Here we are! Happy to announce that the Sybaritic Singer has been nominated for the 2013 Mobbies in both the Best Community Blog and Best Entertainment Blog. Since the Sybaritic Singer launched in April in 2010, it has been a pleasure to write about the classical, contemporary classical, opera, and general diva happenings in the Mid-Atlantic area. I appreciate your support and look forward to writing many more posts – but I need your vote to win! Please check out the list and cast your vote here: http://data.baltimoresun.com/mobbies/2013/
Specializing in Modern and Contemporary Classical Music, Elisabeth has premiered the works of more than a dozen American composers. She is a member of the contemporary opera company Rhymes With Opera which commissions new operas and performs in New York City and Baltimore. Elisabeth is also a member of the duo Emerging Voices, with classical saxophonist Zach Herchen, which commissions and records new music for their unique instrumental combination. Elisabeth has sung with Chelsea Opera, Village Light Opera, Ashcan Orchestra, Experiments in Opera, NYsoundCircuit, West End String Quartet, Terry Quinn Productions, Rhymes With Orchestra and more.
Congratulations on your performances of “Criminal Element.” I know that you worked on the David Smooke nonopera when Rhymes With Opera originally performed it in 2011. There certainly weren’t any ten-foot tall puppets at that point. What was the experience like of bringing it to a fully staged version?
It was so exciting to get to go back to a piece and really bring it to its full potential. In new music, one so rarely gets to work on anything a second time (written in 2011? We weren’t even born then!). Rhymes With Opera hopes that this will become the norm rather than the exception – that, with all our “main-stage” performances, pieces will get a concert performance first and then a more fully realized performance later – with staging, costumes, puppets, dancers, who knows! We are repeating this process in our upcoming season, bringing back Adam Matlock’s “Red Giant” which we premiered last year.
That sounds like a great process for both the ensemble and the composers involved.
I am assuming that one of the challenges of working on “Criminal Element” was that there wasn’t a traditional text for the entire 45 minute work. Smooke invented a language to convey the meaning of the story. How did you approach learning the music and creating a well-rounded character without a recognizable language? Was it particularly difficult to memorize without words?
First, as both a music and a linguistics geek, I was thrilled to receive a piece written entirely in the International Phonetic Alphabet. But, as your question suggests, it quickly became clear that memorizing was going to be intense. Not only are there no “real” words, but both the text and the music are quite repetitive – without being literally repetitive, which would have been much easier (thanks, David!). Character-wise, however, was a breeze. David created such a rich drama, with clear – and beautiful – emotional shifts throughout, so portraying the character – who, in my case, became slowly more and more desperate, frantic and depressed – was easy.
David Smooke had said in a previous interview that part of the inspiration for the work was “the several years in my 20s when I worked desk jobs, I used to have recurring dreams about being chased by monsters through office hallways and so I kept returning to these images of cubicle workspaces as places of horror.” Do you have any particular horror stories involving desk jobs and cubicles? What were your points of inspiration for creating the character of “the perpetrator”?
I have been extremely lucky in this regard. I primarily worked in the food service industry, which, though full of horror, did not involve cubicles. Now I work for RWO from home, and for the Quaker United Nations Office. I do have a cubicle with the Quakers, but everything about that office experience is truly lovely. What really helped convey my characters panic, really, was the fact that I was totally panicked that I would replace a “gam” with a “plorft” and totally lose my place in the music. As the piece goes on and my character starts to crumble, the music becomes wordier, faster and higher. So the panic came naturally!
I bet there are many singers that can sympathize with that!
Rhymes With Opera is known for being adventurous in presenting, programming, and performing new vocal works and chamber music. Describe what it has been like to be a member of this dedicated ensemble.
Oh man, being in RWO is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I became a member on a technicality – just before they officially became a “group” Ruby [Ruby Fulton] and George [George Lam] called on me to sub for Bonnie [Bonnie Lander]. I had just moved to New York, we had an awesome time performing Ruby’s “Visions of Mona” in Fort Greene Park, and suddenly I was in. I am extremely lucky!
