Not to be missed

Good almost spring morning to everyone. Today is a beautiful day. I did my meditation as the sun came up, and then actually did my new morning exercise routine for the second day in a row. [I know it’s a shock!]. What, you may ask, is the reason for this unusual positive beginning? I actually …

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Life happens, or the apple cart upsets

I have not posted here for quite some time because, as the title of this post states, life happens. First it was post concert exhaustion and regrouping. Then it was Thanksgiving, Christmas and a trip to visit my family in Kansas. Then it was looking for an apartment, securing it, and moving within a one …

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Back at last

At long last, I am back to posting. I took a rest after the concert on October 3 (translated–serious Netflix indulgence). The concert was a lot of fun. I have just updated my web page with some new video, and some photos at http://www.susanstoderl.net. Soon there will be a podcast up and running of the …

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Not to be missed Life happens, or the apple cart upsets Back at last

Sep
13

Countdown: 20 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

Songs from a Jade Garden

So today I have done my civic duty and voted in the special election since I am Weiner’s district. It was truly a United Nations in my polling place–kind of interesting really. Tonight I am going to see a Chamber16 concert and see some friends. That will be a nice relief from my “To Do” list.

Today I am going to start introducing the music that will be on the October 3 concert. In case there is anyone reading this that does not know what a song cycle is, it is a group of individual songs composed to reflect upon a single theme or idea. Generally the songs can stand independently, but the grouping is more complete.

The first song cycle on the program is Songs from a Jade Garden. Composed between 2002-2004, this cycle of ten songs describes the life long relationship between Meng Chu, a young mulberry leaf picker and later, renowned performer, to Sung Yu, a young minister to the Imperial Court of 6th century China. Songs from a Jade Garden was originally premiered in 2003 at a concert at St. Peter’s Church, Manhattan in 2004. Later that year they were again performed in Saranac Lake, New York and at The Lake Placid Center for the Arts. This particular cycle is for two singers, a soprano and tenor, accompanied by flute, violin, cello and piano, and a narrator. The music is tonal and heavily influences by the pentatonic scale. This scale form is used a lot in traditional Asian music. In addition, this cycle contains the first two pieces that I composed. The words for the cycle were inspired by sixth century Chinese erotic poetry.

Tomorrow I will begin a more detailed description of the songs and begin sharing the poetry with you.

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Sep
12

Countdown: 23-22-21 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

Stephen Wilson, tenorOn Friday night we had our first rehearsal for Songs from a Jade Garden, and we will be having a second this coming Friday. At that rehearsal we made a lot of progress. I think the end product will be excellent.

You will note this is a three day countodwn. This is not because I was being lazy, but for two reasons. First my post would not save and, after putting in all the italics for the fourth time, I gave up. Secondly, I was helping a colleague get her web page up and write a grant. That consumed the majority of Saturday and Sunday. Video editing and getting all the software to work can be very time consuming. However, it felt good. I was doing something useful and that I am good at.

Let me introduce you to Stephen:

STEPHEN WILSON (tenor soloist for Songs From a Jade Garden) is from Bryan, Texas. After three consecutive years in the Texas All-State Choir, including working with Robert Shaw in the Brahms Requiem, he attended Sam Houston State University on academic and musical scholarship, where he was the first recipient of the Walter C. Foster endowed scholarship in voice. His first professional engagement was during college with Regal Opera of Fort Worth as Alfredo. He was then engaged as the lead tenor by The Johann Strauss Operetta of Vienna for their Europe-wide tour of The Merry Widow. He graduated university (BA in music and German) in absentia while on tour. Subsequent regional work in Europe and the New York area followed. His opera roles include Camille, Tonio, Alfredo, Rinuccio, and Tebaldo. His work in oratorio includes soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and St. Nicolas Cantata (Nicolas) with Friends of Music at Christ Church Pelham, NY, The Messiah, Tchaikovsky’s Liturgy (in Russian with The Russian Chamber Chorus in concert at Princeton University), and Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio.

Tomorrow I will be back on track with my posts, and start introducing you to the songs. I promise that if you are able to attend the concert, you will not be disappointed.

