Adventures Inside the Piano

Today in the theatre on the second-last day before opening, I finally began to get comfortable with some of the inside-the-piano sounds in several of the scores. One of the works (Andrew Staniland's Ashlike on the Cradle of the Wind) calls for the strings to be plucked with a plectrum (new music geek-speak for guitar pick) directly on the string. Since the internal layout of the keyboard is not as obvious as the layout of the piano keys, it is necessary to put stickies inside the keyboard on the edge of the string, preferably in bright colors (to be seen properly on a darkened stage), and preferably on the black keys so that one can find where the correct notes are to pluck with the plectrum/pick. Only in the last few days have I got the hang of doing an on-string tremolo with a pick, rather difficult to do properly because of the danger of plucking an adjacent string and ruining the effect. Fortunately, the register that Andrew's work calls for is in the area of the keyboard where each note is triple-threaded for optimal overtone production (and on-string tremolo efficiency).

Next, the piano part in Rose Bolton's Netsuke calls for a dulcimer-like effect on the strings. I originally tried the ends of a pair of pencils, but couldn't get the right sound. Next I stripped the erasers off the pencils to get more of a metallic sound, but Rose's fine score called for a higher grade of metal. Finally I tried a pair of spoons from our Oneida everyday flatware set held on the spoon-end and played on the handle-end. Perfection, but again demanding a high level of accuracy as well as secrecy (Wendy doesn't yet know about the missing spoons liberated for the purpose of artistic excellence).

Playing a lot of new music that calls for various sounds inside the piano ("extended techniques") requires a certain kind of inventiveness on the part of the pianist. I recall in one work that called for a metal chisel to be slid across one string in order to bend the pitch (it really does work)--well, I tried it with an empty glass bottle and got an even better effect, without the screechy sound. And once where I was called to pluck strings with my finger, I used a Palm stylus to even better effect and also saved my fingernails, although dropping the stylus inside the piano resulted in a somewhat concerned note from a piano technician when he fished it out several years later.

But it's important not to practice these extended techniques too long. Once when I was learning a work that took place entirely inside the piano, I worked on the piece for an entire hour, had a breakthrough session, and then found upon finishing that from bending over the innards of the piano for so long, I couldn't stand up. Moderation and practicality in such matters is essential to success, in addition to learning the fine art of standing up and sitting down with one's foot on the damper pedal.

Sonja Gustafson's recent success

Bathroom Divas winner Elton Lammie isn't the only competitor from the show to be doing a lot of performing these days.

Second place finisher Sonja Gustafson is also making inroads, recently winning the Ontario Arts Federation's Christina and Louis Quilico Award as well as singing the role of Valencienne in UWOpera's recent production of "The Merry Widow". She also writes a blog.

More updates on Bathroom Divas alumni and events to follow in weeks to come...

Image hosted by Western News

Into the Theatre

Today was the first day of tech week in the Baillie Theatre with sets, costumes, and lighting. Last night's rehearsal with the orchestra went well, and was the first hearing of the six operas' orchestrations. An article in today's Toronto Star by John Terauds featured interviews with composers Darren Fung and Andrew Staniland on the creative process involved in writing their works for Opera To Go. And it was a pleasant surprise to hear that OTG soprano Carla Huhtanen is (or was) a blogger, although her lulu's jam-smash jamboree is of the travel rather than the operatic sort.

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And last but not least, our aging Compaq (circa 2000) having finally given up the ghost, Wendy and I took delivery of our new pristine Dell earlier this week. No more stalling and freezing...

Image hosted by TO Live with Culture

More on Opera To Go

This past week has been a rather busy one so far, with a busy week of staging rehearsals in the studio. The orchestra rehearses for the first time this evening, after which we move into the theatre tomorrow in preparation for the industry opening on March 1 and the gala opening March 3. This time around there will be $5 student rush seats for some of the shows, as well as cultural worker tickets.

Ticket information

Synopses of all six operas

Elton Lammie Live in Toronto Feb. 16

Thursday evening I will be performing with Bathroom Divas winner Elton Lammie at a benefit for Out of the Cold at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre at 427 Bloor Street in Toronto. The concert will begin at 7:30pm, preceded by a silent auction at 6:30pm. Tickets are $25 at the door. Other performers include Bathroom Divas judge Mary Lou Fallis with pianist Peter Tiefenbach.