Since then, RWO has grown into a fantastic non-profit organization, with a board of directors, an orchestra (the Rhymes With Orchestra, of course!), a salon series and, as of this summer, a summer Workshop for singers and composers. It is absolutely a dream job to be part of this group.
In addition to singing in and working for Rhymes With Opera, you’re also the other half of the duo Emerging Voices with classical saxophonist Zach Herchen. What has surprised you most about the process of commissioning new works for that instrumentation?
The big surprise actually came before Zach and I officially formed Emerging Voices. We had worked together at the Peabody Conservatory on Lori Laitman’s music for voice and saxophone, so when Zach moved to Jersey City a year after I moved to New York, it seemed only natural that we would work together again. What we learned, however, was that there was virtually no music written for our specific instrumental duo. We were surprised! …which shows how entrenched we already were in new music. I tell this story a lot and people seem much less surprised than we were. So we embarked on a mission to expand the voice/sax repertoire, which resulted in three years of “Emerging Voices” tours, commissions and recordings. (Check out our awesome CD at http://emergingvoicesproject.blogspot.com/, featuring a commission by RWO’s George Lam!)
Fantastic! For some musicians it can be intimidating to work on new music or commission composers. Could you give some advice such as: how do you know when a new music project is right for you? Or, what is the most exciting element when you look at a newly written piece?
That is such a good question, and one that RWO is still working on. Because of the nature of commissions, we say “yes” to projects long before we get to see the actual music. What we can do is listen to other works by interested composers, look at some vocal scores, and try to determine if they will write something that is both vocally healthy and musically exciting. Personally, I am very interested in rhythms. I have a percussion background and love pieces – like Smooke’s – that force me to use that background.
What amazing forethought to work with percussion. I wish I had thought of that! Well, at the risk of ‘resume-ing‘ you – what other exciting projects and plans do you have in the pipeline?
Aside from working on our “Criminal Element” tour, I have been running Rhymes With Opera’s inaugural Summer Workshop in New York City, the RWO: New Chamber Music Workshop. Designed for singers and composers, this workshop mimics the commissioning/writing process that we go through as a company, with an emphasis on composer/performer communication and discussion. We’ve brought in great guest speakers (including the aforementioned David Smooke and Zach Herchen) to talk about text setting, notation and the business side of being a new musician. Our singers have been asked to compose and our composers have been asked to perform, which has been really fun. Ultimately, our awesome six singers will perform new works by our equally awesome six composers on August 10th at the National Opera Center in New York. RWO will be there, too, performing a sneak-peak of Adam Matlock’s “Red Giant.” Tickets are online, and applications information for next year’s workshop will be available in the Fall. Check our website for more info!
Thanks, Elisabeth! I am so glad I got the opportunity to ask her my questions. Do you have any questions you would like to ask Elisabeth? You can tweet her @ElisabethMusik and you can always pose your most pressing sybaritic questions to me @mezzoihnen or leave them in the comments below.
Related articles
- in performance: Rhymes With Opera presents “Criminal Element” (sybariticsinger.com)
- A Night of Chamber Performances in New York With & Without Puppets (Chris McGovern) (sybariticsinger.com)
- in performance: Rhymes With Opera Enthralls Baltimore Audience with “Numbers / Dates” (sybariticsinger.com)
“I’ve always had an intense curiosity about new music”, says soprano Renée Fleming. “I can remember sitting in symphony concerts as a kid and just flipping out over the Stravinsky and falling asleep in the Tchaikovsky. This has been my taste since I was very young; I don’t know why. Singing new music is not a chore for me”, she continues. “And I love any new American opera. It’s so exciting to sing in my own language, to get the chance to interpret music that’s never been interpreted before.” Renée Fleming
Singers are in symbiosis with composers – we need each other to continue our art-making. You give sound and physicality to the composer’s intentions and writing and together you seek an audience. Just like singers, composers are fighting for venues, audiences, and funds. I have written this before and will continue to preach: you are not a solitary unit as a singer. You rely on so many factors so that you can perform the music you love. Why not advance those relationships by working with a composer? When once commissioning seemed relegated to those high-profile singers it has now moved the way of the grass-roots opera company and DIY recordings. Many of you have already forged close relationships with composers. For every eager new music singer there is an equally eager composer that would like to write for you, if the details are right for both parties.
