afterimage: Available January 13, 2020
On Friday, January 17, 2020 the String Orchestra of Brooklyn will release our debut album, afterimage, featuring music by Chris Cerrone and Jacob Cooper, and guest artists the Argus Quartet and soprano Mellissa Hughes and mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney. The album will be released on the Furious Artisans label and will be widely available for purchase and streaming on multiple platforms.
The New Yorker writes: “The String Orchestra of Brooklyn, an enterprising ensemble that consistently enriches the city’s artistic landscape, heralds the arrival of its long-overdue début studio recording. The shrewdly assembled album, “afterimage,” includes brief works by Paganini and Pergolesi that provide the germinal material for substantial new offerings by Christopher Cerrone…and Jacob Cooper.”
Support New Music for a New Year!
Since the beginning of the SOB, we have always appreciated the strong support of our community for our new music programming. Thanks to people like you, we’ve commissioned or premiered over 35 new works, and performed dozens more written by living composers. New music comprises almost 50% of our season.
Our annual STRING THEORIES FESTIVAL has become the focus of our new music programming, and in 2018 we celebrate its fourth year with an exciting lineup of new collaborations, the continuation of several existing partnerships, and one very special new commission.
Wednesday, March 28, 8pm | Roulette
Our festival opens with composer Eric Lyon’s world premiere of “Punk Double Concerto” for the experimental violin duo String Noise, and Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier.
Thursday, March 29, 8pm | Roulette
We welcome back our friends from the Rhythm Method string quartet for an evening of works written by members of the quartet’s very own musicians.
Friday, March 30, 8pm | Roulette
For the third and final night of String Theories 2018, we revisit some earlier SOB commissions of works based on drones and minimalist, additive processes. We’ll combine Tony Conrad’s Empire (which we premiered at the opening of the new Whitney Museum) with Zach Layton’s Stridulations (a work based on and performed alongside found recordings of insect noises) and existing works by John Cage and Pauline Oliveros to create an evening length work of epically minimal proportions!
A Look at the Year Ahead: Support our 10th Anniversary Season!
Last week’s letter from Artistic Director and Founder Eli Spindel highlighted some of the accomplishments we’re proudest of from the past 10 years, and reaffirmed our deeply rooted conviction that art and music are integral to our everyday lives. It is in this spirit that we invite you to join us in celebrating the second half of our 10th anniversary season in 2017 by making a fully tax-deductible donation to the SOB this December.
We’ve got incredible projects just around the corner, starting on February 4 with our second collaboration with world-renowned violinist Giora Schmidt performing the Barber Violin Concerto, alongside another conducting workshop cultivating the next generation of our musical leaders. Then, in March, we celebrate our third annual String Theories Festival featuring the work of 21st-century composers from Brooklyn and around the world. This year’s headlining commission comprises an evening-length multimedia work written by the W4 New Music Collective (composers Molly Herron, Matt Frey, and Tim Hansen). Our second night of String Theories features a portrait concert of composer Anna Clyne, in partnership with Roulette Intermedium and MIVOS string quartet, and the festival will conclude on the third night with a performance from the Argus String Quartet (featured on our forthcoming debut album).
And these are just a few examples of what’s in store for 2017. As a community-based ensemble, your support makes collaborations, commissions, and concerts like ours possible. If you too care about accessible and high-quality art in your backyard, made by the very people in your neighborhoods, then we ask you to join us in supporting the String Orchestra of Brooklyn for 2017 and beyond.
Some Words from Artistic Director and Founder Eli Spindel
Dear Friends,
Every year at the beginning of December your inbox starts to fill up with requests for donations from worthy non-profit institutions. And especially given recent events, we know that there are many worthy causes that are urgently vying for your time, attention, and donation dollars. I’m writing because I know you agree that the arts play a crucial role in shaping and reflecting the kind of society we want to live in, and are in need of your support now more than ever.
It’s hard to believe, but the String Orchestra of Brooklyn is now in the middle of its 10th anniversary season. Over our first ten years we’ve performed experimental works at the Museum of Modern Art and free children’s concerts in Fort Greene Park. We played the opening gala of the new Whitney Museum of American Art and a 4th of July fireworks event in Coney Island for the Brooklyn Cyclones. We’ve partnered with amazing organizations, started an annual contemporary music festival, helped train a new generation of musical leaders through our regular conducting workshops, and we’re now in the middle of recording our inaugural album.
All of these programs have been made possible by the talent and passion of our amazing group of volunteer musicians and the generosity of the wider community who support us. The next ten years will bring a new slate of opportunities and challenges, and we’re counting on your continued support to help us along the way as audience members, volunteers, and donors. If you’re able, please consider making a donation today to help us meet our year-end fundraising goal of $15,000.
Sincerely,
Eli
Eli Spindel
Artistic Director and Founder
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn
Announcing Conducting Workshop: Barber’s Violin Concerto with Giora Schmidt and Beethoven Symphony No. 8, led by Tito Muñoz and Eli Spindel
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce our next weekend conducting workshop — January 27–29, 2017 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB Conducting Workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy.
