It's a difficult task to attempt to summarize the amazing and life altering 3 weeks that is the Bang on a Can summer music festival. To include everything would have to be a series that breaks it down week by week. I included an installment about the first week already so I believe I should continue in that vein.
Week 2 began with a morning session with everyone of Latin music led by bass faculty member Gregg August. We all got together and read charts and learned clave rhythms for 3 days and then partied it down at the Mohawk, cramming 30+ musicians into a bar to perform together and jam out. The finger was pointed and I was forced into an uncomfortable spot as a soloist, but I'm happy for the encouragement, I think it will shape a lot of my efforts this next year. By the end of the night we had (d)evolved into a full out jam session with random singers and musicians that couldn't be stopped.
For the remainder of the week our extra session was Sound Painting with Todd Reynolds! We had 2/3 rehearsals to learn the language of Todd's hands and then we performed at the Saturday 4:30 concert, starting in the Xu Bing Phoenix exhibit and ending in the Waterfall gallery. It was a remarkable experience of guided group improvisation and communication. At the concert Todd also included the audience and guided them in a bit of their own sound painting. Click the link to see some excerpts from the show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWbxMo5RXDE
Week 2 included some predetermined concerts for me as well. On Friday night the BOAC saxophone quartet opened the David Lang concert with a performance of the first movement of his Revolutionary Etudes (click the link to watch a clip). It was a remarkable thing to be a part of. After years of admiring his music I got to be a part of it and it was an honor. I also thoroughly enjoyed playing with Ken, Zach, and Olivia. And it is an amazing thing when a composer of that stature is still so grateful and supportive of the musicians playing his music, David is humble and kind.
Week 2 began with a morning session with everyone of Latin music led by bass faculty member Gregg August. We all got together and read charts and learned clave rhythms for 3 days and then partied it down at the Mohawk, cramming 30+ musicians into a bar to perform together and jam out. The finger was pointed and I was forced into an uncomfortable spot as a soloist, but I'm happy for the encouragement, I think it will shape a lot of my efforts this next year. By the end of the night we had (d)evolved into a full out jam session with random singers and musicians that couldn't be stopped.
For the remainder of the week our extra session was Sound Painting with Todd Reynolds! We had 2/3 rehearsals to learn the language of Todd's hands and then we performed at the Saturday 4:30 concert, starting in the Xu Bing Phoenix exhibit and ending in the Waterfall gallery. It was a remarkable experience of guided group improvisation and communication. At the concert Todd also included the audience and guided them in a bit of their own sound painting. Click the link to see some excerpts from the show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWbxMo5RXDE
Week 2 included some predetermined concerts for me as well. On Friday night the BOAC saxophone quartet opened the David Lang concert with a performance of the first movement of his Revolutionary Etudes (click the link to watch a clip). It was a remarkable thing to be a part of. After years of admiring his music I got to be a part of it and it was an honor. I also thoroughly enjoyed playing with Ken, Zach, and Olivia. And it is an amazing thing when a composer of that stature is still so grateful and supportive of the musicians playing his music, David is humble and kind.
If I had to pick a favorite 4:30 concert out of the entire festival I would have to pick Tuesday the 23rd, Music from Japan. The phenomenal Vicki Ray played Incarnations II by Somei Satoh, and the all-stars played Distorted Melody by Akiko Ushijima, Gamelan Cherry Parts 1 and 2 by Mamoru Fujieda, and the 4th movement of SHU (Spells) by Somei Satoh. Although all the works were incredible I was the most moved by the closer. I have never had such a profoundly moving experience (in public) with music before. It was so simple and hauntingly beautiful that I bawled. A moment like this when music so completely takes you over is what I'm always looking for and I am so grateful to the all-stars for sharing this with me.
I think I cheated and took this photo in week 3 not 2 but either way it was my home everyday.
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