Rehearsal Update: Character + Rhythm

On Sunday, we got together for a long day of rehearsals. After our coaching on Friday, we knew we needed to spend some serious time with the Onishi piece. To this point, we had been focused on two things - matching sounds and rhythm. The rhythms in the piece are somewhat complex and must be incredibly exact in order for the canon to come out correctly. We had been so intent on learning the rhythms that we had completely forgotten the character of the piece.

It is titled "Pres de l'Abime," a reference to Messaien's "Abime des Oiseaux." It helps that Sean just learned the Messaien piece for his junior recital during the spring semester, so he can really understand how Messaien has influenced Onishi. Unlike most pieces, which are about the sound created by the musicians, both Messaien and Onishi play with the idea of silence. In rehearsal on Sunday, Sean told us to play as though we were contributing to the silence (or the abyss). It made an incredible difference. We finally felt like we were almost getting it. The challenge now is to retain that sense of silence contribution during the more active sections of the piece, or to figure out how they fit in with the less active sections. We are looking forward to exploring this more as we continue.

Motivational Monday: Ernest Hemingway

Although this quote is aimed at writers, I think it totally fits for musicians as well. In order to translate a feeling to the audience, you have to have life experience to draw from, and vivid experiences make all the better emotions.

Master Class Report

Last Friday, we had the amazing opportunity to perform in a master class for Mr. Alan Kay. It was a fantastic experience, and we wanted to share that experience.

We had the benefit of being second to perform, so we got to familiarize ourselves with Mr. Kay's style first. We immediately noticed that Mr. Kay seemed to do so little in order to get a large response, in both his playing and his teaching. He knew exactly what to do or say to get the precise outcome he wanted, no more and no less. It is something we are always striving for in our own playing, so it was really cool to see that expertise in action. In particular, we were struck by the fullness of his clarinet sound. It completely filled the room, and made us want to experiment with how we produce our own sounds.

We also admired how much he focused on performer he was working with. For those that haven't seen one before, a master class is sometimes described as a series of mini-lessons with an audience watching. Sometimes this means that the professor will spend a great deal of time using the performers as an example to get a couple of big points across to the audience, without really digging into what the performers need to improve. Mr. Kay did the opposite. While we were watching him work with the first student, we really did feel as though we were watching a lesson happen on stage. He would make an observation, give the student a way to fix it, and have them experiment with how it worked. He also spoke softly, giving the entire experience a very intimate feel. We felt that he really cared about the positive improvement of each performer he saw, which was greatly appreciated.

After practicing all last week to be extremely prepared for our performance, we were excited to play for Mr. Kay. We had chosen the second movement of the Carter Canonic Suite. We had been aiming for a very homogeneous sound, with almost a sleepy feel. Mr. Kay suggested that we should bring out the different textures and colors in our individual sounds in order to keep it interesting. Otherwise, the audience might actually fall asleep! He also identified a couple key places to bring out individual lines, such as Matthew's melody at the opening, and the passing quarter note figure throughout the piece. We had been listening and making decisions with our ears in the middle of the group. However, Mr. Kay made us realize that we ought to also listen from the perspective of the audience, to hear and feel what they will during our performance.

We are excited to put these ideas into action in the other pieces we are working on!

What We're Listening To: The Moldau with George Szell

Recently, I have been listening to the Cleveland Orchestra play the Moldau with George Szell conducting. I am always so captivated by the clarity and cleanliness of Cleveland's sound. The strings particularly have a crisp quality an togetherness that is not common, even in professional orchestras. My favorite part of the recording is at the peasant wedding section. The tempo when the piece gets to this section sits so nicely. It feels just right, the section is fast enough to create a wonderful sense of motion, but slow enough to feel the slight lilt of the dance. I highly recommend this recording to everyone!

- Sean

Rehearsal Update: Talking

Sometimes its good to remember that a long term chamber ensemble is a relationship. A complex, four person relationship. In some senses, this is a professional work group, much like a focus group at a company, but it is also very different. Music is so personal, and a quartet demands a singular personal experience from four people. This means that we basically have to be best friends that work together in order to deliver that kind of performance.

There are rehearsals where we really gel. Everything is working, and we're making great progress on our pieces, and we really feel accomplished at the end of rehearsal. There are also rehearsals where everyone ends up frustrated and there are a few glares going around. And everything in between. The great thing is that the varying experiences with rehearsals is totally normal, but if the negative-leaning rehearsals become common, it ought to be addressed.

