The following is an overview of the Queer and Trans Voices Tracking Series, which appeared in the San Francisco Classical Voice on July 7th, 2020, written by Tamzin Elliott.

“For me, it’s just like, pay them” responded electronic artist and DIY-scene community organizer Sharmi Basu, with a laugh. The question posed was about how to account for the wide range of access to opportunity and safety between, say, a cisgender white gay man and a transgender black woman, while trying to unify the queer and trans new music community. They continued: “A lot of these questions are actually really simple — giving resources both financially and emotionally [to queer and trans artists of color] is a huge step towards changing these discrepancies, and making people feel loved and seen.”

“For me, it’s just like, pay them”

Discussions of intersectionality (the integration of multiple aspects of identity including race, age, gender, and sexuality in the discourse concerning discrimination) within the queer community featured heavily in the Center for New Music’s (C4NM) live online event “Queer and Trans Voices,” along with other topics such as tokenism and the importance of queer visibility in creating safe artistic communities. Copresented by the Transgender Cultural District and C4NM as a part of their Tracking Series, this panel discussion was organized in the silhouette of the cancelled New Queer New Sounds festival, organized by panel members Amanda Chaudhary and Bill Hsu, that was meant to be inaugurated this summer.

Experimental art scenes often attract people who hail from outside the hegemonic realm of cisgender heterosexual-dom — the pursuit of expression that pushes the boundaries of art fits naturally into the hands of people who, day-by-day, are reminded that they are not what corporations, governments, and other people consider “normal.” Moderator Riley Nicholson, a composer and Project Manager with C4NM, began the panel with a brief hat-tip to those queer giants of the 20th century — Wendy Carlos, Pauline Oliveros, and Julius Eastman, to name some — who diverted their own streams of musical progress. However, as seen with the tragic case of Eastman’s death in obscurity, and the professional sigma shouldered by Carlos, there is yet much work to be done to welcome and support queer and trans people, especially those of color, in the experimental music community.

Underlying the first part of the discussion was the implied difference between identities that could be seen and those that couldn’t, Teresa Wong — composer and founder of the fo’c’sle (pronounced folk/soul) record label — pointed out the difficulty of knowing whether one is being discriminated against for being gay, a woman, or one’s assumed race. And as pointed out by Basu and electro-acoustic composer Tyler Holmes, some identities, such as being a person of color, present immediate and daily threats to safety, beyond the level of getting chosen for a gig or a commission. Holmes said:

“Even getting to the place where we can make works, or access things like a piano, sometimes is a huge hurdle for queer artists.”

The most striking development in the conversation was the divided feelings about creating explicitly identity-based programming, events, or festivals. Some, such as Wong, expressed love for those spaces which are inclusive of a great diversity of people — old and young, cis and trans, jazz and punk — specifically for bringing together disparate minds for discourse and growth. This was echoed by composer Luciano Chessa, who emphasized that, in his experience, those parties and shows that brought more different people together were the most likely to get shut down by the police:

“The threat, precisely, is the moment in which people come together with a plan that is not about division, but in fact about that maybe, coming together, we can make change.”

While all seemed in agreement in many levels of this conversation, I appreciated those who spoke to emphasize the importance still of giving a platform, greater visibility to those communities that still bear a great amount of stigma, such as the trans community. It is worth, as self-described “badass rock ’n’ roller” Mya Byrne put it, to continue to be loudly visible as a trans person, and to give air-time to others, so that those people who want to be part of the experimental music culture but are afraid to be the only one who looks or feels like they do, so that they can have a place where they can “go and feel OK.” She cited the fact that it was only last year that she became the first trans solo act on the stage of Dyke March in San Francisco, and while she feels that she shouldn’t have been the first, “that’s the kind of progression that is starting to happen because of visibility.” While all seemed in agreement in many levels of this conversation, I appreciated those who spoke to emphasize the importance still of giving a platform, greater visibility to those communities that still bear a great amount of stigma, such as the trans community.

Holmes illustrated the extent of the continuing problem this way: “In the Bay Area, I think it’s easy for people to have this notion that we’re ‘past these things.’ So, while I enjoy places that are inclusive and are sort of like a ‘catchall’ like ‘everybody’s welcome!’ I feel that in the Bay Area a lot of erasure happens.” Holmes continued:

“When I’ve been invited to a night that is explicitly black, I’m the only queer person or nonbinary person … When I am invited to an event that is exclusively nonbinary/gay it’s like all white NBs [nonbinary people] and I’m the only black person there.”

