What's happening in Classical music scene

I love reading the online NY Times Music page. While I can attend any of the events (the cost of the last minute flight would break the bank), it is nice to keep up with what's happening. There is a premier of an opera this week (what?? another opera premiering????) - but it's a premier of a production of an opera from 1792, so not quite the same was our own "It Must Be Fate"... (whew).

New Orleans is being treated to N.O. Music Alive and their blend of classical and jazz.

On the other side of the US, Thomas Adès is conducting the Los Angles Chamber Orchestra at the Disney Hall.

Locally, the Edinburgh Light Orchestra is performing at the Queen's Hall on Saturday.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Julian Rachlin performing Brahms and Strauss is performing at the Royal Festival Hall, London tonight (Friday).

Cornwall has something interesting - Music by composers living in Cornwall is in Truro tonight.

The Milton Keynes City Orchestra is performing at Dorchester Abbey on Saturday. The Oxford Chamber Orchestra is performing at Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford on Saturday as well.

Many more events are listed on http://www.concert-diary.com I hope to see you at one of them!

Broadway, Music worthy of a listen

I am a fan of Broadway, particularly the musicals. I have long felt the modern Broadway composers, such as Hamlisch, Sondheim and Schwartz have often been overlooked by the classical world because of the "simplicity" of Broadway music. This is an unfortunate misconception. Anyone who has ever tried to sing a Sondheim score knows just how difficult the music can be. While Hamlisch and Schwartz tend to be more strophic in their song composition, even they come up with elements of music that are challenging for even the most accomplished performers.

The range a vocalist needs to be adept at for most Broadway music leads exceeds most lead roles by Mozart. Occasionally, Mozart uses the ultra high coloratura Soprano range, but as this range is often more effectual (pyrotechnics) and not necessarily good for understanding the words Broadway tends to avoid it's use - as the words are important. Which points to another difference between opera and Broadway; the libretto in opera, particularly in late 20th century opera, tends to be obtuse, more dealing with the inner struggle than the dialogue between characters. In the Broadway musical, the lyrics are meant to be more like conversation. Plays without music often allow the dialogue to be false, so the audience has to extrapolate thoughts behind the words rather than the words themselves. Plays with music (musicals) are more direct; the actors sing what they are thinking/feeling. This is a generalization, but true in most cases. This doesn't preclude sub-text. Sweeney Todd is filled with sub-text, as is Wicked and A Chorus Line. It's possible to sing some of the songs with a single dimension, and ignore the subtleties, but it is just as possible to dive deep into them and glean as much as you might with an opera libretto.

So, what of the music? Opera was long considered the place for innovation, the place where new forms were explored. But somewhere in the early 20th century the demand that opera be sung in a certain manner restricted opera to a certain sound. Yes, operas like Berg's Wozzeck or Nono's Prometeo still strive for innovation. But is it necessary to push the limits of audience appreciation/understanding to create something new?

Kristin Chenoweth in “Showstoppers,” conducted by Marvin Hamlisch, at Avery Fisher Hall.

One of the reasons people love Mozart, Donizetti or Puccini are their wonderful melodies. People who aren't fans of opera are still likely to recognize tunes from these masters because they have become so much a part of our musical fabric. They understand the need to connect with their audience with the music. Broadway composers feel this same need. The music must make a connection. Maybe all the tunes aren't "hummable", but there should be something to "take away" from the performance. Into the Woods has the duet of the Princes. Wicked has Popular. A Chorus Line has Nothing. When Bernstein wrote the music for West Side Story, it was done to be performed on Broadway. Since then, the West Side Story Suite is a favourite among orchestras looking for something challenging yet fun to perform. Recently, Hamlisch conducted the New York Philharmonic in a series of orchestrations of Broadway tunes. The NY Times review remarked at how wonderfully this music comes across given the right treatment with a quality orchestra.

Maybe it's not the music that is treated so disparagingly - but the performers. Maybe, because Broadway is ultimately about making a profit so fewer musicians are hired (often a sticking point for negotiations with the musicians union), or orchestrations are trimmed to make it easier to mount productions without extensive rehearsals. The drive for profitability drags down the quality and so the classical world looks down on the music form in general.

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In the June concert, we will be presenting the taster portion of "It Must Be Fate" with a piano, leads and chorus. I had thought about a fuller orchestration, but costs and time prevented it. I've also incorporated aspects of modern music into the musical style. So, the question is, will the audience look down on the opera because of the lack of orchestration, or the modern music style - or will they look beyond these to see the gem in the rough?

