© JERRY HIRNIAK
C 4 : T h e C h o r a l Co m p o s e r / Co n d u c t o r Co l l e c t i v e
1 on 1 Thursday, November 13, Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY Saturday, November 15, Church of St. Luke in the Fields, New York, NY
*Take Me Bach
Timothy Brown (b. 1963)
Perry Townsend, conductor Nicholas Gallas, clarinet
*Spectrum
1. I should be thinking sunshine 2. Not quite verdant yet 3. Like painter’s water 4. Swallow me whole Charybdis 5. Eddies in the backyard creek 6. You diffuse like Alka-Seltzer 7. I never really knew my grandfather 8. It wants to Be lace 9. You, you are Chiclets 10. Make your hair nest, Bird-of-Paradise 13. Primarily Daniel Andor-Ardó, conductor Melissa Bybee, Natalie Chamat, Perry Townsend, Brian Mountford, solo voices; Jonathan Singer, vibraphone
Tihei, Mauri Ora
He Karakia He Peruperu He Himine VI. He Karakia (reprise) Colin Britt, conductor Fahad Siadat, solo in He Himine; Nicholas Gallas, clarinet
Lisa Whitson Burns (b. 1983)
Christopher Marshall (b. 1956)
Bettina Sheppard (b. 1961)
Karen Siegel, conductor Bettina Sheppard, theremin
Lamentations for a City
Lisa Bielawa (b. 1968)
Timothy Brown, conductor Karen Birch Blundell, English Horn
Shar Ki Ri
Andrea Clearfield (b. 1960)
Martha Sullivan, conductor Jonathan Singer, vibraphone
*Bubbles
Bill Heigen (b. 1980)
Fahad Siadat, conductor Anastasia Wiebe, dancer and bubbles
2014–2015 is C4’s tenth season! To mark the occasion, we have programmed three cycles of music that reflect the idea of number in some way. The first is 1 on 1. Music for choir plus one instrument opens up expressive possibilities not available to a cappella choir. At its best, it allows the instrument to say things that voices alone—even with text—cannot. Certainly Lisa Bielawa’s “Lamentations for a City” accomplishes this with the cries of the English horn embodying the composer’s grief (and our own) after 9/11. Bettina Sheppard gives voice to strangeness by using the theremin, since no human voice can ever sound like its home is somewhere other than Earth. And Bill Heigen’s “Bubbles” explores how far voices can take a metaphor, and what happens when one term of the metaphor is made real.
Christopher Marshall’s “Tihei, Mauri Ora” does both: Sometimes the clarinet weaves its way into chanted textures and binds them together; at other times, it sings a line that diverges from a simple men’s choral texture so sharply that we know the truth in our bones: Some things cannot be said, cannot even be sung. Martha Sullivan v
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Take Me Bach Timothy Brown (without text) Two seasons ago, I wrote a piece for C4 that expressed my personal anxiety over the sheer magnitude in our world of communication through words, both aural and written. Those anxieties are mirrored for me in the sheer
Intermission *The Day the Saucers Came
Program Notes and Texts By the Numbers: 1 on 1
An accompanying instrument can also weave through a vocal texture and create coherence, leading the ear into the music. Tim Brown exploits this deftly with the wandering clarinet in “Take Me Bach”; Lisa Whitson Burns uses the vibraphone to the same end in a very different set of short pieces, “Spectrum.” And Andrea Clearfield’s “Shar Ki Ri” strips the vibraphone part down to a single note around which women’s voices weave their texture.
volume of music constantly swirling around us, pouring in from all sides. I’m disheartened at times by the seeming impossibility of having something original to say, of speaking in a musical voice that is wholly my own. So, in “Take Me Bach” I’ve abandoned any attempt at originality, using an old favorite prelude from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (the 22nd in B-flat minor). I allowed myself to stick to tonality and to meander between simplicity and complexity, fun and fury, angst
* Premiere
and bliss. You’ll hear many passages that are
creating a harmonic spectrum. Just as each
note-for-note from the Bach source. In other
panel in Kelly’s work has only one color of
segments the material is abstracted. But I’ve
paint, each miniature movement of “Spectrum”
strayed not at all from the harmonic language
is based on a single harmonic color, a six-note
Bach reveled in back in 1722.
chord type. For example, the first movement, which corresponds to a blaring yellow panel,
The clarinet’s role in the piece is like an actor
uses a six-note chromatic cluster, a chord built
wandering around the stage having forgotten
entirely of half-steps. And just as neighboring
his lines. He isn’t really sure if the mood of the
panels in Spectrum V are most similar in color,
moment is serious, and he seems to be trying
consecutive movements in “Spectrum” are
for silly. His attempt to jazz things up leads to
most closely related harmonically. By building
an entire passage that’s a nod to the Swingle
this progression, I hope to capture the overall
Singers—another non-original (but fun) idea.
experience of a spectrum—that of traveling a great distance in small steps, unaware in the
It’s my hope that you’ll join me in taking the
moment of the gradual changes that are taking
piece not at all seriously, but simply enjoy
place within the harmony.
hearing Bach’s great voice translated by a seriously confused contemporary composer.
