Virtuoso Here. Virtuoso There. Virtuosi Everywhere!

A couple of months ago an article was published in the NY Times that presented a concept that even a few years ago might have seemed impossible. When one thinks of a virtuoso pianist it often conjures an image of perfect performances, technical accomplishments of speed and dexterity. The generations before mine (at a humble 23 years old) often regarded virtuosi as a rare commodity placed on a pedestal for the rest of us to adore. My generation is turning that picture on its head and placing cracks within the stone.

All anyone has to do anymore is spend a couple of minutes on YouTube to happen upon countless virtuosi in their teens and twenties. A topic almost for another discussion entirely, the exponentially growing list of piano competitions, which do not operate on a universal rubric, filled with juries of teachers with ulterior motives, naming winner after winner, only adding to the pool of virtuosi. The flux of high-level pianists has two major implications: 1) it creates an even more difficult climate to make a living as a concert pianist and 2) it is and will ultimately lead to a change in the roles of  concert pianists.

New generation concert pianists must learn to diversify themselves beyond the typical classical realm. Yes, there exists a duty to preserve the work of past composers and compel the audience to bond with the music of new composers but mastery of the “classical genre” is no longer enough. So what am I proposing? These advanced pianists need to put their spin on other genres: Jazz, Hip-Hop, R&B, Rock, Metal, Progressive, Electronic, etc. Doing so not only provides a marketability reaching into the average American house that views classical music as high fluting and prissy, it also propels the genres themselves forward. Particularly, in genres which rely heavily upon loops, samples, and often ridiculously simple piano parts; a virtuoso’s experience and organic understanding of their instrument can really push the sound into a newer and refined territory.

The audience for “classical concert music” is dying. Literally. Most patrons to solo piano and orchestral concerts are either aspiring young musicians or more often senior citizen who although young in spirit will soon and eventually succumb to the death. Morbid, I know but a reality that must be faced. The Artist must learn to attract a younger crowd but this does not mean that one must sacrifice substance for ticket sales. Genres and roles may and will indeed need to be refreshed and revamped but I see no reason as to why a piano concerto could not be orchestrated for electronic instruments in exchange for traditional orchestral instruments leaving the piano as the single or main acoustic instrument in the composition. (This idea is the basis for the piano concerto I begun writing in early January 2012.)

In allowing for the piano to keep a “traditional feel” and introducing new sound generators (atypical instruments, amplified instruments, electronic instruments, etc.) the composer and performer are better equipped to introduce audience members who would not otherwise be accustomed or willing to sit through a piano concert, a “safe” place to tip-toe into the world of art music.

I have found, from my own experience in directing performances of my solo piano works that if I couple one or two pieces with a film or visual performance made specifically for the work and use lighting to enhance the mood of the piece it draws in the people who have fears and hang ups about “classical” music. (The Merce Cunningham Dance Company is skilled at this, they possess the ability to take forms of dance and music that most people would be laugh at, due to a lack of understanding, and make it captivating for the audience. Ex.  BIPED) Using the safety created from such mixed media performances I have found it prepares the listener to fully if not partially embrace a more intricate work which directly follows the mixed media enhanced work. (This also broaches on a topic for further discussion in another post about the accessibility and human relatability of modern-day compositions.)

The future of concert music is in the hands of this current generation. We, young composers and performers, must find away to adapt to the changing world; not necessarily to assimilate ourselves and lose our traditions and cultures but to create a sort of symbiotic relationship lasting into the future.

 

The Importance of Biographical Study in Preparation for Performances

As a precursor to my musings on Beethoven, I thought it would be a good idea to explain why it is important to study the lives of composers. Biographical research is not just for music historians, it should be an essential practice for performers as well.

There are many times where I have begun playing a piece and enjoyed an out-of-body experience whereby I temporarily felt as if I was the composer of the work. Later through diligent studies of the composer’s life and what drove him or her to pen the composition, I found the work to be even more compelling than my first acquaintance with the piece. On the flip side, learning about a composer’s life and personality can help one connect with a piece that perhaps did not grab their soul at first meeting.

I started to learn about Beethoven the man from which point my understanding of Beethoven the composer and my interpretation of his works became for me real and profound. The beginning of my spiral into an obsession with Beethoven. You realize that he and his contemporaries are not a group of stuffy icons in paintings. These were real people with lives and emotions and problems and situations that are relatable to those of people today. For modern people who feel alone in their feelings, in the private memoirs of these composers and the individuals of their time one can find camaraderie and solace. We can learn from their mistakes and share in their triumphs. All of these emotions meld together and make it easier to understand and interpret great works of musical art.

True, as artists we have our own unique interpretations of the works in our repertoire, but we are also responsible for conveying the composer’s message and intent to the audience. In order for us to truly understand this vision it is paramount to have some understanding of the character of the composer as a person. What did he or she think about the world and humanity? How did he or she view their works? Was this work written as a part of a commission or was it forged to make some independent artistic statement? What was going on historically in the world of the composer at the time this work was written?

