Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis On Stage

by Daniel Corral and Alexander Gedeon 

Performed by Now Hear Ensemble:

Daniel Corral (piano, guitar)
Federico Llach (double bass)
Brian Walsh (clarinet)

with Alexander Gedeon (pantomime)

Sequenza 21: “…carried off with exemplary production values and extraordinary performances, making the case that new music concerts can be experienced online at a high level.”

LA Times Cultural Pick: “Theater artist Alexander Gedeon and composer Daniel Corral deconstruct the myth of pop stardom in this musical fable with live accompaniment by the Now Hear Ensemble.”

Having Fun with Elvis on Stage is a 1973 album collaged entirely from Elvis speaking on stage between songs at live concerts — no music. One reviewer wrote: “hearing it is like witnessing a car wreck, leaving onlookers too horrified and too baffled to turn away.” Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis on Stage reimagines this vilified recording as the libretto for a sort of ‘ghost opera’ — creating a memetic hologram of the endless purgatory of celebrity afterlife. Concerto for Elvis is the first in a series of collaborations between Corral and Gedeon, in which four 20th century American male icons are dismantled through collage, color constancy, and racialized representation. Members of the Now Hear Ensemble perform composer Corral’s original live musical score along with the original LP as if they were the pit orchestra for opera or musical theater. Meanwhile, Alexander Gedeon’s ‘Elvis’ persona becomes a vehicle to explore all things banal and absurd in pop idolatry. Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis on Stage will be preceded by a screening of Count In!, Daniel Corral’s video piece combining the voice of Poly Styrene [from 1970’s British punk band X-Ray Spex] with musical minimalism and hypnotic color.

Presented virtually by REDCAT on Saturday, November 14, 2020.

Get tickets via REDCAT

Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis On Stage

by Daniel Corral and Alexander Gedeon 

Performed by Now Hear Ensemble:

Daniel Corral (piano, guitar)
Federico Llach (double bass)
Brian Walsh (clarinet)

with Alexander Gedeon (pantomime)

Sequenza 21: “…carried off with exemplary production values and extraordinary performances, making the case that new music concerts can be experienced online at a high level.”

LA Times Cultural Pick: “Theater artist Alexander Gedeon and composer Daniel Corral deconstruct the myth of pop stardom in this musical fable with live accompaniment by the Now Hear Ensemble.”

Having Fun with Elvis on Stage is a 1973 album collaged entirely from Elvis speaking on stage between songs at live concerts — no music. One reviewer wrote: “hearing it is like witnessing a car wreck, leaving onlookers too horrified and too baffled to turn away.” Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis on Stage reimagines this vilified recording as the libretto for a sort of ‘ghost opera’ — creating a memetic hologram of the endless purgatory of celebrity afterlife. Concerto for Elvis is the first in a series of collaborations between Corral and Gedeon, in which four 20th century American male icons are dismantled through collage, color constancy, and racialized representation. Members of the Now Hear Ensemble perform composer Corral’s original live musical score along with the original LP as if they were the pit orchestra for opera or musical theater. Meanwhile, Alexander Gedeon’s ‘Elvis’ persona becomes a vehicle to explore all things banal and absurd in pop idolatry. Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis on Stage will be preceded by a screening of Count In!, Daniel Corral’s video piece combining the voice of Poly Styrene [from 1970’s British punk band X-Ray Spex] with musical minimalism and hypnotic color.

Screening by Social Convention (UK), February 26th, 2021.
socialconvention.org/

Having Fun with the Now Hear Ensemble

presented by People Inside Electronics
Art Share LA

People Inside Electronics presents the Now Hear Ensemble, featuring the talents of Daniel Corral (accordion), Federico Llach (double bass) and Brian Walsh (clarinets).

“Having Fun” pits live musicians against pre-recorded media to examine facets of 21st-century life. Through five diverse pieces, the Now Hear Ensemble surveys human physicality, immigration, pop iconography, retro-futurism, and the nature of time.

