On Tuesday, October 16, MATA held its 15th annual benefit gala at the Tibet House in New York City. After a short welcoming speech from Jim Rosenfield, David T. Little and Yotam Haber, some exciting news were announced.
David T. Little, Yotam Haber, and Jim Rosenfield – Photo Thomas Deneuville
5 questions to Donnacha Dennehy (composer, artistic dir… 228 view(s) | | posted on May 16, 2013
This week: concerts in New York (May 13 – May 19, 2013)… 143 view(s) | | posted on May 13, 2013
W4 New Music: Ancient Instruments, Contemporary Sounds 130 view(s) | | posted on May 21, 2013
The Light that Shadows Make: David Lang’s death speaks… 108 view(s) | | posted on April 30, 2013
The Light that Shadows Make: David Lang’s death speaks… 587 view(s) | | posted on April 30, 2013
Missy Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar on New Amsterdam R… 114 view(s) | | posted on May 3, 2013
Colloquial Opera: Jason Cady’s Happiness is the Problem… 96 view(s) | | posted on May 7, 2013
Dan Visconti: Lonesome Roads on Bridge Records 90 view(s) | | posted on May 15, 2013
French Composers’ Names – Francis Poulenc 1 comment(s) | 913 view(s) | 
French Composers’ Names – Camille Saint-Saëns 2 comment(s) | 859 view(s) | 
French Composers’ Names — Gabriel Fauré 2 comment(s) | 740 view(s) | 
French Composers’ Names – Pierre Boulez 3 comment(s) | 504 view(s) | 
5 Questions to Chaya Czernowin (composer) 663 view(s) | | posted on December 6, 2012
5 questions to Nicola Benedetti on Korngold’s Violin Co… 506 view(s) | | posted on October 31, 2012
5 questions to David T. Little (composer, former execut… 404 view(s) | | posted on March 20, 2012
5 questions to Eli Keszler (composer, artist and multi-… 378 view(s) | | posted on May 31, 2012
MATA 2012 is happening right now for the first time at Roulette, and we wanted to take the time to talk to one of the composers featured on the April 20th concert SIGNS AND SIGNALS: David Coll. David has studied at the University of Illinois, IRCAM in Paris (Cursus and Cursus 2), and at the University of California-Berkeley, receiving his PhD in December 2010. He now lives and works in Belgium.
Position, Influence (2010), for soprano and electronics will be performed by Mellissa Hughes this coming Friday and we were really curious about that piece…
It was part of the journey of gathering material for the piece. I remember spending a lot of time with Pasolini actually, but his poetry was underwhelming compared to his highly charged films. I looked at Isidore Isou as well, but nothing came together. Finally, getting more into the Enrages and the Situationists, I realized I needed to look at some historical documents. I subscribed to INA (Ed. French for National Audiovisual Institute) and all of a sudden I see de Gaulle (Ed. Charles de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969). What an incredible look and figure, I thought.
In fact the pieces opening line (Je ne me retirerai pas / I will not step down! (from office)) is the only fragment that is De Gaulle. And it is his first statement after returning from abroad and having the Mai 68 events already in full force. After that, the piece moves in many directions, and the text is mine actually.
David Coll
The Norman S. Benzaquen Hall at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music has the appearance of a spruced up practice room, a tall, raw space with instruments piled in the corner. This was no less effective of an environment for Hotel Elefant, a group overflowing with young, dedicated musicians (seventeen in all) who have banded together in order to—as their press kit affirms—interpret the music of “innovative, living composers.” There is something in the collaborative camaraderie within the group, despite its largesse, that speaks to the delight each member takes up in this goal, and in that way the charm of the hall only added to the affect: a bunch of crazy kids lovingly playing a bunch of crazy music, some of it written from within the clique, all of it sounding totally personal in their hands.
Meg Zervoulis conducting Ung’s … still life after death
Last week, Make Music New York introduced a new annual event: Make Music Winter. For its first installment, twelve musical parades were scheduled, proceeding through neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Participating artists and organizations included the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cathedral of St John the Divine, Friends of the High Line, Parsons The New School for Design, composer Phil Kline, MATA, The Knights, conductor Harold Rosenbaum, Puerto Rican folk group Los Pleneros de la 21, Arabic music ensemble Zikrayat, and many more…
I decided to cover The Gaits and headed to the High Line to participate in a unique soundwalk created by Lainie Fefferman, Jascha Narveson, Cameron Britt, and Daniel Iglesia. A free iPhone app was required to fully enjoy the experience: the application used the accelerometer, as well as the GPS location to trigger twinkling metallic and liquid sounds, electric guitar chords, organ drones, applause, etc. The portable speakers were kindly loaned by the High Line…
