Universal Language Project Podcast: Revealing the Composer’s Artistic Process

by Maggie Stapleton

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We are thrilled to announce the launch of Universal Language Project’s brand new podcast! This is a co-production between Second Inversion and ULP, featuring interviews recorded in our studios and live concert recordings from our live concert recording archives.

Each episode features a 20-minute interview with a Northwest composer to gain insight into their creative intentions and artistic process followed by a recording of a brand new work – often from the premiere, live and unedited in all its glory.

Episode 1: Jovino Santos Neto

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Three-time Latin Grammy nominee Jovino Santos Neto, a master pianist, composer and arranger, is among the top Brazilian musicians working today. Currently based in Seattle, Washington, he has throughout his career been closely affiliated with the Brazilian master Hermeto Pascoal. He was an integral part of Pascoal’s group from 1977 to 1992, where he fine-tuned his artistry, performing around the world and co-producing several legendary records.

For this composition, SACI, the Universal Language Project commissioned Jovino to write a multi-movement piece designed to pair with Stravinsky’s L’histoire du soldat. This work is intended as commentary on Stravinsky’s work where, about 100 years later, we are also creating great shows in a time of limited financial means. This work is based on a mythical Brazilian folk character, the Saci, who simultaneously helps us out of tricky situations and mischievously keeps us humble. This work beautifully merges Jovino’s background in Brazilian jazz with contemporary classical composition to create a delightfully charming and important new piece.

Stephan Michael Newby, Baritone / Narrator
Eric Rynes, Violin
Eric Likkel, Clarinet
Brian Chin, Trumpet
Nathan Vetter, Trombone
Steve Morgan, Bassoon
Todd Gowers, Bass
Ben Thomas, Percussion

Recorded Live at the Velocity Dance Center in Seattle, WA
May 16th, 2015
Bill Levey: Audio Engineer

Episode 2: Wayne Horvitz

Wayne Horvitz is a composer, pianist and electronic musician who has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. He is the leader of the Gravitas Quartet, Sweeter Than the Day, Zony Mash, The Four plus One Ensemble and co-founder of the New York Composers Orchestra.

Working primary in a jazz inspired large ensemble medium, Wayne’s music seems to naturally defied any one genre and offers a truly unique sound to the 21st century music collection. This piece, A Stammer for Tori, was inspired by the violinist Victoria Parker and is written for a small mixed chamber ensemble.
Victoria Parker, Violin
Susan Telford, Flute
Eric Likkel, Clarinet
Brian Chin, Trumpet
Nathan Vetter, Trombone
Rajan Krishnaswami, Cello
Kevin Johnson, Piano
Rob Tucker, Percussion

Recorded Live at the Velocity Dance Center in Seattle, WA
Jan. 9th 2015
Bill Levey: Audio Engineer

The Universal Language Project is a music-centric multi-arts concert series dedicated to generating new music for the 21st century. It is a program of Common Tone Arts, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to creating positive change for our diverse world through music and arts education.

CONCERT SPOTLIGHT: “The Way West” presented by the Universal Language Project

by Maggie Stapleton

“An event with music, words, and smoke inspired by the optimism and grandeur of the West.”

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Photo Credit: Kimberly Chin

Brian Chin has added something unique and fresh to the already forward-thinking music community in Seattle. The Universal Language Project is an innovative concert series rooted in the commissioning and performance of 21st century music and interdisciplinary collaboration. It turns the traditional classical music concert on its head by presenting the music in informal settings, premiering commissioned music by local composers, and collaborating with other art forms. AND! The experience doesn’t stop when the music ends; the audience is encouraged to mingle with the musicians and composers over a glass of wine afterwards to get a personal, inside scoop into the music.

Last season, ULP gave musical birth to works by Sean Osborn, Wayne Horvitz, and Jovino Santos Neto. (You can listen to them on our live concerts page!) Their new season kicks off this Friday, January 22 at Resonance Hall at SOMA Towers in Bellevue & Saturday, January 23 at Velocity Dance Center in Seattle and features musicians from Inverted Space, the contemporary music ensemble of the University of Washington. The program includes“Campfire Songs” by Brian Cobb (including a commissioned concert overture and a new piece to complete the cycle), “The Lone Ranger,” a theatrical work by Karen Thomas, and the commissioned premiere by young composer Tim Carey.

 

Second Inversion is proud to be a sponsor of this concert series. We’ll see you there on Saturday, January 23 at Velocity Dance Center!

 

 

LIVE CONCERT SPOTLIGHT: May 14-16

by Maggie Molloy

This week’s striking music calendar has Stravinsky, “Saci,” “Suck City,” and more!