SCHEDULE
Friday, January 27
7:15–9:45pm Rehearsal of workshop repertoire led by Maestro Muñoz
Good Shepherd Church, 152 West 66th Street, New York, NY
Saturday, January 28
10:00am–1:00pm: Session 1
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
Good Shepherd Church, 152 West 66th Street, New York, NY
Sunday, January 29
10:00am–1:00pm: Session 3
2:00–5:00pm: Session 4
St. Ann’s Church, 157 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY
REPERTOIRE
MENDELSSOHN Hebrides Overture
BARBER Violin Concerto (with Giora Schmidt)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please fill out the following application form. You will be asked to provide links to two conducting videos. Make sure the videos represent your best work and show you from a front view.
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: December 31
Decisions announced: January 2
Tuition due: January 9
TUITION
$750 (non-refundable)
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please upload a video of your playing in the online application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $25 per session ($125 for all 5).
CONTACT
Please email (info@thesob.org) with any questions or concerns.
Announcing the next SOB Conducting Workshop!
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce our next weekend conducting workshop — October 28–30, 2016 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB Conducting Workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy. A Q&A with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel will follow the conducting sessions on October 29.
SCHEDULE
Friday, October 28
7:15–9:45 Rehearsal of workshop repertoire led by Maestro Muñoz
Good Shepherd Church, 152 West 66th Street, New York, NY
Saturday, October 29
10:00am–1:00pm: Session 1
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
5:15–6:15pm: Discussion with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel
Good Shepherd Church, 152 West 66th Street, New York, NY
Sunday, October 30
10:00am–1:00pm: Session 3
2:00–5:00pm: Session 4
The Met Opera Guild, Opera Learning Center, 165 West 65th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY
REPERTOIRE
TCHAIKOVSKY Serenade for Strings
TAKEMITSU Three Film Scores
ARTURO RODRIGUEZ Introducción, Canción y Fuegos de Artificio
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please fill out the following application form. You will be asked to provide links to two conducting videos. Make sure the videos represent your best work and show you from a front view.
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: September 1
Decisions announced: September 15
Tuition due: October 1
TUITION
$500 (non-refundable)
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please upload a video of your playing in the online application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $25 per session ($125 for all 5).
CONTACT
Please email (info@thesob.org) with any questions or concerns.
Auditing our Conducting Workshop, February 19–21
If you missed our concert last night of the Brahms Violin Concerto with Rachel Lee Priday, or you’re an aspiring conductor, or just someone wondering what in the hell a conductor does, exactly, consider auditing our workshop this weekend! Maestros Spindel and Muñoz will work with 15 conducting students on the Brahms concerto and Beethoven’s Egmont Overture.
Auditing tickets are $25 per session/rehearsal and can be purchased here: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=qu4xx8cab&oeidk=a07ec4iikpx6958ad70
SCHEDULE
ALL at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, 157 Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY
Friday, February 19
7:15–9:45 Rehearsal of workshop repertoire led by Maestro Muñoz
Saturday, February 20
10:00–1:00pm: Session 1
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
5:15–6:15pm: Discussion with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel
Sunday, February 21
2:00–5:00pm: Session 3
6:00–9:00pm: Session 4
REPERTOIRE
BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture
BRAHMS Violin Concerto with soloist Rachel Lee Priday
A Video Year in Review, 2016 Composers and Artists, and Our Inaugural Album!
Welcome to the String Orchestra of Brooklyn’s Video Year in Review, and a sneak peek at the awesome artists we’re working with in the year ahead!
Maybe you were able to join us for any one of the incredible concerts below, whether that be for our commissioned world premiere of Scott Wollshchleger‘s Meditation on Dust, or for our collaboration with Phoenix Symphony Music Director Tito Muñoz and critically acclaimed violinist Giora Schmidt for Astor Piazzolla‘s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Or maybe you joined us for performances of some of our favorite warhorse repertoire, like Stravinsky‘s Rite of Spring with our full orchestra friends and Maestro Muñoz, or you were able to hear us perform music of our time, like composer Kenji Bunch‘s Nocturne. Either way, you can watch and listen right here to some of this year’s highlights!
Or maybe you’ll be joining us for the year ahead! Perhaps you’re one of our conductors who has workshopped with us during our first year of conducting workshops in 2015. Or maybe you’re looking forward to 2016 collaborations with artists like violinist Rachel Lee Priday for her performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto on February 13. Or perhaps you’re interested in our commissioned world premiere of Baltimore-based composer Alexandra Gardner‘s new work for string orchestra and electronics at our March String Theories Festival, or our collaboration with loadbang for our co-commissioned premiere of Taylor Brook’s new work on the same festival.
And let’s not forget the String Orchestra of Brooklyn’s DEBUT ALBUM, made up of some of our favorite works by composers Christopher Cerrone and Jacob Cooper with their accompanying historical works:
Christopher Cerrone: High Windows (Commissioned & premiered by the SOB & Toomai String Quintet)
Paganini: Caprice No. 6 in G minor
Jacob Cooper: Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
Regardless of however you might be part of our family in 2016, we hope that you are able to help us program, perform, record, and share adventurous music by donating to our end-of-year fundraiser! Every dollar you give goes directly towards creating exciting, affordable orchestral concerts!
