Julie Mandel composes ‘Solitude In The City’ for Basso Moderno Duo

Julie Mandel has just composed ‘Solitude In The City’ for the Basso Moderno Duo to be part of our New York Women Composers program. Mandel was a student of Ernst Krenek and is an active composer of musical theater and chamber music.

“My intention was to write music that would make good use of both instruments, piano and bass, giving each a part that best utilized their abilities. The unusual high range of the solo bass was particularly interesting, offering opportunities not usually associated with the bass.

In writing ‘Solitude In The City’ I thought of the piano, with its ability to play chords of several notes and colors and provide almost continual movement, as representing the City; while the bass is set alone against that busy background to experience loneliness in the midst of a crowd, perhaps lost in the anonymity of the city”.

Basso Moderno Duo Wins Montpelier Concert Series Competition

The Basso Moderno Duo was selected as the winner of the Montpelier Concert Series Competition. In addition to an honorarium, they will be giving a recital on October 11, 2009. The concert will featured newly composed works written especially for the Basso Moderno Duo by member composers of the New York Women Composers, Inc.

Lawrence Kramer composes 'At the Crossroads' for Basso Moderno Duo

USA composer Lawrence Kramer has just completed 'At the Crossroads' for the Basso Moderno Duo. Kramer is a professor at Fordham University, co-editor of the journal 19th-Century Music and has authored many books on music including: Why Classical Music Still Matters (2007).

Of the work Kramer writes:
"The crossroads is the traditional site for fateful encounters and fateful decisions, from the Oedipus of Sophocles to the speaker of Robert Frost’s 'The Road Not Taken.' My piece 'At the Crossroads' seeks to evoke the drama of the crossroads in compressed musical form. (What happens at the crossroads happens quickly.) The music begins with the double bass and piano in very different frames of mind, but the two instruments gradually unite, part again, and reconcile—a process made possible here by the expanded expressive range of the double bass in high solo tuning".

The premiere will take place on October 22, 2008 at Fordham University.

Basso Moderno Duo Awarded New York Women Composers Seed Money Grant

The Basso Moderno Duo was granted the 2008 New York Women Composers Seed Money Grant.

The purpose of this grant is to bring attention to composer members of the NYWC and the BMD plans to do so through a series of concerts, a radio broadcast, and recordings. To learn more about the NYWC visit: www.newyorkwomencomposers.org

Maral Yakshieva Residency at Basically Modern Arts Sanctuary

Maral Yakshieva of Turkmenistan and Russia has joined us at the Basically Modern Arts Sanctuary to compose a new work for the Basso Moderno Duo. The Duo will share the stage with the composer and pianist on Sunday July 13 at the WAMC Performing Arts Center 'The Linda' in Albany, NY at 4:00.

Marie Incontrera composes 'Liszten' for Basso Moderno Duo

Marie Incontrera recently composed a new work for the Basso Moderno Duo entitled ‘Liszten’. This work will be included within a larger program the duo are organizing which focuses on members of the New York Women Composers, inc.

Of the new work, the composer says “Liszten was inspired by a fusion of the intricacies of dance, classical techniques and rhythmic rock. My intention in writing this piece was to have the subtleties of each style interact the way dancers or musicians interact with each other and with their audience in each of the aforementioned artistic media”.

To learn more about Marie Incontrera and her music please visit her website www.lamentbassmusic.com

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.