Derek Sivers' 7 Critical Marketing Basics Every Musicians Should Know

A useful article from cyberprurban.com:

"Derek Sivers' 7 Critical Marketing Basics Every Musicians Should Know"

Derek Sivers is best known as the founder of CD Baby.

Twitter Accounts

What is your twitter account? Let's get a running list...

Michael C. Bell: CD Release Party

From composer/pianist Michael C. Bell:

Masterful storytelling told through piano and orchestra
Tender, emotional music, laced with beautiful melodies
A journey that can be experienced actively or passively by the listener
Sit back, close your eyes, or let yourself fall gently to sleep as you listen to this elegant collection of songs from newcomer Michael C. Bell

CD Release Party @ Starbucks - Sat. Nov. 14 from 7pm to 9pm
435 Peachtree Pkwy
Suite 400
Cumming GA 30041

www.michaelcbellmusic.com

400 - Exit 13
Across from the Avenue

I need a bassist

Hey, Darren Nelsen here. I need a bassist for my fusion ensemble, someone who can read standard notation and play in odd time sigs.

The style of music is like King Crimson, Electric Kompany, and Frank Zappa, among others.

My immediate need is for an upcoming Dec. 11th gig at Eddie's Attic. I plan to do 3-4 rehearsals before then.

Please let me know if you or someone you know is interested. I need someone *quick*! :)

Thanks!

"Irreplaceable Doodles" - Tuesday, Nov. 17

and other flights of musical fancy

an evening of meaningfully unaccompanied musical modernism

featuring the irrationally exuberant music of
Karl Henning

and the tastefully delicious world premiere of “Smorgasbord” by
Nicole Randall-Chamberlain

as performed by the composers themselves

Karl Henning, clarinet & Nicole Randall-Chamberlain, flute

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
within the acoustical accoutrements of
Emory Presbyterian Church
1886 North Decatur Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

$10 general admission / $5 students with I.D.
at the door
(sorry, we are unable to accept credit/debit cards)

for more information, click here (Facebook event page)
or e-mail concerts@luxnova.com
or (if you absolutely must) tel. 404-654-3918 (Google Voice number)

Local Composer Seeks Volunteer Singers (Eyedrum Art Gallery)

From Daniel Clay:

Hello,

I am a composer and performance artist living and working in the Atlanta area.

I am seeking volunteer singers to perform with my vocal ensemble on Saturday November 14 at the Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery in Atlanta. The performance will be one of many at Eyedrum's First Annual Earball, a day-long festival of music and sound-based artworks and performances.

The compositions to be performed are, simply put, rounds for any large group of singers (of any ability, range, age, gender, etc. much like a church congregation) to perform. More specifically, the pieces are composed to explicitly demonstrate the physical and spatial aspect of group singing. Singers will be divided into groups and strategically placed around the gallery. When the pieces are performed audience and performers alike will experience the music "moving" throughout the gallery space.

I will be teaching the pieces to the ensemble shortly before the performance. In order to successfully perform the pieces I need as many voices as possible to participate. If you are interested in performing with my ensemble please contact me for more information.

The following is a schedule for the performance:

Saturday November 14 - Eyedrum Gallery

1:00 pm - Performers arrive at Eyedrum Gallery

1:30 - 2:30 - instruction and practice singing of the music

2:30 - 4:00 - break to observe other performances, grab a bite, etc.

4:00 - 5:00 perform!

Please contact me if you have any questions about my work or the event. This is an opportunity not only to perform new works by a local composer but to support and contribute to the richness and variety of Atlanta's art and music scene. Additionally, by participating you will be supporting Eyedrum Gallery, a bastion of underground and experimental art in Atlanta for more than a decade now. Eyedrum recently narrowly escaped closing its doors due to financial hardship.

Hope to hear from you, many thanks

Daniel Clay
daniel AT danielclaymusic DOT com
danielclaymusic.com

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/muc/1451148438.html

neoPhonia New Music Ensemble: Nov. 9, 2009

Join us for the second concert of our 15th Anniversary Season! Our program is entitled "PENTE: Music for Quintets." Featured works include:

Devil Sticks for 5 clarinets by Scott McALLISTER

Six Bagatelles for Woodwind Quintet by György LIGETI

Clarinet Quintet for Clarinet in A and strings by Piet SWERTS

Date: MONDAY, NOV. 9, 2009

Location: Kopleff Recital Hall

Note the special start time: 7:00 PM

It will be a slightly shorter program than usual (sorry no reception this time) because we want to encourage students and audience members to attend the GSU Wind Ensemble concert that takes place at 8 PM that same night in the Rialto Center. They will be featuring the music of composer John Mackey.

Hope you can attend both concerts!

For more info (including directions to venues, parking, etc.) visit the GSU School of Music website at : http://www/music/gsu/edu

Sonic Generator Concert

Georgia Tech’s chamber music ensemble-in-residence, Sonic Generator, presents
their opening concert of the season at the Georgia Tech Alumni House:

The French-American Connection
Monday, November 16th, 2009 @ 8 p.m.
190 North Avenue
http://www.sonicgenerator.gatech.edu/upcoming_concerts/monday_november_16_2009.html
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=161272953309&ref=mf


The concert, which is free and open to the public, features compositions by
Philip Glass, Pierre Jodlowski, Steve Reich, François Sarhan, Edgard Varèse,
and John Zorn.

For more information about Sonic Generator and this concert (including
directions), please visit:

http://www.sonicgenerator.gatech.edu

We hope to see you there!

