Barry Schrader News - January 2008 (Winter 2007-2008)

Monkey King is based on scenes from the classic Chinese book Journey to the West, written around 1550 by Wu Cheng-en. Considered one of the great classics of Chinese literature, the book chronicles the adventures of the Monkey King, one of the most fascinating fictional characters ever created. The music depicts such scenes as Monkey's birth, his underwater journey to the lair of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, and Monkey's famous attempt to jump over Buddha's palm.

Also on the program is Wu-Xing - Cycle of Destruction, a work based on the five ancient elements in Chinese tradition: metal, wood, earth, water, fire. This special performance will include live improvisation by harpist Susan Allen and clarinetist William Powell.

Beginning the concert will be music from the film Death of the Red Planet. Created on the Buchla 200 modular synthesizer, this was the first quadraphonic electronic music sound track for a commercial film. Released in 1973, the film seems to have disappeared, and this will be the first time in 35 years that this music has been heard in public.

I'm very pleased to announce two new and extensive reviews of my work. The first is by composer Elaine Lillios and is in the fall 2007 issue (31.3) of Computer Music Journal. While this article is not available free online, it can be read in print in many college and public libraries, and also as a paid pdf download from the Computer Music Journal's web site. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the article:

Two aspects of Barry Schrader’s music that have always attracted me are its timelessness and its meticulous attention to detail. These elements are evident in this composer’s two compact disc releases Lost Atlantis (2004) and Beyond (2005).

Barry Schrader’s music is crafted with infinite patience, critical attentiveness, and meticulous listening. In adhering to these ideals, this music withstands the test of time and stands uniquely in the American electronic music genre.

The second article is by composer Warren Burt and is in the current issue of Wusik Magazine. This article covers all four of my current Innova CDs, and is contained in issue 20 of Wusik, which can be previewed and downloaded here. Here's one of my favorite quotes from this article:

Overall, what I learn from listening to all this music is that Barry is a very serious and gentle composer. Despite the loud noiseband sections in many of the works, my overall impression is of a sensitive person with an ear for the well shaped timbre and the well formed phrase. And for works which engage through a constant sense of ongoing development. If you want music that is attractive, and yet requires serious listening, music which is definitely foreground, not background, listening, and which has lots of lovely timbres, constantly evolving forms and complex textures, then you should give this music a listen.

Three movements from Lost Atlantis have been selected for presentation in the MEDITERRANIA(ES) exhibit at the Centre d’Art la Panera in Lleida, Spain. This multimedia presentation deals with the history, art, and architecture of Mediterranean cultures and runs through January 20, 2008. This ambitious show contains work in a variety of media, including photographs, video, and electro-acoustic music, by an impressive group of internationally recognized artists.

SCREAM 2007 - ANALOG LIVE!

The 2007 SCREAM Festival (Southern California Resource for Electro-Acoustic Music) took place at REDCAT last year on Friday, November 16. Composer/performers Alessandro Cortini, Gary Chang, Richard Devine, Peter Grenader, Loren Nerell, Chas Smith, Thighpaulsandra, and Paul Tzanetopoulos performed on a variety of analog synths. The concert was sold out and a huge success. Everyone who was there was impressed and enthralled by this once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can see photos, videos, read reviews and hear music clips by clicking here and going to the ear-group.net web site.

Site-of-the-Month: Encounters, an immersive interactive audio visual experience. With music by Elaine Lillios and visuals by Bonnie Mitchell, Encounters is a novel, exciting, and fascinating new intermedia art work. You can download beautiful QuickTime documentations of the work here. While these may not be equal to personally experiencing the work, they give an excellent idea of the actual event.