asimpleblog

Michael is

2009-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

working on a new piece for Lisa Race, Sway.

Sway from Race Dance on Vimeo.

Can't stop playing with this.

2009-09-22T06:30:00.008-04:00

A friend at work forwarded this to me and I keep coming back to it. In Bb 2.0 is a collaborative music and spoken word project conceived by Darren Solomon from Science for Girls, and developed with contributions from users.

Go to the website and trigger them all at the same time.

Amy Raymond

2009-08-05T06:00:00.002-04:00

Amy and I met at OSU a couple of years ago and did our first piece together at that time. We have been working remotely on a few projects in Holland, Budapest and now San Francisco. I will be playing live in my studio (Columbus, OH) and streaming audio to the performance space (San Francisco, CA). The concert is this Saturday 8-10PM. Not exactly sure where yet....
Here is a short video about another project of Amy's:

Dance Free with Tea!

2009-08-03T05:33:00.002-04:00

From my good buddy Jessica Harris.

Back in the big boy chair.

2009-08-02T16:16:00.005-04:00

ADF 2009 was great, but a bunch of work this year. Played for Sara Procopio, David Dorfman, Gerri Houlihan, Pan Pietro, Brenda Daniels, Jenn Nugent, Mark Hiam, Abby Yager, Ming Lung Yang, Jesse Zaritt, a few improv jams and worked on new music for Faye Driscoll.

I also tried something new with my friend Dai Jin. Using Skype and a short audio cable, I sent my output to his computer which was connected to the sound system in the theater. He sent the video signal of the stage to me and we chated on another line while performing in real time. The concert was held in Shanghai, China at 8PM, which was 8AM for me in Durham, NC. Rehearsals were rough, good thing I am a morning person.

Here are some pictures of my screen during the showing:

3 is better than 1

2009-05-08T05:57:00.004-04:00

Class these days at OSU could not be more enjoyable. I am joined this quarter by Joe Spurlock and Carlos Duran. Here is a clip from class this week:

asimplesound on facebook

2009-05-04T21:11:00.006-04:00

friend up.

I can has new head.

2009-05-04T05:44:00.005-04:00

Soaked the skin for 4 hours in a cooler and started pulling.

Basement smells funny.

night of electronic music

2009-05-01T06:47:00.003-04:00

Please join us for an evening of electronic and computer based music. Original works by Anthony Vine, Robert Lunn, Benjamin Williams, Luis Obregon and Michael Wall. The concert is free and will happen in Sullivant Theater on May 22, 2009 at 8PM. For more information please contact Michael Wall at wall.134@osu.edu

Cracks in the shell.

2009-04-26T20:19:00.003-04:00

8 years of getting played almost everyday and only 3 small cracks. Not too shabby.

New head, wish me luck.

2009-04-26T15:51:00.003-04:00

First time, a little scared.

The hotest dance company in town, literally.

2009-04-22T05:59:00.003-04:00

Limon Motor

2009-04-13T05:41:00.002-04:00

Last night, I received this lovely video from Sydnie Mosley. My connection with this project was a new experience for me: a musician transcribed a solo piano performance of mine and played it live for this concert. The track, "Limon Motor", was originally composed around 10 years ago for the Jose Limon Company. I used chord changes from a Schubert song and the framework of a piano technique exercise to build the piece. It is "hand exercise" that practices distinction between outer melodies and inner harmony. I pick any chord changes or a jazz standard and move through them slowly as an improvisation. My first summer at ADF, I took 7 minutes to play through "All the Thing You Are" during the musicians concert. Mark Haim approached me that summer and aksed me to work on his new piece for the Jose Limon Company. The music was often performed live and it would change from night to night.

Thanks and good luck to Sydnie. Her piece is entitled, "A Side of the World for a Canvas" and is part of her MFA Thesis work at the University of Iowa. The performance was held at the Space Place Theater - Iowa City, IA - April 2, 3 & 4. Limon Motor starts around 5:40 in the video, enjoy!

A Side of the World for a Canvas from Sydnie Mosley on Vimeo.

Margaret Morris Movement

2009-04-12T16:54:00.006-04:00

After 5 recording sessions and hours of editing/mastering, two CDs of music to accompany the movement of Margaret Morris are complete. The project was led by Odette Blum, a scholar of Labanotation. I had a great time recording the beautiful Steinway in Weigel Hall, played by Chein-Hui Wong. This work will help preserve both the music and movement concepts of Margaret Morris. I am very proud to have been asked to be a part.

Odette is traveling to Scotland to continue developing the project.

ADF 2009

2009-04-12T11:16:00.001-04:00

Kegwin and Company

2009-04-12T11:07:00.004-04:00

Monsters vs. Aliens

2009-04-12T06:56:00.004-04:00

I recently floated $13 across a counter to purchase a ticket for Monster's vs. Aliens. The whole experience made me think of riding my bike down to 7-eleven to pick up the red and blue glasses for Captian Eo. It is awesome to watch images that match the shape of the sound. Lately, I have been tooling around with more 360 degree audio environments, in Logic. Seeing this movie reminded me that ACCAD is a 2 minute drive from my office and I will be heading over there again real soon. I did bump into one of the senior music faculty at OSU, Marc Ainger.

History of Education

2009-03-31T06:57:00.000-04:00

This video was created by Sean Layne, Focus 5 Inc. and sent to me last night. It briefly describes the history of education in the United States and the importance of arts integration within our current approach to schooling. I found the short clip, which will be used by Kennedy Center's Education Department, very touching. Thanks Sean.

Silhouettes of People There

2009-03-26T11:55:00.000-04:00

This is an excerpt of a larger work from Dancer/Choreographer Jess Wontropski. We had never met before she emailed me earlier this year requesting permission to choreograph along with some of my music. Jess used a collection of my tracks to score the entire piece and I was really pleased with her new work. Thanks again to all of you who continue to keep my music alive with fresh movement.

Social Climb Part 4

2009-03-16T11:04:00.001-04:00

I received this video from Daryl Cooley recently. He choreographed a lovely duet to a piece of my music, "Social Climb Part 4". I wrote the score for "Social Climb" almost 10 years ago for Lisa Race. Ironically, we never ended up using this music in the final version of the dance. I liked the section and decided to hold on to it for the future.

It is a very delightful, and sometimes humbling, experience when a choreographer will choose to create a new work using an old composition of mine. Thanks again Daryl.

A bit of humor...

2009-03-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

We all have our bad performances...real or not.

Jake E. Lee

Wynton with strings

And a new one, probably my favorite

Ray Lee

2009-03-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I attended a showing by Ray Lee. The entire performance lasted about 45 minutes, a big one chord sheet of sounds. I highly recommend seeing this if it comes near you. Thank you Wexner Center for the Arts for amazing programming.

