University of Maryland, Baltimore County
April 4-6, 2003
Guest Composers:
Joji Yuasa
Toshi Ichiyanagi
Tokuhide Niimi
Akira Nishimura
Call for Performers Competition, Lectures/Recitals, Papers
Western art
music has existed for a relatively short time in Japan – it is only since
the 1950’s, countering Japan’s rush to adopt all that is
“Western,” that some composers, led by Yuasa (b.1929), Mayuzumi
(1929-97), Takemitsu (1930-96), and Ichiyanagi (b.1933), began to move away
from stylistic modeling of nineteenth-century European forms and
twentieth-century dodecaphony towards a more individualistic approach.
Concerned with reflecting philosophical and musical elements from their own
culture, they began to discover and develop their “own music.” The
music of these artists reflects a new global confluence of multiple cultures -
a powerful cross-fertilization of aesthetics and musical characteristics from
both East and West. The music is reflective of a variety of aspects of
contemporary Japanese and Western societies, while at the same time deeply
rooted in a traditional culture that has evolved over many years.
UMBC will
host a three-day symposium of performances, lecture-recitals, panel
discussions, and paper presentations on topics that concern Japanese music from
the widest possible range of disciplines and expertise. Four guest composers of
international stature will participate in the symposium – Toshi
Ichiyanagi, who
worked with John Cage in the early 1960’s in New York, and has ever since
introduced Japan to experimental music; Joji
Yuasa, who was a member of the jikken kobo in the 1950's and a
Professor of Music at the University of California, San Diego from 1981-94; Akira
Nishimura, who has
received numerous international awards and commissions for his music that is
influenced by historic Japanese music and elements from other Asian cultures; and Tokuhide
Niimi, who has
received international recognition for works that span musical genres from
ballet, to choral, to orchestral and chamber music, to music for traditional
Japanese instruments.
Performances during the symposium will include a broad range of works for different genres (solo instrument, chamber music, choral, traditional instruments) by Yuasa, Ichiyanagi, Nishimura, and Niimi, as well as the winner of a composition competition. They will include the premiere of a new work by Nishimura. The performers for these concerts will include RUCKUS (the contemporary music ensemble at UMBC), faculty and students of the UMBC Department of Music, and guest musicians from the Baltimore/Washington DC area and other international new music centers.
This symposium is the fifth in a series of events since 1992 to address Japanese and other Asian musics, organized by Tanosaki and Richards. Visit the websites of the other four to view programs, abstracts, papers, and lecture transcriptions – Asian Music in America: A Confluence of Two Worlds, and Music of Japan Today: Tradition and Innovation I (1992), II (1994), and III (1997).
Tentative schedule of eventsCall for scores, tapes, papers and/or lecture/recitalsRegistrationAbout UMBC and its Department of MusicTravel to
UMBC
abstracts of no more than 300 words on any topic relating to the theme of the symposium. The review committee will take special interest in proposals that address music and ideas of the guest composers (interdisciplinary topics are welcome).
Deadline for receipt (hard copy or email Microsoft Word attachment) is December 20, 2002 – 5 PM EST
30 minutes. cassette tape or CD of performance and short abstract (200 words). Deadline for receipt is December 20, 2002.
The review committee welcomes a cassette tape or CD submission by performers for a performance of a work by Yuasa, Ichiyanagi, Nishimura, or Niimi. Winners will receive:
1) masterclass performance opportunity with the composerClick here for a list of scores and publishers for this competition.2) a concert performance opportunity and honorarium
first prize = $500 second prize = $150 third prize = $100
3) CD recording
Deadline for receipt is December 20, 2002
Winners of the tape/CD competition will be invited to perform in a masterclass led by the composer. Auditors will also have the opportunity to attend this class, and, for a small fee, attend a luncheon with the guest composers.
Deadline for registration for the auditor luncheon – March 1, 2003
Composers of any nationality are invited to submit a score(s) for a performance by RUCKUS (Contemporary Music Ensemble of UMBC) at the symposium. Submitted music should have some connection to the theme of the symposium (tradition and innovation in music of Japan): this connection could be the use of traditional Japanese music and/or aesthetic principles; or/and the nationality of the composer (Japanese, Japanese-American, etc.)
1) scores should be written for any combination of the following 5 players:
flute/piccolo/alto flute/bass flute
clarinet/bass clarinet
cello
percussion
piano
2) scores must be accompanied by a one-paragraph description of how the music is connected to the theme of the symposium
3) all submitted scores will be retained in the RUCKUS library at UMBC
All submissions should be sent to the Directors:
Dr. Kazuko Tanosaki & Professor E. Michael Richards Department of Music University of Maryland, Baltimore County 1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250 phone = 410-455-3064 fax = 410-747-5632 email = kazukotanosaki@netscape.net or emrichards@umbc.edu
Tentative Schedule of Events:
Friday, April 4
Noon - Registration 1-6 PM - Composer/Performer Masterclasses by guest composers (40 minutes each), and Lectures, Lecture/Recitals by visiting scholars/musicians 8 PM - Concert
Saturday, April 5 10 AM-6 PM - Lectures by guest composers (40 minutes each) and Lectures, Lecture/Recitals, Mini-concerts by visiting scholars/musicians
Sunday, April 6 10-11 AM - Lectures and Lecture/Recitals by visiting scholars/musicians 11-11:45 - Panel Discussion with guest composers 3:00 PM - Concert
Before March
15,2003 - $30
After March 15,2003 - $40