2014 Schedule of Events

Participants at our festival are amateurs, students, recording artists, professional touring soloists, university professors, young people, freelancers, and university cello majors.  We have planned each hour so everyone can participate in the workshops and jam sessions.  Schedule is subject to change.  All events take place in the Whalen Center for Music at Ithaca College.

2014 Schedule of Events

Time  Beeler Room Presser Room
Friday June 13
 11 am – 12:30 pm     Registration in Lobby  
 1 – 2 pm   Music for People Jam Session
– Sera Smolen  

— We will look at “one quality sound”, drones, musical conversations, ostinatos and more.
 Charts ‘N Parts – Corbin Keep  
— You’ve got the gig: someone has asked you to play cello in their band. However, there are no cello parts and not even any chord charts. All you have is a list of YouTube links to the songs. The gig is Saturday. There’s never been a cello in the group before. You need to create your own parts – now.
 2:10-3:10 pm   Ping Pong, with singing saws –
Marei Seuthe and Krischa Weber 
 

— Explore this space, musically. Set into motion different improvisational scenarios, making music across and around this large, inviting space. See how we can incorporate the bowed saw..
 Latin Jazz – Chris White  
— Play Latin jazz charts, with bass lines, comping and soloing.
 3:20-4:20 pm  Getting Inside the Sound
– Forrest Larson  

— Experience ways of incorporating the remarkable sound world of “found sounds” into music.  Learn some new ways of listening and making music with composer Forrest Larson.
 The Cello Brick Road – Stephen Katz  
— Deepen your Flying Pizzicato chops by learning how to play and sing excerpts from Stephen’s cover of If I Only Had A Brain from The Wizard Of Oz.
4:30-5:30 pm  Nabenhauer Room – CELLO BIG BAND rehearsal 1 of 3 –Conducted by Tom Culver

Be in the all cello big band. We have parts for everyone, and a collection of new music incorporating alternative styles.  We design this specifically for everyone to participate in together for all three rehearsals plus the concert on Sunday.  Our conductor this year is Tom Culver, from Chicago.

Friday Night Concert
7:30 – 10:30 pmCello en Vogue
Pierre Michaud
Stephan Braun

 

Time  Beeler Room Presser Room
Saturday June 14
Registration for Young People’s Cello-Bration 8:30 – 9:00 Lobby near Beeler Room
 9-10 am   Latin Jazz – Chris White 
— Learn the basics of Latin Jazz: melodies, chords and basslines.
 Scottish Strathspeys – Abby Newton 
— Melody, rhtyhm and back up parts.
 10:10 – 11:10 am   Styles of Fiddle Ornamentation
– Emma Beaton 

— Create ornamentations and discover subtleties between different traditional fiddle styles to the cello. What makes Celtic music sound Celtic? Quebecois music sound Quebecois? Come find out!
 The Pop Machine – Mike Block 
— This class is MEANT to be fun.  But no promises … We will learn a wicked awesome pop song by ear, which means Melody (vocally AND on cello), Chords, Groove, and Riffs!  THEN we will create an arrangement of it and raid the other workshops.
 11:20 am – 12:20 pm   Intercity jam Session – Cello en Vogue with Forrest Larson, electronics.
— Learn three different improvising strategies behind the free improvisation done in Cello en Vogue, generating three compositions.
 All Thumbs –
Stephen Katz  

— Learn Stephen’s latest Flying Pizzicato etude All Thumbs, and moreCalls for lots of downstrokes (thumb strokes), and handfuls of left hand pizzicato.
Time  Beeler Room Presser Room
Saturday June 14 continued
 12:30 – 1: 30 pm  LUNCH    LUNCH  
 1:30 – 2:30 pm Demonstration with Q & A,  Hank Roberts and Bill Frisell
— Close-up with Hank and Bill.There is a special $10 (cash) fee for non-festival particpants to observe this session.
 Conducting Signals – Marei Seuthe  
— Re-imagine and re-invent the world of conducting signals, playing what the conductor is doing.
 2:40 – 3:40 pm  Cello Reggae – Pierre Michaud
— Learn this amazing composition, and how to play the different parts.
 Improvising in Groups –  Stephan Braun
— Explore call and response, modal and free group improvisations. Play life without written music. Harmonize songs and make arrangements.
 3:45 – 4:30 pm “Cello & Chocolate” in the Exhibition Room

Instruments, gear, amps, and the bowed SAW!

 4:30 – 5:30 pm Nabenhauer Room – CELLO BIG BAND rehearsal 2 of 3 — Conducted by Tom Culver
Saturday Night Concert
7:30 – 10:30 pmEmma Beaton
Mike Block Sandeep Das
Hank Roberts & Bill Frisell

 

Time  Beeler Room Presser Room
Sunday June 15
 9:30 – 10:30 am   Artist, Cellist, and human being –
Hank Roberts 

— Leave your instruments in the case and let’s talk.
  Improvisations based on melodic &  harmonic structures – Stephan Braun
— Turnarounds, blues, rhythm changes, jazz standards, playing bass, harmonies, rhythms, melodies, solos.
 10:40 – 11:40 am   Unusual Positions – Corinna Elkmeier  
— Play the cello with an expert improviser who is also an authority in the Feldenkrais method.  In recent years she has been discovering how the real music in you can pour out of you.  Unusual (slightly unusual) positions are part of the secret.
 Fundamentals of Rhythmic String Playing – Mike Block
— Welcome to Groovelandia! We will explore “Strum Bowing”, common accent patterns, “Ghost Notes”, and a few Chopping patterns that will get you grooving like a long-time resident.
 11:45 – 12:45 pm Hockett Redital Hall – CELLO BIG BAND rehearsal #3 –Conducted by Tom Culver
 12:45 – 1:30 pm  LUNCH
 1:30 – 2 pm  Open Mic – Hockett Recital Hall
–Share an original song for 5 minutes.  Sign up on the sheet (big sheet of paper) at registration.
Sunday 2 – 3 pm

Cello Big Band Concert- Hockett Recital Hall
 New Directions Cello Festival BIG BAND