exhibited, sometimes in the same piece. a diptych: the A section being “harsh, recorded tuba sounds. Mr. Houchins at The only quibble I have as an audience jagged, rough,” followed by a “bright and times drastically changed the tuba sound member is that a majority of the composi- beautiful” B section. Part of the beauty for into all sorts of permutations, including a tions seemed to have a rather slow tempo. me was that Mr. Shapiro, after disappear- section that sounded similar to trumpets. Many pieces fell into the 40-72 bpm range. ing during a piano vamp, reentered the Perijove, for DVD and computer-derived Not that that is a problem per se (my piece stage and performed the second part in a sounds, was a true multi-sensory experi- was also rather slow!), but while listening smoking jacket. ence. Beautiful images of water accompa- to so many concerts in a short amount of nied the music. The first half ended with time, one craved more rhythmic and The second concert featured more Neil Thorncock’s From Huygens’ Work- emotional variety. chamber music, beginning with Biljana shop, for toy piano (amplified) and Bozinovska playing her own solo cello recorded sounds, most of which were The conference kicked off on Friday piece, Nostalgia. Haunting, beautiful derived from the toy piano. I found it morning in the newly renovated Eidson- melodies inspired by folk music from her interesting that the overall effect was not Duckwall Recital Hall (nicknamed “The native country, Macedonia. Next up was unlike a gamelan sound. Unfortunately, Duck”), a building that previously housed guitarist Zane Merritt, who performed his because Mr. Thorncock sat on the floor of the University’s chapel. It now has a bright own technically demanding Three Pre- the stage, many of us in the audience and resonant acoustic, thanks to the ludes for guitar. He is a member of the could not see him behind the projection happy absence of carpet on the floor. “visiting” New Music Ensemble from Clarke equipment. Matthew Lanier, a Master’s student at College in Dubuque, Iowa, led by Amy Butler, got things off to a majestic start with Dunker. More about them below. Following The second half of this concert began with his composition for violin and piano, Kalte Mr. Merritt was James Romig’s Piano my favorite electronic piece of the confer- Füße. Moon in Blue Shadows for flute and Sonata, confidently and expertly performed ence, Jason Bolte’s Friction, which is a piano by Bruce Reiprich showed off the (from memory!) by Ashlee Mack. I must musique concrete piece entirely made up coloristic and impressionistic talents of confess that although I am not a huge fan of sounds of things rubbing against one both composer and performer (Jennifer of serial composition, this piece blew me another. Hard-Boiled Wonderland was Wittig, flute). Soprano Mary Anne Scott away. It was totally captivating and always another DVD + audio collaboration, with really woke us up with her finely controlled interesting from beginning to end. The music by Hsiao-Lan Wang, and images by and huge instrument, on two songs by latter half of the recital was made up of Daniel Zajicek. Both image and sound Michael Hegedus. The Alleluia was music by Daniel Perttu, Arthur Gottschalk, were quite abstract, but still managed to especially exhilarating. Next was my own and Stacey Barelos. Mr. Perttu’s piece, convey a kind of whimsy and ironic sense chamber piece, The Soldier’s Angel, ably Tonospheres, for violin and cello, made of humor. The final piece of this concert performed by Michael Schelle and the excellent use of double stops in both was Interaction for piano and electronic JCFA Composers Orchestra. It is a instruments to create a string-quartet-like sounds by Mei-Fang Lin, performed by companion piece to Stravinsky’s The sound with just two people. Mr. Kate Boyd. This stood out from the rest of Soldier’s Tale, using the same instrumen- Gottschalk’s Beat is a setting of four of the pieces on this program because the tation. After intermission, clarinetist Erin Jack Kerouac’s Choruses from the composer deliberately did not use piano- Smith masterfully performed Ryan author’s Mexico City Blues for soprano and derived sounds for the electronic part. In Jesperson’s moody, meditative scenes piano. In this performance, Nancy Davis fact the piece was more about the search from a solitary beach. British rock group Booth gave a very “hip” reading of the for similarities between the two contrasting Radiohead made an appearance at the songs, which have a 60s ethos. Rounding mediums. conference…OK, not