Arty at the Blue Ball Barn with Melomanie

Arty went to the Blue Ball Barn for the October 3 Mélomanie Special Concert and Party, a fundraiser for their new recording of music by five regional composers: Ingrid Arauco, Chris Braddock, Mark Rimple, Mark Hagerty, and Chuck Holdeman. The Holdeman and Hagerty pieces have already been recorded at UD’s Gore Hall by Meyer Media. Composer Ingrid Arauco is eagerly anticipating the recording of her Florescence.

Tommie Almond, President of the Mélomanie Board, was the adroit mistress of ceremonies. Arty enjoyed hot hors d’oeuvres by Greenery Catering staff before sitting down to hear the full Mélomanie ensemble play a short overture and gigue by Georg Muffat, (1653-1704) followed by some Michel Corette (1707-1795) duos for viola da gamba and cello played by Donna Fournier and Doug McNames- an excellent illustration of the difference between the modern cello and its older cousin, the viola da gamba.

This first musical interlude concluded with a movement of Chris Braddock’s Close Tolerances, whose name he took from the concept of gears meshing in close tolerance just as musicians achieve a close tolerance of voices in ensemble.

Party guest Sally Milbury-Steen is also working on close tolerances of power sources in her efforts to wake Wilmington up to the need to transition away from carbon as advised by Rob Hopkins Transition Town movement.

The second musical interlude featured Fran Berge playing baroque violin in Marco Uccelini’s (1603-1680) toccata for violin and basso continuo, one of the first pieces to feature solo violin.

Chuck Holdeman described the third movement of his Sonate en Trio as “like a Hostess Twinkie with a surprise inside.”

The finale, Chaconne in E minor from Quartet 6 of Georg Philipp Telemann’s Paris Quartets, put the party in a joyful mood. Michael Foster, music librarian and radio host, suggested to composers Mark Hagerty and Chuck Holdeman to compose more pieces using the now obsolete technical innovations for violin by Marco Uccelini.

Composer Mark Rimple pulled the event’s winning raffle ticket: The prize of a party at Blue Ball Barn went to WSFS executive Drew Aaron. Aaron and his wife were at the party representing WSFS, a corporate sponsor of the Mélomanie CD project. He and his wife, Judy, will host their going-away party for his parents who are moving to Florida.

Arty had so much fun, he angled for an invite to the Aaron’s Blue Ball event, but didn’t get a nibble.

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Mélomanie at Blue Ball Barn

Mélomanie, a music ensemble which supports and collaborates withlocal composers, is launching their fall season with a fundraiser concert and party in Blue Ball Barn. The program is one of their signature ‘provocative pairings of early and contemporary works’ – combining four early composers and two contemporary works by local composers.

The contemporary works are two of the works by regional artists which will appear on the ensemble's new CD produced by Meyer Media. Mélomanie has secured grants for the recording project from WSFS Bank, DDOA, educational institutions, individuals and other sources.

Harpsichordist Tracy Richardson says, “Our ensemble has had the good fortune to collaborate with these superb composers over several years, and we want to document our work together in order to bring it to a wider audience.” Contemporary works by Christopher Braddock and Chuck Holdeman and baroque works by Georg Muffat, Michel Corrette, Marco Uccellini, and George Philipp Telemann will be the provocative pairings for the party.

Come to the party at Blue Ball Barn on Friday, October 2 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a preview of works appearing on the CD.

$75 Adults advance tickets
$65 Young Friends of the Arts (35 and under)
$85 Tickets at the door

For more information, visit www.melomanie.org or email info@melomanie.org or call 302-764.6338 to reserve tickets.

ARTY at the Party!

Our very own arts party-hopper, ARTY, was out on the town this week. This time, Arty hit the annual Mélomanie picnic on July 18 at the home of co-Artistic Director and harpsichordist Tracy Richardson. The ensemble hosts the event each year to celebrate its past season, thank colleagues and collaborators, and look to the coming year. Arty was thrilled to see that the intimate get-together was a veritable “who’s who” of regional performers! Arty chatted up violinist Sylvia Ahramjian and Mélomanie co-Artistic Director and flutist Kim Reighley, who were both delighted to be holding repertory classes this year at West Chester University.

Composer Chuck Holdeman was excited about the premiere of his Quintetto, set for the International Double Reed Society convention in England on July 23.

Guitarist and composer Chris Braddock---there with his beautiful wife, soprano Jeanmarie Braddock, and daughter Ellie---talked enthusiastically about his Brandywine Guitar Quartet’s upcoming concert on August 9 in Chesapeake City.

Also in attendance was composer Ingrid Arauco, who was quite pleased with the recent premiere of her Divertimento at the Delaware Chamber Music Festival. Percussionist Gerardo Razumney was lively, as he explained to guests the difference between Argentinian tango and the American ballroom tango.

A great gathering of artists on a beautiful summer day! Look for information on Mélomanie's 2009-2010 season coming soon! Thanks for the invite, Mélomanie!

Got a party you'd like ARTY to attend? Send us an email at info@artsinmedia.com.

Chris Braddock's duet

A couple of years ago, Tracy Richardson and I collaborated on a piece I’d written for dobro and harpsichord. It got a positive reaction when we performed it together at a Mélomanie concert. But I couldn’t figure out if that reaction was due to the real musical worth of the piece or rather the novelty of combining an American bluegrass instrument with a European classical one. The last thing any composer wants is to use a cheap gimmick to get applause.

Last year Tracy suggested doing another piece for that combination. It’s always great to work with Tracy, so I said, “Sure!” I’d been playing mandolin and enjoying it so much that I decided to write a duet for those two instruments. For one thing, the mandolin is a much easier instrument to play convincingly than the dobro.

And the combination makes sense. They’re both plucked, metal-string instruments. The project assumed greater legitimacy last fall, when my family and I visited Mount Vernon, the northern Virginia estate of George and Martha Washington. During the house tour, one walks past the music room. There were a harpsichord and a mandolin.

Like many composers, and especially guitarists, I have lots of little “riffs” in my head. These figures sound particularly good on the mandolin. So I assembled these segments into a coherent piece of music. The harpsichord part came after that.

Composers sometimes say they’re disappointed the first time they hear a piece rehearsed. Perhaps it’s hard to measure up to the version in their heads. That was not the case with my piece “Pluck.” Right away it seemed natural, spontaneous and full of energy.

See www.braddockmusic.com.