Induction into the NME

2009-03-02T09:23:00.000-05:00

My first performance in the School of Music here at OSU was more like an induction into a Composer's Club. After an amazing performance by Thomas Wells, playing 5 pieces of Henry Cowell for piano, I was wheeled out onto stage where I sat for the entire second half of the concert. David Toamasacci, Tenor and arranger, was greatful for the "disciplined action" (as it is written in John Cage's score of 0'0").

2009-02-09T09:07:00.000-05:00

...and crushing it in D.

Michael

2008-12-12T06:13:00.000-05:00

Recording in Weigel Hall

I started today on a new recording of piano music. The project is led by Odette Blum with pianist Chein Hui. The music is a collection of Schubert, S chumann, Bradford and Phyllis Forbes. This music will be used by dance instructors worldwide to teach exercises designed by the Margaret Morris Movement.
It is so much fun to record such a nice instrument, Steinway Concert Grand.

2008-11-09T06:52:00.000-05:00

SPACES ARE FILLING UP FAST--APPLY NOW
This nine-day workshop is designed for students interested in learning about New York's dance scene from the artists who are creating it. The design of the Intensive is artist centered. This allows students a broad range of explorations, study and inquiry into the profession of dance. If you have ever considered making New York City your dance home, this workshop is a great way to experience more and ask questions in an environment that supports the shaping of young artists.
Past faculty has included: Robert Battle, Rodger Belman, Brian Brooks, Jeffery Bullock, Trisha Brown, Donna Faye Burchfield, Martha Clarke, Sean Curran, David Dorfman, Eiko & Koma, Miguel Gutierrez, Mark Haim, Gerri Houlihan, Ishmael Houston-Jones, John Jasperse, Yangkeun Kim, Nicholas Leichter, Paul Matteson, Meredith Monk, Jennifer Nugent, Pamela Pietro, Lisa Race, Elizabeth Streb, Shen Wei, Doug Varone, Janet Wong, Andrea Woods, Abby Yager, and Ming Yang.

919.684.6402 | school@americandancefestival.org

2008-11-09T06:46:00.000-05:00

The Experimental Movement and Media Arts Lab (EMMA) at the Advanced Computing Center of the Arts and Design presents, "We Will Be Going On Now" with Laurie Atkins, Ariadne Mikou, and Rachael Riggs-Leyva. The concert includes choreographies ranging from the 1940's to the presentby Jean Erdman, Trisha Brown and Norah Zuniga-Shaw and features 3D animation, real-time ineractive sound, and motion capture.

Thursday-Saturday, November 13-15, 2008 8pm
EMMA Lab at ACCAD, 1224 Kinnear Rd.

Admission is free, but advance reservation is required due to limited seating.
For reservations: info.goingon@gmail.com

We hope to see you there!
Sincerely
Ariadne, Laurie and Rachael

Natalie Gilbert

2008-10-23T10:12:00.001-04:00

We are happy to be working on releasing the beautiful music of Natalie Gilbert!

Geolocate this post

Posted with LifeCast

2008-10-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

i was really happy to get this a few minutes ago in my email. thanks to xan, alex and carmen for sending this along. - michael wall

2008-10-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

kids
with
guns

i have just finished the sound design for this very funny play. this is my second collaboration with mike klar and each time has been a blast. the show is playing from oct.1-18 at 59E59 THEATERS NYC...all the information at www.kidswithguns.com

here is a great review of the new work!

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/02/175741.php

All my best,

michael

2008-09-18T06:04:00.000-04:00

i'm going to lock you in my pocket
Thesis work choreographed by Gina T'ai, performed by Kraig Patterson/bopi and Gina T'ai. Performed at the American Dance Festival July 19, 2008. Music by Michael Wall.

"I really enjoyed working on this piece with Gina. We only had a short amount of time and limited resources to get this going. I think it came out great. Gina performed this a few weeks later, but the piece was much longer. It was fun to take a piece and "stretch" it out another 7 minutes." - Michael Wall

2008-09-16T06:40:00.000-04:00

fall 2008

asimplesound is gearing up for a new year after a great summer of dance festivals. over the next few months we will be adding more musicians and lots of music for modern, ballet, improvisation and choreography. if you are looking for new music to use in your dance classes this fall, take a listen to our large library of original compositions arranged by tempo and meter... all created for dance. enjoy.

2008-05-12T05:56:00.000-04:00

two traditions
by jim roberts

this instrumental cd is a unique blend of both folk and drum traditions. it is characterized by steady percussive rhythm coupled with contemporary fiddle music. music is a high-quality live recording. expect high-energy to slow and moody. pieces range from one to five minutes. orchestrations range from full band to solo. this disc features the horse flies from ithaca, ny and friends. originally released in 1999, this disc features a sometimes wild, sometimes moody combination of old time string band instruments and array of hand drums and other percussion from the traditions of west africa and cuba. the result is music ancient and new, primitive and beautiful. in july of 1996, the horse flies played a fiddle music set in the dance tent. with their drummer, taki masuko, and percussionists, jim roberts and nery arevalo, they created an experience that was sort of a large wall of fiddle-music voodoo.

you can now find this album in the asimplesound.com main library

2008-05-08T06:03:00.000-04:00

waka waka

jim roberts

infectious american-african world music featuring south african singer/bassist, paul petersen. blending the melodies from africa with the rhythms of the carribean and us. these pieces are high-energy, rhythm based with strong ethnic pop melodies and harmony. styles range from afropop to traditional. tempos range from moderate to fast and times range from three to five minutes. of special interest: instrumental drum piece called drum art. also an instrumental afro smooth jazz piece called jol uit.

you can now find this record in the asimplesound.com main library

2008-05-07T06:06:00.000-04:00

ancient hand

by jim roberts

this is a rhythm based work with many different types of colors and timbres. melody by seven different vocalists. times range from four to 7 minutes. most tempos are moderate to slow. ancient hand was the first solo recording by percussionist, producer, jim roberts, released in 1998. it is mood-driven music that features experimental use of rhythm instruments such as west african balaphon, banjo uke, djembe, trash snare, conga kit, log drums, strum stick, embira, water gourds, paddle drums, trash bells and big bass tubs. rhythmic and harmonic instruments create poetic mantras for 7 different vocalists, ranging from lofty, cuban inspired "yemaya" to the dark moody "wait for me" sung by horse fly singer, jeff claus. The cd features a number of prominent nashville and ithaca, ny musicians including beth nielsen chapmen, victor wooten, members of the horse flies, the burns sisters, and essra mohawk.

you can now find this record in the asimplesound.com mail library

2008-05-06T05:49:00.000-04:00

pendulum
by robert kaplan

from ambient textures to new contemporary music to rock-tinged improvisatory realms, these six tracks mix electronics with acoustic instruments creating evocative aural soundscapes that move freely between rhythmic grooves and kinetic stillness. in addition to rk, this cd features john ettinger-midi violin, michael hester-alto saxophone, david karagianis-loop grooves, devorah segal-vocals, j.b. smith-drums, and david torn-loops/textural devices.