Looking back, I realize that Chris and I have not created the choral equivalent of Spectrum V,
MANY THANKS to my colleagues of C4 for
because while Kelly limited himself strictly to
taking the piece on.
varying only one element, color, from panel to panel, our piece functions in many dimensions.
—Timothy Brown
It is as though we took from Kelly’s work not a series of painted canvases, but rather thirteen
Spectrum
blocks of brightly colored clay, which we
Lisa Whitson Burns and Christopher Staskel
shaped freely into musical sculptures. —Lisa Whitson Burns
Ellsworth Kelly’s Spectrum V, which is on display in the Modern and Contemporary Art wing of the Met (gallery 924), consists of thirteen separate panels, each approximately seven feet tall, and each painted a single color. (To see this artwork, visit this website: http://tinyurl.com/ spectrum5). When Chris and I decided to write a choral piece inspired by the work, we wanted to capture both the distinct character of each color and the sense of balance and cohesion of the spectrum as a whole. Musically, I undertook the experiment of
Spectrum Christopher Staskel 1. I should be thinking sunshine, But all I see is imperfection. Jaundiced skin, raised and reaching. Sickly lemon bruises, sinking. I should be thinking sunshine, But all I see is imperfection. 2. Not quite verdant yet, You’re less like blades of grass pinched between my thumbs,
Emitting proud, but tiny elephant sounds, And more like slips of Easter grass My cat chokes on. 3. Like painter’s water, cup of murky. Garden hose, pinched. You scream like a coked-up Julie Andrews on the Austrian hillside.
13. Primarily— Like highlighters want to be present, have merit, And have their highlations be as important as the words they illuminate, Or like dogs urinate on fresh snow— Primarily, we want to leave an impression.
4. Swallow me whole Charybdis, You bloated-on-topaz Narcissus
Tihei, Mauri Ora
5. Eddies in the backyard creek Crinkle like Saran wrap.
Christopher Marshall’s “Tihei, Mauri Ora!” is
6. You diffuse like Alka-Seltzer And leave a fine silt behind. I’ve pushed your crumbs to the foot of my bed. 7. I never really knew my grandfather. Eggplant, age spot. Storm clouds, peacock, damp towels, full stop. Cushions for a chair not for sitting on. I never really knew my grandfather, but I knew He held me when I was a baby. 8. It wants to Be lace, but It plays too Rough. 9. You, you are Chiclets. You, you are scuzz breath. I get you stuck in my head, cuz you are onetrack. I get you stuck in my head, then blow my brains out. Yeah, yeah, I splatter the wall with PeptoBismol. 10. Make your hair nest, Bird-of-Paradise! Frizz it out for social mixers! Buy a treadmill! Wear leg warmers! Serve your salad with grapefruit slices!
Christopher Marshall
a cycle of settings of Māori texts, originally performed by the Washington Men’s Camerata in 2003. The Māori language and people are native to New Zealand, and the four movements performed by C4 are settings of anonymous chants originally intended for various rites and ceremonies from the native traditions. “He Karakia” is thought originally to be a part of the baptismal rite. Marshall’s setting captures the exhilarating rush of energy and exuberance expressed by the text, with sweeping glissandi and broad parallel harmonies.
Breathe, life spirit in the light of day! There is plenty inland, Plenty in the sea, Enough food even for a chief; Breathe, living soul! “He Peruperu” is an ancient war chant, comparing the image of daylight conquering darkness to a triumphant force on the battlefield. The movement is completely spoken and shouted, with the added element of body percussion to heighten the dramatic declamation of text. The clarinet further articulates the warlike spirit with wild, primitive sounding cries and trills.
I strike, you strike! My weapon is strong in battle, Where does it come from? From ancient times! My club moves swiftly, it’s called Poroku! Its thong was tied in darkness, So my eyes would be like stars! Oh! It is day, ah! “He Himine” is an evening hymn, setting a text coming from the Northland in the mid 19th century. The only setting of the cycle to draw on Christian imagery, it invokes the name of Kiri, presumably a relative who has died, encouraging her to follow Christ to the Mount of Olives and eventually to paradise. While the harmonies resemble a traditional Wesleyan hymn, the clarinet joins in a half-step higher, adding a tense and often jarring descant to the tranquility of the choral harmonies. At the end, during a final Amen, whistling from the choir evokes the sound of native birds, the korimako and tui, as heard near the city of Dunedin.
In the evening, I lie thinking in my bed; How strong is my faith in prayer! Let us embrace God’s law, While angels watch over you. Kiri, go forth to the Mount of Olives, Where Jesus rose up into the sky. I allowed you to go to Jehovah’s land, And your spirit went up to Canaan. Those who believe will receive God’s blessing; Those who are evil will be punished by death.
