Category archives: Performance
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6 years ago
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This summer, thanks to a grant from the Matisse Foundation, I had the great pleasure of teaching the music portion of the Art for Progress Summer Arts & Music Program for high school students and young adults interested in pursuing creative careers. Consisting of series of four workshops held on Sunday mornings during July and August at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center, the program was designed to explore the many real-world considerations inherent to careers in the arts and music. The focus was to look at some of the dynamics at play in the music and art worlds, and to provide support in the development of specific skills in the various media. Each week, a professional working in the arts was invited as a guest speaker and to host a short discussion. The speakers were happy to answer questions and were very informative and animated as they enlightened the group about the day-to-day life of a working artist. Everyone seemed to have a great time and to get a better sense of how to approach their work professionally going forward. On a personal note…I had the fantastic opportunity to study visual art in Paris while in college, and later jazz theory and improvisation, so it was auspicious to me to be able to work with the foundation representing French painter Henri Matisse, a personal favorite and early influence. Matisse was known to love American jazz music, and that added to my special sense of personal investment in this project. We at AFP are[...]
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6 years ago
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A raw, unconventional film about the last years of iconic German musician/muse Nico, Susanna Nicchiarelli’s Nico, 1988 portrays its subject as an earthy, unglamorous woman and an uncompromising artist. It’s a far cry from the popular image of the icily mysterious chanteuse who performed with the Velvet Underground in the late 1960s, and that’s a big part of the movie’s fascination. As embodied with fierce intensity by Danish actor/singer Trine Dyrholm, Christa Päffgen (Nico’s real name) in her late 40s was as dismissive of her younger incarnation as Warhol figurine and rock star paramour as she was passionate about reconnecting with her troubled son, Ari. Nico, 1988 is a refreshingly unromantic portrait of a heavily romanticized persona.
Nicchiarelli based her loose, impressionistic film on actual events, including interviews with Nico that are recreated throughout. There are also hazy flashbacks, actual footage of the Velvet Underground and the young Nico, provided by filmmaker Jonas Mekas. In casting Dyrholm, who bears no physical resemblance to Päffgen, Nicchiarelli opts to create her own character for this story, which may not sit well with some diehard fans. Truer to history is the film's sound, and Dyrholm, an impressive musician in her own right, nails Nico’s deep, stark vocals. (Dyrholm performs all songs in the film, including "These Days" and "All Tomorrow's Parties.")
Nico, 1988 begins in 1986, with the singer giving an interview in Manchester, Englan[...]
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7 years ago
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"A professional studio starts at around $50,000 and up" according to Rick Camp, who has produced the music of Dr. Dre, Beyonce and the likes. However, he also asserts that "a home studio, or a project studio, can cost anywhere from $300-400 dollars." With such a wide range of music production equipment out there, creating your own home studio has never been easier, cheaper and more accessible. Expensive equipment isn't always necessary to produce top quality work, as many low to mid range products on the market are actually competing with some of the top brands. Here are the top 3 tips on how to start producing your music without spending too much or sacrificing the quality of your sound.
Research the best equipment in your price range
When you begin any new practice, research is always key. And with an art form as technical as music production, it's almost essential to look into what audio interfaces you need and how to use them. If you go in blind, then you risk overspending on unnecessary, fancy equipment. In order to feel at ease with what you're doing, don't let yourself feel out of your depths:
Break down what you need: the interface, a mic/instruments and sound outputs
Research what both the amateurs and pros use
Compare the equipment based on quality and price
Take advantage of free recording software
Whilst 'freemium' software may not always have the advanced functions that paid software does, it's still useful when you're starti[...]
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7 years ago
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Pedro, welcome to AFP, we are pleased to have you here. Please tell us when you started playing and producing electronic music? Tell us about your first project.
I started experimenting with audio edition software when I was 16. At first, my intention was only pure distraction and fun. Before, I used to listen to lot of music, not only electronic music but also good rare versions of everything that you can imagine. I have a brother who is a music lover. I was also an amateur guitar player in a band.
It's my understanding that you've produced music under different artistic names and musical projects in the past? This was before your personal projects, correct?
When I was 22, I started to mix music using the name Pettre and was using it for many years. I published a track on Hivern Discs with John Talabot and Pional. Afterwards, with my project duo called Aster, I have worked for years at Hivern Discs and also at the famous label Mathematic Recordings, based in Chicago. With my recent project Pedro Vian and also with the Aster duo, I've had a presence in important festivals such as Sonar and Primavera Sound.
How do you define your style?
It is impossible to me to categorize it in a single style, because it is a mixture of many. Basically, I don't know how to define it. The experimentation is predominant; many times I feel myself with a foot on the dance floor while the other foot is in the spiritual and ambient side.
https://soundcloud.com/pedro-vian
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7 years ago
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Savina Tarsitano is a visual artist born in Calabria, Italy. She enjoys traveling around the world, but her main interest is experiencing new cultures and countries while sharing her ideas and art across the world. Thanks to her artistic research, she obtained several fellowships and artist residencies. Her work has been selected for the Biennal of Venice, and exhibited in many countries. Savina's work has also been published in several books and catalogues. She is a member of the European Cultural Parliament and Ambassador for the Rebirth project of Michelangelo Pistoletto and Cittadellarte.
Savina, nice to meet you and welcome to Art for Progress. Please, tell us about your art.
My art is focused on the idea of the landing, after different sojourns in theme- places like islands, abbeys, castles, military fortresses and so on. My works are made with different languages that represent embodied visions from the relationship with space, which in my representation is not only a real, but also an imaginary territory. During the period I, I developed three main projects: The Icons of the Chaos, Emotional Architecture and Creativity in Motion for Social Integration through Art and The Island You Want. Through The Island You Want, I was investigating the character and the specific difference of island spaces and landscapes through which I developed an artistic theme. This hermetic operation touches upon both nature, history and culture.
My stays on the island of [...]
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7 years ago
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Ballet Rotoscope is an experimental short film made in 2011 that connects ballet with technology. By empowering the natural beauty of ballet and utilizing physical computing, the concept adds value to the real-time action and performance.
The artists and researchers involved in the project, have created a relationship between geometric shapes with an animation technique known as rotoscope which was invented in 1905 by Max Fleischer. The object’s contours are traced and controlled by an algorithm that brings a mathematical layer to the natural movements of a ballerina.
The awesome result is the ballerina dances while she draws perfect geometry. The joints on her body are traced with a computer –generated rotoscope animation technique created by mathematical methods.
In the process, each of the steps of the ballerina were tracked with accuracy to translate and synthesize it with a vectorial animation.
Rotoscope technique is normally used in motion pictures to make realistic cartoons, but artists use it to generate an abstract animation of shapes that follow the movements of a ballerina. Therefore, this project makes sense in how to bridge the gap between arts and technology and create new concepts of beauty.
This great artwork was created in Keio University of Japan, and the proposal intends to be an interaction between live performance and animation and new ways of expression. This was developed by the EUPHRATES Group, founded by the students of[...]
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7 years ago
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For music aficionados and the real heads that check out a lot of live shows, you know when you're in the presence of exceptional musicians, singer/songwriters. Where Mumford and Sons have in some respects brought a new wave of progressive folk music to the forefront of popularity, I can't say the results have led to many high quality bands. When I received an invite to check out the band Twain, I was a bit reluctant about attending, but after listening to some of their stuff I was ready to go.
On this night, they were playing the opening set, but it was obvious that the early crowd was gathered to see Twain, and by the end of the night it was clear they were worthy of the top billing for this show.
With 8pm fast approaching, the level of excitement was building as eager fans edged closer to the stage, and with their new album Rare Feeling dropping on October 20th, this would be the first opportunity for many to experience the new stuff live. As they got into their first song, the thing that initially caught my attention was the depth and warmth of their sound, and as their set progressed I heard glimpses of everything from Neil Young, The Doors and even The Grateful Dead.
This is the kind of music that grows on you, and as you continue to listen to Mt. Davidson (lead singer/songwriter) and the band perform, you're soon captivated both musically and lyrically. Though many of the songs deal with serious subject matter, there's an undeniable sense of enthusiasm in[...]
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7 years ago
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We'll be back on the rooftop in Greenpoint at Mothership NYC for now what's become an annual gathering of artists, friends and of course great art & music. We have a stellar line-up this year with many musicians and performers we've worked with in the past.
Check back for updates, artist links and details in the coming weeks. Summer is here and there's nothing better than a good rooftop party in NYC.