you can now find this record in the asimplesound.com main library

2008-05-05T06:45:00.000-04:00

now and then
by robert kaplan

a collection of ten works created primarily for dance over a 25-year span (1979-2004). the four most recent tracks were experiments in the initial release of garage band. additional performers include david torn, jodi gilbert, devorah segal, marta jasberg, skip laplante, and david karagianis. this cd is dedicated to the late choreographer/dancer/visual artist, mel wong, for whom i composed over 30 pieces.

you can now find this record in the asimplesound.com main library

2008-05-01T06:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterdays Wedding

MamLuft&Co.Dance

music by michael wall

2008-04-30T05:50:00.000-04:00

Modern Dance Environments II

from Norman Beede

"mde 2 differs from mde 1. while keeping the concept of long cuts we enjoyed setting or composing more of the pieces on mde 2. chords, number of bars per section and entrances were more likely to be set before recording. tempos stay the same throughout the tracks just like mde 1 but there are more distinct sections with improvisation set apart from the rest of the ensemble similar to a jazz or rock tune as opposed to it being the essence of the piece as on many of the mde 1 tracks. almost all of the compositions on mde 2 were written and performed live in dance concerts before being recorded. there are more musicians added to our ensemble as well. steve grom: 12 string guitar, electric guitar and composer (seascape), bob mehren: guitars, bob ose: tom toms, bass drum, percussion, percussion toys, treble trombone and conga. also kenny sawhill appears on "music for slit drum" on bass trombone and bass synth and rolan tripp plays the slit drum. i have to mention geoff cooper who was involved in the recording of both mde cd's. geoff was sound man at nbc-tv channel 4 in burbank and ran dbcoopers (vinyl) . recording credits also go to craig kupka and bob ose. all tracks were originally recorded on a teac four track between 1980 and 1983 and originally offered in vinyl."

You can now find this record in the asimplesound.com main library

2008-04-29T06:06:00.000-04:00

norman beede's -

modern dance environments

"craig kupka and myself, norman beede approached this album with the concept that most modern dance teachers would prefer long cuts that could be left on for warm up, across the floor or even for an environment for improvisation. most of the tracks on this cd are from 9 to 13 minutes long. we also attempted to create music that we would like to listen to and could be used for choreography assignments or in concert. two of the cuts were originally performed live as music for local dance companies in southern california. mde 1 has a lot of acoustic material book-ended by a synth track at the top for slow movement and a short, swift all synth piece at the end. the musicians on this CD are norman beede: piano, keyboards and percussion, craig kupka: percussion and trombone, kenny sawhill: bass guitar and percussion and roland tripp: vibes, marimba, bells, traps and percussion." - norman

you can now find this record in the
asimplesound.com main library.

2007-12-21T08:23:00.000-05:00

pamela pietro
with michael wall

2007-11-12T18:26:00.000-05:00

new work by ming-lung yang
here are the first three minutes of the new work. the piece will be performed at ohio state university this week. the music is by michael wall (except for the folk song)....enjoy

2007-10-07T13:56:00.001-04:00

welcome back asimplesound
by michael w.

this summer i traveled to the american dance festival, nc and the bates dance festival, me. i met a bunch of new people, wrote a bunch of music and met a bunch of musicians that will soon have music on asimplesound.com. we are adding over 250 new pieces of music in october.
i am finishing a new record "get booth", which will be available soon. i also will be releasing new works and short movies of collaborations from the last year. welcome back from summer!
here is artur solari and i playing in one of doug nielson's classes at adf, 2007......

2007-10-07T13:53:00.001-04:00

new scores from asimplesound.com

2007 has been very busy so far composing and recording new scores for dance and film projects.........
last week we finished five new shorts for a documentary on green party canidate for senate, carl romanelli. the film is hoping for a spot in the philadelphia film festival. we have just finished a new score for tim cowart and the students at desales university. the piece was about the social destruction of hurricane katrina on the south, as well as, the rest of the country. a new score for dancer/ choreographer heather mcardle was performed during fresh tracks 2007 at dtw. other scores where completed for students in florida, california and many other places throughout the states. we are always looking to find new ways of working remotely with collaborators. here is an example of a way we work with long distance projects....

the company is everythingsmaller, a group of very talented dancers that we have been writing for for 4 years. the rehearsal footage was captured on a digital video camera...transferred to imovie...the music was composed...delivered to the dance company...added to the video and posted onto youtube.com. this gave the company a clear idea of how the music was timed to the movement, which in turn allowed everythingsmaller to work fast to get their show ready. we where able to get a full-length show together, about 30 minutes of music, in less than a week. the performance was a success.

for more information on upcoming projects, new scores and how to commission a score from us, email michael@asimplesound.com

2007-10-07T13:49:00.000-04:00

page 126...
asimplesound in dance magazine
february 2007 issue

last month we received an email letting us know that this great picture of martha myers and michael wall was posted on page 126 in last month's issue of dance magazine. michael first worked with martha at the american dance festival, playing mostly for her choreolab workshops. thank you to christy pessagno for snapping the shot.

martha myers is dean emeritus of the american dance festival. she joined the dance faculty at connecticut college in 1967 where she received the henry b. plant professorship of dance. she was a founding member of the national dance association commission on dance science and somatics, a board member of international association for dance medicine and science, and a member of the advisory board for the Laban Institute of Movement Studies. She received the connecticut arts commission lifetime contribution award in 1991. now retired from connecticut college, martha continues to fill her days with dance. she still enjoys those restful times at her home by the water in new london with her husband and lifelong collaborator, gerald myers.

michael wall is from mississippi and now lives and works in philadelphia, pa. he accompanies at princeton university, bates dance festival and the american dance festival. michael has made work for the jose limon company, mark hiam, lisa race, david dorfman, david grenke, randy james, martha tornay/East village dance project, jenn nugent, wally wolfgruber, heather mcardle, everything smaller and merge dance. michael and designer jamie karczewski have formed the company ASIMPLESOUND, llc. which produces music and resources for dance, film and other mediums. all of his music and new recordings can be found at www.asimplesound.com

2007-10-07T13:48:00.000-04:00

demo 2007

by michael wall

this video is a collection of moments from playing class. the teachers leading class are meghan durham wall and jenn nugent. the video was taken at princeton university, adf nyc 2007 and susan hess studio. thank you to both teachers and all of the students.

