Loop 2.4.3 - staying in the loop

Chamber Music America’s (CMA) annual conference was last weekend at the Westin Hotel in NYC. This is the first time we have attended the full conference (though we have participated in APAP and other conferences), and overall found it to be very worthwhile. There were some stimulating talks with guest speakers, including Steve Reich, Leon Botstein, and Chick Corea. The weekend also included showcase performances from member ensembles. We got to see a wide variety of these performances, some of which were exciting, some disappointing, and some simply confusing as to their relevance at such an event. There were also sessions on fund-raising and other organization-building topics.

Steve Reich talked about being an inventor – something we all need to do as makers of art music in order to have any hope of survival! He basically related the idea of chamber musicians being entrepreneurs, except that most of us are not going into this so that we can drive a Porsche and have 3 houses. Reich also discussed the genesis of his phasing works and his approach to writing for new ensembles/instruments as his palette expanded over the years from all like-instruments to more diverse ensembles.

Leon Botstein was the ‘shake-up’ factor of the conference. Mr. Botstein was likable just as much for his broad perspective on music history, as for his sense of humor, and fearlessness. He declared, “The age of recording is dead.” He was also very clear that he did not aim this comment at electronic music, but that he specifically meant the recording of “standard repertoire,” and the idea that there can be a “definitive recording” of any piece of music. He was essentially advocating the unique experience of a live performance. He also addressed this issue of “standard repertoire,” posing the question: why are we still performing the same 10 pieces by the same 5 composers when there is so much good music to be heard? Now step back a second here…he is saying this to a room full of classical musicians, and concert presenters, the latter of whom are mostly rooted in the idea that Schumann, Beethoven, and Brahms is all the public wants to, or should be allowed to hear, or that they will dare to take a chance on presenting. One needs only to view the programming of an American Symphony Orchestra concert to see how Mr. Botstein approaches this problem. His question is a relevant one and one that contemporary composers struggle with constantly. This problem is the exact reason why a young Frank Zappa turned to rock and roll instead of chamber and orchestral music. This goes deeper as CMA itself seems unable to even grasp the definition of contemporary music (more on this in the next installment).