Blog posting written by Shea Lynch, Documentary Studies and Production '13, FLEFF Blogger, Glens Falls, New York

Joy to bitterness. Hope to grief. FLEFF's exclusive Carmina Burana show premiers Tuesday, April 2nd and the performers, Ithaca College's Brad Hougham and Deborah Martin, are hard at work planning the event, continuing to tweak the 25 song setlist and choreograph the many trombonists that will accompany this performance. Tonight, they gave interns a discussion on the poems and a preview of the music.

Written between the 11th and 12th Century, Carmina Burana is a collection of over 250 manuscripts from students and clergy; sexual, satirical, and full of youthful mischief. These poems explore the human reality of lust, pleasure, and pain of Western European youth. Infused with Monteverdi, Canto Gregoriano and Stravinsky, this musical contata is a unique experience.

FLEFF will be inviting Jairo Geronymo back for a two-piano performance, this time accompanied by violins, percussions and flutes; a diversified look at music and emotion. FLEFF interns will also be creating new media art for projection during the performances. This will be a show like no other, stay tuned for more updates!

What are you looking forward to most?

 “If utopias are nowhere, microtopias are everywhere.”

Microtopias never stay the same. They are alive. Like an audience, they move, respond and engage.

The concert was harmonious in its differences, overlapping in a seamless manner. It took the microtopias concept of a shared world, applying it to the worlds of music, theater, poetry and live audio/visual mixing.  

Everything was fantastic and vital to the concert. The pianos. Brad Hougham’s angelic voice. The poetry brought to life. The visuals. My favorite use of the visual mixing was the combination of past rehearsal films and in-the-moment monologues. Also the overlap of close ups on hands with the larger shot of the piano performances was unique and strikingly beautiful.

Each aspect of the concert was a small place, a microtopia within the microtopia of the concert.

The performers, the visuals, the music all engaged in a conversation with each other, but also with the audience. They broke all performance boundaries — because there are no such things as boundaries within a microtopia. The possibilities are endless. Grow and see the world with different eyes and different perspectives; acknowledge different concepts.

For example, the purple fabric was transformational. Depending on the context, the small space within the concert, the fabric went from water to a small child being sung a lullaby. At one point, when the fabric represented the tide, it skimmed my foot as it was dragged down the stairs. Invested in the concert and the moment, I could have sworn water trickled over my toes.

But even with its different purposes, the transparent cloth was a constant throughout the entire concert. It was a staple uniting the pieces. It also united the audience, being carried over the their heads. The moment when everyone reached up, mystified, to touch the fabric was extremely powerful.

Jairo Geronymo told me this concert would be different than anything I ever could expect. He was so right. The Concert for Microtopias flooded me with passion and moved me to tears -- it shocked me in all the best ways possible. And now all I want to do is talk about it.

Welcome to FLEFF week. 

Blog Posting written by Meagan McGinnes, Journalism '14, FLEFF intern, Norwood, MA 

The sign of a true artist, whether you are an artist of music, words, paint, film, community or whatever, is the recognition and utilization of texture.

Even the most unrelated topics become related, weaved together in lively and interesting way. It is the magic of FLEFF, stringing things together to make unexpected, but wonderful sense.

Example: combining a film festival with a musical concert.

Brad Hougham, assistant professor for performance studies (voice), said this concert is one of his favorites to perform in because of his musical freedom. And, man, did he use that freedom!

The repertoire includes pieces utilizing an orchestra, organ, harpsichord, cello, piano and more. The material spans from lullabies to gospel. At times, they vocally will be trying to sound like other instruments to add an interesting and cool effect.

These pieces vary in rhythms, harmonies and dissonance. Just by listening there would be no obvious connection. Yet, the differences create intrigue. Intrigue leads to conversation. Conversation leads to community. Communities lead to microtopias.

“What you see will be something different than you could have possibly ever imagined,” Hougham said.

The same can be said about the FLEFF festival: it will be different than you ever imagined. FLEFF brings a diverse group of people with imaginative minds, creating a responsive environment. And what can move people to responsiveness more than music, an art form known for stirring emotions and kindling a spark in the soul.

“I love bringing excellent music to life in a different way so old music can speak to people,” Hougham said. 

Music, similar to microtopias, is fragmented and yet it can come together. It is a safe place to push boundaries, to question the preconceived and to create textures both vibrant and new.   

Has music ever moved you to responsiveness? What material's texture do you feel best exemplifies the "texture" of FLEFF? 

Blog posting written by Chloe Wilson, Television-Radio ’14, FLEFF Intern, Ashland, Massachusetts.

Hey FLEFFers! 

So I'm going to liveblog a FLEFF session that is for the interns, but I figured all you interested FLEFFers will get a kick out of this info too.  This session is focused on The Concert for Microtopias and is hosted by two of the musicians performing in the concert.

Here goes!

