Drawing Music :: Ecstatic Music Festival 2012 : Dan Deacon

A chance, post-sunset email encounter brought me to the Merkin Concert Hall last night for the Ecstatic Music Festival's premiere of Dan Deacon's new composition. I was impressed by his concert "happening" during last year's Ecstatic Music Festival (captured in drawings and ruminations here >), and was curious to see what will be his new program. The show was streaming live on NPR, so maybe some of you heard it or will hear it as the recording goes up. It was exquisite, performed by the composer himself, NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet . I really loved it. Couldn't help but hear "Music for 18 Musicians" by Steve Reich throughout the piece, which must have really influenced Dan Deacon. All in all, I am really into whatever it is this composer is doing, his taste level and the choices that he makes.  Now, if only I could get a recording onto my playlist...mmm...

So, as I was listening and watching from the balcony, I drew on the iPad. 

An Opal Toad with Obsidian Eyes (2012) by Dan Deacon. NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet at the Merkin Concert Hall
drawn on my iPad

Two members of Calder Quartet, playing pizzicato.
drawn on my iPad  

An Opal Toad with Obsidian Eyes (2012) by Dan Deacon. NOW Ensemble and Calder Quartet at the Merkin Concert Hall
drawn on my iPad

Dan Deacon with laptop and cables, and a member of Calder Quartet
drawn on my iPad 

Calder Quartet performing Glitch by Daniel Wohl. *loved*
drawn on my iPad 

A shout-out to Judd Greenstein, the composer who organizes and curates Ecstatic Music Festival. Nice to see you again! Till next year.

Drawing Music :: Ecstatic Music Festival's Grand Finale

Here are a few drawings from the Ecstatic Music Festival's closing concert at the Merkin Concert Hall that took place on March 28 of 2011. Drummer and composer Bobby Previte premiered 'Terminals' with So Percussion, Zeena Parkins (harp/electric harp), John Medeski (piano, Hammond organ), Jen Shuy (er hu, voice)  and DJ Olive (turntables, computer).

So Percussion and Jen Shuy

 Zeena Parkins on harp and So Percussion's Josh Quillen

 

John Medeski

 

Bobby Previte

 

 

DJ Olive and So Percussion's Eric Beach

 

Jen Shuy playing Er Hu

Congratulations and thanks to composer and Ecstatic's curator Judd Greenstein for his first [amazing] music festival! It lasted from January 17 untill March 28 and showcased a constellation of most unusual and interesting musical explorers. I attended a few shows. Here is a recap, with thoughts written and drawn:

Judd Greenstein with Olga Bell

Roomful of Teeth

So Percussion with Dan Deacon

Drawing Music :: Ecstatic Music Festival : Judd Greenstein & Olga Bell

"Heritage":  Composer Judd Greenstein performing Sh'lomo. 

drawn on paper + iPhone

Another beautiful Ecstatic Music Festival event!  This time, it was the festival's curator himself who was on stage. Judd Greenstein, an immensely talented New York-born-and-raised composer, presented 4 movements from Sh'lomo. The work tells the story of King Solomon and the Jewish people. Judd Greenstein brings his heritage and the wisdom of ancestors to modern life through shimmering voices of singers and his pulsating music. Truly ecstatic. 

I left humming the last musical phrase from Sh'lomo.  Turned out, I was not the only one...

Stage full of musicians.  Judd Greenstein's Sh'lomo. 

drawn on paper + iPhone

 

Singers from "Roomful of Teeth" performing Sh'lomo's 1st movement "These are the Sons of Israel". 

drawn on paper + iPhone

Composer Judd Greenstein performing Sh'lomo. 

drawn on paper + iPhone

Judd Greenstein shared the stage with Olga Bell, a Moscow-born/Alaskan-raised/New York-based musician and composer. Olga presented an ambitious piece in 7 movements that told the story of Russia's frontier lands. It is titled Krai and is sung in Russian. Similar to Judd Greenstein, Olga draws on her heritage, folk fables and even an ancient Orthodox prayer. 

Musician and composer Olga Bell (left) performing Krai. 

drawn on paper + iPhone

 There are more Ecstatic Music Festival shows coming up >

Drawing Music :: Ecstatic Music Festival : Roomful of Teeth

 Choir Roomful of Teeth

Last night, my artist friend Audrey and I were in for a real treat at the Lincoln Center's Merkin Hall at Kaufman Center. The curator of an on-going Ecstatic Music Festival, composer Judd Greenstein, invited us to draw during the concert of "Roomful of Teeth". Great name for an impressive choir of 8 young masterful singers and their artistic director Brad Wells.

 Brad Wells, The Artistic Director and Conductor for Roomful of Teeth

The four women and four men comprising "Roomful of Teeth" are classically-trained vocalists who mesh both academia and folklore in their repertoire and techniques. The choir performed numerous pieces by young composer/performers Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs), William Brittelle & Caleb Burhans, who were also present.

   Conductor's Hands

For the second part of the concert, "Roomful of Teeth" collaborated with Merrill Garbus, a very interesting musician.

Merrill Garbus / Color of Rain

Merrill, among other things, studies vocal techniques from around the world. She's like the voice and song anthropologist, focusing particularity on Central African style. Last night she said she'd like to dedicate the performance to the women of Central Africa. Merrill had a red drum by her side. She'd record a quick loop at the beginning of each new piece that would become the rhythmic backdrop. As for the vocalizations that were produced - well, they were incredible. From yodeling to throat singing, interlaced with opera-like solos and harmonies to make one all goose-bumped, the vocal tapestries lingered in my head long after the show was over.

Merrill Garbus with a drum and ukulele, weaving a vocal tapestry

 Merrill Garbus with four women from Roomful of Teeth

What is it about the human voice that gets you from the inside like no other instrument? It must be the one sound we relate to alike, regardless of culture and upbringing. It's recognizable from the moment we are born. No, even before that, from the womb. The power of human voice rises above all other sounds. It's raw emotion.

 Blossoming voices

As I listened, I kept thinking of how to illustrate this vocal performance. It's not the actual singers, but their singing that I was drawing. A voice rather than the person. I couldn't help but draw leaves and flowers. It felt right. The voices blossomed and swooned into imaginary bouquets and floral arrangements, or grew like wild green masses.

 Caleb Burhans on electric violin

Big thanks to Judd, and also Joan from the Kaufman Center, for this opportunity. It was an unforgettable evening! I wish I could attend it all over again. And have a recording to listen to.

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There are a number of amazing shows still coming up in February and March. Do check them out. Music is changing and the Ecstatic Music Festival is dedicated to all things emerging and never heard before. >> 

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Here are drawings from another cool Ecstatic Music Festival show I attended last month >>

Drawing Music :: Sō Percussion with Dan Deacon

So Percussion and Dan Deacon

On February 20, as part of the Ecstatic Music Festival at Merkin Concert Hall, Sō Percussion collaborated with composer Dan Deacon for a night of unprecedented experimental music. Imagine: the audience was orchestrated to play their cell phones, and musicians on stage jammed with fizzing carbonated soft drinks.  These are the highlights from that mind-blowing night. 

Dan Deacon and the noise-making audience. 

Somehow, when you consider anthropological origins of music, that show is not so far out all of a sudden. Contextually, it's a product of it's time and serves the same purpose as it did for, say, aborigines centuries ago. 


Prehistoric music originated from imitations of nature sounds and animal sounds by humans for reasons of communication and survival.  Language developed alongside, on a parallel path. Fast forward to 21 century and we still imitate our immediate surroundings through music and language in order to exchange emotions and ideas. In the case of Sō & Dan Deacon's sold out performance, it was cell phones (primary communication device) and sweetened carbonated soft drinks (big part of our diet). Imagine 500 strangers who synchronize their mobile devices to "perform" together, and who are told to yell-stomp-clap-sing-breathe together. 15 minutes into the aural madness, the crowd managed to get into a strangely tribal groove. The experience of this half-hour mass noise production was quite…bonding, actually. Our group cacophony was the thing that made us one. It made us feel so good, in fact, that there were massive outbursts of laughter. Anthropologists wonder whether musicality was naturally selected over non-musicality as an attribute of survival. Why? Because it's a non-violent way to resolve conflict. 

So Percussion playing with soda.

*Drawn on my iPhone

Composer Dan Deacon

Now, I'm not a sociologist, nor an anthropologist. I'm an artist whose job is "to make drawings, not sense" (William Kentridge said that.) I admire Dan Deacon for the way he thinks and plays with ideas (good pun?). As for Sō Percussion, they never seize to amaze. I love how daring they are in pushing the limits of possible. And yet they always manage beautiful harmonies and hypnotizing rhythmic patterns.  Here are more drawings from that night.

 So Percussion's magic

p.s. CHECK OUT a sweet review of the same concert by my dear friend Audrey Hawkins, with some stunning drawings