Composer Roger Reynold's violin concerto 'Aspiration' will be performed by violinist Andrew Tholl (Music DMA 12, MFA 08) | Photo: Andrew Tholl
The CalArts Orchestra presents three new string orchestral works by visiting artist and Athens-based composer Anastassis Philippakopoulos tonight in The Wild Beast at 7:30 pm. Also on the program are new pieces by CalArts faculty and alumni, written for string and chamber orchestra.
“Philippakopoulos, a member of the [international composer & performer] collective, Wandelweiser, has as his main compositional concern an intense focus on melody,” says Michael Pisaro, co-chair of the Composition Program at The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts and who has a new piece on the program. “Each of his songs is an essay in restrained lyricism, where each decision (i.e., each successive note) is weighed and considered many times before set to paper.”
Performed by the CalArts Orchestra under the direction of faculty member Mark Menzies, the ensemble has prepared the music for a recording project for Edition Wandelweiser Records in conjunction with Philippakopoulos’ visit to CalArts from his native Greece.
The program features music by alumnus and visiting artist Devin Maxwell (Music MFA 02); composer Roger Reynolds; doctoral student Andrew Tholl (Music DMA 12); and music by faculty members Pisaro and Michael Fink. Maxwell’s visit to CalArts included presenting at the Performers’ Forum and the Percussion Workshop this week. Tholl is featured soloist in performances of both violin concertos tonight: his own concerto, Asphyxiation, which is his response to composer Roger Reynolds’ violin concerto Aspiration.
Tholl's companion piece to Reynold's 'Aspiration,' titled 'Asphyxiation' | Photo: Andrew Tholl (click for full image)
Works for string and chamber orchestra:
- Anastassis: Song 2, Song 5 and Song 8
- Fink: White Painting, Untitled for 6 violins and Untitled (The Sequel)
- Pisaro: Lucretius Alap for 18 strings
- Reynolds: Aspiration
- Tholl: Asphyxiation
- Maxwell: PH1
Below is a track from Philippakopoulos’ Four Piano Pieces:
CalArts Orchestra Concert
The Wild Beast, CalArts
Tonight (April 12), 7:30 pm
Free