Out West Arts: Performance at the end of the world

Opera, music, theater, and art in Los Angeles and beyond

The Children of the Revolution

September 16, 2011

Composer Dale Trumbore

A couple of weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times published a misguided rant from Mark Swed about how “technological fascism” is the latest destroyer of worlds for all things classical music in the form of such online services as iTunes, Twitter and Spotify. I wrote about the problems with this flimsy argument then, but there’s a whole other part to the story. Which is that the social media/online revolution is breaking open new avenues for younger artists to get their works heard in ways that never could have happened before. It turns out that the Internet, much like a deity, never fails to open a window after closing a door. And if you aren’t hanging around reminiscing about your college days listening to ever-increasingly copyright protected Beatles albums, you might just catch a whiff of the future.

Let me start with a story. A friend of mine, a former USC Thornton School of Music graduate student, relates the following: In the spring of 2011, the school hosted a visit from the young, high-profile composer Eric Whitacre. As the story goes, during the Q and A session that followed his appearance, a soon-to-be graduate posed the question to him of whether or not it was a good idea for a young composer to be willing to give up some control of her work when signing a first contract with a publisher in order to get her foot in the door. Whitacre’s answer was clear. Never give up anything. Why would you want to? Those days are gone. Do it yourself. He estimated that the cost in time and effort to photocopy parts for a customer should not hinder anyone from going it alone in distributing their music, considering that publishers may not be able to do much in terms of promoting a young unknown composer not to mention the large cut in overhead they take. It's a topic that Whitacre has written about on his elaborate web site's blog. What Whitacre may be one of the best examples of, is a composer who has managed to get his work heard in numerous venues and recorded in part due to his active engagement in social media outlets from Facebook and Twitter to You Tube. His 2010 Virtual Choir project using thousands of vocalists individually recorded on line, which were then mixed together for a single performance of one of his scores, generated lots of media attention. And while this in and of itself may not have made him a fortune, it has made his name even more memorable and helped drive increased interest in his work overall.

But the story isn’t just about YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Composers who are in and just out of music programs are doing for themselves in terms of financing performances and recording as well. Take Isaac Schankler, a 2010 graduate of the Thornton School who has found the benefit of Kickstarter for getting his music played by real people. Schankler’s chamber opera about the rivalry between Tesla and Edison, Light and Power, was produced in Boston earlier this year when the sponsoring organization, the Juventas New Music Ensemble, raised money for the performance through the site. For the uninitiated, Kickstarter provides microfunding for a wide variety of unrealized ideas from consumer goods to music and art. Visitors can pledge small amounts of funding towards projects creators have listed on the site and in aggregate get work funded that might never have seen the light of day. A goal is set by the proposer and if enough contributions are pledged, funds are collected and awarded to the creator with funders receiving goods or services from the collective project. Shankler and colleague Aron Kallay host a concert series of electroacoustic music under the moniker People Inside Electronics and recently received funding through Kickstarter for a concert this coming Saturday September 17 at MiMoDa of electroacoustic music featuring new compositions performed by California's Eclipse Quartet. This, like the chamber opera, is a show funded by dozens of people chipping in various small amounts on Kickstarter who are interested in seeing it come to life. (The video above gives more details.)

And if that isn't enough technological fascism for you, take Dale Trumbore, a composer and USC student who has already had works premiered by the Kronos Quartet during her time at the University of Maryland. Trumbore has also funded projects through Kickstarter, including her upcoming CD release Snow White Turns Sixty, a song cycle for soprano Gillian Hollis based on twelve texts from contemporary female poets. Trumbore will be rolling out the recording this month and has several dates set up around the country for concert performances of the new piece. Trumbore is an artist who, like many other young classical composers and musicians, is finding use for one of the many music e-commerce sites like Bandcamp. Bandcamp allows artists to sell their music directly to customers without having to set up their own individual sites to handle download and payment technical issues. It also allows them to avoid some of the pitfalls of selling music on iTunes although it does not prevent artists like Sufjan Stevens, Gabriel Kahane, Trumbore or anyone else from doing so simultaneously. Artists can set up their own subsidiary Bandcamp sites and set their own prices for their music outside of the iTunes 99 cent track dictum. Is anyone getting rich there? Probably not. Is it a way to financially support music and artists you care about without having to go through Big Apple? Definitely.