“Composition is a decision-making process refined through experience.” – Ken Ueno¹ When working with composers, you are a necessary part of the decision-making process. You are helping to create the performance practice for that work and composer when premiering and giving subsequent performances of their piece. You are contributing to their aesthetic as a composer as well as displaying your unique sound and opinions. That is why, when commissioning, a piece that you both set out with clear expectations. Understanding the composer’s style and sound will help you decide whether or not it is right for your voice. Also, composers, make sure that you know strengths and weaknesses of the performer. If you are planning on commissioning a piece of music, it is necessary to hash out the details of text (and whether or not the rights to the text are available), commissioning and copying fees, funding, and in some cases performance rights. For a more in-depth look at the details of commissioning music, check out this guide from Meet the Composer. Also, check out this great post from David Smooke, simply titled “Performers and Composers“, for a look at what composers are looking for from contemporary classical musicians.
What if you are not ready to jump in to commissioning a piece? Perhaps you are just looking to dip your toe into new classical music? Just like in our discussion of chamber music, there has been so much contemporary classical music written for the voice it is difficult to know where to start.
“The diversity of styles and genres in contemporary music is truly impressive. At no other time has there been such musical diversity. From serialism to neoclassicism, minimalism to multimedia, non-Western crossover to musique actuelle, and neoromanticism to postmodernism, there’s something for every sensibility. For those beginning to learn about new music, there are many points of entry. For the uninitiated, there’s the pop-influenced work of American performance artist and composer Laurie Anderson, the rhythmic folk-influenced improvisations of Czech composer and performer Iva Bittova, or the unique music of self-taught instrument maker Harry Partch. The genre of minimalism also offers a great variety of approaches and methods, demonstrated by such composers as John Adams (US), Louis Andriessen (Netherlands), Philip Glass (US), and Henryk Görecki (Poland). Composers John Tavener (UK) and Arvo Pärt (Estonia) are minimalists who explore themes of introspection and contemplation.
Aspects of popular music that students hear on the radio every day are present in the work of many new-music composers. Composers whose music incorporates rock and popular elements include Erkki Sven Tuur (Estonia), Peter Hatch (Canada), Mark Anthony Turnage (UK), and Graham Fitkin (UK). The influence of world music, specifically from Bali and China, has enabled American composers like Colin McPhee, Peter Garland, and Fred Ho to move away from Western aesthetics. Composers influenced by the folk music of their own countries include Aaron Copland (US), Charles Ives (US), Giya Kancheli (Georgia), Jose Evangelista (Canada/Spain), and Peter Sculthorpe (Australia). Composers working in the areas of soundscape composition and acoustic ecology include Canadians Hildegard Westerkamp, Claude Schryer, Sylvi MacCormac, and Barry Truax, as well as Americans Alvin Lucier, Pauline Oliveros, and Annea Lockwood.” – Therese Costes
You can always ask your friends who are in to new music. Yet, there are also a vast number of online resources that will help you become more familiar with what is new these days. Check out NewMusicBox, “a multimedia publication from New Music USA, dedicated to the music of American composers and improvisers and their champions. NewMusicBox offers: in-depth profiles, articles, and discussions; up-to-the-minute industry news and commentary; a direct portal to our internet radio station, Counterstream; and access to an online library of more than 57,000 works by more than 6,000 composers.” If that isn’t enough to sift through, try our friends over at I CARE IF YOU LISTEN who have a great series 5 Questions to… in which they interview composers, performers, founders, directors, and more. “Created in December 2010 by Thomas Deneuville, NY-based French composer, I CARE IF YOU LISTEN was born from the desire to talk about Contemporary Classical Music, or New Music, in lay terms. Other interdisciplinary topics include Art and Technology.” Also take some time to peruse the articles, interviews, and forums on Sequenza21 – The Contemporary Classical Music Community.
