This must be a quickie, a shortie, a nooner, a fast one, on the stairs, in the car, in the alleyway...
I've been pulling all-nighters to be sure that the material is ready for premiere in Brno. I only just finished the electronics for Songs of the Thirsty Sword Part 1 (For Lucky Mosko) last night. There is mixing and audio-routing to do (i.e. programming work to make the live production 4-channel surround-sound) and then of course, rehearsing. I don't play piano - so it is a little nerve-wracking to think I will be sitting in front of an international audience in 3 weeks, premiering a new solo-piano work. Of course, there are the interactive video and electronics to distract from the fact that I don't play piano. I'm making light of a situation that I find pretty terrifying. An LA Times critic complained (in an otherwise glowing review) once that I was slow to prepare between movements for OPUS when I performed turntables with the California E.A.R. Unit. Yeah... well, he couldn't see the sweat dripping off of my forehead, down my nose and onto the platters while I switched out the records... I figured, better take my time and make it sound right than to screw it up and kick myself forever... ! I think I did the right thing and in all honestly Songs is composed with the idea that even a non-musician could perform it, so, it's fail-safe. I just dislike performing.
Strangely enough, I am looking forward to performing this short tour; it's all me, I'm the only variable, so there isn't much to freak out about. And I do pretty well once I get started. I guess I shouldn't gage nervousness by that performance with the E.A.R. - they are my great friends, but I really was terrified to stand on that stage with them. I was, after all, barely out of grad school and they'd been performing some of the world's most difficult music for twenty odd years. And well, I should add. What a trip to have come from nowhere and end up on stage with these amazing musicians!
The two years of touring with Susan Allen helped too. Improvising. My absolute worst fear. I'm a composer and the idea of getting up in front of an audience with nothing planned is hair raising!
But Susie is an outstanding improviser, and incredible human being and she asked me to join her on the stage because she sensed I could do it. The trio NIRUSU III we had with Rus Pearson was knock-out. I felt really secure working with those two, because no matter what happened, we were skilled enough at listening to make some great sounds together. I have listened to our recordings and am never disappointed. It sounded as good as it felt.
So here I am, out on my own. Not improvising, but performing composed, electronic works. This is exciting! I'm excited! This stuff is really new, it's fresh, in fact, it's stuff I wouldn't have considered composing a year or two years ago. It's just completely new terrain and whether or not people like it, I guess that's a factor, but the truth is, it's a travelogue of where I've been the last ten years. I think that both pieces, particularly Ngoma Lungundu (Voice That Thunders) really show the skill I have honed in listening. Listening is the most difficult part of composing, because when you listen, that's when you realize you need to shut up; or maybe, maybe you need to go on just a little bit more. Or maybe that doesn't need to be said at all. It's like writing out a sentence and taking out all the extra words so that only the strongest, most important words stay in - that way the meaning will never fall into question.
So, for the last weeks I have been absent, working round the clock on these compositions. I'm wearing a wrist brace because I've developed tendonitis; in spite of that, I am ploughing ahead. I only just finished the complete arrangement for the fourth movement of Ngoma today. I have to tackle the video. I have to remix it for 4-channel. I have to press my shirts for five concerts!
Concert dates:
October 14: Brno, Czech Republic, Janacek Academie New Music Plus Festival: Debut Solo Concert of 2 World Premiere works: Ngoma Lungundu (Voice That Thunders) for 4-channel surround-sound electronics and interactive video and Songs of the Thirsty Sword Part I (For Lucky Mosko) for solo piano and interactive electronics and video.
October 23: Opening Music By The Eyeful festival at the Luggage Store in San Francisco with Ngoma Lungundu
October 25: Private Concert of Un-Characteristic Compositions with Greg Moore at the Maybeck Recital Hall, Berkeley, CA where I will perform Songs of the Thirsty Sword Part I (For Lucky Mosko).
October 31: Ngoma Lungundu (a surprise concert at a surprise location - details TBA!)
See my website for details about all events www.nicholaschase.net.
(Ngoma Lungundu will be for sale by digital download after the premiere performance in Brno, Czech Republic)
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