Alex Temple, "Behind the Wallpaper" (2013)

Constance Volk, voice
Spektral Quartet:
Austin Wulliman, violin 1
Aurelien Penderzoli, violin 2
Doyle Armbrust, viola
Russell Rolen, cello

live at The Hideout, Chicago, IL, 6.29.13

More info:
http://www.alextemplemusic.com/2013/05/behind-the-wallpaper/

4. This American Life

3. Tiny Holes

I wrote this piece over the course of 4 days after being immersed in Alaska's wilderness, surrounded by inspiration in the landscape, ecosystem, and structure of this raw and beautiful land. It was originally inspired by the annual thawing of permafrost in Denali, when the small, frozen wood frogs come back to life. Their once quieted hearts now beating again, they exchange sparse chirps to one another that convey a hopeful sound of the oncoming warmth. However, the permafrost temperature over time is drastically increasing, causing the permafrost to rapidly decrease, the land to become unglued, and vegetation to crawl farther up on the mountainsides.  Writing a classical piece based on nature was a new and rad experience. 

-Premiered in Fairbanks, AK at the Fairbanks Arts and Music Festival
-Photo- Grace Ridge, Alaska. Summer, 2014. ~Madz


Permafrost

MORE INFO AND SHEET MUSIC HERE: http://jonrussellmusic.com/works/bass-clarinet-concerto/

"FOLLOW-THE-SCORE" VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/iDCgkjx1Oq8

Jonathan Russell's Bass Clarinet Concerto, performed by Jonathan Russell and the Princeton University Orchestra, Michael Pratt, conductor.

Bass Clarinet Concerto

Visitor Pass

Polyconic Projection

Noise pollution is most commonly manifested as construction or transportation sounds. In Chicago, we have our fair share of both.

This recording was performed by Alicia Poot, flutes; Cory Tiffin, clarinet; and Ryan Engleman, percussion

Noise Pollution

Conveyance was premiered in Davis, California by members of the Empyrean Ensemble.

Conveyance, for alto flute, bass clarinet and piano

Commissioned and performed by CONSTELLATION MEN'S ENSEMBLE

This piece was specifically written for a concert theme of “the sounds of silence.” When considering how to represent non-sound with sound, I had a great discussion with a dear friend who reminded me how much music relies on silent communication. As a composer, my work is trapped on paper or on screen unless it’s brought to life by collaborators. Those performers bring a wealth of skill and artistry to interpreting silent dots and lines on a page, and communicate with each other on stage with subtle glances and precise movements. Finally, any meaning the audience finds in my music is unique and personal to each of them, with every reaction being perfectly valid. Performers creating music and meaning out of silent notation is what this piece is ultimately about.

The text is entirely solfège, meaningless “do re mi” syllables corresponding to pitches. Using this offers another opportunity for composer-audience communication, allowing listeners to hear how the music is constructed as it moves along – we can hear “fa mi do” being passed around all the voice parts and so forth. Maybe the solfège even becomes a sort of nonsense language, a thought I’ve extended to the title.

Famídoté

performed by The Fivefold Galactic Bells:
Thad Anderson and Owen Weaver, percussion
Franklin Gross and Luke Gullickson, pianos

"...that's the way to live. All alone and free in the soft sands of the beach by the sigh of the sea out there, with the Ma-Wink fallopian virgin warm stars reflecting on the outer channel fluid belly waters." -- Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

Outer Channel is dedicated to Paul Motian.

Chicago • January 2013

Outer Channel

An arrangement of James Blake's "I Never Learnt to Share" performed by the Spektral Quartet.

I Never Learnt to Share

Brian Baxter is a musician and orchestra manager who composes music inspired by family, place, and poetry.

Noise Pollution

Brian Baxter Music

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