CD Release Party for Canopy, Moments and more with Mara Gibson’s “Artifacts”
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Excited and proud to announce that after multiple collaborations with the amazing composer Mara Gibson, a CD of her chamber music is celebrating a Release Party on May 22nd! The recording, titled “Artifacts,” includes two large pieces written for me: Canopy (2011) and Moments (2013).
Mara and I met in Bangkok at the 2009 Thailand International Composition Festival and instantly new we were destined to work together. “Artifacts” represents the culmination of many rehearsals, meetings, tours and late-night brainstorming. It is absolutely joyous to celebrate all of those moments by being a part of this project. Thank you Mara!
Below is a description of “Artifacts” provided by Mara Gibson
“Gibson’s music has been noted as boasting “attractive, believable, attention-holding verisimilitude” and ideal for listeners seeking “new works that experiment with alternative sounds and find an effective way to give those voices meaning.” Online blog reviews have proclaimed Flone “an absorbing work that exerts narrative logic and reflects both backward and forward” and “a most compelling and fascinating work.” Another writer declares that passages in Moments “melt in a rich, luxurious chocolate of colour and texture.” Chamber Music Today offers reflections about Canopy and the Paine sculpture to which it relates, saying, “Gibson’s sonic stimuli synergize nicely with Paine’s sculpture’s visual and haptic stimuli. Together, the two works manifest a cohesion that is evident to listeners/viewers … a brilliant success as a tandem installation.” Another CMT critique says Canopy “culminates in a radiant, nature-affirming performance,” while the American Viola Society asserts that “Canopy, performed by Michael Hall … is highly attractive music for viola.” Map of Rain Hitting Water, Gibson’s multi-elemental percussion piece and film collaboration, has been described as “a superb composition, an excellent film … sufficient to propel an evening’s meditation and beyond.”
ArtIfacts is Mara’s first full solo CD featuring her recent works with performances by Tom Aber, Michael Hall, Robert Pherigo, Mark Lowry, Luisa Sello, Ya-Ting Liou, Blas Gonzalez and Alvin Wong, artwork and design by Caitlin Horsmon, sound engineering by Bob Beck and notes edited by Sarah Tyrrell.
As Gibson describes, “performers are an integral part of my compositional process, and in fact I view performers as equal collaborators. Without their openness, creativity and perspective, my music could not be realized. The pieces in this compilation share a common platform: each piece was written with specific performers in mind.”
ArtIfacts will be available through CD Baby, I-tunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify and several other platforms.”