Performing Lachenmann with the Callithumpian Consort!
Wednesday, March 5 @ 8 pm
New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall
30 Gainsborough Street, Boston MA 02115
On Wednesday evening I’ll have the pleasure of performing with the Callithumpian Consort, directed by the wonderful Stephen Drury. The program will include‘…zwei Gefühle…’, Musik mit Leonardo by Helmut Lachenmann. The composer himself will be present and will also take part in the performance.
Helmut Lachenmann is one of today’s greatest living composers and is this year’s lecturer for Harvard University’s Norton Lecture Series. I have had the honor and privilege of receiving a private coaching from the composer; he has also been attending our recent rehearsals and has brought incredible insight, humor, and beauty to the entire process.
While music exists for the entertainment of many, it also has the power to make one think, and more importantly, to challenge one’s preconceptions. For myself, Lachenmann’s music has certainly done the latter and more. For example, it’s caused me to rethink what “idiomatic guitar composition” means–even with the extended techniques in this composer’s contemporary musical language, I have found that everything Lachenmann has notated to be incredibly guitaristic.
The music was very difficult to learn, and even harder to coordinate with the rest of the ensemble. However, this process has been an incredible learning experience and has been very rewarding.
If you’re free on Wednesday evening, please stop by Jordan Hall for this extremely rare musical opportunity, musical offering, and musical gift.