WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

Tonight!!!

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

Ben Kono, Rob Mosher, Ed Xiques (woodwinds), Phil Rodriguez (trumpet/flügelhorn), Deborah Weisz, (trombone), Tom Beckham (vibraphone), Megan Levin, (harp), Amanda Monaco, Mike Baggetta (electric guitars), Carmen Staaf, Aaron Kotler, (keyboards), Jared Soldiviero,  Nicola Cannizzaro (percussion), Charenee Wade, Nicky Schrire, Sara Serpa, Jean Rohe, Becca Stevens (voices), Ana Milosavljevic, Scott Tixier (violins), Nick Revel, Brian Lindgren (violas), Will Martina, Lauren Riley-Rigby (violoncellos), Steve Whipple, (bass), Joseph C. Phillips Jr., (conductor, composer)

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the other installments of the Inside Vipassana series:

2010 series
Inside Vipassana #11: Vipassana Reborn (recap of the 2009 Inside Vipassana series)

Inside Vipassana #12: Bang a Gong with Jared Soldiviero (Numinous percussionist speaks about Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #13:  Ever changing stillness (behind the melodies of Stillness Flows Ever Changing)

Inside Vipassana #14: Electric Lady (Amanda Monaco, Guitar, and Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #15: The Dharma in Music (Vipassana, a journey of reflection)

Inside Vipassana #16: 'Cello Song (interview with Numinous cellists Will Martina and Lauren Riley-Rigby)

Inside Vipassana #17: Feel the Vibes with Tom Beckham (Vibraphone and Vipassana)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 7:03 AM 

Vibraphone has always been a part of Numinous. In fact before I even had a group, in those dark times when I was only just planning how best to execute dominion over the musical establishment, I dreamed of having a music ensemble that included the vibraphone. Now some people might think this is because of Steve Reich and Musicians. In reality Steve and his 'band' were only a small part of my thought process. It really was much earlier in my career, long before I even knew who Steve Reich was, that the love of the vibraphone began.

Most likely it began, where so many first loves began, in high school. The set of vibes the school had were always so tantalizing close where they sat in the percussion section of my high school band. I couldn't really touch them, since I wasn't a percussionist, but I always wanted to. Every time someone played them, my ears perked up and my desire grew. I can't really explain why I liked the vibes, perhaps it was the tintinnabuli sound since I think I am predisposed toward bells (a secret desire of mine (not so secret now) is to write for a hand bell choir! Hey out there bell choir world, I'm open to commissions...). But the vibes, with its warm and roundness of tone, only hints at bell-ness so I guess the real answer is I just liked how it sounded. Simple. 

So when Numinous began, the vibraphone was definitely going to be part of it. And years after the beginning, when I was writing Vipassana, I thought TWO vibes would be heaven! However, ever since last year, I have broken up my 'Noah's Ark' of instruments in Vipassana and replaced the second vibraphone with harp. Initially this was for pragmatic reasons, as chronicled in Inside Vipassana #3, but since then it is because I just love having the harp in the group. But the one vibraphone still has quite the heavy lifting in Vipassana, including a solo feature in "Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth" and some intricate rhythmic work (with the harp) in "Into all the Valleys Evening Journeys". And since the beginning of this journey that is Vipassana, the person doing a wonderful job with the demanding vibraphone requirements is Tom Beckham. So I thought it would be fun to hear what it is like playing Vipassana from his vantage point.

In Vipassana the vibraphone generally has a prominent role in the  piece, particularly in the first and third movements. What kind of musical or technical challenges does the music create for you? 
The First movement  is really fun to play because it has tight ensemble sections, some nice chordal passages for the vibes, and later, an improvised duet with vibes and piano. Stylistically speaking, it really has the best of both worlds. The third movement seems to be more technically difficult movement for vibes. The challenge has always been to be rhythmically articulate, precise, and relaxed-sounding.

As a longstanding member of Numinous, how has performing Vipassana changed for you over the 5 years we've been playing it?
As time goes by, I find it easier to hear and appreciate the different ensemble sections while performing the piece. The process of recording music, committing it to  CD has also changed my perception of the piece. I definitely feel more familiar with it's narrative as a result of going through that process.

What do you like about Vipassana?
I like that it strives to combine different aspects or genres of music. It aims to challenge the listener.  As a performer, the part I like the most is that feeling that I get of "having meditated" after performing the concert. It's that feeling you get after being involved in a thought process which is taking you outside of normal flow. I hope to feel this at the end of each performance--that feeling of being involved in a process–being transported.

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
Everywhere, everything!  Especially through my family and my two and a half year old daughter, but also including: animals, ocean life, trees/forests, twilight, certain food, art, sound, laughter, the list is endless. Hopefully, as artists, we are all trying to be a part of a process of discovering 'what is beautiful'. I think if an artist is not involved in that process then he or she should ask oneself  what they value about the music they are drawn to, and how they would characterize it.

Who are your musician heroes? 
My musical Superhero list would have to include the great vibraphonists Milt Jackson and Gary Burton. They have really done the lion's share of innovation on the instrument. Whatever I am doing today most likely has a connection to something that those two musicians have put out there in the world.

What's your favorite Bjork and/or Gustav Mahler piece? Why?
I really like "It's Not Up To You" from Vespertine because of the way this tune opens up. The voices help make it lift off. I also like "All Neon Like" from Homogenic--the melodic and harmonic choices are compelling, and the groove is organic, heavy, and deep. 

In addition to being a musician, you are a graphic artist so if you could have designed any logo/design what would it be (i.e. what graphic design do you find pleasing/inspirational)? Why?
The Coke Logo (for obvious financial reasons, ha ha!, just kidding.). Seriously, I am inspired by good typography and type design of any period, as well as ornament and design from 1900-1979. I am also currently renewing my love for Dr.Seuss' and Charlie Harper's body of work.

What is a book(s) that have inspired you? 
Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet.

What was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something? 
While driving my car at 55 mph with all the windows down on 4th avenue, Brooklyn, in January.

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
I once played a gig on my instrument without a dampening bar. For all you non-vibists, the dampening bar is the thing that keeps the notes from sustaining. Not having one is like having someone pressing their foot down on the sustain pedal on a piano for the whole night. Anyway, for this particular gig, we were supposed to perform one of tunes from the "Blues on Bach" record by the MJQ. I had very little materials at the time to improvise an effective dampening system, so I eventually had to play the entire gig by muting the sounds of the instrument with either my hands, or with my mallets. It was an exercise I won't soon forget because it really made me think about the length of the notes that I would play, etc.

What's next up for you in your own music career?
Aside from other recording projects, I'm pulling my own music together for a vibes/guitar quartet project called "Slice", and I'm also continuing to fill out music for what will become the 3rd CD for my five-piece group.