In Simon Steen-Andersen’s “Asthma,” the accordion re-learns what breathing means to humans in all our idealism, fear, and corporeal frailty. Federico Llach’s “I diari” explore paradoxes in immigration laws in the US and EU respectively. Daniel Corral’s “Concerto for Having Fun with Elvis on Stage” reframes the cultural significance of the worst album in rock and roll history. “This Changes Everything” by Alex Temple starts with 80s New Wave and pulls from the history of synthesized music. “TIM song” by Peter Ablinger addresses the ultimate medium of music - time itself.

Program:

TIM Song - Peter Ablinger

Asthma - Simon Steen-Andersen
accordion, video

This changes everything - Alex Temple
clarinet and tape

I diari - Federico Llach
clarinet, double bass, accordion, electronics

Concerto for Having Fun With Elvis On Stage - Daniel Corral
Clarinet, double bass, guitar/keyboard, tape

The UC Santa Barbara Department of Music presents its first-ever Summer Festival on Thursday, September 1, 2016 from 4-9 p.m. Presented in partnership with the UCSB College of Creative Studies and the UCSB Multicultural Center, the Festival will focus on diversity by combining world-class contemporary music ensembles with Afro-Cuban and indie artists. The artists will perform at venues all over the UCSB campus, with no admission fees. This event is made possible by the generous support of the UCSB Office of Summer Sessions.

The Department of Music’s Resident Ensemble, the Now Hear Ensemble, will present a sampling of the boundary-defying works they have been performing over the last two years. The ensemble embraces “contemporary music and pop culture because [they] believe cross-genre approaches lead to new territories for creativity.”

The Formalist Quartet—a world-class string quartet from Los Angeles specialized in contemporary music—will present music by their own members (Mark Menzies, Andrew McIntosh, Andrew Tholl) and by composer Erik Ullman, as well as a premiere of a new microtonal work by Santa Barbara-based composer Federico Llach.

The local musician-run non-profit organization Cali2Cuba—whose mission is to promote the cultural exchange between California and Cuba—will present their group Los Rumberos de Cali. Los Rumberos de Cali believes that “music in the U.S. has been heavily influenced by Caribbean music” and seeks to bridge this neglected cultural link by “teaching and engaging our community with workshops, concerts, and outreach events.” The group's leader, Miguelito León, will present a workshop entitled, “The evolution of Afro-Cuban music,” followed by a concert of traditional Cuban folklore at the UCSB Multicultural Center.

Artists such as folk & blues slide guitar player Christina Apostolopoulos, violist Jonathan Morgan, cellist Kathryn Carlson, and emerging electro-acoustic composer Graham Bunce will also present original solo sets in the College of Creative Studies’ Old Little Theater and the UCSB Multicultural Center. 

We're performing at the Carlsbad Music Festival. Come check out our set Saturday afternoon!

Program:

"Passages" by David Gordon
performed by Amanda Kritzberg (clarinet) and Adriane Hill (flute)

"Slow Burn" by Anthony Paul Garcia
performed by Amanda Kritzberg (clarinet)

"Bridge II" by Heena Yoon
performed by Jonathan Morgan (viola) and Adriane Hill (flute)

"...in radiis solaris" by Mason Hock
performed by Kyra Folk-Farber (soprano, guest artist), Jonathan Morgan (viola), and Anthony Paul Garcia (percussion)

The UCSB Department of Music's Resident Ensemble, the Now Hear Ensemble, performs music by UCSB graduate composition students, written for the group.

Works by Mason Hock, Brandon Rolle, Heena Yoon, Marc Evans, and David Gordon, with special guest Kyra Folk-Farber (soprano).

Admission is free.

Karl Geiringer Hall, UCSB Music Department. 8:00pm, June 5, 2016.

