2003 January | February | March | April

2002 February | March | April | May | June | July | September | November

2001 February | March | April | July | September | October

2000 November | December

KAMMAN NEW WORKS WITH JANE FRANKLIN DANCE INSPIRED BY VIRGINIA

(APRIL 2003) As part of a Community Partners residency, composers John Kamman and Mark Merella worked with Jane Franklin Dance on the creation of two new works inspired by Virginia landscapes: "On a Grand Scale" and "Sand in My Shoes." On February 8, "On a Grand Scale" — inspired by the orchards outside Charlottesville, Va. — was performed on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. The work was scored for a trio of acoustic guitar, double bass, and banjo. The end result was a jazzy fantasy based on bluegrass materials.

On March 1, the two works were performed together at the Gunston Arts Center in Arlington, Va. The fist movement of "Sand in My Shoes," composed by Merella, musically portrayed the mountains near Luray, Va. The second was written jointly by the two artists, and inspired by the beaches on Virginia’s Northern Neck.

The next phase of the project includes a series of workshops at the Drew Model School in Arlington.

MEMBER MEETING FEATURES WORKS BY ANNA LARSON

(APRIL 2003) On February 9, composer Anna Larson hosted a chapter meeting at her home. Over hors d’oeuvres, Larson shared several of her works — including "Nora," a song cycle for soprano and cello based on Ibsen’s "A Doll’s House"; "Dance for Orchestra"; "Golden Wedding," a verbatim setting of a 100-year-old newspaper article; and excerpts from the "Youfoe Trilogy," her musical theater work for children. The program served as an overview of Larson’s diverse career, highlighting her wide range of interests, poetic and dramatic sensibilities, and her extraordinary compositional language.


CHAPTER HOSTS ROUNDTABLE WITH LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, JULLIARD QUARTET, KENDALL

(APRIL 2003) Members participated in a special roundtable discussion hosted by the Library of Congress. Panelists included composers Jessica Krash and Frances McKay; the members of the Juilliard Quartet; and Christopher Kendall, director of the 20th Century Consort, Folger Consort, and the University of Maryland School of Music. The conversation touched on many aspects of chamber music, with a special focus on the importance of reaching young people. The quartet also related many interesting anecdotes of their work with such legendary composers as Milton Babbitt and Elliot Carter.

KAMMAN'S "ON A GRAND SCALE" FOR JANE FRANKLIN DANCE INSPIRED BY VIRGINIA

(MARCH 2003) As part of his Community Partners project, composer John Kamman is working with Jane Franklin Dance, to write music for the company’s new work, "On a Grand Scale." The four-piece work is inspired by several locations in Virginia. The first two parts premiered on January 11 at the Gunston Arts Center in Arlington, Va. The music was performed by Kamman (guitar), Alan Lewine (double bass), and Steve Grossman (banjo).

THREE NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERS COMPOSER RESIDENCIES ANNOUNCED

(MARCH 2003) The chapter has launched three new Community Partners residencies. Composer Garth Ross will teach workshops through My Sister’s Place, a shelter and service provider for victims of domestic violence. Ross will work with participants to write lullabies for their children. Ben Takis will be composer-in-residence for the Teen Exchange program at The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. He will collaborate with teen choreographers to develop original music for their new dance pieces. Anna Larson will spend her second summer as composer-in-residence with Sky’s The Limit, Theatre and Song, Inc.’s teen workshop. The workshops include coaching in music and theater, and culminates in a performance of scenes from Shakespearean plays with original songs by Larson.


CDC SELECTS CHAPTER FOR FLASHPOINT INCUBATOR

(FEBRUARY 2003) The Cultural Development Corporation has selected the chapter for inclusion in the Flashpoint arts incubator program. Flashpoint plans to offer participating organizations low-rent office space, along with access to a black box theater, dance studio, and a conference room. The office space will be located in the Mather building in downtown D.C. The building, currently under renovation, will include artist living spaces, studios, a gallery, and offices for the Flashpoint organizations. The program in expected to launch in September.

NEW MUSIC BY REGIONAL COMPOSERS AT ART-O-MATIC
Download the complete press release

(JANUARY 2003) On November 16, the chapter presented an evening of new music at Art-o-Matic — a nonjuried celebration of the arts in the D.C.-metro area. The free event transformed 100,000 square feet of an old EPA office building into an arts extravaganza that lasted from October 31 through November 30.

The program featured a wide variety of music, showcasing a broad range of chapter artists. Haskell Small performed his "12 Snippets" for flute, clarinet, cello, and piano, as well as the third movement of his "Symphony for Solo Piano." Jessica Krash performed two short works for piano: "Undisclosed Location" (inspired by Vice President Cheney’s whereabouts following September 11), and "Mother from Another Planet." Kristian Twombly shared his electronic work "Aeterna." Lucas Zarwell performed "My Fish Has Mouth Rot" for laptop and piano, and the program closed with an electric guitar quartet composed by Chapter Director Jonathan Matis.

Art-O-Matic was organized by volunteer artists in partnership with the Cultural Development Corporation.

DC MEMBERS AMONG ARTISTS IN WETA FOCUS ON SEPTEMBER 11

(NOVEMBER 2002) On September 10, WETA 90.9 FM – Washington, D.C.’s classical music station and NPR affiliate – aired "Art from the Aftermath." The hour-long show focused on art created in response to the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Among the artists interviewed by WETA reporter Andrea Murray were two chapter members, Mark Lackey and Ysaye Barnwell. Lackey and Barnwell became involved with the program when Murray contacted the chapter as part of her search for artists to interview. Lackey discussed the origins of his work "Three Simple Prayers" for brass quintet. Barnwell closed the program with her comments and her powerful song "Let Us Rise in Love.

SONIC CIRCUITS FESTIVAL CREATES A BUZZ
Listen to WETA-FM's feature about the DC Sonic Circuits Festival!

(SEPTEMBER 2002) For the second year, the chapter participated in the Forum’s Sonic Circuits International Festival of Electronic Music and Art. The chapter sponsored six events over four days, including concerts at Mission Media Space in Baltimore, The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Decatur Blue (an art gallery in Washington’s Adams Morgan neighborhood), George Mason University, and the Levine School of Music. WETA-FM featured three of the participating artists – Paras Kaul, Chuck Bettis, and Andy Hayleck – in a series of on-air profiles.

The chapter also held a workshop at the University of Maryland, during which visiting artists Mark Applebaum, Ikue Mori, Kim Cascone, and Roddy Schrock joined top local electronic artists for a presentation and discussion of electro-acoustic and computer-generated music.

"MIRACLE OF WATTS" LETS CAMPERS PERFORM ORIGINAL WORK

(SEPTEMBER 2002) Composer Emily Spitz and librettist Bari Biern completed a Community Partners project with the Fillmore Arts Camp. The team worked with youth at the camp to create "The Miracle of Watts," a musical theater work that campers performed. Sponsored by the PTA of the Fillmore Arts Center (a Washington, D.C., public school program), the camp is open to kids from six to 14 years of age. In the past, participants have staged excerpts from existing musicals. The opportunity to perform an original work composed specifically for the group gave participants a more focused program. Many of the camp’s classes were geared toward the production, including set design, instrument building, and dance.

"The Miracle of Watts" tells the true story of the Watts Towers, an enormous sculpture created by an untrained immigrant artist in an economically depressed neighborhood. When the city attempted to destroy the towers, the community rallied to save them. The all-student cast sang, acted, danced, and performed on self-made instruments. The composer and lyricist were on hand throughout the rehearsal process, coaching the singers and making revisions as needed. This gave the students an inside look at the collaborative process and the development of a fully staged work.

PERSINGER TEACHES IMPROVISATION AT SITAR CENTER

(SEPTEMBER 2002) Composer Shawn Persinger completed his Community Partners residency at the Patricia Sitar Center, a community music school in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Persinger worked with youth at the center — largely beginning instrumentalists, age 10 to 15 — through a series of workshops, which taught them how to engage in group improvisation. By coaching the students through a series of original charts, Persinger showed them many strategies for combining improvised and pre-composed materials. This allowed students to experiment within certain parameters, while others remained fixed. Persinger is currently using these workshops as the basis for a curriculum that will be made available to local schools.

"SKY'S THE LIMIT" LETS STUDENTS SELECT SCENES FROM SHAKESPEARE

(SEPTEMBER 2002) Anna Larson completed her residency with youth at Theatre and Song, Inc., a nonprofit organization that operates summer musical theater workshop programs for youth ages eight to 15. Larson worked with teens in the "Sky’s the Limit" workshop. She composed original songs and, together with composer and pianist Edith DiBartolo, coached the students in music and singing. Students were also coached extensively in acting, and the project culminated with two nights of performances titled "Lovers and Madmen: Scenes from Shakespeare with Original Music." Performances were held on August 16 and 17 at the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church.