Support Adventurous Music in Brooklyn This Holiday Season!
Dear Friends,
As 2015 draws to a close, I’m writing to ask for your financial support as we gear up for the new year and our 10th Season (!) which begins in the fall.
We work hard every season to bring you interesting, affordable orchestral programs, but we can’t do it without your help. This past year we undertook our most ambitious programs to date. In 2015, we:
– inaugurated our annual String Theories Festival dedicated to 21st century music for strings
– played the opening of the new Whitney Museum of American Art alongside composer/violinist Tony Conrad and John Cale from The Velvet Underground
– commissioned and premiered amazing new works by Scott Wollschleger, Mario Diaz de Leon, and Reiko Füting
– performed some of our favorite warhorse repertoire, including Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, and, with Phoenix Symphony Music Director Tito Muñoz, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring– established a new program of weekend conducting workshops taught by myself and Maestro Muñoz, now entering our fourth iteration
– made our premiere at Bargemusic, NYC’s favorite floating concert hall on the East River, with pianist Steve Beck and violinist Mark Peskanov
– just this month gave the US premiere of a 200-year-old Russian play by Lermontov, with live incidental music by Khachaturian
Not too shabby! The coming year is already shaping up to be just as exciting, starting in February with a performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto with Rachel Lee Priday paired with Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge and a recent work by Brooklyn-based composer Timo Andres, followed in March by our second annual String Theories Festival, this year featuring commissions by Alexandra Gardner, Taylor Brook, and the New York premiere of Chris Cerrone’s LA Philharmonic-commissioned The Pieces That Fall to Earth, and in August we record our first album, to be released in spring 2017!
As we’ve become more ambitious each year, and as our rent and other expenses have more than tripled, we’ve been able to maintain the low (usually $15) ticket prices that we’ve had since 2009 – but only through the generous financial support of our community. Your donations help us fulfill our mission to make our innovative programs accessible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds!
Our goal this year is to raise $10,000 during our end-of-year campaign. We can do it with your help – you make music possible!
Happy Holidays,
Eli Spindel
Artistic Director & Founder
String Orchestra of Brooklyn
SOB Conducting Workshop – Brahms and Beethoven
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce our next weekend conducting workshop — Feb 19–21, 2016 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB Conducting Workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy. A Q&A with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel will follow the conducting sessions on February 20.
SCHEDULE
Friday, February 19
7:15–9:45 Rehearsal of workshop repertoire led by Maestro Muñoz
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, 157 Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY
Saturday, February 20
10:00–1:00pm: Session 1
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
5:15–6:15pm: Discussion with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
Sunday, February 21
2:00–5:00pm: Session 3
6:00–9:00pm: Session 4
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
REPERTOIRE
BEETHOVEN Egmont Overture
BRAHMS Violin Concerto (with soloist Rachel Lee Priday)
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please submit a resume and cover letter to the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) explaining your musical background, interest in the program, and personal goals in conducting. Applicants must also include a sample conducting video. Videos may be uploaded and shared via an online service such as YouTube or Dropbox, or DVDs and application materials may be mailed to:
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn
79 St. James Place, #2
Brooklyn, NY 11238
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: January 11
Decisions announced: January 15
Tuition due: February 1
TUITION
$750 (non-refundable)
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please include performance history in your resume and a recording or video that demonstrates your playing ability with your application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $50 per session.
CONTACT
Please contact the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) with any questions or concerns.
SOB Conducting Workshop – Fall 2015
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce our next weekend conducting workshop — October 9–11, 2015 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB Conducting Workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy. A Q&A with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel will follow the conducting sessions on October 10.
SCHEDULE
Friday, October 9
7:15–9:45 Rehearsal of workshop repertoire led by Maestro Muñoz
Location TBA
Saturday, October 10
10:00–1:00pm: Session 1
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
5:15–6:15pm: Discussion with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel
Sunday, October 11
2:00–5:00pm: Session 3
6:00–9:00pm: Session 4
REPERTOIRE
SHOSTAKOVICH Sinfonia for Strings (arr. String Quartet No. 8, Kalmus ed)
BARBER Adagio for Strings
BACH Piano Concerto in f minor, BWV 1056
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please submit a resume and cover letter (email preferred) to the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) explaining your musical background, interest in the program, and personal goals in conducting. Applicants must also include a sample conducting video. Videos may be uploaded and shared via an online service such as YouTube or Dropbox, or DVDs and application materials may be mailed to:
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn
79 St. James Place, #2
Brooklyn, NY 11238
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: September 9
Decisions announced: September 16
Tuition due: October 1
TUITION
$450 (non-refundable)
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please include performance history in your resume and a recording or video that demonstrates your playing ability with your application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $50 per session.
CONTACT
Please contact the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) with any questions or concerns.