2007-10-07T13:46:00.001-04:00

interview with
john hanks
by asimplesound

where are you from and how did you get here?
Hi, to everyone that is checking this out. I feel very lucky to get to do what I do, so thanks again for supporting our music.
I was born and raised, and still live, in Durham, North Carolina. My Dad taught voice (Classical, Opera) in the Duke University Music Department, and Mom, who was an aspiring actress before WWII, came from a musical family, so I was exposed to Western artistic culture from an early age. I started snare drum lessons at 7 and started playing orchestral music when I was about 12 years old. Soon after that I got my first drumset and was bitten by the Jazz and Rock bug. College at a few schools ensued, including studies with many wonderful, influential teachers. After graduation, I happened onto a job with a regional dance company (Frank Holder) and traveled with them for 2 years. That was my first experience playing for dancers, and it seemed like a natural thing to do, as I had always enjoyed improvisation. So, I'm still playing for dance today, and many other things, some - ahem - 27 years later. I knew from an early age that I was going to be a musician, and this is where I am with it now.
how have your choices, of the instruments you use for playing class, changed since you first began accompanying?
For my first job with the Frank Holder company, I played drumset and a large, eclectic multi-percussion set-up for two concert pieces. At that time, I had no hand drum experience, so I also used drumset for company class. Drumset was and still is one of my main gigging instruments, and I've used different forms of it as my primary dance instrument since then, too. My concept, as I've been able to understand it, is to treat it as a Chamber Music multi-percussion instrument, in addition to it's traditional Jazz and Pop uses. My studies and performances of classical and contemporary music have been a big influence on how I envision my accompaniment. A good groove is primary, but being able to flavor the music with other elements has been just as important. It makes it interesting to listen to (hopefully) and fun to do.
The first big change was when I started using a DrumKat MIDI controller in the 1980's. I still use it today. I had always been into electronic music since college (my first pieces used the Arp2600, Korg MS-20 and SQ-10, and 2 Revox reel to reel 1/2 track machines w/pitch control.) The DrumKat became my dance accompaniment "schtick" and gave me an expressive vehicle for playing class that was fairly unique at the time. Now, electronics in class are more widespread, and in many different forms, so I've gone back to using my acoustic instruments most of the time. Electronic percussion allows me to bring a truck load of sounds to a class, but their individual aural transients, at least for most of the equipment I have, always remain the same, whereas, acoustic percussion, even one drum, has an endless number of sounds that can be drawn from it. It's sonic essence is vastly more interesting to listen to over a long period of time. They both have their uses, but for long term use (like a school semester) I would prefer acoustic instruments now.
The biggest recent change has been how much I play piano now. I had always played piano as a secondary instrument, but I've never gotten past an intermediate technical level. But, with my experience at playing for class, my ear for classical music, plus an encouraging teacher, I started playing piano for Ballet classes at Duke University in the 1990's. Now,for better or worse, it is at least 50% of what I do.
talk about one of the first "really great" classes you played for.
That's hard to answer, probably because I don't remember. I think it would easier to relate that each class/teacher gave me a new level of understanding about what I do (or couldn't do, as the case may have been). My biggest mentor has been Clay Taliaferro, who I have been lucky to work with since the 1980's. He gives the most incredibly deep movement exercises, and the musician has to be equal to the task. This is not music as wallpaper, but music and dance inextricably tied together as it moves through time. The musician must approach his classes with at least the same passion Clay is expecting from his students. My time with him raised my movement comprehension, and also my confidence. No one else has been as difficult, challenging and rewarding to play for.

I have also had a certain amount of success playing for Jazz dance, but mostly for what might be called "old school" teachers. Some (not all) of these classes use recorded music exclusively, and may have an additional commerciallity that some may find antithetical to Modern dance sensibilities. Whatever. If they want to hire me for good money, I'll give it a shot! My first job at ADF was playing for Jazz dance classes taught by Bruce Taylor. This was an Ailey style class you could set your watch to, 3 times a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. I returned to ADF several years later and was honored to work with the great Alvin McDuffie. A side note is that ADF always looked at me as the "local" musician, which I was of course, but it also meant "you're not from out of town, so if we need you, we'll let you know". But when Alvin returned the next summer, he specifically requested me for his classes, so that changed many things for me at ADF. This also happened with some other Jazz teachers, Jose Meier, Bernard Johnson, and Gus Giordano for his Jazz Dance World Congress. It was during this time that I developed my DrumKat and MIDI skills, too. So, a lot of things came together at that time that made many classes "really great".
So as far as a "really great" class, there isn't one I would point out. It's always been more about my long-term relationship with the teacher and the class. Maybe, I could say that playing piano for Betty Jones' classes was "great," at least for me. I found that my lack of advanced chops was an advantage when playing for her lower level ADF classes because I kept things simple and easy to hear, not being able to fly away with bravura passages and such. Oh, and then there was the time I had my DrumKat in her class, one of the first ones I ever played for her. If you know Betty, you'll also know that using electronics in her class might seem strange. But there I was, a little nervous as I tried to do my best in a new situation. I was using a Roland R8-M sound module at the time which accepts a series of expander cards. I had just inserted a new card as she was counting off the exercise. When I hit the pads the most incredible, indescribable, loud electronic distortion imaginable blasted from the speaker - the card had misread. I mean, I was nervous anyway playing for Betty at that time, but she actually scolded the class and told them to keep dancing no matter what. It was a great lesson for me, too.
have you taken any dance classes in your life?
Not really. I took a semester of a floor barre with Clay Taliaferro (derived from his studies with Zena Rommett), but that's about it. But even that class, besides being incredibly strengthening, increased my awareness and empathy for the physicality involved in classical dance technique.
what is your favorite aspect about music and musicians in north carolina?
I like the variety of musical situations I am able to play in, but this is not necessarily unique to N.C.
describe what a summer playing for the american dance festival is like for you?
ADF, believe or not, is like a vacation. After working at Duke U. all year with a bunch of future doctor/lawyer/indian chiefs that are afraid to move or speak up in class because they might get it "wrong" (or, is that a problem at every school?), it's great to see the campus transformed into a place for dance and artistic expression. Yes, it's incredibly hot (global warming or not, it's always been hot here) but that's just part of the deal. Now, if it were somewhere else that was a little cooler, it wouldn't break my heart.
what are you working on now and in the near future?