Maximum Exposure

Dear Atlanta Composers and Performers,

The following message came in an e-mail from Derek Sivers, the guy who founded CD Baby. You might find it useful. I would love to see your comments posted here. --Mark Gresham


Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity just released a great free PDF/ebook collecting the best advice on how a musician can get maximum exposure in 2009:

http://www.hypebot.com/IndieMaxExpFinal.pdf

Download, read and use some of the ideas in there. Enjoy!

--Derek Sivers http://sivers.org

duoATL performs works by composers in our lifetime

On Sunday, October 25 at 3pm at MacLean Auditorium in Presser Hall at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA I will be performing with Dr. Brian Luckett in concert. We will be performing a new program. All works are by composers who's lifetime overlapped ours:

Lost Hollow Road by Brian Chamberlain (Atlanta Composer)
Sonatina Mexicana by Carlo Domeniconi
New Castle Parade by Brian Luckett (Atlanta Composer)
Acrobats by David Leisner
Serenata al Alba del Dia by Joaquin Rodrigo
Six Pieces for Flute and Guitar by Annette Kruisbrink
Suite Buenos Aires by Maximo Deigo Pujol

Admission is free. Be sure to visit our new website for more concerts and information: http://www.duoatl.com

CD Reviews

Hi all -

Brian Skutle was kind enough to write some good, fair reviews of my CDs here.

You can listen to my CDs on Last.FM, and of course I would be ecstatic if you liked them and wanted to buy a copy, or a couple tracks on iTunes!

Late Frost (New Age/minimalist piano)
Parallel Lives (electroacoustic/experimental)


In other news, I am preparing my PhD applications. I put my contenders for my portfolio on my latest blog. If you have time and want to put in your two cents on the pieces, I would be very interested to hear them!

Thanks,
asn

neoPhonia Concert TONIGHT!

Apologies for the late notice on this one. Tonight we kick off the 15th Season of the neoPhonia New Music Ensemble featuring special guest artist, saxophonist John Sampen. The program, entitled "Mysterious Morning" is a multi-media show designed as an exciting "seamless" musical experience. It features projected visuals, interactive electronics and theatrical elements. Composers featured on the concert include: John CAGE, Toru TAKEMITSU, Morton SUBOTNIK, Fuminori TANADA, Marilyn SHRUDE, William BOLCOM and Mark BUNCE.

The concert begins at 7:30 PM in the GSU Kopleff Recital Hall. It's FREE and open to the public. There will also be a reception afterwards hosted by the GSU Student Chapter of SCI.

Curtis Bryant Song Cycle Receives New York Performance

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
8:00 PM
Saint Peter's Church, 619 Lexington Ave (at 54th St.)
New York, NY

Atlanta baritone James Robinson and pianist Jo Kroger will present a recital including works by Rossini, Mozart, Peter Cornelius and Atlanta composer Curtis Bryant. Featured on the recital is Bryant's song cycle "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell," based upon the 1793 mystical book of the same title by William Blake. Bryant composed the set of five songs in 1983 for American bass-baritone Peter Harrower, who premiered them the following year. Other performers of "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" have included Atlanta bass-baritone Oral Moses and New York bass-baritone Rhys Ritter.

Works by KSU Faculty Composers

Featuring music by Laurence Sherr, Jen Mitchell, and Drew Dolan

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
8:00pm
Bailey Performance Center at Kennesaw State University
Free and Open to the Public
Directions and Map

With Performances By:
Paul Brittan • John Lawless
Jana Young • Helen Kim • Benjamin Wadsworth
Caleb Herron • Olivia Kieffer


Program to Include:

SHERR: Four Short Pieces
Dhammapada Verses
Duo Concertante

MITCHELL: Chakras of on Automaton: Duet for Percussion and DJ

DOLAN: Extreme City

Collaborative Project

Hi everyone!

ASN, your favorite Atlantan-in-self-imposed-exile here. I am posting to solicit participants in a possible collaborative project.

Back in 2007, I started a project of flute solos with hip-hop beats. This has been shelved for some time, and I want the project to have a life. I am now proposing an “EP” of sorts with 6-8 tracks, and I am looking for composer-performer soloists.

How this will work:

1. I will supply you with a backing track and a melodic line/theme.

2. You will compose variatons on my melodic line.

3. You will record the “theme and variations.”

4. I will edit and mix the tracks together.

This will be a genre-bending exercise, as the music is influenced by hip-hop, classical, rock, Celtic, reggae, electronica, etc. I hope that your variations will be just as exciting and style-defiant.

Requirements:

1. You can play a melodic instrument competently.

2. You have access to a decent instrument.

3. You have access to decent recording equipment.

I plan to release this through CDBaby and for digital download. I will give you a percentage of the sales, copyright, and performing rights. It will allow some cross-promotion, which can’t hurt!

Feel free to comment here with questions, or contact me directly [adamscottneal at gmail] to get involved. I look forward to hearing from you!

Back to Iraq

Dear Friends,

Once again, I'm heading back to Iraq, but this time it will be for at least a year. First of all, I really appreciate those of you who reached out last year to help with the new music workshop. I could really use your help again this year in establishing an Academy for language and arts in the north. Please feel free to forward this along to anyone you know in the community who might be interested in helping.

Soulbird advocates and advances human rights and social justice through community engagement in the arts (soulbird.org new Web site forthcoming). In most of Iraq, being a singer, musician, dancer, or any other creator of the arts can have grave consequences. Hundreds of artists have been targeted for torture and murder since 2003, while many have since fled the country (85% of singers).

