Tag Archives: LA International New Music Festival

Los Angeles International New Music Festival Plans: Tokyo Meetings

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Hanoi New Music Ensemble, Japan, LA International New Music Festival, Los Angeles, Mexico, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam, Walt Disney Concert Hall

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With Ricardo Gallardo in his Coyoacan home August 2015.

Dreams and celebrations for the LA International New Music Festival with Ricardo Gallardo in his Mexico City home.

After my busy autumn in Asia, the next Los Angeles International New Music Festival is in the planning stages. We hope to build on the success we enjoyed at REDCAT Theater in Walt Disney Concert Hall this past July.

I’m casting a wide net for the next festival. Thirty years of experience has taught me to carefully plan, plan, plan. And then plan some more. In baseball terms, I’m not swinging at the first pitch but rather patiently waiting for the pitch that I know I can crush out of the park!

Continue reading →

The Dragon Awakes: Introducing the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble

25 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, Hanoi, LA International New Music Festival, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam, Vu Nhat Tan

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Hanoi New Music Ensemble.

The Hà Nội New Music Ensemble.

The world had better get ready for the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble!

I’ve had a busy autumn schedule in Asia, with meetings in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan, all surrounding activities in Việt Nam and discussing the exciting inaugural concerts of the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble. There are quite a few blog posts on the way about this important new group I am privileged to conduct, so I’m going to begin with a general introduction to the ensemble’s auspicious launch in October.

Continue reading →

The Buddha on the Mantle and My Path to Việt Nam

01 Thursday Oct 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Hanoi, LA International New Music Festival, Los Angeles, Music, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Vietnam, Vu Nhat Tan

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The new Old Quarter Cultural Exchange will host the first concert of the Hanoi New Music Ensemble on October 25.

The new Old Quarter Cultural Exchange will host the first concert of the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble on October 25.

Why Việt Nam?

Jan and I are looking forward to going to Hà Nội soon, and I’m excited to announce the inaugural concerts of the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble as we begin our roles as artistic advisors to this new group and the Hà Nội Philharmonic Orchestra in October. The concerts are October 25 at the new Old Quarter Cultural Exchange, October 29 at the Manzi Art Space and October 31 in the Grand Hall of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music.

One thing, as they say, leads to another. But why Việt Nam?

Continue reading →

The Blue & Red Houses of Frida Kahlo & Leon Trotsky

17 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by in Carlos Chavez, Carlos Fuentes, Contemporary Music, Coyoacan, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Gabriela Ortiz, Hanoi, Leon Trotsky, Vu Nhat Tan

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

La Casa Azul in Coyoacan of Kahlo and Rivera.

La Casa Azul in Coyoacan of Kahlo and Rivera.

I’m very much in two worlds simultaneously right now. I’ve recently returned from an amazing week in Coyoacan with Gabriela Ortiz, following up with her and other friends in Mexico City on the success of our Los Angeles International New Music Festival this past July and planning next steps for the future. At the same time I’m also wrapping my head around my new post as artistic advisor to the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra and planning the first concerts of the Hanoi New Music Ensemble (probably its working title for now).

Glad to be based in Los Angeles, where the question for dinner can easily boil down to pho noodle soup? Or tacos?

Continue reading →

The Gin Party!

24 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Los Angeles, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Walt Disney Concert Hall

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

From left to right Amanda Aachen, Jon Lee Keenan, Abdiel Gonzalez and Elissa Johnston.

From left to right Amanda Aachen, Jon Lee Keenan, Abdiel Gonzalez and Elissa Johnston.

I hope you’re hungry and thirsty when you read this post!

It’s funny how celebrations come together. When I planned an all Elliott  Carter concert for our recently completed Los Angeles International New Music Festival at REDCAT, I didn’t give the idea the green light until I got positive responses from Jon Lee Keenan, Abdiel Gonzalez and Elissa Johnston. And all three were concert ready from the very first note, impressive to say the least

At the first rehearsal at my house, well ahead of getting together with the ensemble, Abdiel and I got to talking, as he had just returned from a tour to Ireland. Whiskey tastings had started around 10 AM. How about a true cocktail party to celebrate the Carter concert?

And so The Gin Party was born! Continue reading →

Autumn in Asia: New Roles as Artistic Advisors in Hà Nội, Việt Nam Begin in October

17 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Food, LA International New Music Festival, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Travel, Vietnam

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jan and I at

At Phở Sương, or Happy Noodle, in the Old Quarter of Hà Nội in 2013.

Jan and I are thrilled, honored, and excited to begin a new adventure this October, one which I am happy to share with all my blog readers around the world.

Soon after my last post about our Los Angeles International New Music Festival at REDCAT in Walt Disney Concert Hall, an official invitation arrived from Dr. Lê Anh Tuấn, Deputy Rector of the Việt Nam National Academy of Music in Hà Nội. Dr. Tuan was inviting us to serve as Artistic Advisors to the Hà Nội Philharmonic Orchestra and play a key role in the founding of the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble.

