BachFest Christmas! a Major Debut for New Music Director

Speaking about his ambitions for the Kalamazoo Bach Festival, new Music Director Christopher Ludwa talks about what inspires him.

New Music Director Christopher Ludwa
New Music Director Christopher Ludwa is acutely aware of the traditions that surround him as he becomes the festival’s first new director in 21 years.

Johann Sebastian Bach, the festival’s namesake? A reverence for the ancient traditions of choral music? The long history of the organization founded by Kalamazoo College Professor Henry Overly in 1946? All those things, of course. But also Steve Jobs, the late co-founder and CEO of Apple.

“Steve Jobs was brilliant at making you think you had to have his latest device,” Ludwa says. “My job is to make people feel like if they’re not going to a Bach Festival concert that they’re missing something really special.”

Sitting in his office at Light Fine Arts, where his desk shares space with a baby grand piano, Ludwa is acutely aware of the traditions that surround him as he becomes the festival’s first new director in 21 years. But as he steps into the role vacated by the retirement of K Professor Jim Turner, he says almost every tradition began with an innovation and that he hopes to establish some new ones for the community ensemble (whose numbers range from 70 to 90, depending on the performance venue and the repertoire’s needs).

The 2017 BachFest Christmas Concert on Dec. 3 in Stetson Chapel, the first major event for the chorus under Ludwa, will showcase his approach.

“Our name is Bach so we’re going to start with Bach’s ‘Magnificat,’ ” he says, referring to the master’s nearly 300-year-old composition based on the Virgin Mary’s song of praise in the Gospel of Luke. “But the second piece in the concert is going to be a Yoruba Christmas carol from Nigeria.”

The drum-driven syncopation of “Betelehemu,” the product of a collaboration between African-American music educator Wendell Whalum and Babatunde Olatunji, a Yoruba musician, contrasts with the Bach’s Baroque sonority. But Ludwa says the two pieces have much in common.

“Where I see the link is that you have completely different traditions in terms of schooling and background, and yet this common thread of the story, the story of this young mother having a birth experience that is, for her, life-changing and potentially, for humanity,” he says. “And so we show the audience the contrast between these two and we also bring them together and say, ‘Here’s the link.’ ”

Taking the chorus and its audiences on such musical explorations promises to be a Ludwa hallmark – a method he sees complementing Kalamazoo College’s multicultural approach to the liberal arts. He also speaks of enhancing the chorus’ technical mastery and educational value by establishing a structure in which K music students are mentored by the chorus’ five professional members and, in turn, mentor younger singers drawn from local high schools. “So you have this kind of layer cake of training,” he says, “that uses the talent of the professional section leaders we have to groom the students and that helps them develop their own leadership skills.”

What innovations does the future hold?

“One of the pieces that really blows my mind right now is ‘Hamilton’ ” Ludwa says, referring to the hip-hop musical that has taken Broadway by storm. “The relevance and brilliance of the way that text was set is on par with Cole Porter and Irving Berlin.”

The maestro grins.

“Obviously, it’ll be a long time before the Bach Festival does a medley of Hamilton pieces. However …”

BachFest Christmas! is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, at Kalamazoo College’s Stetson Chapel. The Bach Festival Chorus, directed by new Music Director Christopher Ludwa, will be joined by the Western Brass Quintet and the Portage Central High School Chamber Singers. Tickets are $18 to $29 at http://kalamazoobachfestival.tix.com, with $5 admission for students with school identification. For more information, call 269.337.7407.

 

 

Performance Competition Brings Music Students to K

Kalamazoo College welcomes the students visiting this weekend for the Michigan Music Teachers Association Performance Competition for solo and chamber instrumentalists. Performances will be at Recital Hall, Dalton Theater and the band room at the Light Fine Arts Building.

Michigan Music Teachers Association Performance Competition
Students are competing this weekend in the Michigan Music Teachers Association Performance Competition.

For those visiting students still in high school, take a look around campus and explore what it offers through our virtual tour. If you can see yourself attending K, check out the music scholarships and theater scholarships we have for music majors and non-majors alike.