I understand that this research practice is often a part of the score study process for conductors and performers of large-scale works but it should be a common exercise for all performers and all works. Granted not every piece or composer will carry an abundance of resources to solve the mystery of composer intentions especially if that composer is dead and there are few records of his or her opinions. It is certainly an easier task to undergo if the composer is alive in modern times especially with the advent of the internet and cellular telephones.

The key is that performers and interpreters of “classical” (I hate the term Classical music it is a misnomer and my unbridled hatred for its coined usage in popular culture is something I shall cover in another post.) particularly have an important role in the preservation of the Western music tradition: the privilege and duty to preserve the works of the past, present, and future so as that our music does not become like that of Ancient Greece, a people whose music we have documentation of in written regard but whose sounds are lost to the sands of time.

I urge you next time you learn a new work no matter how small or large give sometime to learning something deep about the person who composed that work. You may find a like-minded friend as I have in Beethoven, though you are separated by time and space.

 

Beethoven, Beethoven, and more Beethoven

Not so surprisingly this is my first post of 2012. I always vow to post more often on here but seem to find myself too frequently inundated with various projects and forget that the world of WordPress exists.

Well it’s back… my Beethoven obsession and it’s wonderful. Beethoven, Beethoven, and more Beethoven. Currently I am learning the Sonata Appassionata Op. 57 for a competition in June. Completely engrossed in my Beethoven biographies, articles, and practice the world feels right. The other day I had a thought that perhaps after my master’s degree I may pursue a doctorate with a focus on Beethoven studies.

I believe that Beethoven is a composer and a man who is largely misunderstood. In my studies of his personality and mannerisms I have found myself to be more like him than anyone I have ever known in my life. I am learning about my self in the process of digging into the biographical side of Beethoven. In my future writings, I fully intend to conduct a personal exploration into Beethoven, and hopefully through reading others may also come to the conclusion that Beethoven was in fact not the horrible (insert choice expletive here) that most people make him out to be.

I aim to make these Beethoven writings as informative and accurate as possible so dear readers please forgive me for the probable extended period between the posts while I compile research and formulate my ideas. I promise to regale you in between the serious Beethoven posts with more tidbits about life and happenings. Until the next time keep practicing!

 

Endings and hope.

In the months since my recital I took a detour off the focused young composer track. Give me a break though! I periodically have to venture off into normal people world for a while to remember and be grateful and gather new experiences to add to my repertoire of life. That’s I suppose how you could concise my experience of the last say three months. October, the first month, I ventured into the “regular” world of people who do regular things such as have parties and are social with others was happy and blissful. I allowed myself to feel the emotions that a regular 23-year-old regularly embraces and for a while things were good. November, the world started to become more frustrating and depressing and by early December I was in the depths of despair, hoping for an end and a way out.

It seems I always find myself in the last few days and hours of the year in a clearer place mentally and spiritually. I also always find myself taking some sort of trip to the woods to be alone and reflect. I get really in my own head pondering the world, myself, the universe, who I am, music, philosophy and other things. This time however, I came to the realization that the bigger picture is so much more significant than my silly little momentary emotions. I read back on my writings from my last trek to the mountains and the north. While I do think I was quite idealistic in my ideals, I to some degree embrace them. This time I took my other Little to the woods with me on the way home I expressed what I suppose most young composers yearn for:

“I just want someone (a man) to see me for me. I want someone who looks past the music, the talent, the success and sees me for the person that I am. I want someone with whom I can sit under the stars with and discuss theories of the universe and philosophy and music and art. I want to create music and art with someone who completes me. I want a guy who isn’t freaked out when at 5am I spontaneously wake up and say lets drive until something looks interesting or go to the forest. I want someone I can sit in silence with and someone I can chat the night away with. I want someone who is driven and works on their own projects while I dedicate my time to mine. Someone who is spiritual, who loves God. I want someone who the universe is making me feel may not exist and I don’t want to settle.”

Do we as composers who are given the ability from birth to reach into the heavens and communicate the passions of our hearts and the glory of the skies above and the beauty of the world around us and the nature of the light, accept a fate to the lonely life of a hermit? I hope not.

With this I relegate myself back to my scales, my scores, my projects, my work, my solitude. Yet still I hope… still.

 

Recital Live Album

My first public concert of my serious compositions as a “classical” composer is up and will soon be available for download! If you were unable to attend the concert either in person or virtually via the live stream here’s your chance to hear what you missed. If you did attend, thank you so much for your support and here is your chance to relive the experience again!

Listening to this I find it crazy that this night actually happened. I also find it crazy that these notes even came from my head to a page to the hands of accomplished pianists. I feel really blessed and lucky that I have been given this ability to create music and afforded the opportunities to share it with others. Hearing this music also centers me. It reminds me of what I am capable of doing and that I shouldn’t settle for less than my best.

Elizabeth A. Baker’s Solo Piano Compositions in Recital on Bandcamp

 

Something In The Air

Ever since my recital I feel… different. Good different. I feel confident. I feel comfortable in my own skin. I feel like a woman. And the air… The air feels lighter crisper easier. There are still somethings I wish to accomplish in my career and from a personal standpoint I’m exploring new horizons and dedicating my heart into not falling into familiar patterns of being used and neglected. It feels as though I have happened upon a new year… a new era of my life and I’m excited to see where everything goes both from a working vantage and personal experiences. I hope that all the struggles of the last few years are only precursors to the bounty of love and light in the present and future.