We are opening an Academy in the relatively safer Kurdistan region of Iraq to provide a safe place for Arab and Kurdish artists to work on projects without fear of imminent death or danger. In addition to providing courses in language and the arts, the Academy will serve as a base for some of Soulbird's important human rights and community organizing work, especially working to address the plight of artists in Iraq today.

We would be very grateful for any in-kind donations, such as CDs (any kind of music), DVDs (operas, musical performances/concerts, musicals, dance performances, artist biographies, hollywood or indie films, documentaries on social movements, etc.), books (anything arts-related; social movements, etc.) and music scores (from standard repertory to 20th and 21st century composers). You can receive a tax-deduction for these items through our fiscal sponsor. You can mail them to me, which I will take with me to Iraq on October 17th. My address is

R. Timothy Brady/Soulbird
29 Peachtree Pl NW
#5
Atlanta, GA 30309
United States

We also accept tax-deductible cash donations to help pay for the rent, diesel for generator (electricity), and transportation. You may visit our fiscal sponsor's Web site to make a contribution (https://www.thefield.org/ContributionToSA.aspx?) We are listed as "Soulbird" for the sponsored artist. They process all donations for us.

If you have any questions. please contact me at +1 646.833.8840 or tim@soulbird.org. Our new Web site, soulbird.org, should be up later this week.

Thanks and hope all of you are doing well.

R. Timothy Brady

Founder, Executive Director at Soulbird

Composers and the "relationship-making business"

An article by Alex Shapiro, posted today, well-worth reading even if you're not a composer:

Blogger Book Club III: Selling Everything, 2.0—The Jig Goes Public

"Those of us who are musicians and composers might think that we're in the music-making business, but we're actually in the relationship-making business. [...] One of the limitations of the new music world is its self-referential nature, whereby accepted norms are...accepted norms, and fewer participants think outside of the taco shell. I find myself most stimulated and inspired by the observations of those who are not part of the arts scene, who see the larger trends in society and in the way people communicate." —Alex Shapiro [READ MORE]

author: Alex Shapiro
source: www.artsjournal.com
date: July 27, 2009

Topic for discussion: How can composers best build responsive relationships for their art outside of the new music community?


[This post also appears in my own EarRelevant blog. --mg]

Eyedrum threatens to move or close

Music critic Pierre Ruhe examines the current status of Atlanta's most iconic alternative performance/exhibit space:

Mired in money troubles, Eyedrum threatens to move or close

The innovative multi-disciplinary arts space Eyedrum, an invaluable asset to Atlanta's arts scene, is in financial trouble. ... [READ MORE]

author: Pierre Ruhe
source: artscriticATL.com

Topic for discussion: Are alternative venues in Atlanta shrinking in number or growing?


[This post also appears in my own EarRelevant blog. --mg]

"An architect puts Bach in a musical cocoon"

MANCHESTER, England — A rewarding experiment in creating an ideal space to hear some of Bach’s most intimate music... http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/arts/music/14bach.html

author: Anthony Tommasini
source: NYTimes.com 13 July 2009)


Topic for discussion: How do you choose (or create) a venue best suited to your own music?

Nothing to waste: The advantage of being under-funded

Entrepreneur and programmer Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, talks about marketing as simply "being considerate" without need for fancy trappings:

Nothing to waste: The advantage of being under-funded

Source: sivers.org
Author: Derek Sivers


[This post also appears in my own EarRelevant blog. --mg]

The Music May Not Want to Be Free

In the upcoming July 6, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, reviewer Malcolm Gladwell takes on the technological utopian assumptions of WIRED editor Chris Anderson's book, Free.

Malcolm Gladwell reviews Free by Chris Anderson: Books: The New Yorker

Source: www.newyorker.com
BOOKS review of “Free: The Future of a Radical Price” (Hyperion; $26.99) by Chris Anderson. ... READ MORE in THE NEW YORKER

[This post also appears in my own EarRelevant blog.]

Scott Smalley Orchestration Seminar in Nashville survey

I went to this seminar last summer and found it helpful, Scott Smalley is an excellent teacher and has some great insight on orchestrating. Nashville is roughly 4 hours away and makes for a great weekend. You also get a thick book of scores and a CD of the scores he uses in class. I plan on going to the advanced one if they offer it.

This is from Geoff Koch, president of the Nashville Composers Association:

Hello everyone,

As many of you know, last year the Nashville Composers Association, along with the Film Music Network, brought Hollywood orchestrator and composer Scott Smalley to Nashville to hold one of his renowned orchestration seminars. We all considered it a great success, including Scott, who loved Nashville and wants to return. To that end, I've been working on bringing Scott back here for another seminar, hopefully later on this year. Scott also has an "advanced course" in the works in which attendees would study "traditional" orchestral works (e.g. Stravinsky, Mahler, etc.) for elements we can use in film scoring today, so having this new course here is a possibility.

The main sticking point is, in light of the slow economy, concern about potentially low attendance. So to help gage interest, I'd like to hear from those who would be willing to pay to attend a Scott Smalley "Art of Orchestration" seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, specifically:

1. Would you be willing to pay $350 for the 2-day course? (Keep in mind that this is for new attendees as those who have previously attended the course may attend again for free, if space is available; there may also be discounts for early sign-ups).

2. Which Smalley course would you be willing to attend -- the "Art of Orchestration" (emphasis on study of contemporary film scores), the "Advanced Course" (emphasis on study of traditional scores), or either?Please respond at your earliest convenience and forward this message to anyone who might be interested.Many thanks, everyone -- I look forward to hearing back from you!

