| "If We Illuminate. They Will
Come" Murry Sidlin
Say,
would you guys mind if I fooled around with your orchestration,
filled in
some of your open harmonies,
maybe changed the MM markings,
and add dancers
to the boring sections? |
Seminar On American Music, January 1976
Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
Left to Right: Roy Harris, Murry Sidlin
(moderator), William Schuman, Aaron Copland
|
From Maestro Sidlin . . .
The house lights dim and Copland appears on
the screen above the orchestra rehearsing APPALACHIAN SPRING, and chatting about folk
music, and then speaking with Lenny about composing; fade up on me at the piano about to
sing and describe the Mexican tunes used as the basis of EL SALON MEXICO. Martha Graham
appears from out of nowhere and dances with the orchestra on film during the final 7
minutes of APPALACHIAN SPRING. (More folk tunes at the piano.) 2 actors give us a sense of
what Copland went through when grilled by Senator McCarthy, and the letter which Copland
wrote after LINCOLN PORTRAIT was eliminated from Eisenhower's inaugural is read before it
is performed.
This is VIDEO, ACTORS, Murry
Sidlin at the piano demonstrating,
an engaged (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) audience brought to music's edge,
and then into it! |
A "rap" about
Bernstein opens the concert which travels from Jeremiah to MASS; the tales of the Nazis
and PORGY AND BESS plus an entire evening about the African-American attitude toward the
most performed American opera ever; actors portraying Shostakovich and Stalin debate the
5th Symphony; Mahler's neurosis' explored by Alma and Freud and demonstrated through great
orchestral excerpts; humor and hilarious musical moments defined by comedians in Can
Classical Music Be Funny; the audience actually participates in The Anatomy of the 5th and
9th; and actors, video, and one of the most inspiring stories every uncovered about music
in service to Mankind emerges in the live performance of the award-winning television
event, DEFIANT REQUIEM; plus there are 12 other possible
concert/events describe to you!!
This tells you a little, very little, about the excitement, vibrancy, and palpitating
effectiveness of an ILLUMINATIONS evening!!! Audiences don't forget these concerts, and
they come back and back! If we love the music, we must INVITE a NEW audience INTO
the music, into the concert hall. These added dimensions of historical, social, cultural,
biographical descriptions unfolded through actors and video and an engaging host-conductor
WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. That's what ILLUMINATIONS does. And that is what your orchestra
MUST do, and that's what Murry Sidlin does best and better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8 years of
powerful success with the Oregon Symphony Nerve Endings series, which he named, invented,
developed, and guided to great success, plus more and more performances with other
orchestras (see bio), makes him the undisputed leader and pioneer in
the success of concerts in context. Whether its the Light Bulb series in San Diego, the Nerve Endings series at the
Oregon Symphony, or single events in many other places, his artistry, personality, and
engaging creativity is what your orchestra needs now!!!
Ask the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which sponsored Sidlin's concerts for 8
years at the Oregon Symphony, what they think of
Sidlin's great success with NERVE ENDINGS!!
Let us tell you how to bring ILLUMINATIONS to your concert hall. With Murry Sidlin as
tour-guide, host and conductor, your audiences not only listen but EXPERIENCE the music
(!!!!!!!)
Success is proven. And your success with
ILLUMINATIONS will also be a sure thing!!!
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