Third Annual Guthman Musical Instrument Competition: Call for Entries

Submit Entrees Online by October 1st 2010

Inventors, composers, creators, and designers are encouraged to submit their musical instrument inventions to the 2011 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition. The event is hosted by the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology and features a grand prize of $5,000. In total, $10,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the best novel musical instruments. Entries will be accepted through October 1, 2010 via an Online Submission Form and notification of acceptance will be provided November 1, 2010.

The competition, which will take place February 24-25 2011, will be judged by an expert panel including Tom Oberheim, inventor of the first polyphonic music synthesizer, Sergi Jorda, inventor of the Reactable tabletop musical instrument, Georgia Tech professor Jason Freeman, and Wired.com music journalist Eliot Van Buskirk. This annual competition is supported by the philanthropic gifts of Tech alum Richard Guthman in honor of his wife Margaret. It showcases new uses of technology to enhance participation in music performance and music creation.

For more information about previous iterations of the competition, judging criteria, submission format etc. go to our website.

We are looking forward to receiving your submissions, and please feel free to distribute this information to other interested parties,

“Anatomy of a Film Score” seminar with Hummie Mann

ANNOUNCEMENT: THE SEMINAR HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED! EARLY SIGNUP DISCOUNT IS NOW AVAILABLE. SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS.
September 25 – 26, 2010
10 am – 6 pm each day
At the Nashville Film Institute The Factory, Franklin, Tennessee click here for a map/directions – parking is free for attendees lodging is available in nearby Cool Springs

The Nashville Composers Association presents the two-day seminar “Anatomy of a Film Score” with two-time Emmy-award winning composer/arranger Hummie Mann. Hummie has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors in both theatrical and television films. His motion pictures projects have ranged from Mel Brooks’ “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” to Peter Yates’ “Year of the Comet”, the children’s film “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” to “Wooly Boys” directed by Leszek Burzynski starring Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine and Joe Mazzello. For television, he has scored projects for Simon Wincer (the miniseries “P.T. Barnum”), Jonathan Kaplan (the miniseries re-make of “In Cold Blood”), Norman Jewison (“Picture Windows – Soir Bleu”), Peter Bogdanovich (“The Rescuers: Tales of Courage – Two Women”), Joe Dante (“Masters of Horror: Homecoming”), Jim Abrahams (“First Do No Harm”), Richard Friedenberg (“Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas”), William Friedkin, John Milius and Ralph Bakshi (all part of the “Rebel Highway” series of films), among others. Click here for Hummie’s complete credits, and here for his bio.

Anatomy of a Film Score attendees will receive 50+ pages of scores/notes with a CD of the music studied. Hummie will discuss the process of creating a score from initial concept to finished recorded music using audio and video examples. He will also discuss some specific compositional and technical film scoring techniques utilized in the process. Hummie recommends attendees bring note and manuscript paper as there will be much information you may wish to jot down. Attendees may also submit questions for Hummie ahead of time that he will address as part of the class or during the Q & A segment at the end.

You will learn, among other things:

• Where to begin? Establishing a vocabulary and policy for the score.


• Creating themes and varying them to work in different dramatic situations.


• Techniques of contracting and expanding phrase lengths to fit a film’s timing requirements.


• Discussion about various harmonic languages/progressions used in film.


• The use and control of dissonance for dramatic results.


• A step by step method of scoring a film from start to finish.

Read about the quality of Hummie’s teaching and courses here.

Anatomy of a Film Score attendees will also receive a free one-year Nashville Composers Association membership, worth $50.

To Register, click here. Seating is limited. Regular enrollment fee: $300 - includes scores and CD.

EARLY SIGNUP SPECIAL: SIGN UP AND PAY BY AUGUST 28th AT THE DISCOUNTED RATE OF $239.

Regular enrollment fee applies after August 28th.

Composer/flutist Lydia Ayers at Georgia Tech

From Catherine Bull:

Composer/flutist Lydia Ayers will be in Atlanta on Friday 2 July for a workshop at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Couch Building Room TBA. The workshop will begin at 2:00 pm.