Proceeds will go to Out of the Cold and the Homelessness Action Group.

Stephen Chen's New Drupal-based Site

One of the musical highlights of 2005 for me was preparing and performing in mezzo/countertenor Stephen Chen's interludes of love & loss at the Music Gallery in late October (just over a week before the launch of the CPB). This unique project combined contemporary art song, opera, and musical theater to benefit People with AIDS Toronto.

In addition to Stephen's musical projects, he is also an acomplished photographer, writer, and web designer.

So I was more than pleased when Stephen contacted me last night with a request to be a beta tester of his new Drupal-based site. His goal is to create a community where performing artists can create their own sites and interact with other members. More info to come as the beta testing process moves along.

New Opera is Alive and Well in Canada

The Toronto Star's A&E section last Saturday featured an article by John Terauds on the large number of new Canadian operas that are premiering this year, including Alexina Louie's Burnt Toast on CBC Television, Chan Ka Nin's The Weaving Maiden and Other Tales, and Tapestry's Opera To Go, many of them created under the auspices of the Canadian Opera Creation Program administered by Opera.ca.

What the Star article neglects to mention is that many of these operatic projects began their lives in Tapestry's groundbreaking Composer/Librettist laboratory, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last August. Having participated in this unique workshop since 2002 as a coach/pianist, it is a unique place where there is both a tremendous exchange of ideas and a large number of operatic scenes that must be writen on very short notice--every year, 16 scenes are created and workshopped with pairs taken from the 4 composers and 4 librettists over the course of only 10 days.

Bathroom Divas Season Finale Recap

Beware: don't read this post unless you wish to know who wins the Bathroom Divas first season...

Last week's episode followed the final three singers in boot camp (Sonja Gustafson, Sonja Anderson, and Elton Lammie) as they prepared for the final performance and vote-off to determine who will sing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

The beginning of this episode recapped the show thus far, with the previous vote-offs that eliminated Gail, Sergio, and Emili.

Next was a short look at the lives of the final three singers in their home towns prior to arriving in Toronto for Opera Boot Camp.

The cameras first followed Elton around Fort Erie, Ontario as he showed his country music roots, as well as a sizeable guitar collection. He also revealed that he is one of North America's most sought after Roy Orbison impersonators, as well as an avid hockey player.

Next we viewed Sonja Anderson in Whitehorse, Yukon as she embarked on her daily rounds as a (singing) Canada Post mail carrier. Living an hour outside of Whitehorse, she and her family live in a completely self-sufficient off-the-grid home complete with solar power.

Finally, we saw Sonja Gustafson in London, Ontario, where she works as a waitress at the Honest Lawyer, where she also sings jazz. Her mother is a voice teacher at the University of Western Ontario, where Sonja also studied.

Back at the final vote-off, we heard opinions from the guest judges (conductor Timothy Vernon and tenor Richard Margison) before the singers were called back on stage for the final results. The first singer informed that she would not be singing with the TSO was Sonja Anderson, followed by Sonja Gustafson, which left Elton Lammie as the one who would go on to sing with the symphony.

Next we followed Elton's progress as he continued coachings with Gary Relyea, Tom Diamond, and Mary Lou Fallis in preparation for the final concert.

Prior to the performance, he coached the aria with conductor Bramwell Tovey and rehearsed with the orchestra. Finally, after a final word from the judges, he walked on stage and confidently performed "E lucevan le stelle" from Puccini's Tosca with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to a sold-out Roy Thompson Hall on the occasion of the Last Night of the Proms.

Following the concert, he is congratulated by the other five singers from Opera Boot Camp.

Best of luck to Elton Lammie and all the singers who participated in Opera Boot Camp. It was a pleasure working with you all, and please keep in touch with all your activities, musical or otherwise. More in the next few days on what some of the singers have been up to since the show.

Finally, no word on a second season yet. I have heard that the first season has had excellent ratings so far, and let's hope that this rare televised view into the process of becoming an opera singer will become a regular occurence.