 

So What Do I Do Now?

 

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My recital is over and it was a lovely event. I got a lot of great feedback from people. I signed sooooo many autographs! The audio and edited photos will be along in the coming weeks but here’s a little sneak preview!

I’m so thankful to everyone who helped me make this day happen!

 

Can it just be over already?

Meetings, emails, paperwork, meetings, emails, work, occasionally class. This is what my life has become. As much as I’m grateful for the opportunities and blessing of being busy, I just want my recital to hurry up and get here already. I can’t even begin to explain what it’s like to be the composer and director of a recital of this size. It has caused me stress and sleepless nights. However, in spite of the ridiculous crazy that has taken over my life I have learned a couple of things:

• Never rely on undergraduate student performers. Now I am not saying that there aren’t special exceptions and even within my recital I have one or two gems that prove the exception to this rule. In reality, thought the student performers have been the most frustrating part of this whole process. There have been many times where I wished that I had limited the performers to faculty alone. I have dealt with egos and entitlement from people who can’t even follow the simplest of instructions. The fact of the matter is that their conduct DOES NOT hurt me. It DOES hurt their reputations with faculty and even other students who have been appraised of their lack-luster dedication. If you are a young composer, working with students presents the unique issue of authority. Many students expect the young composer to be their friend and as a result do not vest any respect in the composer. In order for the young composer to feel confident in the performance, the student needs to understand that the composer-performer relationship must be devoid of frivolity and fraternization until such time as the project is complete. The young composer may also find that the student-performer’s zest or lack thereof for debuting their work will often color the view of that student and their friendship after the performance.

• Planning a large-scale recital is basically the same thing as planning a small wedding. Seriously, I haven’t been a Recitalzilla but there have been times when the pressure of all this planning has almost sent me over the edge. There are so many factors to consider when you are both the director, the composer, and a performer.

• I would do really well at project management. Looking over the detail and high level of organization I have maintained throughout this entire project I really feel as though I have a knack for project management. I’m not sure where or how I would go about getting a job for project management in the arts but I would really love to do more of this in the future.

• Filling out paperwork is the easy part of being a director. You wouldn’t guess it but filling out paperwork and meeting deadlines is really the easiest part of this whole endeavor. It’s coordinating schedules, people, and gear that is the biggest hassle.

• Large scale projects really make you evaluate who and what is most important in your life. This whole exercise has in many ways through all the stress and anxiety grounded me. In the past few months I re-evaluated many things which resulted in finding a sense of inner peace and strength which I didn’t necessarily know had existed within myself.

So now there are 17 days between me and this recital and I can’t wait for it to be here. I’m excited to share my music with the community. I’m also happy to wear a really pretty dress and feel like a princess for a few hours. The only thing missing is a special someone with whom I can share these precious moments of life, but I suppose that is for a later time and place. Until next time… keep shining my little stars!

 

I Really Need To Get Better At Posting…

I really need to get on the posting wagon and update this thing more often. So what’s new? Well, yesterday I finally got a dress for my recital so at least the nightmare that I was having about not having a dress for the big day is no longer valid. It’s 34 days away and all of a sudden everything is happening like clockwork.

Musically, I feel as though I am hitting my stride. After months of rejecting my guitar and electronic music I am back at it and it’s better than ever. I fully plan on releasing another new Suitcases of Sound album this winter. Which I am glad to say I am quite proud of being able to do so. Last year alone I composed heavily for Suitcases of Sound releasing three full-length albums and a shorter album of live works. Granted I did perform as Suitcases of Sound a lot more in 2010 than I have in 2011 I feel more grounded and in a better place musically than I was a year ago.

The new electronic music I am writing is different it’s as refined as a well-oiled machine. It has a different flair to it while still maintaining that signature SOS sound. What I feel is the most different about the tracks on this upcoming album is how full of life they are from the beats to the harmonies. The subject matter of the tracks… well we shall leave that for another day and post.

There’s just nothing better than jammin’ out to your own tunes in the car. As narcissistic as it may sound I prefer Radio Elizabeth’s iPhone to the tunes on the real radio. Of course I haven’t actually listened to the radio since I was in 5th grade but if it’s as full of Justin Bieber, Glee, and such that the internet is full of then I don’t think I’m really missing out on anything. I’ve “discovered” more quality music such as the wonderful band Stars through my research over the years than I think anyone will or could ever do on the radio. And besides have you ever thought about how the radio even works? Some panel of people driven by music and marketing sex and such dictate to you subconsciously what you should listen to and like. Even “independent” radio shows have their own agenda and often that means promoting the music “they” like or the “music of their friends”. It’s pretty messed up if you really take it all into consideration. It’s these radio personalities and affiliated programming panels that are ultimately, through their constant dissemination of sub par music, devolving the ears and musical predilections of the “civilized” human race.

Turn off your radios and go on a musical adventure in the forest. See what new species of flora and fauna you might find.

 

61 days to awesome

I am so excited for this day!

Soon and very soon!