Announcing the String Theories Festival
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) announces its inaugural String Theories Festival, March 26–29, 2015. This four-day, four-concert festival will feature over 40 performers and composers from around the world celebrating 21st-century music for strings.
Highlights of the inaugural year include the New York premiere of Andrew Norman‘s The Companion Guide to Rome, recitals by violinists Rachel Lee Priday and Erica Dicker and violist Miranda Sielaff, and members of Contemporaneous performing a work by their co-director Dylan Mattingly for amplified string quintet. The festival culminates at Roulette, with two world premieres of SOB-commissioned works by Reiko Füting and Mario Diaz de León, performed by the String Orchestra of Brooklyn and loadbang.
The String Theories Festival expands and deepens the SOB’s commitment to promoting the creation and performance of new works for strings; to providing unique opportunities for performers and composers; and to bringing affordable, adventurous music to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and New York City.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 8PM
South Oxford Space, 138 South Oxford Street, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
General admission $15, Student/Senior $10 (order online)
The String Theories Festival kicks off with the New York premiere of Andrew Norman‘s The Companion Guide to Rome plus recent chamber works by Scott Wollschleger, Leah Asher, and John Stulz. The performance is curated by violist Anne Lanzilotti, who will also be performing alongside Meaghan Burke, cello; Lavinia Pavlish, violin; John Stulz, viola; and Alice Teyssier, flute.
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 8PM
South Oxford Space
General admission $15, Student/Senior $10 (order online)
The second concert of the String Theories Festival features violinist Rachel Lee Priday and pianist David Kaplan presenting a program of works by Chris Cerrone, Scott Wollschleger, Samuel Carl Adams, and Ludwig van Beethoven.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 8PM
South Oxford Space
General admission $15, Student/Senior $10 (order online)
For the third concert of String Theories, violinist Erica Dicker and pianist Emily Manzo present a program of works by Sofia Gubaidulina, Judd Greenstein, and the US premiere of Ig Henneman‘s In the Storm of Roses for solo violin.
SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 8PM
Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
General admission $20, Student/Senior $15 (order online)
The final concert of String Theories culminates at Roulette, where violist Miranda Sielaff performs a set of solo John Harbison etudes, followed by members of Contemporaneous performing a string quintet by Dylan Mattingly. Finally, the String Orchestra of Brooklyn and loadbang present two SOB-commissioned world premieres by Reiko Füting and Mario Diaz de León, alongside recent works by Füting, Richard Carrick, and Justė Janulytė.
SOB Conducting Workshop: Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce our second weekend conducting workshop — April 30–May 3, 2015 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB Conducting Workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy. A conversation with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel will focus on running an ensemble, and an orchestra rehearsal on April 30 led by Tito Muñoz will be open for participants to observe.
SCHEDULE
April 30
7:15–9:45pm: Orchestra rehearsal led by Tito Muñoz (St. Ann’s Church, Brooklyn Heights).
May 2
10:00–1:00pm: Session 1 (Remaining sessions at Pearl Studios, Midtown)
2:00–5:00pm: Session 2
5:15–6:15pm: Discussion with Maestros Muñoz and Spindel on running an ensemble
May 3
10:00am–1:00pm: Session 3
2:00–5:00pm: Session 4
REPERTOIRE
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, “Eroica” (Bärenreiter edition)
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please submit a resume and cover letter (email preferred) to the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn
79 St. James Place, #2
Brooklyn, NY 11238
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: March 16
Decisions announced: March 23
Tuition due: April 6
TUITION
$650 (non-refundable)
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please include performance history in your resume and a recording or video that demonstrates your playing ability with your application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $50 per session.
CONTACT
Please contact the program administrator (conductingworkshop@thesob.org
Support Music in Your Neighborhoods
Hello friends,
If you are reading this, you may already be, in one way or another, a supporter of the String Orchestra of Brooklyn. Whether you’ve been to a concert, performed with us, or just follow us from afar, you recognize that what we do, and who we are, is completely unique. Thank you for this support.
And since you value our contribution to the musical life of Brooklyn and the wider New York community, please consider taking the next step and donating to the SOB. Your contributions help us pay for all the things we need to maintain and grow our organization, from the mundane (renting space, marketing) to exciting projects like commissioning new works, hiring great soloists, and making audio and video recordings of concerts.
We’ve got another amazing year ahead. We’re especially excited to be inaugurating two new initiatives: the SOB Conducting Workshop with SOB favorite Tito Muñoz, and the String Theories Festival, four days of concerts in late March focusing on 21st century string works performed by the SOB and guest artists and ensembles.
And there’s more: a performance of Beethoven’s Eroica in February, Buxtehude’s complete cantata cycle Membra Jesu Nostri in April with the Polydora Ensemble, the world premiere of a new piano concerto by Scott Wollschleger in June, and much more.
Your donations directly support these exciting new projects, and lay the groundwork for future seasons. If adventurous music-making matters to you, please consider donating to the SOB.
We are so grateful for your support–you make what we do possible.
