Face the Music and the Neighborhood Concert Series, April 15th, 2010

Who likes tax day? Well maybe you will this year. April 15th, is the next performance, and last until the fall, in pianist Simone Dinnerstein's Neighborhood Concert Series. Each concert has been successful, both musically (with performances by Simone, American Contemporary Music Ensemble, and Clive Greensmith of the Tokyo String Quartet) and financially (each concert was filled to capacity with all the artists donating their services so all the money from ticket sales go to benefit programs at P.S. 321). This upcoming concert is especially exciting because it is the first that features kids as performers and secondly, I'm directly involved. 

Simone Dinnerstein's Neighborhood Concert Series
Thursday April 15th, 2010
Face the Music
“Beating Down the Doors” 
featuring the premiere of,  
Liquid Timepieces
by Joseph C. Phillips Jr.
(commissioned by Simone Dinnerstein and the Neighborhood Concert Series),
along with music by Nico Muhly, Graham Fitkin, Marcelo Zarvos, and Jacob TV
P.S. 321 Auditorium 
180 7th Avenue, Brooklyn 11215
7 p.m.
Tickets: $15 available at the door or www.ps321.org



As regular readers know, in addition to my composerly duties I teach kindergarten music (and math games) at P.S. 321 in Park Slope, Brooklyn, one of the finest elementary schools in the entire New York City school system (public or private). And this is how I came to meet and know Simone, since I taught her son when he was just a wee lad. So when Simone wanted to start the concert series, I told her I would help in any way I could. But really, she has been the one to organize, curate, oversee advertising, and overall manage the Neighborhood Series in spite of her busy performing schedule. And it shows her commitment to the importance of connecting the community to classical music. So when she asked me to help by writing a piece for a wonderful ensemble she wanted for this inaugural season of the series, I was extremely honored.

I had first heard that ensemble, Face the Music under the direction of Jennifer Undercofler,  when they performed Phil Kline's Exquisite Corpses on a WNYC/WQXR broadcast at the opening of the Greene Space in April of 2009. I enjoyed the performance and when it was announced that Face the Music is "an ensemble of 20 classically-trained musicians ranging from sixth to twelfth grade dedicated to performing today’s most compelling and creative new music," I was doubly impressed. And little did I know at the time that I would be writing a composition for them a year later.

Later in the week I'll write more specifically about Liquid Timepieces, but from the official press release here's a bit more about the concert: 

“Beating Down the Doors” brings Face the Music’s youthful energy to works by five living composers. The centerpiece of the concert is the world premiere of Liquid Timepieces by composer and PS 321 faculty member Joseph C. Philllips, Jr. Commissioned for Face the Music by Simone Dinnerstein and PS 321 Neighborhood Concerts, Mr. Phillips’ piece is cinematic in its intensity and expansive sound. The teen members of Face the Music will also present four of their favorite works: Graham Fitkin’s sax-heavy Mesh (1992); Marcelo Zarvos’ foot-stomping “Memory” from Nepomuk’s Dances (2002); Nico Muhly’s stop-and-start How About Now (2006); and Jacob TV’s Lipstick (1998), with a playback mix based on clips from American talk shows. 

Face the Music’s young players will talk to the audience between pieces and take questions at the end of the concert, making this an excellent opportunity for families with children.

It will be a fun and compelling evening of music; a great way to wind down after dealing with your taxes (if you are one of those last minute filers). If you can't make the April 15th concert, you'll have a few more chances to catch Liquid Timepieces and some of the other pieces when Face the Music performs at the Brooklyn Lyceum on May 12th, Merkin Hall on May 27th, and June 21st at the West Side Apple Store. You can also catch them at this summer's Bang on a Can Marathon on June 27th, where they'll be performing Graham Fitkin’s Mesh. I hope you can come out and support the wonderful student musicians of Face the Music at one (or all!) of the performances.

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 11:56 AM