Composer Highlight: Kevin Baldwin

TODAY IS THE DAY! These composers that we have been 'highlighting' are all wonderful people and composers, and we couldn't be more excited to share their music with you! Come on out-- The Firehouse Space (TONIGHT) @ 8 PM.

Now meet Kevin...

Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and/or title of your piece?

 sub -(prefix) freely attached to elements of any origin and used with the meaning “under,” “below,” “beneath” 

tect - (suffix) to cover or conceal

The idea for sub//tect came one afternoon during a snow storm. After hours of sitting near the window and watching the snow fall, I noticed how the snow slowly accumulated to cover up the objects that were once in view. Over time, objects' characteristics had been removed; their colors and textures had been completely removed, and shape relatively distorted. The snow had covered [sub] the objects to protect them from being fully realized. The whitewashed and distorted shapes were still recognizable, though only through the memories of what the characteristics were when visible. 

What is your pump-up music?

Almost anything by Daft Punk. When I go for a run I turn them on and go -- keeps me at high energy!

What can listeners expect or listen for in your piece?

Just as I saw the snow cover objects outside my window, this piece slowly removes various musical characteristics. These characteristics may include timbre, texture, harmonicity, resonance, motion, or sound. Certain objects continue to reappear, but with various characteristics missing or changing. These objects may sound similar, or simply have the appearance of sounding similar due to the memory of the their characteristics in previous appearances. It is through the struggle of these objects attempting to remain audible that the piece progresses and takes form.

What would you choose as your last meal on this planet?

Coconut chicken curry, hands down.

Composer Highlight: John Rot

Say 'hello' to John! He is a wonderful composer (and person) studying at Columbia. We met him through David and Jesse (composers from our concert in October), and we are so glad that we did. We can't wait to share his piece in what remains behind;  with you on Friday! Here is what he had to say about his music and life...

andPlay: Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and/or title of your piece?

John: I suspect that a primary reason I'm attracted to writing chamber music is my tendency to humanize individual voices and instrument(alist)s. Over the course of the piece's eighteen or so minutes, we witness a relationship form, flourish, and ultimately die between these two very human entities.  Two individuals come together to explore and build upon their commonalities, always mindful of their constantly evolving personality, and in doing so attain a unity of understanding and intention representative of their wealth of shared experience.  However, time brings with it both juncture and fracture, and the two inevitably diverge once the relationship has run its course.

The title is taken from William Wordsworth's Ode: Intimations of Immortality.  The poem itself is not terribly relevant to the music, but the notion of immortality does have some resonance, particularly in the viola.  Unlike the violin, whose genesis and conclusion we witness somewhat directly, the viola projects an aura of timelessness.  There's a feeling that the viola has experienced a lifetime before entering the finite timeline of the violin, and that it has a lifetime remaining once it departs.  The violin – and, by extension, the audience – is privy only to a tiny slice of the viola's eternity, during which both voices nevertheless have a profound and lasting effect on the other before going their separate ways, one to termination and the other to yet another beginning.

What is your pump-up music?

Queen's live performance of "Somebody to Love" from the Rock Montreal album.  Or "Zero to Hero" from Hercules.

What can listeners expect or listen for in your piece?

Quiet. 

What would you choose as your last meal on this planet?

An extensive array of spicy vegan fare.

Composer Highlight: Ian Ng

Composer highlights 2.0 here we go! We are getting super jazzed about our show coming up on May 2nd at the Firehouse Space @ 8 PM! With rehearsals, work, and practicing, time is flying by and we are only five days away! It has been a blast working with this group of composers and really getting to know them and their music. Ian has been to two rehearsals with us; one in Washington Heights and one Brooklyn. (Thanks for running all over the city for us, Ian!) We asked him to answer a couple of questions so that you all can get to know him a bit too...

andPlay:  Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and/or title of your piece?

Ian:  The title of my piece is Two for Step for Two. It's actually quite literal: Step for Two is a direct translation of the ballet term Pas de deux, meaning a dance duet. Since this piece was written for a violin/viola duo, I thought it would be a rather cute play-on-words of that ballet term.

What is your pump-up music?

Philip Glass' Einstein on a Beach ... all four and a half hours!!!

What can listeners expect or listen for in your piece?

Lots and lots of energy and movement.

What would you choose as your last meal on this planet?

Hmmm.... That's a tough one. I LOOOOVE to eat. I guess it depends on what time of day I am having my last meal. If it's in the morning, I will pick a full English breakfast, including potatoes, scrambled eggs, beans, sausages, bacon, mushroom, spinach etc. If it's in the afternoon, I will choose to have a Japanese meal: sushi and ramen. Mmmmm... Otherwise, I'm having a full  five-course meal in the evening with soup, appetizers, steak and dessert. 

For your Winter-y Weekend

Hello my party people! What are you all up to this weekend? andPlay had a meeting with a composer yesterday about writing a piece for us to be performed on our May concert at the Firehouse Space. It was super fun and we will have more details coming soon!

Other than that, I will mainly be practicing and snuggling up on my couch with a cappuccino and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. What is everyone else reading? I have an ongoing list of books to read, but it would be great to branch out and get some recommendations from friends!

I may bake this weekend. As should you. How about some brown butter doughnuts? They are worth buying the pan for. Trust me.

Have you read this article in The New Yorker that is responding to the Slate article from last week saying that classical music is dead? Do it.

Here is a song for your weekend. I have been listening to Francoise Hardy nonstop for the past week. Perfect music for this time of year (and daydreaming that I am in France).

I am thinking about never using shampoo again. Has anyone tried this before?

Who else wants to scarf down this entire loaf in one sitting? Holla hollaaaa!