DONATE
Happy Holidays,
Eli Spindel
Founder and Artistic Director
This Saturday’s Free Concert: Thank You
Dear Friends:
As we enter the holiday season and approach the end of the year, we invite you to please join us this Saturday for our final performance of 2014, a concert of music by Bach, Shostakovich, and the young Lithuanian composer Justé Janulyté with guest soloists oboist Caroline Ross and mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney.
While our concerts are always presented at an affordable price, Saturday’s free concert is our way of saying “thank you” to all of those who have supported us in the past, and who we hope will continue to support us in the coming year.
We’ve got another amazing year ahead–one made possible entirely by generous contributions from our community. We’re especially excited to be inaugurating two new initiatives: the SOB Conducting Workshop (with SOB favorite Tito Muñoz), and the String Theories Festival, four days of concerts in late March focusing on 21st century string works performed by the SOB and guest artists and ensembles.
And there’s more: a performance of Beethoven‘s Eroica in February, Buxtehude‘s complete cantata cycle Membra Jesu Nostri in April with the Polydora Ensemble, the world premiere of a new piano concerto by Scott Wollschleger in June, and much more.
If adventurous music-making matters to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the SOB. Either way, we hope you can join us on Saturday night!
We are so grateful for your support–you make what we do possible.
Happy Holidays,
Eli Spindel
Founder and Artistic Director
Announcing the SOB Conducting Workshop!
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn (SOB) is excited to announce a weekend conducting workshop — January 10 & 11, 2015 — led by Tito Muñoz (Music Director of The Phoenix Symphony) and Eli Spindel (Artistic Director of the SOB).
PROGRAM DETAILS
The SOB conducting workshop offers participants conducting training in a non-competitive, supportive atmosphere with highly professional teaching and an accomplished and critically-acclaimed community orchestra. The workshop will be limited to 15 participants to ensure that each participant receives at least 45 minutes of podium time with the orchestra. The focus of the workshop will be on baton technique, leadership psychology, and orchestral pedagogy. A Q&A session with Tito Muñoz will be offered, and an orchestra rehearsal on January 9 led by Tito Muñoz will be open for participants to observe.
SCHEDULE
January 9, 7–9:30pm: Orchestra rehearsal led by Tito Muñoz
January 10 9:30am–12:30pm: Session 1
January 10 1:30–4:30pm: Session 2
January 10 4:45–5:45pm: Q&A with Tito Muñoz
January 11 9:30am–12:30pm: Session 3
January 11 1:30–4:30pm: Session 4
All sessions take place at South Oxford Space in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
REPERTOIRE
MAHLER Adagietto (Fourth Movement) from Symphony No. 5
MENDELSSOHN String Symphony No. 10 in B Minor
BARTOK Roumanian Folk Dances (string orchestra version)
DEBUSSY Danse sacrée et danse profane
Participants are responsible for all scores.
VIDEOS
Each session will be videotaped and made available to participants. Participants may use their own video equipment if they prefer.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Please submit a resume and cover letter (email preferred) to program administrator Brian Thompson (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) explaining your musical background, interest in the program, and personal goals in conducting. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include a sample conducting video if possible, but this is not a requirement for acceptance. Videos may be uploaded and shared via an online service such as YouTube or Dropbox, or DVDs and application materials may be mailed to:
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn
79 St. James Place, #2
Brooklyn, NY 11238
APPLICATION DATES
Applications due: November 1
Decisions announced: November 15
Tuition due: December 1
TUITION
$350
Participants are responsible for their own housing and meals.
PLAYER-CONDUCTORS
There will be a small number of spaces available for highly capable string players to participate in the workshop as both conductors and orchestra members at reduced tuition. If you’re interested in this option, please include performance history in your resume and a recording or video that demonstrates your playing ability with your application.
AUDITORS
A limited number of auditor spots will be available. Tuition for auditors will be $200.
CONTACT
Please contact program administrator Brian Thompson (conductingworkshop@thesob.org) with any questions or concerns.
A letter from Artistic Director Eli Spindel
Click here to support adventurous orchestral programming right here in Brooklyn.
Dear Friends,
This past Saturday the SOB capped off a year of music-making with a concert at a beautiful new venue in Fort Greene. In the middle of a snowstorm, a wonderful, attentive audience came out to hear the kind of program that they’ve come to expect from us: an incredibly moving recent work by Brooklyn composer Jacob Cooper paired with a 1736 work by Pergolesi performed with the same spirit of excitement and discovery as if the composer were sitting in the audience.
Our events over the past year were each exciting and original in their own way: A Fourth of July fireworks performance in front of thousands at the Brooklyn Cyclones stadium; guest appearances by internationally renowned soloists Tito Muñoz and Charles Neidich in a concert that drew an audience of 350–our largest ever at St. Ann’s; an open-air performance of Terry Riley’s minimalist masterpiece In C in Fort Greene Park; the world premiere of Chris Cerrone‘s beautiful High Windows–an SOB commission; collaborations with the GHOSTLIGHT Chorus, the Toomai String Quintet, and the Brooklyn Art Song Society… We were busy in 2013.
