Breath, Contained

I'm happy to share a new video of Tonia Ko'sBreath, Contained! We were fortunate to be able to take over the Sibley Dome at Cornell for a show with always-astounding Sandbox Percussion, pairing Tonia's work for bubble wrap and electronics with Mark Applebaum's Straitjacket and Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood. Thanks for David Parks for the great video. Tonia has been drawing on and playing  transparent surfaces for some time, but the quintet version of Breath, Contained is her biggest work so far.  The five of us each play a selection of bubble wraps, each of which is capable of generating a multutude of squeaks,squawks, rustles, taps.  After exploring these sounds with a few studies for large and small bubbles (and a solo version of the piece, which I've been performing for some time), Tonia created a new set of electronics, which manipulate our sound in real time through a panoply of filters, resonators, and other electronic devices.  Tonia's studies for large and small bubbles. If that weren't enough, Tonia made a creative and beautiful graphic score to guide us:

Slip-Slidin' Away

I'm super proud to be a part of this amazing piece, and can't wait to see where Tonia takes it.  In the meantime, stay tuned for video of Straitjacket…

Blue Skin of the Sea

Super proud to be a part of Tonia Ko's new marimba piece, Blue Skin of the Sea.  Program notes are here. Take a look at the video from the premiere in Ithaca, or if you're audio-inclined, the soundcloud playlist here (I like the 2nd movement the best…):

New Morse Code Kickstarter

New Morse Code is excited to announce our debut album, a collection of new works for Mike and Hannah (and friends) from Caroline Shaw, Robert Honstein, Tonia Ko, and Paul Kerekes.For the past three years, we have had a blast working with our talented friends on bold and unexpected works for cello and percussion.  We feel that the time has come to share the results of these projects with a larger audience, and are asking for YOUR help to make it possible.By the end of this month, we will have recorded the music for the album, and will begin the editing and mixing process.  Even the recording process has been an opportunity to team up with some of our favorite people: pianist/composer Timo Andres is joining us for Paul’s piece, violinist extraordinaire Katie Hyun isPatter-ing with us,  and we’re doing the recording with the phenomenal Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio.

CLICK HERE to donate

Even though we've met our original goal (yay!), money we raise from this point on will go towards working harder at sharing these pieces. Our stretch goal of $13,000 will cover:

• Expansion of the original studio budget. If we reach our stretch goal, we’ll be able to afford to take more time and care with each step of the tracking, editing, mixing, and mastering process.
• Costs associated with shopping the album to record labels, or releasing it ourselves.
• Hiring a professional publicist to get this music heard by a larger community of potential listeners, friends, and reviewers
• Throwing an album release party, a chance for backers in the area to meet up and hear some new music from the composers and performers involved in the album

Thanks for helping!

An American Tune

I've been lax updating this site, a case of avoidance therapy about practicing, and the beginning-of-the-semester bustle.  A complete calendar update is coming soon, but I'm emerging from my cocoon to announce that I am excited about this Sunday's Ensemble X concert.  Ensemble X is a contemporary music ensemble consisting of faculty at Cornell and Ithaca College, and because the estimable Xak Bjerken is out of town, I'm humbled to have the opportunity to grab the curatorial rudder for this show.The program is called An American Tune,  and features new and recent works that, as a whole, explore particularly "American" approaches to melody and song.  In addition to the world premiere of bubble-wrap virtuoso Tonia Ko's Blue Skin of the Sea, we'll hear a new arrangement of Peabody Friend Daniel Thomas Davis' Real Country, a tour of the rural south through song, Timo Andres' serene Fast Flows the River, and Andy Akiho's crisp and Mondrian-ian LIgNEouS.

We'll also be joined by fabulous soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon for a set of songs from Anna Lindemann, George Perle, Undine Smith Moore, Florence Price, and John Cage. As an alternative to the Super Bowl, it can't be beaten (or deflated).

More info is here.

Hope to post a recording/video/photo of this soon!

Prayers Remain Forever

Very excited to be a part of Martin Bresnick's fantastic new album, Prayers Remain Forever,  now available from Starkland Records.  The estimable Ian Rosenbaum and I tackle Martin's A Message from the Emperor, a wonderful work for two speaking percussionists, based on Kafka's final short story.  I'm proud to be in such great company: Lisa Moore and Ashley Bathgate play the crud out of Prayers Remain Forever, and I'm entranced by Sarita Kwok's rendition of Josephine the Singer. Buy it or gift it!