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The Latest Buzz from CUBE Contemporary Chamber Ensemble Winter–Spring 2007 Women and Minorities in the VPO
By William Osborne December 12, 2006 As is now well-known, racial minorities—though here too Radio, the orchestra’s principal flutist, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra/ the orchestra is at least nominally Dieter Flury, strongly defended the Vienna Philharmonic nominally addressing these practices. The policy Vienna Philharmonic’s exclusion ended its long tradition of excluding of whites-only has been directed mostly of women and people of color (these women on February 27, 1997. These toward Asians, since many study in sentiments have been echoed by many changes were made one day before Vienna where they have reached the of the string players as well). “From the orchestra traveled to Carnegie Hall, highest professional standards. In the beginning we have spoken of the where it was facing large protests by the last ten years, the orchestra has special Viennese qualities, of the the International Alliance for Women hired its first two people of color, way music is made here. The way we in Music, The National Organization but one of them was fired, the tubist make music here is not only a technical of of Women, and a great deal of Yasuto Sugiyama. Mr. Sugiyama is ability, but also something that has Mark your negative negative press coverage. a world-class musician who soon a lot to do with the soul. The soul does calendars for The orchestra began by allowing Anna afterwards won the tuba position in not let itself be separated from CUBE! Lelkes—their woman harpist who the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. the cultural roots that we have here had already performed with them in This leaves serious questions about in central Europe.” “Sounding the Sacred III” Sunday, February 18, at 4:00 PM an “associate status” for 26 years— why he was fired in Vienna. In November, 2006, a journalist Augustana Chapel to become an official member of the Seiji Ozawa is the General Music working for Der Spiegel and a journal- Lutheran School of Theology Vienna Philharmonic. Ms. Lelkes Director of the Vienna State Opera, but ist working for a very large daily in 1100 E. 55th St. Chicago was forced into retirement four years the conductors there are appointed Helsinki, contacted me because they later, even though she wanted to by the house’s administration, not the were planning articles about women Program • beverly Grigsby, Fragments from Augustine continue working. orchestra. The Vienna Philharmonic in orchestras. Both journalists began the Saint for tenor, oboe/english horn, harp, There has been no change in is a private enterprise the musicians interviewing musicians and admin- percussion the male/female ratios in the Vienna run on the side. (Ozawa has been istrators in the Vienna State Opera. • Victoria Bond, Sacred Sisters for violin and harp Philharmonic in the last ten years. bedridden in Japan for months fight- (Their stories have not yet appeared.) • Judith Shatin, Fasting Heart for solo flute They still have only one woman mem- ing serious illness, so he has little or • ruth Lomon, Ceremonial Masks for solo ber. And she is still a harpist, Charlotte no knowledge of the situation.) Note piano Composer William Osborne lives in Germany Balzereit. And the orchestra’s opera It should be mentioned that a with his spouse, virtuosic trombonist Abbie Guest performers: Kenneth Gayle, tenor; formation has fared little better. The screen is used during the orchestra’s Paul Hurst, harp; David Volfe, violin; Vance Conant (both were featured on a CUBE Okraszewski, percussion m/f ratio for the Vienna Philharmonic auditions, but that it is removed concert in 2000.) He and Ms. Conant founded is 136 to 1. The m/f ratio for regular during the last round. The ensemble The Wasteland Company in 1984 to explore women’s roles in music theatre; they tour Special free preview performance of contracts in the Vienna State Opera believes it is important to see what regularly in the US and Europe. Fragments from Augustine the Saint and Orchestra is 141 to 4. musicians look like while they play. In 2000 MSNBC published a major selected works for solo harp, Saturday, article about his work on their new website, February 17, 2007, at 1pm, Columbia College Women are not the only people The visual criteria are very undefined. Concert Hall, 1014 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago “Taking On the Vienna Philharmonic.” who face exclusion in the Vienna State The motives for these rather gener- http://www.osborne-conant.org/index.html Opera Orchestra/Vienna Philharmonic. alized criticisms might deserve closer The full-length article printed here and The ensemble’s traditions also include examination. In an interview in 1996 many others appear on their website: the exclusion of visible members of with the West German State http://www.osborne-conant.org/index.html