Marshall reprises his setting of “He Karakia,” with added vocal harmonies and a turbulent clarinet part that bring the cycle to a dramatic finish. The resulting symmetry of the outer movements create a satisfying cohesiveness to
the whole work, while capturing the breathless wonderment of the Māori invocation. — Colin Britt
The Day the Saucers Came Bettina Sheppard Text by Neil Gaiman That Day, the saucers landed. Hundreds of them, golden, Silent, coming down from the sky like great snowflakes, And the people of Earth stood and stared as they descended, Waiting, dry-mouthed, to find out what waited inside for us And none of us knowing if we would be here tomorrow But you didn’t notice because That day, the day the saucers came, by some coincidence, Was the day that the graves gave up their dead And the zombies pushed up through soft earth or erupted, shambling, dull-eyed, unstoppable, Came towards us, the living, and we screamed and ran, But you did not notice this because On the saucer day, which was zombie day, it was Ragnarok also, and the television screens showed us A ship built of dead-men’s nails, a serpent, a wolf, All bigger than the mind could hold, and the cameraman could Not get far enough away, and then the Gods came out But you did not see them coming because On the saucer-zombie-battling-gods day the floodgates broke And each of us was engulfed by genies and sprites Offering us wishes and wonders and eternities And charm and cleverness and true brave hearts and pots of gold While giants feefofummed across the land and killer bees,
But you had no idea of any of this because That day, the saucer day, the zombie day, The Ragnarok and fairies day, the day the great winds came And snows and the cities turned to crystal, the day All plants died, plastics dissolved, the day the Computers turned, the screens telling us we would obey, the day Angels, drunk and muddled, stumbled from the bars, And all the bells of London were sounded, the day Animals spoke to us in Assyrian, the Yeti day, The fluttering capes and arrival of the Time Machine day, You didn’t notice any of this because you were sitting in your room, not doing anything not even reading, not really, just looking at your telephone, wondering if I was going to call. This setting of “The Day the Saucers Came” was begun at the 2014 Composers’ Forum at Lehigh University (ACDA sponsorship, mentors Steven Sametz and Tania León). Neil Gaiman’s text lends itself to playful theatricality, with its comment on self-absorption in the midst of a multitude of apocalyptic events. The logical choice of accompaniment (if indeed it can be called a “logical” instrument) is the otherworldly theremin. My thanks to C4 for tackling the Zombies! —Bettina Sheppard
Lamentations for a City Lisa Bielawa A reading from the Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet: ALEPH (1:1) How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow has she become,
She that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the cities Has become a vassal. BETH (1:2) She weeps bitterly in the night, Tears on her cheeks; Among all her lovers She has none to comfort her; All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. They have become her enemies. DALETH (1:4) The roads to Zion mourn, For none come to the appointed feasts; All her gates are desolate, Her priests groan; Her maidens have been dragged away, And she herself suffers bitterly. ZAYIN (1:7) Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and bitterness All the precious things that were hers from days of old… ALEPH (4:1) How the gold has grown dim, How the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered At the head of every street. YOD (2:10) The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground in silence; They have cast dust on their heads And put on sackcloth; The maidens of Jerusalem Have bowed their heads to the ground. KAPH (2:11) My eyes are spent with weeping; My soul is in tumult; My heart is poured out in grief Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. MEM (2:13) What can I say to you, to what compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What can I liken to you, that I may comfort you,
O virgin daughter of Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin; Who can restore you? Additional Texts: Paraphrased from web news sources around the world (ALEPH) no information about his condition is available he said such meetings are commonplace then they sent a tape that was supposed to contain their demands even in cases where the cause was known, records sometimes don’t specify they offer moral support but no military training he also urged national restraint he urged them to show love and respect for foreigners as the initial investigation showed both buses departed from the central bus station in the city they were also aboard the plane higher authorities were aware of abuses (BETH) they observed a minute’s silence refusing to cooperate for fear of their lives refusing for years to cooperate have been there for months without being charged they can be held indefinitely they were aware of abuses they take all necessary measures they observed a minute’s silence (DALETH) fighting broke out around 5 for sure there will be retaliation found in the car further to the South He said such meetings are commonplace He vowed to take revenge for Thursday’s killings He announced instead that he was firing all his ministers He tried to return but was not allowed in He hasn’t spoken since He visited the center He urged them to show love and respect Hundreds of armed fighters
(ZAYIN) relations between the two countries are so close they routinely share classified information they can be held indefinitely if considered a security threat a danger looms that he could be held responsible heightened regional tensions raising the specter of a raid before the woman reported him the harsh criticism he received (YOD) these comments are a basis for mutiny security forces will conduct multiple arrests sending a huge column of smoke up into the air a soldier must fulfill orders security forces sending smoke sirens went off soldiers escaping because of the destruction the soldiers felt their lives were at risk no crime goes unpunished I don’t know why this happened to us you traitor, stop pretending and wait the destruction of the daughter of my people leave them out of this ugly game sending a huge column of smoke into the air the retaliation will be justified hundreds of armed fighters are ready for sure there will be retaliation a soldier must fulfill orders explosives were found in the car I don’t want to describe what I saw refusing for years to cooperate witnesses refusing for fear of their lives they are ready for future attacks I don’t know why this happened I don’t want to describe what I saw Premiere: November 14, 2004, Cerddorian Vocal Ensemble, conducted by Kristina Boerger The poet of the Lamentations of Jeremiah was witness to the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. His descriptions of the details of suffering are
painfully vivid, and his passionate eulogy to the wounded city takes its literary place alongside Euripides’s heartbreaking verses to the fallen Troy or W.G. Sebald’s searching inquiries into the rubble of Dresden. When I wrote these Lamentations I was on retreat in Umbria, a valley of walled cities with ghosts at every gate. The now-serene and quaint countryside has a deep history of brutality. When we see Renaissance paintings
Look up to the heights, and down to the depths of the mountain, Toward the places of wealth, the pure treasure of the dharma. Do not look toward the eastern mountain— Look instead toward the western mountain, For this is the root place, the copper-colored paradise of Guru Rinpoche. Do not look to the hills of India— Instead look to the place of pure treasure and excellent perception, A place of future accomplishment for sentient beings. May we be prosperous!
of cities, they appear abstracted to us, little units cradled, perhaps, in a saint’s hand. But in
The Venerable Losang Sampten, Spiritual
Umbria these pictures seemed not so far from
Director, Chenrezig Tibetan Buddhist Center of
the truth. There I saw cities as they had been
Philadelphia, interprets the text:
for millennia, until relatively recently: jewels on
“Do not destroy the culture (life) of the Tibetan
hilltops, elegantly poised for self-defense but
people. The underlying meaning is that one
mercilessly vulnerable when penetrated.
should not look to the past (i.e., the East, where the sun has already risen), but instead look to
Troy, Jerusalem, Perugia, Dresden, Hiroshima,
the future (i.e., the West, where the sun has
New York, Baghdad, Beslan, Jerusalem again.
not yet set). One should do good and build a
Sometimes great poets witness the raping of
profound spiritual practice.”
great cities. But in September 2004 I turned instead to the hemorrhaging web media for
“Shar Ki Ri” Is excerpted from my large-scale
crisis reports from cities all over the world. This
2012 cantata Tse Go La (At the Threshold of
language appears as background texture in
This Life), scored for SATB and SSA choruses,
Lamentations for a City to give testimony to
chamber orchestra, and electronics. The work
the vitality of the human tradition of bringing
is inspired by my fieldwork in the restricted,
cities to their knees through cruelty, treason,
remote Himalayan region of Lo Monthang
humiliation and destruction.
in Upper Mustang, Nepal. There I recorded and documented indigenous folk music with
—Lisa Bielawa
Katey Blumenthal, ethnomusicologist and anthropologist.
Shar Ki Ri Andrea Clearfield
The people of this region, just over the border
Translation by Katey Blumenthal, Karma
horse culture is threatened, and efforts are
Wangyal Gurung, and Sienna Craig
being made to help preserve its music, dance,
of Tibet, are ethnically Tibetan. This ancient
medicine, religion, language, and art. Under
Do not look toward the eastern mountain— Look instead toward the western mountain.
the auspices of the Rubin Foundation, Katey
and I recorded 130 songs that had not been
Ragdale Foundation, and the Virginia Center
previously documented. Our recordings are
for the Creative Arts for providing invaluable
now part of the University of Cambridge
time and space to compose this work. —Andrea Clearfield
endangered oral literatures before they disappear without record.” Some of the original
Bubbles
songs that we recorded (including “Shar Ki Ri”)
Bill Heigen
are being taught to Mustangi children in New York City as part of a Himalayan language and culture preservation initiative. “Shar Ki Ri” is a tro-glu song (common folk song that often includes dance). Three women from the community, Kheng Lhamo, Yandol Dolkar, and Pena Dolkar, had a vast knowledge of tro-
glu they learned from their elders. “Shar Ki Ri” was one of many songs they performed for us. I incorporated the traditional text, melody, and rhythm into a contemporary framework.
Bubble. Life is like a bubble. Born from the breath of Time, And hovers aimlessly through the sky. Travels among the stars joining other bubbles Or sometimes all alone. But it never stops. And suddenly, just like a short breath, it dies. Many are born and die, and life keeps moving, finite and eternally. Fly bubble, fly. Your life is brief. Your time is now. Fly.
The Tse Go La cantata was co-commissioned
“Bubbles” was composed in New York City in
by the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia,
2014. The text is an attempt to compare life
Alan Harler, Artistic Director, and Pennsylvania
with a bubble. A bubble has a brief life, and
Girlchoir, member choir of Commonwealth
during its journey can meet other bubbles,
Youthchoirs,
Executive
can be taken anywhere by the wind, can hover
Director, as a way to bring these songs for the
high or low, fast or slow, and all of a sudden can
first time to the United States. This commission
simply “die”. So as our lives. The message is to
was made possible through the Mendelssohn
live your life now, because it is short.
Susan
Ashbaker,
premieres of Rondolette by the string quartet
(in alphabetical order)
Brooklyn Rider and pianist Bruce Levingston, Double Duet by the Washington Saxophone
World Oral Literature Project, an “urgent global initiative to document and make accessible
Composers
Club Alan Harler New Ventures Fund; a gift of the Pennsylvania Girlchoir Class of 2010; a gift
The texture is varied with distinct moments
from Emily Carr, in memory of Margaret Owen;
of vocal representations of bubbles, male
and the Archie W. and Grace Berry Foundation;
and female choirs, double mixed choir,
it was also supported, in part, by a grant from
improvisation based on real bubbles, and
the American Composers Forum, Philadelphia
changes of keys, dynamics, rhythms, and
Chapter. Tse Go La was premiered at Holy Trinity
tempos.
Lisa Bielawa
Quartet (with subsequent performances by the
Composer-vocalist Lisa Bielawa is a 2009 Rome
Prism Saxophone Quartet), Graffiti dell’amante
Prize winner in Musical Composition. She takes
by Bielawa with the Chicago Chamber
inspiration for her work from literary sources
Musicians in Chicago and with Brooklyn Rider
and close artistic collaborations. Gramophone
in New York, Harrisburg, and Rome.
reports, “Bielawa is gaining gale force as a composer, churning out impeccably groomed
Bielawa’s work Chance Encounter comprises
works that at once evoke the layered precision
songs and arias constructed of speech
of Vermeer and the conscious recklessness
overheard in transient public spaces, and was
of Jackson Pollock,” and The New York Times
premiered by soprano Susan Narucki and The
describes her music as, “ruminative, pointillistic
Knights in Lower Manhattan’s Seward Park. A
and harmonically slightly tart.”
project of Creative Capital, the 35-minute work for roving soprano and chamber ensemble has
Born in San Francisco into a musical family, Lisa
since been performed at the Whitney Museum
Bielawa played the violin and piano, sang, and
of American Art in New York, in Vancouver,
wrote music from early childhood. She moved
Venice, and in Rome on the banks of the Tiber
to New York two weeks after receiving her
River in partnership with urban placemaker
B.A. in Literature in 1990 from Yale University,
Robert Hammond, a founder of The High Line
and became an active participant in New York
in New York.
musical life. She began touring with the Philip Glass Ensemble in 1992, and has also premiered
Bielawa’s latest work for performance in
and toured works by John Zorn, Anthony
public places is Airfield Broadcasts, a massive
Braxton, and Michael Gordon. In 1997 she co-
60-minute work for hundreds of musicians
founded the MATA Festival, which celebrates
that premiered on the tarmac of the former
the work of young composers. Bielawa was
Tempelhof Airport in Berlin (May 2013) and
appointed Artistic Director of the acclaimed
was later performed at Crissy Field in San
San Francisco Girls Chorus in 2013 and is an
Francisco (October 2013). Bielawa turns these
artist-in-residence at Grand Central Art Center
former airfields into vast musical canvases, as
in Santa Ana, California.
professional, amateur and student musicians execute a spatial symphony.
Recent premieres include a Radio France commission for Ensemble Variances – the new
Bielawa’s discography includes A Handful of
15-minute work was performed in Paris, Rouen,
World (Tzadik); The Trojan Women on a disc
and Metz as part of a program called Cri Selon
entitled First Takes (TROY); Hildegurls: Electric
Cri or “Cry by Cry” which explores the idea that
Ordo Virtutum, (Innova); The Trojan Women
the cry is a primary sound shared by animals
in a version for string quartet performed by
With gratitude to the Rockefeller Foundation’s
and humans from all cultures of the world.
the Miami on The NYFA Collection (Innova);
Bellagio Center, the MacDowell Colony, the
Other recent highlights include the world
In medias res(BMOP/sound), a double-disc
Church, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, on April 29, 2012.
v
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v
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set of Bielawa’s solo and orchestral works; the
in underserved communities internationally,
world premiere recording of Chance Encounter
through the non-profit organization she
(Orange Mountain Music), and Elegy-Portrait
founded, Far Corners Community Musical
on pianist Bruce Levingston’s 2011 album,
Theatre (www.farcornersmusicals.org).
Heart Shadow (Sono Luminus).
Andrea Clearfield For more information, please visit www.
Andrea
lisabielawa.net.
composer of music for orchestra, chorus,
Clearfield
is
an
award-winning
chamber ensemble, dance, and multimedia
Timothy Brown
collaborations. She has been praised by
Timothy Brown completed his BA at the
the New York Times for her “graceful tracery
University of North Texas and has been a choral
and lively, rhythmically vital writing”, the
professional for more than 30 years, directing
Philadelphia Inquirer for her “compositional
and singing with high school, community, and
wizardry” and “mastery with large choral and
chamber choirs. As a composer, Tim focused
instrumental forces”, the L.A. Times for her “fluid
for a time on music for the theatre. His Curious
and glistening orchestration” and by Opera
George toured nationally for over ten years,
News for her “vivid and galvanizing” music of
and his songs were showcased at the West Bank
“timeless beauty”. Her works are performed
Theatre, the BMI Workshop, and in the Donnell
widely in the U.S. and abroad. Among her 100
Library ‘Songbook,’ and—most recently—in A
works are ten cantatas, including one for The
Trace of Love, an evening devoted entirely to
Philadelphia Orchestra. Her cantata Tse Go La,
his music with six collaborating lyricists. Tim
for double chorus, electronics and chamber
also studied at the Manhattan School of Music
orchestra, incorporates Tibetan melodies that
with Nils Vigeland. His Incidental Dance Suite
she was documenting in the remote Himalayan
was premiered at Merkin Concert Hall, and
region of Lo Monthang, Nepal. She is currently
Epitaph: Songs on Poems of Dorothy Parker
writing an opera on the life of the Tibetan
was recorded by Metropolitan Opera mezzo-
yogi Milarepa to a libretto by Jean-Claude van
soprano Theadora Hanslowe. Tim’s church
Itallie and Lois Walden, commissioned by Gene
music includes Christ Our Passover and Eloi,
Kaufman and Terry Eder, to premiere in 2015.
