From 2014:
Point Totality by Catherine Lamb.
Music for two Pedalsteel guitars performed and recorded by Bob Hoffnar and Wayne Dahl
From 2015:
J.A.Deane “Conduction” in the tradition of Butch Morris
Feb 24th Public Workshop 8:00 @ The Museum of Human Achievement
Map
Feb 27th Concert 8:00 @ The Museum of Human Achievement
Map
conductor; J.A.Deane
musicians;
Janie Cowan string bass
Corinne Zappler viola
Michael St Clair trombone/various
Chris Vestre guitar
Kullen Fuchs trumpet
Jonathan Horn guitar
Alex Heitlinger trombone
Bob Hoffnar pedalsteel guitar
BUTCH MORRIS DEDICATION ORCHESTRA conduction by J A DEANE @Konfrontationen 2013
Poster by Steve Toole
April 16th
Susan Alcorn
Susan Alcorn Composer
musicians;
Susan Alcorn pedalsteel guitar
Alex Heitlinger trombone
Bob Hoffnar pedalsteel guitar
Steve Parker trombone
One of the world’s premiere musical innovators on her instrument, Baltimore-based Susan Alcorn has taken the pedal steel guitar far beyond its traditional role in country and western swing music. Known among steel guitarists for her virtuosity and authenticity in a traditional context, Alcorn first paid her dues in Texas country & western bands.
Soon she began to expand the vocabulary of her instrument through her study of modern classical music (Messiaen, Varèse, Penderecki), the deep listening of Pauline Oliveros, Astor Piazzolla’s nuevo tango, free jazz, and world musics (Indian rags, South American songs, and gamelan orchestra). Her pieces reveal the complexity of her instrument and her musical experience while never straying from a very direct, intense, and personal musical expression.
The UK Guardian describes her music as “beautiful, glassy and liquid, however far she strays from pulse and conventional harmony.”
This is the live recording of the concert recorded by Evan Kasper:
Some more of Susan Alcorn’s music
June 12 at NMASS Salvage Vangard Theater
David Simons
Theremin is Reading my Thoughts
David Simons uses the Theremin, one of the first electronic musical instruments, as a promixity and motion activated sample player. Taking a few steps beyond Leon Theremin’s invention, Simons uses physical and “thought based” gestures to activate and manipulate audio samples. These samples are sourced from Simons’ own compositions, found objects or homemade instruments, and soundbites from TV, film and recorded media. Simons uses MAX/MSP software to trigger and alter the digital samples. This non-linear compositional method is a unique and hyper-sensitive interactive design. Two electro-magnetic spheres of possibility are created by the instrument’s antennae.
David Simons performs his recent compositions for Theremin: “Pythia”, adding dialogue from Hitchcock’s film Shadow of a Doubt to the heterodyning, difference tones and deep gong samples; “Fujara”, based on the sound of Slovakian overtone fipple flute; “Occupational Therapy” , and “You Don’t Know”, featuring samples of jaw harp, drums, aluminum cans, glass bottles and a Donald Rumsfeld speech (2013-14). A webcam will provide live motion tracking to trigger sound and image in “Gamelan in Motion”, from 2013, with the dancers playing a virtual gamelan ‘in the air’. In “antiThesis” video projections are manipulated via theremin proximity, along with filmic soundtracks. The speed, size and position of the videos are altered live in a multiple collage of sound and image. “InnaGadda Detective” is a very recent solo composition (premiered Oct ’14); using just a floor tom and crash cymbal as velocity trigger, Simons attempts to activate each successive note of “the riff” with each stroke of the drum, simultaneously unpausing one of 6 or more detective stories from the early days of radio plays.
In these works David Simons is investigating how one medium can be used to control another: sound alters image, light and motion triggers sound. Also demonstrating that a sound from one instrument can trigger a sound from a completely different family of instruments. Joined by pedal steel guitar virtuoso and intrepid improvisor Bob Hoffnar, and two dancers from the Austin Ballet, Oren Porterfield and Jordan Moser, who will trigger and manipulate audio and video, a very interesting hour of Interactive sound and motion will be presented.
May 21st 2015
The music of:
Alex Coke
on line bio
Musicians:
Alex Coke Sax , flute
Bob Hoffnar Pedalsteel
Aaron Allen string Bass
JJ Johnson Drums
Travis Weller violin
Alex Heitlinger trombone
May 21st Concert 8:00 @ The Museum of Human Achievement
Map
Complete live recording of the concert
From 2016
August 3rd
The Mood Illusion plays 4 new commissioned works for Lounge Band
8:00 no cover
Stay Gold 1910 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
2016
Sept 9th and 12th
Robin Hayward Hayward Tuning Vine
Sept 9th Workshop and Improvisation Concert Using The Hayward Tuning Vine
Sept 12th Four new works for Tuning Vine and Musicians
Museum of Human Achievement
This workshop and concert are a rare opportunity to get a visceral understanding of Just Intonation. The Hayward Tuning Vine can open some pretty big doors.
About Sept 9th and 12th 2016 Concert