Geoff Koch, NCA President

--> please send responses to gk@kochproductions.com

New Arts Blog in Town

FYI: I've recently learned that Pierre Ruhe, former AJC classical music critic, and Cathy Cox, former AJC visual art critic have started an arts blog. It's still a work in progress, but they have begun posting reviews and comments, so I wanted you to know about it. 

 

Cathy Cox writes, "We believe that thoughtful criticism is a key component of a vibrant arts community, not only as an important link between art and its audience but also as a platform for debate and dialogue. Both Pierre and I continue to contribute reviews and features to the AJC, but we feel --and your expressions of concern suggest you share this view-- that metro Atlanta needs more. We hope that our blog, www.artscriticATL.com, will help to fill the gap.

 

We intend to apply the same journalistic ethics and standards we have demonstrated throughout our careers and, as we add writers, will expect the same from them. So please bookmark our site, add your comments and keep us apprised of what you are doing. We hope to supply you with a steady stream of reviews, news and comments--your and ours."

Adam Scott Neal in recital

Hi all -

I will be back from New York briefly next week, and am performing piano recitals at two friends' houses (Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm). I will be playing selections from my CD Late Frost. Opening for me on Tuesday will be veena player Priya Chandrasekaran.

If you are interested in attending either night, please let me know (adamscottneal at gmail dot com) ASAP so I can reserve you a space (we are limited to 20 guests each night). Tuesday I'll be in Tucker, Wednesday in Powder Springs.

Thanks!
asn

Georgia Young Composers Festival

Georgia Young Composers Festival -- Saturday, May 16, 2009, 8:00 PM
The Guild has initiated the first ever choral music competition for student composers in Georgia's high schools, colleges and universities. Come hear the latest works by tomorrow's great composers presented in concert. A panel of judges will select the best compositions to receive a prize award. Our Performances page contains complete details about the concert. Visit the Festival Web Site to read about our student composers.

Tickets for the concert: Adults: $15
Seniors and students: $5
Click here to purchase tickets online.

Bent Frequency presents "Georgia In My Ear" - Tues 21 April @ 8pm

Bent Frequency presents "Georgia In My Ear" tomorrow, April 21 at 8pm in GSU's Kopleff Recital Hall, featuring music by Georgia composers Nickitas Demos, Mark Gresham, Lewis Nielson and Joel Puckett, and composer Vivienne Olive from Atlanta's sister city, Nuremberg, Germany.

Thanks to recent underwriting of the program through a CENCIA Grant from Georgia State University, admission to the concert is now FREE for all attending audience.

Program:

Nickitas Demos: Secret Music
Joel Puckett: Gunslingers
Mark Gresham: Mortal Coils (premiere)
Lewis Nielson: Danger Man
Vivienne Olive: Another Silly Love Song

Click image below to see full-sized graphic for the concert:

Rapido Composition Contest hosted by Atlanta Chamber Players

Ugh! Why does this cool stuff happen right in the middle of our wedding/honeymoon! Brian C. and I won't be able to do this, but maybe one of you can. Win it for Atlanta!

June 8 - 22, 2009
Sponsored by the Atlanta Chamber Players & The Antinori Foundationto promote new works for chamber ensemble by Southern composers

The Atlanta Chamber Players, a mixed ensemble of strings, winds & piano, were founded in 1976 and have premiered more than 65 works to Atlanta audiences, including commissions by John Harbison, Michael Gandolfi, Anne LeBaron and Jonathan Kramer. The group has performed in more than 250 cities in the U.S. and Europe and has five CD recordings in its discography.

THE COMPOSITION CONTEST:
An original movement of 4-6 minutes for mixed ensemble must be composed in 14 days! The Rapido!SM judges will award the first prize winner a commission to complete the work for premiere performance by the Atlanta Chamber Players in May 2010.

PRIZES:
Cash prizes total more than $6,000.Each finalist will receive $500 to be used for travel to Atlanta for Oct 09 competition concert.First Prize: $3500 award to compose additional 10-12 minutes of music Second Prize: $600 Third Prize: $400Audience Favorite Prize: $250

ELIGIBILITY: First 100 online registrantsResidents or full-time student residents of 11 southern states:(AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)Composers of all ages and levels of professional experienceCONTEST TIMELINE: June 1, 2009: Closing date for online registration at http://www.atlantachamberplayers.com/.

June 8, 2009: Announcement is made online and by email of required form and instrumentation of Rapido!SM composition entries. (Maximum group is quintet)

June 8, 2009 - June 22, 2009: Composers will have 14 days to write an original movement of 4-6 minutes based on strict requirements.

August 14, 2009: Announcement of up to four finalist compositions.

October 4, 2009: Finalist Compositions to be performed in concert by the Atlanta Chamber Players at the High Museum's Walter Hill Auditoriumin Atlanta.

April 1, 2010: First Prize Winning Commissioned Work of 14-18 minutes to be delivered to Atlanta Chamber Players for premiere performance inMay 2010.

For more information and to register for Rapido!SM please go to:http://www.atlantachamberplayers.com/.

GSU Student Composer Concert

from Brent Milam:

-------------------------------------

Concert: GSU SCI Student Composers Concert

Time: Friday, April 17, 2009 at 12:00 noon

Location: Kopleff Recital Hall at Georgia State University

FREE ADMISSION

-------------------------------------

Dear Fellow Composers,

I would like to announce a concert that will feature works by students from the Georgia State University SCI Student Chapter in Atlanta, GA.  The concert will take place this Friday, April 17th, at 12:00 noon in the Kopleff Recital Hall (Arts and Humanities Building) on the campus of Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta.

