Peggy Feltmate: Blog

Blog Bits: “Magical Playing From NEXUS”

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Every once in a long while I have a look to see who has been blogging about NEXUS. For example I just caught a glimpse of our very own quartet at percussionist Abby Savell’s website, where they were captured on film with her new baby during rehearsals for the Ojai Music Festival in 2008. Likewise,… Read more »

Are You Ready for Reich?

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The New Yorker has called Steve Reich “the most original musical thinker of our time.”  Steve Reich has called NEXUS “probably the most acclaimed percussion group on earth.”  Clearly, this is a match made in heaven! NEXUS has been very busy preparing for the up-coming premiere of their exciting and much-anticipated Steve Reich commission, taking… Read more »

Steve Gadd tap dancing with Nexus

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NEXUS has had some wonderful opportunities to play with some of the drum-set greats: Out of the Blue CD; and of course the inimitable Steve Gadd. NEXUS performed with Steve at Gotanda Kan-I Hoken Hall in Japan at “Super Percussion”, part of the Tokyo Music Joy Festival. Bob Becker not only arranged several pieces that… Read more »

To The Beat of a Different Drummer

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You can catch a recent article about NEXUS by clicking here. The Varsity, the newspaper of the University of Toronto, ran the article in mid-March, this time featuring NEXUS’s Bob Becker, who talks about the genesis and evolution of both NEXUS and himself as a musician. Enjoy!

Get Your Tickets for the Tribute Concert

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Don’t forget that this Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. NEXUS is performing in the handsome Glenn Gould Studio Theatre in downtown Toronto in the CBC Broadcasting building. ( Buy tickets. Address: 250 Front Street West, Toronto, ON). If you are a student, show your ID and get in for a mere $10 – a great… Read more »

1933 Premiere and First Recording of Varese’s Ionisation

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I have been reading wonderful notices at the Ojai Festival in California not long ago. Slonimsky was a gifted musician who was born into a remarkable Russian family in 1894, fled his homeland during the Revolution of 1917 and emigrated from Europe to America in 1923 at the invitation of George Eastman (inventor of the… Read more »

From the Archives #4: NEXUS an Inspiration

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In 2008 NEXUS performed at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. Incredibly, this was NEXUS’ first time at the OCMF. They gave three different performances: one in a late-night “after-hours” venue, the second a formal evening solo concert, and the third an afternoon educational concert at the Museum of Civilization. Here is an interesting article and… Read more »

March Concert Dates for Upper New York State and Ontario

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March 19 and 20 bring two opportunities to hear NEXUS in concert. Our friends in Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Fort Erie, and upper New York State can come to Brock University in St Catharines, Ontario, in the heart of Niagara wine country, and our fans in Southern and Central Ontario can come to the handsome Glenn… Read more »

The Canadian Brass and the Canadian NEXUS component

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Brass and Percussion is a match made in heaven. So it is no surprise that the Canadian Brass decided to include percussion – and LOTS of it! – in their upcoming recording. Keep an eye on the CB’s website for future updates on the recording and its availability. The recording session took place just last… Read more »

Reich and other New Work

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When things are quiet on the Blog, you can be sure that things are hopping behind the scenes! NEXUS is deep into rehearsal for the much-anticipated premiere of the legendary Steve Reich’s new Mallet Quartet. Watch for it on April 29th here in Toronto under the auspices of Soundstreams Canada.

New York Times article on today’s Percussion

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Allan Kozinn has an excellent article on percussion in Sunday’s New York Times (December 27th). It is called Percussionists Go From Background to Podium, and he talks of the major percussionists and percussion ensembles at work today. Check it out here.

The Birds

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Just before Christmas, I turned the page of the art calendar on my desk and was surprised to see a piece called The Bird’s Concert, (circa 1600) by Frans Snyders. Of course, I immediately thought of Bill Cahn’s piece The Birds that features the calls of Snyders’ birds plus a few dozen more! You can… Read more »

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