The vocalists singing in the opera are thrilled with the music. It's fun to sing (there are melodies) and yet, some of the most challenging music they've had to work with this year - in terms of rhythm and style. The pianist is having a wonderful time trying to get his head around all the cross rhythms. He says it's possible, but it is taking more work than the score initially suggests. The music isn't easy, but it is melodic. The orchestration isn't lush, but it is complex. This is a work in progress, so it is rough - but worth the work.

Tickets sales and classical music

Money may be the root of all evil, but without it putting on a classical music concert is nearly impossible. Getting money for one concert is tough, but when looking at the long range picture (future concerts) it's important to know how to leverage a current event to the greatest advantage.

Publicity for a classical music event is primarily an attempt to get tickets sold, people through the door of a concert. And in some respects the publicity campaign we've been running is working. I was stopped on the street the other day because someone recognised my face from the poster; they mentioned how excited they were and looking forward to the concert (posters working, check). A lecturer at Edinburgh University mentioned to his students about the concert fliers encouraging them to all attend (fliers working, check). One of the many publication we sent press releases to actually came back with notification they would be printing an article this week (press releases working, check).

However, publicity is not just to get bums on seats. There is a certain number of people we'd like to know about the event so future events are possible. This comes down to the whole process of money in terms of classical music. If we were relying on ticket sales to pay for the cost of the event, we'd be in a world of hurt. While it is possible we might break even (and that's a pretty big might), this is mostly due to corporate sponsorship. But in order to get future sponsorship, we need the current event to get the right kind of publicity, the right kind of people to hear about it (and potentially attend).

In order to do this, we first needed to sort out who it is we thought might be the right kind of people. Our list included the Artistic Directors, or Chief Executives from all the major music organisations in the area. So, for Edinburgh this includes, the Edinburgh Festival, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera (to start). Politically connected people, like the First Minister of Scotland, the Lord Provost, and the Cultural Minister for Scotland were on our list. The other organisations that deal with funding in terms of music like the Scottish Arts Council and the heads of the universities. Then there are the reviewers and agents who might get us more publicity, or future work. All these ended up making a list of over a hundred people who were mailed an invitation to our event. Some, a very few, were offered complimentary tickets, but most were just given a personal invitation. How many of these people actually show up? It's hard to know at this point, but marketing studies suggest 10% is a good mark.

There are also "friends" lists from the music organisations we're working with on this concert. The Edinburgh Quartet, the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra and Central Hall all have lists of people who want updates to their schedules. Asking permission to send invitations to these people can add another couple hundred letters.

In the end, we hope to fill the house, that's 500 seats. Ticket prices were set at a level that is moderate in terms of the amount of music presented and the level of performers. Again, we may or may not break even, but a higher ticket price wouldn't necessarily change that. Since I am an unknown composer (at present, hoping the concert will change that to some degree), we couldn't justify a higher price. However, in the same instance, we didn't want to price the concert too low, as we are providing two hours of original classcial music performed by some of the best Edinburgh has to offer.

If we can fill (or nearly fill) the house and get 10% or more of the "powers that be" from the classical music industry to our concert, we are confident the music will speak for itself. The music will get the right people interested in hearing more, which means opportunities for future money (ie, future events). In the end run, the 'right kind' of audience member is anyone that is interested in the performance, the music and/or the composer! We have no idea at this point whether we are close to selling out or not because advanced ticket sales are not common for one off performances; most people just pay at the door. So, on the night of 4 June, we may be playing to a packed house and a bright future - or we may be performing for a few close friends and then its back to the drawing board for how to do better next time.

We're still two weeks out.... so if you have any ideas how to get more of the right kind of people to this concert, feel free to comment!

It Must Be Fate - a synopsis

Due to the recent requests for some idea as to what the opera It Must Be Fate will be about, I am reposting the synopsis here. This isn't the complete libretto (although that will be available in the programme purchased at the concert) - but this should give you an idea into what to expect - come June 4th.

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It Must Be Fate Synopsis

Setting: A cave on the side of Mt. Olympus, home to the triple aspect Goddess – Fate.