That is exactly what we did this week. Sometimes, in order to allow for a productive rehearsal environment, it is necessary to talk things out. It will save time and frustration in the long run. It is often just enough to ask everyone to share what is frustrating them, whether it is in the quartet or not. This makes sure everyone knows what everyone else is going through, which makes everyone easier to work with. We are now looking forward to a positive, productive rehearsal for the rest of the week!

Motivational Monday: Norman Vincent Peale

Musicians sometimes have a problem letting their hearts lead. Although music is a passionate art, there is a great deal of technique that must be in place before passion can be tapped into. Or...maybe not. For experienced musicians who have set up a good foundation of practice and preparation, sometimes the last piece of the puzzle to make a piece really work is heart. Gauge where your heart is while you play, and let it take you where it will. You might just get something amazing.

Fun Fact Friday: Record Curtain Calls

Ever wonder who holds the record for the greatest number of curtain calls in a single performance? (FYI, a curtain call is when a performer returns to the stage to be recognized by the audience)

That would be the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who received 165 curtain call at a Berlin opera house in 1988.

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: A complete meal

When eating in Italy, a meal is more than good food, it is an experience. Today, we'll take you through the structure of a complete Italian meal.

crostini

The meal begins with antipasti, meaning appetizers. Although the specifics vary across regions, antipasti could include cured meats, vegetables, or seafood. In Umbria and Tuscany, favorites include crostini, toasted bread with savory toppings, and finocchiona, fennel-flavored salami.

papardelle al chinghiale

Next is the primo, or first course. This is a rice or pasta dish, or soup in the fall and winter. Tuscan favorites are pappardelle al sugo de lepre or al cinghiale, large fettuccine with hare sauce or wild boar sauce.

fagioli all'uccelletto

The main course, or secondo, comes next. This is a meat or fish dish, that can be accompanied by a contorno, or side dish, usually potatoes or vegetables. The most recommended secondo is fiorentina, a thick-cut steak from the Tuscan-bred Chianina cow. For a contorno, a favorite is the fagioli all'uccelletto, white beans in a light tomato sauce.

cantucci e vin santo

Ending the meal is cheese or dessert, called dolce, usually cake, pastry, pudding, or fresh fruit. One to try is cantucci e vin santo, a hazelnut biscotti served with sweet wine.

Rehearsal Update: Master Class Preparation

Alan Kay

This week, our rehearsals have definitely had some extra umph - we are preparing to play in a master class for Alan Kay. Mr. Kay is a professor of clarinet at The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Stony Brook University, and plays with the Orpheus Orchestra as well as many other chamber ensembles. We are thrilled to be able to get advice and feedback from him.

We are going to be bringing Elliott Carter's Canonic Suite and a few movements fromYvonne Desportes' French Suite. We are doing our very best to iron out all the kinks still left in these movements - it would be pointless to perform for Mr. Kay and only have him tell us things we already know we ought to be doing.

At the core of all our rehearsals is maintaining the core group sound we are working so hard to define. The tendency when trying to make something "right" is to focus on how you sound and what you need to change, often at the expense of truly playing together. Right now, we are working on doing everything as a group, and truly "giving up" to the group sound. Although this does lead to some frustrating rehearsals, its so worth it, and we are looking forward to seeing what Mr. Kay will say on Friday.

If you'd like to attend, the master class is open to the public:
Friday, June 21 @ 5pm
$10 at the door

The Historic Hoover Theater
1635 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95216

Motivational Monday: Edgard Varèse

 

We often get so used to listening to the same kind of music, and even musicians can be closed-minded when hearing new styles or innovations. To jump-start your week, listen to something new for some Monday inspiration!

Rehearsal Update: June 11

Last week, we made more progress on the movements of Desportes' French Suite that don't come as naturally to us - 2, 3, and 4. Our main focus in all three movements was articulation and style matching between the four of us. We also made our first foray into Onishi's piece. We began by making sure each of the sounds matched, and that we were producing them in a similar way. We are now in the process of putting it all together. After the first rehearsal, we are all very excited to premiere the piece in Italy!

Motivational Monday: Ralph Waldo Emmerson

This is a great quote for when you feel like there are just too many obstacles in the way of your goals. Let the positive guide you, instead of dwelling on the negatives that will hold you back.

Hope your week is full of progress toward your dreams!

Fun Fact Friday: Celebrity Clarinetists

There are a few of Hollywood's finest who play or have played the clarinet.

Julia Roberts played clarinet in high school band.

Woody Allen plays clarinet at Michael's Pub in NYC every Monday night.

