Summer Music

Hello everyone,

After a thrilling first year at the Jacobs School which was immediately followed by a whirlwind, month-long Parnas/Kohlberg Trio tour in Europe and Israel, it is a relief to be in one place this summer! I often feel this time of year presents a conflict of objectives; for me it seems a special opportunity to rest and rejuvenate oneself following the endless, though invigorating, demands of the school year and concert season, but it can also be the ideal time to work intensively and accomplish many more things in preparation for the year ahead. Thanks to a quieter schedule, there is more time for me to broaden and manage my activities, so I have had the luxury of completing both objectives!

One of these projects which has served as an important musical focus for my summer has been continued preparation for recording sessions in the fall with Cicely; our exciting new music CD, “Present Tense” is going to be sensational! First of all, we have been doing some groovin'! One of our duos was written by Frank Bennett, a great composer/percussionist/veena player, and orchestrator/arranger for countless big-time Hollywood movies, including everything from The Wedding Planner to Predator to Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Well, his duo, Three Sketches for Violin and Cello, and the third movement in particular, features a rather jazzy and difficult-to-notate rhythm, which for classical string players like Cicely and me poses a bit of a challenge. So, we went to an expert for some advice. Lincoln Mayorga, our good friend and master of the bridge between classical and jazz approaches, got us thinking in terms of "feeling" a rhythm rather than calculating it, and after some chuckling and more than a few repetitions, I think we got it! A word of advice to all classical musicians who have not had the most robust instruction in their non-classical backgrounds: make friends with the jazz players!

As I may have touched upon in previous posts, one of the joys afforded by playing new music is the chance to work and communicate directly with the creator. Once again, this immensely edifying and enjoyable opportunity arose when we traveled to New York City last month to meet with the amazing Lera Auerbach, composer of Three Dances in the Old Style for violin and cello. This bewitching little suite of mischievous dances, so ostensibly simple and unassuming, is filled with the witty nuances of a personality amused by her own work, and it was incredibly entertaining and exciting to explore these intricacies together with Lera. Indeed, there can be no doubt that her entirely original and captivating musical fingerprint will be attracting some much –deserved attention on our track listing!

All for now; the return to Bloomington swiftly approaches and more musical adventures along with it! Stay tuned for more new music updates as we continue exploring the duos of living composers William Bolcom, Paul Moravec, Charles Wuorinen, Joel Feigin, and more.

~Madalyn

The Salon Concert

Hello and Happy Spring!

What an amazingly busy March for Cicely and I; today seemed like the first "normal" school routine in nearly a month! We had a great recording session for "Living in 2010" during spring break, followed by two duo concerts in New York, and soon after returning to Bloomington it was Artist Diploma Solo Recital time! Though exciting (and a little nerve-wracking!) to prepare entirely different repertoire (and lots of it!) for performances within days of each other, as always, the challenge of the experience taught me many things. I will not say "glad that's over!" but I must admit it is a relief to once again begin fresh with something new.

One of the performances we gave this month stood out for me. It was a duo concert for the Mt. Kisco Chamber Music Association in Armonk, NY. By now we have been able to experiment with many types of programs, repertoire, and formats for our duo performances, which also benefit greatly from some added discussion along the way. Incorporating all of these different elements together in a coherent, enjoyable way has been a fun and interesting process for me, but there is one important variable which we usually cannot control: the performance venue.

Well, what a perfect environment this was! Thanks to the great generosity of one of the Association's board members who hosted the event, we had an absolutely lovely space in which to play - a spacious, beautiful living room with room enough to seat at least 60. The front row was close enough to read the music off of our stands, but while in days past I might have found this disconcerting, now I couldn't have pictured it any other way. We've now done a few of these salon-type concerts, and I honestly hope the appeal of them continues to catch on because as a performer (and speaker), I sense that this kind of intimate, but formal setting is truly one of the most effective and positive ways to share music with an audience. So, for me it became very clear at this particular concert that no matter how wonderful and carefully designed the program is, the result is impacted tremendously by the nature of the setting - thank you, Mt. Kisco Concert Association, for the enormously special afternoon!

All for now. Off to Arizona in only a couple of weeks!

~Madalyn

The Ad Hoc: Music for Music's Sake

Hello there,

Have you ever heard of a musical "ad hoc?" I had not until I came to the Jacobs School, but now that I do, I think it is something that deserves some special recognition. This was a truly incredible musical experience unlike any other I have ever had!

An ad hoc, as the name implies, is a concert that is arranged with a pick-up group of musicians who rehearse a few times before giving a performance, usually including a solo concerto with another orchestral work. The idea is for students to create their own opportunities to gain experience performing concertos with orchestra; but the trick, of course, is to assemble the players. But how do you get an entire symphony-sized group of musicians and a conductor to all volunteer a weekend?

To me, it seems a tremendously daunting task; after all, finding even one or two people to commit to various projects has, from my experience elsewhere, been a complicated enough affair. Well, I was shocked by what I saw when I agreed to participate in one of these ad hocs last month - there we were, a very large, full orchestra all coming together on a Sunday afternoon to give a concert of the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven's Leonore Overture. Eighty-some people! After playing, working, and practicing all week in endless rehearsals, lessons, coachings, extra projects, and not to mention homework, these students had more music-making to do!