The three sister Goddesses of Fate, Clotho, the Virgin, Lachesis, the Mother and Atropos, the Crone sit weaving the tapestry of life. The ever present Greek Chorus voices the lives of the humans that are being woven. The work is repetitive and rhythmical – soothing – but Clotho is restive. She complains of being bored and briefly argues with her sisters before leaving the cave to get some air.

The Chorus comments that bored and restive children often get themselves in trouble – taking unexpected paths - making choices that parents would not approve of.

While Clotho is clearing her head, a human man, Jared, climbs the side of Mt Olympus to rail against the Fates for causing his grief. Clotho overhears his lament and is deeply moved. His pain moves her to examine her life and determine to make a change. She will re-enter life on the human level in order to get back in touch with all that has become distant through time. As she is coming to this decision her sisters come to see why she has not returned to the weaving and attempt to dissuade her from her choice, enjoining her to ‘come back to the cave’. Clotho is adamant; she is going! She will head down the mountain and she challenges her sisters to follow. Lachesis and Atropos are worried, but also excited at the possibility of a new life – they decide to join Clotho in the adventure.

The Fates and the Chorus look toward the uncertain future. What will happen to the Goddesses in a modern world?

Figuratively Speaking - programme notes

The following are the programme notes for the Symphony No 1 to be performed at the concert.

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Figuratively Speaking is an orchestral metaphor

met-a-phor ( m t-fôr ,-fr) n. one thing conceived as representing another; a symbol Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora) is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects. In the simplest case, this takes the form: "The [first subject] is a [second subject]." More generally, a metaphor is a rhetorical trope that describes a first subject as being or equal to a second subject in some way. Thus, the first subject can be economically described because implicit and explicit attributes from the second subject are used to enhance the description of the first.1

Figuratively speaking is a turn of phrase that means to speak in metaphors.

1 –The road goes both ways is built on a single “figure”or motif. The piece then “Speaks” the figure in a variety of ways, modifying and manipulating it until it is unrecognizable as the original motif. As metaphors are describing one thing by associating it with another and equating the two, in this piece all the elements are equated and thereby go both ways, associated with each other so in the end they are all part of the same element. It is a journey of an idea; the journey is the heart of this metaphor. The orchestra is the journey and the journey is orchestra.

2 –Time flies when you’re havin’ fun is just fun. The more fun it is, the faster it gets. Like the first movement, the piece is built on a single melodic idea. This “figure” is longer than in the first movement but still core to all the melodic ideas. During the piece, it is mutating, reversed, inverted, in a fugue and twisted about, yet always returning back to the original idea. As the piece progresses the tempo speeds up. When it’s all over it feels like it should have gone on longer, and perhaps it should. After all, it is a lot of fun.

3 –You can’t catch rabbits with drumsis a percussion piece, for the entire orchestra. There are two “figures” for this piece although one is a concept and not a collection of notes –the percussion section. The timpani, side drums, bass drum, tom toms and eventually the gong move through different rhythms in a constant stream. Occasionally the other instruments augment this rhythmic progression propelling the piece forward. Amid all this is the “rabbit” motif bouncing about, sometimes quickly, and sometimes rather slow. While the two ideas fit together, they are still always separate, neither caught up with the other.

4 –Don't tell your secrets to the fence is a slow, dark piece. The figure is the longest motif yet, and built on the baroque idea of melodic line. Each time the figure is repeated it alters slightly, so it eventually becomes unidentifiable from the original motif. Yet, it is possible to see (or hear) the progression from one to the next. There are also elements of the "secret" which stand out as if taunting the motif as it moves through the piece.

5 -The water is like the sun is simile - where two things are compared. So, as a figure of speech, this movement compares the previous motifs, giving life to them as a collective whole. As the figures meld together, the similarities between them become more obvious as if to say "there are many ways to say the same thing" and yet each way is still unique.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor (April 2008)

Skimming Rock and Skipping Stones - programme notes

The following are the programme notes for the string quartet to be performed at the concert.

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This piece was originally conceived as a tribute to the anthem rock bands of the 1970’s and 80’s - groups like Yes, Kansas, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Anthem rock has hard driving beats with often intricate melodic lines and layers of sound; all features which influence much of the classical music I write. I did not intend this piece to be a pastiche of my favorite rock songs; it is rather (in a small way) my homage to the musical artistry and inventiveness of these musicians.

The string quartet has three movements. As word play, use of colloquialisms, and double entendre is common in the naming of songs and albums in the rock world, I indulged in the same practice in naming the movements.