Becoming more involved with music conceived and performed now is not just a niche-choice; it is a necessity to furthering our culture, industry, and artistry. Even if you are already committed to new music, we must strive to excel in the entire new music cycle: brilliant musicianship, loyal commissioners, and skillful entrepreneurs. Aren’t you just as tired of the “classical music is dead” conversation as I am? Let’s continue, with our actions, to show that is simply not the case.
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Armando Bayolo’s Sacred Cows is a set of quasi-pop songs dealing with doubt and the ills of unquestioning spirituality. “For years I was EXTREMELY religious (one of my ambitious, in the fourth or fifth grade, was to grow up to become Pope!)’” writes Bayolo in his program notes. “Then, in 2001, motivated by the conclusion of my doctoral studies, I began reading scholarship about Jesus Christ and Christianity. Nobody told me that this was almost always a fatal step for faith and, predictably, mine eroded and evaporated in a cloud of logic. Sacred Cows is a delayed reaction to that journey.” I will be joined by my fellow hexaCollective singers: Andrew Sauvageu, Sara MacKimmie, Courtney Kalbacker, and Sonya Knussen.
Great Noise Ensemble is like a new music family to me. Full of amazing musicians from Baltimore and D.C., they all came together originally in response to a Craigslist ad. It is amazing to see (and hear) how far they have come over their seven seasons. Eschewing singer stereotypes, they have been very welcoming to me. I am incredibly grateful to have worked with them often over the last few years.
Background Noise: Megan Ihnen On Singing New Music
While preparing for Great Noise Ensemble’s October 19th concert Irreverence, we asked mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen about her experience with new music and her methods for tackling complex musical issues. Megan is a tireless promoter of contemporary classical music for the voice, and will be performing with Great Noise Ensemble this week as a member of hexaCollective, presenting Armando Bayolo’s Sacred Cows.
GNE: How did you start singing new music, and what kind of challenges do you face when performing new compositions?
Ihnen: “Honestly, it is almost surprising that I even found new music in high school and college since I was studying in West Des Moines, Iowa and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Those cities are not necessarily known as hotbeds for new music activity. However, I had wonderful teachers and mentors that exposed me to the works of active composers. My true commitment to new music emerged when I started studying at Peabody with Phyllis Bryn-Julson. We would often sight-read challenging 20th & 21st century vocal works. I would say to her, “Phyllis, I can’t sight-read this – it’s not even standard notation!” She would just brush off my comment and say, “Oh, yes you can. You just do it.” Thus was born my Nike Just Do It
approach to new music.”
“Complexity in both melody and rhythm are often the most challenging aspects of new music. Singers must approach a piece different than an instrumentalist because we are intervallic learners. Unlike a pianist, I cannot see my finger pressing the correct key. Unless one has perfect pitch, one must learn the vocal line from interval to interval. Singers also frequently shy away from new music because of complicated rhythms. hexaCollective is a well-rounded group that really appreciates the intricacies of rhythm especially the clave rhythms in Sacred Cows. The rhythmic unisons for the three ensemble voices can be particularly tricky as well. Let’s just say, a new music singer learns to make her metronome a very close friend and ally. When you can’t rely on other performances for the conceptual groundwork, you must really dive into the piece as written. The rhythms, text, and polyphony all give clues to the composer’s performance intentions. It is then up to the performer to make strong choices with those clues so to achieve the most compelling performance possible. Also, the really wonderful part of working with living composers is the ability to ask questions!”
GNE: What do you find so exciting about new works, and why do you find it so important to perform new music?
Ihnen: “New music has come into a clearing, so to speak, of styles and methods. The rigidity of certain schools of thought has passed and composers are able to write in so many different ways. It’s no longer anathema to write a lyrical melody; one may strive for complexity without shunning beauty. That makes this an especially great time for new vocal music. Believe it or not, people do not know the breadth of new music being composed right now. Working with Great Noise Ensemble and other new music groups in the Baltimore/D.C. area, I have found that it is extremely important to be the gateway for music lovers to find these pieces and working composers/performers in the genre. New music often touches on current social issues. For example, I will be performing Armando Bayolo’s Sacred Cows on this week’s GNE concert. One thing that I really enjoy about his piece is the tongue-in-cheek look at religious dogma that prompts us to take a closer, and perhaps more critical, look at our convictions.”
