THE PENNIES - Athena's Up For Hire 
from the album 10,000 Things

Athena's Up For Hire

Evergreen APRIL 7, 1995

Trio for Violin, Horn, & Piano

Recorded by Lydian Quartet

I – NODE: Tuning Knot  00:00-03:22
II – Recently Found Fragments: Chant Loop  03:28-11:38
III – Striding Rituals: Nocturnal Gatherings for Mass Wooing  11:44-17:30
III.5 or 5.IV – Optional habits  17:43-18:40
IV – CODEX: I know I know this (…almost remembering…)  18:44-25:04
V – Turn the Corner: Post-Rapture Celebration  25:08-28:04
VI - NODE: Ex nihilo…In nihil [-for Mary Ruth-]  28:05-35:30

Treatises for an Unrecovered Past is dedicated to the Lydian String Quartet and was composed as part of their Composition Commission Award, which was made possible by the generosity and vision of Marjorie B. and Martin Cohn. It was composed in San Francisco and Cambridge and is 35 minutes long.

Treatises for an Unrecovered Past (2013-14/rev. 2017) for string quartet

A Kind of Lung was written for a diverse ensemble expressing an experience we all share - breathing together. Commissioned by the Bang on a Can Summer Festival, where I was a fellow in 2017. 

Naomi Johnson- flute
Erlan Kasabolotov- Sabyzgy
Hunter Shelby Long- Paetzold Contrabass Recorder
Khushbakht Niyozov- Rubab
Sayat Yeshmatov- Dombra
Shannon Reilly Steigerwald- Violin
Nick Photinos- Cello
Nadezda Filippova- Piano
Caitlin Cawley- Percussion / Vibraphone
Kevin Zetina- Percussion / Drum Set

This live performance was from the premiere concert held at Mass MoCa.

A Kind Of Lung

All vocals, piano and synths performed by Boltah
Percussion, drums played by Chip Reardin
Recorded and produced by Chip Reardin 
All music and lyrics written by Boltah

BB Sky

All vocals, piano, organ, synths performed by Boltah
Drums and bass played by Chip Reardin
Recorded and produced by Chip Reardin
All music and lyrics written by Boltah

Anthem

This is a track for my sister in law and soon to be husband.  It's an experiment in sonic textures.  I use an electric guitar and an Ondomo (Ondes Martenot,)and a Kurzweil Synth.

The synth provides the foundation.  The electric guitar is suspended by the neck, heavily processed, and then played by beating and smacking the instrument all over the body.  The harmonics are the only element that is traditionally played.  The Ondomo provides the only melodic content.

© 2018

It's Full Of Stars

Live recording of ~Nois Saxophone Quartet playing Dwalm in Chicago in 2019.
_______________

There is a strangeness to the duality of the word dwalm. It is an old Scottish word with two meanings: a stupor or daydream (as in the phrase in a dwalm), and to faint or fall ill. It comes from the Old English word dwolma, which means confusion.
 
What is strange is that a daydream is such a light and lovely drifting of the mind, whereas fainting or falling ill is a sudden wrenching. Perhaps though, they are different surfacings of the same darkness.
 
This piece for ~Nois is half lullaby, half keen; both songs to set someone to rest, whether by drifting off or being bid a final, fearsome farewell.
_______________


~Nois is a Chicago-based saxophone quartet specializing in the performance of new music.

Brandon Quarles, soprano saxophone
Hunter Bockes, alto saxophone
Jordan Lulloff, tenor saxophone
János Csontos, baritone saxophone

Commissioned by 
Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting 
for the Blackbird Creative Laboratory
2018

Dwalm

Note: I'm looking for performances of this piece. If you are interested in playing it, please send me a message! 

Live premiere 3/19/19 in Recital Hall, JSoM, Indiana University. 

Performers:
Trey Bradshaw, Flute  
Collin Lewis, Clarinet

Altered Memories

Moontides and Lullabies

I am a composer of chamber/orchestral as well as electronic music.  I was also the singer/songwriter/guitarist of The Pennies, a psychedelic indie-rock band from Louisville, KY.  

I recently added the Support button that links to my Venmo. Due to Covid-19, I have lost almost half of my income. Any support is always appreciated.

Athena's Up For Hire

jeremypodgursky