It’s not often I listen to a recording of myself without wincing. I’ve been well trained to find fault in my own playing and am ridiculously judgmental about the overall quality of a recording and the art that I am helping to create.
I can listen to this without wincing.
In fact, I love this recording. And I shamefully play it for anyone who will listen.
Honestly, I hadn’t thought much about next month. As March Music Moderne draws to a close, I finally have a moment to look back at what fun I had leading the charge with Classical Revolution PDX.
The fun started at the MMM Preview Party (which seems like eons ago) where I was ready to sink my teeth into the discussion about new music. After shamelessly rolling my eyes and cackling during a performance of John Cage’s 4’33″ I prodded my audience to consider the notion that music written in 1952 is no longer “new”.
“Can we just stop talking about John Cage?” pleaded Classical Revolution PDX founder Mattie Kaiser. The violist was part of a mostly (with one exception) distinguished panel of performers, writers and composers discussing new music at March Music Moderne’s kickoff event. Kaiser, like me, wanted to talk about new music, and Cage’s most famous/notorious creation, the silent 4’33” was, she pointed out, sixty years old. Kaiser has a point…
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My point of view intrigued fellow panelist James Bash, and the following week he featured me in Oregon Music News.
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I also was able to have a nice conversation with Robert McBride over at AllClassical FM – which I think he owed me, after gagging me when I started to go off about John Cage again…
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On March 18th CRPDX held our second annual “Composed String Quartet Competition” (I dare you to rename it, please, somebody rename it.)
Another string quartet concert last week gazed even farther into the future. Like the Kronos and Parker shows, Classical Revolution PDX’s string quartet competition was part of March Music Moderne, but unlike them, it featured music grown right here in Oregon. Ten local composers submitted their work to a panel of judges — a pundit (moi), a player (FearNoMusic leader and violinist Paloma Griffin), and a professor (Portland State University composition faculty member and composer Bonnie Miksch) — who selected works by Daniel Hansen, Brandon Woody, and Paul Safar for honors; Hansen’s winning work will receive a professional recording by CRPDX’s string quartet, who, along with the dtq quartet, learned five new works and devoted eight hours of rehearsal to them. I enjoyed all of them.
Now in its second year, the admirable project (like similar but better funded efforts by FNM and Third Angle coming up this spring) represents a great gift to Oregon’s music community from CRPDX, whose founder, Mattie Kaiser, followed through on her complaint that MMM was too devoted to dead 20th century composers by investing considerable time and effort to seeding new works. I hope our other music institutions will take note of these projects, and similar ones by Portland Vocal Consort, Cascadia Composers and others and will start adding local sounds to their imported fare.
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And last night with Graham Reynolds and the Blue Cranes… well, last night was fun. I was disappointed that I still had a fever and the dizzies, which is most of the reason I could only blink when asked questions about the future, but it was such a delight to see that I don’t just talk the talk. I bust my butt to put together quality, fun, inventive classical programming. And it’s not about what’s new, old, cool, hip, art, pop… it’s about what’s good. As the guy at the gas station told me once, “good music is good music”.
Graham Reynolds and CRPDX prepare to play "The Difference Engine" @ The Blue Monk 3/30/12
(more pictures, videos and reviews from 3/30 with Graham Reynolds coming soon!)
You know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you give to charity over the holidays instead of buying some crap for people who don’t need more crap in their life? Yeah, it feels good. Instead of buying me crap, consider donating to my nonprofit. We do good things. Want something a little more official? OK – here’s my official “Mattie Kaiser is an Executive Director” letter. Now will you donate? You’ll feel good, AND I’ll like you even more.
xo
Mattie
Viva La Revolution!
Dear friends of the Revolution,
Classical Revolution PDX needs your end-of-the-year gift to broaden our efforts to bring chamber music to everyone. Please click here to donate.
It’s been a big week for Classical Revolution PDX. Our manifesto was prominently featured in the Wall Street Journal, we were named one of the Emma 25, and we appear in American Airlines’ December in-flight magazine. It seems like everything is happening all at once for us, but in reality we’ve had a huge year!
Over last year CRPDX has put on nearly thirty performances and workshops. We started some new traditions including the composer competition, and producing performances of world-renown artists, like Lara Downes. We kept old staples like the chamber jams, Family Friday, and of course Bachxing Day. We received our very first grant, which sparked the idea that maybe we should incorporate as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. So we did that too.
Looking into 2012 we have exciting plans for more shows and more workshops! We’re looking forward to new collaborations with not-so-traditional classical artists, an evening dedicated to arrangements of Radiohead songs, and our five year anniversary bash.
CRPDX has existed for nearly five years on 100% volunteer efforts. How many people could we turn on to chamber music if we actually had an operational budget? It’s a new concept to us, but we’re excited by the prospect, and are asking for your support. Click here to make a donation to the revolution. It can be as simple as a $10 “stocking stuffer” gift, or a monthly subscription to become a “founding revolutionary”.
Need some more incentive? Donate any amount before December 31st and you will be entered in a raffle to win tickets to one of the following shows:
Live Wire Radio – Two tickets to any Spring 2012 show
Opera Theater Oregon – Two tickets to “Aida vs. Metropolis” + masterclass on silent film improvisation on Feburary 10th or 11th.
