These New York Theremin Society shows keep getting bigger and bigger! If you're in the area, don't miss Part III:
THE NEW YORK THEREMIN SOCIETY presents; part III of the Experimental Theremin Orchestra
Saturday April 8th - 8pm
Issue Project Room
featuring 9 (!) Thereminists:
Jon Bernhardt (of the Lothars)Elisabeth Brown
Dorit Chrysler
Michael Evans
Jen Hammaker
Anthony Ptak
Armen Ra
Rob Schwimmer
David Simons
Sunday, April 9th - THEREMIN Panel Discussion 1-3pm
www.issueprojectroom.orgwww.doritchrysler.com/ThereminSociety.html
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Best wishes to everyone.
The multi-men feedback issues were definitely better this time but then there were a lot less Pro-s on at the end which helped. Armen and Jon B. discovered that the EWPro-s seem to conflict less when their pitch antennas are towards each other, just the opposite of Jon's usual experiences with Std-s. That positioning helped the trio piece Armen, Dorit, Rob (2 EWPros & Melodia), one of the musical gems in the evening. Oddly the worst victim of the ring mod was a Standard, yet at the same time another Standard (that one being different only in that is was kit built) had no problems at all being right up next to a Pro; and the old Melodia, Ethervox and custom built instruments didn't seem to cause or suffer from interference at all.
It's simply tough when there's just not enough room and stage space has to be sacrificed for audience seating (which at least is a better problem than the alternative!), one EWPro player actually bowed out of the final ensamble and though missed I think it helped the finale from a feedback perspective to only have two pros active in it.
Comm-on; Can't someone just donate some nice giant fully renovated church, factory and loft spaces for permanent Theremin Philharmonic Halls in each borough? Where are all the Lucy Rosens now-a-days? :~) Well, seriously, Suzane is one major theremin supporter and we're very lucky she and Issue Project Room are doing this and to have Dorit assembling and managing the ether maddness. These are significant events and if it keeps growing legs who knows it may be important in the modern history of theremin expansion. c. 150-200 heads x 3 nights is already far beyond what I'd expect for an out of the way theremin evening in Brooklyn.
I know I was not the only TW member there so I was hoping someone would add more here about the music and performances.
However one of the many gems that evening is haunting me that I feel compelled to tell you about it.
Elizabeth Brown performed an excerpt from a larger work of hers for Theremin, Voice and Tape (the title escapes me) which was transcendently beautiful. The combination of lyric writing, electronics, ambient sound and the fantastic calm of her performance filled the room and created one of those moments where a musician and audience travel together to different sonic place that is unique and totally 'logical' and complete on it's own terms. This was some of the finest new writing for the theremin I've heard. She mentioned a performance of the full work will be coming up soon at another venue in Brooklyn, I hope it gets posted here.
Everyone that night hit high points and there were many, *many!* choice moments that deserve more mention (cue sound: door opening... jump in y'all)
Indeed, Elizabeth Brown is a very gifted musician and composer. Her "Beatitudes" work is getting quite a bit of airplay on "Spellbound" and it, too, has sections that are quite haunting and melodic.
Good to hear that Elizabeth's work was well-recieved.
Also good to hear that the concert is building a following. Any chance they will publish an advance schedule... say 6 months to a year in advance? If "yes" then I'd be able to arrange a trip to the NYC area and attend. Can't do it at the drop of a hat however with advance planning, most things are possible.
John, thanks for the post.
So far they have been doing it one at a time roughly two months apart. The next one *might* be in Sept. after she is back but nothing's set so far as I know.
Well.. OK, well since no one else will I'll spew forth some impressions on the music before I forget them. (This is more a report not "review".)
Jon Bernhardt played a delightful set of pop songs including I Wanna Be Sedated. His programming of two moogerfoggers chained onto his EWPro gave his sound an knurly vocal quality that changed with pitch and volume adding to the expressive wit of his performance. His deadpan head bobbing brought exhilarated guffaws from the house. He used a digitech jam man for playback and ran it all through his fender amp. Being so self contained helped a lot in placement choices for this EWPro and he was a true pro as well having to endure re-setting up three times and was incredibly helpful with all his multi-men performance experience.
Dorit Chrysler performed two pieces first her homage to Bernard Herrmann which was spooky lyric and alluring at the same time. This was followed by a beautiful and evocative song with theremin that embodied her feelings of being on the brink of a long departure from friends as she headed out on tour.
Michael Evans returned with his ingenious tube speaker and wild improvisations, he described it best in his own words "I tell sound people to mic me as if there was a short miniature trumpet player standing next to me."
Jen Hammaker made her theremin performance debut with a charming performance of Rainbow Connection and the audience road each crescendo and key change right along with her.
Anthony Ptak was such a team player offering to set up his large delicate instrument during intermission, strike it! and then re-assemble for the finale. If you have never seen the theremin he built, which sometimes has as many as four really long antennas on it, it's open cased exposed blinking circuit boards and multiple little plugs for sense-o-round outputs hardly belies the power of this instrument especially when mixed live in the Issue Project Room's unbelievable sound system. Performing purely electronic interference based improvisations he's unique in bringing abstract electronic theory into the physical world and is a true descendant of Lev's left brain.
Armen Ra cut a pulchritudinous silhouette from both front and behind, at first frontal in his beautiful classical solo (with taped piano acc.) and then dorsal during the Beetles "If I Fell" trio with Rob and Dorit. Due to the timing of who set up when the trio ended up all facing upstage to get the right alignment of antennas. This was actually a witty and interesting visual and it counts as a major success in interference free ensemble theremin performance.
Rob Schwimmer played his rendition of the Herrmann's Love Scene which should now be considered a standard of romantic theremin playing; it's lyric, passionate and he's right when he says there should have been a theremin in the original.
David Simons is the white wizard of theremin midi triggering. One simply cannot tell how on earth he does it. With Qi Gong like choreography he generates the most amazing sound and music landscapes that entrance the listeners and take them on sonic journeys that are beyond words. He was a real trouper too having the largest set up yet having to plug together quickly at intermission so the stage space could be juggled between the first and second halves.
Sorry for taking up so much forum space guys, I really wish someone else would have chimed in by now but better you should know what you missed so you'll be sure to go if you can next time. hth!
-Ann
Hey when are you coming to NYC to play with them all?
:~)
ps: have been enjoying your work on Spellbound as well, so another "thanks" back at ya!
World Thereminization is taking hold note by note!