Alexandra Gardner :: composer
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barcelona updates
barcelona update #3
- august 2003
Queridos
Amigos,
Hola once again from Barcelona! So much for bi-monthly updates, hm? Apologies for the quiet - it's been a busy spring and summer!
All About Music
Things are going well in the Music Department! With spring came
2 premieres - percussionist Barry Dove of the Contemporary Music
Forum played "Ayehli" for marimba and sampled sounds
at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in DC, and in May guitarist Enrique
Malo Lop performed "Luminoso" for guitar and sampled
sounds at Auditorio SGAE in Barcelona. We look forward to making
a studio recording of the piece later this month. Samples of
the two works are on the web (www.jigsawmusic.org/sound.htm)
for your listening pleasure - let me know your thoughts! Currently
I am up to my ears in string quartet (a very happy thing in which
to be submerged) and will soon be beginning a new work for Dutch
bass clarinetist Harry Sparnaay. What fun! And I adore the sound
of "bass clarinet" in Spanish; clarinete bajo.
Also on tap is a solo concert of recent works at a performance space here called Metronom. Scheduled for November 17th, the program will consist of "Luminoso", "Snapdragon" for trombone and electronics, and some special suprises - stay tuned!
Spanish, The
Weather and Other Notable Things
First of all, all the stories are true - it is HOT here! Savage
heat. I completely understand siesta culture now. But nevertheless
there is plenty of activity, and it seems not to have hindered
High Season one bit. The street performers are especially good
this time of year. My current favorites are a trio of box drum,
didgeridoo and a male flamenco dancer who pounds out the most
extraordinary rhythms on wooden planks - amazing! Despite a lack
of appetite from the heat, I cannot possibly decline an offering
of olives, nor a sliver of jamón serrano every so often.
Over the past 3 months the mists have begun to clear and on a
good day I can actually have a decent conversation in Spanish.
Or at least have a clue when the upstairs neighbor asks if I
could please fetch her cat-shaped potholder which fell off her
clothesline onto the terrace and landed behind the sunflower....!
Travel? Yes - Portugal, San Sebastian (Basque Country), Costa Brava..beaches, castles, festivals of all sorts....such a major treat to be here!!
So there you
have it - thanks for reading!
Hope you are all enjoying the summer. Take care, stay cool &
keep in touch!
barcelona update #3
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