But in addition to the sheer number of people who generously came to play and support their colleagues, there was an enthusiasm and mutual love of music-making that resulted in a concert which, although was not perfect, was entirely unique and held a special joy. This ideal of music being made simply for music's sake.....where one is not playing for remuneration, course credits, recognition, or career advancement, but rather because one must make music. I couldn’t help but hear George Balanchine’s well-known quote in my head, “I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.” Here we were, creators of music who have to play!

Ad hocs are going on all the time here. It’s something which, at the time of my own experience, I found to be deeply touching and inspiring; once again, it made me feel so proud to be a part of JSoM! Cicely calls it a “musicians’ paradise.” It is!

All for now.

~Madalyn

Happy New Year: Resolutions For A Struggling Arts World and the Musicians Who Need to Survive in It!

Happy New Year!

Somehow, the New Year never fails to inspire many of us to resolve to “change” the way we've been doing particular things - both big and small. I can’t say I’ve ever really been one of those people who declares "New Year resolutions," but this time I suddenly found that there were indeed aspects of my life I felt compelled to, well, change; and the more I considered this, the more apparent it became why many people honestly consider the start of the year an opportunity to, in a way, "begin fresh."

New approaches and ideas that can lead to positive changes reminded me of links I recently received from a friend; these really ought to be read and heard by anyone who calls himself a music lover, especially those who recognize the importance of the change needed to ensure the future of classical music and jobs for musicians. The links lead to the video and text version of a very interesting discussion given by arts leader and speaker, Diane Ragsdale. You may have heard of her; she's become rather well-known for her compelling addresses concerning the economic impact that society's changes have had upon culture, and she has presented these speeches both in the US and abroad. Here are links to the one my friend sent me, entitled "Surviving the Culture Change:" Video (or click here for the text version).

The fact of the matter is that, yes, we are failing to produce a generation of listeners, attendees, and fans of art. Perhaps this can simply be attributed to the fact that its role as an underpinning of early education is no longer in existence. But meanwhile, beyond the financial implications of a waning population of fans and supporters (like musicians losing their jobs and competing against each other in a rapidly diminishing market), we are facing something even more difficult; something Ms. Ragsdale calls “the culture change.”

At this point, the challenge doesn’t appear to lie primarily in a lack of resources; Americans spend their money in all kinds of ways. Rather, the core issue is that people seem untouched, indeed entirely immune, to the discovery of meaning, significance, profundity, and aesthetic pleasure of art in all forms. In other words, it no longer provides that go-to for feeding one’s soul. "The arts can't declare mission accomplished just because they get people in the door. It is not sufficient to create artistic experiences and sell or give them away without regard for the capacity of people to receive them and find meaning in them." And I truly believe it is our job (the musicians, the arts leaders, etc.) to make our own discoveries that lead to, yes, changes, so that we may once again recapture the public’s appreciation and desire for the profoundly special work that we create.

Every paragraph of this discussion contains something of value and interest; I hope that you may read it (I do suggest reading the text version) and perhaps take away something relevant to your life in context with the arts.

Here's to 2011!

All for now.

~Madalyn

P.S. Here is a photo of us with composer Seymour Barab last week in NYC - we performed his delightful duo at our concert for the New York Musician’s Club (aka “The Bohemians”) in NYC!

Ballet, Bartok, and the Johannes String Quartet!

CJ Chang, Me, Peter Stumpf, Cicely, and Soovin Kim

Me, Jessica Lee, and Cicely

Hi everyone,

October was a busy month, but we got to play some very exciting and fun performances! It was nice to return home for our concert with the Schenectady Symphony; this was my first time performing the Barber Concerto with orchestra, and what a thrilling experience it was! This piece has always been very special to me, so it was like a dream come true to perform it fully realized.

The next weekend, I got the chance to do something a little different - work with the IU Ballet! For someone who took ballet lessons all through childhood, it was exciting to see up close the process of real dancers putting a production together - and of course, to be a part of it on the music side! Their opening performance featured the work of a variety of American choreographers, one of whom, Twyla Tharp, set her work "Noir" to the violin duets of Bartok. This was the very first time "Noir" had been performed with live music! I remember playing these very charming duets a long time ago with my wonderful teacher, Betty-Jean Hagen, so it was great to bring them back again with Tim Kantor. We had some interesting moments working out tempos with the dancers; they definitely keep you on your toes! But in the end, we got the timing just right, and the Herald Times critic even gave us a complimentary sentence in the review – our rendition of the Bartok was "compellingly played!" As you musicians understand, it always feels good to hear some encouraging words from the press.

Speaking of Tim, our quartet performed for the first time together last week; we got the chance to play in a masterclass for the Johannes String Quartet, who were here in Bloomington for the week and performed an amazing concert today. They are such extraordinary musicians! Soovin Kim and CJ Chang were the masters of the class, and I think we benefited greatly from their brilliant and insightful feedback. Also, we've been so busy rehearsing in small- to medium-sized practice rooms that it was very fulfilling for us all to finally hear ourselves in a concert hall.