Lama Sabbachtani, both commissioned and premiered through The Church of the Heavenly
Dr. Clearfield was awarded fellowships at the
Rest, New York.
American Academy in Rome, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center, Civitella Ranieri,
Lisa Whitson Burns
Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony, and the
Lisa Whitson Burns is a composer, dramatist,
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, among
and educator, originally from Honolulu, Hawaii.
others. She was recently visiting composer
She holds a BA from Harvard University and an
at the University of Chicago, the College of
MFA from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing
William and Mary, the University of Texas at
Program at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. In
Austin, and the St. Petersburg Conservatory
addition to creating new work, Lisa is passionate
in Russia; she is the featured composer in the
about exploring music and theatre with youth
2014 Women Composers Festival of Hartford.
She is in demand as a curator, speaker, music
Orchestra, the Verdehr Trio, and some of the
panelist, and adjudicator. She earned her
world’s finest choirs and wind ensembles. His
DMA from Temple University, where she was
choral and, more recently, his wind ensemble
honored as a distinguished alumna, an MM
works are responsible for a rapidly growing
from the University of the Arts, and a BA from
international reputation.
Muhlenberg College, where she received the Alumni Achievement in the Arts Award. She
Marshall’s music is notable for the importance
is the pianist in the Relâche Ensemble and the
it attaches to memorable, singable melody.
founder and host of the renowned Philadelphia
Many influences can be detected, including
Salon concert series, now celebrating its
the traditional music of the Maori and other
27th year featuring contemporary, classical,
cultures of the South Pacific. His works for
jazz, electronic, dance, and world music,
wind ensemble or symphonic band include
and winner of Philadelphia Magazine’s 2008
Okaoka (C. Alan Publications), Aue!, L’Homme
“Best of Philadelphia” award. More at www.
Armé: Variations, and Resonance (all published
andreaclearfield.com.
by Maecenas U.K.), U Trau (E.C. Schirmer), and a concerto for piano and wind ensemble
Bill Heigen
awaiting publication. Christopher Marshall
Bill Heigen is a composer, singer, arranger,
holds a Fellowship in Composition from Trinity
and musical director. He has received national
College, London (FTCL) and a Master of Music
awards in Brazil for his vocal arrangements
with Honours from Auckland University in
and his choral directing. He has composed
New Zealand. He was awarded the Mozart
some musical theater shows, been the
Fellowship at the University of Otago for two
musical director of multiple vocal groups,
years from 1994 and was a Fulbright Composer
and performed in many other professional a
in Residence at the Eastman School from 1996
cappella ensembles, singing many musical
to 1997.
styles—from bossa nova and Brazilian popular music to Renaissance repertoire. He is also
Bettina Sheppard
a voice teacher/vocal coach and has taught
Bettina works extensively now as a singer,
music theory courses at various conservatories
pianist, and composer, after many years spent
and universities in Brazil. He now lives in New
in dramatic and musical theatre. She holds
York City, finishing his Master’s degree in
graduate degrees from both the University
Composition at Hunter College.
of Virginia and CUNY, where she studied
More at www.billheigen.com
composition with Chris Theofanidis and Shafer Mahoney; she has also studied composition
Christopher Marshall
at Juilliard with Conrad Cummings. Some
Christopher Marshall is a New Zealand freelance
completed works include a song cycle of Emily
composer, born in France and currently based
Dickinson poetry performed at Lincoln Center’s
in Florida, as composer-in-residence at the
Alice Tully Hall; settings of Millay poetry
University of Central Florida in Orlando. His
commissioned for the American Cathedral
music has been commissioned and performed
in Paris; a song cycle of Kaneko poetry;
by such groups as the New Zealand Symphony
stage productions, including TraumNovela
(Barrow Street Theatre, Barcelona, Dallas); 365
Washington Ballet Orchestra, the National
Karen Birch Blundell
education programs and mentoring for young
Days/365 Plays by Suzan-Lori Parks at Barrow
Repertory
Chamber
Karen Birch Blundell, oboe and English
performers.
