thirteen ways

Back at DePauw University for our last of four visits, we took part in Carlos Carrillo’s Microfestival, the idea of which was to unite students and teachers for a week of concerts. The programming centered on works from the last thirty years, including music by Takemitsu, Crumb, Andriessen, Tom Albert, and Chen Yi (who had recently visited the school), among others.

Our involvement included performing in a version of Tom Albert’s Thirteen Ways (sort of 8bb’s “theme song”) for members of 8bb and a clutch of students. Below, Sarah Chamberlain takes on the virtuosity of the work’s Glass-influenced 11th movement:

Below, the Alb looks on critically as Jeremy Eberhard tears up one of the movements. Carlos Carillo conducts:

The audiences were very small; music students’ “juries” were also taking place, and finals week occured soon after the festival.

Senior Sarah Wachter had the wonderful opportunity to work on Crumb’s Vox Balanae with the Phot and the Kap. Given the Phot and the Kap have been playing the work from memory for six years, this was a unique experience for Sarah, and she really delivered, performing the piece with great panache and technical command.

In the late-night concert on Wednesday night, a large scale performance of In C took place. Although it was a very rough-and-ready performance, which was more or less fortissimo all the way through, students seemed to get a kick out of the experience: there were broad smiles on the faces of all the players, and one of the students as he came off afterwards said, “I think that is the most fun I’ve ever had onstage.”

Below, the Mac and his “clarinet choir.” (He will hate me for writing that!)

Below, the Alb takes a rest. Also in the picture is Mr Musical Perceptions, making a rare appearance on trumpet: