modern classical

I composed this work in January of 2013 for the Mars Hill College Saxophone Quartet. The MHC Sax Quartet premiered it April 20, 2013 during the Mars Hill New Music Festival. 
The hall was in complete darkness. Each performer began playing in a different corner of the concert hall surrounding the audience.  Slowly each performer began moving to the front of the hall. When they played the last chord the lights quickly filled the hall.

Quartet for El Anatsui was inspired by the artwork of the Ghanaian artist, El Anatsui. He creates wonderful sheets of metal, wood and cloth that are hung on walls or stand alone on the floor. Each time one of his sculptures are presented at a museum they are presented differently. Which inspired me to write this piece which can be played differently at every performance.

Mars Hill College Saxophone Quartet
Alan Theisen - Alto
Andrew Jenkins - Alto
Dalton Woody - Tenor
Bradley Smith - Baritone

Quartet For El Anatsui (Open Piece No. 3)

Catalog #: SSSRCD0001
Release Date: October 16, 2006
Label: Sweetspot
Format: CD+DVD
Ensemble:: Alarm Will Sound
Notes: percussion credit (glockenspiel) 

(excerpt) Music for Mallet Instruments Voices and Organ

Lars Danielsson - Liberetto II - Grace

Espen Eriksen Trio - Gravity

Matt Dunkley - Cycle 1

Compiling four pieces for four different ensembles, David Lang’s "writing on water" is a free-flowing recording that presents several unusual and rarely revealed facets of the composer who is perhaps most well-known for his monumental choral works (the Pulitzer-winning "the little match girl passion" and the more recent epic "the national anthems"), as well as his poignant song cycles ("death speaks" and "love fail"). 

From the struggle between dissonance and melody portrayed in “pierced” to the sweeping, oceanic scope of the title piece, the music defines a path that can be as serpentine as it is rigid (“forced march”) or as minimal as it is immense. Riveting performances by Alarm Will Sound, Real Quiet, Crash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, Synergy Vocals and more make writing on water an electrifying, free-spirited and rambunctious addition to the Cantaloupe catalog.

writing on water

David Lang & Alarm Will Sound – increase

Lars danielsson-liberetto

Invention for Piano is the first piece I ever completed. This is a midi recording. One day I will work on the score again and make it a little more playable.

Invention for Piano

F.S.Blumm & Nils Frahm - Kugler

John Zorn - The Rain Horse, Film Score~Forests in the Mist

Track taken from the upcoming album 'The Topologies of Blue'...

Bill Seaman - Piano, Piano Libraries, Sample Compositions, Samples, Abstracted Percussion, Non-location Recordings, Electric Guitar Abstractions 
Wei Ping Lin – Violin Solos 
David Rothenberg - Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Contralto Clarinet Solos
Sid Richardson – Upright Bass Libraries
Tim Bjorklund – Electric Guitar Libraries
Volkmar Klein, Sound Engineer for initial violin recording

...

Produced by Bill Seaman
Mastered by James Plotkin 
Cover design by Ian Hazeldine 
Overall design by Daniel Crossley

...

Special Thanks to all of the musicians + John Supko, Craig Tattersall, Volkmar Klein, Maura Walsh-Seaman, Dan Crossley & James Plotkin.

...

www.fluidaudio.bigcartel.com/mailing-list

The Topologies of Blue

Bill Seaman - Isolated Reflections / Dark Slippages / Falling Inward / A Collection Of Repercussions

I composed this piece in the summer of 2012. I had heard a few open instrumentation works by different composers and I felt i should give it at try.

Open Piece No. 1 was premiered by the Central Michigan University New Music Ensemble December 9, 2012 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. 

I will post the names of each performer when I receive them.  They did a fine job.  

CMU New Music Ensemble:

Mike Romaniak - Electronics
Kevin Keith - Piano
Jennifer Blackwell - Soprano Saxophone
Jenna Veldboom - Alto Saxophone
Nathan Brown - Trombone
Melissa Bialecki - Cello
Kevin Wilson - Double Bass
David Abraham - Percussion
Steve Bott - Percussion

Open Piece No. 1 for any instruments performed by the CMU New Music Ensemble

Warner CD - Steve Reich - Different Trains - I Before The War

Warner CD - Steve Reich - Different Trains - II During The War

Warner CD - Steve Reich - Different Trains - III After The War

Homeland

Laurie Anderson - "Flow"

"The London Steve Reich Ensemble is an outstanding group of young musicians.
They have a superb feel for how to play my music. Their performances pulse with life" Steve Reich

The London Steve Reich Ensemble is the only group in the world that composer Steve Reich has allowed use of his name besides his own group. Founded and led by the artistic visions of Vincent Corver & Kevin Griffiths. Pianist/CEO and Conductor/Artistic Director.

The group came together in 2005 at the Royal Academy of Music in London, receiving immediate high acclaim from the Academy itself for its impeccable performances in the first year of its existence. The LSRE has moved forward in the years, performing throughout Europe’s renowned venues such as the London Duke’s Hall, Tonhalle Zurich, KKL Lucerne, Schönbergsaal The Hague, Cheltenham Festival UK and many others.

The LSRE received the Diapason D’Or Award for its first CD under the CPO label, only 2 years later being contracted under Warner Classics (Formally: EMI Classics) for its second CD. The CD includes the string ensemble pieces Triple Quartet and Different Trains by Reich, conducted by Kevin Griffiths for acoustic ensemble. The CD also features the World Premiere arrangement of the 1973 work “Six Pianos” by Steve Reich, now released under the new name “Piano Counterpoint” in 2012. A work that received its World Premiere Performance on The Pearl – Qatar in December 2012, by Vincent Corver, who was personally commissioned by Reich to make the arrangement. In January 2013 the work was taken into the official hire-library of the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes. Various global premiere performances are due throughout 2015 and 2016.

The Ensemble has set new ways in the collaboration with the London Royal Ballet, and the choreographer William Tuckett. A new world premiere choreography has been set for 2016. 

The London Steve Reich Ensemble is known for performing not only Steve Reich, but programming his music alongside other repertoire, complimenting the music of Reich. The performances are recognized by international critics for their intense vitality and precision, whilst keeping the natural flow of sound and where the repeat is not performed as a repeat, but as a micro incremental development.

Steve Reich's style of composition has been hugely influential to many composers and musical groups. He is also equated as the Andy Warhol of classical music. Described by The Guardian as one of "a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history". Many critics including Kyle Gann quoted "may...be considered, by general acclamation, America's greatest living composer".

Warner CD - Steve Reich - Different Trains - I Before The War

London Steve Reich Ensemble

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