Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</h1> <article> <h1>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</h1> <p>jstrauss — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:11:49 +0000</p> <span>Master Class at the Cat with Chris Eldridge ’04</span> <span><span>jstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-09T17:11:49-04:00" title="Monday, October 9, 2023 - 17:11">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 17:11</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Grammy Award-winning guitarist and singer Chris Eldridge ’04 returned to �鶹��Ƶ for a brief residency that included a band workshop at the Cat in the Cream on the afternoon of October 6. Two student bands, Cast-Iron Cornbread (made up of Sasha Paris-Carter, Cashel Day-Lewis, Max Allard, Francesca Neibel-Spruill, and Ellie Rui) and the Yard Salers (Jace Mason, Otto Allard, Max Allard, Katie Galt, and Eva Paddock) prepared original compositions and their takes on the classics.</p> <p>Eldridge listened and offered feedback, emphasizing the ways that conversational and unreserved expressive qualities of music can help the bands find their voices and their connections with one another. He urged them to push their limits in performance and find the extremes of their sound. “There’s something beyond just nailing pitch or rhythm,” said Eldridge, a founding member of Punch Brothers who has served as a visiting faculty member at �鶹��Ƶ. “It’s inflection, and timbre, and arguably, the most important thing is communicating that amongst each other.”</p> <p>Eldridge’s residency also included a career Q&A presented by the Conservatory deans office and the College of Arts and Sciences’ <a href="/node/3321">musical studies</a> major.</p> <p>Drop in on the bands’ experience in these clips below.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Punch Brothers guitarist guides student bands as part of two-day residency.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-09T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/09/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2974">Conservatory Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3874">Improvisation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3714">Conservatory Professional Development</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25281">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/musical-studies" hreflang="und">Musical Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Chris Eldridge ’04 offers guidance to bands onstage at the Cat in the Cream coffeehouse during a conservatory master class.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">true</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Genevieve Dilan</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> <div class="video-embed-field-provider-vimeo video-embed-field-responsive-video"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-33583" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31741" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29937" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-4.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29939" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-3.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="5619" data-pswp-height="3746"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29938" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/202310_chriseldridge_gdilan-2.jpeg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="6240" data-pswp-height="4160"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Scenes from the masterclass.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Genevieve Dilan </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <hr> <p>From left: Members of Yard Salers, fiddle player from Cast-Iron Cornbread, and members of Cast-Iron Cornbread. All of the musicians in the two bands are majoring in various disciplines in the conservatory. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27818" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><em>Genevieve Dilan is a fifth-year double-degree student in vocal studies and psychology. She is a correspondent for the Conservatory Communications Office.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ Improv Fest 2023 Celebrates Range of Creative Practices</h1> <p>cstrauss — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:03:21 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ Improv Fest 2023 Celebrates Range of Creative Practices</span> <span><span>cstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-03-02T12:03:21-05:00" title="Thursday, March 2, 2023 - 12:03">Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This year �鶹��Ƶ students have had the opportunity for the first time to declare a minor in a new formalized course of study in improvisation. And from Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4, they will have an immersive experience in the �鶹��Ƶ Improv Fest 2023. All events of the festival are also open to audiences and are free.</p> <p>The festival kicks off on Thursday at noon in the Birenbaum with a panel discussion with faculty and guest artists. <a href="/la-tanya-hall">La Tanya Hall</a>, associate professor of jazz voice, will moderate a discussion about improvised music and improvisation in the creative process with the four guest artists of the festival—flutist and composer <a href="https://www.nicolemitchell.com">Nicole Mitchell</a>; shakuhachi player and composer <a href="https://kojiroumezaki.com">Kojiro Umezaki</a>; multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer <a href="https://www.auroranealand.com">Aurora Nealand ’01</a>; and jazz pianist and composer <a href="https://luisperdomojazz.com">Luis Perdomo</a>—and �鶹��Ƶ’s Visiting Assistant Professor of Baroque Violin <a href="/edwin-huizinga-06">Edwin Huizinga '06</a>.</p> <p>The events that follow over the three days encompass workshops, presentations, and performances that showcase exciting performances with AI-based interactive and immersive sound, group improvisation, jazz, and students in �鶹��Ƶ's Performance and Improvisation program. </p> <p><a href="/dana-jessen">Dana Jessen</a>, �鶹��Ƶ’s associate professor of contemporary music and improvisation and a key organizer of Improv Fest, shares that the inspiration for the festival “came about as a means to celebrate the many outlets for improvisation on campus, and at the same time, bring together world-renowned artists to interact with our students and community.” Festival co-organizer is <a href="/aurie-hsu">Aurie Hsu '96</a>, associate dean for academic affairs and a professor in <a href="/timara">TIMARA</a>.</p> <p>Jessen continues, “Improvisation is deeply rooted within �鶹��Ƶ's campus, from official ensembles and courses, to student-led groups and initiatives.”</p> <p>In fact, improvisation has been emphasized at �鶹��Ƶ Conservatory for generations—from early practices in organ, to historical performance, as well as free jazz, fusion, electronic music, and more recently in non-Western idioms explored in �鶹��Ƶ’s Performance and Improvisation (PI) Program. Courses and ensembles in PI provide students with the opportunity to enrich their existing musical vocabularies and skills through practical exploration of many different world musics and improvisation across a range of genres and styles. This study is fundamental to �鶹��Ƶ’s directive to optimally prepare musicians for any number of potential 21st-century career paths.</p> <p>“The festival aligns with �鶹��Ƶ's new improvisation minor in that it seeks to convey how improvisation can be a thread that connects different areas of music-making,” says Jessen. “The scope of the festival itself in many ways mirrors the many pathways that students could pursue in the minor.”<br> <br> In choosing the guest artists for the festival, Jessen describes, “Improvisation takes many forms and the festival artists represent a range of practices, styles, and traditions. Our events throughout the festival highlight the breadth of their work, as well as the range of offerings on campus. These include Afrofuturism, interactive electronic improvisation, non-western idioms, jazz, historical performance, conducted improvisation, free music, and songwriting.”</p> <p>Each of the four guests will appear in concert during the festival, highlighting an experience for listening audiences.</p> <p>Nealand and Umezaki will collaborate on Thursday, March 2 at 8:30 p.m. in the Birenbaum. Mitchell’s concert on Friday, March 3 at 8:00 p.m., also in the Birenbaum, will involve jazz studies students and faculty performers in performances of her works. Students in �鶹��Ƶ’s PI Program will collaborate with jazz pianist Perdomo on his festival closing concert on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse.</p> <p>“These performances will highlight the high level of musicianship connected to these practices,” emphasizes Jessen.</p> <p>Additional concerts feature �鶹��Ƶ’s student small jazz ensembles at the weekly Jazz Forum held at the Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse on Friday, March 3 at noon. A Student Showcase performance with OCTaiko, the Silent Film Ensemble, �鶹��Ƶ Creative Music Lab, and �鶹��Ƶ Percussion Group takes place on Saturday, March 4 at Wilder Hall’s Main Theater.</p> <p>Jessen expresses “hope is that the festival will bring our community together and offer inspiration for students to explore the many pathways to improvisation, while the workshops and presentations will offer an entryway for newcomers.”</p> <p><strong>�鶹��Ƶ Improv Fest 2023 Event Schedule</strong></p> <p>PANEL DISCUSSION: GUEST ARTISTS AND FACULTY<br> Thursday, March 2, 12:00-1:30 PM<br> Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space, Hotel at �鶹��Ƶ</p> <p>GUEST MASTER CLASS: JAZZ PIANIST LUIS PERDOMO<br> Thursday, March 2, 4:00-5:00 PM<br> Clonick Hall</p> <p>PRESENTATION: KOJIRO UMEZAKI<br> Thursday, March 2, 4:30-6:00 PM<br> Birenbaum<br> Umezaki presents his work featuring global and hybrid practices in acoustic and electronic music.</p> <p>PRESENTATION: NICOLE MITCHELL<br> Thursday, March 2, 7:00-8:15 PM<br> Stull Recital Hall<br> The music that flutist, composer, bandleader, and educator Nicole Mitchell creates celebrates contemporary African American culture and explores intercultural collaborations. In her presentation, she will discuss Afrofuturism.</p> <p>CONCERT: AURORA NEALAND AND KOJIRO UMEZAKI<br> Thursday, March 2, 8:30 PM<br> Birenbaum </p> <p>PERFORMANCE: JAZZ FORUM<br> Friday, March 3, 12:00 PM<br> Cat and the Cream Coffee House<br> �鶹��Ƶ student jazz ensembles perform.</p> <p>SONGWRITING WORKSHOP: AURORA NEALAND '01<br> Friday, March 3, 3:30-5:30 PM<br> Stull Recital Hall</p> <p>CONCERT: NICOLE MITCHELL<br> Friday, March 3, 8:00 PM<br> Birenbaum</p> <p>ORGAN WORKSHOP: CHRISTA RAKICH ’75<br> Saturday, March 4, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM<br> Finney Chapel<br> “How To Sound Like Messiaen”</p> <p>INFO SESSION: IMPROVISATION MINOR WITH DANA JESSEN<br> Friday, March 4, 12:00-1:00 PM<br> Birenbaum<br> The Improvisation Minor draws upon several departments across the conservatory and college, enabling students to create a pathway that suits their artistic interests.</p> <p>SOUNDPAINTING WORKSHOP: DREW PATTISON ’10<br> Saturday, March 4, 1:30-3:00 PM<br> Central 25<br> Soundpainting is the universal multidisciplinary live composing sign language for musicians, actors, dancers, and visual artists, developed by Walter Thompson. Drew Pattison '10, assistant professor of bassoon, will engage workshop participants in improvisation and group interaction through the conducted Soundpainting language.</p> <p>CONCERT: STUDENT SHOWCASE<br> Saturday, March 4, 4:30-6:30 PM<br> Wilder Hall - Wilder Main Theater</p> <p>CONCERT: PIANIST LUIS PERDOMO WITH OBERLIN PI ENSEMBLE<br> Saturday, March 4, 7:30 PM<br> Cat and the Cream Coffee House</p> <hr> <p><em>�鶹��Ƶ Improv Fest 2023 is organized with support from TIMARA, Conservatory Deans Office, Conservatory Professional Development, and the Alumni in Service to �鶹��Ƶ College (ASOC) Fund.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The three-day festival, running March 2-4, presents 13 events; brings guest artists to campus to teach and perform</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-03-02T12:00:00Z">Thu, 03/02/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Cathy Partlow Strauss ’84</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2865">Performance & Improvisation (PI)</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3874">Improvisation</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32966">Organ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33031">TIMARA</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=464502">Improvisation</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dana-jessen" hreflang="und">Dana Jessen</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/aurie-hsu" hreflang="und">Aurie Hsu ’96</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/la-tanya-hall" hreflang="und">La Tanya Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/edwin-huizinga-06" hreflang="und">Edwin Huizinga ’06</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/christa-rakich" hreflang="und">Christa Rakich</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/drew-pattison" hreflang="und">Drew Pattison</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/contemporary-music" hreflang="und">Contemporary Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/winds-brass-and-percussion" hreflang="und">Winds, Brass, and Percussion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/historical-performance" hreflang="und">Historical Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">From top, L-R: Luis Perdomo, Kojiro Umezaki, Aurora Nealand '01, Nicole Mitchell</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of the artists</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>