[cmc-users] May 20th: DownTown Ensemble plays Nagorka, Zummo, Repetto

[douglas irving repetto]

The DTE is playing a piece I wrote for Larry Polansky. Should be fun.

douglas

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For Immediate Release.

The SoundArt Foundation presents:

EXOTIC BIRDS, TEAPOTS AND TROMBONE, a concert by the DownTown Ensemble
May 20th (Tuesday), Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, 
Manhattan, 8 PM
Info. and reservations: 212-925-6684 or dsgoode@earthlink.net. $12/8.

May 17th (Saturday), Hudson Opera House, Hudson, New York, 8 PM
Info. and reservations: 518-822-1438, $12/$10 members
May 18th (Sunday), Deep Listening Space, Kingston, New York, 3 PM
Info. and reservations: 518-828-0131, $10/8

DownTown Ensemble will present Artamidae, a set of pieces by 
Australian composer and performer, Ron Nagorcka in which he samples 
the fabulous songsters of  Australia, especially of his home island 
of Tasmania and sets them for an ensemble of flute, clarinet, 
electric guitar, mandolin, trombone, didjeridu (an aboriginal 
instrument), and keyboards.

Peter Zummo,  from New York, trombonist and a founding member of the 
DownTown Ensemble has been commissioned to compose a new piece for 
the group:

Teapot/Heatsink (2002) takes its name from the phrase "Think of 
teapot as heatsink," which is an admonition to make a small 
contribution to energy conservation. Woodwind arrangements and a 
trombone feature build upon a bed of didjeridu and electric guitar 
march beats supportive of French rationality. [PZ]

The concert will also include a new piece by composer Douglas Repetto 
for the ensemble, Counting Piece for Larry.

The performers of the DownTown Ensemble are Margaret Lancaster, flute 
and piccolo; Daniel Goode, clarinet; Peter Zummo, trombone and 
dijeridoo; Larry Polansky, electric guitar; William Hellermann, 
keyboard; and guest composer, Ron Nagorcka on sampling keyboard and 
dijeridoo.

Ron Nagorcka is a prominent local Naturalist, he also takes a keen 
interest in the science of the Australian bush and along with David 
Stewart of "Naturesound Australia" has produced the authoritative 
identification CD for Tasmanian birds.

>From 1990 - 1996 Nagorcka's music was performed mostly by the 
>ensemble NYET - a group of artists particularly interested in their 
>relationship to the Tasmanian environment. In 1996 he produced a CD 
>called "Secret Places" presenting the music created during this time.

In October 1997, he was joined by Robert Williams and Larry Polansky 
in a concert of his music as part of the "Sounding Sphere" festival 
to a large enthusiastic audience in Harima, Japan and in October 
1998, his "Tasmanian Toccata" for didjeridu, sampler and pipe organ 
was received enthusiastically by full houses and with critical 
acclaim as the main feature of three concerts to open the new organ 
in the chapel of Trinity College in Melbourne.

In 1999 he was awarded a commendation by Melbourne University in the 
Albert H. Maggs Composition Award. In August - September 1999, he 
undertook a "Wilderness Residency" at Eddystone Point in a remote 
area of Tasmania's east coast, where he wrote "This Beauteous Wicked 
Place" for harpsichord, didjeridu and electronics - presented in the 
Great Hall of the Old Bailey by Nagorcka and Elizabeth Anderson as 
part of the 2001 London Festival. He also performed in Gent and 
Florence in July 2001.

Move Records in Melbourne have just produced a CD featuring 
Nagorcka's music, and he has spent 2002 presenting concerts in 
Australia and completing a major commission from the Australian 
Broadcasting Corporation which will be premiered by the Downtown 
Ensemble.

Comments:

"...brilliantly effective electronic manipulation ... fascinating ... unique"

- New Classics UK

"...wondrous ... the most Tasmanian [non-indigenous] music I have 
ever heard" - Peter Sculthorpe (Tasmanian born composer)

"... a unique, innovative and distinctive voice." - Larry Polansky ( 
New Hampshire )

"... wonderful in the balancing of ecological sorces and musical 
structures. Nagorcka has a very sensitive ear for nature ......" - 
Pauline Oliveros ( New York)

"... magic." - Joel Crotty (The Age, Melbourne)

".. his work with environmental sound, alternative tuning systems, 
and computer technology is on a par with the most advanced work in 
these fields anywhere." - Warren Burt (composer)

"... passionate, reflective, modern and witty." - Jack Hibberd (playwright)

" Landscape is a common theme in music and poetry. Rarely though does 
it attempt to move as close as Ron's work does to the essence of land 
and its non-human inhabitants and how they work on us." - Dennis Wild 
(naturalist and photographer)

" ... musical, strong, sensitive and fun."

- Bonnie Barnett (radio presenter KLXU Los Angeles)

Notes on the pieces:

Artamidae: 2002 - for electronics, didjeridu and full ensemble. 
(Premiere performance)

This suite of 5 pieces was commissioned by the Australian 
Broadcasting Corporation and will be premiered by the Downtown 
Ensemble as the main feature of the concert. The music is based on a 
family of Australian songbirds (Currawongs, Magpies and Woodswallows) 
usually considered to have extremely "musical" calls. It includes 
recordings of the birds, and sounds derived electronically from these 
recordings along with didjeridu and the various instruments of the 
ensemble.



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