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Sep
09

Countdown: 24 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

Gretchen MundingerT.G.I.F.!!!!!!!! That is my first positive thought of the day. I have been trying for the last several days to stay in a mindful mode to cut down on the natural pre-concert anxiety. I usually do quite well until I hit the front door. Today my goal is to make it down the front steps in a positive frame of mind!

Today’s singer is Gretchen Mundinger. Gretchen in one of my musical daughters, i.e., she is a musical colleague and I’m easily old enough to be her mother! Gretchen has her own group called Musical Offerings which is a non-profit group which presents high quality concerts to benefit charitable causes. For information on her upcoming event go to www.musicalofferingsnyc.org, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Musical-Offerings/160851044240. Below is more about Gretchen:

GRETCHEN MUNDINGER (soprano soloist for Earth Walking, Soul Longing) is finding early success as a young soprano with a big voice. As proponent of new music, she is a member of Remarkable Theater Brigade, touring with the company and performing for special events. She created the role of Old Alyce, in Glory Denied by Tom Cipullo, conducted by former Metropolitan Opera conductor Steven Crawford. She sang the 3 Goddesses in the International Electro Acoustic Music Festival’s staged production of The Tempest Project, which will be released on CD by POGUS Productions and that was broadcast on CUNY television. Ms. Mundinger has premiered Summoning by George Brunner, in New York City in 2007 and is featured singing it on the upcoming CD.

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Sep
08

Countdown: 25 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

Okay – this is making me nervous. I should have started with a different title. It is definitely anxiety producing. I have a 7:00 a.m. yoga class today so I have to make this a little quicker than usual–probably to everyone’s benefit.

The next fabulous singer I would like to introduce is Anna DiRubio Schumate. I have worked with Anna in many projects since about 1990. That is quite awhile. Anna “iron lungs” Schumate can sing longer phrases than anyone any of us know. Many of us think she has an extra lung, or can perhaps use her legs to store air or something. Even on a bad day she beats everyone in the long phrase department, and she can sing just about anything you give her.

ANNA DIRUBIO SCHUMATE (soprano soloist for Prairie Girl: circa 1966-67) has sung many of the Italian dramatic heroines, including Violetta (La Traviata), Elisabetta (Don Carlos), Tosca, La Giocanda, Aida, Leonora (Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino), Suor Angelica, Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana). She created the role of Maddy Broadbrim in A.F.R.A.I. D. by Susan Stoderl, which premiered in the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. She has been a noted recitalist throughout the New York City metropolitan area. Ms. Schumate holds a Master of Music degree from West Virginia University and has performed with numerous U.S. opera companies and orchestras. She has long been a soloist at many of the local churches and synagogues and is presently soprano soloist at First Presbyterian Church in Passaic, New Jersey.

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Sep
07

Countdown: 26 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

Ilya SperanzaYesterday I began the countdown to my October 3 concert. The final rehearsal schedule is out (I hope). It is very difficult to get the ten people involved in this concert all at the same time, but I think it is done now. There is still the program to do, the food and champagne to order (and figure out how to keep it cold and where to put it), and a pair of black patent high heels to find, and then I think all I have to do is show up. Oops! Just remembered I have to get the recording guy there–left that little detail right out.

Today I am going to introduce you to another singer on the program–Ilya Speranza. I have known Ilya almost as long as I have known Tracy. The first time I heard Ilya sing was at an afternoon concert at Church of the Holy Trinity. I think she sang Frasquita and the Lakme duet. Later she auditioned for my then opera company, Opera Nova and we certainly used her because she sings like a goddess. Since then she has been in two of my operas that I wrote and has sung Songs from a Jade Garden in several different venues. Below is some more about Ilya.