In terms of geology, there are three types of rock: Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic. Granite is an igneous type, salt is a sedimentary type and slate is a metamorphic type. I then related these types of rock to modern colloquialisms to create the titles for each movement.

Taken for Granite is a movement with some pyrotechnics for the first Violin voicing the guitar solos and riffs of rock and roll. The use of some techniques like sul ponticello (playing on the bridge), pizzicato and harmonics simulates some the effects that can be achieved with electric instruments. Granite has a number of different colors to it and so does this movement. Created out of the fire of the earth, this piece comes out of the fire of this style of music.

Salt of the Earth, the “slow” movement, is designed to show some of the sonorous sounds indicative of this style of music. Although it also has a fast section which allows the first Violin show off again. Many of the motifs for this movement are leaked in from the other movements and form the core to the entire piece.

Clean Slate is a piece which returns to the hard driving sound, but with new motifs – in the end we realize these motifs are just changes from the ones presented in the first two movements. So while the music has changed, it is still rock built with layers of ideas.

Writing rock music for a quartet is not new. The Turtle Island Quartet has been doing covers and arrangements of a variety of different styles of music from jazz, fusion to rock, blues and folk since their inception in 1985. Several different groups in the US are achieving commercial success by bringing popular styles of music to the classical quartet. Skimming Rock and Skipping Stones is my foray into this genre.

Interchanging Idioms, what's the point???

Part of the purpose of this concert is a "coming out" or announcement of my arrival as a composer. As such, it is important that I display a sense of who I am as a composer, define what is my style. Many of the previous posts have discussed my thoughts on what are the elements modern classical music ought have (at least to some extent) and this is certainly the direction I have headed with my compositions.

Blending popular music styles into the classical medium

Both the string quartet Skimming Rock and Skipping Stones and the opera It Must Be Fate incorporate modern "pop" styles. The quartet is heavily influenced by rock of the 70's and 80's while the opera is influenced by urban music. Figuratively Speaking doesn't have as much influence, although the middle movement, You Can't Catch Rabbits with Drums has a strong rhythm throughout which could be related to the strong beats of modern pop music (but that would be a tenuous connection at best).

The title of the concert, Interchanging Idioms, highlights this particular aspect of my music, blending different musical mediums into something new. It also refers to my love of words and the importance communication plays in both words and music. The titles for the movements of the quartet are Taken for Granite, Salt of the Earth and Clean Slate playing on the colloquialisms and their references to types of rock. It Must Be Fate is another colloquialism and ties in our modern sentiments with those ancient Greek Godesses. All the movements of Figuratively Speaking are colloquialisms. So, in some respect all three pieces of this concert are tied together with words, communication, common phrases and relating these concepts through music.

Melodic content

In all three pieces there is a strong sense of melody, tunes that I hope are memorable. I feel the audience should be able to connect with the music, and take away something that lingers on in their minds. Melodies have been part of our musical being and are cross cultural (although melodies from one culture might sound vastly different from another, all cultures have some sense of melody).

Rhythmic interest

All three pieces are fairly rhythmically intensive. The quartet is probably the least complex in terms of cross rhythms and syncopation, but even it has moments which layers the rhythms against each other. Both the opera and the symphony are fairly complex rhythmically, much to the consternation of the performers. On the page the music doesn't look that difficult, but in performance there is a real challenge to keep the parts in sync.

There are certainly more elements to my music that just these three. However, these are the primary points I feel classical music (at least for me) needs to incorporate in order to be a viable influence in todays music world.

Rehearsing the Symphony - First Night thoughts

The first rehearsal of the Symphony took place last night, whew!

Some observations:

