Hartford Sound Alliance at Billing’s Forge Mashup!
Posted: May 5, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »At Billing’s Forge artist studios on May 5, 2011, 6-9 pm!! Improvisation/video/installation/performance
Videos by:
Performances by:
Lief Ellis, electronics
Ryan Ford, bass
Ben Klein, tuba
Crystal Pascucci, cello
Anne Rhodes, voice
Bill Solomon, percussion
Matt Sargent, electronics
More previews!
Posted: April 12, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Here’s a few links to hear some of the music that will be featured on this Friday’s concert:
An except of ekmeles performing Martin Iddon’s Ἁμαδρυάδες (hamadryads) for five voices and glass harmonica, performed by ekmeles
Kirsten Volness’s Hints and Hauntings for double bass and electronics, performed here by Jeremy Baguyos
And finally, a version of JacobTV’s Grab It for electric guitar and boombox (on Friday, it will be performed by 12 saxophones!)
Preview: Jacob Richman’s Go Down! You Blood Red Roses
Posted: April 10, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Here’s percussionist Fred Kennedy’s performance of Jacob Richman’s Go Down! You Blood Red Roses at Brown University’s Grant Hall on Oct 26, 2010. Bill Solomon will present a new version of this piece on the April 15th HNMF concert.
Concert #3: Shifting Relationships – Program Announced
Posted: April 3, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »
Christie Finn and Jeffrey Gavett of Ekmeles from the 2011 Avant Music Festival Photo: Tear-n Tan for Avant Media
The third concert of the Hartford New Music Festival presents works by local, regional and international composers, all written within the last five years. This final installation of the HNMF presents a varied cross-section of some of the most exciting voices in the current new music scene.
This program takes place on Friday April 15 at 7:30pm at The Studio at Billing’s Forge, 563 Broad St, Hartford, CT 06106. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
Program:
Hints and Hauntings for double bass and electronics (2011) by Kirsten Volness
Ryan Ford, double bass
Go Down! You Blood Red Roses for percussion and electronics (2010) by Jacob Richman
Bill Solomon, percussion
Ἁμαδρυάδες (hamadryads) for five voices and glass harmonica (2010) by Martin Iddon
ekmeles: Christie Finn, soprano, Megan Schubert, soprano, Jeffrey Gavett, baritone, Michael Weyandt, baritone, Steven Hrycelak, bass
Metal for saxophone, trombone, viola and cello (2006) by David Macbride
ensemble 016: Sheri Brown, saxophone, Jordan Jacobson, trombone, Laura Krentzman, viola, Han-Wei Lu, cello
Corps Sonore for percussion and electronics (2011) by Christian Gentry
Bill Solomon, percussion
Premiere Performance
Akiko Hatakeyama and Aleksandra Miglowiec, flutes
Grab It! X12 for saxophone orchestra with soundtrack & videos (2007) by Jacob Ter Veldhuis
A couple reviews of Resonant Bodies, 2/18/11
Posted: March 15, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Thought it would be appropriate to publish some reviews of our last show in February.
Here’s one by critic Eric R. Danton on his Soundcheck blog for the Hartford Courant.
And here’s one by our friend Anne Rhodes in New Haven on her blog SoundRat.
Levy Lorenzo’s Improvisation for Teacups and Light
Posted: March 8, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Here’s a preview of one of the works that will be heard on the March 18 concert. Composer and performer Levy Lorenzo says the following about his work:
As a musician and engineer, I seek to use technology to build true musical instruments that will allow new forms of human musical expression in live performance.
This piece is solo improvisation with an instrument that I built which uses 2 Teacups, Light and Electronics. The Left Teacup controls volume and envelope, the Right Teacup controls pitch, and the orientation of the Teacup Platform with respect to the front facing light controls rhythm. Data is produced by light sensors located under the upside-down Teacups, as well at the sides of the Teacup Platform. This data then passes through a hardware interface (MakeController) to software (MAX/MSP) where the audio parameters are digitally manipulated.
I have extensively practiced this instrument and performed improvisations in both solo and chamber concert settings. As one of many experiments to come in the philosophical and technical research of new musical instrument design, it has been successful in that I feel a strong connection between the teacup technique and sounds that I want to create.
March 18 Concert Announced
Posted: March 2, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Program 2 – From Light into Darkness
The second concert of the Hartford New Music Festival includes works concerned with light and darkness, as well as the exploration of sound through electronics and extended instrumental and vocal techniques.