Music by: Chad Powers, Hanna Lisa Stefansson; Chris Owenby, Toby Chappell & Ben Kaplan

neoPhonia New Music Ensemble Concert

The fourth and final neoPhonia New Music Ensemble concert of the 2008/09 season takes place on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 7:30 PM in the Kopleff Recital Hall on the campus of Georgia State University. The concert is FREE and open to the public.

Stars, water and landscapes...we explore the different facets of the observable world in a program entitle: intelligent designs. The concert will feature pieces for animated film, computer generated sounds as well as acoustic instruments. Joining student performers will be special guest ensemble Musica Da Camera (Helen KIM, violin, Tania MAXWELL CLEMENTS, viola & Charae KRUEGER, cello) and GSU faculty members Ken LONG, clarinet and Joseph PERAGINE, Associate Professor of Drawing, Painting, Printmaking - Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design.

PROGRAM:

2BTextures : : an abstract experimental animation - music by Elainie LILLIOS; animated film by Bonnie MITCHELL

Water Voyage : : for clarinet duo and electronic soundscape on CD by Alex SHAPIRO

Dark Expanse : : for computer generated sounds (premiere) by Brent MILAM

Paisaje cubano con rumba : : for guitar quartet by Leo BROUWER

intelligent designs : : for string trio and animated film (premiere) - music by Nickitas DEMOS ; animated film by Joseph PERAGINE

The Kopleff Recital Hall is located within the Arts & Humanities Building which is on the corner of Peachtree Center Avenue and Gilmer Street in downtown Atlanta. Street parking may be available in this area, or you may use the I-Lot (Peachtree Center Ave.). For more detailed directions and maps, please check out the GSU School of Music website at: 

http://www.music.gsu.edu

As always, you will be able to meet and greet the composers, artists and performers after the concert at a reception hosted by the GSU Student Chapter of the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI)

My Blog

Hi Everyone-
I thought some of you might be interested in a recent blog about my experiments with/on
a piano. Mostly for fun...:^)
Have a great week!

http://www.jcazmusic.blogspot.com/

Jonathan Cazenave

World Premiere of REDEEMER EVENING PRAYER – A LENTEN VESPERS by Curtis Bryant

From Curtis Bryant:

I just wanted to remind you about the upcoming premiere of the full program of REDEEMER EVENING PRAYER – A LENTEN VESPERS on Wednesday, April 1 at 7:00 PM at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia.

http://www.curtisbryantmusic.com/news.html

The April 1 service will include all of the music I wrote for the Redeemer Lutheran portion of the Atlanta Faith Partners Residency sponsored by the American Composers Forum. Included in the service are eight new compositions running approximately 25 minutes: an organ Prelude, Hymn of Light (Phos Hilaron), Thanksgiving for Light, Psalm 121 (I Lift My Eyes Unto the Hills), Canticle of Mary (Magnificat), Canticle of Simeon (Nunc Dimittis), both with respective Glorias, and Postlude: Fugue and Toccata on FA-SOL-LA-RE. I collaborated with three Atlanta poets, Marcia King, William Allen, and Doug Cumming (who is on the faculty at Washington and Lee University) for the creation of the above choral settings.

Here is some additional information that will be included in the program notes:

Redeemer Evening Prayer – A Lenten Vespers was composed for the 2009 Lenten services of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer as part of the American Composers Forum Faith Partners Residency Program in collaboration with choir director David Hansen and organist Sarah Hawbecker. Employing numerous early Christian literary sources, including the Phos Hilaron, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis, as well as a Psalm traditional to these services (No. 121), Bryant sought out the talents of several Atlanta writers to create poetic settings suitable for musical treatment. Particular attention was given to the inclusion of responsorial verses as practiced in the Lutheran tradition. One of the principal musical motifs connecting many of the compositions within this service is the recurrence of the notes F-G-A-D (Fa-Sol-La-Re) which coincidentally suggest the opening lines of the Greek “Hymn of Light” (Phos Hilaron). Bryant composed the organ prelude and postlude using themes from these choral settings to create a sense of thematic unity and to showcase the Létourneau organ at Redeemer Lutheran.

Faith Partners is an ecumenical program designed by the American Composers Forum that enables religious institutions to select a composer to create original musical works appropriate for use in the worship services of participating congregations. Other consortium members are Cathedral of Christ the King and First Presbyterian Church. Bryant is currently working on liturgical compositions for these congregations as well.

Sonic Generator Concert (March 30th) and Jenny Lin at Spivey (April 1st)

Two exiting, free concerts coming up next week. On Monday, Sonic Generator makes its debut at Woodruff Arts Center, offering a unique program combining music with film and visual theatrics through technology. On Wednesday, exception New York new music pianist Jenny Lin presents a recital of etudes at Spivey Hall.

Hope you can make it to these shows!

Sonic Generator
ensemble in residence at Georgia Tech
Monday, March 30th, 8 pm
Rich Theatre @ Woodruff Arts Center
music by Michael Gordon, Louis Andriessen, Daniel Lentz, Tristan Perich, Marco Nardelli, and Javier Alvarez
films by Hal Hartley and Bill Morrison
post-concert reception to meet the artists and composer Tristan Perich and see hands-on music technology research demos
More info: http://www.sonicgenerator.gatech.edu

Jenny Lin, piano
Wednesday, April 1st, 7:30 pm
Spivey Hall
music by Debussy, Chin, Messiaen, Fujikura, Ortiz, Sanchez-Gutierrez, Stravinsky, and my own Piano Etudes
More info: http://www.spiveyhall.org/concerts/details.php?secID=2&subSecID=1&eventID=579&eventType=1&inDetail=yes

A composer's views on "Less is More (More or Less)"

OK, admittedly since I was one of the composers who was a part of the Atlanta Composers Meetup with Darren and Mark, it's hard to be unbiased about Mark's "Less is More (More or Less)" show at eyedrum last night. But I do have to commend Mark on a well thought-out program, as well as he, Darren, and everyone involved who put together a really fantastic show last night. My views on the show can be read at the link in the title of this article. Great job to all of you! It was really a treat.

