8bb does many residency-style activities at (high- and college level-) schools during each season. Almost all fall into the following categories: solo masterclasses, chamber coachings, performance workshops, 8bb lecture-demonstrations and Q & A forums. Occasionally the group is pleasantly surprised by an institution’s interest in exploiting 8bb’s unique talents and repertoire, and the occasion will result in a particularly fascinating residency activity.
This is part 1 in a mini-series of such activities.
It seems odd, but 8bb – an ensemble known across the States for memorizing chamber music and incorporating stage movement into its performances – had never done a masterclass dealing with precisely these issues.
Part of our itinerary for a University of Colorado (Boulder) two-day “mini-residency” was a “movement workshop” for two hours. We knew in advance that a wind quintet was to play, and we knew the repertoire: Hindemith’s Kleine Kammermusik. Everything else was a mystery.
The motivation for the class had come from the can-do attitude of the university’s new flute professor, Christina Jennings. I took a bit of nervous “gulp” when I met Christina, a Concert Artists Guild competition-winner who had considered auditioning for my current job before she was hired for her position in Boulder.
At Christina’s instigation, the Arundo Winds had put themselves through two weeks of hell, memorizing the first movement of the Hindemith especially for their two-hour session with us.
Arundo played the Hindemith from memory, bunched in typical quintet formation on stage. They seemed nervous, but despite being frozen in a semicircle still managed to relax enough to communicate well with one another.
Since a “movement class” was untested territory for 8bb, we started as we would in a rehearsal where we wanted to incorporate movement into a performance: slowly, gradually, organically.
Michael and I knew the piece the best and took the lead early:
“Jerome, the clarinet has the tune at the opening. Move forward and play it from the front; the others can stay back and accompany.”
“I want the imitative trio in the middle to be reflected on stage: Jerome, far right; Gina, far left; Sarah, upstage. Now, move towards each other as the music gains momentum.”
Pretty soon all the 8bb folks were chiming in with ideas, contributing with interest and enthusiasm. Early on, the Arundo folks seemed unsure where the class was leading, but the fascinating, raw, immediate results were palpable, and their involvement steadily became more committed.
Several eighth blackbird members got up on stage and man-handled the quintet players, shoving them forcefully into position, launching them in different directions, whispering sweet advice in their ears. In addition to choreographing the young musicians, we talked to members about basic performance presentation.
Within an hour we had developed a basic set of movements for the piece, but, more importantly I hope, given them some guidelines as to how to go about this process for other works.
We “did lunch” with the Arundo folks the following day:
More photos from our Boulder residency can be found here, and photos from our Denver concert here.
Post a Comment