I recently received an email from a student working on a DMA project. The email contained questions about “Afrodditty,” a piece that exists in two related versions - 1) a timpani solo in “Six Concert Pieces for Solo Timpani” (Meredith/Hal Leonard Pub.), and 2) a snare drum solo in “NEXUS Suite” (HoneyRock Pub). The two versions may also be played …
To followup on the blog posting of April 25, the day-long sessions on diversity at the University of Rochester occurred on Friday, April 29. At the last minute I decided that I would simply present a short Creative Music Making session using a homemade amadinda (Ugandan-style board xylophone) and an integrated amplifier to play back the improvised music that would …
It’s back home again after a week of vacation in Massachusetts - Stockbridge (Red Lion Inn), the Old Deerfield Inn, Sandwich Village on Cape Cod (Daniel Webster Inn), and three days in Boston, where Ruth and I heard absolutely no live music (but plenty of Kenny G’s saxophone in almost every restaurant, cafe, and elevator; what’s the deal with that?). …
I was recently invited to participate in a panel discussion on the topic of improvisation, as part of a Diversity Conference at the University of Rochester River Campus:on Friday April 29, 2011. In preparation for the Conference panel members were given several bullet points to consider:
• Deal with the concept of improvisation as a way of seeing diversity
• Music, language, …
Recently I received an inquiry from Jon Singer, a percussionist in Brooklyn, NY. He had a copy of my 284-page discography, “The Xylophone in Acoustic Recordings. “ Jon had just met with Arnie Lang who was a student of Billy Gladstone. Arnie remembered Gladstone playing a …
As I write this, NEXUS is in Austin Texas to perform with the Austin Symphony conducted by the orchestra’s music director, Peter Bay, who has been with the orchestra for 15-years. Prior to Peter’s coming to Austin, I had the pleasure of performing in many concerts under his baton at the Rochester Philharmonic, where he was the assistant conductor for …
In the middle of my third year as an Associate Professor of Percussion at the Eastman School of Music, I entered into a new musical experience. On Tuesday, January 11 a new course of study at Eastman titled, “Creative Music Making,” began in its first of seven weekly 2-hour sessions through January and February. The course was based on my …
MARLBORO MUSIC FESTIVAL - 60th SEASON 2010
The NEXUS Connection
1964
Little did I know in 1964, my first summer after high school, that the telephone call I received from my friend Lee Gurst would be a pivotal event in my life. Lee, who had also just graduated from …
Tuesday, January 11 - Bill’s new course, “Creative Music Making,” based on his book (Routledge, 2005) begins as part of the Arts Leadership Program begins at the Eastman School of Music -. The course will continue every Tuesday for seven weeks. Bill also begins his third year as Associate Professor of Percussion at Eastman.
Thursday, January 20 - The Osuma …
The following interview with Robin Engelman took place in Toronto in August, 1996. This is the first time it has been published.
Bill Cahn: Do you see any ’sea’ changes or ‘environmental’ changes in the world of music happening right now. If you do can do define what they are? If …
Monday evening (December 13, 2010) I attended a solo recital titled, “Touch-ing” at the Showa Academy Recital Hall. It was a performance by Hideki Ikegami, a terrific marimbist and percussionist with piano accompaniment by Kanna Shibata. Hideki is about 30-years-old and was a student of …
As I write this, I’m listening to “The Messiah” being discussed on Japanese television while it’s performed by a Japanese chorus, Japanese vocal soloists, and Japanese musicians playing on period instruments, including timpani (with wooden mallets) that are very much like the hand-tuned drums I saw earlier today (more about the hand-tuned timps in a minute). Twenty-first Century …
It’s Saturday and the first week of my residency at Showa is coming to an end. On this visit I have definitely noticed a higher level of performance, both in the private lessons and in the ensemble rehearsals and concerts. There have been 19 private lessons, most with a focus on solo multi-perc pieces, but also with a fair amount …
I’m in Japan again for the third time in 2010 for my 2-week teaching residency at the Showa Academy of Music. I finally arrived at my hotel room in Kawasaki at 5:30 AM Rochester time - exactly 25-1/2-hours after waking up …
The following interview with Bob Becker took place on July 30, 1996. This is the first time it has been published.
Bill Cahn: Do you see any “sea changes” happening now and if so what would you say they are and what are their characteristics?
