Greetings All,

It is my pleasure to tell you about this awesome happening that is combining two of my great passions: music and baseball.

Sponsored by Tally Beck Contemporary and Major League Baseball, a collaborative multimedia installation with my brilliant colleague and friend Erik Sanner will be opening on July 2 (invitation only) at the Major League Baseball Fan Cave in NYC.

So, how do music and baseball unite in this installation, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you:

My sound design–which is what it really is more than a strict ‘composition’–takes the form of a series of 30 collages (one for each team) whose parameters (notes, sounds, entrances, tempo, structure, etc.) are based wholly upon baseball statistics. I am using my own mathematical equations to generate the creative content using this data. Erik is using this data in his own way for both the physical (painted) and projected (video) material.

Also, fans of specific teams should catch ‘inside references’ to their team or city–recorded sounds, bits of a song, vibe, etc.–if they are paying attention. In fact, I even reference a specific player, if you’re paying attention, Yankee fans…

This exhibit will be up for quite a while, although I believe showings are by request only because it is mainly for the MLB community.

At some point soon, however, I will post some photos and sound clips. Perhaps there will also be video footage of the exhibit. Maybe, the whole thing may eventually be online…maybe…

Until soon,

Demetrius

Spring Wrap-up continues with 3 premieres of my after Calder on the same day in both NYC and Koper, Slovenia!

As part of a joint venture between the Koper Music School and my newly formed organization CITEarts (more on *that* later ;)), we coordinated performances on April 12th to happen simultaneously at the Firehouse Space in Brooklyn and at the 4th International Biennale of Contemporary Music held at the Koper Music School. the collaboration consisted of the music of both Slovenian and American composers (including Stuart Diamond, Sandra Sprecher, and your truly) performed in both locations.

The American composers’ music was performed by students of the Koper Music School. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is not only to get great international performances by such young and talented music students, but also because my piece after Calder was performed TWICE on the Koper concert by 2 different ensembles: it opened and closed it!

After Calder is an indeterminate work, so that every performance will be different, dependent upon the instrumentation and real-time choices of the performers. It is inspired by the mobiles of Alexander Calder, and the music is to have the effect of a mobile suspended and spinning.

Below are videos of the three premieres–one in NYC by me and friends, the other two in Slovenia–that happened on April 12. Notice the uniqueness of each interpretation!

Spring Wrap-up will continue shortly…

Until soon,

Demetrius

NYC premiere

1st Slovenia premiere

2nd Slovenia premiere

Spring Wrap-up continues in March with the premiere of my composition As If… for choir and orchestra by the Polymnia Choral Society, Murray Kidd conducting.

I wrote both the text and music for this work, something that I intend on exploring more and more with my upcoming vocal projects. It was a delight and absolute joy to hear this piece brought to life in such an amazing way.

I am sharing the video of the premiere. Fair warning: I do speak quite a bit before the piece begins…you all know what THAT means

Under the video will be my text, so you can follow along.

Spring Wrap-up will continue next with some international news from April!

Until soon,

Demetrius

“As If…”
Words and Music by Demetrius Spaneas
Premiere by the Polymnia Choral Society
Murray Kidd, conducting
St. Mary’s Church, Melrose, MA
March 8, 2014

Text:
As if the river’s run was not as swift
as to make the sun’s light glimmer
As if the breeze was not so gentle
as to caress the willow’s shape

Tonight the air is as still as Death
yet the persuasive sounds of Life persist
to rhyme and sing to me in the Dark
as if voices from

many lives Past

As if the moonlit night was not so docile
as to lull my Love to sleep
As if the coming Dawn was not so forceful
as to awaken the river banks to Joy

Today the sun warms my mouth
and the scent of new grass fills my Being
I stand unbound within the glorious moment
and embrace the Love of many lives Past

Here is the first ‘Spring Wrap-Up’ post, this one focusing on my January 16 concert at Spectrum which was affiliated with the Chamber Music America national conference in NYC. The concert included music by my friends William Susman and Preston Stahly as well as two pieces of mine: Autumn Yearning for clarinet, viola, and piano and the US premiere Citiscapes for clarinet and violin. The latter piece was premiered in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia in 2007, but never done here.

