Friday, March 19, 2010

Quattrocelli Free Show at Amnesia

Classical Revolution hosted a free show by Quattrocelli. Amazing. Amazing this touring German quartet can play in Turlock but not book a paying show in San Francisco. This is how low SF has fallen. Turlock has more opportunity for touring groups than San Francisco. I'm just saying.

At any rate, we are so fortunate that Classical Rev could get this happening for us. I arrived a bit late, so I didn't see all they opened with; it was apparently an Americana set featuring Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue, and the like. Lukas, the birthday boy cellist, vocalized a "trombone solo" on "Summertime" using his bow as a prop slide. It was very amusing and brought much laughter from the crowd.

The second half of the concert was an amazing set of film score music. Highlights included original arrangements of the Magnificent Seven title theme, the Empire March from Stern Kriege, some Morricone, and a really touching rendition of My Way. The entire show was performed off-book, with the notable exception being a few notes on slide-whistle, for which there was, comically and conspicuously, a music stand and part.

The sound of the group is amazing. You know how in the competitive barbershop world, the quartets carefully audition voices which blend perfectly? This was like that, but on cellos. The tone matched so perfectly, it was astounding. You could oftentimes hardly distinguish who was playing what part, you had to look closely. Quite amazing.

Outside of matched tone, there was lots of interesting cello technique on display. Notably, one large-handed cellist could strum his cello like a guitar, and also play it with a plectrum like a large guitar. This made an amazing sound.

If you missed Quattrocelli here in SF, catch them March 20 in Turlock (no kidding), or on the 21st and 22nd in Los Gatos (also no kidding.) Check their website for details on those gigs and the rest of their tour.

Friday, March 5, 2010

JACK CURTIS DUBOWSKY ENSEMBLE embarks on East Coast Tour 2010

For immediate release:

JACK CURTIS DUBOWSKY ENSEMBLE embarks on East Coast Tour 2010



The release of Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble II , our 2nd album, is supported by these upcoming engagements:


Wed April 7 8-9 pm Endless Possibilities WRSU 88.7 New Brunswick NJ

Th April 8 9-10 pm Live Block BSR 88.1 FM WELH Providence RI

Fri April 9 9:30 pm The Tank, 354 West 45th St., NYC

Sat April 10 9 am-noon Fiat Flux WHUS 91.7 FM, Storrs CT

Sun April 11 2 pm Lily Pad, Cambridge MA

Mon April 12 9 pm AS220, Providence RI



"redefining musical boundaries" San Francisco Classical Voice 9/1/09



The Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble, a groundbreaking new music ensemble led by classical and film composer Jack Curtis Dubowsky, combines acoustic instruments, electronic hardware, composed material and structured improvisation. The Ensemble treats analog synth as a rare and unpredictable performance instrument. The Ensemble's contemporary electroacoustic music, abstract, spacious, and transcendental, is performed and recorded live with no overdubs, software, or sequencing.

Based in San Francisco, the Ensemble has played chamber concert series, new music series, galleries, alternative performance spaces, and has presented special programs of live music to experimental film. This April, the Ensemble embarks on their first tour of East Coast appearances in support of their second album, Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble II.

Performances at The Tank (NYC) and AS220 (Providence RI) include highlights from the Ensemble's programs of live music for experimental film, including shorts by Samara Halperin and Tom Graeff.



Detailed Tour Schedule


DATE: Wednesday, April 7, 8-9pm

RADIO PROGRAM: Endless Possibilities WRSU 88.7 New Brunswick NJ

PROGRAM WEBSITE: www.epmusic.wordpress.com/

STATION WEBSITE: www.wrsu.rutgers.edu/


DATE: Thursday, April 8 9-10pm

RADIO PROGRAM: Live Block BSR 88.1 FM WELH Providence RI

PROGRAM WEBSITE: www.bsrlive.com/archives/show.php?s=49

STATION WEBSITE: www.bsrlive.com/schedule/


DATE: Friday, April 9, 2010, 9:30 pm

VENUE: The Tank, 354 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036

Between 8th and 9th Aves. A,C,E to 42nd St/Times Sq.