If we’ve piqued your interest, learn how to connect with Admission. The Admission Office often is the first point of contact for prospective students and their families as it shares the College’s distinctive programs and opportunities in the liberal arts and sciences, which are developed through the K-Plan. The K-Plan is a nationally recognized open curriculum offering rigorous academics, a hands-on education of experiential learning, international and intercultural experiences such as study abroad programs, and independent scholarship through senior individualized projects.

Enjoy your stay!

Music Concerts This Weekend Feature Students

Make plans today to attend three music concerts this weekend featuring Kalamazoo College students.

Music Concerts This Weekend
Music concerts from Friday, Nov. 10-Sunday, Nov. 12, include performances for the Kalamazoo College Jazz Band, the Kalamazoo College Singers and Chamber Choir, and the Kalamazoo Philharmonia.

8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, at the Dalton Theatre: Directed by Thomas G. Evans, Kalamazoo College’s Jazz Band pulls together an eclectic collection of contemporary and classic jazz arrangements to provide the students participating and the audience members an electric experience. Find recordings of past performances such as “Count Bubba,” “The Chicken” and “The Last Dive” online.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Light Fine Arts Building lobby: The Kalamazoo College Singers and Chamber Choir, partnering with the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, will present “Shattering Despair,” a multimedia concert experience featuring spoken words, songs, stories and special guests. Directed by Christopher J. Ludwa, the College Singers feature a mixed soprano, alto, tenor and bass choir, performing a diverse array of music.

4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Dalton Theatre: The Kalamazoo Philharmonia will present “In Nature’s Realm,” a Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola featuring Jun-Ching Lin and Andrew Koehler. The ensemble brings together students, faculty, amateurs and professional musicians of all ages to perform great music. The group’s repertoire features dynamic, adventurous and thoughtfully-curated works.

For more information on any of these concerts, contact Susan Lawrence at 269-337-7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu.

“Jazz for Springtime”

Jazz for Springtime advertisementAh, spring–one day sunny and 70 degrees, the very next, overcast and 40. This most improvisational of seasons is the perfect time for…Jazz! The Kalamazoo College Department of Music invites everyone to enjoy an afternoon of jazz music at its “Jazz for Springtime Concert” on Sunday, April 23, at 4 p.m. in Dalton Theatre. Amina Figarova, jazz pianist, and Bart Platteau, flute, will present original music and will also assist Ron Di Salvio with the premiere of his work “Puglia Suite”, based upon a recent visit to Puglia (Apulia), Italy. Amina and Bart are from the Netherlands and now reside in New York City where they perform with a jazz sextet. Ron is the adjunct jazz piano instructor at Kalamazoo College as well as a fine jazz pianist and composer. Please plan to attend this incredible Sunday event and celebrate the spring season!

K Professor Helps SCORE the Power of the Music Creeping in our Ears

Kalamazoo College Psychology Professor Siu-Lan Tan
Professor of Psychology Siu-Lan Tan at Tower City theaters, where the film, SCORE, played for three days in five theaters as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival.

The very same expertise (teaching and music) that made the role of Siu-Lan Tan so prominent in the documentary SCORE also prohibited her from attending any of the more than 40 public screenings of the film–she was, after all, busy teaching classes. That changed in early April, when the professor of psychology at Kalamazoo College was finally able to see a festival screening of the film at the 41st Annual Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF).

She picked a great screening, or screenings.

“The first screening at Cedar Lee Theater sold out,” says Siu-Lan. “On day two, they moved the film [full title: SCORE: A Film Music Documentary] to a theater complex at Tower City and the cinema sold out again.  So they opened a second theater, and that one filled too! On the last screening day, they filled two theaters for SCORE and had to turn more people away.”

That enthusiastic reception kept Siu-Lan busy.

“The director [Matt Schrader] asked if I could attend as a special guest from the cast, and I joined Q&A sessions at the first and third screenings. I also did 35-minute extended Q&A Chat Room by myself.”

And CIFF is no small event. This year more than 100,000 people attended. The festival featured the work of some 300 filmmakers and a total of 418 films from 71 countries. SCORE won in its category (Music Movies Competition) and was one of only 15 films recognized on closing night.