Brian Skutle
www.sonic-cinema.com

less is more (more or less) @ Eyedrum, this Friday, March 20

A concert featuring new works by Atlanta-based creative artists (in alphabetical order):

Stuart Gerber, percussionist
Mark Gresham, composer
Al Matthews, video artist
Jen Mitchell, composer/dj
Darren Nelsen, composer

...plus front-edge music and performance art by:

John Luther Adams
Alexandre Babel
Giorgio Battestelli
Frederic Rzewski
Stuart Saunders Smith
Christian Wolff

Friday, March 20, 2009 @ 8:00pm
Eyedrum
29 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE, Suite 8, Atlanta, GA 30312
$10 at the door / $5 students with student ID
(sorry, no credit cards!)

For those who have never been to Eyedrum:

Eyedrum is located on the northeast corner of Hill St. and MLKjr Dr., the entrance to the gravel parking lot faces MLKjr Dr. (Do not park across the street, as you will get towed.) Note that Google tries to locate the address one block to the east and down a dead-end street--wrong location! When you enter Eyedrum's parking lot, the door on the left next to the silo is the traditional entrance to the front gallery, through which you'll go to get to the performance space behind it.

It's going to be a great show. Hope to see you there!

composer duo at Eyedrum, Thursday March 12

Hello,

Spreading the word about a composer duo appearing at Eyedrum this Thursday evening.

http://www.pd.org/~eyedrum/calendar/index.php?id=3006

Jonathan Chen and Andrew Raffo Dewar
8:00PM, Thursday, March 12, at Eyedrum
www.eyedrum.org
$5

"I’ve been repeatedly impressed by the consistency and rigor of [Chen's] work...lovely and unexpected..." Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader

Andrew Raffo Dewar, saxophone, and Jonathan Chen, violin will perform three 20 minute sets. One set will be performed together as a duo and two sets will be performed solo. In their solo sets they will perform improvised works informed by generative idioms that have been developed compositionally. As a duo, Chen and Dewar will improvise freely.

JONATHAN CHEN’s work includes installation, composition, improvisation, interpretation, and video. One of his current projects, Platform, is a component within a larger research project linking the philosophies of Marcel Duchamp and Friedrich Nietzsche and involves the installation of slowly moving platforms. Chen’s work has been performed or installed at venues both in the U.S. and internationally. He has worked with artists such as Tatsu Aoki, Anthony Braxton, Flux String Quartet, & Alvin Lucier among others. He received his Master of Music in violin performance from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL in 1999. In 2006 he completed his Master of Arts in music composition at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT. Chen is currently working on his PhD in Electronic Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

ANDREW RAFFO DEWAR is a composer, improviser, woodwind instrumentalist, ethnomusicologist and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Arts in the New College and music department at the University of Alabama, USA. Since 1995, he has been active in the music communities of Minneapolis, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, performing his work in North America, Southeast Asia and Europe.

As a composer, Dewar's pieces have been performed by the Flux Quartet (NYC), Sekar Anu (Indonesia), the Koto Phase ensemble (USA/Japan) and the XYZ composer collective (NYC). He has received grants from Arts International, Meet The Composer and the Getty Foundation to support his work.

Andy Ditzler
Frequent Small Meals
Atlanta, GA
www.frequentsmallmeals.com

Christopher Theofanidis and Robert Spano Talk

From Melanie Darby of ASO:

The next Conversation of Note will be take place on Wednesday, April 1 at 7pm and in the Rich Auditorium of the Woodruff Arts Center. Christopher Theofanidis and Robert Spano have confirmed for the event. Chris will talk about his music from the perspective of the composer as teacher. How does the composer inspire a student and what kind of inspiration is gained by the composer from that relationship? ASO plans to bring one or two of Chris’ students to the panel. Throughout classical music there are examples of great composers mentoring their successors. This will be a living example of what those relationships may have been like.

Call for reservations: 404.733.4870

Björk interviews Arvo Pärt

Although this is 12 years old, I thought ACG readers might find it worthy viewing.

--mg

Björk interviews Arvo Pärt for the BBC program 'Modern Minimalists' (1997).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pDjT1UNT3s

Atlanta composers in New York City

Hello all -

Just dropping in to inform you that three Atlanta-connected composers will be on the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, April 2-4.

Among the 100+ composers on the festival will be Emory University's Steve Everett, as well as ex-Atlantans Daniel Swilley and yours truly.

for more info, see: www.nycemf.org

cheers,
asn

neoPhonia New Music Ensemble Concert Friday (2/20)

This is from Dr. Demos at GSU:

You are cordially invited to the third neoPhonia New Music Ensemble concert of the 2008/09 season.

We explore the world of wind music in a concert entitled AIR. Works for brass and woodwinds will be performed by student members of neoPhonia as well as special guest artists duoATL (Nicole RANDALL, flute & Brian LUCKETT, guitar) and GSU faculty member, Ken LONG, clarinet.