Street Theatre and The Public Theater; Hell
Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of New York,
horn, freelances in New York City, where
Community Engagement for the New World
(dance production at City Center); The Picture
the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas,
she has performed with the American
Symphony, where her programs reached
of Dorian Grey; and Kindly Direct Me To Hell: An
the Westfield Symphony, Stamford Symphony,
Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic,
thousands of children and adults throughout
Evening With Dorothy Parker. She created the
Capital City Concerts, Scrag Mountain Music,
North Eastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic,
the greater Miami-Metro area.
new group Bridges Vocal Ensemble, presenting
Metropolis Ensemble, Ensemble Pi, Red {an
Westchester Philharmonic, and Long Island
her compositions of various cultures and
Orchestra}, Duncan Sheik (U.S. Tour), Natasha,
Philharmonic.
time periods, in venues such as Carnegie Hall
Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Sympho,
the
Exponential
Ensemble,
participating
and The Hartt School, where she studied
and City Center. Bettina is presently working
Ensemble 54, the St. Petersburg Chamber
in
community
engagement
programs
with James Caldwell and Humbert Lucarelli,
on the new opera Stillwaters. Also in the
Philharmonic, the Asia-Pacific United Orchestra,
throughout the city in a variety of venues.
works is an opera based on Welsh folk tales
Con Vivo, Either/Or, Mimesis Ensemble, Syzygy
During the summer she performs with Eastern
of The Mabinogian. Solus, her CD of original
New Music, the New Juilliard Ensemble, and as
Festival Orchestra as English horn/Associate
material, was released under her Welsh name,
a substitute with the Cleveland Orchestra. He
Principal and is a member of the Eastern Music
Jonathan Singer
Brythonwen. Serving as musical director for
has also taught and performed in Mexico with
Festival oboe faculty.
Included among the Village Voice’s “Best of
numerous theatrical productions, she has
Cultures in Harmony, an international cultural
also directed and performed with many vocal
diplomacy project.
Orchestra,
Argento
groups from madrigal to rock, and created the
She is also a member of
She is the former Director of
She holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory
respectively.
New York,” percussionist Jonathan Singer Karen spent four years as the Second Oboe
has been praised for his “superb four-mallet
Prior to that
technique” (the New York Times) and described
jazz harmony group Satin Dolls. She is the in-
In 2009 he became a member of the Quintet
appointment, she was Co-Principal Oboe/
as an “artistic assault on the sensory order of
house composer for New York Open Center, and
of the Americas, a woodwind quintet currently
English horn with the New World Symphony
nitrous oxide.” His solo appearances include
a member of The Sound and Music Institute, an
ensemble in residence at New York University.
under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
performances with the Detroit Symphony and
innovative group of multicultural musicians
As a member of the quintet, Nicholas has
who are exploring the effects of both archaic
collaborated with the Colorado Quartet,
She has also served as the Principal oboist for
and modern music in today’s world. Members
Cuarteto Latinoamericano, and renowned
the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria in Mexico City
As the leader of the Brooklyn-based novelty
include Grammy Award winner David Darling,
Bandonéon player Daniel Binelli.
and has performed with the Florida Orchestra,
ragtime band Xylopholks, Mr. Singer has
for the Sarasota Orchestra.
the late Don Campbell, John Beaulieu, Silvia
Grammy®-winning Nighthawks.
Naples Philharmonic, Florida Philharmonic,
performed across the United State, India,
Nakkach, Layne Redmond, and Pat Moffit
Nicholas has performed at MoMA, Avery
National Repertory Orchestra, Houston Ballet,
Japan, Brazil, and Canada and on the stages of
Cook. Bettina is the author of The Everything
Fisher Hall, Miller Theatre, Carnegie Hall, the
Houston Symphony, New Sousa Band, and the
Alice Tully Hall, City Center, the 92nd Street Y,
Singing Book, published by Adams Media, and
United Nations, and Symphony Space. He has
Festival dei due Mondi (Spoleto, Italy). She has
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has
is on faculty at City College CUNY.
performed in festivals including the Norfolk
appeared internationally in France, Germany,
been heard on WNYC and Air America and has
Chamber Music Festival, the Focus! Festival for
Russia, China, Japan, Italy, Mexico, the Cayman
made on-screen appearances in Boardwalk
Contemporary Music, Aurora Music Festival
Islands and Panama. In April of 2007 she was
Empire, Royal Pains, and David Grubin’s
(Sweden), the National Repertory Orchestra,
invited to be an Artist-in-Residence for the
Downtown Express.
the Chelsea Music Festival, and the Sarasota,
Whim Museum concert series in St. Croix. As
Hot Springs, and Kent Blossom festivals.
part of this project, she commissioned and
Mr. Singer is the recipient of a Fulbright
premiered “Before Spring” for English horn and
Fellowship and Queens College grant to
piano by composer Philip Rothman.
study in India. Singer is currently on faculty at
v
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Guest Artists Nicholas Gallas Clarinetist Nicholas Gallas has performed
Nicholas received his Master of Music degree
with a diverse range of artists and ensembles,
from The Juilliard School and his Bachelor of
including Opera Slavica, American Modern
Music degree from the Cleveland Institute
In
concert
faculty appointments include Queens College
Ensemble,
of Music, where his principal teachers were
career, Karen is a dedicated teaching artist,
and Brooklyn College. He is a graduate of the
Charles Neidich and Franklin Cohen.