really, but Michelle out the second concert was Stacey McQuade Dewhirst’s trio for horn, flute and Barelos’s Phobias for piano, which After dinner on our own, the SCI confer- percussion deconstructs the band’s song portrayed both the humorous and serious ence moved off campus to Northminster “2+2=5.” This piece nicely captured the sides of phobias. One movement was pure Presbyterian Church, for an evening of angst and flavor of the original song and theater, consisting only of Ms. Barelos more chamber music and choral music. was expertly played by a Butler faculty trio. shifting nervously from side to side on the Residual Air by Ross Feller for solo It was also one of the only pieces at the piano bench; this was called baritone saxophone included prescribed Page 6 The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 gestures and movements for the per- Jacobs’ Drifter’s Heart for viola and Steinman’s Inside Out was next, which former, Jon Flodder. The expectations that recorded sounds. Sheila Anne Browne was excellently performed, almost entirely Mr. Feller sets up are, later in the piece, skillfully maneuvered her way through this inside the piano, by Butler student per- confounded by non-“natural” gestures and challenging piece. Next was another entry former Molly Wood. Butler percussion movements that don’t seem to make by our friends from Clarke College, this faculty Jon Crabiel concluded this sense. But that is the point, and it made for one a marimba duet by Marissa Lingl, who afternoon’s recital by negotiating the mind- a very interesting experience. The Child in also performed it along with Adam Zeimet. blowing, phase-shifting and cross rhythms the Hole by William Vollinger was chillingly Entitled Beginnings, it is the first composi- of Eric Simonson’s Geometry IV for solo and piercingly performed by Tammany tion by Marissa, who displayed a strong marimba. Shankle (mezzo soprano) and Kristin knowledge of the marimba as well as Moreno (clarinet). This dark piece is based clearly-defined form. Two selections by The only paper session followed later that on a Holocaust story of a Polish boy who Canadian composer Dan Rowsell were afternoon, with fascinating discussions of hid in a hole for three years, and survived. next, presented by the Butler University the music of Tan Dun (by Michael Virtuoso tubist Todd Kaufmann returned Jazz Combo. These pieces, one a straight Hegedus), Toru Takemitsu (by Bruce for the second time that day to perform five ahead combo-style tune, the other a more Reiprich), and extended techniques for the of Allen Molineaux’s Etudes of updated fusion sound, featured excellent recorder, demonstrated by James “E”xpression. All the etudes are based on solos from just about everyone in the Chaudoir. human qualities and moods beginning with band. The Clarke College New Music the letter “E”: from exuberant to envy. Ensemble returned en masse for its “Saturday night’s alright for fighting,” as Sir harles Savage’s Mad Rush to the End did conductor’s own piece, Uh, Not Likely, Elton John sang, but none of that was just that, winningly performed by Da which featured the unique instrumentation evident at the conference dinner at id Elliot on clarinet, and Jon Flodder on t of flute, clarinet, guitar, marimba, and Forbidden City, an excellent Chinese nor saxophone. Next up was the choral percussion. A wonderful finale to the Buffet. It was said that composer Chris material, well-prepared and performed by morning concert was Allen Strange’s Arrell of Clayton State University filled his the Butler University Chorale under the Extended Play for percussion ensemble. plate up approximately 53 times. After direction of Eric Stark. Host Frank Felice’s The Butler Percussion Ensemble was as dinner, we all met back at the marvelous The Word Made Flesh was a beautiful, tight as, well, a drum in this exciting moto Clowes Memorial Hall on campus, memorable canon in the tradition of perpetuo piece. originally built for the Indianapolis Sym- William Billings. Frank LaRocca’s lumines- phony. It is quite a luxury for a university to cent Exaudi was a highlight of this concert The second day continued with another have such a fine concert hall. The audi- for me. Wonderful 12-part writing, with midday recital in the beautiful “Duck.” We ence certainly luxuriated in the sounds of challenging half-step motion creating an opened with Hye Kyung Lee’s brilliant the Butler Symphony Orchestra, con- incredibly rich harmonic palette. Dei GASP, played by the composer in a ducted by Richard Auldon Clark. This was Angelus was