Inverted Space Presents Stockhausen’s “Stimmung”

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The word stimmung is German for “tuning”—but it applies to much more than just pitch. While it may be used to describe the tuning of instruments or voices, it can also be used to describe the tuning of a group of people, or the inward tuning of one’s soul.

“Stimmung” is also the title of German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen’s 70-minute sonic meditation for six amplified voices. This week, vocalists from the Inverted Space Ensemble will perform “Stimmung” as part of their “Long Piece Fest” (the name is pretty self-explanatory).

The piece was among the first major Western works to use vocal overtones as a key element of composition—in fact, the entire piece is based on the overtones of a low B-flat. The work was inspired by Stockhausen’s visit to the Mayan ruins in Mexico, and it features a recounting of ancient gods along with some of his own poetry.

The performance is this Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.

Universal Language Project Presents “The Soldier’s Tale” and “Saci”

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Russian composer Igor Stravinsky is best known for his three major ballets: “The Firebird,” “Petrushka,” and “The Rite of Spring”—but his smaller-scale theatrical works are just as striking. This weekend, the Universal Language Project is presenting Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale,” an hour-long dramatic work based on a Russian folk tale.

The music is scored for very unique instrumentation: a septet of violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet, trombone, and percussion. The story is told by four characters: the soldier, the devil, the narrator, and the princess (who is portrayed by a silent dancer). The libretto recounts the tale of a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil for wealth, only to realize that his greed has led him to unimaginable loss.

The program will also feature a performance of Brazilian composer and pianist Jovino Santos Neto’s “Saci,” a theatrical work scored for seven musicians, narrator, and dance. The work tells the story of Saci, a mythological (and often mischievous) character of Brazilian folklore who is a combination of different cultural strains, including Native Brazilian tribes, African slaves, and Portuguese colonizers.

Performances are this Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. at Velocity Dance Center on Capitol Hill.

Concert Imaginaire Presents “Another Day in Suck City”

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What do Edgar Allan Poe, orangutans, and cyber-ant goddesses have in common? They’re all part of Concert Imaginaire’s upcoming music performance, “Another Day in Suck City.”

Don’t let the name fool you—“Another Day in Suck City” is anything but your typical music performance. Concert Imaginaire will be performing musical settings of poetry by Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe, a dance for an orangutan, the premiere of “Just a Kiss Away” (a 5-minute opera about love and war), and so much more.

Concert Imaginaire is comprised of music director and guitarist David Hahn, violinist Ruthie Dornfeld, keyboardist Jay Kenney, and percussionist Becca Baggenstoss. This performance will also feature guest vocalists Katie Weld, Sid Law, and Gabriel Tachell, along with video accompaniment created by Leo Mayberry.

The performance is this Saturday, May 16 at 8 p.m. at the Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.

FREE Summer Concerts in Seattle

by Maggie Stapleton

Most Seattleites will agree that our mild, beautiful summers completely make up for the cool, grey, drizzle that we deal with for ¾ of the year. Downtown Seattle is completely in touch with this, offering “Out to Lunch,” FREE outdoor lunchtime (12-1:30pm) concerts July 9-September 5.  The concerts take place at parks all around town (e.g. Freeway Park, pictured below) and are a great excuse to brown bag it, soak up some vitamin D, and hear great tunes. Image Second Inversion recommends:

Wednesday, July 9: March Fourth Marching Band @ Westlake Park

Thursday, July 10: Industrial Revolution @ City Hall Plaza

Friday, July 18: Portland Cello Project @ Occidental Square 

Wednesday, July 23: Tubaluba  @ Wells Fargo Center 

Wednesday, August 13: Kris Orlowski @ Two Union Square 

Friday, August 29: Jovino Santos Neto @ Columbia Center

Friday, September 5: Hey Marseilles @ Freeway Park

Check out the complete lineup and use these as a great excuse to get away from your desk during the lunch hour!

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: JOVINO SANTOS-NETO QUINTETO AT CORNISH

by Maggie Stapleton

Jovino Santos-Neto

Thursday, April 3 at 8pm at Cornish College of the Arts (PONCHO Hall),  you can hear three-time Latin Grammy nominee Jovino Santos Neto leads his Quinteto—with Chuck Deardorf (bass), Mark Ivester (drums), Ben Thomas (vibraphone), and Jeff Busch (percussion) with special guest vocalist Johnaye Kendrick—through his original compositions in a range of Brazilian styles.

We had the pleasure of hosting Jovino on piano along with flutist Paul Taub in 2013 on KING FM’s NW Focus LIVE – they performed music of the Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal.