Newsletter - Sharing the Love of Music
Transcription
Newsletter - Sharing the Love of Music
Sharing the Inside this Love of Issue Newsletter This month’s newsletter is centered on multiculturalism and the contributions of African-American culture to American music. In 1976, February was designated as Black History Month to celebrate the achievements of black Americans and recognize the role of African-Americans in U.S. history. The impact of African-Americans in Blues, Jazz and American popular music has been documented and acknowledged for a long time. However, the world of Classical music has largely untouched by the AfricanAmerican community. Music Theory – 2 February 2012 • Volume 2, Issue 2 This month you will learn about Darin Atwater, an American composer and conductor, who has made it his mission to bring the musical contributions of AfricanAmericans to the cultural forefront. Atwater incorporates blues and jazz compositional characteristics in the Classical music he composes. He also uses traditional jazz instruments, like the saxophone, as a central part of his vision for symphony orchestra’s future. discover the structure and form of the Blues, a musical genre that has influenced almost all other styles of American music. In this month’s newsletter you will discover more about him and his performance group called the Soulful Symphony. You can also Beth Hotchkiss Owner & Instructor We will also examine the history of the saxophone, which is used in many genres of American music. Finally, in the Upcoming Events listing, you will have access to a sampling of the many and diverse chamber music events happening this month. The Blues Composer Spotlight – 3 Darin Atwater Instrument Round-Up – 4 Saxophone Industry Insights – 5 Concert Hall Manager Upcoming Events – 6 Local Classical Music In this Issue: Darin Atwater and the Soulful Symphony: As mentioned in the letter above, the composer spotlight this month will focus on modern-day composer and conductor Darin Atwater and the Soulful Symphony. Atwater’s creation of the all-black Soulful Symphony and his compositions that utilize the sounds of gospel, blues and jazz are bringing a uniquely American feel to the concert hall. The Blues, a genre from which many other American pop music styles spring, is one of the many musical styles that Atwater utilizes in his music. and it will be the focus of a special article discussing the music theory behind Blues style. The Music of the Blues: Here we learn about the form and structure of the Blues. The Blues, with its distinctive and melancholy sound, has influenced the development of every other genre of music in the U.S. from jazz and R & B to country and rock and roll. While blues musicians rely heavily upon the guitar, other instruments including piano, bass, drums, and horns like saxophone, trumpet and trombone have been used as an accompaniment to this soul-stirring music. www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 The Saxophone: We profile the saxaphone as it is accompanies many Blues performances and one of the most essential instruments used in Jazz. Music Career of a Concert Hall Manager: The performances of musicians and composers are shared in concert halls, auditoriums, and other venues with audiences every day. In this article, we learn about the behind-the-scenes player who brings these performances to the people, the concert hall manager. Upcoming Events: As with every newsletter issue, there is a sampling of the many chamber music performances being offered in the Austin area for the month listed in the Upcoming Events section. There are many diverse musical offerings this month including piano soloists, an orchestra from China, a string quintet, a German band featuring jazz from the 20’s and 30’s, and a multi-generational concert band collaboration. I encourage you to attend one or two of these concerts to expand your evergrowing musical horizons. 1 Sharing the Love of The Blues Blues Blues is one of the most influential styles of American music in the 20th century. Most of our popular music today directly evolved from or was directly influenced by the Blues. Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Rock’n Roll and even some Country music styles are its direct decedents. Once you’ve heard the Blues, you never forget it. Blues music is indelibly linked with the guitar. Many Blues artists are known just as much for the guitar skills as their singing, if not more. In fact, the interplay between the guitar and the lyrics is one of the distinctive musical characteristics of the genre. Blues today has expanded to include other instruments like piano ,and can often be accompanied by drums, bass and the occasional horn section comprised of saxophones, trumpets and trombones. The Blues has a distinctive sound, voices are often rough and the music has a melancholy, wistful sound. 1 2 3 www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 History An early Blue’s musician whose compositions and recordings influenced other greats was Bind Willie Walker who made his only known recording in 1930, three years before his death at 37. Some of his compositions from this recording are “Dupree Blues” and “South Carolina Rag”. Blind Willie Walker is listed as an inspiration to B.B. King, the King of the Blues. B.B. King, who just celebrated his 86th birthday recently, is still an active performer. He is known for classics such as “Payin’ the Cost to Be the Boss”, “The Thrill is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues.” Blues Form Today, we turn to the Blues and Blues form to study a little music theory. A scale is a series of sequential pitches, and while there are dozens of types of scales used in western music, Blues is based on one of the easiest to understand. In Blues, there are only three chords used. These chords are based on the first, fourth and fifth note of the scale, shown below. 4 5 The most popular type of Blues is called 12-bar Blues and its harmonic is: 1 4 5 1 4 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 On the surface, Blues form is a pretty simple concept. However, its very simplicity leads to endless opportunities for improvisation and originality. You can listen to an example of a 12-bar blues pattern with this Wikipedia listening example. Examples 12-bar Blues form became the structure for many Jazz, R&B, Rock and even Country songs. A few examples of songs throughout the years that have used Blues structure are listed below: “Original Batman Theme Song” by Neil Hefti “Turn Me Loose” by Fabien “Give Me One Reason” Tracy Chapman “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley “Boogie Chillen” by John Lee Hooker “Further On Up the Road” by Eric Clapton 6 7 8 2 Sharing the Love of Composer Spotlight Darin Atwater Instead of spotlighting a noted past composer, this month’s Composer Spotlight focuses on Darin Atwater who is making history today by revolutionizing the symphony orchestra. Atwater was born in Washington, D.C., and he grew up playing gospel piano in church. He continued to study and perform music and wanted to become a composer by the time he was 12-years old. He studied composition first at Morgan State and then the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. At age 30, in 2000, Atwater drew on his contacts in the Gospel, Jazz and Classical music industries and founded the Soulful Symphony. The Soulful Symphony is different from many other orchestras you might see for several reasons. The instruments that make it up include more percussion and brass instruments than a typical orchestra, and many times these musicians are encouraged to improvise their parts. Improvisation, where a musician plays a part they make up on the spot, is unheard of in traditional classical music. Another difference is a 22-person choir performs with the Soulful Symphony. Although a chorus might join an orchestra occasionally, almost all of Mr. Atwater’s compositions for the Soulful Symphony include vocalists as well. One of Atwater’s goals for the Soulful Symphony is to educate audiences about the rich tradition of African-American music by integrating gospel and jazz with classical traditions into a new style of symphonic music. In a 2005 interview Atwater said, “African-Americans are wildly American about everything except classical music. As such, we want to make an imprint on our community. Education is a huge priority.” While only 2 percent of classical orchestral composers are African-American, Atwater has pulled together a completely African-American ensemble to begin showcasing these musicians. The Soulful Symphony also works with school age children to expand their views of classical music. Atwater, as both a composer and conductor, works to make classical music accessible for all people by incorporating the distinct musical traditions of the African American community with those of the classical world. He truly is a crossover artist, merging seemingly unrelated genres into a new style of music – one that is uniquely American. Darin Atwater (born 1970) Source: www.soulful-song.org Music Class at Joan’s Academy The music class at Joan’s Academy has been busy globe-trotting this past month and will continue their journey around the world throughout the entire semester. So far this semester, we have journeyed to the steel drum yards of Trinidad and Tobago, danced to the rhythms of the Brazilian samba, compared folk songs from southern and northern Italy, and studied meter with the waltzes and polkas of Austria. Our journey around the world will continue to take us to Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Indonesia, India, Australia, Ghana, Egypt and Somalia. This whirlwind tour is designed to build the rhythm and solfege skills developed last semester while giving students a small glimpse of the myriad number of musical cultures that exist www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 around the world. We are also challenging our geography, math, history, and dance skills and relating all that we have heard with the sounds we hear in our daily lives. This month there are two opportunities to hear some world performers. I encourage you to attend the Texas Performing Arts concerts featuring the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and Max Raabe and Palast Orchester both occurring later this month. Joan’s Academy 11607 Crumley Ranch Rd, Austin, TX 78738-6335 joansacademy.webs.com 3 Sharing the Love of Instrument Roundup Saxophone The instrument featured this month is extremely versatile and is frequently used in concert band, military band, jazz, rock and even occasionally in symphony orchestras. And although saxophone is extremely popular, it is surprising to learn just how new the saxophone is compared to many other instruments. The saxophone was invented 165 years ago in 1847 by Belgian musician Adolf Sax. Sax noticed that in orchestras and military bands the brass instruments were overpowering the instruments of the woodwind section. He created the saxophone to blend the flexibility and tone of the clarinet with the volume and projection of the trumpet. By adopting the fingering system and single reed of the clarinet and the same materials of other brass instruments, he was able to accomplish this goal. Because the saxophone produces sound in the same way as the clarinet and also has the same fingering system, it is considered a member of the woodwind family, even though the saxophone is made of brass. Saxophone quickly became popular in military bands, and found a niche in jazz and swing bands beginning in the 1920’s and continuing today. Today there are four popular varieties of saxophone based on size and range. The smallest and highest is the soprano saxophone which is most often seen in jazz and was made popular in the 90’s by Kenny