The Now Hear Ensemble presents a concert at Art Share LA. The fourth installment of the Not for the Ears Alone series, the program features music that exploits the potential for creativity using both the stage space and the performers’ bodies. These works make powerful musical statements, yet they are best experienced with eyes wide open. For this show, the ensemble will make use of chalkboards, a boombox, animated videos, sandpaper, samplers, and toy guitars.

The title of this concert series is a quote from Björn Heile, who used it to describe the music of Mauricio Kagel during the 1960’s—found in The Music of Mauricio Kagel. The ensemble finds a connection between those works by Kagel, usually referred to as “instrumental theater”, and the spirit of the works included in this series.

Basica presents a futurist tale showcasing an eSport music competition. Shlomowitz combines gestures and sounds in a sampler-inspired work. Llach and Goldberg depict life cycles by exploring contrasts in audio and visuals. Jacob TV and Nas delve into the connection between language and music by manipulating voice samples from life-sentenced prisoners and unveiling confessions that cool-headedly dissect and expose human morality.

Constantin Basica: Championship
flute, clarinet, viola, performer, commentator and video

Matthew Shlomowitz: Letter Piece No. 8
3 performers

Jacob TV: Grab it!
electric guitar and boombox

Federico Llach & Gaby Goldberg: This Time Around
viola, flute, video and electronics

Mayke Nas: I Delayed People's Flights by Walking Slowly in Narrow Hallways
4 performers, blackboards and chalk + electronics

Jonathan Morgan, viola/violin
Adriane Hill, flute
Amanda Kritzberg, clarinet
Anthony Paul Garcia, percussion/electronics
Rob Moreno, guitar

Not for the Ears Alone at Art Share LA. Friday, May 20, 2016. 8:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please click here.

The Now Hear Ensemble presents a concert at the Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall at the UC Santa Barbara Department of Music. The third installment of the Not for the Ears Alone series, the program features music that exploits the potential for creativity using both the stage space and the performers’ bodies. These works make powerful musical statements, yet they are best experienced with eyes wide open. For this show, the ensemble will make use of chalkboards, a boombox, animated videos, sandpaper, samplers, and toy guitars.

The title of this concert series is a quote from Björn Heile, who used it to describe the music of Mauricio Kagel during the 1960’s—found in The Music of Mauricio Kagel. The ensemble finds a connection between those works by Kagel, usually referred to as “instrumental theater”, and the spirit of the works included in this series.

Basica presents a futurist tale showcasing an eSport music competition. Shlomowitz combines gestures and sounds in a sampler-inspired work. Llach and Goldberg depict life cycles by exploring contrasts in audio and visuals. Jacob TV and Nas delve into the connection between language and music by manipulating voice samples from life-sentenced prisoners and unveiling confessions that cool-headedly dissect and expose human morality.

Constantin Basica: Championship
flute, clarinet, viola, performer, commentator and video

Matthew Shlomowitz: Letter Piece No. 8
3 performers

Jacob TV: Grab it!
electric guitar and boombox

Federico Llach & Gaby Goldberg: This Time Around
viola, flute, video and electronics

Mayke Nas: I Delayed People's Flights by Walking Slowly in Narrow Hallways
4 performers, blackboards and chalk + electronics

Jonathan Morgan, viola/violin
Adriane Hill, flute
Amanda Kritzberg, clarinet
Anthony Paul Garcia, percussion/electronics
Rob Moreno, guitar

Not for the Ears Alone at Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall, UC Santa Barbara Department of Music. Thursday, May 19, 2016. 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please click here.

The Now Hear Ensemble presents a concert at CCRMA. The second installment of the Not for the Ears Alone series, the program features music that exploits the potential for creativity using both the stage space and the performers’ bodies. These works make powerful musical statements, yet they are best experienced with eyes wide open. For this show, the ensemble will make use of chalkboards, a boombox, animated videos, sandpaper, samplers, and toy guitars.

