Posts tagged classical guitar
I had an amazing time performing in Philadelphia with soprano Alicia Hall Moran after a panel discussion on the book “The Meaning of Michelle” (Obama). It was about Michelle Obama’s impact on multiple writers and the panel featured essayists Veronic…

I had an amazing time performing in Philadelphia with soprano Alicia Hall Moran after a panel discussion on the book “The Meaning of Michelle” (Obama). It was about Michelle Obama’s impact on multiple writers and the panel featured essayists Veronica Chambers, Benilde Little, Alicia Hall Moran, & Damon Young and was broadcast nationally on CSPAN’s Book TV. It was an honor to be among such great company. 

We’ve realized that we fell in love with the guitar for the same reason- not because we saw somebody play perfectly but because it touches us where we live.
— David Tanenbaum, Classical Guitar Magazine (Spring 2015)
You know, music is just not that important … I don’t enjoy messing up, but I accept that the only way to get better is to suck. And some people work really hard to circumvent that process by never playing a song that they haven’t immaculately prepared, and when you play like that and think like that, then nothing magical can happen on stage. You have to learn to leave some room to let things happen. But that requires risk. And if you’re risk averse, you shouldn’t be doing this. You should be an accountant.
— Branford Marsalis, The San Antonio Current, February 18, 2015
Duo Noire is on the cover of the Guitar Foundation of America’s quarterly journal “Soundboard.” It is a huge honor for us because it is widely considered to be the most important classical guitar publication in the world. Inside, i…

Duo Noire is on the cover of the Guitar Foundation of America’s quarterly journal “Soundboard.” It is a huge honor for us because it is widely considered to be the most important classical guitar publication in the world. Inside, it features an article and transcription of ours about the great piece “Juba” by R. Nathaniel Dett. We also have a good CD review of our Figments album inside. Check it out! 

A behind-the-scenes look from Duo Noire’s recording session in Brooklyn last summer. This is our recent arrangement of R. Nathaniel Dett’s famous “Juba” dance. It was a common dance performed by slaves on plantations across the south. People would clap and slap their thighs and chests while singing and stomping their feet in 2/4 time (8th + two 16ths). Sometimes a lead fiddler or dancer would show off with increasing virtuosity as the crowd encouraged them. Slaves used their bodies for percussion because they were forbidden from having drums due to a fear that they would transmit coded messages. Glad to share this with the guitar community in the new issue of Soundboard. 

On failure and redemption.

image“This will be our reply to violence: To make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly, than ever before.” -Leonard Bernstein

Last month, I had an epiphany in the shower: Instead of writing the ensemble piece I was asked to write for St Louis students, I would write a piece related to the recent shooting of the St Louis teenager Michael Brown. The topic spoke to me more than what was originally planned, and when artists can do what they want, rather than what they are asked, the work is usually more meaningful. Presumptuous?

I began researching the events and discovered Michael Brown’s rap songs. Many of them were vulgar, but I decided to take a melody he had used and based an entire piece around those eight notes.  The aim wasn’t to glorify his crude raps, but to represent him aurally. The hope was that teens from all over the city would perform it and the whole community could come together across racial and socioeconomic lines to reflect on the situation in a healing and thoughtful way. Audacious?

Two weeks later and I had something…something I am very proud of. There is a reading by Du Bois to contextualize the racial aspect, and I gave players the option to raise or not raise their hands as they finish playing, in the hope that they could have a conversation about their choice. The fact is, people of good faith can -and do- have differing opinions about Ferguson, but I felt everyone would appreciate what I was trying to do. Naive?

But my perspective as a New Yorker didn’t anticipate just how tense and divisive things in St Louis are right now. And there are so many factors involved in having teens perform: Administrators, teachers, students and parents all have to be for it. Then there are all sorts of considerations for the presenting organization: Will we alienate members? Be seen as taking sides in this polarizing issue? How will the media portray this (e.g. “Presenter Showcases Vulgar Rap Song”)? We fought the good fight, even changing aspects of the piece to assuage objections (this is a whole other subject), but in the end, the difficulty in getting it performed as conceived became overwhelming. Failure.

UPDATE: So when at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I went back to the drawing board and through luck, grace, and the hard work of certain individuals I’m grateful to, the piece will be premiered by Duo Noire at the Alliance of Black Art Galleries in St Louis. Now the real work can begin.  Redemption.

Great 1st Review for "FIGMENTS" album.

From the popular new-music blog I CARE IF YOU LISTEN:

“a unique and entrancing album that exists at the unusual intersection of minimalism and impressive classical guitar technique.”

“The impressive technique displayed by Duo Noire is perfectly suited to Lustig’s delicious compositions, and you wouldn’t regret getting a hold of this; if you like acoustic guitar, bluegrass, minimalism, blues—or music at all—you’ll definitely enjoy this excellently produced and mastered album.”

http://www.icareifyoulisten.com/2014/08/duo-noire-classical-guitar-meets-minimalism/#more-14219

And you can pick up a copy, or digital files, here:

CD Baby, iTunes.

This is the music video from our new album of Raymond Lustig’s “Figments.” It’s one of my favorite movements from the set of 6. Beautiful slow outer sections with virtuosic craziness in the middle (~1:35). We shot this on a roof in Harlem on what turned out to be the windiest day of the spring. Music stands were flying, hair was blowing, but I’m really happy with how this turned out and am so proud of this album. You can get it at iTunes and CD Baby.  

New Album! FIGMENTS!

image

Thrilled to announce that our debut Duo Noire recording has been released. It’s a 35 minute collection of pieces written for us by the acclaimed Juilliard composer Raymond Lustig. This CD is the culmination of a 7 year collaboration and friendship and I am SO PROUD to be on it. The music is cutting edge and totally original, but still accessible, virtuosic, and just all around interesting and fun. Music video coming soon, but until then, check it out here: CD BabyiTunes.