conductor

For those of you who do not know, there is a contemporary music group in the DC area called the Great Noise Ensemble.  It’s founder and conductor, Armando Bayolo, started the group by posting an ad on Craigslist back in 2005.  Armando is also a faculty member in the composition department of the Peabody Institute.  The Ensemble just recently finished up the US premiere of Louis Andriessen’s De Materie.

Unfortunately, Armando injured his shoulder in the process of putting on this giant Andriessen piece, and he has graciously asked if I would conduct the ensemble in the next concert.  The chance to work with these fine musicians was reason alone to accept this opportunity – and then I found out about the music!

This upcoming concert focuses on pop music’s influence on “the music”, to use a recently coined term by Alex Ross.  For anyone who has known me at all, you will know that this concert is right up my alley!  The program is as follows:

Stephen Gorbos – Signals

Ryan Brown – Warhorse (complete with lyrics from metalmaker.net!)

Steven Mackey – Deal

Joshua Bornfield – I See It Coming (songs after Radiohead)

The Mackey piece will feature DJ Sparr on guitar and the entire concert promises to be really fun! It will be at 7:30 on Friday, December 3rd in the Ward Recital Hall at Catholic University. If you are interested in tickets, go HERE.

Tomorrow night is the Louis Andriessen concert at Peabody – 7:30 pm

CLICK HERE for more info!

I cannot begin to say how much I have enjoyed working with M is for Man, Music, Mozart!  We will unfortunately not be presenting the piece with its video counterpart directed by the great Peter Greenaway, but it is available HERE if you would like to see it!

I was also blessed to have a wonderful ensemble, including the beautiful and talented Amanda Bloom on vocals.  They have been great to work with and have really tackled the piece head-on, which will make for one hell of a performance.

If you can make it out the performance, I highly recommend it!

On Wednesday, I begin my doctoral studies at the Peabody Institute.  I am simultaneously relieved to be beginning my final educational endeavor and mortified at the prospect of completing all the work that looms before me.  I will miss being around my daughter Lila though.  The summer provided me with ample time to play and watch her grow!

In other news, I will also be working at Johns Hopkins University as the Director of the Wind Ensemble and Pep Band for the Homewood Arts Programs.  I am looking forward to starting with the Hopkins students and experiencing my first ever Lacrosse Game.  Pep Band at lacrosse?  Who knew?

I have also included the concerts I will be conducting on in the upper-right frame of the website.  Click on any event for more information!