The Central Florida Composers Forum Concert

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CF2 was evening of new music by local composers at the Timucua White House. I arrived with Terry about an hour before the concert because the idea had been tossed around with Serena Jones, that it might be nice for me to project a sketch I was working on live during the concert. Unfortunately for technical reasons, that didn’t work out but I still got a great sketch from the second floor balcony. Serena worked the multi media imagery on a flat panel TV screen from her laptop.

The featured artist for the evening was Woody Igou. Woody set up a series of sculptures on card tables. One sculpture was of a series of hollow horns stacked up. At the beginning of the performance he mixed some gorilla glue with pigments and salt and he poured the mixture inside the horns. For the rest of the evening the mixture expanded like the blob, overflowing and oozing down like lava.

The CF2 concert offered contemporary composers an open forum to showcase their recent work.

Featured Composers on the Program:

Daniel Crozier (Rollins College) – Piano solo (2009)

Benoit Glazer (Music Director for La Nouba) – Brass Quintet and Percussion Quintet (2011)

Charles Griffin (Full Sail University) – Flute Quartet, prerecorded audio and video projection (2010) Rebekah Todia (Full Sail University) – Soprano and piano (2012)

Charles Griffin’s composition featured animated projections that responded to the music. The audience was encouraged to repeat vocalizations as they appeared on the screen. Everyone followed with shhh, and ah, ah sounds. This gave a primal feel to the proceedings.

The concert was an invigorating multimedia mix of electro acoustic, post-minimal, contemporary art song, solo piano and big-band jazz pieces by musicians and composers from Rollins, Full Sail, UCF and of course, Benoit Glazer, the musical director of Cirque du Soleil, and resident of the (Timucua) White House.

Acoustic Eidolon

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The Timucua White House hosted Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire who are a tour-de-force of acoustic music, described as “World Music for the Soul.” In February 1998, Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire founded Acoustic Eidolon. What began as a musical adventure turned quickly into a life adventure, for both Hannah and Joe. Joe described how he builds his own double-neck guitjo. He described the intricacies of designing and playing this one of a kind instrument. His long impassioned description was followed by, “Oh, yea, Hanna plays a cello. Hanna and everyone else laughed.

It might have been fate or destiny that brought these talents together but this couple from Colorado had a unique and heart felt sound. Hannah told a story about how she checked her cello in with luggage for a United Airlines flight and what she got back was splintered and destroyed. United never accepted responsibility for the damage. Scott wrote Hannah a song called “In Your Cathedral” of condolence for the instrument which she called, her lost voice. It was the first of many love songs. This couple who madebeautiful music together eventually got married on October 14, 2001. Hannah wrote a song called “Hurricane Hannah” that expressed the whirl wind of emotions as she searched to regain her voice. A cello repairman had a large slab of wood that came from the same tree Hannah’s instrument came from. The repaired cello had just as rich a sound when repaired.

Terry, my wife arrived late, but when my sketch was done, she sat beside me and rested her head in my lap.

Benoit Glazer

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Benoit Glazer and his wife opened their home, the Timucua White House, starting in September 2000, to bring free music to the Orlando community. I’ve sketched many of these concerts and have always been pleased to discover new talents. Benoit and his family believe and promote the following…
Art and music belong to everyone.
Art and music are the highest manifestation of our humanity.
Art and music should be enjoyed in the most intimate venue: the living room.
Every community is better when art and music are performed and nurtured within it.

After one concert, I discovered that Benoit was composing the sound track music for an independent film called “7 Lives of Chance” that was filmed right here in Orlando. This film, written and directed by Banks Helfrich, is about a woman who loves balloons and is unable to let go of the past. Her life would be so much easier and less painful if she could let go and watch her worries drift away with the breeze. The sound track features light and breezy violin music giving the story a distinct European flair. Benoit jumped at the chance to compose the music.

