Entry 6. Trip to South America

First of all, I think the composition prelude concert went really well! It was really great to hear how the pieces we've written have grown and matured even over just a few weeks. I think the entire program, all put together, sounded really nice. And ending it off with a snappy ragtime was definitely the way to go.

I adored every piece on the Saturday night program. I really like that style of music, and hearing an entire program of it was really gratifying.

The first three pieces were really nifty, and set a great theme for the rest of the evening. I've never really listened to any great amount of this music, but we all know vaguely what it sound like, and it's the type of music you can listen to both intuitively and mindlessly- putting it on a completely elevated level of listening. The percussion pieces were remarkable simply because they looked as though they were difficult (heck, it's like playing a huge piano with sticks- and with two sticks in one hand!!) they sounded completely relaxed and groovy. The changing rhythms were great fun too, and every time one happened I found myself enjoyinh it all the more.

Carousel was really nifty- at times I could see where it got its name as it seemed to kind of wind down, but then it would go forward again and continue on. There is a great amount of flow in all of these pieces, I find- not like most music which has a beginning, a middle section and an end seperated by definite sections. It almost seems more organic to play music in this South American style, more fluid. I did like the return to this kind of style with the Ortega piece, which began with the chant, moved on to a somewhat improvisatory section before it returned to the chant. That was pretty darn nifty and toe-tappin'.

I think my favourite part of the entire evening was when Dawn Avery played -and sang!- her pieces from the North American Indian Cello Project. The last thing I had expected was for her to sing whil she played cello and her voice was so captivating and the words very profound. I wish I had a copy of the poem she based the second movement- about the medicine man- on, and, of course, a recording of it as well. Involving the audience was pretty nifty too!

The Kalimba and Brazilian set were enjoyable as well, especially when Jeff Dyer and Paul Bendza played/sang together. That was a really neat effect, to sing along with the clarinet, which made me realize just how much like a human voice the clarinet can sound. OH- and I decided that I really like the soprano saxomophone. Such a pretty tone!

Anyway, it was yet another night of great music, and another great Newfound Music Festival.