• I understand why composer's compositions get better the more they have works performed. There are a number of issues (particularly in the string parts) where my writing is possible to play, but difficult. Many of these sections can be re-written without having a huge effect on the overall sound.
  • Coming off of that previous topic, some of the nuances I have put into the score don't really matter in terms of a fully orchestrated section. When there aren't many instruments playing the subtle shift between a G sounded on the E string and the same G sounded on the A string gives a nice "shimmering" effect. But when the brass section is blaring away, a tremolo on the E string is much the same. Ok, there are probably electro-acoustic purists that will disagree, but I'm not sold on it.
  • Left hand pizzicato isn't really an option for a cello section. I love this technique in quartet writing and have used it with some effectiveness. However, it was apparent last night that the pizzicato should be divisi.
  • A very fast section of 2/4 should be written in cut time. Thirty some bars all beat in one get near impossible to keep track of where we are. Putting the same music into cut time gives the conductor a chance to differentiate between first and second beats so it is a bit easier keeping everyone together.
  • Reminder accidentals are important. I write in keys (for the most part) as my music tends to be pretty tonal. However, my music also tends to be fairly modal, with shifts between modes and keys, which means it can also be fairly chromatic. It's important to put a reminder accidental in a bar where the note is played within the key, rather than the altered one after a bar had an altered note. This sounds pretty standard and to some extent I did this, but not enough, as there were some questions about what notes should be when the reminders were not present.
• However, on the same instance, a number of things happened last night that were spot on.
  • Phrasing in the wind section really does make a difference. Somewhat like what I mentioned above, when only one instrument (or small group) is doing an effect it doesn't really matter. However, I was fairly pedantic in some of the phrasing the wind section on a particular figure and it changes through a section, initially fairly legato, then paired and finally separated notes. When the entire section is following the same phrasing, the difference is pronounced.
  • Differing dynamics in instruments based on the instrument is also quite noticeable. French horns don't tend to be as loud as trumpets, but are louder than flutes when flutes are in their low register. So, writing the dynamics accordingly to ensure the voicing come out the way I want them worked really well last night, particularly considering this was basically a first read through.
• I tend to write driving music. There are a number of different styles of music from slushy to shimmering, from laid back to driven. The symphony definitely has a preponderance of driving moments, sections where the orchestra needs to be directly on the beat if not just slightly before it. A lot of this feeling has to do with the syncopated and off beat rhythms I tend to use (much like Leonard Bernstein). This means I'm going to need to spend some of the future rehearsals on getting that feeling of pushing forward rather than relaxing back.
• Overall, the music holds together better than I expected. As a new composer, I am still in the insecure age of my career when I doubt if I've done something (anything) right. Sure, I have a midi realisation, but those don't really reflect what live musicians actually sound like (not without a great deal of futzing - which I didn't do to the midi realisation). So, as the orchestra played last night, I was pleasantly surprised to actually hear the themes and layers I'd wanted coming out of the orchestra. There are some minor issues (some mentioned above) that will need to be re-worked before a final score is sent to other orchestras - but overall, it's a really good first symphony (if I may say so myself).

"Four Last Songs" a performance in Edinburgh

"Four Last Songs" by Richard Strauss was performed by the Edinburgh Symphony and Catriona Clark (pictured) last Saturday. I must admit I was not familiar with the work prior to this concert and pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the music. Although not a fan of Strauss - and not sure this concert necessarily changed that opinion - there were certainly some moments of note, elements I can take on board as a composer.

The pieces showed a variety of different tonal colors, although occasionally I thought the orchestration was a bit over lush - but that tends to be my impression of Strauss. The dark thematic nature of the work allowed the orchestra to play with some rich harmonies and feature some of the instruments in the low ranges - which was nice. There was also some interesting use of the timpani giving color, accent and shape throughout the piece, otherwise, very little percussion. Catriona's voice matches the music well. Unfortunately, the acoustics of the hall didn't allow her to always come over the orchestra. At some points of the piece the orchestra was playing quietly, yet the reverberation of the hall still kept the accompaniment over-riding the vocalist.

In my own writing I am ever aware of the vocalist and what the accompaniment is doing. Occasionally their may not be enough beneath the lyrics to give depth to the what the vocalist is singing, but the words should always be at forefront - at least in what I'm writing at the present. There is one point in the opera "It Must Be Fate" where the words become repetitive to the point they are just another instrument in the mix, but that is a rare moment - and only there when the words have already been heard so the creation of sound becomes the tool of communication. In the Strauss, I didn't feel there were sections that were repeated to the point the words became "sound" and so hearing the words needed to be more than just the sound of the vocalisation in the mix of the music.

It was an enjoyable concert, certainly a time of relaxation in midst of all the other preparations I am going through.

Finding places to rehearse

image is from Made

This is a constant struggle - particularly for composers who depend on other organisations for musician. I'd like to say, fortunately in Edinburgh there are a number of churches that have been turned into community centres, but I'm not sure what that says about the state of religious attendance here. Regardless, many of these old churches (and still functioning ones) allow their halls to be used for orchestral rehearsals. The one Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra uses is a nice "gymnasium" setup. The acoustics aren't the best, but there is ample space for the orchestra and good lighting.

