Directors Corner

It's been a great privilege and pleasure for me to play the central role in programming the Consort's last - can it really have been? - 34 seasons. Programming, to my mind, is the poor man's way of composing, and I find it a constant challenge, sometime vexation and general deep satisfaction. Elsewhere on this site you can see the new 2008-2009 season programs. I hope you will be as interested as I am in being on hand to experience them!

Most of these last 34 years of concerts - along with most of our commercially released CDs, also available elsewhere on this web site - have been recorded by our intrepid audio engineer Curt Wittig, now joined at concerts by Opusrite's Antonino D'Urzo. Each concert adds material to a large and ever-expanding archive of new music performance. Thanks to the inspiration, leadership and support of Consort board member Dennis Deloria and additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, it is being prepared to take its place at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland - and eventually on the web - as a repository of repertoire available to everyone. Stay tuned for more news about this project which, we hope, will serve as a national model for other ensembles devoted to new music.

Also on the recording front, I want to draw your attention to new and coming additions to our discography. You'll see on the records page of this site information about a new Consort release on Bridge Records of an all-David Froom CD, consisting of works premiered or performed by the Consort, then recorded in the beautiful Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the University of Maryland. To be candid, I do not uniformly enjoy listening to my own recordings, but this one is an exception; I'm exceedingly proud of the Consort's performances, find the engineering extraordinarily satisfying, and, the main point of course, the works uniformly outstanding and as a collection truly formidable. Now there's a totally unbiased review for you.

We are similarly excited about the release of another Bridge CD. this one of Stephen Jaffe's work, containing the recording of his "Homage to the Breath" which Consort concert-goers may recall from its premier in 2001 and second performance in 2005 (followed by the recording sessions). The gorgeous voice of Milagro Vargas is featured in this performance, along with a large ensemble of Consort artists. Again, from my wholly objective perspective (!), this is powerful and deeply worthwhile work.

Finally, The Consort has recently recorded James Primosch's "Dark the Star" with the redoubtable William Sharp as soloist. We premiered this piece last spring, and it is the last part of a series of recordings which will comprise and all-Consort, all-Primosch recording once it's all edited and released. We're looking forward to this.

It's worth being reminded that, extensive recording activity notwithstanding, what the Consort is really about is coming together in an actual space in real time with friends and others similarly curious, open and engaged in experiencing new music. Our gatherings of composers, artists and audience for musical adventure are among the most challenging and satisfying artistic enterprises I've ever had the privilege to be part of. On that note, please allow me to cordially invite you to take the important step beyond visiting this site, and visit us at the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a new season of exploration beginning October 25th, 2008.

Christopher Kendall