Bloomington finally feels like autumn now; say hello to sweaters, hot cocoa, and pumpkin pies!

All for now.

~Madalyn

Bloomington!

Hi Everyone,

It has been just one month since our first semester here at IU began, but Bloomington is starting to feel like home! The past few weeks have truly flown by, and as we prepare to go home next weekend for our concert with the Schenectady Symphony, it makes it seem like just yesterday that we arrived. We have gotten to know some wonderful people, and this amazing school has provided us with truly fertile ground to continue to learn and develop as musicians. I will have to post more later because there are so many people and possibilities to tell you about, but for now, here are a few highlights of things that have been going on in our new home!

First, Cicely and I are both playing in a fantastic ensemble called the New Music Ensemble, directed by Professor David Dzubay. As you may know from our recent CD #3 announcement (see parnasmusic.com), we are both very passionate about playing contemporary music, so we were really excited to find out that we would have the opportunity to do just that outside of the duo world. It is a small group of about 20 players, all of whom are outstanding. Our first concert is coming up this week!

We love our teachers! Mr. Laredo is a great inspiration for me, and I am having a great time working with him on the extremely large amount of repertoire I have to do these days. Besides being a tremendously supportive and inspiring teacher, he is an incredible human being. I feel so honored to be studying with him. Also, I got the chance to meet for the first time and have a lesson with Josh Bell when he came to the Jacob's School for a couple of days last week; what a special opportunity.

Finally, we have formed a quartet! Despite all of the chamber music Cicely and I have played together, it has been primarily of the duo and piano trio genre and not the string quartet. We are very lucky to have met violinist Tim Kantor, a doctorate student here at IU, and violist Gerry Varona who is working on his Master's. We are very compatible musically and share a common creative vision, but everyone’s unique perspective is always heard. Our coach is violinist Ik-Hwan Bae, who has been working with us on some phenomenal music, including Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" quartet and Quartet No. 5 by Bartok. I grew up listening to the Schubert, so it is a piece which is very special to me; how fulfilling to finally have the opportunity to play it with wonderful musicians like Cicely, Tim, and Gerry!

This is just a snapshot of our many latest activities, but I will be back soon. Speaking of snapshots, I've attached a photo from the duo concert we performed the weekend before school started; this took place at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, MI. In addition to the Bolcom Suite for Violin and Cello, Cicely performed Bolcom's Unaccompanied Cello Suite, and the composer himself and his wife Ms. Morris were there to hear it!

All for now. Enjoy autumn - it is a beautiful season.

~Madalyn

The Final Installment: Berlin

Hi there,

I must begin by apologizing for the lengthy delay since my last post; Cicely and I have moved to Bloomington, Indiana! Even though we have been here a short two weeks, we have already fallen in love with our new surroundings and are extremely excited about what this year will bring. We will of course send updates in this regard, but for now, suffice it to say that the town, the school, and the people are all fantastic. This is a special place indeed.

While the present excitement of being in a new place makes our visit to Germany last June seem far away, it still remains a vivid highlight of our entire European trip. We made a short detour to the city of Bonn before continuing to Berlin, and it was there that we got the chance to see the Beethoven House. I can hardly believe I was there, and even at the time it was too overwhelming to fully absorb.

Though we stayed for only a few days in Berlin, we took advantage of the time and explored many of the different neighborhoods that one can find in this very sprawling city. Indeed there is a striking distinction between them, which in some cases serves as a vivid reminder of the profound upheaval that took place there. For example, while there are very beautiful, leafy residential neighborhoods and modern-looking commercial sections where tourists go for shopping, there are also entire blocks which remain bare aside from small piles of concrete rubble.

Coincidentally, the date of our trip landed during the heat of the World Cup playoffs, and we were actually lucky enough to take part in the excitement; we met a good friend of Yaron's who took us to one of Berlin's outdoor sports bars to watch the match between England and Germany - what an exciting football game!

While our explorations in London and Paris kept us primarily outside and on the street, in Berlin we got the chance to attend an opera! Thanks to a very kind friend, we were given tickets to see "Carmen" performed by the Deutsche Oper, which was my first opportunity to see this masterpiece performed live - what an exciting evening! Afterwards, we were all surprised to see the hundreds of audience members flock to the subway rather than to individual cars; public transportation once again proved to be the preferred alternative.

In thinking over the entire European trip, it is incredible to me how little it takes to be transported to a country entirely unique from the others which surround it. Indeed, the world of Paris is so completely different from Berlin, and yet all that separates the two is a short train ride. In this sense, Europe is tremendously rich culturally, and for a musician, this is one of the most exciting aspects of all.

And so, as I welcome the arrival of my favorite month of the year, September, I cannot help but look to the future with great anticipation; there is much to be discovered and learned here at the Jacob's School, and I also cannot wait for my next chance to return to the other side of the Atlantic.

All for now.

~Madalyn