Bang on a Can Seeks Cellist

The Bang on a Can All Stars announce an immediate opening for the position of Cello. The All Stars are looking for a cellist of exceptional ability who has a demonstrated commitment to the music of our time. Applicants should a) have outstanding chamber music skills and be skilled as a soloist, b) have an enthusiasm for working in a wide variety of styles and genres, c) be comfortable working with living composers in a traditional composer/performer relationship AND be engaged in the collaborative process of experimenting with unconventional musicians on boundary-breaking projects. Applicants must be available for approximately 15 weeks per year for concerts, US and International touring, recordings, the Bang on a Can Summer Institute, and special projects. Experience playing amplified and knowledge of electronics is not required, but it is a plus. The Bang on a Can All Stars is a New York City based group and residence in the vicinity of New York City or willingness to re-locate is not a requirement, but is preferred.

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Just wondering. I wasn't able to go this year and I have seen exactly zero posts here about it. Doesn't anyone have anything to say?

Paul

I have just acquired a new camera and took it to work with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og0yosVrDLg

So how do other NDC'ers earn a living?

Tony.

http://youtube.navi-gate.org/tag/cellist/

It was great to come across alternative cellists listed. I've wanted to hear some of Rufus Cappadocia's work etc. The Rasputina was really disappointing... taken from a live performance in the crowd.

you might find some performances you wanted to have seen.

Kenji Miyazaki wrote a charming children's book about a young cellist who learned to play better through the animals. A cat, A bird, a racoon and a mouse family.

It's appeared on Google video, just search for goshu. Not alternative but the idea of learning from animals might be

Hi there,

I'm heading up to NDCF and was just wondering if anyone from SF was heading up there too. I can share the gas expense and also drive. Safe driver here.

[Just was looking at Amtrak and it costs $46 roundtrip - and the station is about 4 miles from CSU if you were thinking about it.]

I should probably be environmental and ride the train, but in case someone was thinking of driving there anyway..carpool! Im a light packer, but will have my cello with me.

MKazuM@gmail.com

Thanks!

Mark.

Sad news about the passing of the great Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich yesterday at age 80. It feels like an international day of mourning for cellists and all his countless fans throughout the world. I was lucky enough to meet him once at the 1st World Cello Congress in Washington in 1988. He was in the audience and heard me play my electric cello with my jazz quartet on an evening concert called "New Dimensions in Cello" at the University of Maryland. Afterward he came backstage and gave me a big Russian bear hug and said "Bravo Chris, bravissimo!" That was one of the big highlights of my career for sure. He also knew about the New Directions Cello Association and Festival. We sent Cello City Ink to his artist management office in New York. I wonder if he ever got them and if he ever read them? There is also a story from 1980 at his estate in upstate NY (near Herkimer) when I helped a Vermont friend who was doing some carpentry work there. We had to remove his tools quickly with the help of some monks from a nearby Russian monastery because the property was under KGB surveillance! Quite a dramatic and funny day! What an amazing human being he was. Much like Pablo Casals he was a champion of human rights and fought oppression using his influence as a prominent world class musician. The stories of his musical and other acts could and will certainly fill volumes.

Folks -

I pose a questions to you more experienced cellist, composers and arrangers. I have STRUGGLED with finding appropriate solos and ensembles for my son and his cello friends (and, yes, he already plays by ear - he nailed "Soul Man" after 6 months of lessons).

The thing is, he wants to play with other kids. Which means that finding music that they can play is difficult. Playing with friends is a great incentive to play more.

So I open the question to the community: what are good ways of getting simple (often first position with no extension) non-classical ma

Help! Does anyone have any idea what happened to Eric Jensen? Here's my story: About 10 years ago I went to Eric Jensen's home/workshop in Seattle, where he makes electric bowed instruments, and ordered a cello. Six months later it arrived on my doorstep and proved to be an audio as well as a visual delight.

That was easy. The difficult part is that in October 2005 I ordered a cello performance stand that Jensen also makes, on which I would be able to play my cello while standing up. Along with the order, I enclosed for full payment a $220 check that was cashed in less than a month. Now, more than a year later, I still have received no performance stand AND no communication from Jensen. Though his Web site is still up and seems to receive e-mail, no response has come to the 5 or 6 e-mails that I've sent there. Similarly, I've received no response to several phone messages that I've left in his voice mail. Most recently, however, it's no longer possible to leave phone messages; that is, the phone just rings until I get tired of listening to it and hang up.