Bathroom Divas airs on Bravo!Canada

Middle C Supernova Explosions

Researchers have found in computer simulations that dying white dwarfs reaching the supernova stage audibly pulse for a short time at a pitch equivalent to middle C. From a University of Arizona press release:

"Collapsing material falls lopsidedly onto the inner core and soon excites oscillations at specific frequencies in the simulations. Within hundreds of milliseconds, the inner core vibrations become so intense that they actually generate sound waves. Typical sound frequencies are about 200 to 400 hertz, in the audible range bracketing middle C."

Link to article

Image courtesy of European Southern Observatory via Wikipedia

Bathroom Divas Episode 5 Recap

This week featured Sonja A, Sonja G, and Elton in their preparation for the final vote-off, with the winner going on to perform with the Toronto Symphony.

Although physically and emotionally exhausted from the previous vote-off (where Emili was asked to leave), the three with great determination attempt to demonstrate vocal and artistic growth for coaches Michael, Mary Lou, and Tom.

Mary Lou then took the three to see a charity recital given by Ben Heppner, where they met him following the concert, as well as sampled fresh oysters.

The next morning, they worked for the final time with director Tom Diamond and later with conductor Timothy Vernon. That evening they went to the Rex for a night of jazz. Sonja G took a turn singing with the house band.

The next day was the final vote-off held at the George Weston Recital Hall at the North York Centre for the Performing Arts. I was the pianist for the performances and the guest judges were conductor Timothy Vernon and tenor Richard Margison.

Sonja Anderson performed first, singing Mariettas Lied from Die Tode Stadt by Erich Korngold. Elton Lammie followed, singing Total Eclipse from George Frederich Handel's Samson. Sonja Gustafson was the last performer, singing the Queen of the Night's Revenge Aria from Mozart's Magic Flute.

In the last shot of the episode, the three are called back on stage and the winner is....




To be announced this Saturday on the Bathroom Divas Season 1 finale.

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Here are a few interesting items that B-Divas fans may wish to know:

Opera Boot Camp was located in a very large and elegant house in Toronto's Rosedale District on Sherbourne Street north of Bloor.

The house they stayed in was several kilometres north, a few blocks south of the intersection of Bayview and York Mills.

For Tom Diamond fans, don't miss a great chance to see his work as a director when Tapestry New Opera Works' Opera To Go runs from March 1-17 at Toronto's Young Centre for the Performing Arts.

Link to Opera To Go info

Arts as a growth industry?

It appears that interest in the arts is on the rise in American universities and colleges. Rob Capriccioso writes in Inside Higher Ed:

No doubt, universities have long been meccas of creative and dramatic programs and art museums. But, today, in an era of reduced government funding for the arts — and an increased interest from students who want to major in artistic fields — many university leaders are feeling like the stakes are higher than ever before.

According to College Board data compiled by the Art & Science Group, an enrollment consulting firm, there was a 44 percent increase from 1996 to 2005 in the number of high school seniors who say that they plan to major in visual and performing arts. For business and commerce majors, the gain was much less modest, at 12 percent, while the percentage who plan to major in social sciences and history has decreased by 15 percent.

This same trend is also happening in Canadian post-secondary institutions with major arts-related building projects underway at schools such as York University and the Royal Conservatory of Music.

No word on what these students will be doing upon completion of their degrees. The arts remains a difficult place to earn a living--hopefully these institutions will also be equipping future arts professionals with the wherewithal to build and grow their fields through arts leadership programs.

Farewell Andante

Earlier this week, the classical website andante.com shut down for reasons of financial unsustainability. Scott Timber in the Los Angeles Times asks the question of whether classical music has a place on the web in his coverage.

What? The failure of one classical website because its business model didn't work doesn't warrant asking whether an entire genre can actually "fit" into the web. No one asks whether tech has a place on the web because a few thousand companies failed a few years ago. And no one questions the viability of the oil and gas industry because of the failure of Enron (the industry seems to be doing rather well.)

It seems that one of the ways into a classical music story in the press these days is by commenting on whether or not it is still viable. I must completely disagree with the question, which smacks of stereotyping and bias. Never have so many people listened to this genre, been involved in creating and re-creating it, writing about it, studying it, and trying to make money from it.