Telephone: 212-563-6269

TICKETS: $10

BOX OFFICE: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/97288

EVENT WEBSITE: www.thetanknyc.org/music

VENUE CONTACT: Suzan Erasian suz@thetanknyc.org


DATE: Saturday, April 10, 9am-noon

RADIO PROGRAM: Fiat Flux WHUS 91.7 FM, Storrs CT

PROGRAM WEBSITE: www.fiatfluxradio.blogspot.com/

STATION WEBSITE: www.whus.org/schedule.php


DATE: Sunday, April 11, 2010, 2 pm

VENUE: The Lily Pad, Inman Square

1353 Cambridge St., Cambridge MA 02139

Telephone: (617) 395-1393

TICKETS: $10

BOX OFFICE: Tickets available at the door.

EVENT WEBSITE: www.lily-pad.net/archives/2010/04/11/

VENUE CONTACT: gill@lily-pad.net


DATE: Monday, April 12, 2010, 9 pm

VENUE: AS220

115 Empire Street, Providence RI, 02903

Telephone: 401-831-9327

TICKETS: $6

BOX OFFICE: Tickets available at the door

EVENT WEBSITE: www.as220.org/calendar.html

VENUE CONTACT: info@as220.org



JACK CURTIS DUBOWSKY ENSEMBLE


MEMBER BIOS


Keyboardist and bassist Jack Curtis Dubowsky is an active composer, conductor, writer, educator, and filmmaker. Dubowsky has composed four chamber operas and scored five feature films including That Man Peter Berlin, Rock Haven, and Redwoods. The short film NYC Dilemma about this working composer premiered 2006 at BFI in London. Dubowsky's choral music has been performed internationally by groups including San Francisco Choral Artists, Desert Voices, Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, and Mount Eden Chorus. His orchestral music has been performed by Castro Valley Chamber Orchestra, and chamber music by Classical Revolution, Snopea Chamber Ensemble, Organic Sound Experiment, Collaborata, and Paradigm Brass. Dubowsky has received grants from Meet the Composer, Zellerbach Family Fund, Friends of San Francisco Public Library, and American Composers Forum. Dubowsky produced recordings by Winsome Griffles, Glen Meadmore, and Virgin Whore Complex. Dubowsky's award winning "Mr Jones" parody is a highlight of the Momus album Stars Forever. Dubowsky attended the Aspen School, and received his MM in Composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Dubowsky studied composition with David Conte, Conrad Susa, Elinor Armer, and Michael Czajkowski. Dubowsky is a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. His sheet music is distributed by SheetMusicPlus and Theodore Front Musical Literature.


Percussionist Fred Morgan received his BM in percussion performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the study of Jack Van Geem and his MM from the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Will Hudgins. Fred currently studies timpani with San Francisco Timpanist David Herbert; past teachers include Andrew Lewis, James Lee Wyatt, and Alan Hall. Fred played William Kraft's first timpani concerto with the Oakland East Bay Symphony in 2003 as a winner of the orchestra's Young Artist Competition. Fred was a member of the San Francisco Youth Symphony from 1997-2002. Fred has performed as a timpanist and percussionist in the Hong Kong Philharmonic, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Kansas City Symphony. Fred performs with SF Symphony brass and boys choir at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and has subbed with the Midsummer Mozart Festival. Fred participated in festivals of Spoleto USA, Schleswig-holstein, Music Academy of the West, Jeunnesses Musicales, National Orchestral Institute, and the Aspen Music Festival. Contemporary engagements include work with the Sprocket Ensemble and performances and recordings of the music of Erling Wold. Fred subs with the Oakland East bay Symphony and the Santa Rosa Symphony. Fred has received a percussion chair in the Stockton Symphony.


LINKS:

www.destijlmusic.com/jcde.html

www.myspace.com/jcdensemble

HIGH RES PHOTOS: http://www.destijlmusic.com/jcde.html (includes photo credits)

DISCOGRAPHY:

Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble I

Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble II

Make a Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble station on Pandora!

http://www.pandora.com/music/artist/jack+curtis+dubowsky

Or on Rhapsody:

http://www.rhapsody.com/jack-curtis-dubowsky-ensemble


RECENT PRESS:

http://www.sequenza21.com/2009/09/ten-questions-for-jack-curtis-dubowsky/

http://www.sfcv.org/preview/dubowsky-ensemble-meets-its-meridian

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/22/NSMQ1A5HHC.DTL

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/06/BAB119GUJR.DTL

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around-town/events/Castro-Halloween-Lives-on---65771667.html


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