I sketched Benoit on the weekend as he worked in his sound studio. A collection of violins and trumpets lined one wall. A window looked out on the main stage area in his custom built acoustically designed “living room.” His flat screen computer monitor was tilted vertical so he could see all the tracks. The family was watching a neighbors dog. The Benoits also have a greyhound and this dog made the tragic mistake of nipping at the greyhound while it slept. The greyhound was jolted awake, and bit down on the the other dog’s head. The children took the dog to the vet at a great expense. The dog lay on the floor with a big band aid covering the bite. The dog was restless, and occasionally Benoit would have to soothe it, making sure the dog didn’t scratch at the wound with it’s paws.

After each concert, Benoit mixes a CD to thank the musicians for performing. He began mixing a CD for singer Ashley Lockheed. Chris Rotmeyer was on piano, Ben Cramer on Base and Allen Vache on clarinet. Benoit informed me that Allen is a very big deal, having performed with the Jim Cullen band. The music filled the tiny sound studio as Benoit adjusted the levels again and again. I was surprised when he asked my opinion on the levels of one track. I was just as surprised when he agreed with my humbly assessment. Benoit adjusted the levels using pure instinct. He doesn’t consider himself a perfectionist, he just knows when it feels right.

Charles Eisenstein on Sacred Economics

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Charles Eisenstein, the author of Sacred Economics, gave a talk at the Timucua White House. Harlan Wallner got on stage to introduce Charles. He stood there for a long while beaming. He said he had planned a long time on how he might introduce Charles but instead he just wanted to smile. He said, we were in for an enlightenment.

Charles stood at the very edge of the stage his toes reaching towards the audience. He began by saying, “This is the first talk I have given at the White House.” Which broke the ice with laughter. Behind him two spot lights created a heart shaped pool of light on the painting in the corner. I began by sketching that pool of light.

He outlined how our society today is surrounded by product, not true nourishment. Most people feel that community is missing from our lives. Money tends to block us from the natural expression of our gifts. Community is something that is woven from gift relationships. In ancient societies, wealth was a matter of how much you shared. If a hunter brought down a large catch, he couldn’t eat it all himself before it spoiled. He would share the catch with the community. Today, financial independence means you don’t need others. The dissolution of community to a shallow consumer society relates as well to the high number of divorces today. Community comes from creatively producing together.

Existence is a matter of giving. Our default state is gratitude. The world is a web of gifts. Growing up we accepted the gifts of our parents. When we are older we seek to give those gifts in return. Joint consumption doesn’t create intimacy. Only joint creativity and gifts create intimacy. Anything we do has significance. Perhaps our society doesn’t place a high monetary value on someone sitting with a person in hospice. But a shared moment of forgiveness at the end of life has an immense value. How will that change the world?

Look for gifts in the unspoken. Bow in service to what you need to create. You have to be in service of something. Everyone wants to live a life of meaning. Something wants to be born, to be created. It’s light will bring up pain. You might think, “It’s impossible” or “I’ll be left behind.” Pay attention to that pain, give it space, then move past it. The logic of the heart wants to be of service. Love is the felt experience of connection to another human being. An economist feels, more for you is less for me. But a person in love knows that more for you is more for me as well. If you love someone, then their happiness is your happiness. Your sense of self expands to include others. That is a different kind of revolution. We want to create a more beautiful world our hearts tell us is possible. A sacred world. A world that works for everybody. A world of peace. “You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.”

After the talk, I spoke with Dina Peterson who had recently lost her job and is considering moving to Indiana. Regardless, she wanted to buy one of my calendars. I was touched. I realized I only had a single dollar bill in my wallet. Rather than take the money, I suggested she “gift” the money to Charles. I felt good knowing I had made a contribution. When she came back, she said she felt rich being able to give the extra cash to the speaker. This was our shared experience in Sacred Economics for the evening.