Percussionist and co-founder of the Spectrum Ensemble Stephen Hall expressed the feeling that even talking about access to music-making as being a privilege in the face of the housing and health insecurities that trans people and queer people of color often face. The conversation flowed in and out of this eddy of discussion about where funds and resources should be directed, if new music organizations should follow in the footsteps of programs such as G.L.I.T.S. (Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society) in fundraising to provide safe housing for trans people of color. 

Talking about access to music-making is a privilege considering the housing and health insecurities that trans people and queer people of color often face.

And every time the conversation pooled there, Basu “yes, and”-ed the group — insisting that higher-level demands should also be met for these artists in need, that the biggest organizations should be commissioning queer artists of color. “What does new music need to do to undo itself, actually, and bring more resources that it has into these really freaky scenes that are doing a wide range of experimental work.” They and Holmes called for Pride Month all year, Black History Month all year for these large arts organizations who focus their diverse programming to one month only. For both of them, they needed to see “Jasmine Infiniti at MoMA for it to be a reality.”

“What does new music need to do to undo itself, actually, and bring more resources that it has into these really freaky scenes that are doing a wide range of experimental work.”

As a postscript, I would like to say that it is also a crime that I had to foreshorten the descriptions of these artists in order to make these sentences readable — the incredible range of work each of these artists have done and still do is astounding; they all have reached far and wide in the kinds of musical practice they follow and in the kinds of work they do to mold the world for the better. I know this is because they have had to be diverse in practice in order to survive, as much as it comes from love and creative desire. Please dive into their work, and enjoy.

Tamzin Elliott is a composer and writer based in Los Angeles, and a doctoral student at University of Southern California.

Conceived by Linda Bouchard, Gathering is a multimedia performance for two improvisers who create a projected visual live score in real time on one screen. Their improvisation is accompanied by short movies and live video on a second screen and fixed sound files of processed temple bowls.

Gathering was premiered on February 25, 2020 in Stockton California, a few days before the Covid19 lockdown. It was a prescient timing: Gathering is about the importance of belonging to a community and to gather together, to take care of one another, to celebrate together, to mourn, to play, to laugh, to dance, to rollerblade in a park, to celebrate our urban environments.

This online screening is presented in collaboration with Hello World, an international project where artists throughout the world have submitted artworks to share with audiences around the world. Hello World is created as a gesture of goodwill and solidarity from artistic colleagues around the globe. Check out their site for more great content from international artists, On June 20th, 2020, the project’s launch date, Hello World will broadcast the project to the entire global community (through Hello World and the hundreds of participating venues’ websites).

Performed by Kyle Bruckmann oboe doubling on English horn and Jacob Felix Heule on percussion, the video montage was created from the premiere at the X_Space William Knox Holt Memorial Library, University of the Pacific in Stockton California and footage from the dress rehearsal at the MilkBar, Richmond California. This work is part of a research and composition project called “Live Structures” with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

The tool used to create the real-time score is called “Ocular Scores” and was developed in collaboration with Joseph Browne, designer during an artist residency at Matralab, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada.

Video montage from the premiere at the University of the Pacific on February 25, 2020, and the dress rehearsal at the MilkBar on February 24th, 2020. This is A Live Structures Project, supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.

After assessing the severe impact of the COVID-19 crisis on our creative community, Center for New Music (C4NM) is compelled to launch an emergency fund to support musicians in need. Inspired by the challenges we collectively face, an anonymous donor has enabled C4NM to offer 40 awards of $250 to assist musical artists. 

This fund is open to all individual freelance professional musicians who 1.) live in the following nine counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma; and 2) make their living primarily through music performance, teaching, and/or composing.* Grants will be awarded based on need with consideration given to the availability of other grant opportunities in the area where you live and work. 

We will accept applications until 11:59pm, May 17. Notifications will be sent out on or by May 20. For a practice application, click here. The application is estimated to take 20 minutes to complete. 

Apply here.

*Composers may apply but only if they can demonstrate immediate need due to canceled performances/commissions related to the pandemic. Please send questions to riley@centerfornewmusic.com.

