Artist Roundtable: The Composers of SYMPHONIC STRADIVARIUS

photo credit: Benjamin Ealovega

Equipped with a “1690s ‘Stephens’ Stradivari” violin, Davide Alogna joins the esteemed London Symphony Orchestra, to unite several contemporary composers on SYMPHONIC STRADIVARIUS, a showcase of the diverse influences and creative capabilities of modern classical composition.

PARMA Senior Content Writer Shane Jozitis recently connected with the composers of SYMPHONIC STRADIVARIUS to learn about the inspirations, processes, and realizations behind their works. Read on for an exclusive deep dive into the creative minds of Richard E Brown, Nan Avant, Joseph T. Spaniola, Deborah Kavasch, Liova Bueno, Paul Paccione, Michael J. Evans, and Mark Dal Porto.

Completing a piece for orchestra is a big accomplishment, and so is having it recorded and released. Can you recall the emotions you felt when hearing this work performed for the first time by the LSO?

RB: Of course the first thing that came to mind was “That is one of the top orchestras in the world, the same one that I hear every day on the classical radio station and the one that recorded all those big John Williams movie scores. Now here they are, recording a piece of mine that I wrote especially for them. Someone please assure me that this is real and not just a fantasy!”

NA: The recording day was spectacular!  First off, minutes before the recording session began, I met with Brad Michel and the recording team and met our illustrious violinist, Davide Alogna. That was a magical moment to meet him, briefly discuss my new piece and snap some quick photos with him holding the Stradivarius violin. The London Symphony Orchestra was magnificent, and Davide’s playing was breathtaking. He played my composition with such passion, which made this recording session an extraordinary experience. 

The repertoire on SYMPHONIC STRADIVARIUS offers musical insight into the environmental aspects of our world. What aspects does your piece explore, and what do you hope for listeners to take away from this music?

JS: My piece, A Solitary Tree, is an evocative image, be it in an urban oasis, in a scarred countryside — a remnant of a once vibrant forest, or in a desolate, forbidding corner of the planet. Winston Churchill said, “Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong.” Through the years, decades, possibly centuries, rooted in the past while reaching towards the future this lone sentinel stands firmly, yet flexibly and observes. The tree’s solitary existence highlights its strength and resilience, as it withstands the elements and grows against the odds. As the tree extends its branches, it becomes a haven for various birds, mammals, and insects. It provides shelter and sustenance, becoming an integral part of a larger ecosystem, its community. It is connected to the diversity of life that surrounds it. As the progression of life, death, and rebirth continues all around it, the lone tree endures.

DK: I was inspired by the poem, The Peace of Wild Things, by environmentalist Wendell Berry, whose words describe how today’s despair and fears can be freed by observing the peace of creatures in the natural world who have no “forethought of grief,” coming into the presence of still water and “day-blind” stars, and resting in the grace of world. My hope is that listeners will recognize how the buildup of anxiety can be released by contemplating the stillness and peace found in the natural world.

What are your musical interests outside of classical? Are there any qualities or language from other genres that you find trickling into your orchestral writing?

LB: The rhythmic flexibility that is present in the popular dances from Latin America and the Caribbean has been a significant influence on my music-writing style. Although in a piece like Evening on the Hill I don’t consciously reference any particular styles (either within or outside of classical music), the rhythmic nature of the writing and the way that layered rhythms create textures and structural elements of conflict/resolution are related to the rhythmic complexity and layering in so much Latin American and Caribbean music that I’ve been steeped in throughout my life.

PP: I have always been interested in and listened to all forms and types of music. This has  influenced my own music in different ways and to varying degrees (both conscious and  unconscious). Like many Baby Boomers, my earliest musical experiences were playing electric guitar in neighborhood rock-and-roll garage bands. We played cover versions of the latest music we heard on the local rock radio stations. I learned most of this music by ear, listening repeatedly to successive fragments of a recording until I was able to accurately replicate them on the instrument. This was my first attempt at getting inside a piece of music. A great deal of formal training came later, but these early experiences were essential.

What is the most unusual or unexpected source of inspiration you’ve ever had for a composition? 

MJE: Extraterrestrials and “hold” music: I started a piece where I imagined a soloist getting abducted by aliens and auditioned for an extraterrestrial orchestra. The soloist faces a series of challenges. In between each challenge there is “hold” music, while the next challenge is decided. I used Bossa Nova for the “hold” music, which led a friend to state that it sounded like his dog on a walk, which led to me deciding to write themes for some of the neighborhood dogs. That’s just how my brain works.

MDP: On my Navona Records album PEACE, NATURE & RENEWAL, I have a woodwind quintet that was recorded by the Arcadian Winds titled Exotic Animals Suite. There I utilized bird calls and sounds of a roaring lion into the piece through the use of many different types of special effects (multiphonics, glissandi, flutter tonguing, quarter tones, key slaps, and reed crowing). However, none of these special effects I found necessary to include in my orchestral work Tarantella that is included in PARMA’s SYMPHONIC STRADIVARIUS album.