CUBE Circuits • Winter-Spring 2007 Point Counterpoint CUBE Annual by Patricia Morehead On March 30 in the Columbia College Concert Hall CUBE will premiere Joe Cerqua’s Point for flute, oboe, cello, Spring Festival 2007 bass clarinet and piano in collabora- tion with dancers from the Cerqua- Rivera Dance Theater, commissioned Sounding the Victoria Bond’s Sacred Sisters for harp for Betty Xiang, guest performer. by CUBE. Other works on the program and violin, played by guest artists Ms. Xiang will also perform Bruce are a work for piano and electronics Sacred Paul Hurst and David Volfe. Saylor’s work for solo erhu, Whispers. by Timothy Edwards, recent music by by Philip Morehead Grigsby’s monodrama will have Doug Brush will be premiering a new Erdem Helvacioglu, Chihchun Chi-Sun On February 18 an open preview performance, along work, Poem for Hafiz, for reed flute, Lee, and Witold Lutoslawski, and at the Lutheran with solo harp works, in the Columbia oud, cello and percussion. The work was Patricia Morehead’s The Handmaid’s School of Theology College Concert Hall on Saturday, created from his travels in India last Tale for two pianos based on the Mar- CUBE will present February 17, at 1PM. Admission to this year; the piece evokes music of “samai,” garet Atwood book of the same name. a concert of works performance is free. classical music of Arabic origins, and Kenneth Gayle by women com- elements of Indian music—thus posers, featuring CUBE Goes for Silk Road & Beyond moving along the Silk Road from West a semi-staged performance of to East. Tenderness of Cranes, by Brecht Fragments from Augustine the Saint, by Janice Misurell-Mitchell Shirish Korde is based on the style of On Monday, by Janice Misurell-Mitchell a monodrama by California composer music of the Japanese shakuhachi, “CUBE Goes for Brecht” will take place Beverly Grigsby based on the writings March 26 from a bamboo flute, in its treatment of 8:00–10:00pm on on Thursday, May 3, 2007 at 8:00pm of St. Augustine, with guest artists breath, rhythm, and elastic time. The in Fulton Recital Hall, Goodspeed Kenneth Gayle, tenor, Paul Hurst, harp, WFMT, 98.7 FM, composer is an Indian born in Uganda. CUBE will per- Hall, 1010 East and Vance Okraszewski, percussion. Taiwanese composer Chihchun Chi-sun th form music from 59 Street at the The text of the work is taken as Betti Xiang Lee will be represented by her work University of Chi- fragments from nine major writings countries that for flute and cello, Politics: Struggles of were part of the Silk Road and those cago. The concert of the saint. The instrumentation Civility; the piece references charges is co-sponsored by employs the beyond the famed route, including of election fraud in 2004 between the new works inspired by the theme of the Renaissance ancient doctrine formerly dominant Chinese Nationalist Sharon Society, Germanic of the trifold interconnections of East and West. party and the current party in power, Quattrin The program features Moments Studies and the nature of man the Democratic Progressive Party. Department of Music, University of and, in the classic of the East for solo oboe by Agnes There will be interviews with the Bashir, an Iraqi composer and pianist Chicago and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Greek tradition, composers, stories of contemporary Foundation. Admission is free and Paul Hurst living in Jordan, and a work for piano employs the oboe, travel along the Silk Road and CUBist open to the public. A reception at the harp and percussion as secular, sacred and electronics by Erdem Helvacloglu, musical commentary. an award-winning electronic music Renaissance Society, also on campus, and emotional forces (the body, the follows the concert. soul and the mind). The work will be composer from Istanbul. An example of music based on relationships High Winds of CUBE The concert features eight North conducted by Philip Morehead. American premieres of the works The program will also offer Ruth between the Eastern aesthetic and by Patricia Morehead the Western is Mandala #2 for solo This free program, presented in the written for the Brecht project that Lomon’s Ceremonial Masks for solo piano, was created jointly played by Lawrence Axelrod; Judith piano by Lawrence Axelrod, which Columbia College Concert Hall on takes its name from the sacred March 27 at 12:30pm, features the high by CUBE and Shatin’s Fasting Heart for solo flute, Ensemble Junge- played by Janice Misurell-Mitchell; and circular artwork found throughout winds of CUBE—flutes, oboe, clarinet, the Buddhist and Hindu worlds; the and electronics—in the music of Mary Musik in Berlin. piece uses the image of concentric Gardiner, Julian Harvey, Thea Musgrave Readers may circles of symbols and colors as a basis and Ramon Zupko. Julian Harvey’s refer to the concert description in the for its construction. Bruce Saylor’s new work Reflecting for two flutes will Helmut Zapf In Imitation of Ancient Songs for erhu, be premiered. Fall, 2006 issue of flute, clarinet, and piano employs Circuits (www.cubeensemble.com/ Western style writing in such a way as Circuits Fall06web.pdf) which dis- to evoke the scales and timbres of the cussed the pieces, written in honor Beverly Grigsby East, with a virtuosic erhu part