You can learn more about Tom at www.tombeckham.net

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the other installments of theInside Vipassana series:

2010 series
Inside Vipassana #11: Vipassana Reborn (recap of the 2009 Inside Vipassana series)

Inside Vipassana #12: Bang a Gong with Jared Soldiviero (Numinous percussionist speaks about Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #13:  Ever changing stillness (behind the melodies of Stillness Flows Ever Changing)

Inside Vipassana #14: Electric Lady (Amanda Monaco, Guitar, and Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #15: The Dharma in Music (Vipassana, a journey of reflection)

Inside Vipassana #16: 'Cello Song (interview with Numinous cellists Will Martina and Lauren Riley-Rigby)

(photo credits, from top to bottom: photo from the artist; photo by Marcy Begian)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:17 AM 

Cello is my favorite string instrument. In college during my methods classes (this is where we learned how to teach each instrument by having to learn to play each instrument) I remember that semester excitingly walking with my cello every day 2 miles from the university campus bus stop to my home in order to practice. In my methods class we had French horn players, singers, pianists, clarinetists, and saxophonists like me; and all of us trying to make sense of bow grips and left hand positions. But I remember it all being great fun. Our teacher was the cello instructor of the university, so she actually had pretty high expectations which was wonderful because she really expected us to know how to play. She had us write arrangements for cello choir, which we, as a class, had to perform. I remember (and still have copies of) a number of my little compositions and arrangements. I was especially fond of two pieces: one which referenced the opening of the 1st Symphony of Brahms; the other, my arrangement of the opening of the Prelude from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde!

For my undergraduate senior saxophone recital I composed Urban Sketches for Alto Saxophone and Violoncello for a cello friend of mine and me to play (actually we used to have late night improvised jam sessions, the result of which lead me to actually composing a 'formal' piece, Urban Sketches, for us to play). I still love the piece (which you can hear at the above link) especially for how the cello and saxophone can be so sonically similar with a warmth of tone, as well as an easy flexibility and dexterity. One of the things on my 'to-do-someday' bucket list is to write a cello 'concerto' or a piece for cello choir or at least a major piece that features the cello in some fashion.

Now Vipassana doesn't specifically 'feature' the cello, except in a few spots, but my love of the instrument does come through in various passages. And for a number of years now I've been fortunate to have two wonderful cello players (and great persons) playing those passages with beauty and excellent musicianship: William Martina and Lauren Riley-Rigby. So I asked them a few questions about their experience with Vipassana.

Hearing about my composition a number of people have asked me, "Have you done the Vipassana meditation retreat?" or "Is the piece inspired by doing the Vipassana retreat?" I always have to answer "no, I haven't done the retreat." This is not from lack of interest however, but rather a lack of time as the  retreat can be either a 10-day or 30-day stay (totally free, BTW). For those of you that don't know about Vipassana or the "noble silence" that is the Meditation retreat, in the very first Inside Vipassana series post (October 2009), I explained how I came to know about it through an article in TimeOutNY in which the author does the 10-day retreat, and which I hope to do myself someday.

www.dhamma.org explains Vipassana thusly:
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years ago and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art Of Living. 

[A] non-sectarian technique...Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory journey to the common root of mind and body that dissolves mental impurity, resulting in a balanced mind full of love and compassion. 

And while my composition Vipassana does not flower from the meditation, it does have similar goals as the above description. John Adams called his composition On the Transmigration of Souls a "memory space" for the victims of September 11th, 2001 and I think of my Vipassana functioning similarly, however as a space for a 'journey of reflection' toward one's self. It is not a hippie tune in, bliss out or new age-y crystals and chants, but rather Vipassana is a simple and humble medium that allows listeners to be active in reflecting on their own emotions and thoughts. Actually, my Numinous tag-line "Listen. Feel. Think. Know" is quite appropriate here, for after the hour-long journey through Vipassana and through the self, that one can emerge energized, refreshed, and inspired, is what I would hope listeners experience.

More information: Vipassana Meditation (www.dhamma.org) or Insight Meditation Center (www.dharma.org)

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the other installments of theInside Vipassana series:

2010 series
Inside Vipassana #11: Vipassana Reborn (recap of the 2009 Inside Vipassana series)

Inside Vipassana #12: Bang a Gong with Jared Soldiviero (Numinous percussionist speaks about Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #13:  Ever changing stillness (behind the melodies of Stillness Flows Ever Changing)

Inside Vipassana #14: Electric Lady (Amanda Monaco, Guitar, and Vipassana)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:00 AM 

Now you might not suspect it, but when I was younger I was the lead guitarist of a short lived synth-pop-rock band (think Rush meets Tangerine Dream). Actually I wasn't very good, as I only started learning the guitar just before starting the band (for you guitar-heads, I had a black Yamaha (Pacifica?) with a small Fender amp). But I became good enough that I was able to use the guitar to play and compose a number of songs (some of which, I'll transform into a Numinous opus one of these days). Anyway back in those days I was listening to rock guitarists for inspiration: Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Alex Lifeson, Steve Howe, Prince and later moved to people like Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. Sure I heard (and liked some) other guitarists like George Benson, Lee Ritenour and Al Di Meola (surprisingly knowing me now, Pat Metheny not to mention Grant Green and Wes Montgomery, came much later). So back then my conception of the guitar's usage was much more rock based.

It probably wasn't until years later, after moving to Seattle, that my compositional concept of the guitar changed. When I joined the Seattle Young Composers Collective (now called the Degenerate Art Ensemble) as a player/composer, I was inspired by the guitarists in the group who often, it seemed to me, to write the most interesting music and whose usage of the guitar was so intriguing. Sure they used the guitar to create power chords and screaming lines, but also they used the guitar to create subtle colors, weird effects, or melodic lines with other instruments in the ensemble. Seeing and hearing this as part of the ensemble was a revelation in my thoughts of what a guitar can do and lead me to explore it when I moved to NYC.

For Vipassana, I wanted guitars because they can offer all of those things above. There are some places in the music where the guitars are used for their chordal ability, but mostly the guitars are playing melodic figures. And a guitar solo gliding over gentle waves created by a two piano figure and long, languid sustained pitches heard in the voices, was always one of the features I envisioned as I was composing "Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth". And ever since Vipassana's second performance, including on our recording, the person doing those beautiful guitar solos has been Amanda Monaco. 

So I asked Amanda a few questions about her experiences with guitar and with Vipassana.

How did you come to playing the guitar?
My dad played guitar, so I wanted to be like him and play guitar too. He had a band in high school with three of his six brothers, and used to tell me stories about the gigs my grandmother would book for them.

What challenges does Vipassana pose for you as a guitarist? what is it like being in a guitar 'section'?
I love being in a guitar ‘section’! Guitar is such a social instrument to begin with, so the more, the better, and when the parts intertwine the way they do in Vipassana, it’s a great time. This is also where the biggest challenge of Vipassana lies, because all of the individual lines sound effortless but in fact are quite intricate and one wrong note can lead to big trouble.

What do you like about Vipassana?
Vipassana is incredibly moving; I always feel like I’m on a journey whenever we play it.


What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
I usually notice beauty when I’m not looking for it; I’ll be walking down the street and I’ll see some flowers tucked away in a tiny front yard, or a little cat sitting in the window, curious about the sidewalk happenings.

Who are your musician heroes?
There are so many, but my top four: Ted Dunbar, Jim Hall, Eddie Van Halen (circa 1981), Wes Montgomery.

If you could be flying over any place in the world, where would it be? why?
My favorite place to fly over is Central Park. Being a runner, and having spent so much time there, it’s one of those places that is very dear to me.