Our answer? An obvious and immediate YES, YES, YES!

Continue reading →

A 2015 LA International New Music Festival Photo Album

31 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, Gabriela Ortiz, Japan, LA International New Music Festival, Laura Mercado-Wright, Los Angeles, Mexico, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Toshio Hosokawa, Vietnam, Walt Disney Concert Hall

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A good reason for smiles with Tambuco at REDCAT.

A good reason for smiles from Jan Karlin and Tambuco at REDCAT.

My friend Ricardo Gallardo, director of the magnificent Tambuco Percussion Ensemble of Mexico City, said it best at the conclusion of our third Los Angeles International New Music Festival. “We are just getting started!” 17 composers from Mexico, Japan, Vietnam, Cuba, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Brazil and the United States in 23 works in 5 concerts performed by 45 musicians at REDCAT in Walt Disney Concert Hall played to over 1,000 appreciative audience members. Let’s not leave out 10 U.S. premieres and 5 here on the West Coast, as well as hosting composers Gabriela Ortiz from Mexico and Leopoldo Novoa of Colombia.

We have some exciting photos so let’s take a look at the concerts and the people who made this a not to be forgotten festival.

Continue reading →

The Tambuco Studio in Xalapa: “Are Those Marimbas I Hear, Mr. Bond?”

05 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, Gabriela Ortiz, Hollywood, LA International New Music Festival, Los Angeles, Mexico, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,

A Day of the Dead Parade opens SPECTRE, the next James Bond film.

A Day of the Dead Parade opens SPECTRE, the next James Bond film.

Here’s a Fun LA International New Music Festival Fact: Tambuco is part of the soundtrack of SPECTRE and the largest opening sequence in the history of the James Bond films set for release this November. To Tambuco’s surprise, director Sam Mendes is a huge fan of their work (via YouTube clips) and sent composer Thomas Newman to Mexico City to work on the score with them prior to shooting. Prepare for a percussive opening, that’s for sure!

This gargantuan opening sequence shut down the main square of Mexico City for about a week with thousands of extras, elaborately face painted and costumed for a Day of the Dead chase scene. Newman’s music is performed by Tambuco, who are also on camera during the sequence. We couldn’t be more proud of Tambuco!

“Are those marimbas I hear in Xalapa, Mr. Bond?”

Continue reading →

2015 Los Angeles International New Music Festival Starts July 7 at REDCAT!

01 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, Gabriela Ortiz, Hong Kong, LA International New Music Festival, Latin Grammy Awards, Laura Mercado-Wright, Los Angeles, Mexico, Music, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Toshio Hosokawa, Travel, Vietnam, Walt Disney Concert Hall

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

REDCAT in Walt Disney Concert Hall is the new home of the LA International New Music Festival.

REDCAT in Walt Disney Concert Hall is the new home of the LA International New Music Festival.

I love studying scores early in the morning. Maybe it’s because I was born around 8:20 A.M. – some say that’s a good indication of a morning person. Those early hours are undistracted and quiet for learning chords, orchestration, voicings, tempi, interpretation, making all the new details familiar like old friends.

My rule of thumb is to go to sleep each night truly putting the day’s work away. If I can remember everything clearly when I wake up the next morning, I’ve learned just a bit more for the coming performances and then know what to repeat and when to move forward. That makes the next early morning so important for my work habit. And I knew today I’m ready for our LA International New Music Festival starting at REDCAT next week on Tuesday July 7 at 8:30 P.M., with a pre-concert talk at 8 P.M.

Because this morning I got a visitor telling me that just the right energy is coming out of my study!

Continue reading →

From 100 to 103: The Wisdom of Elliott Carter

18 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by in Composers, Contemporary Music, Elliott Carter, Evan Hughes, LA International New Music Festival, Los Angeles, Music, New York City, REDCAT, Southwest Chamber Music, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, Walt Disney Concert Hall

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Elliott Carter at work in his Greenwich Village apartment on W. 12th.

Elliott Carter at work in his Greenwich Village apartment on W. 12th Street.

Around 2:30 P.M. on the afternoon of June 7th, 2012 my wife Jan and I arrived at Elliott Carter’s apartment for what was to be our last meeting together.  With Jan’s family in Brooklyn and New Jersey, we’d drop in on Elliott every opportunity we could and have luckily lost count just how many times we’d visited.  As Elliott entered his late 90s, each meeting became a special occasion. He was 103 that final late spring day.

The days of lunches prepared by his wife Helen were long gone by that point, but we still remember her simple New England tomato soup, and often quietly wear the scarf she gave Jan or the tie she gave me. And Carter was not far, about a block down and over, from the apartment of Charles Ives, which we’d sometimes go and see after visiting with Carter.

Continue reading →