Monday, May 01, 2017
"The Conqueror Worm Suite" performed at Arts at the Armory Cafe this Friday, May 5
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Journeys in Sound presents
Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell - The Conqueror Worm Suite plus the debut of the Sunniva Brynnel/Sara Pajunen Duo
Friday, May 5, 2017 at 8pm
Arts at the Armory Cafe 191 Highland Ave. Somerville
INTRODUCING A SUITE
Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell (trumpet and accordion) are delighted to announce The Conqueror Worm Suite, a 6-part suite of music, words and images based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm. The duo present their original compositions, incorporating a reading of the poem, in conjunction with a projected set of animated illustrations by visual artist Natalie C. Sousa.
ABOUT
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm is a short five-stanza poem containing rich imagery and a cosmic scope that has inspired numerous artists and musicians. Using Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale as an inspiration, the The Conqueror Worm Suite consists of a reading of the poem surrounded by music inspired by it. Holmes and Farrell share compositional duties, drawing on their knowledge of Eastern European folk music and the work of composers including Shostakovich, Chopin and Duke Ellington, to create a set of music that works with and against the text’s imagery and narrative elements. The music allows room for their finely-tuned improvisational interplay, and the shared compositional format allows them to tweak and reference each other’s themes and moods, lending playful moments to the proceedings. The visuals by Sousa are projected on a screen adjacent to the performers, further drawing the audience into the landscape of Poe’s vision.
The suite is approximately 30 minutes long. To create a full concert-length program, the duo draws from their existing repertoire of original works and arrangements of music by Shostakovich, Satie and others.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell are a trumpet & accordion duo whose performances range from klezmer, original concert music and improvisation to interpretations of Romantic-era composers and more. Accordionist Farrell (Yo-Yo Ma, Frank London, Yiddish Art Trio) and trumpeter Holmes (Erik Satie Quartet, Trio Blastphemy, Ben Holmes Quartet, Tarras Band) bring together a unique array of experiences to present a truly original program of music ranging from the 19th-21st Century and beyond. Referring to themselves as “New York City’s Premiere Klezmer/Spaghetti Western/Improv/Pop/Waltz/Freak
http://www.pattysounds.com/ben
Natalie C. Sousa is a creative director specializing in book packaging. She currently works at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Outside of her profession, she takes on personal projects and collaborations with other artists. The Conqueror Worm Suite is her first animation collaboration with Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell.
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Sunniva Brynnel – accordion and voice
Sara Pajunen – violin
With deep roots in the Swedish and Finnish folk music traditions, this duo will perform both traditional music from the two countries as well as their original music. Having recently met at the New England Conservatory, the duo found an instant musical kinship.
Sunniva Brynnel was born in Uddevalla, on the Swedish west coast. She grew up in a musical family and started to play the piano at the age of 5. Her travels and studies and explorations of various music have taken her to many places including Ireland and England. She has studied with noted English accordionist Karen Tweed as well as Finnish pianist/composer Timo Alakotila with whom she released a duo album with last year. She is currently based in Boston where she is studying for a Masters of music in jazz at the New England Conservatory and is active as a freelance musician as well as being a member of the highly regarded folk root ensemble Night Tree.
See www.sunnivabrynnel.com for more info
Sara Pajunen is a Minneapolis-based violinist, composer, and creator. Described as ‘an amazingly versatile musician who now counts among the most ambitious and notable practitioners of Finnish folk music outside of Finland,’ Pajunen has formed three touring ensembles surrounding her Finnish heritage, recorded four albums that blend old and new within unique sound, and currently tours and teaches in the United States and Europe.
Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell (trumpet and accordion) are delighted to announce The Conqueror Worm Suite, a 6-part suite of music, words and images based on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm. The duo present their original compositions, incorporating a reading of the poem, in conjunction with a projected set of animated illustrations by visual artist Natalie C. Sousa.