Ensembles have gotten into the act as well like Los Angeles' own wildUp who have an active on line presence and have used services like Bandcamp as well. This recently formed contemporary music collective under the artistic direction of Christopher Rountree has been making a splash over the last year participating in such performances as the Sofia Gubaidulina festival at REDCAT last spring. Their future plans contain some of the most promising programming around with a Clarence Barlow show in November and another slated for the spring examining young composers on both coasts including Timo Andres, Andrew Norman, and Missy Mazzoli among others. wildUp's roster is crammed with a who's who of young musicians, composers, and sound artists who are actively engaged in social media like Andrew Tholl and Chris Kallmyer.

But these examples are only the tip of the iceberg. There is a whole generation of musicians and composers who are collaborating, interacting and creating spurred on by their online connections. Careers are building built in new and different ways with the use technologies that can just as easily demonized. This does not mean that anyone named above or elsewhere hasn't relied heavily on other more traditional methods to fund and support their work. This does not mean that all music that comes out of online collaboration is great music. But it does suggest that music, like life, will go on even with the changing interface we have with technology.

Labels: Dale Trumbore, Eclipse Quartet, Eric Whitacre, People Inside Elecronics

[Permalink] Posted by Brian | 9/16/2011 07:56:00 AM

Comments:

Thanks Brian for a very timely piece on the new paradigm emerging in classical (and all other forms of) music. The one aspect that unites all of the artists you mention in this post is the marriage of compelling artistry with technological sophistication. It clearly behooves the larger and more established artists/organizations to expand their horizons in both "product" and "placement"!

# posted by

GG : 10:05 AM

Calendar

2/23/12
Max Raabe and Palast Orchester
UCLA LIve
Royce Hall
Los Angeles, CA

2/24/12
Beethoven Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano
Zwilich Quintet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, and Piano
Schubert Piano Quintet in A major
Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and Friends
Irvine Barclay Theater
Irvine, CA

2/24/12
El pasado es un animal grotesco
Mariano Pensotti
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

2/25/12
Britten Albert Herring
Conlon, cond
Shrader/Kelly
Los Angeles Opera
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Los Angeles, CA

2/26/12
What the Butler Saw
Joe Orton
Odyssey Theatre
Los Angeles, CA

2/27/12
asamisimasa
recital
Monday Evening Concerts
Zipper Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

2/28/12
Andriessen La Girò
Andriessen Anaïs Nin
Andriessen Life
Los Angeles Philharmonic
New Music Group
de Leeuw, cond.
w/ Zavalloni
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/1/12
Mussorgsky Khovanshchina
Petrenko, cond
Borodina/Didyk
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

3/2/12
Show Boat
Hammerstein/Kern
Lyric Opera
Chicago, IL

3/3/12
Mahler Das Lied von der Erde
Schoenberg Piano Concerto
Nott, cond
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Center
Chicago, IL

3/3/12
Hit the Wall
Ike Holter
The Inconvenience
Garage Theatre
Chicago, IL

3/4/12
Beethoven Egmont Overture
Matheson Violin Concerto
Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Heras-Casado, cond.
w/ Chalifour
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/6/12
Timboctou
Alejandro Ricano
Martin Acosta, dir.
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

3/7/12
Jeffrey Kahane and LACO: a 15th Anniversary Celebration
Kahane, cond.
w/ Batjer, Shulman
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/9/12
Copland Orchestral Variations
Harrison Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra
Ives A Concord Symphony
Tilson Thomas, cond.
w/ Jacobs
San Francisco Symphony
Davies Symphony Hall
San Francisco, CA