With the opera, the leads are rehearsing at my house. I am fortunate to live in a flat with a large lounge (living room) - but then again, we had to have a place for the baby grand piano so we were rather forced to find something with some space. Again, the acoustics are the greatest, but for the intimate work with the leads it is just right. The chorus is rehearsing at a local college and the "orchestra" (read: pianist) is working out on his own. I'll pull them all together a week before out at the college (which is the only place where there is enough space for everyone) - but until then, rehearsals are scattered.

The Edinburgh Quartet are working on their own. We'll get together the last week to answer any questions they have or to make adjustments to how things are played in terms of what I was looking for - however, experience tells me this is likely to minimal if not non-existent. Prior to these I've worked with them in "workshop" situations, where they have the music and sit and "rehearse" the piece with me and several other composers sitting about "learning" about the process a quartet goes through when working a piece. It's a good way for composers to learn how to write for a quartet to translate what they want from the music onto the page that the musicians can understand. I feel blessed to have not needed to make many corrections/adjustments in the past. There seems to be a good line of communication between me and the quartet - which is a large reason why I'm thrilled to have them as part of the concert.

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But all this is just for the upcoming concert. What of the future?

Well, I hope to attend Yale in their Masters program, 2009-2010. If that's the case, I'll be working with resources from the university, but also from the area. A new rehearsal space looks to be opening up in New York - and that's GREAT news! The Orchestra of St Luke's is hoping to purchase space to use for rehearsals and allow the other organisations in the area access.

- I'm not sure if there's another concert in the works after June and before heading off to Yale (pending acceptance) - but if so, I'm thankful I'm here in Edinburgh.

What makes a performance professional or amateur?

If a performance is being performed by students does that make it a student performance, or is it only a student performance if the performance is being organised by students - ie, if a performance is being organised by a school or university is the performance than a school performance, rather than a student performance? If the school or university is hiring a professional group to perform is the performance a school performance or a professional performance? And what of amateurs - if some of the people performing are students does this make it a student performance or an amateur performance?

In Edinburgh there are a number of "Amateur" groups that put on productions every year. Last Saturday, the Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra performed a collection of Strauss works along with a piece by Stravinsky. Joining the orchestra was a professional vocalist, and although the concert was not as pristine as you might find with the London Symphony or the Berlin Philharmonic, it was reasonably well done. The conductor, Gerald Doherty is certainly a professional level conductor, but the orchestra is a "subscription based" organisation, which is to say, the players pay a small fee to participate and the money that is earned from performances goes to keeping the organisation going - not to salaries. This week The Meadows Chamber Orchestra is performing. By those in the know, the MSO are a step up from Edinburgh Symphony in terms of quality yet, the basis of the orchestra is the same. So, when these groups perform are they amateur performances?

The Edinburgh Quartet is the only full-time professional level quartet in Scotland. They perform a series of concerts throughout the year. Some of these concerts are hosted by the universities in Edinburgh, with the quartet performing student works. So, are these concerts professional concerts because the Edinburgh Quartet is playing, or are they School performances, because they are organised by universities? Or should they be classified as student performance because the compositions are student written?

What if the organiser is a professional, but the groups they are presenting are not? For example, the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra just finished a world tour and their concerts were amazing. These were all student performers, but those organising the event were definitely professionals. The halls for the performances were the best in the area, the ticket prices set a high expectation for the audience and the resulting performance exceeded the expectation. Where does this fit in the classification of a classical concert?

Advertising, does that make a difference? If someone pays for a full page ad in the newspaper, or magazine, does that qualify them as being professional? Of course not - anyone can take out an ad. Although a quality ad can give the impression of a quality performance, and most professional organisations put a fair amount of money into making sure their media coverage is "glossy", just having a glossy poster does not make for a professional performance. However, if a magazine that only lists major events (i.e. professional ones) decides to list your event does that make it professional? Well, it certainly means someone thinks it is.

I am preparing a concert of some of my works. Edinburgh Quartet is premiering a new quartet of mine at this concert and I'd consider that to put it in the realm of Professional. However, Edinburgh Symphony Orchestra is an amateur orchestra, one of the best in the area, but they're still amateur. So, maybe that lowers the level to Amateur. I am preparing to graduate from Napier University, so (for all intents and purposes) I am a student - does that make this a Student Production? Some of the people performing are also from Napier, but this is not an event organised by Napier, so I don't think it qualifies as a School or University event.

