Second Inversion – Rethink Classical

The Latest Update
Second Inversion’s Fall 2015 Video Collection
The Second Inversion studios have been bustling this fall with video productions! This playlist has them all, featuring incredible musicians from all over the world who have passed through our studios (and a few fun locations around town) since September.
Here’s a little guide to whet your appetite – there’s definitely something for everyone! Click the upper left hand icon in the video to browse through these selections:
Snazzy Sextet Shenanigans: yMusic performing Son Lux and Mark Dancigers
Brooklyn Rider divided… solo and stand-out: Johnny Gandelsman, violin
A little choreography with your music: Ensemble Variances
Scandinavian folk tunes with a modern touch… and some Schnittke: Danish String Quartet
Third Coast meets West Coast: Ensemble Dal Niente plays music by local composer Huck Hodge
Theremin (!!), Bass, and Winds Free Improvisation: TIGAtrio from OneBeat
Avant-garde prepared guitar and piano: Inverted Space Ensemble
Music based on board games and Hungarian folk tunes: Lara St. John & Martin Kennedy
Stay tuned for more videos coming soon, including Mother Falcon, DJ Spooky, and a trio of Steve Reich pieces at secondinversion.org/videos
Joshua Roman’s Conducting Debut Video!
Second Inversion is thrilled to announce the release of the video recording from our recent field trip to Town Hall, Seattle, where we filmed the world premiere of Running Theme by Timo Andres. The piece was commissioned by Town Hall on June 27, 2015 as part of the Town Music series. This was not only the premiere of Running Theme but it was also Joshua Roman’s Seattle conducting debut in front of an all-star ensemble of Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra members, Alumni, and Mentors.
For most of the Seattle Youth Symphony musicians, this was their first time performing a world premiere of a new music piece while operating under the schedule of a professional musician. The experience allowed for immense growth for them as young musicians, while the alumni and mentors got to watch and encourage their growth. It was a truly exciting and rewarding experience all around!
The most important takeaway for all of the musicians came from Joshua Roman in a blog post on Secondinversion.org: “It’s important to demonstrate to young musicians that ours is a tradition of innovation and creativity. Classical music is a living, breathing thing, not stuck in the past.” We couldn’t agree more.
Watch Running Theme and more Second Inversion videos here: Second Inversion YouTube and discover all of our projects here: SecondInversion.org
Second Inversion Summer Updates
We are so thrilled and honored for the funding from New Music USA for Second Inversion.
In recent news:
Joshua Roman made his Seattle conducting premiere at the Town Music Season finale with current members and alumni of the Seattle Youth Symphony. Not only was it Joshua’s premiere as conductor, but it was also the premiere of a new work by Timo Andres. The program, which also included John Adams’ “Shaker Loops” and Bartok’s “Divertimento”, was broadcast live on Second Inversion’s streaming channel from Town Hall.
This summer, Second Inversion made its first ever appearance at Northwest Folklife Festival. The Passenger String Quartet and CelloX filled the Center Theater and rocked the show with music from Macklemore to Game of Thrones and other original music by Passenger String Quartet’s violinist, Andrew Joslyn.
We are also pleased to announce the release of many new videos, including performances by Deviant Septet, Turtle Island Quartet and Friction Quartet which can be found at the links below.
You can find more videos on the Second Inversion website as well as album reviews, news announcements, and our 24/7 live streaming channel. Check it out: www.secondinversion.org.
Overview
Launched by Seattle based Classical KING FM in April 2014, Second Inversion was born from the desire to connect classical music radio with a younger audience. Our curated streaming channel and website feature all that is new, different, and creative in the new music world and brings it to our listeners. Joshua Roman participates in the project as Artistic Advisor, inspiring Second Inversion with his passion for new music, innovative execution of rethinking classical, and desire to share this music not only in Seattle but all over the world.
Through online streaming, app, blogging, on-demand videos/audio recordings and social media conversations, Second Inversion is positioned to become a go-to platform for new music and crossover performances that will strengthen our artistic community and give musicians a chance to be heard.
Second Inversion’s programming explores creation in all its forms and engages artists in its product, by inviting them to participate in on-demand video and audio recordings. Performers come into our studio and benefit from our professional equipment and expertise. The materials that are produced are shared on our social media outlets and website on-demand, allowing the artists to showcase their work beyond the concert hall. With these recordings we are not only rethinking what classical music is, but also what radio content can become. We embrace our listeners’ multiplatform media consumption, and integrate on-demand video and audio recordings into the public radio offering.
Eight performances have been lined up between January and April 2015 that reflect the diversity of the new music scene and some of the many inspirations and musical forms Second Inversion is exploring. The brass quartet The Westerlies (January 1) are avid explorers of the cross-genre territory including American folk music, jazz, classical and indie rock. Third coast percussion and Joshua Roman (January 11) performed Tan Dun’s Elegy: Snow in June, in which the beautiful lament of the cello contrasts with the roughness of the percussion. Matt Haimovitz and Christopher O’Riley at the Tractor Tavern (February 2) brought Beethoven into a bar and distorted the sound of a cello with a styrofoam cup. We welcomed two groups from the Bang on a Can marathon (both on February 15), Ashley Bathgate, mixing acoustic cello with electronic effects and Jherek Bischoff who recorded a series of original tunes with local ensemble Scrape. Seattle Symphony’s [UNTITLED] (February 14) is a close partner of Second Inversion for many projects. Deviant Septet (March 23) and Turtle Island Quartet with Simple Measures (April 18) are the next ensembles that we are planning to record.
“Classical music performance is ever expanding and changing at a rapid pace, with new musicians creating new ideas all the time. It’s nice to know there is a program like Second Inversion that is passionate about sharing these developments with their listeners!” Jason Vieaux
Project Media
Michael Gordon: Light is Calling (excerpt).
Performed by Ashley Bathgate, cello.
Recorded February 14, 2015 for Second Inversion in the Classical KING FM studios. Complete video available on secondinversion.org/videos
Joni Mitchell (arr. O’Riley): Wolf that lives in Lindsey (excerpt). Performed by Matt Haimovitz, cello and Christopher O’Riley, piano. Recorded by Classical KING FM in studio conditions at Seattle’s Tractor Tavern on February 1, 2015 for Second Inversion. Complete video available on secondinversion.org/videos
Wayne Horvitz (arr. The Westerlies): Home (excerpt). Performed by The Westerlies, brass quartet. Recorded January 1, 2015 for Second Inversion in the Classical KING FM studios. Complete video available on secondinversion.org/videos
Start and End Dates
01/01/2015 — 04/18/2015
Location
Seattle, Washington
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