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6:58 PM- Patty Zimmerman (FLEFF Festival Coordinator and Ithaca College professor) is introducing "The Concert for Microtopias" and it sounds fantastic!  Turns out we're using the Whelan School of Music for a concert location.

6:59 PM- Ann and Phil get a shout-out from Patty!  #Awesome

7:01 PM- The actresses involved in the performance are loving the microtopia theme!  The concert has been commissioned by FLEFF and is free!

7:05 PM- Patty Zimmerman is introducing pianist Debbie Martin and baritone Brad Hougham.

7:07 PM- Brad has the floor!  (He loves FLEFF because he gets to pick what he sings.)

7:09 PM- Debbie says that she loves working with dead people (musicians, I hope/am pretty sure of).  Debbie shares a story about a man and his fabric collection (and Brad bought the guy's house and it's full of fabric) and his fabric room.

7:11 PM- Debbie:  "We thought we'd start off my choosing some of our favorite things to play.  Different things that make you happy or inspired or feeling feelings at the most extreme levels.  That's what you'll find here.  You'll find everything from different countries to different takes on spiritual things to ethnic things.  Old, old-old music, new music, it's really a lot of different things."

7:14 PM- Debbie made us stand up and clap/dance along to music! It was hard to liveblog...

7:15 PM- Brad is playing us a German song with lyrics from a sacred text.  As somebody who has sung in German, it's really hard!  Gotta give the singer props.

7:16 PM- Recording isn't working... bummer.

7:17 PM- FLEFF Team Leader springs into action!  She saves the day!

7:18 PM- Discovering a love for German opera right now.

7:20 PM- The title of the song (when translated) is "I Have Enough," as it "I have enough knowing that I'll go to heaven."  What a great aria!  (Guess my older brother's interest in Gilbert and Sullivan is rubbing off on me!  Even though this particular opera is from Bach...)

7:21 PM- Brad gets to sing this piece? He mus be so excited!  (He is.  He also just said so.)

7:24 PM- Debbie is playing the piano for us.  It's such a soft melody.  Makes me wish I was that talented...

7:27 PM- Brad is playing a recording of the piece that Debbie just played.  The soprano is amazing and its such a soft lullaby!

7:30 PM- This soft opera lullaby is going to be followed up by Maurice Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante defunte."  I recognize this!  (I used to study at the New England Conservatory.  It was all music all the time!)

7:34 PM- Debbie says that the challenge will be to take these orchestral pieces and adapt them fully to piano.  It's going to be hard to adapt harp for two pianos!

7:35 PM- Next on the program?!  "Wade in the Water!!!!"  I'm so excited!  I performed to this in high school and am obsessed with this song. 

7:36 PM- Listening to Big Mama Thornton's cover!

7:38 PM- I always get chills listening to this song!  This cover is by the African American Choral Ensemble.  Loving the alto line in this!

7:40 PM- Brad says that microtopias occur all over the IC campus... when professors teach in their classroom, in organizations, etc.

7:42 PM- From Debbie: The word "tarantella" comes from "tarantula." Ew...

7:43 PM- Listening to "Anytime" by William Finn.

7:45 PM- Somebody is asking a great question about how to collaborate over long distances!  Brad is saying that they owe a lot to Patty and that she helps bring everyone together.

7:47 PM- Debbie is going to Berlin to practice with her fellow pianist!  I'm jealous, it's such a beautiful city and there's so much history. 

7:50 PM- Debbie:  "If you really sit and think about it... these small moments of every aspect of who we are and what we are and it's fragmented and yet it can come together... That's what we're aiming for.  This should be a new experience!  Something that you don't do all the time."

7:51 PM- Brad: "I feel that FLEFF has opened my boundaries greatly... Just knowing that this is Ithaca, it's a really tremendous and wonderful safe place where you can expand yourself as an artist."

7:52 PM- Brad: "I love music and I love pushing the limit.  I love having the music speak to people."

7:55 PM- Art Jones is the VJ for the concert!  According to Patty, he has never worked with classical musicians.  This will be a cool experience for everyone!

8:00 PM- Brad:  "It's interesting to wonder what brings people to the concert.  I think it's great that people are there because of music and their appreciation and love of music.  I think that having a response is also really important.  Not applause at the end, it's about the sense of something being given and something being received."

8:03 PM- And that's a wrap!  Brava!  Thank you!  Encore!  Many other words to express the thanks of the FLEFF interns.

What music would you want to hear at a FLEFF concert?  What if it could be anything (Britney Spears, Sutton Foster, Jarhand... literally, anyone!)? Sound off below!

Blog was written by Kelsey Greene, Documentary Studies and Production, '13, FLEFF intern, Buffalo, New York

The opening concert held tonight in Hockett Hall was was amazing!  

The event lasted over an hour but time flew by as audience members were captivated by the extremely talented performers.  Pianists Jairo Geronymo and Deborah Martin electrified the keys while vocalist Brad Hougham eloquently sang  a German opera.  

The projections continuously playing behind the performers were also a spectacle!  

