It's all music

12/7

Hoping to get some work done, like catching up on this blog, but we’ve got two events and no staff and so…before I know it, Milica and company are showing up for the Composers’ Concordance Timbre Tantrum festival.

And Isis has arrived and is getting ready for what is becoming our annual Dzieci  Fools’ Mass in Advent. And I’m running back and forth between sanctuary and chapel.

I’ worried about Dzieici and Fools’ Mass. But needlessly. They’ve got a full house in the chapel. I fact I give up my seat and stand. I enjoyed the early arrivers for Dzieci hanging out in the sanctuary as Milica’s orchestra goes through it’s final run through.

When Fools’ Mass begins, I feel uncomfortable, like it’s condescension as it begins. But then slowly I get drawn in and I remember how this works. It reaches it’s dramatic moment when Matt’s character gives his sermon, talks about Father Jose. How he had made them into a choir. And the message Teddy heard comes through. When the person who takes care of us is gone, then we have to figure out how to care for each other. (Teddy, that’s what we’ve been trying to do, we’ve been trying ever since…)

I love the addition of Teresita’s Spanish speaking character. She  came here as a member of Sanctuary and first encountered Dzieci at Teddy’s memorial. Was drawn to them and joined them for the Passion play. And now she is a Dzieci.

Quickly hustle into the sanctuary for the Composer Concordance concert. Glad to see Beppe and Liljana, Catarina and Carman Moore.

Liljana, Beppe, Carman, Catarina

I’m first intrigued by how straight this evening is. But bit by bit, the edges stretch. Milica’s piece is rooted in Balkan folk idiom but goes out from there. A spoken word poet raps over classical structures. A piece has been written creating variations on themes by Afrika Bambaata.

Legends award to Afrikaa Bambaata

Who is being honored tonight. And the Universal Zulu Nation is out in force. Honored as legends by the CC. It’s very cool to see these nearly mythic characters in their 40^th anniversary year, dreads and all here in our house.

Whether it always works or not what Milica, Gene and thier colleagues are about is stretching and almost erasing boundaries. Forget genres, like they say in New Orleans, it’s all just music.

Hanging with the Universal Zulu Nation

A misstep leaves me locked out. I can see RL’s window lighted but can’t reach him by phone. Finally I go to the Gate. And find poet Tim. Who happens to have a set of keys. I’m going to have to leave an extra set with a reliable bartender. After I’ve gotten my way in, RL comes in. And that is the night.

 

Congratulations, Composers' Concordance