I was honored to play with two of my all-time favorite musicians! Karen Bentley Pollick on violin and viola, and Elaine Kwon on piano.

So…here are two videos of the performance. The first is Autumn Yearning, the second Cityscapes.

ENJOY!

Autumn Yearning

Cityscapes

I am writing to share some news and a new video:

November 10 was the premiere of my Danae’s Dream with the Comp Cord Ensemble at The Cutting Room. It was an amazing experience playing with such brilliant musicians! I set up the performance with a little unaccompanied improvisation:

Comp Cord Ensemble

Bill Schimmel

– accordion,
Demetrius Spaneas – soprano sax
Milica Paranosic – vocals
Gene Pritsker – electric guitar
Dan Cooper – 7-string bass guitar
David Rozenblatt – drums
Peter Jarvis – vibes

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Next on the list is another premiere, also in coordination with Composers Concordance as part of their Timbre Tantrum festival. My new work, Bonfire of the Manatees for baritone sax and 7-string bass guitar, will be presented on the final concert of the festival on December 8 at Drom.

Below are links to both the festival site and the Facebook event.

http://composersconcordance.wix.com/2013-14season#!tt-festival/cj5l

https://www.facebook.com/events/534959649918847/539902426091236/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

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And finally, December 10 will be our annual fall semester Evening of Jazz at Five Towns College in which I conduct the Jazz Orchestra in a selection of big band favorites, both standard and modern. However, this year will be special because it will feature the debut of the FTC Faculty Trio, which includes Stephen Gleason on guitar and vocals, Scott Ballin on piano, and yours truly on tenor saxophone. We will also have a special guest singer to round out the excitement!

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I want to thank you all again for your continued support!

Until soon,

Demetrius

Happy November!

Writing today to share some news about some happenin’ happenings.

On Sunday, November 10, I will be performing with the Comp Cord Ensemble at the Cutting Room, in NYC. The ensemble will premiere my new work Danae’s Dream, which was written for the ensemble for this performance. I am delighted to have the opportunity of writing for and playing with this amazing collection of musicians.

Composers Concordance is a presenting organization for contemporary music with a 29-year-history of producing concerts in New York City. It strives to present music in innovative ways, with an emphasis on thematic programming. The Comp Cord Ensemble expands on this objective by focusing on the composer-as-performer within an ensemble setting. Each project asks the selected musicians to contribute compositions based on a particular subject or instrumentation, with an emphasis on experimentation and creating music for the particular members of each program. In recent years, the ensemble, in its various forms, has performed at The American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Shapeshifter Lab, and Turtle Bay Music school, among others. Since 2010, it has been the resident ensemble at William Paterson University.

– Comp Cord Ensemble –
Bill Schimmel – accordion
Demetrius Spaneas – soprano sax
Milica Paranosic – vocals/keys/electronics
Jacob Miller – poet/narrator
Gene Pritsker – electric guitar
Dan Cooper – 7-string bass guitar
Peter Jarvis – vibraphone/percussion
David Rozenblatt – drums

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This year marks the 5th in a row that I have been awarded an ASCAPlus Award by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. As an artist who has many performances in ‘alternative’ venues as well as standard ones, it is wonderful to be recognized for the scope of my performances and programming of my works across many genres and countries. A warm thank you to the ASCAPlus awards panel for this honor and for your continued gracious recognition.

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And…yes…it is *finally*, FINALLY happening!

After many months of the tracks sitting in ‘the can,’ I am moving forward with producing my new CD, the 4th under my own name, but the first that will consist *entirely* of my own compositions. The new CD, entitled Double Life, will contain solo works that I perform on many of my concerts, like Three Graces for Clarinet Solo, Soho Sophisticate, and my unaccompanied suite …no longer to his father… (the latter two on tenor saxophone), as well as two chamber works: Gymnopaedia for clarinet and piano (with pianist Elaine Kwon) and Giuffre Sketches for clarinet/tenor sax/baritone sax and piano (with pianist Jed Distler).

