December 2009 eNews: InterNetzo
Relativity, Whales and Sprinkles:
The New York Alumni Composers Forum

By Brendon Randall-Myers

Hot on the heels of the West Coast Forum in San Francisco, Walden’s second Alumni Composers Forum took place on November 15th at the Gershwin Hotel in New York City. Featuring the wide range of styles and moods, insightful moderating by Sam Pluta and Whit Bernard, and dialogue between composer, performers, moderators and audience that makes all Walden’s forums so special, everyone present experienced a memorable afternoon of music and conversation.

Erica Ball, Whit Bernard and Sam Pluta

Rita Mitra noted that “attending the New York Walden Composer’s Forum was a refreshing change from the concerts I usually attend in the city. The music was wildly eclectic, vibrant, and emotionally raw at times. The discussions after each piece were intellectually stimulating and surprisingly diverse, yet all relevant in some way. Moderators Sam Pluta and Whit Bernard had a thorough grasp of the music and were able to place the pieces in a broader context while still relating personally to the composer. All in all, it was an incredible treat to have 'Walden' here in NYC for an afternoon!”

The forum also offered the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, students and colleagues. Rebekah Griffin Greene wrote to tell us that "soon after arriving at the Gershwin Hotel, one of my former students, Marguerite Ladd, appeared, and though we had not seen or heard from each other since the summer of 2001, there was no love lost, and we totally hugged each other and laughed as if no time had passed. Just before the forum started, I saw another dear student of mine, Ofurhe Igbinedion, and it was also as if no time had passed. These two young women were so special to me during my summers as Walden faculty, and being reunited with them after so long was like a little slice of heaven.”

Steven Beck and Jane Cords O'Hara

As for the music itself, whether in the creative instrumentation of Marshall Bessières’ Memories of E=MC2 for mixed chamber ensemble, a sing-along ballad entitled I Long To Go A’ Whalin’ by Steven Kaplan, Sophie Coran performing a piano prelude coupled with a pop song, to the angular, virtuosic lines of Jonathan Vincent’s Gold Legs Leaping for solo violin, or the Dunkin’ Donuts® Munchkins™ themed piano piece Short Sketches by Teddy Poll (Glazed, Chocolate, Savory, Powdered and Sprinkles), there was something for everyone in the program.

As Teddy himself put it, “The styles were so diverse, but all of the music was both so personal and so sincere that it was completely and utterly Walden. What a thrill to be back in the "hot seat"; the experience left me not only with acute and perceptive feedback on my music, but with a powerful reminder of the warmth and open-mindedness that make Walden unlike anything I've ever experienced. It was like being among family again.” All told, the forum featured the music of eight composers, each of whom took a turn responding to comments and questions regarding form, instrumentation, and harmonic and textural choices.

More forums are coming soon! A Baltimore Composers Forum will take place on Sunday, February 21st at 3pm, and version 2.0 of the West Coast and New York Forums are in the works as well. You can check Walden’s homepage and Hand Over Hand for updates, or stay tuned for further emails.

Participation in Forums is open to everyone in the Walden/JCC community: alumni, past and current faculty, staff, and visiting artists. If you have a composition or improvisation to present, join us! Click here if you’d like to participate in a future Forum.

Copyright 2007-2010, The Walden School, All Rights Reserved.

Danielle Oberdier