Steven Spielberg also played the clarinet in high school, and can be seen playing in his film Jaws.

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Italy

1. The piano, thermometer, and typewriter were all invented in Italy.
2. The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine per year.

Trevi Fountain, Rome

3. 90% of Italians belong to the Roman Catholic religion.
4. The colors of the Italian flag represent hope (green), faith (white), and charity (red).
5. Geographically, Italy is quite small, at 116, 304 square miles, slightly larger than Arizona.
6. There are two independent states within Italy - Vatican City and the Republic of San Marino. The latter is home to the world's oldest continuous constitution.
7. Europe's only active volcanoes are in Southern Italy - the Eta, the Stromboli, and the Vesuvius. The Eta has been spewing lava daily since 1999.
8. Nearly 50 million tourists visit Italy annually.
9. The famous Trevi Fountain collect 3,000 € daily, which is donated to a local supermarket to serve the needy.
10. Pasta is the national dish of Italy - the average Italian consumes 25kg (55lbs)
per year!

What We're Listening To: New Audio Section!

Today we have a very quick post update for you - we have added an audio page to the blog! Uploaded so far, we have all the recordings from our April 7 recital at University of the Pacific, as well as a Henri Tomasi's Trois Divertissements, recorded at Pacific through the sound recording class. We definitely recommend listening to it, there is a playfulness in all three movements that is incredibly enjoyable.

Rehearsal Update: Skype Session with Yoshiaki Onishi

This past Friday, we had a nice talk with Yoshiaki Onishi about the piece he has composed for us to premier in Assisi, Près de l'Abîme. We were able to ask questions about multiple aspects of the piece, and we all now feel quite confident about performing the work. Onishi also went over his construction of the piece, using Messiaen's Abîme des oiseaux as inspiration, including the metric structure and the bird-like qualities. We are extremely excited to dig into the piece as a group beginning tomorrow to see how it will sound all together!

Motivational Monday: Albert Einstein

This one comes from our coach, Dr. Patricia Shands. Push yourself to go beyond what everyone thinks is satisfactory and see what you find!

Fun Fact Friday: The Clarinet

Today, two facts about the instrument we love so much - the clarinet!

1. The clarinet was the last of the woodwinds to be added to the standard orchestra.
2. The word "clarinet," from the Italian clarino, means "little trumpet."

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: Arcidosso

For the better part of two weeks before we head to Assisi, we will be attending the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Arcidosso. Arcidosso is a small town (population 4,384) south of Florence, in Tuscany. The most notable sight is the Aldobrandeschi castle, dating back to the year 1000. The top tower of the castle provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Monte Amiata, the largest lava dome in the Lake Bolsena complex.

Fast Facts
Region: Tuscany
Province: Grosseto
Landscape: Rolling green hills, Monte Amiata
Best Way to Get Around: On foot
To Eat: crostini, fiorentina

What We're Listening To: Quatour De Clarinettes Edison

For "What We're Listening To" this week, we have the Carter "Canonic Suite" as performed by Quatour de Clarinettes Edison on their album Ouragan. This particular recording caught our attention because of the clarity and the almost simplistic nature of the performance. The group plays the piece as Carter indicates, with amazing clarity and without adding anything Carter does not ask for. This was able to influence our approach to the piece. As four players who sometimes have a tendency to over-express, this recording gave us an idea of how good the piece could sound without anything added. It gave us a different way to think about the piece, and has in turn helped our clarity and helped us create a more simplistic style.

This recording can be found on Spotify

Rehearsal Update: Elliott Carter and the Mind Meld

In our most recent rehearsals, we've been focusing a lot on playing truly together. We've found that although we have rare moments when we are all on the same page, we often are four good clarinettists playing at the same time, but not with the same intent. We have been focusing creating a single energy and a single mindset while we play. This sounds very mystical and new age-y, but its been working for us. We all think about "plugging in" to a quartet brain that will play the piece. It is really an abstract way of listening while we play that puts the focus on the other three players, and allows you to hear the other three very clearly. So far, this has been working quite well for us, and is solving many issues like tempo, balance, and articulation differences. To practice this, we've been using the 2nd movement of Carter's Canonic Suite, which allows us to address many of these issues directly.

Right now, we're calling this a "mind meld." According to Matt, this is inspired by the Vulcan Mind Meld of Star Trek; if you're unfamiliar, you can read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_%28Star_Trek%29#Mind_melds

Motivational Monday: Alejandro Jodorowski

This is a great quote because it challenges us to think outside the box, or in this case, the cage, and assess our talents differently. Every person has a unique blend of skills that set them up for success. Find your niche in the world, even if it means you have to be a little creative!