The CD was recorded in 2012 by John Kilgore, and will be released on 4Tay Records, projected for spring, 2014. I’m in the process of thinking about the design and CD cover, which for me is great fun as well as a crazed process…

…you know, I still feel it’s important for a musician to have a physical CD, even in the digital age. It may sound counter-intuitive, but today the physical product–especially for classical and jazz musicians–is just as important as ever to send out for reviews and festivals and donating to schools and libraries. Plus, and I admit this fully, I am of that generation who grew up with double fold-out LP covers…I *like* the artwork; it draws you in or pushes you away…plus, because of being the age that I am, I like the idea of the physicality of it, and holding it, and saying “I MADE THIS!!!”

Plus an mp3 looks terrible wrapped up as a gift, no?

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Anyways, thank you for indulging me in presenting this news. Be as sure as snow in New England that the next blog will contain my musings about some injustice or philosophy or other musing. But, for now, a little happenin’ happenings.

Until soon…

Demetrius

As the weather begins to turn hopefully for the better, my performances and projects also become more interesting and more intense, most especially in the next couple of weeks. This is an exciting time! I’m writing to share these events and hope that some of you can join me and my amazing cast of collaborators for some of these.

On Wednesday, April 17 I will be working in John Kilgore’s amazing studio with my fellow OCTET horn section buddies Alan Ferber and Mike Gurfield to record the final tracks for OCTET’s new CD, featuring the work of California composer William Susman. This will be the dynamic ensemble’s first studio CD and I believe it will be released and available later this year on Belarca and distributed by Naxos.

The next two days, April 18 and 19, bring unique collaborations with other saxophonists

and traditional

Indian musicians in Saxophones & Swaras. The brainchild of new York City composer David Claman, these events bring together saxophonists Christopher Creviston and Noa Evan and traditional Indian musicians Sankari Krishnam, V.V.S. Murai, and Ranja Swaminathan with yours truly. The April 18 event is a concert and workshop at CUNY Lehman College, while the Friday April 19 event is a concert at the beautiful Tenri Cultural Institute; a concert not to be missed! Along with playing traditional South Indian music and the new music of David Claman, I will also perform my ‘ode to the aging hipster’ composition Soho Sophisticate.

One of the works, Claman’s Ganga-Yamuna, will again be performed on May 5 as part of CCi’s Serial Underground series at the Cornelia Street Cafe and will feature myself and pianist Jed Distler.

On April 24 I will be giving the premiere of Christopher Kaufman’s epic Music From Earth for saxophone and electronics as part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Manhattan Producer’s Alliance presentation. I premiered the first version of this work during my 2007-08 Eurasian solo tour (with the first performance of the work in Tashkent, Uzbekistan). Chris and I decided to create a stronger, leaner version of the work and this is what will be presented for the first time on April 24 at Zirzamin at 5:00.

As the spring continues, there will be more events–and more news–to share. In fact, I will be announcing some very special performances very shortly…stay tuned!

Demetrius

I decided to expand upon what I told you about my Children’s Songs over the weekend.

Yes, I did finish revising these, but I pretty much left them the way they were when I originally wrote them in 1994. Here’s why:

I was living in Arizona at the time and studying with Chinary Ung. Chinary really was one of the few things that were keeping me grounded at that period of my life, where I was reevaluating what and who I was, and deciding what to do with the next phase. One of the others was my friend Charles Wells.

Charles was a brilliant pianist and composer, also studying with Chinary at the time. He was a close and dear friend, and along with my good friend Sean Heim part of our circle of composers. Charles was very important to me because he helped me learn about holistic living and spirituality (he was a Christian in the most pure and absolute sense) after my devastating and near fatal illness in the early 90’s (diagnosed first as spinal meningitis, later as encephalitis, they still don’t know what happened…). Charles introduced me to yoga and its advanced concepts, a practice which has been part of my daily life for well over 20 years, and which I completely believe is the reason that I can walk (and can still play music) post-illness and that I am healthy and strong now. He was the most humble and giving man I have ever known, and I can only strive to be like him. Charles was a true friend, a brother, a teacher, a member of my spiritual family…the Children’s Songs were written for him to premiere on piano, which he did beautifully in April of 1994.