Even under normal circumstances, by nature of producing non-commercial art, contemporary and experimental musicians often lack the same type of financial resources that other commercial artists have. This financial fragility is laid bare in times of crisis, and unfortunately, musicians are deeply struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the financial hit, musicians who are accustomed to a tight-knit, collaborative community are faced with isolation and the loss of the social opportunities their career usually provides.

However, as evidenced by the abundance of online offerings, emergency grant programs, and the plethora of personal and artistic zoom meetings, our community is adapting and finding ways to connect. Perhaps, the spirit of inventiveness and the DIY-attitude which experimental musicians are used to relying upon, uniquely prepares our community to utilize creative problem solving despite limitations.

This is not to understate the intense challenge and need we face right now; musicians, and the arts industry at large, are most definitely taking a critical hit. To fully understand the depth of the problem, C4NM and Lisa Mezzacappa, in partnership with Intermusic SF, Jazz in the Neighborhood, and Bird and Beckett Books and Records, surveyed 425 musicians on the impact of this crisis. These 425 musicians reported a total of 5,000 concerts canceled (a number which is rising), and reported $1.5 million in income lost (a number which will rise to $4 million if summer events are canceled). Considering that 425 musicians are only a fraction of contemporary artists working in the Bay Area, one can understand the magnitude of the problem. Musicians overwhelming report that these negative impacts may force them to pursue another career, leave the Bay Area, and/or incur debt to pay routine expenses. The full report on the survey can be found here.

Based on our survey data, and interviews with local artists and art leaders like C4NM Co-Founder Brent Miller, KQED published Isolation and Lost Income Rattle Struggling Experimental Musicians on April 16th, 2020. “No corner of the local music scene is spared harm, but the pandemic restrictions uniquely threaten independent artists in the experimental, jazz and improvisation community. Many of them live gig-to-gig on teaching, performing and audio engineering opportunities, all of which are diminished. Few derive meaningful income from physical merchandise or streaming. Layoffs are also hitting their day jobs: arts administration, music technology, food service, record stores.”

As always, C4NM aims to support musicians however possible. This includes increased online offerings like C4NM Encore Concerts – a broadcasted new music series, artist resource kits, and communicating our survey data with arts funders and local organizations so that they fully understand the impact and can utilize the information for funding opportunities as necessary.

The COVID-19 outbreak and the necessary social gathering cancelations disproportionally affect wage workers, freelance artists, and arts organizations. In light of these difficult times, Center for New Music is working hard to be an advocate for our community. We are working towards building a coalition of organizations and artists that can help equitably direct emergency funds to those who need it most. Right now, we can provide a list of resources to support fellow artists including resources from C4NM, and a compilation of resources from granting organizations and community advocates.

Here is a list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines, and here is the American Composers Forum’s official response to the COVID-19 crisis, including information, resources, and best practices. To learn more about making art in the time of a pandemic (geared towards all artistic disciplines), consider joining this free livestream panel on Monday, March 16th at 8 pm Eastern Time (5 pm Pacific).

Governments at the local level are enacting measures that provide relief for businesses and workers. San Francisco government resources can be found here. Oakland government resources can be found here.

How you can help during this difficult time:

During this difficult time, we must support each other. While the arts industry might not have the capital that other industries have, we do have the community and a spirit of generosity that will help us thrive. Specifically, here’s what you can do to support local musicians:

• make online purchases of CDs and other merchandise from musicians
• take online lessons
• attend streaming performances
• buy tickets to future performances
• donate to nonprofit music presenters

Thank you for being a part of the Center for New Music community. Be well!

Riley Nicholson, Center for New Music’s Project Manager, discusses the essentials of what you need to know about promoting your concert, and how to work with a venue to ensure they can do their best job of marketing your event.

Resources and more info:

Creating marketing video content: In this vBlog, Riley mentions the importance of creating media, preferably video for social media and digital advertising. If you are a Mac user, iMovie comes standard on most models and is user-friendly while still being quite a powerful video editing tool. You can easily drop photos, video, and music into the editor, and create title cards, text overlay, and more. For Windows users, Windows Movie Maker or Movie Creator are iMovie alternatives that either come standard with most PCs, or free to download.