ILYA SPERANZA (soprano soloist for Songs from a Jade Garden) is a graduate of The New England Conservatory and The Juilliard School. At home in both opera and concert, she appeared in the world premiere of Robert Kapilow’s New Moon with the New Jersey State Opera in which she sang the role of the Royal Mathematician and Barbara de la Guerra in Victor Herbert’s only opera, Natoma at the White Barn Theater in Westport, CT. Ms. Speranza created the title role of Ondine in Seymour Barab’s new opera Ondine for the Center for Contemporary Opera and sang Marenka in Smetana’s Bartered Bride with The State Repertory Opera of New Jersey. She sang in the world premiere of Anthony Davis’ Tania with the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia and toured with the New York City Opera National Company as Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen. Other regional appearances include Liù (Turandot) and Frasquita, both with the Cincinnati Opera, Elisetta (Il Matrimonio Segreto) with Berkshire Opera and Naiade (Ariadne auf Naxos) with Long Beach Opera. She has appeared as a featured soloist with the Lake Charles and Alexandria Symphony Orchestras, the Summit Symphony, the Bronx Arts Ensemble, Bucks County Symphony and Brookhaven Choral Society. Her most recent performances include a recital of American and German music at the Baroque Concert Hall in Vienna’s Altes Rauthaus.

In addition, I happen to know that she is singing on September 13 at St. Peters Church at 8:00 p.m. with Chamber 16, performing a quite interesting piece by Bruce Trinkley, The Winchester Widow, which is accomanied by musical saw.

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Sep
06

Countdown: 27 days to go

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by Susan Stoderl

REVISED: I didn’t get the photo in yesterday!

On the 27th day before Moving Through, I answered a full ream of questions from our Mistress of Ceremonies Lorene Philips. I don’t know how she thought of so many questions, and I can tell you that for sure, I am going to be embarrassed when I actually hear some of the answers spoken. It also pointed out to me how small my world is even though I live in one of the most international cities in the world (Thank God!!). I really need to expand my horizons. I will put that on my “To Do” list. Truthfully, it is always on my list, but rarely gets done.

Beginning today, and continuing throughout the next few days, I am going to tell you a little bit about each singer and instrumentalists in this concert, and then I am going to introduce each of the songs in tiny snippets.

The singer today, whose picture is attached, is Tracy Bidleman. She has been a friend and colleague for many years now. I first met her when I needed a Desdemona in a production I was mounting. This would have been probably in 1996 or ’95. She has been with me as a fellow singer, as a cast member of other operas and as debuting two characters in two different operas. Oddly enough, we also have the Colorado connection.

For many years, it seems I repeatedly run into people who have lived, worked or gone to school in Colorado. I was born in Denver, and lived their briefly in the early 1970′s. Tracy is one of them. Below you will see some of the things she has done:

TRACY BIDLEMAN (soprano soloist for The Ghost of Mary), has delighted audiences with her portrayals of such diverse characters as Fiordiligi in Cosi fan Tutte, the Mother in Hansel and Gretel, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Alice Ford in Falstaff and Micaela in Carmen, to name a few. Ms. Bidleman has performed with the symphony orchestras in Seattle, Phoenix, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Wyoming and Harrisburg as well as the Boulder Philharmonic, the Martinu Philharmonic, the Pacific Northwest Chamber Orchestra and the Women’s Philharmonic in San Francisco. Since her arrival to New York, she has sung as a soloist in Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall. She has worked with such esteemed conductors as Janos Acs, Jacques Delacote, Julius Rudel, Emerson Buckley, Anton Guadagno, Nan Washburn, JoAnn Faletta, Stuart Malina, David Lockington and Jack Herriman. She has been a regional winner in the Metropolitan Opera competition and a finalist in the San Francisco Opera competition. She received a MM from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BM from Central Washington University.

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Sep
05

Rehearsals have started

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by Susan Stoderl

I have just posted a page on this blog which everyone should check out. For the next month I will publish information about the singers and instrumentalists involved in the upcoming 10 year retrospective concert of my art songs. This is a very special concert for me. It is an early celebration of my 60th birthday. Usually I celebrate my birthday for a couple of weeks, but since this is a momentous one, why not do it for longer? My birthday is not until early December, but try getting an audience in December with Christmas. Believe it or not, October 3 was the only day I could get all the ten people involved with the concert together!

Now I am in scheduling final rehearsal mode. It is not easy because all New Yorkers are overly busy. It is further complicated by the fact that very, very few musicians can make a living by music alone, hence, everyone has day jobs, or night jobs, or sometimes both–and of course, no one has them at the same time.