There is no charge -- it is free.

Among Lydia's many compositions, she will be known to many as the composer of "Time's Graffitti: Lucky Calligraphy" which was commissioned by the NFA in 2006 for the High School Soloist Competition.

Lydia will be dealing with extended techniques and music for flute and computer, and there will also be a presentation on flute and interactive-signal-processing.

If you wish to attend, please contact Catherine Bull privately at danielspyle@bellsouth.net.

Bridging the Venue Gap (EarRelevant)

My more immediate thoughts on the under-bridge improv performance this evening by percussionists Klimchak and Keith Leslie. --Mark Gresham

http://earrelevant.blogspot.com/2010/06/bridging-venue-gap.html

Birds of a Feather

Hold on to your hats. Once again I'm out on the music journalism circuit. —Mark Gresham

"Last night's performance by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus unveiled a pair of world premieres by composers Jennifer Higdon and Michael Gandolfi, placing them on the front burner ahead of intermission, and leaving one of the core symphonic repertoire's best-known works as a contrail in their wake. … [READ MORE]

All 300 Fine Arts Teachers Laid Off in Detroit

Has anyone heard about this? It's alarming it would happen in Detroit, I hope this isn't contagious and will spread to other cities such as Atlanta: http://tinyurl.com/2bp6nra

"Anatomy of a Film Score" seminar - POSTPONED

The "Anatomy of a Film Score" seminar with Hummie Mann originally scheduled for May 22 - 23 has been postponed due to the Nashville floods.

We are working on rescheduling for this fall, most likely in September. In the meantime, everyone who has already paid for the seminar will receive a full refund, and everyone who signed up for the originally-scheduled May 22 - 23 event will receive a complimentary one-year NCA membership for the inconvenience.

We'll make an announcement once the new dates for this seminar is secured. I hope everyone in the Nashville area has come through this deluge safely and dry.

Geoff Koch, president
Nashville Composers Association

“Anatomy of a Film Score” seminar with Hummie Mann in Nashville, TN

May 22-23, 2010, 10 am to 6 pm

At the Nashville Film Institute
The Factory, Franklin, Tennessee
click here for a map/directions – parking is free for attendees
lodging is available in nearby Cool Springs

The Nashville Composers Association presents the two-day seminar “Anatomy of a Film Score” with two-time Emmy-award winning composer/arranger Hummie Mann. Hummie has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors in both theatrical and television films. His motion pictures projects have ranged from Mel Brooks’ “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” to Peter Yates’ “Year of the Comet”, the children’s film “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” to “Wooly Boys” directed by Leszek Burzynski starring Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine and Joe Mazzello. For television, he has scored projects for Simon Wincer (the miniseries “P.T. Barnum”), Jonathan Kaplan (the miniseries re-make of “In Cold Blood”), Norman Jewison (“Picture Windows – Soir Bleu”), Peter Bogdanovich (“The Rescuers: Tales of Courage – Two Women”), Joe Dante (“Masters of Horror: Homecoming”), Jim Abrahams (“First Do No Harm”), Richard Friedenberg (“Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas”), William Friedkin, John Milius and Ralph Bakshi (all part of the “Rebel Highway” series of films), among others. Click here for Hummie’s complete credits, and here for his bio.

Anatomy of a Film Score attendees will receive 50+ pages of scores/notes with a CD of the music studied. Hummie will discuss the process of creating a score from initial concept to finished recorded music using audio and video examples. He will also discuss some specific compositional and technical film scoring techniques utilized in the process. Hummie recommends attendees bring note and manuscript paper as there will be much information you may wish to jot down. Attendees may also submit questions for Hummie ahead of time that he will address as part of the class or during the Q & A segment at the end.

Read about the quality of Hummie’s teaching and courses here.

Anatomy of a Film Score attendees will also receive a free one-year Nashville Composers Association membership, worth $50.

To Register, click here. Seating is limited.