Why the great response? Because the best movie you ever saw is the best, in part, because it’s the best movie you ever heard. Siu-Lan and some 60 other people interviewed for SCORE help explain the critical role of music scores to the emotional impact of a film. In addition to Siu-Lan, others interviewed include some of the top living film composers in United States and the United Kingdom (Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Randy Newman,  Howard Shaw, Trent Reznor, Alexandre Desplat, among others), as well as film directors like James Cameron, producers like Quincy Jones and several film scholars.

An expert in the psychology of music (a course she teaches at K) Siu-Lan appears five times in the film. Kalamazoo College is mentioned every time Siu-Lan appears, and K is thanked in the end credits along with the filming location of Dalton Theater.

The popular film is on the docket for many upcoming festivals. You can also check upcoming screenings here. So if you get a chance, go see SCORE; it’s likely to be the best film you’ve ever heard, or at least reveal why your favorite movie has as much to do with your ears as your eyes.

Shakespeare was right when he had Lorenzo say (Merchant of Venice, Act 5, Scene 1) that it is music creeping in our ears that has the sweet power (like Orpheus) to change the very nature of reality and the way we perceive it. A film without its score is a body without its heart.

SCORE is scheduled for release in theaters in 20-25 major cities on June 16.

3 Music Groups Offer Concerts This Week

Three must-see concerts are scheduled for this week at Kalamazoo College.Percussion Ensemble Concert Concerts

K’s Jazz Band features contemporary and classic jazz arrangements to provide the students participating and the audience an enjoyable experience. Attend this concert from 8 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Dalton Theatre in the Light Fine Arts Building.

The Kalamazoo Philharmonia brings together students, faculty, and amateur and professional musicians. The group won the 2014 American Prize Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award for Orchestral Programming and has produced several CDs. It also has appeared on “CBS Sunday Morning,” and collaborated with the Bach Festival Chorus, as well as many renowned soloists. The Philharmonia concert will be from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Dalton Theatre in the Light Fine Arts Building.

The College Singers and Women’s Ensemble will perform from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Stetson Chapel, featuring a diverse array of songs with performers who enjoy advanced and challenging music with an emphasis on working together as an ensemble.

The concerts are free to attend and the public is welcome. For more information on these concerts, contact Susan Lawrence at 269-337-7070 or Susan.Lawrence@kzoo.edu.

SCORE Shows Scores Matter

K Psychology Professor Siu-Lan TanThe world premier of a documentary that prominently features Kalamazoo College Professor of Psychology Siu-Lan Tan occurred at the Hamptons International Film Festival. For SCORE: A Film Music Documentary Siu-Lan was one of some 60 live interviews compiled for the film, including conversations with the top living film composers in United States and the United Kingdom (Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Randy Newman,  Howard Shaw, Trent Reznor, Alexandre Desplat, among others), film directors like James Cameron, producers like Quincy Jones, and several film scholars.

Last Saturday’s world premier will be quickly followed by this Thursday’s showing of Score as the Closing Night Film at the Tacoma Film Festival in Washington. That is quite an honor! Each year TFF receives more than 1,000 submissions, whittled down to 100 films. Of those, one is chosen the Opening Night Film, the other for Closing Night Film. Both draw the largest audiences.

Siu-Lan appears five times in the film, and she has its final soundbite, finishing a sentence begum by director James Cameron. Kalamazoo College is mentioned every time Siu-Lan appears, and K is thanked in the end credits along with the filming location of Dalton Theater. Siu-Lan not only has the last word in the film; she has the last word in the film’s first review (by Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter).

If you get a chance, see Score; it’s likely to be the best film you’ve ever heard, or at least reveal why your favorite movie has as much to do with your ears as your eyes.

Hornet (and Bee) Artists Feted

Jim Turner
Jim Turner

The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo has awarded Kalamazoo College Professor of Music Jim Turner its 2016 Award for Arts Leadership-Educator, and the Arts Council awarded Kalamazoo College Alumnus Ladislav Hanka ’75 a Community Medal of Arts.

Turner, who directs the Bach Festival Choir, will be honored as “a recognized leader in arts and education community” whose work has a strong impact on the greater Kalamazoo community through art and creates positive and productive relationships in the community far beyond Kalamazoo College.