Canva is a great tool for creating different types of social media content. One of its strengths is the ability to easily format for dimensions specific to different posting channels (i.e. Instagram story vs. FB event banner) using their templates and prebuilt designs. This is not a video editing tool though, and is for pictures, graphics, and text overlay only. The “pro” version of this tool does cost, but if you work for a non-profit, you can get full access to Canva Pro for free.

Guide to High-Res Images: In the vBlog, Riley mentions the importance of having high-res images. An easy rule of thumb is that if the image’s file size is 2/3 MB or above, it is probably high-res. However technically, resolution is better measured by PPI (pixels-per-inch), and the minimum PPI for print is 300. For more information about what PPI is and how to determine it, learn more here or here.

Over the course of 12 months, the C4NM Ensemble in Residence enjoys numerous opportunities and resources to support their long-term success. Through direct engagements with C4NM’s members and community partners, the Ensemble in Residence explores new ideas, and pursues new avenues in the development of their artistic career.

Through this program, C4NM provides a materials stipend, rehearsal and workshop space, concert and service opportunities, professional development, and creative community. In return, the Ensemble’s activities support the work of the Center for New Music: to support and build community, and to foster the growth of contemporary music.

The 2019-20 Ensemble in Residence will receive:
– $1,000 Award
– Full coworking membership for all ensemble members
– Rehearsal time – 200 hours
– Consulting time – 30 hours on growth assessment & business planning.
– 1 composer reading
– 1 full feature concert at C4NM, EiR keeps all door revenue
– 3 additional services w/ community partners
– Possibility for additional paid gigs

Ensemble Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year performing experience as a group
• Ensembles with 2-8 members (no groups with completely flexible personnel; core + guests OK)
• Must perform creative, non-commercial music
• Any and all instrumentations welcome!

How to apply

To apply to be Ensemble in Residence at the Center for New Music from October 2019 through September 2020, send your proposal to
Brent Miller, Executive Director, brent@centerfornewmusic.com, with subject line “EiR 2019”.

In your proposal, please tell us:

• About your ensemble, including purpose, personnel, and achievements
• How you hope to benefit from being C4NM Ensemble in Residence
• What specific artistic work or types of work you hope to develop
• What areas of administration and/or career development you hope to grow
• The links for up to 5 work samples

Applicants residing outside the SF Bay Area must explain how they will be able to successfully participate in the C4NM community over the course of their residency.

Proposals are due by 3:00 PM PDT on Monday, September 23, 2019.

Review and Timeline

Applications will be judged by C4NM staff and community partners based on their:

• Potential for growth of the ensemble’s artistic excellence
• Potential for sustainable growth of the ensemble’s administrative capacity
• Potential positive impact on the Center’s member community
• Potential positive impact on the Center’s community partners

The Center for New Music is now accepting proposals from curators for two-year terms beginning in 2020. Please consider sharing your artistic vision through C4NM!

For information on how to apply, download the Call for Proposals. Deadline to submit is November 18, 2019 at 3:00 PM PST.

C4NM welcomes proposals from any individual who is interested in serving as a curator. While the Center works with seven to eight curators at a time, each individual curator is expected to bring her/his own unique vision and understanding of excellence, in order to contribute to the Center as a whole.

Curators present at minimum 6 concerts per year. Pricing for Curated Concerts is determined by each curator in collaboration with artists; 100% of door revenues are paid to the artists. The production of these shows are supported by the Center and its generous community of volunteers.

If you have any questions contact Brent Miller or stop in during work hours to speak with our staff.

Tracking Series #3 Women Composers and Gender Equity in Music

Written by Erica MacLeod and D. Riley Nicholson

Gender equity in contemporary music was the topic of conversation at a recent roundtable discussion as part of Center for New Music’s (C4NM) Trackings Series on January 31st, 2019. The discussion was led by Emma Logan and Julia Barwick of Helia Music Collective; their collective supports and champions the creative endeavours of women throughout the Bay Area.

Visibility, commissioning, and performance of music written by women appear to be increasing in recent years, however figures published from fifteen major orchestras still reveal a relatively stark picture: in the 2018/19 season there will be 1,445 concerts, of which only 76 will feature at least one work written by a woman. Of 3,524 works performed, only 82 will be by women. Figures like this highlight the profoundness of the problem. While our discussion did explore the problems themselves, we also addressed actionable paths towards increasing equality.