SONIC CIRCUITS RETURNS TO D.C. – JULY 31-AUGUST 3
Expanded Electronic Music Festival Promises Cutting Edge Performances

(JULY 2002) The 2002 Sonic Circuits festival will take place throughout the greater D.C. metropolitan area from July 31-August 3. View a complete schedule of the festival and Artist Bios.
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Listen to WETA-FM's feature about the DC Sonic Circuits Festival!

This year’s roster features an extraordinary collection of internationally recognized talents. No-Wave pioneer Ikue Mori, will be performing both Friday and Saturday nights, as will David Lynch and Thomas Dolby collaborator Kim Cascone. Cascone will perform both solo and in duet with the District’s own world-renowned sound artist, Richard Chartier. West Coast sound sculptor, improviser and neo-complexist Mark Applebaum and over a dozen other local and national artists will also perform.

The Sonic Circuits Festival, sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Chapter, brings a showcase for the latest artistic uses of technology. From the commercial to the classical, arcane to mundane, for gear-heads and neophytes, students and pros, Sonic Circuits promises to provide something intriguing.

The D.C. Sonic Circuits Festival is part of an international series of concert events sponsored by the American Composers Forum. Each year, the ACF curates a group of works that form the basis of a travelling concert series. Each locally produced festival draws from this pool while augmenting the programs with both local artists and nationally known guests who perform in regionally underrepresented genres. The D.C. area festival has generally been among the biggest and best in the nation, as evidenced by the wealth of talent and top-end performance venues at our disposal.

TSUNAMI THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS "COMMUNITAS"

(JULY 2002) On June 13, Tsunami Theatre Company presented "Communitas" an experimental dance/theater piece featuring original, live music by Lucas Zarwell at the Hirshorn Museum's Sculpture Garden. During this project, Lucas received funding from the chapter for a Community Partners project with Project Northstar - a one-on-one tutoring center for homeless and at-risk youth. Students from Project Northstar constructed instruments that were used during the performance.

Conceived by director/choreographer Naoko Maeshiba, "Communitas" was created with performers who went through two months of training in which they generated materials to create each scene. The work draws its influence from western physical theater, Japanese traditional Noh theater, Japanese contemporary dance/theater, Butoh, and western rhythm structure. Director Naoko Maeshiba has been creating multi-disciplinary dance/theater works in Washington DC, Hawaii, and Japan. She has studied and danced with butoh dancer Min Tanaka and Maijuku, modern dance with Betty Jones and Fritz Ludin, Balinese dance with Pak Wayan Dibia, and Noh dance with Rick Emmert and Akira Matsui. Naoko is a recipient of the Artist Fellowhip Grant from the DC Commision on Arts and Humanities and the NEA.

ZARWELL IN RESIDENCE WITH PROJECT NORTHSTAR AND TSUNAMI THEATER CO.

(JUNE 2002) Composer Lucas Zarwell has been selected as composer-in-residence for the chapter’s Community Partners project with Project Northstar, a tutoring center for homeless and at-risk youth, and the Tsunami Theatre Company. Zarwell and Tsunami will collaborate on an original dance-theater work. The artists will also lead workshops for the Northstar youth.

NEW SONG CYCLE PREMIERES THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

(JUNE 2002) On April 29, The Sherwood High School Chamber Singers (Olney, Md.) premiered composer Chris Patton’s "The Points We Encompass, 4 Songs for Global Unity." The concert, which took place at Oakdale-Emory Methodist Church, was written specifically for the students as part of the Community Partners Program. Patton conceived of the title and concept for his new work after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. The work uses poetry from the north, south, east and west, in order to affirm our fundamental values of freedom and respect for people of all ethnic backgrounds and religions. Download the Press Release

KRASH COMPLETES "READY OR NOT"

(JUNE 2002) In April, former chapter director and composer Jessica Krash wrapped up her Community Partners residency at Bethesda-Chevy Chase (Md.) High School. Krash composed "Ready or Not" for the school. The new work was premiered by the school’s string orchestra on April 28.

CONCERT SERIES AND SONIC CIRCUITS COMMITTEES FORMED

(MAY 2002) Chapter members have formed two volunteer working groups. The Concert Series Working Group is exploring options for a recurring series of concerts to showcase members’ works. The Sonic Circuits Working Group is planning a series of events that will take place in August as part of the Forum’s Sonic Circuits International Festival of Electronic Music and Art. To date, area Sonic Circuits concerts are scheduled at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, George Mason University, and the Levine School of Music. A club show is being lined up, as well as a workshop, and a companion event in Baltimore.