If you are able, please join us on Friday, February 20 at 7:30 PM in the Kopleff Recital Hall on the campus of Georgia State University in lovely downtown Atlanta. The concert is, of course, FREE and open to the public.
program:

Paths by Toru TAKEMITSU
Lost Hollow Road by Brian CHAMBERLAIN
Elements of Nature by Paul OSTERFIELD
Gra by Elliott CARTER
Four Sketches for Brass Quintets by Anthony PLOG

The Kopleff Recital Hall is located within the Arts and Humanities Building which is on the corner of Peachtree Center Avenue and Gilmer Street in downtown Atlanta. Street parking may be available in this area, or you may use I-Lot (Peachtree Center Ave). For more detailed directions and maps, please check out the GSU School of Music website at:

http://www.music.gsu.edu

As always, you will be able to meet and greet the composers and performers after the concert at a reception hosted by the GSU Student Chapter of the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI).

Hope to see you there!

Alvin Singleton and Jennifer Higdon Giving Talk March 1

American Originals: Art is the Ultimate Democracy
Complimentary admission
Sunday March 1, 2009
7:00 pmAtlanta Symphony Hall Stage

Due to space limitations, RSVPs are strongly encouraged.To RPVP for this event, please call 404.733.4850.For additional information, contact Melanie Darby at 404.733.4870.

Explore the inspiration and music of award-winning composers Jennifer Higdon and Alvin Singleton! Art is a language composed with rhythm, form, and style. Poetry and music intertwine. Is it any wonder that composers are inspired by prose? Join Jennifer Higdon - the most performed living American composer working today - in a dialogue with our own Music Director Robert Spano, award-winning poet Dr. Jeanne McGinn, Chair of the Liberal Arts Department for The Curtis Institute of Music, and Atlanta Composer Alvin Singleton. Led by ASO Insider Ken Meltzer, this Conversation of Note will reveal the inspiration of an "Atlanta School" Composer!

Below is a note from the coordinator Melanie Darby:
"Maestro Spano, Jennifer Higdon, and Alvin Singleton will all perform snippets of their music on piano during the event. It (the advertisement) also doesn’t tell you about the exciting pre-lecture opportunity I’ve arranged for you! Since this Conversation is focusing on the deep connections between poetry and music, I have arranged for a truly dynamic poet to perform before the lecture begins. Her name is Jessica Hand (see bio below). Jessica will be performing her own works with flute accompaniment. This is most certainly not a standard poetry reading. "

Jessica Hand Bio

Jessica D. Hand earned a Creative Writing BA (as well as a BA in Psychology) from Carnegie Mellon University, where she had the pleasure of working extensively with Jim Daniels and Terrance Hayes. She is now working on her MFA in poetry at Georgia State University, where she also teaches Freshman Composition. Her publications include the minnesota review, Redactions, Limp Wrist, and Java Monkey Speaks 2, among others. She was a finalist for River Styx’s 2008 International Poetry Contest. Her poem Jesus Mirror won the 2008 Agnes Scott Literary Festival Poetry Competition, judged by Martín Espada, and Jess was a finalist for the same competition in 2007, judged by Yusef Komunyakaa. Ode to My Pentecostal Right Arm is currently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She has featured in many venues, including Java Monkey, Outwrite, the Decatur Book Festival, and the Portfolio Center.

New Online Work: Piano Etudes

Wanted to let you all know about a new web-based work of mine that launched today, Piano Etudes. On the site, you can create and share your own unique versions of four open-form piano works; these can also be performed live in concert by a pianist. (The first performance in Atlanta will be in April at Spivey.) Hope you enjoy!

duoATL Concert on Tuesday (2/10) featuring 3 Atlanta Composers

Flutist Nicole Randall and Guitarist Brian Luckett team up as duoATL to perform February 10 at 8pm at Emerson Hall in the Schwartz Center at Emory University. Admission is Free!

duoATL was founded in 2005 by classical guitarist Brian Luckett and flutist and composer Nicole Randall. The duo aspires to explore the incredibly intriguing and ever growing repertoire written for flute and guitar. This dynamic pairing of instruments has inspired a great diversity of composers to write for it, resulting in an exciting body of repertoire from the 20th and continuing into the 21st century. In addition to performing and recording music from the current repertoire, duoATL aims to bring both newly commissioned and original music to the concert stage. To learn more about duoATL got to http://www.duoatl.com/

Below is the program for the duoATL concert:

Libertango (1973) - Astor Piazzolla(1921–1992) arr. duoATL

Lost Hollow Road (2007) - Brian Chamberlain (b. 1977)
I . Glimpses
II . Reflections
III . Shadows

Serenata al Alba del Dia (1985) - Joaquin Rodrigo (1901–1999)
I . Andante moderato
II . Allegro

West End Funk (2007) - Brian Luckett

I Loved Lucy (1996) - Michael Daugherty (b. 1954)

Confidencial No. 2 (1989) - Alejandro Yague (b. 1947)

Suite Buenos Aires (1995) - Maximo Diego Pujol (b. 1957)
I. Pompeya

Acrobats (2002) - David Leisner (b. 1953)
I . In the Wings
II. Flashback
III . Up in the Air

Mangosteen (2008) - Nicole Randall (b. 1977)

Marc Mellits interview: Food for Your Ears

And as one of those being overheard at the Sonic Generator concert, here is the link to my telephone interview of Marc Mellits on my EarRelevant blog: Food for your Ears.

(Thanks, Brian, for taking up the pen to write a review.)

—Mark Gresham

Concert Review: Sonic Generator 2/2/09

Inspired by a discussion overheard at the conclusion of last night's Sonic Generator concert down at Georgia Tech, I decided to take matters into my own hand and share my views on the program over at my website in the Music News section. You can also get there by clicking on the above link. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks for listening,

Brian Skutle
www.sonic-cinema.com

Sonic Generator Concert

If you're wondering where you can see a quartet of iPhones performing John Cage, music for saxophone and tape delays by Terry Riley, paranoid cheese miniatures by Marc Mellits, and more, look no further! The next free performance by Sonic Generator, Georgia Tech's high-tech chamber-music ensemble in residence, is coming up on Monday, February 2nd at 8 pm at the Georgia Tech Alumni House.