The year ahead is shaping up to be just as exciting: In February we’ll be joined again by the GHOSTLIGHT Chorus to perform Handel’s epic Dixit Dominus. March brings our third annual String Theories concert with ISSUE Project Room when we’ll premiere four new works written specifically for the ensemble. And in May our excitement is twofold: we’re continuing to commission new works for orchestra, this time with composer Matt McBane, and we’re collaborating with the insanely talented students of Face the Music–a music program for kids that focuses exclusively on the work of living composers.
Your support is what makes all of these programs possible. We work hard to fulfill our mission of presenting smart, adventurous programs at a price that everyone can afford (usually $15 or less), but that also means that ticket income doesn’t pay all our bills. Your support opens doors for us to continue to grow in new and exciting directions.
All of us at the SOB warmly invite you to join our efforts in 2014 and beyond by making a tax-deductible donation this holiday season.
$20 helps us to keep ticket prices low for our community
$50 allows us to purchase targeted online marketing for one of our events
$100 rents us space for one rehearsal
$200 pays for an injury-prevention workshop for our players
$300 secures the performance rights for a 20th/21st century work under copyright
$400 pays a videographer to immortalize one of our concerts
$500 rents us the percussion instruments we need to play the really massive stuff
$1,000 allows us to play at a new, exciting venue
$2,000 helps to commission a new piece by an emerging composer
$5,000 funds a series of educational concerts in NYC schools
$10,000 pays for the creation of a studio album
As a musician-run, all-volunteer ensemble, we guarantee that every donation made to the SOB is invested in new, forward-thinking programming and exciting collaborations within Brooklyn. Every dollar helps magnify the contributions of our players, friends, and colleagues who believe in this young and talented ensemble.
Thank you for supporting the SOB; I hope you’ll help us continue to cultivate unique and accessible orchestral music in Brooklyn!
Happy Holidays,
Eli Spindel
Founder and Artistic Director
A Tale of Two Goldbergs
This year we’re trying something a little bit new, and so our first concert of 2013 on January 20 will be a solo piano recital. The pianist, David Kaplan, has performed with us in the past, and will again in March, playing and conducting Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24. The idea is to give our audience and players a chance to hear Bach’s original Goldberg Variations—played by a top-notch pianist—a week before the orchestra will take on Dmitri Sitkovetsky’s excellent string orchestra arrangement.
Sitkovetsky’s arrangement takes the form of a concerto grosso, in which a small group of soloists is in constant dialogue with a larger body of strings. In our performance the solo parts will be covered by the members of the Toomai String Quintet, who begin a three-concert residency with the orchestra that will also include a collaborative chamber performance in mid-March and a concert of contemporary string works on June 8.
The concert on January 26 will also be performed without a conductor, which means I get to put down the baton and pick up my violin. It’s always a privilege to conduct such talented string players, and it’s equally rewarding to join in with them as an instrumentalist, as I did when we performed Haydn’s Farewell Symphony (audio) last December. For this concert I’ve assigned each orchestral player one variation from the set to take on the interpretive role that normally would fall to the conductor. So you won’t just be hearing Bach’s variations spun out from the bass line of his opening aria, but also variations of interpretation colored by each member’s unique character and musical intelligence.
You can buy tickets to these events at the door, or online here for the January 20 piano version and here for the January 26 orchestral arrangement. On either ticket page you’ll find an option to purchase tickets for both concerts together for $5 off the total price.
Hope to see you there!
– Eli Spindel, SOB Artistic Director
No Shortage of Art in NYC this Saturday
Next Saturday, September 29, is a kickin’ day for the arts in New York City. And we’re not going to list all of things going on that night, because on Saturday night, you should be one place and one place only: at St. Ann’s Church with us, enjoying our fantastic concert as we bring new life to 5 rarely-played 20th and 21st-century pieces.
But there IS something going on next Saturday (besides our concert) that we feel is worth stopping by and supporting during the day. It’s called RUCKUS NYC, they’re in the midst of a very successful Kickstarter campaign, and the idea is nothing short of awesome. Check out these funny guys:
In case you can’t watch the video right now: RUCKUS is an all-day conference that brings together a bunch of informed artists and intelligent techies (including those rare few who have managed to be both, like RUCKUS organizers Kevin Clark, Zach Herchen, and Victoria Nece) to talk about how to cultivate your art and career in a digitally-centered age – something we are all striving to do successfully.
Make sure you check them out, go to some of their lectures during the day, support them on Kickstarter, (or all of the above) and then join the SOB for a concert and lively-per-usual post-concert reception that night! Sound like an enriching way to spend a Saturday? That’s because it is.
THIS WEEK in the SOB Community and Family…
SPARKS OF LIFE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
If you want to volunteer with Arielle for the Sparks of Life program at the Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, you can visit the program’s website.
SYLVANA JOYCE AND THE MOMENT KICKSTARTER
Sean-David Cunningham’s band is running a kickstarter campaign to fund their debut album. They’ve recently reached their $5k goal but you can still contribute. More information.