This program takes place on March 18 at 7:30pm at The Studio@Billing’s Forge, 563 Broad St, Hartford, CT 06106. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door:
PROGRAM —
Paramecium III (2010) for solo tuba and electronics by Benjamin J. Mansavage Klein
performed by composer
torsion (2003/5) for solo bassoon and tape by Olga Neuwirth
Jon Stehney, bassoon
59 ½” for a string player (1953) by John Cage
Robert Black, double bass
Paint It Black (1988) for solo double bass by Michael Gordon
Robert Black, double bass
Improvisation for Teacups and Light (2009) for solo live electronics by Levy Lorenzo
performed by the composer
Where/When (2010) for FM Koala and bassoon by Levy Lorenzo and Jon Stehney
performed by composers
For Andie Springer Showing the Form of a Melody, “Standing in the Shadows” by Robert Ashley (2010) for violin and guitar by Robert Ashley
Andie Springer, violin and James Moore, guitar
Scenes from Nek Chand (2001/2) for just intonation national steel string guitar by Lou Harrison
James Moore, guitar
Jabberwocky (1990) for voice and percussion by Susan Botti, poem by Lewis Carroll
Lauretta Pope, vocal/actor and Bill Solomon, percussion
February 18 Program Announced
Posted: February 18, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Program 1 – Resonant Bodies
unruhe for six eBowed electric guitars by Adrian Knight
Restless Guitar Sextet: Scott Comanzo, Adrian Knight, Matt Sargent, Jesse Stanford, Thomas Schuttenhelm and Joel Weik
crossing/rising for cello, percussion, oboe and saxophone by Matt Sargent
HSA Ensemble: Sheri Brown, saxophone, Charles Huang, oboe, Katie Kennedy, cello, Bill Solomon, percussion
waver for dancer, electronics and lights by Carl Testa and Rachel Bernsen
Les guetters des sons for three percussionists by Georges Aperghis
Ludovico Ensemble: Jeffrey Means, Bill Solomon, Nick Tolle, percussion
Arpeggios for
Concert #1: Resonate Bodies (Fri. February 18)
Posted: February 5, 2011 Filed under: concert, dance, electronics, program Leave a comment »The first concert in the Hartford New Music Festival includes music about resonance, space, and physicality. This program takes place on February 18 at 7:30pm at The Studio@Billing’s Forge, 563 Broad St, Hartford, CT 06106. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door:
- unruhe for six eBowed electrics guitars by Adrian Knight
Restless Guitar Sextet: Scott Comanzo, Adrian Knight, Matt Sargent, Thomas Schuttenhelm, Jesse Stanford and Joel Weik
- crossing/rising for cello, percussion, oboe and saxophone by Matt Sargent
HSA Ensemble: Sheri Brown, saxophone, Charles Huang, oboe, Katie Kennedy, cello, Bill Solomon, percussion
- Arpeggios for solo guitar by Tom Johnson
Thomas Schuttenhelm, guitar
- Waver for dancer, electronics and lights by Carl Testa and Rachel Bernsen
Rachel Bernsen, dancer
- Les sons des guetters for three percussionists by Georges Aperghis
Ludovico Ensemble: Jeffrey Means, Bill Solomon and Nick Tolle, percussion
Hartford New Music Festival Announced
Posted: January 25, 2011 Filed under: general information Leave a comment »Hartford Sound Alliance and Billing’s Forge are presenting the first edition of the HARTFORD NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL.
The dates for the festival are February 18, March 18 and April 15, all concerts beginning at 7:30pm. Studio@Billing’s Forge is located at 539 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06106.
HNMF will feature performers, ensembles and composers from New England and New York hand-picked by co-curators Matt Sargent and Bill Solomon. Music presented on the festival includes instrumental, vocal, theatrical and electronic works including composers Georges Aperghis, John Cage, Martin Iddon, Robert Ashley, Michael Gordon, Jacob Ter Veldhuis, David Macbride, Susan Botti, Matt Sargent, Carl Testa, Kirsten Volness, Jacob Richman, Levy Lorenzo, Ben Klein, Akiko Hatekayama and Christian Gentry. Performers and ensembles include Robert Black, Ludovico Ensemble, ekmeles vocal ensemble, Andie Springer, James Moore, Jon Stehney, ensemble 016, Lauretta Pope, Ryan Ford, HSA Ensemble and the Hartt Saxophone Studio.
Check this space for future information including concert programs, links to composer and performer websites as well as ticket information. Please direct any inquiries to solomon.bill@gmail.com or mattsargentmusic.com.