G. Mouthpiece, Ligature & Reed The most common saxophone is the alto saxophone. Slightly larger than the soprano and with a range similar to the clarinet, the alto saxophone has been played by jazz legends Charlie Parker and Jimmy Dorsey. Even larger and lower in range is the tenor saxophone, played by rock great Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Another famous tenor saxophone player is our 42nd president Bill Clinton. Neck Body Bell Finally, the lowest and largest of the saxophones is called the baritone saxophone. Often baritone saxophone is used to double the bass line in ensembles, but to hear it featured as a melody instrument. Check out Mingus Big Band’s recording of “Moanin’ Mambo.” While the saxophone was immediately adopted into military and concerts bands and is an iconic jazz instrument, it has only recently found a place in compositions for the symphony. While Darin Atwater was not the first composer to use the saxophone in his symphonic compositions, prior to the creation of the Soulful Symphony saxophones were used only occasionally. www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 Source: Wikimedia Commons 4 Sharing the Love of Industry Insights Concert Hall Manager If you have ever attended an event at a concert hall, amphitheater or theater, you have most likely had the same experience as millions of others. You purchased your ticket online or picked them up at the box office, stood in line to show your ticket to enter the venue, grabbed a program and a snack, and then found your seat to enjoy the show. The person responsible for making sure that your experience is the concert hall manager. They are responsible for supervising every detail of your concert going experiences at the venue they manage. First and foremost, a concert hall manager must really love music and the performing arts and be committed to bringing the best possible opportunities to see these performances their community. They must also supervise every worker at the venue from electricians, ticket booth workers and ushers to the accountants, publicists and security personnel. A concert hall manager must first work to hire, or book, performers and the shows that they think audiences will want to see. Then they publicize the show and works to ensure that anyone who has purchased a ticket to the event has a positive experience. They must also work to make sure that the facility is ready for performers by managing those workers who are responsible for the lighting, sound or equipment at an event so that the performers also have a positive experience. There are also many details that the concert hall Their rental program includes the following features: BandStar Musical Instruments is pleased to work with the families in the Sharing the Love of Music Studio. Bandstar allows you to rent a full-range of instruments online and have them shipped to your home or school. Bandstar also has a full service location in Kyle. www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 �� Second month free �� Rental payments go toward purchase �� Exchange or cancel at anytime with no additional fees BandStar Musical Instruments 402 South Old Highway 81 Kyle, Texas 78640 (512) 393-1258 www.bandstarmusic.com manager must look after that have nothing to do with the performance at all. The janitorial staff, parking attendants, groundskeepers, box office personnel and even the accounting staff all report to the concert hall manager. Their work behind the scenes is just as vital to the success of the performances at the venue as the performance itself. A concert hall manager must work hard to build a positive team so that they can concentrate on providing excellent musical experiences for audiences. It is this commitment to bringing amazing talent to audiences that allows us to enjoy hearing and seeing our favorite musicians and performers live and in person. Know Someone that loves Music? You can receive a $20 credit for referring a new student or family. Don’t Forget: March tuition for Sharing the Love of Music is due on the 1st. You can pay online using your family portal at www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com. 5 Sharing the Love of Upcoming Events Below are just a small number of upcoming classical music events in-and-around Austin. Check out www.classicalmusicaustin.org for more listings. February Chaparrel Eurythmy www.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts �� February 9, 12 p.m. Central Presbyterian Church Joint Forces – Austin Symphonic Band and Dripping Springs High School Band www.austinsymphonicband.org �� February 24, 8 p.m. Grace Covenant Church Max Raabe and Palast Orchester texasperformingarts.org/season/raabe �� February 26, 7 p.m. Bass Recital Hall Jan Jones & Marti Dudgeon – Valentine’s Music www.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts �� February 16, 12 p.m. Central Presbyterian Church Chamber Ensemble of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra texasperformingarts.org/season/shanghai �� February 18, 8 p.m. Bass Concert Hall March Agnes Wan, Piano www.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts �� March 1, 12 p.m. Central Presbyterian Church The Austin Symphony Presents: Denyce Graves Fifth Wheel www.austinchambermusic.org �� February 18, 7:30 p.m. First Unitarian Church www.austinsymphony.org/events/ denyce-graves-mezzo-soprano Angela Hewitt, Piano texasperformingarts.org/season/hewitt �� February 19, 7 p.m. Bass Recital Hall Austin Classical Guitar Society Presents Berta Rojas http://www.austinclassicalguitar.org/ �� March 3, 8 p.m. Northwest Hills United Methodist Church �� March 2 and 3, 8 p.m. Long Center for Performing Arts: Dell Hall Thursday Noonday Concert: Toni Tobin, Piano www.cpcaustin.org/worship-and-music/music/thursday-noon-concerts �� February 23, 12 p.m. Central Presbyterian Church www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149 6