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Offline zuluwarrior

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Brooklyn Philharmonic and Sonatas Steel Orchestra Make History
« on: November 25, 2012, 09:03:52 PM »
http://youtu.be/JLEfHlzNoI0

New York, New York - In an historic pairing the Brooklyn Philharmonic and Sonatas Steel Orchestra performed together at the World Financial Center Winter Garden in downtown Manhattan as part of Soundcheck Live! presented by Arts Brookfield. On this notable occasion new music works for the distinguished Sonatas Steel Orchestra and the Brooklyn Philharmonic chamber ensemble joint performance were premiered.

The packed concert audience was treated to the world premiere performance of “Flows Beneath” - a piece written specifically for the collaborative performance of the steel orchestra and chamber ensemble by Christopher Cerrone. Cerrone was commissioned along with Kendall Williams to create original musical compositions for the event. For the piece, Cerrone sought the advice of his friend and noted composer and accomplished steelpan instrumentalist, percussion musician Andy Akiho. Akiho advised Cerrone that the family of steelpan instruments was like any other instrument. “Steelpan is like any other instrument... it can do a wide expressive range and many other things.”


Audience for Sonatas Steel Orchestra Brooklyn Philharmonic
 at World Financial Center Winter Garden

The composer had already been enchanted with the sound of the steelpan from a previous encounter with the instrument at the home of Akiho.  Now Cerrone’s quest was to create a piece that took advantage of its unique sound combined with the traditional instruments, resulting in a new voice in that blend. Cerrone says he was having some difficulty coming up with a title for the composition and turned to noted American poet Carolyn Forché - who upon hearing the piece thought that overall it came across like a frozen lake, with the steelpan sounds conjuring up images of the body of water not yet frozen that flows beneath the lake. The steelpans simulated that river that “Flows Beneath,” hence the title.


Brooklyn Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble & Sonatas Steel Orchestravideo performance

In what had to be viewed as truly a “Tale of Two Cities” becoming one without collision - the music event was brought to the stage to produce a signature moment around cultures, fortunes, music and Brooklyn.  The mature, very time-conscious, professional Brooklyn Phil paired with the very talented, young, genius level, unseen, affable and adaptable Sonatas from Crown Heights - was much, much more significant than a mere ‘odd couple’ moment at the Winter Garden.


 Composer Christopher Cerrone (l) with Brooklyn Philharmonic artistic director and conductor Alan Pierson (r)

Ironically, and probably unwittingly and unknown to Mr. Cerrone (and then again maybe not), he produced and captured much more reality than he could have ever imagined in his piece. The sometimes arduous life of a Brooklyn steel orchestra is very different than that of their Brooklyn Philharmonic counterpart - yet the goals and aspirations are the same. They, the steel orchestras are massive (100 players), beautiful, proud, culturally inspired, community-based - and completely unsupported by New York government while operating in the shadows and sometime bowels of the Big Apple, in an increasingly changing and  hostile environment that is always threatening their very existence. Indeed they are the ones that ‘flow beneath.’

The voice and primary function of the steel orchestra is that of storytelling through music, and in this regard Chris Cerrone’s composition is very creditable. The life of steel orchestras can quickly vacillate from calm, joy and ecstasy to utter frustration, tension and agony - while the surrounding neighbors are completely oblivious to their fate.


 Sonatas Steel Orchestra with Brooklyn Philharmonic, artistic director Alan Pierson conducting

Odd couple/odd moment, indeed, as the orchestras received thunderous applause from a world and people that normally never meet but, as the poet aptly suggested, flows beneath and in the background under a frozen tundra. Even at this performance, while surely not intentional, if you were not told that the steel orchestra was on stage, visually you would not have known of their presence. And as the Sonatas Steel Orchestra left the stage, host John Schaefer of WNYC radio and producer of Soundcheck Live! mentioned that Sonatas was the ten-time New York Panorama champion - and again the audience gave thunderous, warm applause.

And there again is that reoccurring theme and reality of “Flows Beneath.” Of course the audience is unaware that the prestigious New York Panorama title, while musically significant and globally respected, is financially bogus and bankrupt because of the event producers, and leaves the participants at a huge financial loss every year. Moreover as the group exited the World Financial Center Winter Garden stage, Sonatas Steel Orchestra—a 40 year-plus institution of musical, community and civic excellence which had been a critical part of the cultural fabric of New York—was heading home, like all New York steel orchestras, to a life of uncertainty. Threatened with removal from their practice spaces every year or worse, a complete shutdown by NYPD (New York Police Department) as they rehearse for Panorama competitions. One would not imagine that this same organization with these same young people - is responsible for the creation of some of the most important New York Panorama music and performances  of all time; and moreover, some of the most influential and culturally significant pieces written in our time that are reflective of the people of Brooklyn.  Unfortunately the umbrella of uncertainty over this magnificent musical organization and other Brooklyn steel orchestras alike is a reality.


Sonatas Steel Orchestra

Much kudos must be given to Alan Pierson, artistic director and conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic for having the foresight and courage to step outside of his norm to see, acknowledge and embrace the genius, intellect and talent of the young people of Sonatas. And probably more importantly, is Pierson’s clear understanding that ‘different’ does not mean ‘wrong’ or ‘can’t’ or ‘not good’ - just different.

The iconic Sonatas continues to chart a series of new firsts for steel orchestras from Brooklyn and in North America. It was only few months ago that Sonatas performed with NYU Steel at the 2012 PAS KoSA NYU Weekend of Percussion.

In the coming together for the Arts Brookfield Winter Garden Performance, what was truly impressive about the young Sonatas, is that although they were seemingly out of their normal comfort zone, environment and ways of doing things, these young people were un-phased. Moreover, it was indeed an exchange of concepts, approaches and worlds.


 Sonatas Steel Orchestra after performance with Brooklyn Philharmonic

Now wouldn’t it be something if the Brooklyn Philharmonic, with Soundcheck Live!, came out and performed at Sonatas’ band launching next year as a continued celebration of the diversity of the music crested in New York?

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‘Brooklyn Philharmonic and Sonatas Steel Orchestra’ - in Pictures
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