Each attendee of the Tracking Series discussion is progressing gender equity in Bay Area arts.* One example of both measurable and replicable progress was provided by Aubrey Bergauer, the Executive Director of the California Symphony. Under her leadership they have become the first orchestra to publicly commit to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of employment and commissioning, from ushers and board members, to performers and composers. They have pledged that 20% of the works they will perform will be written by women and composers of color, far above the national average of 2%. This not only supports women composers’ careers, but the public nature of the commitment invites other organizations to do the same. The California Symphony has also been a spearhead for inclusion in a number of other ways, including the recent revamp of the application process for their Composer-in-Residence program. This was done by making the application process entirely anonymous, which dissolved the possibility of implicit bias from the application panel. They also refocused their marketing efforts in a way that encouraged more women to apply, and this increased the number of women in their application pool from 5% to 20%. Notably, this increased percentage of women applicants held steady throughout every round of judging. So, with a more diverse application pool, and a decision process that was less likely to allow bias to affect the outcome, the opportunity was more equal. Their latest Composer-in-Residence is Katherine Balch, chosen not by her gender, but by her talent.

A common theme in the evening’s discussion was bias, discrimination, and the tokenization of minority groups. Unfortunately (but unsurprisingly), many of the attendees had experienced forms of bias and discrimination. Highlighting the ingrained bias in classical music, Bergauer noted that the California Symphony’s Board of Directors was at first highly hesitant to make a commitment to programing more women and people of color, concerned that the quality of the music would suffer. Bergaur and the Artistic Director had to convince their board that the commitment to high level artistry and programming would only benefit from more diversity. It did, and in fact made their programming fresh, current, and more marketable.

Another example was provided by a member of a local ensemble who recounted an experience with a Bay Area presenter. The presenter declined their program proposal chiefly because the presenter did not program “extra-musical” agendas. There was no agenda, other than that the performers happened to be women and their program happened to be all music by women. Of course this encourages questioning the inverse situation:

Would an entirely white male program be considered an “extra-musical agenda” by this presenter? Of course not. 

While blatant discrimination is a more visible problem, associated issues of positive-discrimination and tokenization were noted as more opaque barriers to equality. Positive-discrimination is the provision of special opportunities for a disadvantaged group. In the case of women in music, it can include well-intentioned but problematic efforts to use gender as a programmatic theme, or really anything that separates women from other artists. Historically, positive-discrimination was an important first step for equality. Elinor Armer noted that in 1986, she gave the keynote speech at the American Women Conductor/Composer Symposium. “At that time there had to be something called that, it was fantastic to me because there had never been anything like it before.” Since then, “most of the issues have not changed, most of the psychological and social issues are the same.” However, we’re now in a different time when awareness has improved through social media and other factors, and we should be conscious of positive-discrimination. No one wants to discourage women composer-focused concerts, and efforts by allies to program and uplift women are needed and appreciated. However, all attendees agreed: sometimes the most impactful thing is to feature a woman artist, but don’t talk about her as a woman, talk about her as an artist. Pamela Z recounted her involvement with a series and its well-intentioned lead organizer:

“We were trying to come up with a theme and [he] looked around the room and just said ‘you’re all women!’ Then we responded, ‘if you looked around this room and saw that everyone was a man, first of all, you wouldn’t notice and secondly, you wouldn’t be trying to name it with a theme that these were all men!’ I said that the most advanced thing [he] could do would be to have this concert that has all these women on it, and not say anything about that, just have it be.”

If framed incorrectly, “women composer” concerts may seem like an act of inclusion, but can create a sense that women are being given their special “women’s only” concert, while men have the freedom to be on whatever program that fits their music best.

Susie Fong explained that she is frequently mistaken for other female, Asian keyboardists, which demonstrates that minorities are perceived merely as their gender and racial background, while white males can be identified by their artistic personalities and talents. Fong’s experience shows the damaging effects of tokenization, a close cousin of positive-discrimination. Tokenization is a symbolic and often surface level effort for inclusivity, by singling out or “tokenizing” individuals based on their on minority statuses. Mya Byrne noted that transgender composers are often tokenized as exactly that, the “trans composer.” After a trans artist’s work is performed once or twice, organizations sometimes feel that they have done their part and do not feel obliged to continue programming them. This sullies their work’s success in an unfair way, because it suggests that the only reason they have received success is because they are not a white cisgender composer. Unfortunately, this often leads to regression and public withdrawl, as they may not want to face an audience who can only see them as transgender or “other,” and not for who they are as an artist.