The title of this concert series is a quote from Björn Heile, who used it to describe the music of Mauricio Kagel during the 1960’s—found in The Music of Mauricio Kagel. The ensemble finds a connection between those works by Kagel, usually referred to as “instrumental theater”, and the spirit of the works included in this series.

Basica presents a futurist tale showcasing an eSport music competition. Shlomowitz and Diels combine gestures and sounds in their sampler-inspired works. Llach and Goldberg depict life cycles by exploring contrasts in audio and visuals. Jacob TV and Nas delve into the connection between language and music by manipulating voice samples from life-sentenced prisoners and unveiling confessions that cool-headedly dissect and expose human morality.

Constantin Basica: Championship

flute, clarinet, viola, performer, commentator and video

Matthew Shlomowitz: Letter Piece No. 8

3 performers

Jacob TV: Grab it!

electric guitar and boombox

Natacha Diels: second nightmare for KIKU

violin and two assistants

Federico Llach & Gaby Goldberg: This Time Around

viola, flute, video and electronics

Mayke Nas: I Delayed People's Flights by Walking Slowly in Narrow Hallways

4 performers, blackboards and chalk + electronics

Not for the Ears Alone at CCRMA. Saturday, April 30, 2016. 7:30 p.m. CCRMA Stage. Admission is free. For more information, please click here.

The Now Hear Ensemble presents a concert at the Center for New Music. The first installment of the Not for the Ears Alone series, the program features music that exploits the potential for creativity using both the stage space and the performers’ bodies. These works make powerful musical statements, yet they are best experienced with eyes wide open. For this show, the ensemble will make use of chalkboards, a boombox, animated videos, sandpaper, samplers, and toy guitars.

The title of this concert series is a quote from Björn Heile, who used it to describe the music of Mauricio Kagel during the 1960’s—found in The Music of Mauricio Kagel. The ensemble finds a connection between those works by Kagel, usually referred to as “instrumental theater”, and the spirit of the works included in this series.

Basica presents a futurist tale showcasing an eSport music competition. Shlomowitz and Diels combine gestures and sounds in their sampler-inspired works. Llach and Goldberg depict life cycles by exploring contrasts in audio and visuals. Jacob TV and Nas delve into the connection between language and music by manipulating voice samples from life-sentenced prisoners and unveiling confessions that cool-headedly dissect and expose human morality.

Constantin Basica: Championship

flute, clarinet, viola, performer, commentator and video

Matthew Shlomowitz: Letter Piece No. 8

3 performers

Jacob TV: Grab it!

electric guitar and boombox

Natacha Diels: second nightmare for KIKU

violin and two assistants

Federico Llach & Gaby Goldberg: This Time Around

viola, flute, video and electronics

Mayke Nas: I Delayed People's Flights by Walking Slowly in Narrow Hallways

4 performers, blackboards and chalk + electronics

Not for the Ears Alone at C4NM. Thursday, April 28, 2016. 7:30 p.m. Center for New Music. $15 general / $10 members. Tickets available at the door only. For more information, please click here.

"Points in Time" is a retrospective look at the music of PhD candidate Anthony Paul Garcia. Members of UCSB's resident musical group, Now Hear Ensemble, will perform pieces which explore and exploit the use of time, electronics, speech, visualization, and the fine line between pop and concert music. This performance is centered on the world premiere of his new interactive viola concerto, "At Any Point," for violist Dr. Jonathan Morgan in which the audience has a chance to shape the piece through the use of their smartphones. UCSB Art, Design & Architecture Museum. Admission is free. 

Program:

This Time Around - Federico Llach // Adriane Hill - flute, Jonathan Morgan - viola

Wait. - Anthony Paul Garcia // Jonathan Morgan - viola

Cycles - Dan VanHassel // Amanda Kritzberg - clarinet, Jonathan Morgan - viola, Anthony Garcia - wheels, Adriane Hill - wheels