AMATEUR MUSIC PROJECT AT THE ORCHESTRA OF ST. LUKE’S
From Crystal Wei: This semester and year-long program includes rehearsals and coaching sessions (10 hours/semester) by Orchestra of St. Luke’s musicians, and culminates in a performance at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Tons of fun!!! More information.
CONCERTS
A Concert to Feed the Hungry — Wednesday, September 12 at 7:00pm at St. Ann and The Holy Trinity Church
Dan Blake, Andrea Spirn’s husband, sends along info about a concert he’s organizing:
Musicians often travel the world, but rarely have the chance to celebrate the universal human desire to help those in need. Joined by bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding, pianist Leo Genovese, percussionist Richie Barshay and singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy, saxophonist Dan Blake will present an evening of music to raise money and awareness for the 3rd annual NYC “Walk to Feed the Hungry”, a 3.5 mile walk event produced by Buddhist Global Relief (BGR).
Funds raised form the “Concert to Feed the Hungry” will provide grants to BGR’s partner organizations. These organizations give vital food aid and promote greater food productivity in the communities where they operate, both locally and worldwide. One organization is the Brooklyn-based charity, “Added Value”, which helps Brooklyn youth to positively engage with their community through the operation of a socially responsible urban farming experience.
Schubert’s Last Year Part 1 — Friday, September 14, 8pm at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
Friend of the SOB Mike Brofman’s Brooklyn Art Song Society is holding a season opener this Friday.
SOB members get in for $5.
Sunday, September 16, 4:30pm at Mannes College, Concert Hall, 150 West 85th St, New York, NY
SOB violinist Audrey Lo will be giving a recital featuring works by Brahms, Schubert, and Vitali.
Admission: FREE!!!
The SOB in Fort Greene Park – What a Great Day!
The SOB had a wonderful concert this past Saturday, celebrating our orchestra’s 5-year anniversary (to the exact day) in Fort Greene Park. The entire day was full of fun and beautiful weather for everyone, continuing into the evening. In case you missed it, you can watch the video and read this flattering review from The New York Times’ The Local (which you should, by the way, because The Local is great), or you can get a quick recap here:
This was the 3rd annual free outdoor concert that the SOB performed in Fort Greene Park, and the 2nd year the Fort Greene Park Conservancy presented our music in this beautiful park. But this year, we had the added pleasure of kicking off our first ever collaboration with the Noel Pointer Foundation, where we were joined by young players for two of the four pieces on our concert. Seriously, playing with these inspiring young kids was awesome. Families and parents from all over Brooklyn came to enjoy the entire evening with us, starting with an instrument petting zoo for children and their families and concluding with a boisterous rendition of Beethoven’s fifth symphony. It was wonderful to see so many people from our unique borough come together to enjoy our music that day, and we are deeply humbled by the number of people that came to share their love of music and nature with us. Thanks to everyone. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
Check out some of these beautiful photos from our day in the park, taken by the SOB’s Larry Beckhardt: (or click here to see the whole album!)
Children and parents enjoying the instrument petting zoo before the concert
Young guests from the Noel Pointer Foundation sitting alongside concertmaster Mark Chung and the SOB violins
Noel Pointer Foundation conductor Jesse Henkensiefken conducting the SOB and young NPF players
The New York Arabic Orchestra, Cool Hunting, Upcoming Concerts, and more…
As we are approaching Easter and the not-so-distant 5 year anniversary of the founding of the String Orchestra of Brooklyn (which, by the way, is exactly on the day of our Parks Concert this July 21, so expect some celebrating afterwards), we thought we’d take a look at our immediate past, present, and future, and get excited about all three:
PAST
Our March 17 concert with ISSUE Project Room was a huge success! Our four composers wrote us engaging and genuine world premieres, ISSUE was wonderful to work with (no surprises there), we had a great turnout, and our players had a blast realizing these brand new works.
Also – in case you missed it, we got some great press from the online publication Cool Hunting, showing the SOB some love. (Side note: this article was written by friend of the SOB Max Gold – a multi-talented writer, screenwriter and director who founded Blind Hummingbird Productions, who recently just completed a short film titled Step One. From one group of artists to another: awesome job!)
PRESENT & FUTURE
Tonight marks the first rehearsal for our May 5 concert, chock-full of Beethoven with the handsome and talented David Kaplan on piano. Very exciting, make sure you come out to hear his dulcet tones next month.
Perhaps in the more immediate future, however, is the April 18 concert and fundraiser put on by our friends and some of our fellow SOBers out at the New York Arabic Orchestra. Proceeds from this concert will go towards the orchestra’s Expanded Outreach Program, YOUTH Workshops, and FALL US TOUR. Help this orchestra continue to play a valuable role in our NYC community by enjoying its excellent music for an excellent cause.
In the mean time – stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter pages to keep getting updates from the SOB about what’s new and fresh in our Brooklyn world and beyond!
A look back at String Theories 2011
Sofya Melikyan with the Musica Bella Orchestra starting TOMORROW!