For full details, see the Sonic Generator web site or the Facebook event page.

See you there!

Fanfare 36 by Atlanta Composer and Flutist Kelly Via

Sunday, January 25,2009 at 3:00 at Snellville United Methodist Church, 2428 Main Street East, Snellville, GA. 30078 The Atlanta Music Academy Flute Choir will perform "Fanfare 36" by Atlanta Composer and Flutist Kelly Via. Program consisting of works by Burnnet, Holst, Lauf, Molnar-Suhajda, Nourse, and Smetana. The concert is free and open to the public.

"Fanfare 36" was written for and premiered by the 2008 National High School Flute Choir at the 36th Annual Convention of the National Flute Association in Kansas City, MO. The NHSFC was composed of 25 high school flutists selected by audition from across the U.S. Inspiration for the piece was drawn from the honor of being selected to conduct these talented young flutists as well as my love for marching bands and DCI. "Fanfare 36", published by Nourse Wind Publications, is scored for two piccolos, four C flutes, two alto flutes, bass flute and optional contrabass flute."

Here's a little about Kelly Via:

Kelly Via received the Bachelor of Music from Drake University and the Master of Music from East Carolina University. He is the piccoloist with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and Macon Symphony Orchestra. A flute choir enthusiast and arranger, Kelly has been selected to perform with the National Flute Association Professional Flute Choir each year since 2000. Several of his arrangements and compositions for flute choir are available through Nourse Wind Publications. One of his arrangements was named a winner in the NFA 2002 Newly Published Music Competition and another was a finalist in 2004. Most recently he was appointed to serve as Flute Choir Coordinator for the NFA from 2007 to 2012 and he conducted the NFA National High School Flute Choir in 2008. Kelly is currently teaching flute and directing flute choirs at Mercer University, Agnes Scott College and the Atlanta Music Academy.

Akhnaten, Philip Glass, and the Atlanta Opera

Just in case you didn't know, Akhnaten is sold out. However, us composer people may be interested in some of the events surrounding the staging of the opera. If you ever heard Philip Glass speak, you know he makes for a knowledgeable and interesting speaker on living a life as a composer. Here's some events you might be interested in, all are free and open to the public at Emory University:

January 22, 2009 7:00 PM
Carlos Museum
Dr. Melinda Hartwig, Associate Professor of Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology at Georgia State University; Dr. Shalom Goldman, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies; and Richard Kagey, Stage Director of The Atlanta Opera’s production of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten discuss the historical figure of Akhnaten, the Akhnaten of the imagination in Glass’s opera, and the artistry of The Atlanta Opera’s production.


January 25, 2009
3:30 PM
Glenn Memorial
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the opera, composer Philip Glass will have a public conversation about Akhnaten with Emory professor of Middle Eastern Studies Dr. Shalom Goldman. Dr. Goldman served as an Egyptological advisor to Glass and wrote part of the opera’s libretto using ancient Egyptian sources.


January 26, 2009
4:00 PM
Carlos Museum
From Twyla Tharp to Robert Wilson to Yo-Yo Ma, Composer Philip Glass has collaborated with artists across the disciplines. In a conversation with Secretary of the University Rosemary Magee, Glass discusses the ways that collaboration informs his own creative process.


January 26, 2009
6:30 PM
White Hall Room 208
Composer Philip Glass introduces a screening of Martin Scorsese’s film Kundun, which traces the life of the 14th Dalai Lama, and hosts a discussion of the influence of Tibetan music and Buddhism on Glass’s score for the film and other work.

Map of the Emory Campus can be found here: http://map.emory.edu/

Sergei Eisenstein’s groundbreaking movie ¡Que viva México! with a new commissioned film score by Atlanta composer Brian Mitchell

Bent Frequency presents ¡Que viva México!

On January 31, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. at Kopleff Recital Hall at Georgia State University, contemporary music ensemble Bent Frequency will present a unique multimedia experience: Sergei Eisenstein’s groundbreaking movie ¡Que viva México! with a new commissioned film score by Atlanta composer Brian Mitchell. Written for a small ensemble of flute, violin, guitar and percussion, Mr. Mitchell’s score is the perfect compliment for this hauntingly beautiful film and will be performed “in real time” during the movie by members of the ensemble. Of the score, Linda Dubler, Curator of Media Arts at the High Museum states:

"Finally, ¡Que viva México!'s exquisite black and white imagery has a fitting accompaniment in composer Brian Mitchell's subtle, understated score. Its inventive orchestration and many moods, ranging from the lyrical to the melancholic to the joyous, bring a dynamic, contemporary sensibility to this unfinished masterpiece."

The viewing will be preceded by a brief lecture from Dr. Gregory Smith, Associate Professor of Communications at Georgia State University.

Tickets prices are as follows:
General admission - $10
Non-GSU students with ID - $5
GSU students, faculty and staff with ID – Free

For more information visit bentfrequency.com
This event is sponsored in part by CENCIA

Coalescence and Accessible Contemporary Music

My string quartet, Coalescence, was recorded by an group in Chicago called Accessible Contemporary Music. ACM plays a piece of music every week by a living composer. I highly recommend submitting a piece. They put together a stellar performance for me:

http://www.acmusic.org/weeklystreaming.html