Etienne Abelin News

News of Etienne Abelin, Indie Classical & El Sistema activist www.etienneabelin.com

[etienneabelin]

my letter to the Wall Street Journal got published

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303369904579421011931013236

[etienneabelin]

Wie wenn Schweizer Fussballklubs von der Champions League Qualifikation ausgeschlossen würden.

Einige Gedanken zu diesem Artikel im Tagesanzeiger Zürich: Es ist unsere Aufgabe als Kulturschaffende, kreativ mit der neuen Situation umzugehen und das wird sicher gelingen, wenn die Enttäuschung etwas abgeklungen ist. Diese sitzt im Moment schon tief: meine Organisation hatte auch vor, gemeinsam mit Partnerorganisationen in verschiedenen Europäischen Ländern, eine Eingabe beim Programm "Creative Europe" im Bereich Musik einzureichen. Und so geht es vielen Kollegen auch. Das sieht nun sehr sehr schwierig aus. Den ersten Termin Anfang März müssen wir sicher verpassen, danach sieht es nicht gerade vielversprechend aus. Wie beim Austauschprogramm Erasmus+ für Studierende, beim Forschungsprogramm "Horizon 2020" und MEDIA ist es auch bei uns: es ist, wie wenn die Schweizer Klubs im Fussball von der Champions League Qualifikation ausgeschlossen würden. Halt schon hart. Die Super League ist, bei allem Respekt, einfach nicht dasselbe. Spitzenleistungen, in welchem Gebiet auch immer, entstehen meist im internationalen Kontext am besten. Und dort können Schweizer dann oft auch brillieren und sich weit über die Grenzen hinaus Respekt erschaffen, ähnlich wie der FC Basel in den letzten Jahren.

Aber wie gesagt: es ist an uns, mit der neuen Situation kreativ umzugehen und Lösungen zu finden, so wie es der Schweizer Fussball in einer solchen Situation sicher auch tun würde. Und unsere Herausforderungen sind natürlich nur ein kleiner Aspekt der ganzen Geschichte.

[etienneabelin]

Moritz Eggert über ein spannendes Konzert

Und je mehr ich mir das alles anschaue denke ich mir: Ja! So kann man es machen! Mit den simpelsten Mitteln und ohne große Requisiten oder technischen Aufwand schaffen es die vier durchweg exzellenten Musiker (zu nennen sind noch Heather Roche, Klarinette, Daniel Lorenzo, Klavier) und die sanfte musikalische Anleitung von dem auch kompositorisch vertretenen Peter Gahn und wohl gemeinschaftlicher Konzeption den Abend mit Musik von (neben den schon genannten Komponisten) Ablinger, Cassidy, Gahn, Hespos und Hirs zu einem Happening sondergleichen zu machen, das eben doch kein hohles Happening ist, sondern einfach nur ein Versuch, die Intention der Kompositionen auf eine zwingende Weise umzusetzen, die ohne die üblichen Rituale auskommt. Das ist nicht im herkömmlichen Sinne “inszeniert”, sondern einfach nur ein zwingender und fesselnder Ablauf (Kein Applaus bis zum Schluss), der stets die Spannung hält und dennoch immer nur die Musik ins Zentrum stellt. Die Musiker geben nie vor, etwas anderes als Musiker zu sein, dennoch LEBEN sie die Musik, spielen sie nicht nur.

[classycal1]

classYcal’s Etienne Abelin wrote an answer to a Slipped Disc post on the release of the new DGG album with music by Bryce Dessner and Johnny Greenberg:

"I’m not sad at all, rather thrilled. Chapeau, Deutsche Grammophon! To describe this project as DGG simply featuring rock stars is not quite accurate: both Dessner and Greenwood are working between the genres with more than a foot in the classical world. Bryce Dessner has been a leading figure in Brooklyn’s Indie Classical scene for a while. I enjoyed playing his string quartet Aheym tremendously. And it’s no coincidence that the Copenhagen Phil with general manager Uffe Savery – formerly a classical percussionist but also “pop star” as member of the Danish electronic percussion duo Safri Duo – and conductor André de Ridder are involved in the production. Both are immensely active in advancing positions in contemporary composed music that combine intellectual substance with pop-appeal. A key to the future of the field, I believe. At the very least an enrichment to the world of composed new music. BTW: guess who’s responsible for this moving and wildly successful (check not only the numbers of views and likes, but also the comments!) flash mob with Peer Gynt on a subway? Uffe Savery and the Copenhagen Phil. Sometimes it takes out-of-the-box thinking and fresh ideas to show new directions in our classical music world that, you will admit, has a few challenges to tackle."

[etienneabelin]

Was Pep Guardiola und Claudio Abbado verbindet

Telebasel.ch

Etienne Abelin Violonist im Orchestra Mozart und Lucerne Festival Orchestra Christian Fluri Kulturchef bz «Was kann die Musikstadt Basel von Claudio Abbado lernen?» Rufen Sie an und stellen Sie Ihre Fragen über 061 202 95 40. Moderation: Andreas Bitterlin

[etienneabelin]

Claudio Abbado, "a loss to jazz" 

in Artsjournal.com

The Swiss violinist Etienne Abelin, a member of Abbado’s ensemble in Lucerne and Bologna, has been pondering why it was that musicians dropped everything in order to play in his handpicked orchestr…

[etienneabelin]

BBC Radio 3 Tribute to Claudio Abbado

[etienneabelin]

Ein zünftiger Schuss Rock'n'Roll für die Klassik, Tagesanzeiger Zürich, 18. 12.2013, von Etienne Abelin

In Kapuzenshirt und Jeans ans Konzert: International blüht eine neue, junge Klassikszene auf

[etienneabelin]

Warum Claudio Abbado ein grosser Jazzmusiker war, in "Hommage an Claudio Abbado" - Sternstunde Musik, SRF 1, 26. Januar 2014

Auch Tage nach Claudio Abbados Tod ringt die Musikwelt um Fassung. Zu einzigartig waren die letzten Schaffensjahre des Klangmagiers aus Italien, zu lebhaft bleiben die Eindrücke von tiefen Spuren, die der von Krankheit gezeichnete Dirigent musikalisch und menschlich hinterlassen hat.