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8 years ago
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It’s fitting that HBO is choosing to air Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey’s Every Brilliant Thing during the holiday season (starting on Monday). Their filmed version of the one-character play of the same name about depression, suicide and survival is funny, moving and heartening—appropriate viewing at a time of year when many people are not feeling their psychological best despite all the trappings of merriment. Recorded over three performances at the Barrow Street Theatre in 2015, Every Brilliant Thing stars British comedian Jonny Donahoe (best known in the UK for his comedy band Jonny and the Baptists), who co-wrote it with Duncan Macmillan.
We enter the small theater-in-the-round along with the audience, as they file in and take their seats. Donahoe, a stocky, cheerful sort, distributes pieces of paper containing various phrases and instructs the recipients to yell them out at his signal. He then proceeds to tell his character’s decade-spanning life story, punctuated by the items of the show’s title. “Every Brilliant Thing” refers to an inventory of things to live for, started by Donahoe’s narrator at the age of seven when his mother first tried to kill herself. The list—which begins with “ice cream”—would become a running theme in his life, disappearing, resurfacing, and evolving as he got older (“Hairdressers who listen to what you want”).
Aside from calling out list entries, audience members are enlisted to impersonate people in the narrator’s life during crucial m[...]
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8 years ago
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We recently caught up with Brooklyn based band Slothrust, who are releasing their long awaited third album, Everyone Else on Dangerbird Records October 28th.
1) Are you native New Yorker's or transplants?
Will and I are from Boston and Kyle is from New Jersey.
2) How would you describe your sound?
Blues / jazz influenced rock music with a lot of dynamics and time signature changes ;)
3) How has the crowd responded to the new music from Everyone Else?
Crowds we have performed to have responded really positively to the new music. We are very excited to tour and share it with more people.
4) Was there a particular story you wanted to tell or message you wanted to send with Everyone Else?
There is not one story in particular that I am trying to tell with this record. Thematically, it deals a lot with water and dreams. I like thinking about different states of consciousness and things infinitely larger than the self.
5) What do you enjoy most about touring and performing live?
I like seeing new cities and the exchange of energy that happens between performers and difference audiences.
6) Tell me about your creative process. Do you work remotely or do you go off to the woods to write together as a group?
It's a combination of a lot of things. Generally songs come to me in pieces and we go about executing them in a variety of ways. In the past there hasn't been a particular formula for us.
7) Where do you find your inspiration[...]
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8 years ago
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With the weather forecast calling for temperatures in the upper 90's on Friday, we did our best to prepare for an all day event in the sweltering NYC summer heat. But upon entering the venue, it was clear that the organizers of the Panorama Festival planned appropriately for our day. With many free water kiosks, tents and air conditioned art & music areas, it was easy to cool down if you were feeling overwhelmed by the oppressive heat.
And although it's not so easy to get to Randall's Island, our timing was very good, and as we walked in Here We Go Magic was just starting to play in the huge tent to the north side of the venue. I was happy to finally here the band live. Some years ago I interviewed Luke Temple, but lost touch with the band's more recent happenings. They had a decent crowd for the early part of the day, and although they apologized for some technical difficulties, we were impressed with their set.
As we made our way over to the main stage, we could hear Algier's set was already in full swing. Algier's set was only 30 minutes, but their powerful, dark soulful sound was evident throughout. While listening we were able to cool down over at the American Express spot. We snapped together some complimentary sunglasses and enjoyed some refreshments for a bit before heading back to the pavilion to hear Preservation Hall Jazz Band. A rather large, enthusiastic crowd was now gathered and grooving to some of the best New Orleans style jazz you can fi[...]
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9 years ago
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The Art for Progress music program at Humanities Preparatory Academy, now in it’s fourth school year, is the flagship of AFP’s arts education programs. Instituted in the Fall of 2012, the program serves two classes of 12-18 students four days per week, with each day’s lunch period serving as an additional class period enabling students to seek further instruction or individual practice time. The class is open to students of all high school years (9-12) allowing a rare occasion for teens of different ages to interact on a level playing field in a collaborative setting.
There are also two after school sessions per week, which give students an opportunity to either practice alone, or to join in group music-making, which is the ultimate intention of all AFP music programming. Faculty also participate, further enriching the overall experience of the students, and the teachers learn just as much as the kids!
The goal of the program is for every student to be able to play at least one complete song. Toward this goal, all students learn the basic mechanics of music in general, and to develop proficiency on least one instrument. Although much of the class time is spent building and developing skills, the focus of the program is ultimately on giving students the tools to express themselves.
The semester begins with discussions about students’ musical interests and experiences, with everyone having an opportunity to choose a song by an artist or group that they like to share wi[...]
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