My life decisions were made at that point; I was to return to Boston, back to New England Conservatory to continue my education. I left a month after that performance, pleased with what I had learned as a composer and artist; more blessed with what I had experienced as a spirit. As a man, I felt transformed and ready for the next stage.

Charles was killed over Thanksgiving, 2009 in a car accident. He was driving through the desert night, more than likely to help someone in need. Sean called to tell me as I was walking into a gig…I was able to play, not because of any sort of strength or will on my part, but because I believe I was so stunned as to not be able to do–or think–anything else other than play.

So the Children’s Songs, then, represent not only a very powerful period of change and decision, but also one of silent and gentle reflection on a kind soul who helped me beyond words.

They will stay as I wrote them.

It’s actually amazing, but to give you a little compositional insight to my then 25 year old mind–just a little–I used a magic square technique with the pitches which physically/conceptually could also be seen as a prayer mandala…I didn’t remember this until I was revising the pieces. Kind of George Crumb meets Tibetan Buddhism. By the way, the seventh song is based on the melody of the Thanksgiving Hymn We Gather Together…one of my all time favorite melodies…in my song, however, it is quite abstracted. You can also hear it in my guitar piece A Child Sings at Thanksgiving , which is based on the seventh song.

But…this does not mean that the pieces will only be in this original form. After I finished the revision, the pieces would not let me be. The kept haunting my waking hours and were on my mind as I was trying to sleep…so, today I made a decision.

I decided to keep the piano version, but also to expand them by rewriting them for Pierrot ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello,

and piano), making them fuller and longer. I started this project today and am pleased so far with the results. This way, I can update them without loosing the spirit of the original. Next, I plan to take the new version to the next level by rewriting them for chamber orchestra. I believe that the pieces will work in all of these settings.

And it will be fun…granted, it may be reliving my past, it may even be updating it, but I’ve come to a point in my life where I can embrace who I was when and what decisions I had made to bring me (one way or another) to where I am now. And by exploring this music again, I can give honor and respect to those who helped me in my need…and perhaps thank them.

Until soon,

Demetrius

These last couple of weeks have been pretty packed with ‘stuff’–events, concerts, guest lectures, composing–you know, ‘stuff’…I’ve always liked the word ‘stuff’…always seems appropriate and less erudite (or obnoxiously arrogant) as something like ‘impedimenta’ or some such…’stuff’ is folksy, I like it.

Firstly, a warm thank you to the faculty and staff of the Music Department of Allegheny College for having me out for a short residency last week. It’s always wonderful to be taken out of one’s routine periodically, and most especially when that involves education. One has the opportunity to reevaluate one’s methods and concepts and to help a new crop of students, or at least to give them a new perspective of how to approach music making or writing. I always have encouraged my students to get as many opinions on things as possible, and I truly believe that the variety of points of view can be greatly beneficial for students in their development.

During the residency, I conducted the saxophone section of the big band, guest lectured at a music appreciation class, conducted a composition seminar, taught a performance master class, and rehearsed and performed a 2-1/2 hour concert featuring both my music and pieces by some of my favorite composers (and friends!), like Alex Shapiro, Alexandra Gardner, Molly Thompson, Jill Miller-Thorn, Joan Tower, and Denise Broadhurst. As you may know, I try to play Denise’s (who died in 2008) music whenever appropriate. It’s always difficult to play her work Not Waving, But Drowning (saxophone and video) because her voice is narrating on the video. It took me a couple of days of practicing the piece until I could get through–barely–without tearing up…

This residency was made possible by the incredible work and gentle consideration of a dear friend, Wendy (Cavett) Plyler, who is the staff accompanist at Allegheny. In 21st century fashion, we reconnected on Facebook after many years (we were classmates at New England Conservatory) and almost immediately began talking about the possibility of me coming there (I don’t actually remember who’s idea it initially was, but she knew–or I told her–that I did residencies somewhat regularly). She made it all happen. The *best* part was that I had the honor and opportunity to play with her on my concert, and we gave the US premiere of my clarinet and piano piece Gymnopaedia (I gave the world premiere with Susanne Kessel at Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany in 2008); the piece has had many performances in different incarnations, but not the original. Wendy was absolutely fabulous to work with! I am truly grateful to her for making this residency happen, and for such an amazing educational experience (for the students AND me).