The perfect alignment of everything throughout the concert was astonishing!

The event was definitely a once in a lifetime experience!  I'm so glad I was able to attend!  

Blog was written by Kelsey Greene, Documentary Studies and Production, '13, FLEFF intern, Buffalo, New York

I had the opportunity to interview the incredibly talented Brad Hougham.  He is a well known and respected baritone vocalist who also teaches at Ithaca College's School of Music.  

In combination with Jairo Geronymo and Deborah Martin, he will be performing Rite of Spring with Gustav Mahler's Ruckert Lieder at 7:00 p.m. in Hockett Hall on Monday, April 11. 

KG: Why do you have a passion for music?  Is there a particular type of music you are fonder of? 

BH: I have always loved music. I remember being moved by music at a very young age, either to dance or sing or laugh or cry.  

I think like many people, music has been a source of comfort to me throughout my life and I love being able to teach in this field, because it allows me to share this love with others, hopefully helping them to develop their passion for it as well. 

I like all kinds of music – I don’t mind saying that I’ve been entertained and moved by a huge variety of artists. You should see who is in my iPod.

KG: What have been some highlights in your life pertaining to your vocal careers?

BH: I’ve been very lucky to have many wonderful opportunities. I sang for eight seasons in the chorus at the Metropolitan Opera. 

During those years, I was able to watch the greats up close. I think that is very interesting from a teacher’s perspective. How does Placido Domingo breathe? How does Renee Fleming move on the stage? How does a big voice sound up close as opposed to from far away – like from the back row of the opera house? 

I have sung world premieres and worked with composers on their own pieces. I have sung many opera roles with various opera companies. 

I love recitals of art song more than anything, and my job at Ithaca College has fostered that love and afforded me many opportunities to perform a wide variety of repertoire with some incredible musicians.

KG: You will be performing with Jairo Geronymo and Deborah Martin. Have you had any previous experience working with these individuals? 

BH: I have worked with both before. 

The last time I worked with Dr. Geronymo was three years ago when we did excerpts from West Side Story for the FLEFF Opening Ceremony. 

The last time I worked with Dr. Martin was two years ago, when we did a piece together with the concert band in the Ithaca College School of Music. 

KG: Can you please briefly describe the importance of the music you will be performing Monday night, both in its historical context and to you?

BH: The songs I’m singing are gems in the German Lied repertoire. When Gustav Mahler composed these, he was stretching the definition of ‘Lied’. Previously, they had been much more ‘miniature’ in genre. His songs are much longer (usually), constructed with more complicated musical language, require a greater range of pitch, mood, dynamics, vocal color and rhythmic variation than many of the songs composed with German texts before his time. 

The accompaniment for these songs can be either piano or orchestral and you can hear a great demand for color and texture variation in the accompaniment part.  

I am lucky to have two such wonderful pianists who will be capturing these colors beautifully in their playing. 

The reason I love to sing these songs is that for me, these poems are very powerful and the musical gesture that Mahler uses to express them form an absolutely perfect union.  

KG: Can you please give us a glimpse behind the scenes as to what you went through and are going through to prepare for the upcoming event?

BH: Well, I have known these songs for a couple of years now, so I have not had to learn any new music, per se, but I have had to re-think them. I believe that many singers feel this, and that is that each time you come back to a piece of music you have sung at a different time, you learn something more about it. 

In addition to that, I have had to think of these songs in relationship with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, and how they can interplay with that larger work. The pianists were great about finding places in the Stravinsky into which the songs could be inserted. 

KG: What are you looking forward to about this year’s event?    

BH: Just having a chance to share this beautiful music with a new audience and having a chance to work with these wonderful artists. 

I love the idea of faculty from schools coming together to pool their talents. When they do, something amazing always comes of it; this will be no exception.

Blog was written by Kelsey Greene, Documentary Studies and Production, '13, FLEFF intern, Buffalo, New York

As I mentioned several times in my blog entries, I am looking forward to all the events and guest at FLEFF 2011.

One specific event I am looking forward to at Cinemapolis is the screening of Good Fortune, Sunday, April 17 at 2 p.m.  I am particularly excited about the discussion following it with the filmmakers Jeremy Levine and Landon Van Soest.  

I have a strong interest in these filmmakers because they are Ithaca College alumni and I have talked to a few of my professors about them and their work.  It is very inspiring to me that they were able to start their own production company right out of college and pursue their passion in documentary.

I am also intrigued by the complexity of issues involved with the film Good Fortune.  

An event I am looking forward to on the Ithaca College campus is the performance of The Rite of Spring with Gustav Mahler's Ruckert Lieder by Brad Haughman and Deborah Martin.  The event will be Monday, April 11 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hockett Hall.  

The two very talented individuals, who are also faculty members at the college, came and talked about the event at our intern meeting last week.  Their passion about the music was contagious and I cannot wait to see the live performance that will be a once in a lifetime event!