Michael Schelle’s contribu- display of nearly constant energy. Next a concert of entirely American music of the tion to the choral concert. This piece for was Daniel Gilliam’s Nocturnes, written for 20th and 21st centuries. SCI composers organ and choir was sweet and powerful, and performed by his wife Lacey, with Jason Bahr, Daniel Powers, and Jonathan and was written in honor of the birth of Mr. piano accompaniment. All three texts, by Graybill were represented on the program, Schelle’s son (now 21). Whitman, Thomas Moore, and Dickinson, along with other pieces by Jonathan dealt with various aspects of the night. Canning, Samuel Barber, and Aaron Christopher Arrell’s Phrase for L.L. was a Copland. I found it interesting that all the fascinating meditation on tone-color, with SCI works had to do with, or referenced, the intention of creating one “mega- stars. Mr. Bahr’s piece, Ad astra per instrument” out of a quartet of piano, cello, aspera was a sensitive portrait of the violin, and clarinet. Once again Michael Schelle conducted the Butler Composers Orchestra in this fine performance. After Visit our Web page halftime, we were treated to a trip to the Dr. Mike McFerron, assistant professor at mall...not literally, of course, but through the Lewis University, is our webmaster. The next day saw three concerts and a William Vollinger’s Violinist in the Mall, with The URL is: paper session. The first took place in the piano accompaniment. This was a http://www.societyofcomposers.org music building proper, in the nicely programmatic piece, with “Muzak” of the equipped large rehearsal hall (not the mall humorously competing with the Please visit the Web site and send official name). This was the most brief of violinist’s favorite excerpts from the comments and suggestes to all the concerts, and it began with Kenneth classical repertoire. David Ward- [email protected]
The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 Page 7 history of Kansas, and was written to the tools of music (instruments). It proved “Stucky” ...continued from page 1 honor that state’s sesquicentennial of its to be a colorful and energetic ride all the declaration as a Territory. The title is the way to the last movement, “The Ballad of RSK: You are a widely regarded expert on Kansas state motto, and translates as “to Casey Jones.” This recital was concluded Lutoslawski. What interests you about his the stars through difficulties.” The second with Christopher Rutkowski’s Passages, a music? half began with Mr. Powers’ The Starry piece that he wrote for the Ronen Cham- Messenger, written in honor of the Terre ber Ensemble. It concerns the passages SS: For me he is a composer who found Haute Symphony Orchestra’s 75th anniver- that people at various stages of life an ideal balance between technical sary. This piece was absolutely gorgeous: experience, one movement a Lament, and mastery and clear communication. Many a colorful, lush work that was also an the other an up-tempo “Halaka”, based on people focus on his richly detailed tex- homage to Galileo. Just before the end of a klezmer tune used for a child’s first tures, and these are of course admirable, this concert (a finely-tuned reading of haircut. Both movements displayed a great but it is the control of harmony that matters Copland’s Billy the Kid) was perhaps the sense of pacing and instrumental sensitiv- most — and that makes the textural ideas “highlight” piece for me of the whole ity. beautiful and compelling. (No texture, no conference. Closing the concert was a matter how imaginative, is worth anything gorgeously slow-moving, rich piece for The final concert of this very successful without the right harmony.) Lutoslawski strings, Nightscape by the 23-year-old conference was given by the Butler Wind was also a model for how to live a life of Jonathan Graybill. This composer from Ensemble, conducted by Robert discipline and integrity amid trying circum- Eastman has big things ahead of him, I’m Grechesky. Once again we were treated to stances, and for his patient, painstaking sure. What he has that a lot of young a program of all 20th and 21st century work habits. (For each page of finished composers lack is the elusive quality of works, some of them already classics of music in his output, there must be ten or patience. He doesn’t rush to get ideas out, the Wind Ensemble repertoire (Al Fresco, twenty sketch pages of various sorts. He at least in this piece, but rather waits and by Karel Husa, Hill Song No. 2, by Percy never, ever settled for the easy solution.) lets them unfold