Brian Chamberlain's Graduate Recital on May 2nd

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
3:00 PM
Florence Kopleff Recital Hall,
Georgia State University

Slipping on the Edge of Loss nn. 35, for Solo Piano - Performed by James Walker
Left to Rust nn. 32, for Tuba and Piano - Performed by Vince Jackson and Huu Mai
Lost Hollow Road nn. 15, for Flute and Guitar Duet - Performed by: duoATL
Levee nn. 37, for Flute and Guitar Quartet - Performed by Nicole Chamberlain, Brian Smith and Athens Guitar Trio

-Intermission-

Slow Motion Exit nn. 24, for String Quintet
Ecclesia nn. 39, for Mixed Chamber Ensemble - Performed by: Mercury Season

neoPhonia New Music Ensemble: April 20, 2010

As part of our year long celebration of our 15th Anniversary Season, we are proud to welcome home some distinguished alumni of the composition program here at Georgia State University. We are also excited to premiere a new work commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition.

Program:

neoPhonia New Music ensemble

Nickitas Demos, artistic director

HOMECOMING

Special Guest Artist:

Kenneth LONG, bass clarinet

Coordinator of Woodwind Studies at the GSU School of Music

Day: Tuesday, April 20

Location: Kopleff Recital Hall, downtown Atlanta

Time: 7:30 PM

FREE and open to the public!

Five Movements on Mondrian by GSU alumnus, Adam Scott NEAL

for video and computer generated sounds

Corrugated Refrains by Neil THORNOCK

for solo bass clarinet

PREMIERE

Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition and Brigham Young University

Tranquility by GSU alumna, Kyong Mee CHOI

for computer generated sounds

...y lleno de humildad y amor la adoro by GSU alumnus, Drew DOLAN

for soprano and string quartet

PREMIERE

As always, you can meet and greet the composers and performers at a reception following the concert sponsored by the GSU Student Chapter of the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI)!

Hope to see you there!!

Somali Radio Stations Halt Music

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/world/africa/14somalia.html?ref=music

This is one of the saddest and most infuriating things I've ever heard.

How can this happen in the 21st century? How can human beings be so unenlightened?

Though this is not an Atlanta story, it should give us all pause. We should be grateful that we can listen to music, much less compose it. We'd probably be killed for that in Somalia. Freakin' bastards.

Jennifer Higdon wins the Pulitzer (and a Grammy!)

Jennifer Higdon won the Pulitzer Prize for Music on Monday. A few months ago, she won a Grammy. Jennifer lived here till she was 10, so I think that qualifies her as an Atlanta Composer. ;) She's also been commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony and is premiering a new work here with eighth blackbird in June.

Mark Gresham wrote a piece on her a while back. I think it was for her 'Atlanta' piece, City Scapes. (Mark, do you want to post a link to that?)

Congratulations, Jennifer!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/04/composer-jennifer-higdon-wins-pulitzer-for-violin-concerto.html

Guest artist Elliot Z. Levine, composer/vocalist

Choral music by Elliot Levine–Jewish and Christian sacred pieces and secular works

Athens Chamber Singers, Kevin Kelly, Director

and Elliot Z. Levine, Baritone

in the premiere of Flame Language for chamber ensemble by Laurence Sherr

Web article: http://www.kennesaw.edu/arts/COTA_News/2010/03-25-10_athens_chorus.shtml

Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 8:00 p.m.

Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center

Kennesaw State University

Free and open to the public

Further info: 770-423-6650 | boxoffice@kennesaw.edu

Other announcements

KSU Student Composition Concert

http://www.kennesaw.edu/arts/COTA_News/2010/04-01-10_student_composers.shtml

iPad Could Boost Interactive Music

iPad Could Boost Interactive Music

Posted using ShareThis

Sonic Generator Concert at the High Museum

Sonic Generator's final concert of the 2009-2010 season, "The Body Machine," explores the physicality and spirituality of the human condition and features compositions by John Luther Adams, Eve Beglarian, Edmund Campion, Mario Diaz de León, Jason Rohrer, and Jacob ter Veldhuis.

