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My latest Philly music adventures.
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I had the privilege of attending a few musical events in the Philly area over the last few days, and I wanted to share it with you. There's so much great music being made all over the region, and it's important to support the arts by shutting down the computer, getting off the sofa, and getting out there to experience it the way music was meant to be heard...live!
First off, while I know that I'm the "Orchestral Arts" reporter for the Examiner, I do have to give a special shout out to a new Philly band called Automatic Fire. I had the chance to catch them at Doc Watson's in Philly on 3/10 and in New York at Crash Mansion on 3/13, and they're smokin'! They're about to travel down to Austin, TX for the South by Southwest music festival. It's hard to slot them into any particular category as a band, but I will say that if you're a musician who digs hard rock that's more than just three chords and a hook, you will like these guys. Click on the link above to go to their Myspace and check it out. Support local music!
I had the opportunity to attend a recital at West Chester University last week. Hosted by the theory and composition department, the recital was a collaborative effort between five composition students and five art students. Each composer was paired with a painter and the two worked together to create related art. The end result was a great afternoon of new music performed expertly by the Network for New Music.
This was an especially interesting concert for me, considering I was a composition major at WCU a lifetime ago. Back then, there was a huge push toward electronic music and very modern techniques. This was largely due to the fact that the department head at the time, Dr. Larry Nelson, was a pioneer in the field. Now, with the department under the leadership of Philadelphia composer Dr. Robert Maggio, there seems to be a shift back to tonality and more traditional techniques. At the same time, music we heard was all so different and individual. The change in vibe is clearly evident, and it's producing some very fine composers.
First of all, if you have a chance to attend a recital by the Network for New Music, you simply must. The work they are doing to promote and perform new works by new composers is incredible, and their musicianship is phenomenal. At this particular recital we were treated to a trio (violin, cello, clarinet) that took us through the five compositions with skill and grace. Bravo!
The student compositions were finely crafted works of art, much like the beautiful art produced by their art department counterparts. While they were all spectacular, "Ancient Wisdom, Enduring Spirit" by David Trum stood out to me. His writing allowed the trio to sound twice the size at times, and he succeeded in drawing us into the forest which served as the inspiration for this piece. His music is lyrical and strikingly beautiful at times with a distinct purpose and direction.
This was one of my first recitals at WCU since I left in 2000, but it will certainly not be my last. I'm looking forward to going back to WCU as well as to other colleges, schools, and concert halls around the Philadelphia area. I hope you'll continue to read and react! If you have any suggestions for recitals for me to attend, please don't hesitate to leave a comment with your suggestion or even your own review!