slowly over time. Mr. Grainger, and The Final Covenant by Clark’s sensitive conducting certainly Fisher Tull). The second half opened with RSK: I had the pleasure of listening to a played a large part in this wonderfully David Gillingham’s Waking Angels, and cello concerto of yours, titled “Voyages.” It handled performance. was followed by SCI composer Ken Metz’s is a fascinating piece, because while I A Mingus Fantasy. This piece magically found it to texturally similar to the music of Two more performances awaited us on transformed the standard wind ensemble Ligeti or Lutoslawski, it seemed to have a Sunday after a good night’s sleep and into a smoky nightclub in Harlem, circa greater sense of motivic unity through out. hopefully a decent brunch. The first was 1968. Strange but catchy bass ostinatos Would you describe much of your music as back at the recital hall, opening with merged with bursts of color from the being motivically unified and do you find September Music by Jeremy Beck. The woodwinds and percussion to form a that this is still important in fostering an JCFA Composers Orchestra handled Mr. fascinating musical experience. And last understanding of musical progression and Beck’s colorful chamber writing very nicely. and certainly not least was Mark Kilstofte’s form? Cheryl Riggle provided the next piece, a Ballistic Etude No. 3, Panic!, whose very nice Variation on a Gaelic Theme, humorous program note suggested that SS: I was brought up in the 1960s and well-played by Butler faculty cellist William the piece is loosely based on the Orpheus 70s, when motivic unity and development Grubb. Ernesto Pellegrini’s Duolog III was myth, although recast in a 1930s gangster and the old organicist point of view were a large-scale dialogue between bassoon setting. The piece was a bright, nervous, the norm (still following Schoenberg and and piano, written in a Romantically- and exciting conclusion to this otherwise Webern, as if fin-de-siecle Viennese angst inspired dissonant style. Immaus for solo long-lined and full-sounding program. Hats were somehow an appropriate model in violin, by Matthew Schreibeis began the off to Mr. Kilstofte for such a breathlessly the late-20th-century American Midwest second half. This piece was masterfully exciting finish. The Butler Winds showed and Southwest!) At some point I rebelled played, with several difficult double-stops great ensemble and was obviously against this training, trying hard to use and artificial harmonics. Despite the length expertly led by Dr. Grechesky. contrast instead of unity and of the work, it kept my attention the whole constructivism instead of organicism. I time. Next was an incredibly challenging And so concludes the narrative of this very always find, though, that the old motivic piece by Keith Carpenter, performed once pleasant time in Indianapolis. As we all habits are impossible to get rid of, try as I again by the Composers Orchestra. The made our way home, or to the airport, I’m might, and I rather like the compromise piece was Jackhammer for saxophones, sure we all replayed happy memories of that has emerged between Stravinskian cello, piano, and percussion. The concept Butler and the new friends we made there. and “German” (Bach-Brahms-Schoenberg) of the piece is to take traditional American I know I did! methods. work songs and “break them apart,” using
Page 8 The SCI Newsletter XXXVI:2 RSK: I also enjoyed the clear sense of handed down from on high and the players SS: Working for orchestra, I always think tempo change in “Voyages.” You are are left to sort it out somehow I would even directly in terms of the instruments and unafraid to use unrelenting eighth notes to call an ethical or moral problem. I don’t their combinations. Of course when create a sense of fast music. Would you believe that composers are higher in the necessary I will work out details in short- agree that the aperiodic rhythms found in artistic pecking order than performers. Not score form on the side, but then these are much of the music we would call modern- to mention the practical problems that immediately transferred into full score. I do ist, has sort of undermined the ability to arise when a composer loses touch with not recommend this method to my create fast music? the physical realities of playing and the students; I try to get them to do complete psychosocial realities of the rehearsal continuity drafts in short score so that the SS: Two things are required for fast music: situation and thus ends up sabotaging her orchestra doesn’t distract them from the