I am a student, but I am also 45 years old, with numerous performances/concerts and works presented publicly prior to returning to university. While promoting an event is not my occupation, I would hardly classify myself as a novice or a student in this regard. Amateur might fit, yet I have enlisted the help of a professional photographer, publicist, graphic artist and hall staff to try and elevate the concert above the normal "amateur" level (yes, I have a glossy poster). The City of Edinburgh's media department considers this a serious production (as it's a premier of a symphony, which is rare - and may well be the first for Edinburgh), so they are treating it as a professional, or at least semi-professional production. I have several corporate sponsors, but I am unavailable for grants as most of the funding organisations have a prohibition against funding "student" projects (I am still technically a student). At least one major (read national) magazine is listing the concert so (IMHO) that also bumps up the level.

So, is the performance coming in June a Student production, an Amateur production or a Professional one? (I'm not including school because there is no one, other than myself, from the university assisting with the mounting of this production and we are using no university resources). I would like to think of it as Semi-professional - not yet professional, but moving in that direction. The goal is for people who commission new works to consider me an option - which would put me in the professional category.

In the end, what am I really on about? Specifically, the misperception of concert goers. There are those that know me, but not as a student and who are not familiar with "student" concerts that are cheering me on, beyond excited about the upcoming event. There are others, who know me as a student who seem to think this is just another student event and not sure why I am spending so much time on it. Other people I have run into garner their impression based on who is performing or where the performance is held or their own limited knowledge of who's who in the classical world (ie, if it's not the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, they really won't consider it). Many people hear the word student and run screaming in the opposite direction as if that word encapsulated the quality of the concert/music.

It seems to be an uphill battle to get any sort of consideration by those who like to have preconceptions as to quality of the upcoming concert. And perhaps it's a hill I don't need to climb. While I would like for some of them to attend, in the attempt at changing their mind, none of these people are people who are ultimately going to lead to commissions or future work - so.... keep your eye on the prize... I am going to try and focus on making this the best concert possible and get the people there who are open to the idea of a new composer, a student, a middle-aged man with experience, and a new voice in classical music!

Whirlwind adventure in the Wonderland of Classical Music

Much of this blog has been dedicated to the quest to define what is new classical music - not that it is an obtainable goal, as music is, and should be, ever changing. This goal is rather like Alice's trip into Wonderland, every turn seems to open completely new unimaginable worlds that don't seem to make sense with what's gone on before. I've talked about composers incorporating jazz and pop (or folk) into their compositions, about the use of new instruments and sounds and about the audience's reaction to new pieces - as I feel the audience is an integral part of music (in firm disagreement with Milton Babbitt). Through all of this exploration I have tried to make sense (for myself) as to what kind of music I should be writing - all the while falling farther and farther down the rabbit hole.

What is new Classical Music? Do I need to embrace the atonal world of serialism, the brain intensity dementions of new complexity or meander through the sonic-scapes of musique accousmatique? Isn't there a potion that will make it all normal again?

Then I came across this (actually, my wife found the article and pointed me toward it). It seems that in 1976, David Del Tredici premiered a piece, "Final Alice." David was (at the time) a proud, prominant member of the avant-gard composers, and yet, "Final Alice" is a blantantly Neo-romantic piece. The piece broke away from the twelve tone serialism and freed future composers to express themselves in new ways, using old tools.

"Final Alice" is a bizarre mix and yet very tonal. "In Memory of a Summer Day" is tonal as well, and yet garnered David a Pulitzer Prize. Even his latest work "Paul Revere's Ride" is tonal with a fugue and a choral. While it has elements that make it a very new work, there are also elements of it that could easily have been written by Benjamin Brittan 50 years ago (echos of Peter Grimes).

As I embark on my own career, presenting a new opera piece in June, I don't want to be Neo-classical, slushy or overly romantic in my music - but I have to admit I am pretty firmly rooted in the tonal world. Yet, I want to say something new - and yet, still feel a strong pull from the tonal world. I am beginning to open doors from rock legends (see previous post), embrace the decorative style of urban artists and lounge in the easy chair of jazz greats. This style may not be wholly new, but rather a collaboration of many elements of my past, as if looking into the glass and seeing myself in a new light. So, I guess I owe a Thanks to David Del Tredici for changing the worlds impression of what Classical Music must be, to what it can be.