Department of Music and Theatre
University at Albany presents:
Dr. Nathan M. Asman , Curve + Eurorack Modular Synthesizer
Dr. Lara Mitofsky Neuss , Clarinets
Funding support provided by University Auxiliary Services and the UAlbany Foundation
Thursday, October 3, 2024, at 7:30pm
Curiosity (2018)
By Lara Mitofsky Neuss
The Patched Clarinet By
Asman/Neuss
Goldfish Variations (2023) By
Nathan Asman
Curiosity (2018) is a piece where any level of performer can explore improvisation. The title “Curiosity” comes from the excitement and genuine curiosity I see from younger students as they are learning the basics of pitches, harmony, and scales. Therefore, the themes in this mini-work are based on the circle of fourths and circle of fifths, which are used to teach students the organization of how pitches combine to create harmonic movement.
- Lara Mitofsky Neuss
The Patched Clarinet (2024) is an exploration of patching the clarinet into the synthesizer, blurring the lines between external instrument and electronics.
-Asman/Neuss
Goldfish Variations (2023) was born out of my explorations of new methods for performing with and controlling Eurorack modular synthesizers and turning them into - what I hope - are cohesive, musically expressive, and interesting instruments for performance and composition. Additionally, incorporating an external instrument (the bass clarinet in this case) into my synthesizer's signal flow has always been of particular interest to me due to the myriad of ways I can process and fuse that signal with the synthesizer's signal, effectively transforming the bass clarinet into another "module" or facet of the synthesizer itself in addition to being a traditional instrument in its own right.
- Nathan Asman
Dr. Nathan M. Asman is a musician, composer, synthesist/sound designer, instrument designer, digital artist, and educator. His musical and artistic endeavors reside mainly within the electronic realm, where he specializes in data-driven instrument creation, synthesis & sound design, and electroacoustic music composition. Focusing on the intersection of popular and academic music, he strives to unite the two musical styles utilizing the endless musical and artistic opportunities afforded him by the worlds of synthesis, music technology, and electronicallygenerated music. Nathan creates new and original music, performances, and instruments from the ground up by employing innovative and alternative instrument, sound, and synthesis designs in his compositions and performances. His goal is to apply his knowledge and skills to further the fields of music technology and digital art by producing music that can be appreciated by both expert and casual listeners. Strengthening the awareness, enjoyment, and importance of music, art, and technology within the academic community is paramount to his work, but cultivating and bolstering those sentiments outside of the academy is absolutely essential, and permeates his work on every level.
Nathan’s works have been seen and heard around the country and abroad, including the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition (3-time finalist & semi-finalist), NIME, ICMC, SEAMUS, the VU Symposium, the Sundance Film Festival, TEDTalks, Future Music Oregon, 60×60, (SUB)Urban Projections, the PLATFORM Festival, the Human Nature Festival, and the Kaleidoscope Music Festival. Nathan is Assistant Professor of Audio Arts at the State University of New York at Oneonta (SUNY Oneonta) in Oneonta, NY as of fall 2020. He holds a D.M.A. in DataDriven Instruments and an M.M. in Intermedia Music Technology from the University of Oregon, and a B.A. in Music History from Denison University.
Dr. Lara Mitofsky Neuss is an educator, clarinetist, and recording engineer and she joined SUNY Oneonta’s faculty in 2023 as Lecturer of Music and Music Industry. Dr. Mitofsky Neuss has taught classes across the US and Sweden on topics in performance, audio engineering, music business, and improvisation. Prior to joining the faculty at SUNY Oneonta, she taught music technology and general music courses at Montclair State University and Essex County College. In addition to her work in higher education, she is a recording engineer at Arts Laureate, where she records, edits, and mixes groups that include the Kansas City Symphony, United States Air Force Band of the West, Bang on a Can, and Westminster Choir College. She is also the Digital Marketing Coordinator for both Arts Laureate and the Tonsehen Record Label, whose albums have been recognized by The American Prize and Fanfare Magazine.
As a clarinetist, Dr. Mitofsky Neuss has been a featured performer and presenter at the International Clarinet Association, Third Practice Electroacoustic Festival, Americans for the Arts, SPLICE Electroacoustic Festival, American Single Reed Summit, Bang on a Can Music Festival, and Banff Center for the Arts. As a recitalist and concerto soloist, she was named the winner of the Golden Classical Music Awards and the Eastern Music Festival Concerto Competitions. Dedicated to accessibility in the creation of new music, she is the Woodwind Program Manager at New Works Project, a 501(c)(3) organization that enables musicians to participate in the commissioning of new music at an accessible price.
Music Program (518) 442-4187
www.albany.edu/musicandtheatre
PerformingArts Center (518) 442-3995
www.albany.edu/pac
Theatre Program (518) 442-4200
www.albany.edu/musicandtheatre
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management and its staff.
The use of photographic or recording devices of any kind during this performance is strictly prohibited.
There is no food or drink allowed in the theatres, nor is smoking allowed in UAlbany buildings.
. To avoid disrupting the performance, kindly disable any noise making electronic devices you may have with you.
Please take time to note the location of the fire exits nearest to you. In the event of an emergency, an announcement will be made from the stage. Please proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion.
The UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s six theatres, three lounges and other spaces are available for rental.
The UAlbany Performing Arts Center’s six theatres, three lounges and other spaces are available for rental.