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Tomorrow will be the March installment of Serial Underground at the Cornelia Street Cafe here in NYC. This concert will feature the wonderful music of my great friend, California-based composer William Susman. Bill will be performing selections of Book I and Book II of his Quiet Rhythms for solo piano, with video projections by artist David Irving Weiner. I will also join Bill on stage for a live performance of Native New Yorker, his award winning film as composer and producer; we will perform the film score live to the film. Some of you may know that I have performed this film score live many times on tour across Europe and Asia. This will be great fun to do it here again in NYC tomorrow. Doors open at 5:45, $20 at the door. C’mon down…if I haven’t mentioned this before (and I have, actually…) the food and wine at the Cafe is pretty much to die for…

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So…I began my exploration of my ‘larval stage’ as a composer (pre-2004) by rewriting and editing my Children’s Songs for solo piano. Most of you know by now that I have engaged in a new project to ‘update’ all of my earlier works–finished and un–and bring them into my oeuvre. This delicate, short, seven movement piece from 1994 seemed the best place to start since it was a piece where my soundscape was already very evident and for the fact that it was the last piece I wrote under the tutelage of Chinary Ung, my most important composition teacher (we worked together for three years).

Many of my colleagues at that time (and mind you, I am guilty of this, as well) we’re writing very complex, atonal music. I wanted to counterbalance this some, so I decided to create a piece that was very simple and melodic, a set of miniatures, but that still used modern composing techniques and concepts. I was also listening to Chick Corea’s album of the same name. My goal was to write a piece about children: capricious, gentle, and somewhat unfinished. A sorbet course to the heavily savory music of my colleagues.

Some of you may remember my composition A Child Sings at Thanksgiving that I wrote for the Boston-based guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan. The seventh of the Children’s Songs, entitled A Children’s Choir at Thanksgiving (the only one of the songs with a title) became the basis of the new piece for Aaron.

Here is–and forgive me for this–a midi piano realization of the Children’s Songs; below that is a live performance of Aaron performing A Child Sings at Thanksgiving for solo guitar. These songs are exactly as I wrote them in 1994 (with a few small changes). I am considering rewriting them for various instrumental combinations, including potentially a jazz combo…we’ll see.

The Children’s Songs:

Children’s Songs_0

And here’s Aaron playing A Child Sings at Thanksgiving:

Until soon,

Demetrius

I am delighted to share some news with you!

I met my friend and brilliant composer Neil Rolnick when we found ourselves both booked on a 2009 concert tour in China. One night in Beijing, on a moment’s notice, we got up and improvised with flutist Bruce Gremo for an hour to keep from cancelling a show. Since that fateful meeting, we decided to collaborate on a new saxophone and computer project. The idea was to create a piece that although structured had tremendous space to allow for our interactive improvisations. I am pleased to announce that this commission has been funded by an Individual Artist/Composer Commission grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The new composition, with the working title of Silicon Breath, will be substantially written out, but which will have elements of improvisation. The electronic parts will combine prerecorded sax lines which are modified and processed in various ways, and live processing of the sax as it is played. In its initial form, we will perform it together, but eventually there may be other versions depending upon the logistics of each performance situation. But most importantly, the sax and computer will work together to enhance the instrument’s wide range of colors, moods and expressive possibilities.

We are expecting to present this new work in concerts and at festivals throughout North America, Europe, and Asia beginning in 2014.

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As a prelude to this project, Neil (with me as guest) will be featured at 6PM on February 3rd on the CCi Serial Underground series which I curate at the Cornelia Street Cafe in the West Village. We’ll be performing Horny, a new (and saxy…sorry, had to say it…) version of Neil’s 1988 piece Vocal Chords, as well as some old and new solo laptop work and duo improvisations. This will be a fun show, so I hope those of you in the NYC area

can join us. Details here: http://corneliastreetcafe.com/Performances.asp?sdate=2/3/2013&from_cal=0

Here’s a little taste of Neil’s music; hip, ain’t it?:

Thank you all again for your continued support!

Demetrius