I have a couple of pieces I'm preparing for our spring Choreolab concert at Duke. One is a recorded composition that features amplified berimbau for a ballet, "String Theory", choreographed by Tyler Walters, and the other is a live duo with saxophonist Mahlon Hoard, who recently returned to NYC after a brief hiatus in NC. That piece is called "Pieces of Clay", and is a restaging/remix by Duke faculty member Keval Khalsa of choreography from several works by Clay Taliaferro. In addition, I am also drummer for the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra and we have several great concerts coming up including the World Premiere of Composer Todd Hershberger's "Concerto for Free Improvising Alto Saxophonist and Jazz Orchestra" featuring saxophonist Frank Gratkowski. And we will also be doing a retrospective of arrangements/composition by Mary Lou Williams. I am also hoping to produce a new CD of dance music, perhaps with Khalid Saleem, who has been a great friend and inspiration for so many years, so stay tuned.

john's music is available at www.asimplesound.com

for more information on john, visit his website at

www.drumjazz.com

2007-10-07T13:25:00.000-04:00

interview with liz hartwell
by asimplesound

Where you are from and how did you get here?
I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Flint, Michigan at age 5. In eighth grade, I lived in southern California and then moved again to Cincinnati. I attended a performing arts high school there. The principal, Bill Dickenson, and artistic director, Jack Louiso were completely committed to providing the best teachers and therefore, expectations were high. They ran a tight ship and I had an awesome experience there. I had a tough time deciding whether to pursue music (flute) or dance as a profession. My senior year, my parents moved to a small college town called Indiana, Pennsylvania. As a bargaining tool, to encourage me to move with them again, my parents said they would drive 90 minutes each way to Pittsburgh to take class with the newly formed Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. The director of the company invited me to take company class shortly after, and also to observe their daily rehearsals and to continue my advanced classes at night. What an experience that was for me. There were 55 people in the company at that time. Francesca Corkle, former Joffery principal, and so many other gifted principal dancers showed me what great classical ballet is all about. I lived in Pittsburgh, in a room at the Salvation Army until I graduated in 1980 from the School of the Performing Arts in Cincinnati. The next fall, I received a contract with the company. I danced there for three years after which a change of directorship led me to the Chicago Ballet for a Nutcracker production and the Cincinnati Ballet for a few months in the spring. The following year the Louisville Ballet hired me and I danced with this company for 19 years, retiring in 2003. Again, the director, Alun Jones, had a group of mature artists who had been in huge ballet companies around the world. We did many classics by the greatest choreographers. Alun and his wife, Helen Starr, a principal dancer with the company had both worked with the Royal Ballet and Festival Ballet. Their humor in the studio, coupled with an aesthetic sense of all aspects of the theater, design, music, choreography, made an irresistible environment for my husband and I to work in. The Louisville Ballet has had a new artistic director, Bruce Simpson since 2003. He is moving the company forward with cutting edge ballets and gorgeous dancers performing them. My partner and I also danced in many Operas with the Cincinnati Opera Ballet Company in the summer seasons. The singers and conductors were exquisite and there was always a mutual appreciation of dancers and singers. As this job ended, I found work teaching at the Kentucky Governors School for the Arts. Another fun and vibrant job filled with fantastic faculty and students. The focus was on showing students how closely interconnected different art forms are to each other. We all put in 18-hour days and the total immersion was life changing for all involved each year. Performances every day, twice, three times a day even. My childhood was the same way thanks to my passionate parents. They introduced me to all forms of artistic expression. I have been director of the Louisville Ballet School for two and a half years.
Describe your first experience of taking class with live music.
It may have been in a barn in Michigan. I was overwhelmed with the space, the dancers and likely it was the music that sent me whirling. Because I was also a musician, I was trained to hear overtones, rhythm, breath and the present moment. When I was in high school, I again had live music and I remember feeling the pores of my skin open while I took class.
What are some of the projects you are currently working on at the Louisville Ballet School?
We are a member of SERBA, Southeastern Regional Ballet Association, and we are preparing for an adjudication that will be held on February 9th. Ballets selected from the adjudication will be performed at an annual festival, each year hosted in a different city. This year all five regions in the US will come together for a national festival in Pittsburgh, PA. The Regional Dance Association, RDA, will run April 24-28, 2007. The days are full of master classes and there are performances of member companies each evening. Our School performing company, the Louisville Ballet Youth Ensemble will be performing this weekend with the Louisville Orchestra in a concert series called the Orkidstra. The Youth Ensemble will present nine ballets in a program in March and the end of year performance, for all levels of classes between beginning ballet and pre-professional, is in rehearsal stages at this time. I am also focusing on arranging a dance medicine seminar and brainstorming ways to improve attendance to the nutrition seminars we provide for our students. A question box will soon be placed in the lobby of the School! Each weekend in January, I have traveled to various cities to recruit students to the summer intensive program. We have added an evaluation process to our curriculum and this is an ongoing project.
Is there a piece of music that you have always wished someone would make a ballet to?
Rachmoninov's 2nd piano concerto.
What other forms of movement are you interested in?
I delve into flamenco dance, Cunningham technique, hip hop, tango, yoga, Qigong, Alexander technique, feldenchrist technique, bartinieff movement, hiking trails and anything energy related including those involving the healing arts.
How is performing with a live orchestra different than to recorded music?
It is always preferable to have live music when performing because of the added excitement. Imagine having the power of 70 musicians under your feet (and a conductor who is with you) - it’s electrifying! I have actually fallen out of a pose in B+, as the Firebird, from the explosion of the notes in Stravinsky's score. Sometimes you have to be careful not to be too swept away. It’s happened to me on more than one occasion. Oh, I love to indulge in the rhythms and harmonies. My favorite ballet could be Carmina Burana for we had an orchestra in the pit and a choir behind us, onstage. Every time I performed Carmina I had nonstop goose bumps.
What is your favorite thing about living in kentucky?
The people in Kentucky are friendly and kind and the audiences, for the many arts productions that occur in Louisville, including the ballet, have been quite appreciative as well. Louisville has both the benefits of being the biggest city in Kentucky and at the same time it is small enough to breathe in.

for more information please contact liz at ehartwell@louisvilleballet.org

2007-10-06T19:39:00.000-04:00

interview with doug post from "djp artist srevices"
by asimplesound

where are you from and how did you get here?
i was born in penna, father episcopal priest, mother housewife. went to public schools, played in a successful rock band, went off to college, quit to become a rock star which never happened. joined the workforce, spent 5 years in the printing industry, became enamored of computers, got some training and spent next 30 years or so in various positions including operations, systems, programming and management. presently work for an income tax service as contract programmer, and have done a few free lance short term contracts in programming and system testing. married to a children's librarian at our local library. three children, one daughter a fiddler in a philly area irish band (jamison irish) who also plays cello & euphonium, the other daughter a cullinary school grad who is presently a baker in chicago, and a son who is a visual arts mfa candidate at brooklyn college (rec'd bfa from mason gross school of the arts last spring).
when did you become interested in the nyc dance community?
had an interest in modern dance since watching late night PBS programs of experimental videos and perfomances in the early 1970's. in the 1980's became involved with "beyond the nj turnpike" which evolved into beyondance, inc. was on their board of directors for a number of years and served as president and treasurer. attended performances in various nj venues over the years. saw limon, early momix, pilobolus and others. have had a subscription to dance series at mccarter theater in princeton for probably 20 years. have been attending next wave since 1989 (first performance was the night of the san francisco earthquake during the world series). in the '90's became involved with freespace dance and was a charter member of their board.
can you describe how you started djp artist services?
june 2000 i started working in nyc. after 6 months or so i realized the enormous opportunities working in the city afforded for seeing dance. so i started attending a few performances. after a few months i met a couple of people in the audience who were dancers and/or choreographers who engaged me in conversation. this helped me overcome an innate shyness around 'performers'. and i realized the computer contract that had me in the city could expire at any time, so i started attending more and more performances as i never knew when my regular commuting into the city would end. (it finally did at the end of last year). and this led to meeting more and more people in the community.

a couple of years ago i began thinking about how i could continue my involvement with the community and provide some 'payback' for the unrestricted inclusion i had been afforded by so many people. i figured i could use some of my business experience and expertise to help people who needed some assistance. i didn't want to limit my involvement to a particular area as different people have different needs. i attended a dtw lab on artist management to expose myself to the various areas of the business that i was unfamiliar with. so this was the informal beginning of djp artist services. last spring through a referral by a choreographer friend i joined eva dean dance as assistant booking manager, a position i still hold.

and occasionally i would send out a note to friends about upcoming performances. after tax season ended i had more time on my hands and the notes became more frequent and more extensive; that is now the djp artist services newsletter that i try to get out once a week.
what do you see djp artist services developing into?
so where does this go? the tax guy i work for turned 80 this year ... so this job won't last forever. i see expanding my services in consulting on a project basis and perhaps taking on a management role for an artist or company on a part time or per project basis. the reality is i need to make a living too, and i recognize that dollars are limited in the dance community so i will likely have a lot of part time gigs to scrape together a few bucks to pay the bills. at some point a web site is in the offing, and perhaps that will be the income generator while the newsletter is the freebee. or some combination of free and pay services in the marketing/promotion area. but underlying it all is still the 'thank you' to the community so some things will always be at no cost to the dancers.
how has dance changed over the years in nyc?
my exposure in the city (other than next wave) is really limited to the last six years or so. two things stand out ... there are more and more people performing and working at their craft and yet, with only a couple of exceptions, there are minimal opportunities for them to be presented, particularly in the larger, better known houses. so it's self production, collaboration, festivals where the performance is often just a teaser or excerpt, and debt debt and more debt.

yet in spite of that there are numerous people woking on experimental forms, some venues willing to take a chance with lesser known performers and companies, others willing to allow more established performers try out new pieces with the chance of failure (or perhaps just lesser success) and not banish them forever as a result.

the loss of corporate and governmental funding is and will continue to have an impact (nothing new to that statement). and yet the creative juices that turn out work after work can be applied to funding and performance solutions in ways we haven't seen yet. so i am optimistic about the future.

if you would like to receive djp artist services weekly newsletter, please contact doug post at
dougjp55@yahoo.com

2007-10-06T19:32:00.001-04:00

interview with everything smaller
by asimplesound

where are you each from and how did you get here?
jessica jolly is from the outer banks of north carolina. david schmidt is from durham, north carolina. donnell turner is from raleigh, north carolina. we all met as undergrads at the university of north carolina at greensboro around 1998. david moved up to new york in 2001 and jessica and donnell came up a year later in august of 2002. we had all romanticized dancing in new york and possibly moving up after college.
when was your first time working together as a group?
we decided to make our own work and started rehearsing together in october of 2002. at first, it was really just a continuation of what we had been doing in college. pretty immediately, we realized this was the only way to fulfill our creative drive. we were dancing and choreographing and directing together.
what is your collaborative rehearsal/choreographing experience as a three person company?
to expand our vocabulary as dance artists and efficiently run the business end of a company, we decided to share many roles. working collaboratively affords us the opportunity of bringing three unique approaches to one idea. many times our processes are different but our motivations and ideals are the same. in time, we have learned each other's work habits and we know how to pick up where the other has left off. the answers to this question seem to bleed into the answers for the next one so we will hold on to this idea....
what are the challenges in starting and maintaining a dance company?
very often we have varying drives to get things done. from one rehearsal to the next, we have varying degrees of inspiration, energy, etc...it really is about compromise and listening to each other. we have a great little family that can get just as dysfunctional as any nuclear family. that's when the compromising comes in. I think we have learned to give up our power from time to time. if there's no give, then we're all going to be pulling at each other. we definitely bring in different strengths at different times. sometimes david is the movement machine, while jessica organizes the architecture and mood. other times, donnell will feel more inspired to create movement while jessica is handling the business end of things: finding extra rehearsal space, working on the website, or organizing proposals. we all do these things at some point in the game. it's just about communicating what we are up for at that moment.
some other challenges are the typical money, space, and time. we are always having to decide what work is appropriate in terms of length, meaning, size,etc... there are various performance opportunities and if we're not invited or presented to do something specific, we have to decide what piece is going to be proposed and where.
the notion of success is relative. a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. running along side that idea, you put as much as you've got into your art and there will be a return...eventually. we have a lot of heart and enthusiasm for our work. we do believe there's a considerable amount of power in that. that emotion and intent shows in the work and that is a form of success.
describe the workshops/classes you are teaching these days.
we teach modern technique, choreography, and improvisation on a highschool and college level. we freelance teach, working from one small residency to the next. our past residencies have been spent in colleges in arizona and vermont. our next masterclass will be taught in february at a magnet highschool in raleigh, north carolina.
what are you working on now and in the near future?
we are working on an evening length piece being produced at triskelion arts on february 22, 23, and 24th of 2007 in williamsburg, brooklyn. we have a summer residency to create work and teach at swarthmore college in philadelphia in collaboration with lighting designer and production manager, paul moffitt. we will be premiering that work in the philly live arts festival in the fall of 2007 and then premiering it in new york at dance new amsterdam in october. (bottom right photo: steve clarke)

