Posted by markowski
on February 28, 2010
Music /
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Maestro Robert Moody conducts the AZ Musicfest orchestra, a 60-piece, hand-picked ensemble made up of some of the best performers from various symphony orchestras across the country.
Tonight concluded a very long week doing a little work for the simply remarkable Arizona Musicfest organization. At the same time, I’m also helping my good friend, Dan Malone, record the concerts and attempting to make a short documentary on this year’s composer in residence, Mason Bates, for a class at ASU.
Composer Mason Bates rehearsing "Liquid Interface"
Mason’s music is incredibly unique in that his more recent works for orchestra also include electronica. That is, he uses a MIDI drum pad and a MacBook to design unique soundscapes that inspire a dance-like element within his symphonic works. He also incorporates “taped” field recordings such as glaciers and hurricane sounds in his work called Liquid Interface and the official NASA dialogue between ground control and astronaut Ed White in his work, The B-Sides. There’s a lot of work left to do, but I think it’ll end up being a rather interesting documentary once all the elements are edited together.
Posted by markowski
on January 23, 2010
Music /
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The title pretty much says it all. According to bandworld.org, Turkey in the Straw has been listed as one of the top 100 concert band pieces published in 2009. Hooray for TITS!
Posted by markowski
on January 18, 2010
Music /
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A few days ago, I received a new CD of the Rutgers Wind Ensemble under the direction of William Berz called Outberzt. Among the titles listed on the CD is Shadow Rituals (woo hoo!). I’m not exactly sure when or where the CD will become officially and commercially available, but certainly keep your eyes and ears out for it.
Also on the CD are:
1. Outburst - David Sampson
2. Aegean Festival Overture - Andreas Makris/arr. Albert Bader
3. Shadow Rituals - Michael Markowski
4. Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral from Lohengrin - Richard Wagner/arr. Lucien Cailliet
Suite for Band - Alan Hovhaness
5. I. Aria
6. II. Processional
7. III. Aria
8. IV. Canzona
9. V. Aria
10. VI. Processional
11. To the Heroes of the Patriotic War - Aram Khachaturian/arr. William Berz
12. Marc, Op. 99 - Sergei Prokofieff/ed. Paul Yoder
13. Prelude No. 3 - Roger Nixon
Elegy and Fanfare-March - Roger Nixon
14. Elegy
15. Fanfare-March