CUBE Circuits • Winter-Spring 2007 of the fiftieth anniversary of Brecht’s The concert will complement program of recent vocal and instru- fessor of Composition at the University death in 1956. Included on the May the Renaissance Society’s exhibition mental works. of Wisconsin at Madison; her works concert will be music by four American of work by German artist Katarina The program will include Laura have been widely performed in the composers and four German composers: Grosse (http://renaissancesociety. Schwendinger’s colorful setting of US and Europe. Wuorinen in 1970 Lawrence Axelrod, John Eaton, Janice org/site/exhibitions). Sylvia Plath’s poem Lady Lazarus (2005) became the youngest composer to win Misurell-Mitchell and Anna Rubin, for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, the Pulitzer Prize for his work Time’s from the US, and Johannes Hildebrandt, violin, cello, piano, and percussion; Encomium; he is Ellen Hünigen, Sebastian Stier and American Night of Stars (1999) by CUBE’s an accomplished Helmut Zapf, from Germany. Sharon Songbook IV Lawrence Axelrod for mezzo-soprano pianist and Quattrin, will be the guest soprano, by Philip Morehead and piano; Fenton Songs (1997) by conductor as well. and Helmut Zapf the guest conductor, On May 20, in the Merit School of Charles Wuorinen, settings of four Earl Kim, who in addition to members of CUBE. Music’s beautiful new Gottlieb Hall, poems by British poet James Fenton died in 1998, was The compositions all use texts 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago, at 3pm, CUBE for voice, violin, cello, and piano; Letters especially known or ideas of Brecht: four of them are will present the fourth instalment Found Near a Suicide (1964) by Earl Kim Julia Bentley for his music for soprano with instruments or elec of its popular “American Songbook” on poetry by African-American poet theater works; of tronics, three are instrumental, and series, showcasing important works Frank Horne; and Statuesque (2005) by Korean lineage, he studied and later one requires that the instrumentalists by American composers for the Jake Heggie for voice, flute, alto sax, taught at Harvard University. Jake speak as well as play. Some of the voice. Outstanding mezzo-soprano clarinet, violin, cello, bass, and piano, Heggie, composer and pianist, was at writings used are: Sang der Maschinen, Julia Bentley, who inaugurated the written for Joyce Castle. The program one time composer-in-residence for “Der Brennende Baum” “Everything series, returns this year with pianist will also premiere a new work for the San Francisco Opera, for which he Changes”, and “The Legend of the Philip Morehead and others to ensemble by Patricia Morehead. wrote his opera Dead Man Walking. Dead Soldier”. perform a exciting and demanding Schwendinger is Associate Pro-
Accessible composers. Music for a While presents the Art Institute of Chicago, Misurell- Single tickets are $15 for adults and the music of John Austin on February Mitchell is an extraordinary perfor- $9 for students and can be purchased Contemporary 3; the music of Janice Misurell-Mitchell mance artist whose influences range through Nichols Box Office at Music on February 24, and the music of from the Second 847-905-1500, ext. 108. by Seth Boustead Mischa Zupko on March 17. Viennese School to Accessible Contemporary Music The concert series takes place at hip-hop. Featured WJT Mitchell: Ensemble will feature an evening 7:30pm in Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 works on this con- of Patricia Morehead’s chamber music. Chicago Avenue, Evanston. Music cert include Scat/ Chicago’s This program will feature a premiere for a While is generously funded by Rap Counterpoint, Renaissance by Patricia written especially for the the Argosy Foundation. Speechscape, Una Man ensemble. ACM is a non-profit organiz Saturday, February 3, 2007, Janice Misurell- voce perduta— CUBE Advisory Board member WJT ation whose mission is to bring the 7:30pm—The Music of John Austin. Mitchell in memoriam Ted Mitchell has been named a “Chicagoan music of living composers to a wider A founding member of the Chicago Shen, and String of the Year” in Culture for 2006 by Julia audience through concerts in non- Society of Composers, Austin’s works Quartet No. 1. Misurell-Mitchell will Keller, cultural critic of the Chicago traditional venues, inter-disciplinary have been performed throughout the perform with MIC faculty members Tribune. Way to go, Tom! collaborations, community outreach country including such prestigious and guest artists, Dane Richeson, Jan (http://www.chicagotribune.com/ and innovative web-based projects. venues as the Tanglewood and Aspen Berry Baker, Russell Clark, Caroline features/arts/chi-0612300217dec31,1, We believe that the Classical tradition festivals. Works performed on this Pittman and Jeff Yang. 3385842.story) must look forward and accept concert include 12 Tones Descending Saturday, March 17, 2007, innovation if it is to remain vital, and Into Winter, Inventions for Two Flutes, 7:30pm—The Music of Mischa Zupko. CUBE cannot simply revere the past with Lamentations: Three America Love Chicago-born Zupko has had works The Latest Buzz from CUBE Contemporary Chamber Ensemble a blind eye to the future. Songs, and Orpheus and the Maenads. commissioned by prominent organiza- Winter–Spring 2007 Published two times a year (Fall and Spring) by CUBE Guest Artists Julia Bentley, John tions such as the Minnesota Orchestra 600 S. Dearborn St. #2016, Chicago, IL 60605 Concepcion, and Caroline Pittman will and the Gilmore International Voice 312/554-1133; Fax 312/803-2186 Music for Email: [email protected] join MIC faculty performers. Keyboard Festival. His compositions, For CUBE news, information, the CUBE Calendar, forms a While Saturday, February 24, 2007, performed in acclaimed halls and at for ticket purchase, and the CUBE Store, please join CUBE by Fiona Queen 7:30pm—The Music of Janice Misurell- festivals throughout America, are on the Internet at: http://www.cubeensemble.com The Music Institute of Chicago’s CUBE is partially supported by grants from the the Gaylord Mitchell. Co-artistic director of CUBE championed by leading soloists and and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Alphawood contemporary music series, directed and a faculty member at both the chamber ensembles. Foundation, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the NIB Foundation, the Katherine A. Abelson Fund, the Argosy by noted pianist Abraham Stokman, University of Chicago and the School of Full Series Subscriptions are Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, offers engaging and thought provok- $29 for adults and $19 for students. and by a CityArts Program I Grant from the City of Chicago ing chamber music by living Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. CUBE Circuits • Winter-Spring 2007 CUBE 19th Season 2006-2007 Winter and Spring Concerts in a Nutshell
SOUNDING THE SACRED III POINT COUNTERPOINT Sunday, February 18, 2007, 4 PM, $15 Friday, March 30, 2007, 7:30 PM, $20 ($10 stud/sen) Augustana Chapel, Lutheran School of Theology, Columbia College Concert Hall, 1014 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago 1100 E. 55th St., Chicago Works by Joseph Cerqua, Timothy Edwards, Erdem Helvacioglu, Chihchun Chi-Sun Featuring a monodrama on St. Augustine by Beverly Grigsby Lee, Witold Lutoslawski, and Patricia Morehead. and works by Victoria Bond, Ruth Lomon, and Judith Shatin Guest artists: Cerqua-Rivera Dancers; Sebastian Huydts & Jeffrey Jacob, piano Guest artists: Kenneth Gayle, tenor; Paul Hurst, harp; David Volfe, violin; Vance Okraszewski, percussion CUBE GOES FOR BRECHT Thursday, May 3, 2007, 8 PM, Free. Reception follows the concert. THE SILK ROAD AND BEYOND: CUBE live on WFMT 98.7 FM Fulton Recital Hall, Goodspeed Hall, U. of Chicago, 4th Fl., Monday, March 26, 2007, 8 PM 1010 E. 59th St., Chicago Works by Agnes Bashir, Douglas Brush, Shirish Korde, Chihchun Chi-Sun Lee, Co-sponsored by the Renaissance Society and Germanic Studies, Erdem Helvacioglu, Lawrence Axelrod, and Bruce Saylor. The University of Chicago, and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation Guest artists: Betti Xiang, erhu; Kinan Abou-Afach, cello/oud; Works by Lawrence Axelrod, John Eaton, Johannes Hildebrandt, Ellen Hünigen, Kim Sopata, flute/ney (reed flute) Janice Misurell-Mitchell, Anna Rubin, Sebastian Stier, Helmut Zapf. Guest artists: Sharon Quattrin, soprano; Helmut Zapf, conductor HIGH WINDS OF CUBE Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 12:30 PM, Free AMERICAN SONGBOOK IV Columbia College Concert Hall, 1014 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago Sunday, May 20, 2007, 3 PM, $20 ($10 stud/sen) Works by Julian Harvey, Ramon Zupko, Thea Musgrave, and Mary Gardiner Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago Works by Charles Wuorinen, Jake Heggie, Laura Schwendinger, Earl Kim, Patricia Morehead, and Lawrence Axelrod Guest artist: Julia Bentley, mezzo-soprano
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CUBE
The Latest Buzz from CUBE Contemporary Chamber Ensemble Winter–Spring 2006
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