Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Sound Off: Orchestra Underground Season Opener


From jazz saxophonist Fred Ho to up-and-comer Clint Needham; you've heard what the composers have to say for themselves, now is your chance to tell us what you thought about the concert!

Below are a few questions to get the ball rolling...

-What surprised you most about the concert?
-Which piece would you most like to hear again? Why?

-This concert used many nontraditional instruments. What do you think about how these worked with the orchestra? Why?

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

I come to ACO concerts because the instrumentation is always so daring. I think that is what 21st century music is all about!

Anonymous said...

Fridays concert was amazing! Great music, great performers and a great conductor! Keep up the good work ACO!

Anonymous said...

What surprised me most about the concert was its diversity and skill set. I most liked Greg Spears' piece because it captured my serenity.

Anonymous said...

I loved Clint's Chamber Symphony. The music was so intricate and complex but very exciting! The tape players quietly playing at the end of the Greg Spears piece were also very moving.

Anonymous said...

What surprised me about this concert? Dictaphones, Political Rock Beats, and a wicked Bari Sax.

Anonymous said...

Kamran's piece "Domes" was so evocative.

Anonymous said...

I loved the energy of the last piece. I wanted to jump out of my seat!!! Great sounds ACO!

Anonymous said...

Fred Ho's piece made me feel like a Cinderella at the Arabian nights. His piece really spoke to my Puerto Rican Heritage. I loved the video too!

Anonymous said...

ACO reminded me what a real concert is about. It is about letting one's body and soul immerse in completely enjoyable and surprising combinations of instruments and artists. Amazing. Thank you so much.

Anonymous said...

I thought Clint Needham's piece was completely unforgetable. It really touches the heart.

Anonymous said...

I would love to hear "Finishing" again. There were so many intricate details.

Anonymous said...

I loved "Domes". It sounded so mysterious and intriguing.

Anonymous said...

The "Chamber Symphony" was amazing!!! I loved Fred Ho too, what an incredible player!

Clint said...

The concert was amazing! All of the pieces were interesting and unique. Jeff and the orchestra really hit it out of the park with their stellar performances both on Friday at Carnegie and on Sunday in Philly!

Anonymous said...

I just loved the diversity of the compositions. It was amazing to hear and read about the stories behind each of the pieces as well.

Anonymous said...

What an eclectic mix! The future of contemporary music lies in fusion.

Anonymous said...

I loved the Chamber Symphony. It was also really cool to hear a baritone saxophone with orchestra.

Anonymous said...

I thought using the nontraditional instruments (like the sax) was cool. The orchestra almost felt unecessary in the Fred Ho piece and the guitar didn't sound like a normal guitar in the Makan.

Anonymous said...

The repertory for the concert was surprising. I thought the musicians looked scared and depressed. Only the conductor smiled. Horrible.

Anonymous said...

I won tickets on WBAI!!! I loved it!!! The "Chamber Symphony" was so exciting!

Anonymous said...

I was shocked at how young the composers were. I have doubts about dictaphones.

Anonymous said...

I was surprised to see an electric guitar onstage with an orchestra. I want to hear Fred's piece again. It was modern but with traditional asian influences.

Anonymous said...

It was great to hear people experimenting with the unconventional instruments. I really enjoyed Gregory's use of dog whistles and tape recorders. They really added something to the piece. I thought Clint's Chamber Symphony was just amazing.

Anonymous said...

I loved Finishing. Really enjoyed the calming quality and it was somehow surreal.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure the electric guitar added anything to Keeril's piece. The percussion was more interesting

Anonymous said...

The composers were so young! I really loved the electric guitar in Keeril Makan's piece. It was making such amazing sounds.

Anonymous said...

I loved Kamran's piece for imagery, Fred's for its energy, and Spears for the shimmering quality. This is the best concert I've been to all year!

Anonymous said...

I thought Keeril Makan's piece created a really unique sound world.

Anonymous said...

It surprised me how much I loved this concert. The music was so varied.

Anonymous said...

I want to here the Makan piece again to see more of what the guitar was doing to make those sounds.

Anonymous said...

The Chamber Symphony was so dramatic. It was definitely my favorite piece.

Anonymous said...

The composers were so young. I liked the electric guitar.

Anonymous said...

The Needham was a great piece!

Anonymous said...

Fred Ho's piece rocked. I loved how these very different pieces came together for one really cohesive concert.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Spears' & Mr. Needham's compositions were excellent. A toast to the young composers! Mr. Milarsky executed all pieces with ease. Mr. Ho had a nice suit. Mr. Josel had a nice guitar.

Urania Mylonas said...

Fantastic, mesmerizing, and transformational music is what ACO is all about. And then some! Friday's concert was tremendous---I thought the entire orchestra was going to explode out of the concert hall with the fiery force and fury of Fred Ho's composition.

It's this kind of daring, courageous work that ACO is known for and it's what keeps me coming back to the concerts. You get really interesting, smart, beautiful music by composers who are not only still alive, but kicking---and they all kicked my ass on Friday night. Bravo, ACO!!! Love, Urania

Anonymous said...

Is everyone here a shill for ACO?

Anonymous said...

Actually I don't think so... there are a few negetive comments on here as well. Noadias said: "I thought the musicians looked scared and depressed. Only the conductor smiled. Horrible."