pulse, and genuine harmonic rhythm own piece. basic problems of composing: form, (which in turns means a clear enough proportion, and harmonic coherence. But I harmonic language that the harmonic RSK: Also in “The Muse that Sings,” you can’t seem to take my own advice. rhythm can be detected). In 1950s and 60s talk about feeling the pressure to create modernism in its most extreme forms, both something completely original with every RSK: The Grinnell Singers will be giving these resources were forbidden, so you new piece. Is this a realistic aim for a the Iowa premiere of one of your new ended up with what Donald Erb used to composer? choral works. Could you tell us a bit about call the Allegretto Constipato: 4/4 time, the piece? quarter note = 60, barline means nothing, SS: Young composers (and some not so and everything sounds the same. Mind young) feel this pressure strongly, but it is SS: The title is simply Three New Motets. I you, this is a caricature that only describes destructive. Art is not about creating used Latin liturgical texts chiefly because the bad works of that period (many of them something absolutely new, but about one of the co-commissioning partners, the literally academic, university-produced). I adding small, personal contributions to an Seattle Pro Musica, had a specific need for would never throw out the great music of ongoing discourse in which the main ideas sacred texts. Once that decision was mid-century modernism—most of Boulez, are community property, not private made, it freed me to enjoy those wonder- all of early Berio, all of Lutoslawski, for property. fully singable Latin vowels without worrying example—because those pieces are still too much about what they meant. (And powerful teachers and still provide RSK: Is self-borrowing important to your that’s just as well: even if you are in sync powerful emotional experiences. compositional process? with the theology, most of those medieval Latin texts are perfectly awful as poetry. I have a love-hate relationship with SS: I do borrow from myself often— Best to treat them as pure sound.) The American minimalism, but one of its chief technical procedures that recur (or evolve) Latin liturgical link and the specific text “O virtues is that it influenced all sorts of from piece to piece, of course, but also Vos Omnes” also gave me the chance to composers all over the world to reclaim actual material exported from one piece to dedicate these motets to Thomas Tallis, these crucial elements, pulse and har- another. The ban on ever repeating whose 500th anniversary was (approxi- mony. Many of my favorite composers oneself was a superstition, a tribal taboo mately) 2005. The format of double choir today are not minimalists, but their music that never made any sense. I go further, was suggested by Charles Bruffy, who betrays its effects in one way or another: though: I often borrow (always con- directs the other two consortium partners, John Adams, Tom Adès, Marc-André sciously, I hope) from other composers. the Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Dalbavie, Anders Hillborg, Magnus These are not outright quotations (except Bach Choir. Obvious in all this, I guess, is Lindberg, Colin Matthews, Esa-Pekka in special cases where that is the whole the fact that I am happy to work within Salonen. point, such as Dreamwaltzes, Whispers, or limitations imposed from the outside. The Funeral Music for Queen Mary), but rather idea of pure, unfettered inspiration doesn’t RSK: In “The Muse that Sings,” you talk homages and allusions. The most impor- interest me; that way lies self-indulgence about encouraging your students to tant example is my Second Concerto for and the paralysis that an excess of continue playing their instruments. Why do Orchestra, which among other things is a freedom can produce. Inspiration is easier you feel this is important to a composer? kind of “family reunion” of my musical to find in the friction between the real heroes and friends. world, with its practical needs, and the SS: A composer should be a musician, not realm of imagination. just a writer, and she should be a true and RSK: Many composers create a sketch equal colleague to the musicians perform- score, then orchestrate the piece from the This interview with Steven Stucky was ing her work—in the trenches facing sketch. Is this a successful approach for conducted in December by SCI member musical reality every day, not holed up in you? Ralph S. Kendrick the studio. The model where a score is just
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