CHAPTER MEETING FOCUSES ON COMPOSER RESIDENCIES

(APRIL 2002) At the chapter’s February meeting, composers Gregg Martin and David Gaines presented new work. Martin’s piece, a work for choir and organ, was completed as part of his Community Partners project at All Souls Church. Gaines presented single movements from his symphony and a euphonium concerto.

CHAPTER LAUNCHES THREE NEW COMPOSER RESIDENCIES

(APRIL 2002) The chapter is launching three new Community Partners projects. Composer Anna Larson will work with Theatre & Song, Inc., a nonprofit organization that offers summer musical theater workshops for young people. Composer Emily Spitz and playwright-lyricist Bari Biern will work with students at the Fillmore Arts Center's summer camp to develop and perform a new work. Jessica Krash will compose a large-scale work for string orchestra with harp soloist to coincide with the dedication of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School’s new building.

SIBELIUS MUSIC NOTATION SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATION

(APRIL 2002) The chapter hosted a free Sibelius 2 notation software demonstration with Robin Hodson at the Levine School of Music on Tuesday, March 26.

JAZZ ARTISTS TO LEAD WORKSHOPS WITH STUDENTS

(MARCH 2002) The chapter has arranged for jazz artists Dave Burrell and William Parker to lead workshops with local students. The students will perform this May at the D.C. Vision Festival.

MARTIN CONTINUES WORK AT ALL SOULS

(MARCH 2002) The first part of composer Gregg Martin's Community Partners collaboration with All Souls Unitarian Church culminated on Christmas Eve with the premiere of a new work written specifically for the congregation. Martin is currently working on a composition for the congregation's teen ensemble with choir.

CHAPTER MEETING FEATURES PERSINGER AND GUITAR

(FEBRUARY 2002) On Dec. 8, the chapter's December meeting included a presentation of new works by composer-members, as well as an update on recent activities of the chapter and a discussion about future activities. Shawn Persinger presented and performed new works and demonstrated "The Art of Modern/Primitive Guitar: An amalgamation of 20th-century 'Serious' music and the Avant-Garde with a touch of Pop sensibility." The meeting was held at The Musical Source.

CHAPTER PLANS FOR SONIC CIRCUITS

(FEBRUARY 2002) The chapter has formed a working group to plan local events as part of this year's Sonic Circuits Festival of Electronic Arts. Expanding on last year's successful programming, the chapter is planning several concerts, as well as workshops and panel discussions.

PASSING OF THE BATON

(OCTOBER 2001) After more than two years, Jessica Krash – director of the Forum's Washington, D.C. Chapter – has stepped down from her post in order to devote more time to composing.

"I have enjoyed working with the Forum immensely," Krash says. "I especially enjoyed meeting the dynamic and often truly brave community leaders who gave me such a different – and better – picture of Washington than the one I'd grown up with."

Among her upcoming projects, Krash will be writing a chamber opera, a harp concerto for high school orchestra, and a large solo piano piece. She also plans to remain active as a chapter member.

"Jessica has brought her wisdom, perspective, and energy to the Forum," says Director of Chapters Bob Peskin. "The Washington, D.C. Chapter is doing amazing things, and we owe its success to Jessica's superb work."

Rather than leave the chapter director position unfilled while a search for a successor is conducted, the Forum has asked Jonathan Matis to serve as interim director.

Matis studied composition at Connecticut College and the Hartt School of Music. A guitarist, he performs regularly in the D.C. area. Matis recently served as the coordinator for the Washington, D.C. Chapter's Sonic Circuits concerts.

PROJECT PAYS TRIBUTE TO NEIGHBORHOOD'S JAZZ HERITAGE

(OCTOBER 2001) As part of the chapter's Community Partners project with the Shaw Heritage Trust, jazz composer and vocalist Cathy Elliott led music workshops for teens at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage. The project culminated in a performance at the opening of I Remember U, the center's museum exhibit honoring D.C.'s U Street neighborhood. U Street had been the center of the city's African-American cultural life when the city was segregated. The neighborhood, which included many of the great jazz clubs, is currently enjoying a cultural revival.

To celebrate the opening, Elliott composed I Remember U – a Tribute to Jazz Greats Past and Present. The piece included recordings of local oral histories collected by the teens in her summer classes.

Elliott sang the piece backed by an ensemble of established and emerging local musicians, including Buck Hill (saxophone), Calvin Jones (trombone), Webster Young (trumpet), Nasar Abadey (drums), Steve Novoseo (bass), and Aaron Graves (piano). The performance, which received a lengthy standing ovation, moved much of the audience to tears and laughter as they remembered the history of their neighborhood. The event was organized by Lori Dodson and Janet Pressler and funded by The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

SONIC CIRCUITS HOSTED BY DC CHAPTER

(SEPTEMBER 2001) On August 13 and 14, the chapter hosted two concerts as part of the Sonic Circuits International Festival of Electronic Music and Art – one on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage and the other at the Levine School of Music's Kunen Theater. Both played to capacity houses. The performances, which integrated live and recorded electro-acoustic music and video, were organized by Jonathan Matis and Chapter Director Jessica Krash. As part of a collaboration between the chapter and the Baltimore Composers Forum (not affiliated with the ACF), most of the featured composers were from the Baltimore and D.C. areas.

Download a complete list of performers and works presented.

For more information on Sonic Circuits, visit SonicCircuits.com or contact Philip Blackburn at (651) 228-1407, x2823.

GATHER THE TROOPS
The Forum Holds Annual Meeting and Chapter Conference

(JULY 2001) From July 13-16, the Humanities Education Center in St. Paul played host to the Forum's yearly Chapter Conference. Chapter Directors and National Staff used the occasion to exchange programming ideas, address the challenges of the chapter system's rapid growth, and facilitate better communication between the 10 regional chapters and the national office.

On July 14, Forum members and members of the board of directors joined conference participants for the organization's Annual Meeting. Marking the new fiscal year, the gathering began with the final meeting of the Forum's 2001 board and concluded with the 2002 board's inaugural meeting. Plenty of time was also allowed for a celebration of the past year's successes, including presentations honoring those who made them possible.

TWO NEW WORKS RESULT FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROJECTS

(MARCH/APRIL 2001) Community Partners projects recently yielded two premieres. On March 22, an ensemble of student and professional musicians at Georgetown Visitation School performed Maurice Saylor's Serenade for Orchestra. Then, on April 3 and 8, Haskell Small's Fantasy of the Red-Eyed Creature was premiered by the Mount Vernon Orchestra, under the baton of Ulysses James. Small created the piece with third graders as part of his residency at Fort Hunt Elementary School.

INTERNATIONAL HUMANITIES SUPPORT NEW DC PROGRAMING

(FEBRUARY 2001) The chapter recently received a grant from International Humanities, Inc., a foundation that focuses on music, especially for young people. The grant will support the Community Partners Program in the D.C. area.

NEW PROJECT EXPLORES HISTORY AND HERITAGE WITH WASHINGTON PARKS & PEOPLE

(FEBRUARY 2001) Among the Community Partners projects currently under development is a collaboration with Washington Parks and People on a performance at Malcolm X Park/Meridian Hill. The performance will explore the history and heritage of the park and its neighborhood. Work is also under way on a composer residency with the Patricia M. Sitar Community Music School in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. Children taking music, art, and dance classes at the school will work with a Forum composer to create a computer-music piece that combines their voices with music from their various cultures.

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS WORKS BY WARREN AND CAMPBELL HILMY

(DECEMBER 2000) On Dec. 9, the chapter held its monthly meeting. Composer Ron Warren discussed the ways his American Indian heritage influences his work, motivating him to write music that is spiritual in its effect. He also discussed the American Indian approach to instruments. Referring to his wooden flute, he explained how it is believed that the wood is still alive, and the musician's job is to see what the wood wants to say. Composer Steven Campbell Hilmy also presented two works, each influenced by a poem, to illustrate various ways that poetry could be a source of inspiration for composers.

MEYER AND CAFRITZ SUPPORT COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING

(NOVEMBER 2000) The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation both recently committed their support to the Community Partners Program in the D.C. area. Several Community Partners projects are already slated for the coming year, with more to be announced. Projects already scheduled include a celebration of U Street neighborhood (D.C.'s center of African-American culture when the city was officially segragated) jazz heritage at the Thurgood Marshall Center; a work derived from stories of people living with mental illness and HIV at Community Connections, a nonprofit supporting those struggling with mental illness; and a collaboration between the Levine School/Southeast, a community music school, and the African Continuum Theater Company. The new grants will allow the chapter to expand this list of projects in process.