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
One book is John Coltrane by Lewis Porter. It’s inspiring when you read about how hard he worked, and the beauty that came from his hard work.

What was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something?
I was sitting on a dock by the East River, watching the sunset, looking at its rays resting on the water, with the breeze blowing through the grass and trees. The world felt eternal and majestic, very peaceful.

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
I love doing counted-cross stitch. When I was a kid, I used to make these huge pictures of flowers, “home sweet home” samplers, etc. and now I make little pictures for friends when I get the chance.

What's next up for you in your own music career?
I’m writing music for a new CD that I will record soon with my quartet (aka Deathblow: Michaël Attias, alto and baritone saxophones; Sean Conly, bass; Satoshi Takeishi, drums). I’ve also started a non-profit organization called the Long Island City Jazz Alliance (http://www.licja.org) whose mission is to bring jazz to the neighborhood of Long Island City, Queens, through concerts and workshops. There’s also a CD of music I recorded of original music inspired by texts from the Pirke Avot, a collection of rabbinic teachings compiled in the third century C.E., that I’m hoping to release in the next year. It features Ayelet Rose Gottlieb (vocals), Daphna Mor (recorders, ney), Sean Conly (bass), and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion).

You can learn more about Amanda at www.amandamonaco.com.

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the other installments of the Inside Vipassana series:

2010 series
Inside Vipassana #11: Vipassana Reborn (recap of the 2009 Inside Vipassana series)

Inside Vipassana #12: Bang a Gong with Jared Soldiviero (Numinous percussionist speaks about Vipassana)

Inside Vipassana #13:  Ever changing stillness (behind the melodies of Stillness Flows Ever Changing)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:50 AM 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010
Reviews of Vipassana sometimes cite Steve Reich as a general and Music for 18 Musicians as a specific influence. Indeed while there are moments in some movements where the comparison is apt (and very flattering), the totality of Vipassana, in particular the second and the final movements, are much removed from Reich and 18. Whereas 18 is built on the repetition of churning short overlapping rhythmic cells, "Stillness Flows Ever Changing" flows from weaving chains of larger melodic passages. Often these melodies are temporally distinct from one another: a melody of longer tones slowly moving in counterpoint against a more rhythmically active one. This happens throughout the piece. Two examples are: in the middle of the piece, Ben Kono's soprano saxophone floats on top of slow waves of melody from the strings with the piano, clarinet, and guitars moving at a more judicious pace; and near the end, with the trombone melodically heralding above a sweeping, long lined string melody, pulsing vibraphone and piano, and undulating flute, harp, tenor saxophone, glockenspiel. Another moment to directly illustrate this is from early in "Stillness" (shown below in a transposed score, minus the voices and a few other instruments): the English Horn throughout this section is moving at a much gentler pace than say the guitar and piano, who are spinning out a much faster, snakier melody and the violins and violas in a more middle ground between the two. 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010

Now there are no gongs in Vipassana but percussion is an important aspect of the composition. Whether it is adding rhythmic energy and drive or coloristic effects, there is a wide range of the function of percussion in the piece. There is a balance between things being written out completely (where I'm very specific to what I want instrument-wise as well as musically) and places where I give instructions on the effect or type of color I'm looking for, but the percussionist is free to choose how to make that happen. So this is why having someone who is classically trained, but able to play in a more free and loose way is very important and I'm lucky to have people who can do both equally well. Numinous percussionist, Jared Soldiviero is one of those type of musicians and so to find out what's it like banging and shaking his way through Vipassana I asked him some questions about the experience.

Tell us something about your background as a percussionist. 
My first musical memories were of my parents record collection, a treasure trove of classic rock, blues and soul from the late 50s onward.  I loved records and there are photos of me when I was 2 or 3 years old with big headphones on, holding onto John and Yoko'sDouble Fantasy album ("Watching the Wheels" was my favorite song.)  My dad played guitar as a hobby and I naturally took to the rhythmic side of music.  To make a long story short, I started taking drum lessons in the 3rd grade and started learning more classical percussion in high school.  Now I play mostly orchestral percussion or contemporary music.  I love big setups with lots of different percussion instruments, because I'm still a drummer at heart.  And next year, I'll finally get to play drums again, so things have come full circle.

What are some of the many different instruments you use in performing Vipassana? what challenges does that pose to you in the piece?
There are a large range of percussion instruments, from metals to drums and even some woodblock.  I use cymbals, triangles, many different shakers, a djembe (African hand drum), a cajon (a wooden box played with hands), and woodblock, to name a few.  The challenge in the piece is to find the right sound to match the right moment.  Sometimes the piece will call for a shaker, but it's up to me to determine what kind of shaker sound fits for that moment in the piece.  If there is a loud moment I'll need a shaker that can project through that sound, whereas there are moments where I'm the only person playing and I need to make the softest sound possible.  On the more practical side, I need to count very carefully during the piece because there are moments where the percussionists are allowed to be totally creative and improvisational.  But I still need to know where I am so if there is a big musical change, I can be right there with everybody else. 

What do you like about Vipassana?
My favorite thing about Vipassana is the fact that it is very difficult to categorize.  The musicians must be comfortable having their feet in many worlds at once.  Improvisation is important but there are written melodies that need to be played beautifully as well.  Everyone in the group must have extremely tight rhythm to keep the huge piece moving forward.  You can hear the influence of so many composers/musicians and the joy is in recognizing those influences and bringing out special things about each one to make the piece feel alive.  Personally, I enjoy playing in a large group where it feels as though everyone really believes in the music.  The sense of togetherness onstage during a performance of Vipassana is something I don't get to feel so often, especially in a traditional orchestra!

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
I grew up on Staten Island and have been a city boy all my life.  Beauty for me is not only in nature but also in architecture and design. I love cities for this reason.  One of my mantras is 'simple pleasures' since I can find as much beauty in the enjoyment of watermelon, for example, as I can in listening to the St. Matthew Passion!  Speaking of baroque music, the most beautiful kind for me is from the early Baroque period, particularly the opera written in Venice at the time.  Nature: when I was in Vermont this past summer, there were nights when I finally got to experience something I missed growing up in New York: "big sky."  After some of our outdoor concerts, we would stay and wait for the crowd to leave.  Once all the light was gone on the ground, we could see unobstructed sky: planets, satellites, shooting stars, everything.  I was telling my friend, I can't believe it took 30 years for me to see sky this clear and unblemished by ambient light on the ground.  Truly marvelous.

Who are your musician heroes?
First and foremost, Bach. Then, Francesco Cavalli, a composer of some of the most melodious and beautiful opera from the 17th century, filled with humanity, humor and soul.  To enter a completely different world, I would say that Michael Jackson was a prime influence on me, growing up.  I have vivid memories of listening to each album of his as they were released, knowing all of his dance moves from all of his videos and playing drum set along with his records.  Having my parents record collection at a young age exposed me to bluesmen, classic rock and even 80s music.  One of my favorite songs as a kid was "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits and that band is still one of my favorite rock bands of all time.  Likewise, Kate Bush will forever hold a place in my heart as a truly original and incredibly creative and influential artist.  In jazz, I'm a devoted Charles Mingus fan and Keith Jarrett disciple.  I love choirs, from Bach cantatas to gospel to the Bulgarian Women's Choir to Percy Grainger to Mahler symphonies.

What's your favorite Bjork and/or Gustav Mahler piece? why?
I don't feel as though I could choose a favorite of either!  But I always love Mahler scherzos.  The 2nd movement of Symphony 1, the 3rd movement of Symphony 2, etc.. They are so schizophrenic!  Going from a mysterious and slithering melody to a grotesque waltz in a split second.  I love the contrasts he finds in structure, orchestration, melody, harmony or anything else.  I feel Mahler was the last great symphonist and if it's said that a great symphony should be like an entire world in one piece of music, then Mahler's complete symphonies must be like an entire universe?

I know you are a big Yankees fan, so if you could have been a member of any Yankee team in history, which one would it be and why?
Tough question!  But I would say with certainty that I'd have wanted to be on the 1996 team.  Since I was born in 1980, it wasn't until 1996 that I knew how it felt when my team won the World Series (now I'm quite used to the feeling...GO YANKS!)  Also, I'm glad to have grown up a Yankees fan, because it helps to deflect the criticism of grumpy baseball fans bemoaning the "Evil Empire" and all its twists and turns over the years.  I was born a Yankee fan and will stay that way!

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks is inspirational in the sense that you can feel how much of a humanist the author is.  His loving descriptions of his patients and their particular illnesses really highlights the fact that they are people first, case studies second.  It inspired me to hold fast to the adage of not judging a book by its cover.  Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino inspired me to find beauty in cities wherever I go, to try and fully experience the culture, food, architecture, parks, personalities, quirks and everything else about any place I visit.

What was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something?
I was visiting Mexico this past July and went to the ruins at Ek' Balam, a relatively small but beautifully preserved archaeological site.  Standing on top of the largest structure (called The Throne), it's calm, quiet and serene.  Looking out over the ruins below gives you that birds-eye feeling.  And looking around in all directions you can see trees for miles and miles never ending.  I was there on an overcast day so that beautiful grey light gave everything a "Raiders of the Lost Ark" vibe.  It's so peaceful up there, one can take some time to just be.  Or imagine what life was like when the site was populated hundred and hundreds of years ago.

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
When I was a kid, I loved magic.  I would always beg my parents to buy me those magic sets that come with a bunch of tricks to learn and I would use my dad's camcorder to do shows.  I loved card tricks and used to know tons of them.  I've forgotten almost everything now but I still watch magic videos all the time.  One of the greatest card magicians alive now is Ricky Jay.  Watch his work on YouTube, you'll be amazed!

What's next up for you in your own music career?
I'm looking forward to another year of varied musical experiences.  For example, I'll be playing the music of Elliot Carter and John Adams with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Frank Zappa tunes and cartoon music with the amplified chamber group Fireworks, and the music of Christopher Rouse at Zankel Hall.  I love being a freelancer because it gives me the same kind of feeling I had when I was a kid with my records.  I could pull out a different record with a totally different kind of music and love it as much as the previous thing I listened to.  I cannot wait to go from Carter to Adams:  two composers who couldn't be any more different!

You can find more info on Jared at www.jaredsoldiviero.com.

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:00 AM 

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

In anticipation of the Numinous performance of Vipassana on September 22nd, I'm reviving my series Inside Vipassana. Posted every few days leading up to the concert, the series features insights into the music as well as interviews with the performers. To start off the 2010 edition of the series I thought I would look back to last year's series to give everyone a little refresher on Vipassana. If you missed any or would like another look, see below for the links, with the new entries beginning tomorrow.

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

Ben Kono, Rob Mosher, Ed Xiques (woodwinds), Phil Rodriguez (trumpet/flügelhorn), Deborah Weisz, (trombone), Tom Beckham (vibraphone), Megan Levin, (harp), Amanda Monaco, Mike Baggetta (electric guitars), Carmen Staaf, Aaron Kotler, (keyboards), Jared Soldiviero,  Nicola Cannizzaro (percussion), Charenee Wade, Nicky Schrire, Sara Serpa, Jean Rohe, Becca Stevens (voices), Ana Milosavljevic, Scott Tixier (violins), Nick Revel, Brian Lindgren (violas), Will Martina, Lauren Riley-Rigby (violoncellos), Steve Whipple, (bass), Joseph C. Phillips Jr., (conductor, composer)

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the previous installments of the Inside Vipassana series:

2009 series
Inside Vipassana #1: The Silent Treatment
(how did I come to Vipassana)
Inside Vipassana #2: Seeing the forest for the trees
(where the Vipassana cover photos came from)
Inside Vipassana #3: Harping with Megan Levin
(the story of how a harp came to be in Vipassana and an interview with Numinous harpist, Megan Levin)
Inside Vipassana #4: Finding More than the Red Lights of Amsterdam
(the inspiration behind Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth)
Inside Vipassana #5: Eight is Enough, Ben Kono on Woodwinds and Vipassana
(woodwind specialist Ben Kono speaks Vipassana)
Inside Vipassana #6: Inside the studio, no man is an island
(photos from the Vipassana recording session)
Inside Vipassana #7: Voices Carry, part one
(how voices came to be on Vipassana; interviews with Numinous singers Julie Hardy and Sara Serpa)
Inside Vipassana #8: Voices Carry, part two
(interviews with Numinous singers Amy Cervini and Wendy Gilles)
Inside Vipassana #9: When Ms. Guðmundsdóttir met Mr. Mahler
(what do Björk, Gustav Mahler and Vipassana have in common)
Inside Vipassana #10: Also sprach Joe
(Joe interviews Joe)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:00 AM

Returning to the scene of our last revival of Vipassana, Numinous will again be performing Vipassana at the Brooklyn Lyceum on Wednesday September 22nd from 8pm to around 9pm (one set only). The Lyceum is located at 227 4th Avenue in Park Slope and tickets are $10 at the door or in advance at the Lyceum website. And like last year, starting in September on the blog, I'll be posting my Inside Vipassana series in which I pull the mask off and give you a peek behind the music. The series also includes interviews with some members of Numinous in order to get a player's perspective of performing the music, check back in September for all-new installments!

Bring a friend (or two or three, the Lyceum is pretty spacious after all) and come experience the clarity and insight of Vipassana for yourself...

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday September 22nd, 2010 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

(photo credit: Donald Martinez)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:00 AM 

Last Monday April 5th one of the movements from Vipassana, "Stillness Flows Ever Changing", was featured on WNYC's New Sounds program (#3059 Music with Mallets). Thanks to host John Schaefer, who has featured us a number of times over the years. If you didn't get a chance to check it out, you can do so at the above link or you can listen to some our other archived appearances (links below) or just listen to some of the other great music and artists on this wonderful new music program:

PROGRAM #2237, The Minimalist Influence (First aired Tues. 1/20/04) 
PROGRAM #2922, New Concert Music (First aired on Tues. 4/7/09)
PROGRAM #2940, Mid-sized ensembles (First aired on Fri. 5/22/09)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:20 PM 

Here's a slide show of beautiful photos from the Numinous performance of Vipassana on October 28th at the Brooklyn Lyceum. The photos are from Donald Martinez, a wonderful photographer and friend who also took some shots at the Vipassana CD release concert back in May, which you can find on his flickr photo stream. While you are there, you can check out some of his wonderful photos of Colombian singer Lucia Pulido at Joe's Pub this past March, the group Gato Loco at Barbes, as well as beautiful scenes from a recent trip to Rome. 

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 5:38 PM

Thanks to everyone that came out to the Numinous performance of Vipassana on Wednesday night. (even though it landed on the first day of the World Series). As always for me, the production of marshalling all the forces to put on Vipassana usually colors how I feel just after a performance. Looking back now with a few days separating the performance, I feel things went well. It is always special to perform Vipassana and share it with people, and the comments from listeners (and musicians) after the show were heartwarming and touching. There were many old and new friends who came Wednesday night and I am very appreciative of the support. And the performance, with some truly inspired moments, felt good and I feel happy with how things went. I had a great time at the concert, and the hang at a local bar afterward with friends and some of the musicians (who are also friends) was very fun. Again thanks to everyone that came out and the next time we perform Vipassana I hope to continue making more new converts.

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 7:45 PM

Here's a brief article in today's Daily News about the PS 321 Neighborhood Series, which Simone Dinnerstein has organized. It starts this Thursday with Clive Greensmith, cellist from the Toyko String Quartet and pianist Jean Schneider. While they didn't use much from my interview,  the photo shoot on Monday was fun with Simone and one of my kindergarten classes and we hope the article will help draw people to the concerts.

PS 321 Neighborhood Concert Series

October 29th, 2009: Clive Greensmith (cello) and Jean Schneider (piano)

January 10th, 2010: Simone Dinnerstein with American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME)

 February 4th, 2010: The Chiara String Quartet

 April 15th, 2010: Face the Music featuring premiere of a composition by Joseph C. Phillips Jr.  

Also, I have my own concert tonight:

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 7:41 AM

Come out and experience Vipassana live, tomorrow night one set only.

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM to 9 PM
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

featuring 

Ben Kono, Rob Mosher, Alden Banta (woodwinds), Evan Weiss (trumpet/flügelhorn), Ernest Stuart, (trombone), Tom Beckham (vibraphone), Megan Levin, (harp), Amanda Monaco, Sebastian Noelle (electric guitars), Carmen Staaf, Michael Eckroth, (pianos), Jared Soldiviero, Sam Levin, (percussion), Charenee Wade, Amy Cervini, Sara Serpa, Julie Hardy, Wendy Gilles (voices), Ana Milosavljevic, Scott Tixier (violins), Nick Revel, Brian Lindgren (violas), Will Martina, Lauren Riley-Rigby (violoncellos), Kevin Thomas, (bass), Joseph C. Phillips Jr., (conductor, composer)

Learn more about Vipassana by reading the Inside Vipassana series:

Inside Vipassana #1: The Silent Treatment
(how did I come to Vipassana)
Inside Vipassana #2: Seeing the forest for the trees
(where the Vipassana cover photos came from)
Inside Vipassana #3: Harping with Megan Levin
(the story of how a harp came to be in Vipassana and an interview with Numinous harpist, Megan Levin)
Inside Vipassana #4: Finding More than the Red Lights of Amsterdam
(the inspiration behind "Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth")
Inside Vipassana #5: Eight is Enough, Ben Kono on Woodwinds and Vipassana
(woodwind specialist Ben Kono speaks Vipassana) 
Inside Vipassana #6: Inside the studio, no man is an island
(photos from the Vipassana recording session)
Inside Vipassana #7: Voices Carry, part one
(how voices came to be on Vipassana; interviews with Numinous singers Julie Hardy and Sara Serpa)
Inside Vipassana #8: Voices Carry, part two
(interviews with Numinous singers Amy Cervini and Wendy Gilles)
Inside Vipassana #9: When Ms. Guðmundsdóttir met Mr. Mahler
(what do Björk, Gustav Mahler and Vipassana have in common)
Inside Vipassana #10: Also sprach Joe
(Joe interviews Joe)

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 8:00 AM

I thought given I'm asking some musicians to answer questions about themselves, I should as well. So here we go:

What challenges does Vipassana pose for you?
Well, organizing 25 very busy people for rehearsals and performances, finding space for us to play, and figuring out how to pay for it all is always a challenge, but it always seems to works out. The music can also be very tricky rhythmically. One person might be playing one thing and next to them another might be playing the same thing slightly offset or perhaps even some completely different rhythmic grouping. So it can be very easy for the musicians to get lost and part of my job is to be very focused while conducting to make sure we are all on the same page; to be the lighthouse beacon, so to speak, and to lead the way in the sea of sounds not only rhythmically but also by bringing out the meaning behind the music, to help it connect with the listeners.

What do you like about Vipassana?
I like that people find something special that resonates within them when listening to the music I created and that makes me happy. 

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
To me beauty is not just those things that are pretty or sound euphonic, but also things that seem to represent connectivity to truth or wholeness or oneness. I'm not speaking in any way religious, although for some people that's their equivalent. When I think of Carl Sagan's famous saying, "We are all made from starstuff", to me that says everything that is, is connected in some fundamental way. So while the typical things one might find beautific are so, even tragedy and ugliness, has that beautiful notion that still connects us all to each other and the world. 

Who are your musician heroes?
Well there is much that is not music that offers me inspiration, but my Mount Rushmore of musical influencers are (in no particular order): Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler, Steve Reich, Maria Schneider, John Adams. Although people like John Coltrane, Morton Feldman, Prince, Björk, John Williams, and Arvo Pärt hold much appeal not only with their music but also have affected my own musical thinking and philosophy. 

If you could be flying over any place in the world, where would it be? Why?
I loved flying over the Alps to Milan, Italy earlier this year. Seeing a whole line of classic white peaked mountains stretching along the horizon was very breathtaking. One thing I want to do someday is take a "Bergsommerferien" (a summer vacation/tour of mountains) to see the mountains and/or fjords of the world that I haven't been to: Iceland, Norway, Finland, the Himalayas, Alaska, Peru and Chile. 

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
There have been many books over the years that have affected me. That Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, to give one example from many, exists in the world makes me joyous and hopeful with my own music, that something of such beauty and excellence can be created.

When was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something?
This summer in upstate New York, spending a number of nights just looking up at the stars and being. This summer's wondering and contemplating also helped me remember why I want to create music in the first place, a thought which sometimes gets lost with all of the noise of living.

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
Well, two things. One in high school, I was in a guitar-synth-electro-rock band where not only did I play saxophone and (bad) electric guitar, I was also the lyrics man (and even sang on a few tunes!).  I have tapes somewhere and no you can't listen to them...

Secondly, in general I'm a late bloomer. For example, my growth spurt was in high school and then another one (growing another 4 inches!) in college as well as coming late to a career in music. I was studying biochemistry for my first two years of college (with no music making, except my rock band) before switching to a music major. In truth, I probably should have really been an astronomy major when I started but I was thinking about becoming a genetic engineer, so biochem was the way to go (I still love and read up on many sciences today). However, I wasn't really happy with biochem (my high school senoritis extended into my first semesters of college) and realized I did not want to be in a lab coat the rest of my life so decided to pursue music. I really was raw when I started my music studies but I soaked in EVERYTHING and soon was in the practice room working on my fledgling compositions and I haven't looked back since.

What's next up for you in your own music career?
A commission for a composition from Face the Music, which came about because of world renown pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The piece, which I'll talk about in later posts, will premiere on April 15, 2010 as part of Simone's Neighborhood Concert Series in Brooklyn. There is also my collaboration with dance choreographer Edisa Weeks, To Begin the World Over Again which is an exploration of the words and legacy of Thomas Paine and will also include a symposium with Paine and history scholars on the meaning of democracy in today's America. The premiere is slated for June of 2010 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center. With  my composer 'federation' Pulse, we have a dance collaboration with the Take Dance Company. My piece will be choreographed by Take himself and is scheduled for June and July 2010. There are a few other things in the works so you'll have to check back for more details. 

(photos by Donald Martinez)


Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM (one set only)
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 7:00 AM

One thing that I wanted to create with Vipassana was a composition that was integrated from the first piece to the last. My conception was more symphonic, with cross relationships and development between parts rather than suite-like. In fact Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 9 was a structural inspiration, although it didn't work out exactly as I planned. Like Symphony No. 9, my initial thought for Vipassana was to have two large Adagios one at the beginning and one at the end, with two smaller works in the middle. I did end up with two larger movements, although "Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth" (the first movement) happily did not want to become an Adagio. Also unlike the Mahler, my original intent was to link the individual works with small "transitions" featuring the different instrumental sections of the ensemble. But as I was writing the pieces that idea didn't seem to be what the whole needed or was saying either, although a vestige of this idea can still be found in the opening soli string sextet of last movement, "The Nothingness that is the Source of Everything".

Each of the individual movements of Vipassana can stand on their own, but it is in the totality of the four parts together that more richness of details and commonality become apparent. One of these details is the relationship Vipassana has to two compositions by other composers I admire: New World by Björk and "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" by Gustav Mahler. Here's how I described the development of "The Nothingness that is the Source of Everything" in the program notes at the premiere:

The last movement was the longest on my mind and the last I decided to tackle. Originally I entitled this movement, "Ich bin der neuen Welt abhanden gekommen" (“I am lost to the new world”). This was to reflect the dual inspirations of the piece: Gustav Mahler’s beautiful orchestral song "Ich bin der neuen Welt abhanden gekommen" (“I am lost to the world”) from Rückertlieder (1899-1903) and Björk Guðmundsdóttir’s haunting "New World" from Lars von Trier’s movie Dancer in the Dark (2000). I had Selmasongs (the title of the Dancer in the Dark soundtrack) long before I saw the movie. However, it wasn’t until after watching the movie on DVD, that I was really moved to arrange the final haunting song of the movie, sung by Selma (Björk) as she is waiting to be executed for a crime she didn’t commit. I transcribed "New World" with the hopes of arranging it for Numinous but over time I could not complete it to my satisfaction. Working on the arrangement intermittently for a year, it wasn’t until in the middle of a casual conversation with one of my musicians about the status of my 'arrangement', I suddenly thought of combining material from "New World" with "Ich bin der neuen Welt abhanden gekommen". Not in an arrangement per se, but by using those pieces as source material to inspire a newly composed piece. Now, this final movement of Vipassana began to take shape, at least in my mind. 

You might wonder why I would have thought that Björk and Mahler would have anything to do with each other? I know that they do kind of make strange musical bedfellows but it's interesting how the unconscious mind can see connections or other qualities that we might otherwise miss or not notice. It really was a 'moment' when the solution appeared to me seemly out of no where, when seconds before there was nothing to see. Thinking about it after the fact, the connections between the Mahler and Björk pieces seem obvious, at least on the surface. Here's the melody for "New World":

Both pieces share a few things: I didn't include the key signatures but both are in Eb, both share an octave range (from Bb3 to Bb4), and both have a similar melodic contour. How I used these two pieces as source material is by often utilizing, subverting, or refracting the intervallic relationships in the melodies. Sometimes this intervallic manipulation affected how I moved between harmonies, but more often than not, the subtle influence of the two pieces on what I created was more melodic. And while all of the melodic material is original in the four parts of Vipassana (except for one almost literal quote from Mahler), there is really only one place where the relationship between Mahler and Björk is in the foreground.

This comes at the very end of "The Nothingness that is the Source of Everything" where a sort of Björk "New World"-like melody (played by a solo oboe, second line) is pitted in counterpoint against the sort of Mahler "abhanden gekommen"-like melody (played by a solo English Horn, top line):

One could look at this proxy battle between Mahler and Björk as a choice between the hope of a 'new world' versus the despair of being 'lost' in the old one. In the end not only does hope and Björk 'win out', but the English Horn melody, which was playing the sort of Mahler, is transformed to the hope of the 'new world' and the sort of Björk. Now this kind of extra musical existential crisis was not what I had in mind as I was writing the piece. All I knew is I wanted the melodies to play against each other and I did not think about "fate knocking at the door" or anything like that. My analysis came when after performing the piece and thinking about it, I realized that one could 'interpret' the end in that way. 

Whether that interpretation is true or not for you is beside the point really. I love the six-part Leonard Bernstein Harvard University Norton Lectures from the early 1970's and in the last talk he postulates that Mahler's 9th Symphony (one of my all-time favorite works) is a harbinger of the horrors of the 20th century: world wars, genocide, poverty. Yet somehow Mahler, despite ultimately speaking to the hope for mankind, foreshadowed all of the terrors to come in his music. In a very quietly intense and gripping description of the symphony, Bernstein, with melodramatic earnestness heighten by a slowly tightening camera close-up which was common at the time (I think of some of the 'serious' TV shows such as All in the Family which used the device to emotional effect), is so compelling you COULD believe that is what the 9th Symphony is and what Mahler had in mind. But was Mahler really some kind of Nostradamus, seeing the future and trying to impart Cassandra-like warnings in his music? Doubtful. But the Mahler is nonetheless very moving, beautiful and hopeful in the end, extra-musical prophecies or no. And I wish at the end of Vipassana you are also similarly stirred and moved and hopeful.

Check back soon for more insider info about Vipassana!

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM (one set only)
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 5:19 PM

Here's part two of the interview with the singers of Vipassana, this time featuring Amy Cervini and Wendy Gilles. Part one (October 22, 2009) discussed the background of how voices came to be on Vipassana as well as interviews with Julie Hardy and Sara Serpa.

What challenges does Vipassana pose for you as singers? Have you sung anything like it before?
As a vocalist, I rarely get the chance to sing such challenging music especially with other vocalists.  The concept of large ensemble with 5 singers is something I’ve never been a part of before.  I imagine that it is more a classical music concept but I welcome the opportunity.  It is fun and challenging.

What are you feeling when you sing Vipassana?
The first few times I sang Vipassana I was concentrating intensely and not able to experience the performance outside of my part in it.  Over the years, as I become more confident I’m able to listen to what’s happening around me and that is the magic of this piece.  The sections that groove have become really fun to sing.  I find myself dancing and getting lost in the music instead of focusing intently on each note or phrase.  It really can become a meditative experience for me.  There are still sections that require my absolute focus but I’m finding more and more moments to lie in the music.