I have sent out the e-mail about final dress rehearsal. I am afraid to check what the response is. For the next four weeks, I will keep everyone posted on my anxiety barometer. Tomorrow will be my first day back at work after my week long vacation. After an earthquake, hurricane, death in a friend’s family, press deadlines, music deadlines, and many episodes of Grey’s Anatomy to see me through, I managed about three days of real vacation. The one really positive thing I did was go to a “how to handle work stress” yoga workshop. I am going to put the morning routine to the test right now.

The most important “to do” done, is I have a new dress to wear that is very flattering. I mean let’s get our priorities straight here.

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Mar
22

Spring equinox … Om, peace

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by Susan Stoderl

Last night I attended a Spring Equinox meditation with a group that meets for the various Celtic holidays. It was, as usual, a beautiful experience. I always look forward to these meditations because of their healing and illumination. Last night was no different. Its main message was one of healing and balance, both personally and for the world. I have been attending these meditation session, along with my regular group, for about six years now.

I had been having trouble sleeping for about the last six week to two months because of a cold going into asthma, and the havoc that that plays upon my back muscles. Last night, everything released and I slept deeply. Om … peace (and contentment). This contentment brings me to the description of the another project. (Like I need another??) Over the next year I will be recording some transformative meditations, having their roots in Celtic myth and traditions. You can tell by my Austrian last name that I am not Celtic, but I am drawn to that persuasion for some reason–perhaps my Scots-Irish grandmother.

In my guided meditations, I will be exploring the various myths, and what they teach us about living in accordance with the natural world, universal laws, and healing. I will compose soundscapes to aid in the experience.

I have also redone my web site to function more as an archive of my work, as opposed to “what is new.” “What’s new” will be the function of my blog. With time, I will be adding pages to describe my current projects. There are still a few kinks in my web site to work out (there always are!) and some more samples to add. I should be getting to that shortly. I will let you know when it is completed.

Myrddin and Beyond the Mountain are progressing nicely. Of course, not as quickly as I would like, but still progressing with the amount of time left to work on them.

Namaste!

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Nov
02

It’s Fall—Yeah!

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by Susan Stoderl

I am now coming out of my hibernation period just as the bears and other animals begin theirs.  I have always been a rebel in one way or another.

Summer and warm weather always make me hibernate because once it gets 70°, it is approaching TOO HOT!!  My mind stops working and I go into summer vacation mode as if I were still in grade school.  When the crisp air hits, the creative juices begin to flow.  I’m in full percolation mode now.

I have a new performance project in mind, which will involve composers, artists, musicians and listeners who like “Too Classical, Weird—But Not Weird Enough” music, poetry and art.  A description of this will come in a later post.

Myrddin’s Prophecy is coming along now. I am starting to have a two-way conversation with it, although it is a halting one.  I was in complete stall mode with this project for some time.  This was due to the fact that the size of the project was too overwhelming to contemplate, particularly after just finishing another large project.  I just could not figure out how to make it manageable technically. I cut, and cut, and cut—and it was still unmanageable. The idea is great, the sounds are really cool (I think) and the poetry is not bad.  The real problem is it needs a mega-budget, which in this world, is prob’ly not happ’nin.  I have to get inventive.  It is definitely a light filled project, so in time, some shall surely infiltrate my feeble brain and lead me in the proper direction.

The Songs of Mary, also light filled, are complete, with the exception that one needs some reworking. The problem is one song begins this very neo-romantic section, then ends too abruptly. I ran out of text, yet the poem is complete.  Hmmmm.  The only thing to do is to repeat some text because the music is not finished. From past experience, I have found that it is best to let this rest for awhile, then look at it with fresh eyes.  It is still waiting.

Beyond the Mountains is also coming along.  This is a novel set in Colorado between 1905 and 1941. It is a fictionalized version of some of my family history—just your run-of-the-mill love, tragedy, murder, rape, everyday life type of story.  In other words, what is truly normal, not the 1950′s “Leave It To Beaver” dysfunction of so few families.

That is what is happening right now, and since I am now awake, maybe it will happen more often.

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