Mortified – Two tickets to the Portland show on February 15th.
Oregon Symphony – Two tickets to any classical or pops series concert
Don’t forget that you can write off your donation on your 2011 taxes!
Thank you for your contribution. I wish the warmest holiday greetings, and a very Happy Bachxing Day.
If anyone would have told me five years ago that an ad I posted on Craigslist would appear in the Wall Street Journal – I would have fallen over laughing. And yet…
‘We love classical music. We love playing classical music. We love listening to classical music. We are tired of the elitist and inaccessible nature of the classical world. We believe that there are many that would enjoy classical music if they could access it in a setting that is comfortable for them. We believe classical musicians should be allowed to perform in a setting that is more casual—where the audience is allowed to have a drink, eat a scone, laugh a little, and clap a lot. We believe everyone can enjoy the music that we love.” So began a 2006 posting on Portland’s Craigslist that became the manifesto for Classical Revolution PDX, which today draws on a roster of more than 200 classical musicians for its chamber jams and other performances, including a concert called “Sympathy for the Devil” featuring music associated with you-know-who.
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The article goes on to discuss all of vibrant “alt-classical” performing organizations that our fair city has to offer.
I didn’t fall over laughing, but I did jump up and down and scream a bit.
One of the most incredible music lessons I’ve ever had was with my viola teacher, Jodi Levitz and my alexander technique teacher,Bob Britten – at the same time. Jodi was able to tell me what I needed to do musically, and Bob told me what I needed to do physically to help make that happen. The results were astonishing for everyone involved, and since then I’ve held the belief that it is just as important to know your body inside and out as it is to know your music inside and out.
Since moving to Portland, I’ve discovered Jay Fields who has been a wonderful teacher and resource tohelp me know how my body functions and how it can help my sound. I feel like it’s almost my duty to pass that on to the rest of the classical crowd. So last month we co-presented a workshop entitled “How You Stand” and made it available to the the musicians of Classical Revolution PDX.
We had a collection of amateurs, semi-pros, and professionals, on various string instruments and EVERYONE’s sound changed for the better.
The video below demonstrates some of the changes one can make in their posture in order to improve their sound. Unfortunately the cell phone video recorder didn’t quite capture the vast change in sound quality, but you can tell from everyone’s reaction that it was drastic.
and some pictures:
How You Sit
Can you take the pressure?
I’m delighted to present another workshop with Jay on September 8th called Relief for Musicians. And I highly encourage all of my colleagues and students to check it out.
Not only is it going to know your body, it’s also not a bad idea to try to take care of it.
and I thought I was the only one who played viola in plaid…
photo by Gary Stallsworth
Sometimes it feels like Portland could not be more perfect for me, for there’s nothing I love more than chamber music, except maybe a great soccer match. Speaking of “No Pity” – have you ever tried to prepare a late Beethoven string quartet?
Here is my interview with Robert McBride over at All Classical FM discussing what it’s like to be in a string quartet and how to prepare a work of such magnitude: Classical Revolution PDX plays Opus
Oh, if you’re wondering where all the sex and drugs are… it’s in the play, not my blog.
We have one performance left at the Armory on 4/30 prior to the performance of “Opus” presented by Portland Center Stage. Haven’t seen the play yet? Mention “STRINGS” to get $5 off tickets to Opus.
Ahh November, the season when all the stores start playing Christmas carols I inevitably start humming songs from Handel’s “Messiah” oratorio. The Messiah is one of my favorite pieces of music, but I have to admit that after years of performing it, one has to find ways to keep it exciting and new.
Last April I had to pleasure of going up to Union, WA for a week and working with the Anna’s Bay Chorale for their performance of the Messiah. (part II. you know, Easter) I just found a video from working with this group that not shows off my training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics (connecting music with movement) it also demonstrates one of my ways of keeping the Messiah “fresh”.
To give subtitles to the dialogue, I am explaining about our wonderful stay at Harmony Hill and a little incident that happened with a clogged toilet and the plunger. Who knew it would turn into the highly motivating “Plunger Dance”? Enjoy!
As promised, I have some video footage from touring with Loch Lomond in Scotland. The first video captures our general life: driving around, playing on the radio, practicing, dressing up, performing, and of course BBQ. The second video is the full recording of the song “Elephants and Little Girls”. Just for kicks I’d also like to add a video by my current favorite band Mumford & Sons playing a song called “Awake My Soul” in the same living room. Enjoy!
Luckily, Ritchie Young and I were able to avoid the ash cloud surrounding Glasgow and landed just in time before the airport closed. For the next few weeks we will be touring the Scotland and England, stay tuned for our adventures!
17 May 2010 20:00 Fresh Air Radio Session, Edinburgh, Scotland
18 May 2010 19:00 The Slaughtered Lamb, Islington, Greater Lo
19 May 2010 21:30 Mono, Glasgow, Scotland
20 May 2010 20:00 The Tunnels, Aberdeen, Scotland
21 May 2010 20:00 The Barrels Alehouse, Berwick, Scotland
22 May 2010 20:00 Queen Charlotte Rooms w/ Sam Amidon, Edinburgh, Scotland
23 May 2010 19:00 The Black Heart, London, Camden, England