And to suggest that classical music doesn't "work" on the web? The last year has seen a huge increase in the number of classical music blogs created with a passion for the art and its possibilities, and the success of ones such as the concert, Tomness, Think Denk, and canadienne show that it is entirely possible to have both a solid performing career and engaging blog.

2/8 More on this subject from Alex Ross

Cookie Monster Vocals

If anyone saw the unfortunate death-metal wannabe on last week's American Idol, take note: this bizarre vocal style is making the news. Jim Fusilli in WSJ writes about what has become known as Cookie Monster singing, which even apparently has its own technique:

Death-metal singing takes a toll on vocalists, according to Ms. Gussow, who joined Arch Enemy in 2001. She says that despite the characteristic rock-salt-and-razors growl, the sound doesn't originate in the throat. It gets pushed up from the abdomen.

"If you use the right abdomen muscles, you get a lot of power," she says. "It's a primal form of vocalizing, but it's also a very controlled style of singing. You can get weak if you don't have muscle power."

She does vocal exercises to keep fit, some of which she learned from Melissa Cross, a New York-based voice teacher whose instructional DVD "The Zen of Screaming" is a favorite of extreme vocalists.

Link to Zen of Screaming

More on Death Metal

Others, however, prefer the rich cultural mosaic of Black Metal.

Rochester Weekend

For the last two days, I've been frantically rehearsing 2 piano 8 hand works with Jean Barr and others for Jean's faculty recital this afternoon. It was Jean's intention to create a recital of works for piano in ensemble with some of her dearest colleagues from Eastman along with 6 and 8 hand works with a few of her former students. I'm playing on two 2P8H works, both by Mack Wilberg--his Carmen fantasy and a new work entitled Les Contes d'Offenbach composed for the occasion and dedicated to Jean Barr.

It has certainly been a weekend of memories, and a pleasure to get reacquainted with Judy Kehler Siebert, Diane Birr, and Sylvie Beaudette and relive the early years of Jean's ACM program at Eastman.

On the other hand, we've all been getting a crash course on playing multi-piano works, much of which involves keeping down while someone else has the tune or trying to make the tune heard against the others. There is a huge accumulation of sound with 1 piano 6 hand and 2 piano 8 hand works, and controlling it (via pedal especially) has been one of our rehearsal goals. I really can't remember when I've had such fun rehearsing a program and this afternoon's program will hopefully be quite a hit. We are told that the concert is widely expected to sell out.

After last night's dress rehearsal, a few of us made a quick side trip to stock up on some beans.

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Back to Toronto after the concert as on Monday morning OTG production rehearsals begin.
No Bathroom Divas recap this weekend, as the show does not air in the United States. I taped the episode and will take a look at it either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Image hosted by the Eastman School of Music

Road Trip

This weekend will prove to be an interesting one, with a trip to Rochester for the Lotte Lenya Competition and Jean Barr's recital on Sunday, both at Eastman. Much music to learn before then...

Forget Mozart's Birthday

Well-Tempered just turned 1.

Link to party

The Online Library of Congress

From the the Library of Congress, there are enourmous amounts of online musical documents available in subjects as diverse as African American music, Folk Music, composers, instruments, film music, jazz, sheet music, as well as the Moldenauer Archives, with 3500 items documenting the history of Western Music.

In Jon Newsom's Introduction to the archives, he traces the origin of Hans Moldenauer's bequest and the process that he went through to build a collection of historical source material for future researchers. Newsom writes of Moldenauer,

...he had the connoisseur’s sense of the intrinsic worth of a beautiful and rare page, and so, besides their research value, some
of his manuscripts--and these were the ones he treasured most highly--represent, in his words, "tangible links with the esoteric efforts which produced them in the composer’s hour of inspiration." We stand in awe before the pages on which Mozart or Brahms wrote down a memorable piece and wonder at the mysterious role
that the composer’s original notation plays in the relationship between his musical idea, its realization as sound by a performer, and the listener.

Kudos to the Library of Congress for presenting the information here in such an attractive and easily searchable format.

Warning: you can spend hours looking at these documents...