In putting together our concert for this coming November (more details TBA), we are looking for a score or two with open instrumentation to round out our program. Generally, too, since our ensemble configuration is ever-changing, and we often have unique ensembles of instruments from different cultures, we’re always on the lookout for scores that can suit our flexible instrumentation.

If you have anything that might fit this description, please send it along!

For information about how to submit you works please see our call for scores page.

Summer is a great time for updates, and we’ve been doing a few tweaks to our website to help push our online persona into the twenty-teens (though, ironically, our new WordPress theme is called “Twenty-Ten”).

Beyond just our cosmetic appearance, stay tuned for news on our upcoming projects over the next year, including our exciting collaboration with the 2013 Pacific Exchange and possibilities of another collaboration with the virtuosic South Korean performers of Ensemble Sehamano.

We hope you can join us.

We just want to post a friendly reminder about our ongoing call for scores. After our hiatus this Spring and Summer we’re hoping to hit the group running with a concert in early November, and we’re always looking for exciting new pieces to perform.

Works with electronics, aleatoric elements, and open instrumentation are especially encouraged.

Due to an exceptionally quick turnaround from the recording engineers at the University of Oregon, we’re thrilled to share with you the music from our concert in Beall Hall last Sunday.

As always, thank you to all of our composers and performers for making this concert such a wonderful success.

Kubota Garden: I. The Mountainside – Christopher S. Prosser

Christopher S. Prosser, conductor;
Jannie Wei, violin;
Katie White, viola;
Kelly Quesada, cello;
Colin Hurowitz, percussion;
Leila Hawana, percussion;
Peter White, percussion.

Four Descriptive Songs: Eye – Moshe Shulman

Katie White, viola;
Colin Hurowitz, vibraphone.

TONGTOKKUNG – Simon Hutchinson

Esther Fredrickson, flute;
Jannie Wei, violin;
Katie White, viola;
Kelly Quesada, cello.

In Common – David MacBride

Peter White, temple bowls;
Jannie Wei, violin.

飞来峰一线天 (Flying Mountain—One Thread of Heaven) – Aaron Pergram

Christopher S. Prosser, conductor;
Esther Fredrickson, flute;
Jannie Wei, violin;
Katie White, viola;
Kelly Quesada, cello;
Colin Hurowitz, percussion;
Leila Hawana, percussion;
Peter White, percussion.

Thank you to all of our composers and performers for a fantastic concert earlier this month. Please enjoy a few selections from our program:

Jiu Ge – Mei-ling Lee

I. Dong Whang…

Helena Kopchick Spencer, Bassoon

池魚映月 “Fish Glimmer by the Moonlight in this Clear Pond” – Aaron Pergram

Evan C. Paul, piano
Yinchi Chang, oboe
Austin Haag, double bass

Cowboys and Samurais (2011) – Simon Hutchinson

Wesley Price, Guitar
Simon Hutchinson, Shamisen

Please enjoy a couple of recordings from our Spring 2011 Concert:

Voice – Takemitsu Toru

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Tara Schwab, Flute

Stars over Japan – Seth Stewart

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Aaron Pergram, Bassoon
Seth Stewart, Guitar

Jenifer Jaseau and Rebecca Stuhlbarg perform Jaseau’s “roundlight”

Apologies for the uncharacteristic delay.

Here are the mp3s from our concert last February with guest artist, mezzo soprano and new music specialist, Rebecca Stuhlbarg.

Cante Jondo (I) – Elaine Fine

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Alexis Gibbons, Piano

Aquí te amo – Paul Lombardi

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Evan C. Paul, Piano

Epigraph – Jeff Winslow

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Alexis Gibbons, Piano

Midnight Song of Wu, from “Three Chinese Songs” – Martha Sullivan

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Hau-Wei Chang, Piano

Gold Mountain – Hau-Wei Chang

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Evan C. Paul, Piano

roundLight – Jenifer Jaseau

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Jenifer Jaseau, live electronics

Prayer in Four Verses – Damien Bradley

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Seth Stewart, Guitar
Dustin Shilling, Percussioin
Chrissie Chen, Cello

Shiva Tandava Stotram – Joel Ford

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Christopher Prosser, Conductor
Joel Ford, Clarinet
Jenifer Jaseau, Alto Sax
Seth Stewart, Guitar
Simon Hutchinson, Shamisen
Dustin Shilling, Percussion

Suzuki’s Song, from “ONODA” – Simon Hutchinson

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Christopher Prosser, Conductor
Laura March, Flute
Jenifer Jaseau, Soprano Sax
Joel Ford, Clarinet
Brian McKee, Bassoon
Hau-Wei Chang, Piano
Dustin Shilling, Percussion
Simon Hutchinson, Bass

We were truly overwhelmed by both the quantity and quality of the pieces that we received in our call for scores for our collaboration concert with Ms. Rebecca Stuhlbarg. It took us a little longer to go through everything than we expected, but we’re thrilled to announce our program for our concert next month:

Elaine Fine – Cante Jondo (I, II, and VI)
Paul Lombardi – Aquí te amo
Jeff Winslow – Epigraph
Martha Sullivan – Midnight Song of Wu, from “Three Chinese Songs”
Hau-Wei Chang – Gold Mountain
Jenifer Jaseau – roundLight
Damien Bradley – Prayer in Four Verses
Joel Ford – Shiva Tandava Stotram
Simon Hutchinson – Suzuki’s Song, from “ONODA”

Thank you again to all that shared their music with us through the call for scores.

In addition to our ongoing call for scores, we have a special call for scores for our concert in Winter of 2011:

The TaiHei Ensemble is proud to announce a call for scores for our concert on February 5th, 2011 featuring guest artist Rebecca Stuhlbarg.

Rebecca Stuhlbarg is a mezzo-soprano in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in contemporary music. She received her Masters in Vocal Performance from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2007 and has maintained an active teaching and performing schedule since graduation. In addition to performing as a guest artist and featured chorus member at Opera San Jose, Rebecca performs lead and secondary roles in smaller opera companies throughout the Bay Area. She has sung roles in contemporary operas such as The Medium and The Consul by Menotti, Street Scene by Weill, and The Crucible by Ward. Lead roles include Hansel from Hansel and Gretel and Lisa in The Cannabis Cantata. She has also been section leader and alto soloist in the choral ensemble Ariose for the last two years. Most recently Rebecca organized and performed in a recital in Santa Cruz featuring music by Amy Beach and operatic favorites. Rebecca also enjoys conducting, playing violin, doing yoga, and being a mom.

In this call for scores, we are looking for pieces for mezzo soprano that incorporate the TaiHei Ensemble’s theme of cross-cultural dialog in the Pacific Rim. The work may be for voice and any instrument or ensemble. Preference will be given to smaller groups and piano and voice. Pieces including electronics or for unaccompanied voice will also be considered.

The deadline for submission is November 1st, 2010.

For this call, we are only accepting electronic submissions. Please send the following to simon [at-sign] taiheiensemble [period] com:
-Your Bio (PDF or Word Document)
-Your score (PDF, and including any software or audio required for performance).
-Program notes for your piece (PDF or Word Document), including, if is not immediately apparent, how it relates to intercultural communication in the Pacific Rim
-A recording of your piece (mp3) if available

There is no fee for submission. Composers may send multiple works for consideration, but please send each submission in a separate eMail.