3/10/12
Foss Phorion
Cowell Piano Concerto
Cage selections from Song books
Ruggles Sun-treader
Tilson Thomas, cond.
w/ La Barbara, Monk, Norman, Denk
San Francisco Symphony
Davies Symphony Hall
San Francisco, CA

3/10/12
Donizetti Don Pasquale
Guidarini, cond.
Del Carlo/De Niese
San Diego Opera
San Diego, CA

3/11/12
Poulenc The Breasts of Tiresias
Martinu Tears of a Knife
Mitisek, cond.
Center Theater
Long Beach, CA

3/17/12
Culture Clash American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose
Kirk Douglas Theater
Culver City, CA

3/17/12
Dvorak Carnival Overture
Tchaikovsky Lansky's Aria from Eugene Onegin
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Piatigorsky International Cello Festival
Jarvi, cond.
w/ Maisky
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/18/12
Dvorak Carnival Overture
Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations
Respighi Adagio con Variazoni
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5
Piatigorsky International Cello Festival
Jarvi, cond.
w/ Weilerstein
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/23/12
Frances-Marie Uitti
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

3/23/12
wild Up Craft
Beyond Baroque
Venice, CA

3/24/12
Strauss Rosenkavalier Suite
Aho Clarinet Concerto
Sibelius Symphony No. 6
Vanska, cond.
w/ Frost
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/26/12
Jazz Encounters
Works by Wolpe, Ablinger, and Johnson
Monday Evening Concerts
Zipper Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/28/12
Copland Fanfare for the Common Man
Tower Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Higdon Percussion Concerto
Prokofiev Symp No. 5
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Alsop, cond.
Segerstrom Concert Hall
Costa Mesa, CA

3/29/12
Ute Lemper
UCLA LIve
Royce Hall
Los Angeles, CA

3/31/12
Beckett Waiting for Godot
Center Theater Group
Mark Taper Forum
Los Angeles, CA

4/1/12
Bach St. John's Passion
Gershon, cond.
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/5/12
Part Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
Adams Violin Concerto
Glass Symphony No. 9
Adams, cond.
w/ Josefowicz
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/6/12
Gloria's Cause
Dayna Hanson
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

4/10/12
Stockhausen Tierkreis
Cage Concerto for Prepared Piano
Bettison Livre des Sauvages
Adams, cond.
w/ Cheng
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/11/12
Pacifica Quartet
UCLA Live
Royce Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/12/12
Samsara
KarmetiK Machine Orchestra
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

4/13/12
Beethoven Missa Solemnis
Blomstedt, cond.
w/ Ziesak, Romberger, Croft, Muller-Brachmann
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/14/12
Truth, Revised Histories, Wishful Thinking, and Flat-Out Lies
John Jasperse Company with ICE
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

4/16/12
Schubert Die Schone Mullerin
w/ Goerne, Eschenbach
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/17/12
Mendelssohn Symp No. 3
Saariaho Orion
Shostakovich Symp No. 6
Cleveland Orchestra
Welser-Möst, cond.
Segerstrom Concert Hall
Costa Mesa, CA

4/18/12
Schubert Winterreise
w/ Goerne, Eschenbach
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/20/12
Schubert Orchestrated Songs
Schubert Symphony No. 9, "Great"
w/ Goerne, Eschenbach
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/21/12
Gurira The Convert
Kirk Douglas Theater
Culver City, CA

4/23/12
Helmut Lachenmann Intérieur I
Schwitters Ur Sonata
Clementi Madrigale
Clementi L'orologio di Arcevia
Monday Evening Concerts
Zipper Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/24/12
Baroque Variations
Concerto Koln
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/26/12
Wagner Rheingold
Luisi, cond.
w/ Harmer, Blythe
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

4/27/12
Janacek The Makropoulos Case
Behlolávek, cond.
w/ Mattila
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

4/28/12
Wagner Die Walkure
Luisi, cond.
w/ Voigt, Westbroek
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

4/28/12
Verdi La Traviata
Noseda, cond.
w/ Poplavskaya
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