Surprising Stuff Saturday: 100 Years of 'The Rite of Spring'

Rounding out our weekly blog post schedule will be "Fun Fact Friday," with a musical fact or two. This week, it has become "Surprising Stuff Saturday!" We will be right on schedule next week.

This Wednesday, May 29th, marks the 100 year anniversary of the premiere of Stravinsky's ballet, The Rite of Spring. The piece is largely known for its infamous premiere, at which the audience protested so loudly that the dancers could not hear the music. Multiple factors contributed to the outcry - elaborate costumes, unusual choreography, and the strange story of pagan sacrifice, as well as Stravinsky's innovative music. It is dissonant, angular, and unpredictable, with an opening bassoon solo beyond the accepted range of the instrument at the time.

Although Stravinsky was unhappy with the audience reaction, the piece now stands as a great masterpiece of 20th century music.

Check out the Joffrey Ballet recreation of the premiere performance here:

Noi amiamo l'Italia!: Assisi

As we get ready to travel to Italy in July, we will be sharing something about the country every Thursday in our "Noi amiamo l'Italia" or "We love Italy" posts. This week, some background on Assisi, the city we will be performing in for ClarinetFest 2013.

Assisi is most famous for St. Francis of Assisi, who was born there. Its most famous landmark is the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, which began construction in 1228, just after the canonization of St. Francis. The church has frescoes from Cimabue, Giotto, and Cavallini. A small town of just 3000 people, Assisi is a spiritual pilgrimage for many who come to honor the founder of the Franciscan order.


Fast Facts
Region: Umbria
Province: Perugia
Landscape: Sweet, green hills
Best Way to Get Around: On foot
To Eat: Truffles

What We're Listening To: Doumka Clarinet Ensemble

Every Wednesday, we'll be showing you a recording (or two!) that we are currently listening to, along with a little bit about why we find it intriguing.

Doumka Clarinet Ensemble

This week, we have two movements of Asymmetric Miniatures by Alexis Ciesla, "Des Bulles" and "Praïa," performed by the Doumka Clarinet Ensemble. Ciesla is a member of this ensemble, and originally wrote the piece for them. We have been playing the piece since August, and auditioned for ICA ClarinetFest 2013 with our recording of it. The stylistic element that has been the most challenging for us, and that we continue to work on, is the relaxed sound quality. These recordings of the Doumka Clarinet Ensemble capture this sound quality perfectly. The sound is relaxed and open, with an earthy, natural quality that really suits the piece well.

The recordings do not reflect the published arrangement that Concinnity Quartet has studied. The Doumka version does not have the bass clarinet, only the three sopranos, and adds percussion. These changes enhance the Mediterranean influenced style of the pieces. Also, "Des Bulles" adds an improvisatory-sounding introduction that helps set the tone for the 'bubbly' party that is to come.

Listen and let us know what you think!
http://www.myspace.com/doumkaclarinetensemble/music

Rehearsal Update: French Suite, Yvonne Desportes

Every Tuesday we'll be bringing you a brief rehearsal update, including the piece or pieces we've been focusing on this week, and any particular challenges or breakthroughs we've had.

Recently, we've been placing most of our focus on Yvonne Desportes' French Suite, particularly movements 1 (Prelude), 5 (Bouree), and 6 (Gigue). These three are similar in that they all have running arpeggio patterns that are passed throughout all parts. The challenge, of course, is the floaty, smooth quality these patterns require, and matching the style within the group. What we have found most helpful is to pick which of our four sounds or styles we like the best, and to all make changes in our own playing to match. The other difficulty is maintaining the simple, ethereal feel throughout all dynamic levels. It is often easy to have fortes sound harsh, and we are working on delicate fortes as a group.

This week, we also did some research on Yvonne Desportes. We discovered that she taught fugue at the Paris Conservatory, something that is very evident in the echo-like themes found in each movement of the suite. Also, Desportes is classified as a non-conformist traditionalist. Although at first, this seems like a contradictory descriptor, after deconstructing her style, it makes sense. In the piece we are studying, Desportes has written a dance suite, much like traditional Baroque and early Classical composers. However, she uses modern harmonies, and breaks tradition, giving her a non-conformist sound. We always find that knowing more about a composer and the environment they were writing in helps to influence the way we play their music.