David M. Roth

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Folk singer David M. Roth performed at the White House. Artist Ed Sanderson stood in the corner and did a quick impasto landscape painting as David played. Ed was one of the first visual artists to paint live at the White House and he had returned several times. Davids mellow tunes all had uplifting hope filled lyrics. What made the performance special for me was the way he wove his family history into monologues between his music. His father came to this country to make a better life for his family and he had hopes that his son would one day be a success as a doctor or lawyer. David did find success doing something he loved and sharing that love of music with others.

David was asked to perform at a NASA conference and he suggested in an off hand way that he could write a song especially for the occasion. Months passed and he forgot about the promise, but the organizer called him right before the conference to let him know how excited she was to hear his song. He panicked but just happened across an article about Sputnik, the first Soviet satellite. That mysterious orb sent fear into every American heart and the space race began. His inspired song pointed out that if future explorations were fueled by love rather than fear, then we could accomplish anything.

A race to the furthest star
A race to the galaxies above
If a little bit of fear can go so far
Imagine what a world could do with love

The song he wrote was later taken into space by a shuttle astronaut. When he told his father the amazing news, that his music was orbiting the earth, his father asked, “So how much does that put in your pocket?”

Later when his father was sick and in Hospice care, David would sit bedside and play his music for him. His father wasn’t very responsive, slipping in and out of consciousness. As David was leaving hospice with his sister, he suddenly had a feeling he had to return and speak with his father. He asked, “Are you aware that I have been playing music for you?” His fathers eyes flickered open and he said, “Yes, it is beautiful.” Rob was a bit choked up as he said, “That was the only time he acknowledged that he liked my music.” A few days later, his father died. When Rob thinks of his dad, he always has that moment to treasure.

The Big Bang

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On the second day of the Accidental Music Festival, there was an open rehearsal at Urban ReThink for a big band orchestral work titled “In the Beginning”. Composed by John Alvarez this was a new work that referenced what the beginning of the universe might have sounded like. Chris Belt conducted the piece which was organized in three movements, Before Time, the Big Bang and the Expanding Universe.

A computer crash held up the electronic sounds associated with Before Time. After the computer was re-booted, the piece began with the a gentile rise and growing unrest of pure electronic noise. Big band members who did not have to play began to shield their ears from the high pitched sound.

In one punch the whole big band attacked a note announcing the Big Bang. Alto, tenor and barl saxophones mingled and fought with the trumpets, trombones and percussion. The drummers each had bright day glow flexible tubes they waved over their heads like lassos. This created a mysterious hollow tone like wind singing in a cave. Much of the composition is cacophonous and aggressive yet every note was planned. Several times players got lost in the chaos and everyone would begin again.

On September 11th at 7pm the world premiere of “In the Beginning” will be held at the Timucua White House (2000 South Summerlin Avenue). With September 11th also being the ten year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the sounds of the Big Bang will likely evoke emotions tied in to another chaotic moment that continues to cause unrest. As always the concert is free just bring wine or a snack if you would like to imbibe.

Le Musee de l'impressionisme

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Robert Callender wrote a show that takes you through Le Musee de l’impressionisme room by room, with live musicians, dancers, and singers. The show was produced once in NY, so this was a chance to see it in Florida at the Timucua White House (2000 S. Summerlin Ave). Each musical number was based on a different impressionist painter, like Renoir, Monet, Bazille, Morisot, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Degas and Henri de Toulouse–Lautrec.

Once Terry and I got to the White House, I made my way to the third floor to start my sketch. I sat against the railing along with a couple from out of town. Terry went downstairs to open the bottle of wine we had bought. I knew the dancers were from Emotions Dance and I was excited to see them perform. Three female vocalists backed up Robert Callender and the band was talented and tight with two guitars, a sax, Trumpet, bongo drums, a full drum set played by Benoit Glazer, the evenings host, and a wind synthesizer.