visit
www.everythingsmaller.com
for more information

2007-10-06T19:13:00.001-04:00

interview with andrea siekavizza weller
by asimplesound
where are you from and how did you get here?
i was born in guatemala and moved to new york when i was 19 years old to start my studies in dance. i moved there because i needed to be exposed to dance outside guatemala. i found a home at the university of the arts in philadelphia where i earned a bfa in modern dance. dance interests me in so many ways, i am very positive and that makes me dream and go for what i know i can do. it is a great way to live life, it inspires you to work hard and achieve what you want.
can you talk about dance in guatemala?
guatemala has a big potential for dance. many people are interested in seeing new performances and being part of them, it is in the stages of growing artistically, from a national to an international level. there are some dance companies that have given a lot to the dance field, but we need more support, opportunities and exposure. there are a few festivals that bring companies from all over the world and the response has been positive. artist love to share their art in guatemala, they get to experience another culture and travel in the country. there is always somewhere else to go, and i know that i had the opportunity to study abroad to bring guatemala to the next level in the arts scene.
how has writing influenced your choreography?
writing has been very helpful to my choreography. it is so hard to break down the process of choreography. when i am choreographing i am more sensible to what is happening around me, what i am seeing, hearing and feeling. i usually write down many things and use what i need in my choreography. my last choreography “perception” with a composition by michael wall is a good example of how i use writing. i could see the whole dance in my mind and i wrote it down for him to compose the music. the collaboration was incredible; the music came out better than what i could imagine. it was as if in my writing, he could visualize my dance in a different way that added to my choreography. in montenegro a dance critic told me that he felt i wasn’t doing a solo, but a duet because the music was so alive inside the dance, or the dance inside the music. i can relate with his opinion, writing permitted us to connect in a creative way. i also have writing as a habit, hopefully one day you can read a book of mine. in my website i have a writing space where people can read my thoughts.
describe other international dance communities that you have performed in.
i recently performed in dubrovnik, montenegro and athens. in dubrovnik i performed in a vineyard in the middle of the field, in montenegro i performed in the “montenegrin national state theatre” and in athens i performed in the “world congress for dance research”. each place was so different and unique in its own way. in dubrovnik people had so many questions about modern dance, their response was very positive. it seems as if they are investing more money in the arts after the war, you actually have to be there to sense their appreciation for the arts. montenegro is still growing with modern dance; i meet the choreographer that is in charge of the only modern dance company, they started after the war was over and are making their way up. dubrovnik and montenegro were in war and it is amazing to have been in both places, sharing the same choreography and seeing how people could connect with me. athens is very hungry of growing in the dance field, they want to make this congress an opportunity for the whole dance community in the world to meet once a year. UNESCO supports the congress, so it has many advantages. in the three countries, artist talked about money being the number one issue in the dance field. i wasn’t surprised! i believe that we have to work with what we have and move on from there, the world is hungry of art and we define the quality of our work.
what do you find challenging about your developing career as a choreographer/dancer?
to find balance in my life. if i don’t have a balanced life, i have nothing to offer in my work. i learn to find balance while sharing my life with people that i love and people that are outside of what i do. i like to sit down at a park, have a good talk with a person or just hang out. i don’t like to spend all my life inside a studio, forcing myself to do something new or creative. i like to feel human, and when i am being true to myself is when art happens, when my best ideas come and when i can give something to the world. it is a challenge to find my own road, but when i am in peace is because i am where i need to be. as artist we will always have to be creative with the economic process, we also need to make a living as everyone else. i love to read books and talk to people that give advice and learn from their successful lives. independently of what they do, we all live in the same world, it can’t be that hard.
what are you working on now and in the near future?
i am working on my next show which is in three weeks! i am not even in guatemala yet but i am working on it. it will be in an empty house where the empty rooms will be used and the living room will be used as the dance floor. many different people will participate, midori watanabe, from japan, katie rast from u.s.a. and many guatemalan musicians and dancers will join us for the performances. it will be very exciting to make this show happen because we pretty much have one week to work together. i will also keep choreographing and doing collaboration with other artists. i can’t even imagine how many things will come in my way; i have so many people in mind to work with that i need to be there to actually start doing so much. i want to share dance, with many people, i don’t care who you are; dance can do good for you. i promise, it does good to me! it is very exciting to go back home after five years and share so much. i don’t doubt that i will collaborate again with michael wall in a near future, these days we are all connected with stuff like this. life is good!

visit andrea's website for more information
www.andreasiekavizza.com

2007-10-06T19:09:00.000-04:00

how to find a musician to play your class
by asimplesound

"brothers, sisters........come together." - bill hicks

if your "sub" list is tapped or dance musicians in your town are few and far between, it might be time to find a musician and introduce him to dance. playing for dance class is a great job. in most cases, you are getting paid to play or improvise music in a dynamic situation. playing class often leads to compositional opportunities and a whole network of creative artists. here are some ways to find new musicians and introduce them to playing class....

modern

one of the first places to start looking would be a university music program. when i was a student, i jumped at the opportunity to quit my job in the dining hall and play for class. most classical percussionists studying at a university will be multi-instrumentalists and have possibly already played the music of composers that have worked with dance, like john cage or steve reich. the jazz pianists and drummers are constantly looking for new ways to improvise within different forms and styles. there is a person in the music department's office that handles requests for musicians. have them post what class times you are looking for and a good class for people to come observe. the hardest part of playing class, for a musician new to accompanying dance, is seeing movement and knowing the best music to play right away. this skill develops after playing many styles of technique class, so you might want to offer some time before the class to go over how things work. tell the musician the overall arch of your class and what qualities of sound go with different combinations. let them know how you will begin and end an exercise and about how long each might be. a musician becomes more comfortable with playing class once they know what is going on, the more you help the quicker that will happen.
ballet
if you are looking for a musician that will play repertoire, classical pianists and musical accompanists will know or read the music played in most ballet classes. if your are looking for new or improvised music for your class, try contacting some jazz pianists. again, university music programs are a great resource of musicians looking for work and new musical situations. local piano teachers are usually listed in the yellow pages and may also be up for playing repertoire. with all pianists new to ballet, explain what "preparation" you use to start combinations and what accents are important for the phrasing. if the pianist is not improvising, let them know what music or composers you work with, if possible, before they come to play class.

posting signs in music stores and on other message boards will probably introduce you to a wider range of musicians. if you go to see live music, talk with the musicians playing. working musicians are always looking for steady daytime work. if you know that your current musician is going to be leaving soon, try to get the new accompanist to observe a class before that musician leaves. invite the new accompanist to watch a class, even if you are using recorded music. this will speak volumes to the musician facing a class for the first time.

you can ask us questions and post ideas about finding new accompanists here

2007-10-06T19:04:00.001-04:00

interview with heather mcardle
by asimplesound
photos by gary noel

where are you from and how did you get here?
California. I got here via U-haul trailer and a run down Kia from Miami (South Beach), Florida. I rode all the way through hell weather with my dad to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I lived in what is now Videology’s foreign film section.
what other mediums are you working with besides
movement?
I am working with photography & film. I am trying to find a nice blending of them in my work. I don’t like to over saturate my work with technology, but sometimes I find it extremely relevant. I intend to keep a strong movement focus while adding these elements into the work when necessary. Thus far I find them quite necessary and useful in furthering the visual elements. Combined properly I think this fusion can be electrifying. I believe it will help the future of dance in the arts.
did you love the first solo you ever made on yourself?
In general I do not enjoy solos; I have had to make them because it’s hard to find multiple people to make work with that have the same schedules. The first solo I ever made was called” Two Minutes and Thirty Seconds,” that’s how long it was and it was just enough time to get on, do my thing, and get the heck off. It was a great piece!
describe the type of class you are teaching these days?
Radical contemporary based movement that moves and sweeps through pedestrian places. I call this pedestrian place, “normal people” movement. This normalcy, more human like movement twists and releases in and out of the contemporary dance. Make sense. I like to be all over the place. I know people like to sweat and get a workout from dancing, but I don’t find that I like to do that every week. Sometimes I am super gestural and floor bound while other times fluid, full of spirals with long kicky legs. Basically, some might have expectations for my classes but I don’t want people to. I want to provide the most human dance experience ever. Meaning I’ll suck ass sometimes while other times teaching like a like a guru. The dancers taking class may also have a simular experience….that is real, and that is what I support; the struggle to continue. Ultimately, it’s all about the breath!
in what ways do you use improvisation in your dancing?
In my work I always leave a couple of sections open for improv, but they all have a theme that they are directly related to the piece. I find this keeps the work fresh, and my relationship to the performance space, performers, and audience open for growth and spontaneity.
what are you working on now?
I am still working on my solo, “The White Life”, but once that’s complete I will be creating a duet for Lindsay Ashmun and myself. I will simultaneously be continuing to work on what I am calling my masterpiece entitled, “Self-Storage” it is a full length evening about the title and possibly becoming a three-part trilogy resulting in an animated film.
for more information about heather and her work, visit her website at www.blueprintviolation.org