4/29/12
Grau and Guinand program
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Gershon, cond.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

4/29/12
Maurizio Pollini
recital
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY

4/29/12
TR Warszawa Festen (The Celebration)
St. Ann's Warehouse
Brooklyn, NY

4/30/12
Wagner Siegfried
Luisi, cond.
w/ Dalayman, Bardon
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

5/2/12
GATZ
Elevator Repair Service
Public Theater
New York, NY

5/3/12
Wagner Götterdämmerung
Luisi, cond.
w/ Dalayman, Harmer
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

5/4/12
Britten Billy Budd
Robertson, cond.
w/ Daszak, Gunn, Morris
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Center
New York, NY

5/6/12
Ligeti Atmospheres
Wagner Prelude to Act I of Lohengrin
Mahler Ruckert-Lieder
Bruckner Symphony No. 9
Rattle, cond.
w/ Kozena
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/8/12
Akiho Alloy
Pereira Percussion Concerto
Berio Recital for Cathy
Dudamel, cond.
w/ Currie, Duffy, Foundry Steel Pan Ensemble
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/9/12
Dvorak Carnival Overture
Lindberg Piano Concerto No. 2
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
New York Philharmonic
Gilbert, cond.
w/ Bronfman
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/10/12
Mozart Adagio and Fugue, K. 546
Vasks Distant Light
Mozart Posthorn Serenade, K. 320
Dudamel, cond.
w/ Pogostkina
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/12/12
"The Armory"
wild Up
Armory Center for the Arts
Pasadena, CA

5/12/12
Puccini La Boheme
Summers, cond
Perez/Costello
Los Angeles Opera
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Los Angeles, CA

5/16/12
Arcane Collective Cold Dream Colour
The Edge/Paul Chavez
REDCAT
Los Angeles, CA

5/18/12
Mozart Don Giovanni
Dudamel, cond.
w/ Kwiecien, Burdette
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/19/12
Elaine Stritch Singin' Sondheim... One Song at a Time
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

5/24/12
Follies
Sondheim/Goldman
Ahmanson Theater
Los Angeles, CA

5/26/12
Formalist Quartet
Beyond Baroque
Venice, CA

5/26/12
Golijov Ainadamar
Center Theater
Long Beach, CA

5/31/12
Adams The Gospel According to the Other Mary
Dudamel, cond.
w/ O'Connor, Mumford, Thomas
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

6/1/12
Adams The Gospel According to the Other Mary
Dudamel, cond.
w/ O'Connor, Mumford, Thomas
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

6/7/12
Adams Inuksuit
Libbey Park
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/7/12
Adams Red Arc/Blue Veil
Shostakovich Six Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva, Op. 143a
Ives Concord Sonata
Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/8/12
Janacek String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters"
de Leeuw Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/9/12
Buene Langsam und Schmachtend
Wagner Wesendonck Lieder
Berg Four Songs Op. 2
Berg Four Pieces Op. 5
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53, Waldstein Sonata Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/9/12
Los Otros
Fitzhugh/LaChiusa
Mark Taper Forum
Los Angeles, CA

6/9/12
Hallgrimsson Poemi, Op. 7
Sorensen Piano Concerto No. 2, “La Mattina”
Hillborg Peacock Tales
Mozart Trio in E flat “Kegelstatt” K. 498
Kurtag Hommage à Robert Schumann
Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/10/12
Bartok Contrasts
Grieg Holberg Suite
Bolcom Cabaret Songs (Selections)
Copland Clarinet Concerto
Kurtag Hommage à Robert Schumann
Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

6/10/12
Gorecki program
Los Angeles Master Chorale
Gershon, cond.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles, CA

6/10/12
Debussy Danses sacrée et profane
John Adams Shaker Loops
John Luther Adams Dark Waves
Stravinsky Sacre du Printemps
Libbey Bowl
Ojai Music Festival
Ojai, CA

Out West Arts: Performance at the end of the world

The Children of the Revolution

September 16, 2011

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