specializing in the development of adult
Interlochen Arts Academy, Berklee College of
Ensemble
Signal,
the
Axiom
Ensemble, Decoda, Symphony in C, the
Queensborough Community College; previous addition
to
her
extensive
Music, and Queens College and is currently
We wish to thank and acknowledge our donors:
a doctoral candidate at the CUNY Graduate
Morgan Stanley Daniel and Ellen Stafford-Sigg
Center. v
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C4 and the Artist
Kit Smyth Basquin* Susan Biggs Peter and Katharine Darrow*
C4 Board of Directors C4 could not function without the dedicated
C4 has begun to feature artworks by members
work of its board of directors. We are very
of our Friends of C4 in our concert and publicity
grateful to:
materials. This season, we’re pleased to feature the works of Jerry Hirniak, as shown on the
Gregory Eaton, chair
cover of this program, on our season brochure,
Hayes Biggs
and online at c4.ensemble.org.
Jonathan David David Hurd
Jerry writes, “My recent work reflects on
Karen Siegel
the implications of the massive numbers
and Melissa Wozniak
of photographs that can be captured and displayed in a digital environment.
My goal
is both to force the viewer to rethink what an image is and to create the possibility for me as a photographer to maintain a constant questioning of the representational possibilities and limitations of the photographic medium. I am interested in a hybrid practice where the photographic image does not exist solely as a discreet framed element, solidifying one perspective, but opens up to the complexity of many perspectives and the possibilities of other ways of understanding the world.” Watch for a special benefit auction of Jerry Hirniak’s work later this season, for a chance to own unique art and support C4 at the same time.
Richard Adams Shawn Aller Daniel Andor Laura Barger Bruce Saylor and Constance Beavon Jim Bilodeau Vic and Jan Bilodeau Kristina Boerger Brenda Brown Margaret Brown Melissa Bybee I Cantori di New York, Inc. Nabil and Judith Chamat Martin and Lisa Cohen Lauren Crow Kathy Klein Eddy Vincent Fitzgerald* Reyna Franco Ellen Gesmer Leila Ghaznavi Byron Gibbs*
Ian David Moss Tammie Murphy
Martha Minetree Grasty Mike Haller Jeanine Hartnett Don and Sally Hayward Harriet Davidson and Jerry Hirniak* Eileen and Arthur Hirsh Susan Koshewa Linda and Leslie Libow Peter Lurye Beth Marker Edward & Rose Mermelstein Juliet Milhofer Brian Mountford Michael and Roberta Nassau Rochelle and Bernard Natt Charles Natt Lisa Niedermeyer Tarik O’Regan Susan Obel Wilma Pagan
Zahra Partovi* Jane Penn Raymond Penn Jeffrey Ramras Daniel Reid Jonathan and Suzanne Rosenzweig Christine Schadeberg Katherine Schoonover Linda Schrank* Phillip Schroeder Bettina Sheppard Edward Shiner Patricia and Lawrence Siegel Bob Sweeney Kenneth and Jean Telljohann Perry Townsend Ira Wolfman David Wozniak Anonymous (1)
Special thanks for their time and resources: Noa Ain* Nathan Allman* Jim Bassi* Vivian Bower Stephen Burrow* Ernest Hood* Fran Kaufman*
Susan Weil and Bernard Kirschenbaum* Ellen Kruger* David McCorkle* Ivana Mestrovic* Ami Ronnberg* Tana Ross*
Thomas Simpson Milton Sonday* Gina Speirs* Anne Thulin* Judith Walz*
*indicates Friends of C4 And special thanks to Jerry Hirniak for the donation of his artwork, Suzanne Schwing for her work on social media, and Galapagos and The Church of St. Luke in the Fields. This listing reflects contributions made from November 1, 2013 through October 31, 2014. If we have made an error, please accept our apologies and notify us by emailing info@c4ensemble.org. C4’s activities are funded in part with the generous assistance of:
C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective Sopranos
Christine Papania Alexandra Porter Karen Siegel Martha Sullivan Melissa Wozniak
Altos
Melissa Bybee Natalie Chamat Beth Marker Bettina Sheppard Lisa Whitson Burns
Tenors
Colin Britt Mario Gullo Bill Heigen Fahad Siadat Perry Townsend
Basses
Daniel Andor-Ardó Hayes Biggs Jim Bilodeau Timothy Brown Andrew Maggio Brian Mountford
C4, the world’s first Choral Composer/Conductor Collective, is a unique vocal ensemble in New York City dedicated to performing music written in the last twenty-five years. A collaborative project of its singing members, it functions not only as a presenting ensemble in its own right, with a three-program, six-concert season, but also as an ongoing workshop and recital chorus for the emerging composers and conductors who form the core of the group. It is, as far as we know, the first ensemble of its kind. www.c4ensemble.org.
photographer: Keith Goldstein
For information on C4 members, visit our website c4ensemble.org/theensemble.html