Friend of the SOB Sofya Melikyan, piano, is getting downright virtuosic with the Musica Bella Orchestra tomorrow during their Chamber Music/Recital Series, and then again on February 3 for what should be an excellent bit of musical bravado.
Charles Ives Marathon TOMORROW
Want to be deeply entertained and filled with musical satisfaction?
Then definitely make sure not to miss friend of the SOB and pianist extraordinaire Michael Brofman at Galapagos Art Space for the Charles Ives Marathon Concert all day tomorrow!
http://galapagosartspace.com/event/charles-ives-marathon-concert
Galapagos Art Space is delighted to partner with the Brooklyn Art Song Society as it presents its most ambitious project to date: a marathon performance of Charles Ives complete songbook in one epic evening.
Charles Ives’ collection of 114 songs single-handedly defined American music in the 20th century when it was first published in 1921. This is a rare opportunity to hear all four hours of this sometimes charming, sometimes profound, always innovative and fresh music. Some of New York’s finest singers and pianists will be sharing the stage, including famed mezzo-soprano Mary Nessinger and world- renowned Ives interpreter Paul Sperry.
Audience members will be free to stop in for an hour or two for a drink and hear some of their favorite songs or brave all four hours of music for an unforgettable experience – nothing less than the largest art song project in recent memory.
$15 online / $20 at the door
Bassist Morton Cahn at New York City Bar Association!
Guess what? Today is String Orchestra of Brooklyn’s beloved bassist Morton Cahn‘s birthday! Happy Birthday Mort!
To celebrate, he’s furiously practicing a very difficult sextet, and inviting all his friends to watch! Check out the performance tomorrow…
Friday Evening Chamber Music at New York City Bar Association
Friday, December 9, 2011 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Among other pieces, Louise Moed and Thomas Frenke, violins, Rachel Teplow and Steve Salchow, volas, Kurt Behnke, cello, Morton Cahn, bass, playing a sextet by Julius Roentgen.
Suggested donation of $10, payable at the door. For more information, please e-mail ChamberMusic@nycbar.org
SOB Flutist Maureen Keenan at CULTUREFIX
Do you love flute? Do you love talent? Do you love swanky bars on the Lower East Side? Then you should definitely check out the SOB’s Flutist/Piccolo extraordinaire Maureen Keenan play at CultureFix this upcoming November 27th at 7:30 p.m.
| 9 Clinton Street New York, NY 10002 (646) 863-7171 |
| In the mean time, you can hear her this upcoming Saturday, November 19th at 8 PM during our Concert at St. Ann’s! |
New York Arabic Orchestra in Bryant Park
Get yourself to Bryant Park on Tuesday evening at 5:30 to support SOB violinist Marandi Hostetter, who will be performing with the New York Arabic Orchestra as part of Make Music New York, a daylong celebration of free music around the city. The concert will take place near the fountain on the corner of 41st St. and Avenue of the Americas.
Sylvana Joyce and the Moment on the Bowery
Go see SOB giant Sean-David Cunningham tear it up gypsy-style at the Bowery Electric this Thursday at 8:30 with his band Sylvana Joyce and the Moment.
reTransfigured Night
In case you missed the SOB’s epic string sextet concert last weekend at the Brooklyn Conservatory, the group that played Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht will be performing it again this coming Wednesday, April 20 at 8:00pm. The night is sponsored by Classical Revolution NYC and takes place at culturefix, 9 Clinton Street in the LES. No cover.
Japan Earthquake Relief
In light of this week’s heart-wrenching events in Japan, the orchestra has decided to donate 100% of proceeds from our April 9 sextet concert to the Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund. Click here to donate directly.
SOB in TimeOut
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn/ISSUE Project Room String Theories concert was just listed as one of the “Top Five [Classical] Events This Week” by TimeOut NY.
Nordic Lights
One World Symphony, who share a home at St. Ann’s with the SOB, are performing a concert tonight at 8:00pm featuring music from Scandanavia, including works by Grieg (the Piano Concerto), Sibelius, Saariaho, and Salonen. Many SOB members will be on stage in the string section! A second performance follows on Sunday in Manhattan.
A Night of Sacred and Profane Music
SOB members Eric Cooper, Pedro Vizzarro Vallejos, Wayne Xia, and Audrey Lo, who with harpist Adan Vasquez make up La Camerata Washington Heights, perform on Sunday, March 20 at 7:00pm at Culture Fix in the Lower East Side. The program will feature Debussy’s Sacred and Profane Dances, as well as works by Bach, Beethoven, Villa-Lobos, Satie, and Grandjany. Grab a beer at the bar and then head into the gallery in the back for the performance.
The new www.thesob.org
Welcome to the new website of the String Orchestra of Brooklyn, now featuring audio, video, an archive of past concerts, and much more! This space, the SOBlog, will feature news and announcements about the orchestra, activities of individual orchestra members, and other events of interest in and around Brooklyn. Subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up-to-date on everything that’s happening.
The new SOB site was designed by Molly Spindel Flomer at Spindel Studios and programmed by James Acklin at Acklin Design. We thank them for the beautiful design and implementation of the new site and all their hard work!