2007-10-06T18:53:00.000-04:00

interview with mike vargas by asimplesound.com
(paintings: robert motherwell, mark rothko. image: nancy stark smith, photo: carolyn lee)
where are you from and how did you get here?
Born New York City. Raised Colorado. I trust you, Michael Wall, because I've heard your music. So I'm joining you in this internet adventure! That's how I got here. I am a curious man, and you are pushing into new territory and it interests me. Ever since I started actively researching unusual music (in the late 70's), I have been fascinated with the mysterious and the unfamiliar in man-made sound art. This eventually led me to working in the dance world, where I was allowed, and encouraged, to improvise and investigate these things.
how did you start working with dance?
I was improvising piano music in a dorm lounge on the University of Colorado campus, and a dancer walked through the room and asked me if I would be interested in playing music for her dance class. I said yes.
what has inspired you to play using concepts like "stripes"?
The realization that painters like Robert Motherwell and Mark Rothko had managed to find very restrictive and specific formal strategies for containing and organizing their ideas and their physical/instinctive choices of color, proportion, gesture, etc. At that point, I started looking for ways to do that for myself. It was somehow clear to me at that time that I had to figure out a way to insure that when I improvised or composed on the piano, I wouldn't be playing the things that I didn't want to be playing. I ended up starting to do this by making rules for myself. I don't know if those painters thought of their procedural and/or compositional limitations as rules. For me the goal was simply to eliminate as many cliches and as many recognizable influences and familiar pianistic associations with past composers and styles as possible. It's always been important to me to make music that is unfamiliar or mysterious in at least in a few ways.
do you remember your first piano teacher?
No. I have a mimeographed sheet from those days that lists me as one of the students presenting a piece or two at one of her recitals for the parents, but I can't picture her face, or remember her name.
describe the improvising you do with dance these days?
Oh, boy. That's a big question. I'm going to limit my answer to a few thoughts about my improvising within situations like workshops or performances with Nancy Stark Smith and Olivier Besson, and I'm not going to get into my playing for dance classes. When I am playing in a room full of dancers who are improvising, the best way I've found to describe what I'm doing is to say that I'm doing Contact Improvisation with the whole room. In a nutshell, this means that I am listening very carefully to my "partner", i.e. all the movement and all the energies I can keep track of in the space. It means I have to rotate through paying attention to different individuals and/or groups of individuals quite often - the dancers. I also have to maintain the integrity of my own musical "body's" trajectory and motivations/impulses. What this really means is that I am doing my best to support the dancing in every way I can, while nevertheless managing to make the best music I can at the same time... This is only possible now, after almost 30 years of playing with dancers, because I have begun to understand a little about what dancers (particularly improvising dancers) need and like to have happening in their environment. Their environment consists not only of my intentions and energies and choices with respect to the sounds I'm making, but it also includes the intentions and energies and choices of all the other dancers, the nature of the space, the light, etc., etc., and the combination of all of the above. Another part of the Contact Improvisation analogy is that it is essential to a successful colaboration between two improvisors that they share more or less a similar degree of curiosity and passion for what you might call learning-while-doing. I believe it has to do with some kind of desire to research and evolve a deep capacity to experience, appreciate and create beauty. In this case, I would say that we are not talking about a kind of beauty that is dependent on the image the movements or the sounds create. We're talking about a kind of beauty that inspires us. And by "us", I mean the members of the community that are improvising together, and perhaps other members of the same community that are observing if there are any present.
if you had to listen to 4 records at the same time, what would they be?
let's see...today why don't we try Pan Sonic's "A" album, plus Tod Dockstader's "8 Electronic Pieces", plus Klaus Schulze's "Cyborg..."Synphara" perhaps (- but very quiet compared to the others!), plus...hmmm: getting pretty dense here...maybe some Robert Ashley text?...from his "Improvement" opera?
what type of music are you working on?
I'm trying to figure out how to make music that has just the right proportions of exertion (physical, intellectual, intuitive), eye-opening surprise and provocation, delight and inspiration...and ease and enthusiasm in myself as I make it, which for me means a lack of hesitation, self-consciousness and doubt. I'm also working on continuing to find and develop a community in which to do this. It looks likely that this will continue to be a community that includes dancers. It is a bit harder for me these days to imagine music for a seated audience. I would like to make more music that is really appropriate and fun for listening in the car for example, but I need to practice.

2007-10-06T11:44:00.000-04:00

10 ways to accompany a dance class with an out of tune piano.
---by asimplesound

walking into a class, drums and a bag of goodies over your shoulder, you see a 9' baldwin and think, " alright, i thought there was only going to be an upright to play on!". so before the class starts, you set up your drums, pull out all of your tricks and toys, lift the piano lid and place your best chord down on the keys.........piano is way out of tune.
without the time and knowledge to tune the piano yourself, here are some ways to make the best your situation:
1. every piano sounds different no matter how it's tuned. so, find out what sounds best on this instrument and focus on that.
2. good music boxes are always out of tune. if the class has just started, you can go for the strings at the very high end of the piano. plucking the strings, while playing on the keys as well, can resemble an ambient music box.
3. use the piano as a drone. during a slow start to class, find notes in the lower part of the piano that can cause a quiet drone.
4. play only one note. when you are playing percussion, play one note or simple melodies at the same time on the keyboard.
5. good out of tune pianos are hard to find. random sounds that can occur after not upkeeping a piano for 10-20 years are priceless.
6. mute the strings if you can get at them. with grand pianos, you can put your hand right on the strings and press the sustain pedal for a different texture.
7. prepare the piano if you are sure you are not going to damage the instrument. well placed change and paper can alter the pitch of a note without harming the strings and sound like gamelon.
8. if the piano is really out of tune, play a honky tonk ballad. in the godfather part 1, the ballad after michael leaves america was played on a great out of tune piano.
9. roll big chords if the movement does not have meter. rolling huge chords can make soft or harsh textures, no matter what the piano sound like.
10. before returning to that class again, tell the management that the piano is way out of tune. the ballet accompanist will always thank you!