What do you like about Vipassana?
I really enjoy being part of a large ensemble and as a vocalist I rarely get that opportunity.  It’s such a pleasure to be one small piece of the larger puzzle.  As a vocalist I’m more often than not the band leader or front and center on stage.  Being a part of this allows me to flex different muscles and make music in a different way. 

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
The most awe inspiring moments of beauty for me involve water.  I am very strongly attracted to water and find myself lost in the beauty of water and it’s surroundings every time I’m near it.  It gives me a sense of peace that I haven’t found in any other experience.

Who are your musician heroes?
I have a lot of musician role models but right now I’m really into Matt Wilson. As a human, as a musician, as a business man.  Full disclosure: I’m working with him as his manager right now.  I think that says even more about my admiration for him.  He’s positive, he has ridiculous chops and I’ve never had more fun making music or working with anyone.

If you could watch a summer sunset anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
Tel-Aviv.  The ocean in Tel-Aviv is the most enchanting place in the world for me right now.  I visit at least once a year and am transfixed by the sea every time.

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
There have been many books that inspired me but I often find myself going back to things that I learned in The Little Prince [by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry].  “It is also lonely among men.” This quote comforted me in times when I felt like an alien in my surroundings.  It also made me realize that somewhere I would find my “people.”  I have been very lucky to find many of these people in the community of musicians in NYC.

When was the last time you had that numinous feeling about something?
I converted to Judaism earlier this year for what I thought to be very practical reasons, not much more. I was surprised to experience the deep emotions when I experienced the conversion ceremony. The Rabbi performing the ceremony is a deeply moving, intelligent and spiritual man who had a great impact on me and helped to make the moment so important and deep.  

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
I was a very serious classical pianist until I was 18 and was a jazz saxophone major in college. 

What's next up for you in your own music career?
My new record, Lovefool will be released on November 3, 2009.  We’re have some East Coast gigs in December — Jazz Standard, NYC, December 8, The Lily Pad, Boston, December 10, Firehouse 12, New Haven, December 11.  I’m really excited about this record and can’t wait to start sharing it!

www.amycervini.com

One thing that many listeners have commented on has been the use of the five female voices in Vipassana. Voices were almost always part of the conception of the music, although I originally thought four voices would be ideal instead of five. However, somewhere between finishing the piece and the first reading of Vipassana on July 1, 2004, my thoughts had changed and five voices were what I REALLY needed. Now looking back, I'm not sure what exactly prompted the switch, but I do know that having the five voices gave me more flexibility in terms of chordal voicings and textures.

I always loved (and still do) both Claude Debussy's orchestral Nocturnes, whose last movement "Sirenes" features a choir of wordless female voices and Gustav Holst's The Planets, whose last movement, "Neptune, the Mystic", also has a choir of female wordless vocalists which adds a sense of ethereal mystery especially as they repeat a phrase that fades out at the end (actually on the score the choir is directed to be in another room and as the piece quietly ends, someone is to slowly close the door as the choir is singing). Both of these works I love because the wordless voices add such a wonderful atmosphere and richness to the sound of the compositions. And while not directly inspired by any of those pieces, I wanted Vipassana to nonetheless have a similar warmth of sound that the voices gave those compositions.

In general for Vipassana I treated the voices much like another instrument, where they are another color in the overall landscape. For example at the beginning of "Stillness Flows Ever Changing", the voices are subtly pulsing underneath the weaving melodic figures of the strings. The random, percolating burst of sounds and vocalizations early and at the end of "Of Climbing Heaven and Gazing on the Earth" are another example where the voices are just another color added to the overall sound. Of course there are times when the voices are front and center. For example, the last movement "The Nothingness that is the Source of Everything", is a setting of Denise Levertov's beautiful poem "Variations and Reflections on a Theme by Rilke". In "The Nothingness" both the solo of Julie Hardy in the first part of the poem, which is essentially a orchestral song (similar to what Gustav Mahler made famous) or the choir of voices in the second half, the words are quite important and their meaning affects what music goes on around them.

Operatic voices and their wide vibrato, were never what I envisioned for Vipassana. I always wanted a directness and warmth of sound which you find more in popular singing styles (and it seems more and more in new music circles as well). And while many of the singers I have used are more known in jazz circles, all are well-versed in all forms of popular, art and folk music. For the concert on the 28th, we have Charenee Wade, Amy Cervini, Sara Serpa, Julie Hardy, and Wendy Gilles. Including those five, over the years I've been fortunate to have had great singers perform Vipassana (thanks to Julie who has been my vocal pimp, ah connector). From Kate McGarry, who sang on the premiere performance, to Gretchen Parlato, who sang the very first rehearsal, to Jo Lawry, who sang the second concert, to Sofia Rei Koutsovitis and Monika Heidemann, both of whom are on the recording, some of the best young voices on the scene today have sung Vipassana. They all lead their own ensembles and  have their own recordings but they also lend their voices to many projects by other musicians and composers. I mean look at what they are doing outside of Numinous, to see how lucky I am to have them singing for me: performed at the Osvaldo Golijov/Dawn Upshaw Workshop at Carneige Hall and sung on tour with Maria Schneider (Sofia), Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition winner (Gretchen) and finalist (Charenee), Grammy nominee and sung with Fred Hersch (Kate), sung with Sting, yes that Sting (Jo), sings with Greg Osby (Sara), ASCAP Young Composer Award winner (Julie), critically acclaimed album (Amy) and ensemble (Wendy).

So I've asked each singer on the upcoming concert a few questions so you can get to know what they are like away from the mics. In this part one, you'll hear from Julie Hardy and Sara Serpa. The second part, in another post another day, will feature Amy Cervini, Wendy Gilles, and Charenee Wade.

What challenges does Vipassana pose for you as singers? Have you sung anything like it before?
I have sang in a  choir for a long time during my childhood and to sing collectively with other singers was something that always gave great pleasure. Vipassana is a completely different repertoire, but it's a great feeling to sing again with a  group of amazing singers. The biggest challenge for me is to blend with the other voices and to create a homogeneous texture while singing it. 

What are you feeling when you sing Vipassana?
It's hard to describe the feelings of a performance. It's a mix of concentration with enjoyment.

What do you like about Vipassana?
I like the compositional concept of Vipassana and I think it has beautiful moments. Sometimes I wish  I could be in the audience to enjoy it as a listener.

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
I find the combination of instruments and voices to be very beautiful. It's a long piece, very intense and very visual at the same time.

If you could watch a summer sunset anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
Praia Grande, Sintra, Portugal. I love it there.

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
Travelling with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuscinski

When was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something?
Hiking in the mountains. 

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
I take Flamenco dance classes.

What's next up for you in your own music career?
A duo recording with my good friend, great teacher and amazing pianist Ran Blake.

www.saraserpa.com

Check back soon for more insider tidbits about Vipassana and those that make the music!

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM (one set only)
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 9:00 AM

In the recording studio, despite being quite busy, focused, and at times feeling like an island "entire of itself", I did manage to take all of these shots from the Vipassana sessions at Systems Two in Brooklyn, New York in March and August of 2007.

Check back soon for more insider tidbits about Vipassana and those that make the music! 

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM (one set only)
$10  
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 11:13 PM

When I started Numinous back in the fall of 2000, I knew I wanted flexibility of colors in the woodwind section. Even though I'm a saxophone/woodwind player, I didn't want a saxophone dominant sound to the section. I also didn't want to have 10 woodwind players to cover saxophones, oboe, English Horn, flutes, clarinets, and whatever woodwinds I happen to write for. So the most natural solution was to have woodwind doublers who would be able to play multiple instruments. Of course with the demands of my music, I didn't want or need a typical jazz saxophone doubler: someone that plays maybe passable flute or clarinet but not well enough to match their saxophone abilities. In addition to being able to improvise well on all of the instruments, I really need musicians whose abilities on the other woodwind instruments are all fairly equal and could move easily between jazz, classical, and popular genres. And while there are great players like this everywhere, in New York we are blessed with an abundance beyond any composer's dream! With Broadway as well as the many professional orchestras, new music ensembles, and jazz bands here there are many musicians who not only fit my requirements, but because of the steady work on the Great White Way and other ensembles are also are willing to play more "adventurous" (and usually less lucrative) musical projects of people like me and my contemporaries.

I have been fortunate to always have great woodwind players in Numinous. And with Vipassana, I'm asking a lot of each player. Not only from a technical standpoint, but from sheer logistics: Reed 1 has to play 8 instruments (Piccolo, Flute, Alto Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Bb Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, and Alto Saxophone), Reed 2 plays 6 (Piccolo, Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone) and Reed 3 plays 5 (Flute, Alto Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone). Ben Kono, who plays Reed 1, has been with me from almost the beginning. Coming to an early rehearsal way back in the fall of 2000, he seemed to be tailor-made for Numinous. Not only does he play all the woodwinds with equal aplomb but is versatile enough to play and improvise in various genres and styles. In a recent interview, I said that since Ben has been with me from the beginning, his sound on various instruments (and what he brings to each instrument) has been in my head as I am composing for awhile now. Sure, other musician's can play well what I wrote, but without Ben it doesn't sound quite the same, since I think about what he brings to a specific instrument as I'm writing the music. For example, as I was composing "Stillness Flows Ever Changing", the second part of Vipassana, I was specifically thinking of Ben's soprano saxophone surfing over the weaving waves of melodies from the ensemble. And whether it is his soloing, like on "Stillness" or "Sweetness" which is a wonderful highlight for me from my first CD or his ensemble playing throughout Vipassana, Ben's tasteful and dynamic playing is highly valued and integral to Numinous. 

So I asked this maven of woodwinds some questions about himself and performing Vipassana:

On Vipassana you play 8 different instruments, but truth be told, how many instruments can you play? What are some of the more unusual or interesting ones?
As a woodwind specialist, I am classically trained on all five woodwind families of the orchestra: saxophones, clarinets (Bb and Eb soprano, bass), flutes, oboe/english horn, and bassoon. In practice, however, I tend to play some more than others, and I have left bassoon completely behind. About fifteen years ago or so, I became interested in indigenous musics from other countries and started to collect instruments from my travels, some of which I have incorporated into my own music. I have performed and recorded (in various degrees of success) on the "kena" flute from South America; the "khaen" pipes from Thailand; and the "dizi" flute from China. Of course, as a Japanese descendent I have a special interest in the shakuhachi flute which I was exposed to early on by my aunt who performs traditional Japanese music on the shamisen and koto. I played it on a Pulse Composers concert, and the lesson I learned is that playing western music on it is a lot more difficult than I imagined! So in answer, I am constantly adding and subtracting the number of instruments. 

What challenges does Vipassana pose for you as a woodwind player?
Many instruments and instrument changes. And because of it's length and long phrases, it's quite a challenge endurance-wise to make it through the English horn solo at the end. I've learned to pace myself and take a few breaks during some long oboe passages preceding. And, rhythmically the music takes many twists and turns--sometimes an instrument behind you will be playing, literally, in a different time signature than you are, so you need to be alert to all the changes in pulse and meter.

What do you like about Vipassana?
Coming from a jazz background, I like that Vipassana is NOT that. It has some jazz elements and improvisation, but the general structure and vibe of the music shares more with classical and minimalist composition. Extended forms, non-traditional harmonies, lush orchestrations and textures (or almost none, sometimes) allow the soloist to explore some improvisational freedoms and possibilities not afforded by the more standard jazz environment. I find it easier to approach this music without preconception. I also like playing in a large ensemble where the volume never gets above a forte and more attention is paid to subtle dynamics.

What do you find beautiful (or where do you find beauty)?
As a parent of a curious three-year-old girl, I am finding beauty in places unexpected and long-forgotten. She forces me to slow down and contemplate the pattern a leaf makes in the snow, or the arc that a balloon makes when tossed into the air. I still love going to a museum and admiring a Matisse or a Rothko, but when I am with my daughter I can find the beauty in a fire-escape as well. And more and more I'm appreciating the beauty of silence, which is very rare indeed in the city.

Who are your musician heroes?
My musician heroes are too many to list properly. There are those that inspire me through listening to recordings, like Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett, John Coltrane; those that I have met and had discourse with on a more personal level like Joe Lovano, Paul McCandless and Michael Brecker; and those colleagues who are in the "trenches", like John Hollenbeck and Theo Bleckmann, who are involved in creating a new place for creative music. Then, there is Gary Campbell, a tremendous saxophonist who could have been a major jazz artist but chose to become one of the great educators and mentors of our generation. I guess, really any artist who dares to change the listeners' expectations of what is possible or acceptable and can do it on a level that touches the "human spirit" in us. 

If you could be flying over any place in the world, where would it be? Why?
I would love to fly over the Sahara Desert. I think the vastness and beauty of it would blow my mind. And as Lawrence of Arabia said of it ,"It's clean".

What is a book(s) that have inspired you?
I don't seem to read a lot of 'inspirational' material, but something that I read recently did inspire me despite the tragic nature of it's subject. The book Impounded is a collection of photographs by Dorothea Lange, accompanied by essays and interviews of Japanese-Americans interned during WWII in the United States. Alongside the images of gross injustices by the U.S. government are images of a culture struggling to maintain it's strength and dignity under terrible conditions. So in the middle of a barren desert you can see a beautiful Japanese garden, or children attending an art school, or vegetable crops growing in carefully cultivated soil. I found the tenacity and patriotism of the wronged citizens to be an inspiration, although the situation was altogether shocking and reprehensible.

When was the last time you've had that numinous feeling about something?
I almost always feel that way when I return to my Vermont childhood home and take a walk in the woods--especially in the fall!

Tell us something fun or interesting about you that most people wouldn't know or suspect?
My mother steered me away from a career in art and into music because she thought it too competitive and unstable.

What's next up for you in your own music career?
I'm getting ready to record my own project of original music. And, like Vipassana, I will probably be playing close to eight instruments. I do this to myself.

Check back soon for more insider tidbits about Vipassana!

Numinous performs Vipassana
Wednesday October 28, 2009 8 PM (one set only)
$10
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Park Slope
Take the M, R Train to Union Street

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 10:50 PM