Wine wasn’t allowed on the third floor so Terry never rejoined me. I got several texts from her where she praised the band. All of the dancing was improvised on the spot. I spoke with dancer, Cindy Michelle Heen, after the performance and she described how she lost herself in the music and the energy from the audience. Her body moved freely without the restrictions of second guessing. I sketched the dancers when they came out in bright red skirts for the Lautrec piece. For an inspired moment I felt like I was at the Moulin Rouge. Durring the second half of the performance, Paula Large sat at an easel in the back corner of the stage and she did a composite caricature sketch of the performers.

White House Concert

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Satuko Fujii Ma-do, an experimental jazz quartet from Japan performed at the White House at an unusually early 3pm show. The White House concerts are free, being hosted by Benoit Glaser and his beautiful family. The concert space was designed by Benoit and it is acoustically exceptional. Benoit is the music director for Cirque du Soleil.

When I entered, I immediately wandered up the spiral staircase to the top floor where I filled my watercolor brushes with water in the bathroom. I found a seat right up against the railing overlooking the stage. I love this “god’s eye” view. Robin Maria-Pedrero was the visual artist who worked next to the stage. Robin’s canvas developed quickly as she brushed in large bold blocks of color. Under these colors was some masking agents which she rubbed off revealing hidden shapes and forms. Her bright multi layered work was a good match to the abstract experimental sounds of Satuko Fujii Ma-do.

The music was often dissonant and disjointed. The trumpet was used to create squealing wet sounds that caused some audience members to laugh uncomfortably. It was fun to sketch to and the rising swell and thrust of each piece inspired the lines I was dashing off on the page. Terry showed up late and her friend Wendy Wallenberg was there to joke around with us as we stood around the snack table after the concert. Wendy took over the hostess duties by straightening up and rearranging everything on the table.

I spoke with Robin the visual artist after the performance. She explained how she likes to find recognizable forms in the abstract brushwork she first puts down. She pointed to a canvas on the wall and said the rabbits were such a revelation to her. I didn’t see the rabbits at first and I was surprised when their tiny forms jumped out at me.

Carol Stein at the White House

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Terry knew Carol Stein from Dor Shalom, a local Jewish social group. This concert at Benoit Glazer’s home (2000 south Summerlin Avenue) was one of the monthly concert held in this acoustically superb space. Carol plays light entertaining jazz that often incorporated riffs from classical music. She performed along with Eddie Marshall, Barry Smith and Charlie Silva. Jason Hunt had his detailed photo realistic pencil renderings hanging around the performance space. Carol pointed out that she is the proud owner if several of his pieces. I set up on the second floor balcony and started sketching frantically. Terry joined me on this outing but she stayed on the ground floor while I worked. Carol’s mom was in the audience, and she dedicated a song to her. It was a fun lighthearted evening of jazz.

Wendy with a Chance of Rain

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This month’s concert held at the Timucua White House (2001 Hamilton Lane, Orlando) featured singer-songwriter Wendy Feaver. This was to be Wendy’s last performance in Orlando before leaving to get her masters degree up in New Jersey. The artist who painted the entire length of the concert is Maggie Sharar. She was pregnant with her first child and while most of the paintings on the walls were for sale, one was not because she is saving it for her doula. Benoit Glazer introduced the concert and his two children each performed a piece at the piano.
When Wendy took to the stage she explained that she would be playing some cover songs and plenty of original material. She felt that it was fortuitous that it had just been raining and as she stood outside prior to the concert she saw a huge rainbow that went from horizon to horizon. She began the concert with “Everyone knows it’s Wendy.” I enjoyed the original songs, some of which had to do with insecurity and of course, love. Wendy has a lighthearted way of delivering the songs, sometimes tapping on the piano lid for some percussion.
Sheila Marie Ernst sang and played guitar for the second set. Her gentle voice had a way of reaching in and pulling just the right heartstrings. All told it was an uplifting concert.
Guests to the Glazer home bought bottles of wine and there was a fine spread of deserts in the entry room. After the concert, people greeted one another and it became an informal party.
If you haven’t been to the Timucua White House yet, you are missing out on one of the best venues in town. Grab a bottle of wine and come out on August 29th when there will be a trombone recital.