Byrne also pointed out the importance of creating a queer space in the arts. It is especially important for trans people, who do not have a community of mentors to guide their path in the musical world as cis men and women do. Many icons and elders of the trans community were murdered or traumatized by how they were treated by society outside of their community, so creating supportive spaces for trans individuals to heal and grow is paramount. All of this demonstrates the need for diverse women in positions of power, and the need for safe spaces in educational settings for women, LGBTQ+, and minority emerging artists.

A number of attendees at the discussion were educators, and mirrored Byrne’s call for inclusive dialogue and safe spaces for women in the classroom. Former Co-Director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College, Maggi Payne noted the tendency for her older male graduate students to overtake classroom conversation from their female counterparts. Payne enacted efforts to create equitable dialogue, often having private conversations with these male students about the importance of being conscientious and respectful of their female colleagues. Daria Novo spoke about her efforts to champion her female students, encouraging them to try new things and succeed. Educators want opportunities and a sense of exploration for all their students, but Novo recognizes that male students already feel ready to experiment without personal constraints, while female students sometimes need additional support to overcome barriers that society and culture have imposed on them.

Educational settings can provide barriers for minority faculty as well. Elinor Armer mentioned that Pauline Oliveros was never able to bring her wife to faculty meetings at UC San Diego, and was prevented from presenting her authentic self in her work place. As a gay women herself, Elinor Armer remained in the closet at work, so that she did not become the “token lesbian composer.” However, she was forced to reveal her sexuality when her partner was in labor and had to let the former San Francisco Conservatory of Music President, Colin Murdoch, know why she would not be at a staff meeting. Fortunately, she was greeted with congratulations, as Murdoch was immediately supportive of her.

Colin Murdoch’s support of Elinor Armer demonstrates the importance of allies. Another example is composer and C4NM Co-Founder/Executive Director Brent Miller who refuses to have his work performed on a program that does not feature work by a woman composer. This type of commitment from a cis, white, male composer carries weight and illustrates directly to presenters that programming soley white men is simply no longer acceptable. When any person or organization who has influence speaks up for an underrepresented voice, not only do they create change in that circumstance, but they can leave a lasting impact for the future.

C4NM is incredibly grateful for the talented artists who took the time to share their experiences and insights, the totality of which were too numerous to share in full. In sum, wise advice from the artists included:

• Public commitments to diversity in concert programming and employment are powerful. Not only does it encourage accountability, but it encourages others to do the same, (not to mention that it makes concert programing and workplace environments better).
• Diversity should naturally be built into application procedures and artist opportunities. For example, by changing their composer-in-residence application process, California Symphony increased the number of women applicants (see above) and chose a woman as the winner through an anonymous process.
• Discrimination and bias still exist today. We heard too many examples of recent discrimination right here in the Bay Area.
• Create opportunities and support women and minority artists, but take care in how you present them. Talk about them as artists, not about their gender, gender-identity, or skin color.
• Safe spaces for emerging women, queer, and minority artists are crucial to help the development of the next generation of artists.
• Allies matter. Use whatever influence you have to support your colleagues. If you see something that isn’t right, or if you have the opportunity to defend someone, it’s your responsibility to speak up.
• Did you or your organization present an underrepresented voice? Wonderful! Is your work over? No. Sustained efforts are key to truly supporting underrepresented voices.

More about our attendees*

Emma Logan and Julie Barwick, are both local composers who co-founded Helia Music Collective. Emma Logan recently concluded a two-year curatorship at C4NM; her prolific series featured many talented women composers and performers.

Sarah Cahill, an active pianist and producer is currently touring “The Future is Female,” which features the works of sixty women composers from across the centuries.

Singer/songwriter/musician Mya Byrne is currently producing a record that features music written and performed by women.

Composer Elinor Armer founded the composition department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM). Armer has taught there for fifty years, and the school is now awarding the Elinor Armer Scholarship to female composition students in her honor.

Daria Novo is an active composer and faculty at the SFCM, in the Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) department, where she teaches a private studio that is split equally between male and female composers and is committed to ensuring female students can overcome traditional gender barriers. Novo will soon have a new work premiered at the San Francisco Ballet.

