Mikhail Kokzhayev Residency at Basically Modern Arts Sanctuary

The Basically Modern Arts Sanctuary opened its doors to famed Armenian composer Mikhail Kokzhayev in June. The Basso Moderno Duo hosted Kokzhayev for his first visit to the USA. During his stay he composed two pieces for the Basso Moderno Duo including ‘Birds and Bell’ and ‘Unrepeatable in Repetition’. In addition to time spent composing, Kokzhayev accompanied us to our recital in Washington DC at the Harman Center for the Arts and a day trip to Woodstock, NY.

Frank Corcoran composes ‘Quasi Una Perla’ for Basso Moderno Duo

Irish composer Frank Corcoran has just completed a short duet for bass and piano. The new work ‘Quasi Una Perla’ is the second work he has written for Allan Von Schenkel and Kristen Williams, with the first being a two movement piece for unaccompanied bass entitled ‘Quasi Un Basso’. ‘Quasi Una Perla’ gives the duo the opportunity to share Corcoran’s music with a wider audience and to bring attention to this talented composer.

Of the new work Corcoran says “Since my cycle of ‘Mad Sweeney’ - inspired works of the nineties, (beginning with ‘Suibhne Gealt / Mad Sweeney’ for Speaker and Chamber Orchestra, text from the Old Irish by Séamus Heaney) I have composed a whole series of " Quasi" works. I as a composer at this place in time I am no longer musically innocent - I know too much world-music and composed music of the past; so I´ve written ‘Quasi Un Concerto’, ‘Quasi Una Missa’ or ‘Quasi Un Preludio’ and so on - I am filtering musical forms of the past and of my past. This miniature piece for the higher tuned bass and piano of Basso Moderno is a mini-novel, a mini short-story for the new colouristic and expressive possibilities of this unique instrumental combination. Everything flows, however, - as in so many composing masters of the past- from the opening little idea, a simple re-iterated open fifth for the piano and its loud bisection by the bass. In the space of less than three minutes my piece opens up a kaleidoscope of tonal thought and play with this idea. The miniature becomes a pearl of great price - Quasi Una Perla".

The Basso Moderno Duo plan to premiere ‘Quasi Una Perla’ at the Meridian Festival in Bucharest, Romania in December 2008.

Basso Moderno Duo Interview on Pens Eye View

The Basso Moderno Duo have been interviewed on Pens Eye View.

Read the Interview Here!