Mit: Rachel Harnisch, Michael Häfliger, Elmar Weingarten und Etienne Abelin. Moderation: Sandra Studer 

[etienneabelin]

the secret deal

Rückert-Lieder: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommmen, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Magdalena Kozena, Claudio Abbado 2009, Youtube

[etienneabelin]

A True Jazz Artist: Claudio "The Risk-taker" Abbado

Some years ago, in Bologna, my friend the Belgian Jazz saxophonist and composer Fabrizio Cassol listened to a concert of the Orchestra Mozart with Abbado and was blown away. He told me afterwards: "You know, what you guys are doing is Jazz!"

It took me a while to understand what he meant. Now I agree: I think Claudio, in his Indian summer, was essentially a jazz artist. It was Claudio "The Risktaker" Abbado. He had the courage to want nothing, to be completely open to how things developed in making music with the orchestra. And then gently guide this process and let the many musical flowers evolving become a garden. Of course only after having internalized the score for so long and so profoundly that its flows, textures and emotional narratives became second nature. Then, in playing, a suggestion of a direction or expression could come from him, but very often also from groups or individuals in the orchestra. As a string group principal in Bologna, I could initiate going into a direction, with a certain expression. Open as he was, he would listen, understand, carry it on and then you could just let yourself be carried for a while, guided in what was essentially your own mini-story in the first place. So exhilharating. And on and on, throughout the piece. A constant give and take. Ever wondered why all these great soloists and chamber musicians came to Lucerne and Bologna time and again to play so-called orchestra? Because actually we gathered for guided collective improvisations. Everybody's creative and expressive capacities were in full demand, all the time. Not far in spirit from Dixieland, or Ornette Coleman. The world of Jazz lost one of its masters last Monday. 

[etienneabelin]

Visit Original Link

Hommage to #claudioabbado on BBC Radio 3

http://bbc.in/1aHsv8V

18'00'' ff Michael Haefliger

49'20'' ff - myself 

1'24'00'' ff Daniel Harding

1'40'40'' ff Clive Gillinson

1'56'00'' ff Simon Rattle 

[etienneabelin]

To my dearest mentor

Time stands still, I err around and have the urge to play the violin, which is not nearby. I didn't think this was going to so painful. Then again, no surprise: yes, good orchestras can play without conductor, but think of this: whenever I play the violin, also alone, Claudio's hands and persona are present, internalized, helping find the flow, open listening and depth of expression. So yes, rest in peace, Claudio Abbado, but also, no, be alive! And I know you are: with us, in the soul of the many many musicians who had the immense fortune to share music with you, the many who heard and saw concerts with you, also on youtube. I feel blessed and infinitely grateful for these eighteen years of music making with you.

You always insisted that we call you Claudio, not maestro, not Mr. Abbado, you wanted to be on eye level. But you were in fact always that little, subtle step ahead and ever so gently invited us to join you on that journey, in a way that felt like a catalyst. It needed no words. Your gift was to make us feel like we were fully ourselves, more than ourselves, never controlled from something outside, but gently guided. Guided to see and share beauty and more than that: to live an ethos of interconnectedness, collaboration, balance. For me, you embodied the best the world has to offer and this can and will live on. I'll do my very best to contribute as much as I can. 

[etienneabelin]

Trailer clip of the Music Animation Machine live performance at the Sounds of Childhood Festival Holon, Israel of September 2013 with great footage! With: Jerusalem Camerata, dir. Ori Leshman, actor Edan Alterman and myself on synchronator tool

It was so much fun to be there!

[etienneabelin]

Ben Frost on directing and composing The Wasp Factory (The Royal Opera)

Director/Composer Ben Frost on transforming Iain Banks's cult novel into gripping music theatre. Find out more at http://www.roh.org.uk/wasp The Wasp Factory...

very intriguing piece

[bedroomcommunity]

Nico Muhly | Ira Glass | The New York Public Library

If Thursday seems gloomy and dull, or you simply need something something, watch this brilliant interveiw with Nico Muhly

Co-Presented by The Metropolitan Opera As his first large-scale opera,Two Boys, has its U.S. premiere at the Metropolitan Opera, composer Nico Muhly sits down with Ira Glass (host, NPR’s “This American Life”) for a colorful, wide-ranging conversation about music, life, and whatever pi…

[indieclassical]

The full interview!

[indieclassical]

Watch now: Live From Lincoln Center | New York Philharmonic Gala with Yo-Yo Ma | PBS Video

Yo-Yo Ma joins the New York Philharmonic for a festive evening of dance-inspired music.

Don’t miss the piece at the 15-minute mark—the television premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s Azul.