PRESS RELEASE: NOW AVAILABLE: Aaron Siegel's "A Great Many"
NOW AVAILABLE:
Aaron Siegel’s A Great Many
available exclusively through
New Amsterdam’s Bandcamp Subscription
as part of new Windmill Series
A Great Many is the new album from Brooklyn-based composer Aaron Siegel. The record is available exclusively through New Amsterdam’s Bandcamp subscription as part of the Windmill Series, a new digitally-focused set of releases for subscribers in addition to our existing release schedule. Subscribe today to receive the album, which will be released on all other platforms on January 11, 2019.
—
A Great Many, is a new work for six percussionists and clarinet that represents the latest collaboration in the 10-year relationship between composer Aaron Siegel and Mantra Percussion. This fruitful relationship started with the premiere and subsequent recording of Science is Only a Sometimes Friend, for eight glockenspiels and organ, which was selected as one of Time Out New York's Ten Best Classical Albums of 2011.
A Great Many, was commissioned by Chamber Music America in 2017 as a feature for clarinetist Christa Van Alstine and subsequently performed at the Vancouver New Music Festival and at the Ecstatic Music Festival.
Aaron Siegel
Photo: Reuben Radding
Composed by Aaron Siegel
Performed by Mantra Percussion
(Joseph Bergen, Albert Cerulo, Christopher Graham, Michael McCurdy, Joseph Tucker, and Mark Utley)
Featuring Christa Van Alstine on B-flat and Bass Clarinets
Recorded by Jeff Cook at 2nd Story Sound
Mixed by Jeff Cook
Mastered by Oscar Zambrano
This commission has been made possible by the Chamber Music American Classical Commissioning Program, with generous funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.
—
Track order and personnel:
1. A Great Many (29:53)
Mantra Percussion: Joseph Bergen, Albert Cerulo, Christopher Graham, Michael McCurdy, Joseph Tucker, and Mark Utley
Christa Van Alstine, b-flat and bass clarinets
About Aaron Siegel
Aaron Siegel is a composer, percussionist, organizer, and educator. As a composer, Siegel’s inquisitive and playful work represents a personal vision of how we live with and respond to the sounds in our world. He has written countless works for solo percussion, percussion ensemble, string quartet, mixed ensembles, and chorus among others.
In addition to his work as a composer, Aaron is one of the co-founders of Experiments in Opera, where he has helped to support the commission of over 60 new operatic works since 2011. He has performed extensively with Anthony Braxton and his improvised trio Memorize the Sky. He also performed with Robert Ashley in a revival of his seminal work That Morning Thing at The Kitchen in New York City. Siegel is on the staff of the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.
About the Windmill Series
The Windmill Series is a new digitally-focused set of releases made available to New Amsterdam subscribers in addition to our normal release schedule. After a subscription exclusivity period, Windmill Series releases are available digitally worldwide.
Small Works is the second album released in the series, which was launched in June 2018 with Arooj Aftab's Siren Islands.
About Mantra Percussion
Committed to honoring the past and expanding the future of percussion music, Mantra Percussion brings to life new works for percussion by living composers, collaborates with artists from diverse genres and styles, and questions what it means to communicate music with percussion instruments. Mantra Percussion engages new audiences by challenging the standard concert format through evening-length events that look toward a grander artistic vision.
Over the past eight years Mantra Percussion has commissioned and/or premiered over 40 new works for percussion ensemble.
About Christa Van Alstine
New York City-based clarinetist Christa Van Alstine began her musical life in the great plains of Saskatchewan, Canada. After a stint in Toronto, studying at the Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School, and performing in the National Academy Orchestra, she moved to New York for graduate school at SUNY Stony Brook. Christa currently dedicates her time to collaborating with ensembles, performers, and composers in NYC and beyond. She is on the music-faculty at the United Nations International School.
About the NewAm Bandcamp Subscription:
For the first time ever, you can get all New Amsterdam Records albums as they are released, plus a selection of releases from our groundbreaking back catalog.
Join today and you’ll receive the following:
► A Great Many - the new album from Brooklyn-based composer Aaron Siegel (available exclusively through the NewAm subscription as part of the new Windmill Series).
► Blueprinting - the debut album from Aizuri Quartet, featuring works by five of today's most exciting American composers.
► Seed Triangular - the new album from multi-instrumentalist Robbie Leeand guitarist Mary Halvorson.
► Small Works - the new album from Durham-based composer Brooks Frederickson (available exclusively through the NewAm subscription as part of the new Windmill Series).
► Siren Islands - the new album from Pakistan-born, Brooklyn-based composer and performer Arooj Aftab (part of The Windmill Series).
► Until My Last – the new album from Indianapolis-based composer, performer, and multimedia artist Jordan Munson.
► Without Chasms – the new electronic EP from Brooklyn-based composer William Brittelle.
► New albums from Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Padma Newsome, and many others!
On top of all that, you’ll also get some exclusive content intended only for our cherished subscribers, including our brand new Windmill Series! You’ll also get immediate access to a selection of back-catalog releases, 20% off everything in our store, and exclusive access to subscriber-only communications directly from the label, including news about forthcoming releases.