Reminder - March 31, Chicago Cultural Center

Hello friends - this is a reminder message that Chicago Bass Ensemble and Matthew Coley will be premiering Rural Sketches for Marimba and six double basses:
Monday, March 31, 2014 at 12:15 pm
Preston Bradley Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington Street, Chicago, IL
The piece is commissioned from composer Igor Iachimciuc by Matthew Coley and the Chicago Bass Ensemble. At the premiere, we will be conducted by Leslie B. Dunner.

Preparing a Premiere

Don't let anyone tell you differently, preparing a piece for its very first performance can be nerve-wracking. I have written a few blog posts about it, and will write one or two more, but to summarize:

• excitement at the idea of bringing something new and cool into the world
• panic when you see the composer's first ideas, which all appear completely unplayable
• scramble to find players capable of it
• shared relief when you find that the other players think it's unplayable, too
• curious intrigue as you find moments in the piece that give you a chill up your spine
• excitement returning as you find out it's not impossible and actually is going to be pretty cool
• realistic acceptance that you need a skilled conductor to guide you over the finish line.

We have reached that last stage, and are looking forward to Monday, when we complete the process by putting the piece in front of you, our audience.

Chicago Bass Ensemble...

... is a group dedicated to exploring the repertoire for three, four, five or more bassists (this time six plus marimba!!), and bringing that music to new audiences.