Pamela Z, a composer, performer and media artist, has made significant waves in electronic and contemporary music for over 40 years, and has recently received a flurry of commissions, indicative of the changing perspective of commissioning bodies.

Maggie Payne is a composer, recording engineer, video artist and educator. She was co-director of the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College from 1992 until 2018, and her experiences teaching at a women’s college have informed her teaching practices and indicated her the necessity to support women in educational settings.

Aubrey Bergauer is the Executive Director of the California Symphony. Under her leadership, not only has she grown the organization significantly, but she has increased the organization’s commitment to equitable artistic and employment opportunities.

Soprano Nanette McGuiness is the co-director and co-founder of Ensemble for These Times. Over the course of her prolific career she has championed the music of women composers and recently performed 56×54: But Wait! There’s More! a concert at C4NM featuring 9 contemporary women composers.

Amy X Neuburg has been developing her own brand of irreverently genre-crossing works for voice, live electronics and chamber ensembles for over 25 years, known for her innovative use of live looping technology with electronic percussion, her 4-octave vocal range and her colorful, often humorous, lyrics.

Susie Fong (keyboardist) and Melinda Becker (mezzo-soprano) are members of Liaison Ensemble, which is comprised entirely of female performers and frequently features the works of women composers from the renaissance and baroque periods.

Soprano Jill Morgan Brenner produces I Sing Words: The Poetry Project, a biennial series designed to further the realm of vocal repertoire by commissioning new works, continuing the tradition of art song, and providing accessible new music to future performers and audiences. Brenner is committed to gender-equity in programming and commissions a diverse range of composers for this project.

Residency Day #1: duo B. vs. viDEO sAVant at the Center for New Music

After much planning and scheduling, Ensemble in Residence, duo B. vs. viDEO sAVant finally spent its first full day at work in the Center for New Music this past weekend. Our residency this year at the Center has two goals: to develop a new evening-length work together, and to address some ongoing challenges about documentation and how best to represent our performance work to people who weren’t there in the room when it all went down.

A lot of what we hope to learn, and problems we hope to solve, this year involve our unusual identity as an intermedia ensemble of drum set, acoustic bass, and live video. Our performances are site-specific, structured improvisations that seek to create an immersive sensory environment. Charlie “sprays” his video all over every available surface, augmenting the projection surface of the screen into walls, ceilings, floors, and the rest of us players. In a live context, it can be hard to get a good acoustic balance between drum set and acoustic bass, depending on mic placement, room acoustics and also on the kind of musical material we are exploring. So up until this point, we have struggled to capture video or audio that conveys the wholeness (and frankly, awesomeness) of the live experience.

So on Saturday, we arrived with a carful of gear—three video cameras, a 360-degree camera, microphones, projectors, DI boxes, audio interfaces, laptops—to try some experiments in the space. We soon realized we probably needed even more stuff—more projectors, more video cameras, draping to close the hole between the edge of the white projection screen and the white wall, lots more SD card memory. But our initial trials were promising—close-micing the bass and drums made for a much more compelling, present and “in your face” audio experience than stereo mics out in the room alone, and working with the lighting in the room to illuminate the performers without washing out the video projection meant there were more clear images of people playing to capture in the different video camera angles. It was amazing to see how different camera heights and angles affected our perception of the projection in the recorded video samples we shot. The 360-degree video camera was a revelation, too, and we realized that we’d want to completely change how we set up in the room to take full advantage of that capability, so a viewer/listener could follow their eye/ear to where the action is at any given moment in a performance and always find something interesting to check out.

These strategies aren’t necessarily novel, but we have found they are often time prohibitive in the context of an actual performance—there is never enough time to set all the documentation so carefully while also preparing to actually play. And in the rare occasions when we can hire outside professionals to shoot video or record audio, we haven’t usually known how to coach them to capture the best footage or sound from one of our shows. So already it seems like using residency time to focus on this aspect will be a fruitful line of inquiry.

That said, now that some of these issues have been addressed, we are looking forward to our next session in the spring, when the ratio of time spent playing-to time spent problem solving will be more creatively satisfying!

Lisa, Jason & Charlie

2.24.19

Get more information about our Ensemble(s) in Residence here.