ABOUT
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Conqueror Worm is a short five-stanza poem containing rich imagery and a cosmic scope that has inspired numerous artists and musicians. Using Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale as an inspiration, the The Conqueror Worm Suite consists of a reading of the poem surrounded by music inspired by it. Holmes and Farrell share compositional duties, drawing on their knowledge of Eastern European folk music and the work of composers including Shostakovich, Chopin and Duke Ellington, to create a set of music that works with and against the text’s imagery and narrative elements. The music allows room for their finely-tuned improvisational interplay, and the shared compositional format allows them to tweak and reference each other’s themes and moods, lending playful moments to the proceedings. The visuals by Sousa are projected on a screen adjacent to the performers, further drawing the audience into the landscape of Poe’s vision.
The suite is approximately 30 minutes long. To create a full concert-length program, the duo draws from their existing repertoire of original works and arrangements of music by Shostakovich, Satie and others.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell are a trumpet & accordion duo whose performances range from klezmer, original concert music and improvisation to interpretations of Romantic-era composers and more. Accordionist Farrell (Yo-Yo Ma, Frank London, Yiddish Art Trio) and trumpeter Holmes (Erik Satie Quartet, Trio Blastphemy, Ben Holmes Quartet, Tarras Band) bring together a unique array of experiences to present a truly original program of music ranging from the 19th-21st Century and beyond. Referring to themselves as “New York City’s Premiere Klezmer/Spaghetti Western/Improv/Pop/Waltz/Freak
http://www.pattysounds.com/ben
Natalie C. Sousa is a creative director specializing in book packaging. She currently works at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Outside of her profession, she takes on personal projects and collaborations with other artists. The Conqueror Worm Suite is her first animation collaboration with Ben Holmes & Patrick Farrell.
******************************
Sunniva Brynnel – accordion and voice
Sara Pajunen – violin
With deep roots in the Swedish and Finnish folk music traditions, this duo will perform both traditional music from the two countries as well as their original music. Having recently met at the New England Conservatory, the duo found an instant musical kinship.
Sunniva Brynnel was born in Uddevalla, on the Swedish west coast. She grew up in a musical family and started to play the piano at the age of 5. Her travels and studies and explorations of various music have taken her to many places including Ireland and England. She has studied with noted English accordionist Karen Tweed as well as Finnish pianist/composer Timo Alakotila with whom she released a duo album with last year. She is currently based in Boston where she is studying for a Masters of music in jazz at the New England Conservatory and is active as a freelance musician as well as being a member of the highly regarded folk root ensemble Night Tree.
See www.sunnivabrynnel.com for more info
Sara Pajunen is a Minneapolis-based violinist, composer, and creator. Described as ‘an amazingly versatile musician who now counts among the most ambitious and notable practitioners of Finnish folk music outside of Finland,’ Pajunen has formed three touring ensembles surrounding her Finnish heritage, recorded four albums that blend old and new within unique sound, and currently tours and teaches in the United States and Europe.
Accordionist Sunniva Brynnel shown here performing with her Swedish folk trio Wingård/Bäckman/Brynnel a few years back ...
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Pajunen earned classical music degrees in both the United States and Finland, and her work has received funding from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Jerome Foundation, and Koneen Säätiö. She is the 2015/16 Finlandia Foundation Performer of the Year. Her solo project, entitled Laatikko/Box, blends archival material, audio interviews, music and field recordings to create a contemplative sound piece on the universality of change. The Laatikko/Box album was released January 2017.
See http://www.sarapajunen.
Sara Pajunen performing one of her own compositions ...
reserve here ,,, www.the-conqueror-worm-sui
suggested donation is $13 with a reservation, $10 for students & those on a fixed income
suggested donation is $15 & $12 without a reservation if room is not to capacity
for more info e-mail journeysinsoundpresents@gmail.
suggested donation is $13 with a reservation, $10 for students & those on a fixed income
suggested donation is $15 & $12 without a reservation if room is not to capacity
for more info e-mail journeysinsoundpresents@gmail.
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