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 at 8 p.m.
Hill Auditorium, High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree Street
http://www.sonicgenerator.gatech.edu
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?invites&eid=360817707091

Tickets are $10 and since seating is limited, advance purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available from the Woodruff Center box office by phone (404-733-5000), in person (1280 Peachtree Street), or online.

Emory Arts cancels Saturday Jazzfest event (2/13)

This latest word in on event closings from Emort Arts:

This is to advise you that tonight’s (2/13, 8 p.m.) Emory Big Band concert has also been canceled due to snowy and icy conditions on the Emory campus.

For weather updates and closings on the Emory University campus call the Emory Inclement Weather Hotline, 404-727-1234, for the latest official announcements.

Thank you,

Jessica Moore

--
Communications Coordinator, Center for Creativity & Arts
Emory Coca-Cola Artist in Residence Program Development Specialist
Arts at Emory
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
1700 N. Decatur Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30322

Emory Jazz Festival cancels Friday events; Saturday still scheduled with an eye on weather

This notice to reporters and editors just received from Emory Arts:

This is to advise you that today’s (2/12) 3:30 p.m. rhythm section masterclass and the 8:00 p.m. Jazz Festival concert featuring John Clayton have been canceled due to inclement weather.

Tomorrow, Sat., Feb. 13’s 8:00 p.m. concert with the Emory Big Band is still scheduled to proceed until further notice.

For weather updates and closings on the Emory University campus call the Emory Inclement Weather Hotline, 404-727-1234, for the latest official announcements.


Thank you,

Jessica Moore

--
Communications Coordinator, Center for Creativity & Arts
Emory Coca-Cola Artist in Residence Program Development Specialist
Arts at Emory
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
1700 N. Decatur Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30322

Tonight's "Maurico Kagel" event cancelled

This evening's presentation of "Mauricio Kagel: Film Music, Music Performance, Performance Film" by Bent Frequency in conjunction with Georgia State University's Center for Collaborative and International Arts (CENCIA) has been canceled due to weather. (GSU has officially closed for the day. The event was to have taken place tonight at 8pm in Kopleff Recital Hall.) Here's the official cancellation notice from CENCIA, received by e-mail:

Dear Patron,

It is with regret that I must inform you that we are canceling tonight's
concert of Mauricio Kagel film and music. Georgia State University has
closed its offices and buildings as of noon today in anticipation of the
inclement weather coming to Atlanta. We regard your safety as very
important so we respect the University's decision.

However, this is an important event to us and we will work to reschedule
it as soon as we can. When the new date and time are known, we will be
sure to contact you.

Mauricio Kagel's work asks us to smile and laugh at the human condition.
So, we are choosing to find the humor in the events of today and our
approaching snow storm. We hope that you spend this evening in good
company and safely off the roads.

Jen Waters
Associate to the Director
CENCIA

Jennifer Higdon wins Grammy

As usual, the niche "classical" categories were not nationally televised in this year's Grammy Awards ceremonies. But as reported in NewMusicBox the next day, Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto received the 2010 Grammy for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Jennifer spent the first 10 years of her life growing up in Atlanta, near Lenox Square, connected by family to the then-new Memorial Arts Center scene (now known as Woodruff Arts Center) in the heart of Midtown, long before the Haight-Ashbury-like 14th Street west of Peachtree gave way to shiny, antiseptic offices and skyscrapers. (Ask Jen about the big rubber Jesus sometime.)

Read the article about Jen's Grammy win in NewMusicBox: http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=6258

Sonic Generator Concert with Michael Gordon

Georgia Tech’s chamber music ensemble-in-residence, Sonic Generator, will feature the music of resident composer Michael Gordon in a free performance on Monday, February 8th at 8 p.m. at the Rich Theatre at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Most readers of this blog already know Gordon's music through his association with Bang on a Can and his fascinating collaborations with filmmaker Bill Morrison. We're delighted to be bringing Michael down to Atlanta and to be sharing his music with you.

Full details on our web site: http://www.sonicgenerator.gatech.edu

Hope to see you there!