You can find out more about Megan Ihnen at her website and at her blog, The Sybaritic Singer.
For more information on GNE’s upcoming October 19th concert, Irreverence, click here.
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New-music (or alt-classical, anyone?) is in the midst of a zeitgeist. There is an undeniable energy and vitality to much of the music being created. And although there are different streams within this movement, there seems to be a common overarching goal to create a new musical culture. This new hybrid combines modern composition with sound worlds drawn from a wide range of genres — from pop to rock to hip-hop and beyond — as well as aspects of the cultures that surround those forms of expression. Some attempts to realize this new culture, such as juxtaposing a new-music ensemble and an indie-rock outfit on the same bill with no clear purpose, do absolutely nothing of musical value (except maybe make the new-music kids in the audience feel a bit cooler and the indie-rock kids in the audience feel a bit smarter), while others get much closer to the mark. The most successful experiments have been those that combine genres unselfconsciously while highlighting the similarities between musical cultures and forgoing the gimmicks that this sort of synthesis lends itself to much too easily.
The majority of the credit for this movement has been bestowed on the scene in NYC, which might lead an ambitious new-music composer or performer to think that in order to be a part of the vanguard and really “make it” they need to be in New York themselves. That’s been the traditional benchmark of success. And if you can’t make it there, well, why the hell would you even want to try to make it anywhere else since you’ve failed already?
I think it’s time that we turn the page on this antiquated idea that to be a successful and important artist it’s imperative that NYC plays a significant role on your CV. It’s an old idea that has in many ways been rendered moot in the age of interconnectivity and constant contact. Without taking anything away from the contributions that have come from the NYC scene, I think Baltimore is uniquely positioned and equipped to create a more definitive and lasting version of this brave new sonic world.
How reassuring is it to hear someone say that you do not need to starve in New York City to make it? This “brave new sonic world” is anywhere you can make it. It takes a group of dedicated musicians that know how to spread the word and are not afraid of something they have not done before. I like what Sacawa says in the video, “Baltimore can be, should be, and is a place for musical innovation.”
Again, for your viewing pleasure, here is the youtube video:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McpqwakG9nA]
Related Articles
- Mobtown Modern’s 2010-2011 Season Starts Next Week (avantmusicnews.com)
- New article at NewMusicBox.org (netnewmusic.net)
- New Music at Festival, but Familiar Players (nytimes.com)
Season 6 of the Evolution Series takes its name, “Listen to This,” from the latest book by New Yorker music critic Alex Ross. Ross, making his second appearance on the series this fall, has written that “perhaps my main mission as a critic is to urge readers to bend an ear to the new, since it holds the key to the survival and renewal of the art.” In this spirit, Evolution offers some of the most dynamic, passionate music and musicians of the early 21st century.
LISTEN TO THIS
September 29, 2010 at 8pmTickets: $15/$10 students,
season subscription $60/$40
(excludes September 29 season preview/fundraiser) Join us as we kick off the new season with an informal wine reception, featuring a silent auction and brief performances of music from upcoming concerts. Clarinetist Gleb Kanasevich and vocalists Elizabeth Hungerford, Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Lee Mills and Michael Droettboom perform music by Derek Bermel, David Lang and Steve Reich, with a special appearance by local beatboxing virtuoso Shodekeh.
AN EVENING WITH NEW YORKER MUSIC CRITIC ALEX ROSS
Tickets: $15/$10 students
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THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL PASSION
Tickets: $15/$10 students
The concert will be followed by a wine reception with the artists
Evolution presents composer David Lang’s Bach-inspired recasting of Hans Christian Andersen’s haunting parable, featuring vocalists Elizabeth Hungerford, Kristen Dubenion-Smith, Lee Mills and Michael Droettboom, with musical direction by Judah Adashi. Tim Page of the Washington Post
, a member of the jury that awarded Lang’s piece the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Music, writes: “I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved by a new, and largely unheralded composition as I was by David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion, which is unlike any music I know.”
INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 8pm
Pre-concert conversation at 7pm
Tickets: $15/$10 students
The concert will be followed by a wine reception with the artists
Hailed by the New York Times as “one of the most adventurous and accomplished groups in new music,” the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) makes its Baltimore début on the Evolution Series with music by Elliott Carter, Edgar Guzmán, Mario Davidovsky and Steve Reich.
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THE MUSIC OF DEREK BERMEL
Pre-concert conversation at 7pm
Tickets: $15/$10 students
The concert will be followed by a wine reception with the artists
The New York-based composer-clarinetist joins the Evolution Series for an evening devoted to his solo and chamber works: “Turning” for solo piano, “Thracian Sketches” for solo clarinet, “Twin Trio” for flute, clarinet and piano and “Soul Garden” for string sextet. In addition to Bermel, featured performers include pianists Stephen Gosling and Lura Johnson, flutist Tara Helen O’Connor and solo violist Victoria Chiang, as well as violist Jaclyn Dorr and violinists Jennifer Herrera and Kathryn Kilian. As the Boston Globe puts it, “this is the kind of [music] that makes your day.”
Related Articles
- Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music @ Tanglewood 8/16/10 (timesunion.com)
- At Least One Genius Works For The New Yorker [Alex Ross] (gawker.com)
- International Contemporary Ensemble at Mostly Mozart (avantmusicnews.com)
Mobtown Modern, Marin Alsop, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra recently formed a dynamic new partnership called Synchronicity. “The idea is that in conjunction with some of the BSO’s contemporary music programming, Mobtown Modern will present companion concerts bringing together our musicians and musicians from the BSO in performances designed to introduce and familiarize audiences with the music of the contemporary composers on the BSO’s program,” writes Brian Sacawa, curator Mobtown Modern.
Partnering with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop, a true champion of contemporary music, is a natural development in the growth of the Contemporary Museum’s Mobtown Modern Music Series. This innovative partnership furthers our mission to build an awareness, appreciation, and audience for the music of our time and holds great promise for establishing Baltimore as a vital center for contemporary music.
– Brian Sacawa
So far, two concerts have been planned for the 2010-2011 season. On January 12, 2011 the combined Mobtown Modern and BSO forces will present Baltimore native and minimalist icon Philip Glass’s seminal work Glassworks as a companion to the BSO’s performance of Icarus at the Edge of Time; and the June 1, 2011 concert will feature Osvaldo Golijov’s inventive and beautiful multicultural song cycle Ayre (with stellar soprano Lara Bruckmann as the soloist) as a companion show to the BSO’s performance of Golijov’s new Henry Fogel Consortium Commission work.
Baltimore is one of the most exciting cities for the arts these days with a vitality and depth of talent that rivals the major cities of the world. This collaboration between the BSO and the Contemporary Museum’s Mobtown Modern Music Series is an extension of the BSO’s commitment to partnering with our exceptional fellow arts groups in town. With Mobtown Modern we share a desire to further our community’s unique spirit of creativity and serve as catalysts for new ideas and stimulating projects.
– Marin Alsop
Mobtown Modern has already garnered serious praise for their commitment to contemporary classical in Baltimore. Heading into their fourth season, Sacawa isn’t letting off the gas just yet. In fact, Mobtown Modern illuminates the city’s musical scene next week with “LigetiFest.” (In fact, I will be there performing “Lux Aeterna.” Don’t miss it.)
Simply put, LigetiFest is the perfect way to begin the new season of Mobtown Modern. Not only does the one-night event showcase an uncategorizable variety of modern solo, chamber, vocal, and mechanical music, it also shows off the increasing ambition and reach of the Contemporary Museum’s concert series, now entering its fourth year of championing works by contemporary composers. And, of course, LigetiFest focuses welcome attention on the late György Ligeti (1923-2006), one of the greatest composers of the second half of the 20th century, not to mention the modernist composer whose work the most people have heard, whether they know it or not. – Lee Gardner, City Paper
Related Articles
- Mobtown Modern’s 2010-2011 Season Starts Next Week (avantmusicnews.com)
- You: BSO’s Marin Alsop, inspired by books such as ‘Change by Design’ (washingtonpost.com)
- Portrait of the artist: Marin Alsop (guardian.co.uk)