Hanka, whose etchings, prints, and drawings illustrate the intricacies and mystery of nature, is honored as a leading artist with a significant body of creative activity, who has received local and/or national acclaim, and has deeply affected the community through art. The CMA award encompasses all art forms–visual, musical, theatrical, literary, performing, multi-Hornet and Bee Artistrymedia, architecture or design. And, in Hanka’s case, collaborations between man and bee. His most recent ArtPrize entry, “Great Wall of Bees: Intelligence of the Beehive,” featured live bees that buzzed and danced and chewed over three rows of Hanka’s etchings—-detailed images of toads, salmon, trees, insects, birds. The bees built honeycomb along the curves of his lines in seeming collaboration that is at times startling.

Turner and Hanka are part of a group that will receive awards on Sunday, July 17, at the Sunday Concerts in the Park in Bronson Park. The event begins at 4 p.m. with the award presentation at 4:30 p.m. The concert and presentation ceremony are free and open to the public. A reception will follow at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. The reception is free but reservations would be appreciated. Reservations can be made by calling the Arts Council at 269.342.5059.

The Psychology of Film and TV Music

Kalamazoo College Psychology Professor Siu-Lan TanProfessor of Psychology Siu-Lan Tan convened and co-chaired a symposium titled “Film, Television, and Music: Embodiment, Neurophysiology, Perception, and Cognition” on July 6, at the 14th International Conference for Music Cognition and Perception held at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco. This conference gathers more than 550 music cognition researchers from around the world.

The panel presented theoretical and empirical work using diverse multimedia excerpts from Star Trek, Mission Impossible, Pirates of the Caribbean, Gladiator, and various television commercials for products such as Doritos, Apple iPhone, and Gaultier perfume. The photo shows the seven participants of the Film and Television Music symposium group at a planning session the night before the July 6 presentation, at the Palio d’Asti restaurant in San Francisco. Seated left to right are David Ireland, Siu-Lan, Juan Chattah, Scott Lipscomb, Mark Shevy. Standing are Roger Dumas and Peter Kupfer.

Siu-Lan is a a leading figure in the psychology of film music and the editor of The Psychology of Music in Multimedia. She has been involved in several recent projects that focus on the role and power of music in movies.

Intercultural Conference and Hip Hop Collective

Book club flyerKalamazoo College’s Intercultural Student Life group presents the “Intercultural Conference and Hip Hop Collective,” a two-day event on April 29 and 30 featuring guest speakers, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, panels, discussions and a performance featuring five Hip Hop artists. The event’s venues include the Hicks Banquet Hall and Hicks Center.

Among the event’s goals are building relationships and learning about the intercultural ethos of K. “My student advisory board and I decided to focus our first event on Hip Hop because Hip Hop has a way to cross over cultural boundaries and speak to multiple groups,” said Natalia Carvalho-Pinto, director for intercultural student life.

The museum exhibit is open both days of the conference and is a powerful experience. “Khalid El-Hakim, the museum’s curator, travels with about 1,000 exhibit pieces,” says Carvalho-Pinto, “ranging from the slavery era through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights movement up to Hip Hop and the modern era.” El-Hakim will deliver the keynote address Saturday, talking about the museum and the importance on continuity in social justice work.

The Conference also features Ernie Pannicioli, a photographer who has documented Hip Hop from its birth through modern days and photographed every celebrity in Hip Hop,” according to Carvalho-Pinto. She adds, “He published a book titled Who Shot Ya, and he speaks about ’the other side of Hip Hop,’ the movement building and struggles that few discuss.” Carvalho-Pinto also is excited about the presence of OLMECA at the conference. “He is a very unique artist,” she says, “and his keynote address will focus on his experiences in the Zapatista movement and Hip Hop in Latin America.”

A Hip Hop panel occurs Saturday afternoon with Miz Korona, Mu, Supa Emcee and Kenny Muhammed THE HUMAN ORCHESTRA. Five Hip Hop artists will perform Saturday night for the “Zoo After Dark” activity.

“Our speakers, panelists and performers are really great people,” says Carvalho-Pinto. I would love to see as many students, staff and faculty as possible attend some or all the conference. My hope is that the event opens more opportunities for dialogue and serves as a place of empowerment for our students of color on campus.”