It’s All About the Base - May 2023
I believe in diversity on the concert stage. Would love to share these compositions with you.
COMPOSER OF THE MONTH
Carlos Simon
The last week has been delightful working with the Everything Conducting team in collaboration with the Omaha Symphony in our Everything BUT Conducting seminar. Watching the awesome Omaha Symphony under the masterful baton of Maestro Ankush Kumar Bahl was a treat. I loved hearing Stella Chen and her performance of the gorgeous Johannes Brahms Violin Concerto as well as the powerful and monumental Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler. The composition I was most excited for was Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, which did not disappoint in any way.
For me, there is a clear energetic, Hollywood, Marvel - superhero vibe to this composition from the very beginning, which I find compelling as Simon writes that he was inspired by a journal entry from Beethoven.
Iliad. The Twenty-Second Book
But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet not she shall share
In my renown; that life is left to every noble spirit
And that some great deed shall beget that all lives shall inherit
Simon writes,
“We know that Beethoven strived to overcome many obstacles in his life and documented his aspirations to prevail, despite his ailments. Whatever the specific reason for including this particularly profound passage from the Iliad, in the end, it seems that Beethoven relinquished to fate. Fate now conquers.”
The Fate Now Conquers is fun, rhythmically interesting. There are some tricky arpeggiated passages and rhythmic challenges throughout. It would be an excellent choice of repertoire for a top notch youth symphony and above (brass need pretty good chops).
Carlos Simon’s music resonates his clear love and inspiration of his family’s long affiliation with the African American Pentecostal Church and his close connection to gospel music. In much of his music, he does this while offering the listener potent musical emotions through his use of musical textures and words, solidifying his inspirational leadership in the ongoing racial justice movement.
Additional compositions I would love to share:
1. The Block
2. Amen
3. Portrait of a Queen
Learn more about these compositions
Overture
Title - Circuits
Composer - Cindy McTee
Historical Score
of the Month
Title - Short Piece for (Large) Orchestra
Composer - Julia Perry
Let's Do A Repeat
Title - the sun begins to fade
Composer - Judah Adashi
Performance by - ROCO
Coda
From - Huberman Lab podcast
Title - Rick Rubin: How to Access Your Creativity
“Rick Rubin… is also the author of a new book, “The Creative Act: A Way of Being,” which explores the creative process and how to access creativity. We discuss topics such as finding inspiration, the role of feelings as guideposts, learning from observing nature, balancing self-doubt and anxiety, and adopting new perspectives to channel the creative process. Rick also shares his thoughts on using deadlines, eliminating distractions, and how our experiences and emotions influence the creative process. Additionally, we discuss his love for professional wrestling. Our conversation can be applied to any activity or profession to access creativity.”- Andrew Huberman, Ph.D.
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