Coming up next week, we'll begin work on our piece from Yoshiaki Onishi, which will be premiered at ClarinetFest 2013 in Assisi!

Motivational Monday: Live Your Music

Now that it is summertime, we have the time to get back to blogging! We are super excited to be bringing you a blog post every week day to keep you up to date on our journey to Italy in July.

Every Monday will be Motivational Monday, with a quote, story, or photo to brighten up and inspire the beginning of your workweek. Today, we are bringing you a quote from jazz legend Charlie Parker.

We have been visiting a number of high schools in the area this week and last week, and this sentiment is something we try to leave students thinking about. The incredibly beautiful thing about music, playing or listening, is the personal nature of a performance. With that added intimate dimension, music becomes an active experience for listener and performer. When we visit schools, we emphasize the vivid imagery we create for ourselves for each piece we play. We have found the creation of a story or an image to be a vital, necessary part of our rehearsal process, and we often feel lost in the preparation of a piece without it. However, even though we have found a very specific story for each piece, it is definitely not the only image that works. We have had students tell us that they hear exactly the same things we do, and things that are completely opposite. This is fascinating, because it allows us to see a tiny piece of someone's life when they share their experience with us.

So as you experience music this week, either though listening or playing, ask yourself what moment in your life you are living!

Our Life: Spring Break

To all Pacific students - welcome back from Spring Break! We have an exciting update for one of the members of Concinnity Quartet. Last Thursday, March 07, Sarah presented at the ACPA National Conference in Las Vegas, NV. As an undergraduate student at a professional conference, this is an incredible honor, and we are extremely proud of her!

Along with a staff mentor and another undergraduate student, Sarah presented "Developing Student Identity - The Importance of Wellness Programming at Orientation." They detailed the new orientation program PacFit On the Prowl and how other student affairs professionals could bring a similar wellness session to their institutions.

Visit to Merced High School

On March 01, Concinnity Quartet made its first high school visit to Merced High School in Merced, CA. We absolutely loved getting to meet the students and sharing our love of music with them. Sean was also able to reconnect with his high school band teacher, Mr. Manuel Costa. We played interactive concert programs for the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble, and we discussed rehearsal technique and teamwork in a master class style with the Guard & Percussion class.

Concinnity Quartet with Mr. Costa of Merced High School

The main point in our program notes was the idea that music is made not by pushing the right buttons at the right time, but by the intention and emotion of the performer. We talked about the importance of music as a personal experience for the listener, and we asked the student for images and feelings they had for each piece we played. We also discussed the importance of a common group story or image in a chamber group.

To do this, we opened with three movements from Asymmetric Miniatures by Alexis Ciesla, followed by the first two movements of Elliott Carter's Canonic Suite. Here, we also talked about the structure of the canon and how that requires an entirely different kind of playing and listening, both as a performer and an audience. We then moved into heavy-hitting emotional content with the second and third movements of the Divertimento by Alfred Uhl, and finished with the beautiful impressionist image of Debussy's Clair de Lune.

We are looking forward to future concerts (and evening recitals!) at Tracy High School in Tracy, CA and Buchanan High School in Clovis, CA

Quick Update: Pacific Newsroom

As of today, our story about our trip to Italy is featured in the online Pacific Newsroom! Check it out here!

Concinnity Quartet is Headed to Assisi, Italy!

A few days before Christmas 2012, we received fantastic news. We were invited to play a full recital at the International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest 2013. All four of us were incredibly excited - we applied to perform in a Potpourri concert with a number of other groups, and we never imagined we would be invited to play our own recital.


The timing of ClarinetFest works perfectly. We had also been considering the Interharmony International Music Festival in Arcidosso, which is the two weeks prior to ClarinetFest. We have been accepted to Interharmony, and are in the process of finalizing our travel plans to get to Italy in July. 

We're also discussing repertoire for a well-rounded recital of 24-26 minutes. We are absolutely thrilled to be able to premiere a new work written for us by Yoshi Onishi, winner of the 2011 Gaudeamus Prize. He is an alumnus not only of the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, but of the clarinet studio! Look out for a future post with all the details of this exciting new piece - we are thrilled.

So, what are your thoughts? Any favorite clarinet quartet standards we should consider?

Introducing the Concinnity Quartet

Hello! We are the Concinnity Quartet, and we are so glad that you have found our blog! We are all undergraduate students studying music at the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in Stockton, CA. We will be posting updates about our events, recordings, school concerts, and performances, as well as photos, audio, and video. Follow us to stay current with the Concinnity Quartet!