RECORDING PROJECT FUNDRAISER
Rachel Calloway & JACK Quartet record
Jeff Myers' Requiem Aeternam
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Innova Recordings plans to release an album of music for voice and string quartet by emerging composer, Jeff Myers. Myers has been hailed as a “gifted young composer” with music that is “Striking…and harmonically rich” by the New York Times. Myers’ music has been championed by new music stars the JACK Quartet in recent years. The featured compositions on this album, Requiem Aeternam and dopamine, will be performed by JACK with mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway as the soloist for the Requiem. Rachel, a new-music and opera specialist, work been praised by the New York Times for “penetrating clarity” and “considerable depth of expression” and by Opera News for her “adept musicianship and dramatic flair.” Requiem Aeternam (2014) is a non-traditional requiem based on poetry from an eclectic array of writers of different times, cultures, and tongues. Poets such as Oscar WIlde, Rumi, Petrarch, Frida Schanz, and Henri Michaux provide texts which speak to the human experience. Written as a response to the sudden death of Myers’ young sister-in-law, this requiem takes a personal, intimate, and searching tone as it explores grief, doubt, ecstasy, deep sorrow and hopelessness.
Requiems offer a space for individuals to process grief, think about aspects of mortality and what makes them cherish life. Written with a wide range of musical and philosophical approaches to grief and death, this piece provides many opportunities for meditation, healing, and the appreciation of loved ones. If it can give a few people solace in the time of need, it has achieved its purpose. Mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway deftly navigates the various styles, languages and characters with dramatic precision, while maintaining a lyrical tone which is both nimble and powerful. The JACK Quartet effortlessly navigates through both lyrical and technical passages with ease. Both performances of the Requiem were met with very enthusiastic crowds. At the 2015 SONiC Festival in New York, it was voted as an audience favorite and broadcast on WQXR. Recordings have much greater reach: a recording of this significant work can reach a variety of crossover audiences beyond new music circles, ensuring broader success.
dopamine takes the traditional quartet and retunes the entire group to become something like a synthesizer for playing microtonal music. Written for the JACK Quartet in 2007, it was played over 10 times by JACK in 2009-2013 around the world in places like The Library of Congress, Darmstadt, and the Kimmel Center, to an enthusiastic response.
There are nascent plans to promote the album. JACK is currently pitching the Requiem to prospective concert series. Myers and JACK plan to propose a record release concert in New York at one of the prominent new music venues. The JACK Quartet has the ability to play this challenging music and make it sound effortless and full of life. Friends and collaborators for many years, it would be perfect to make Myers’ first full length album a JACK album. This album project has already been awarded a grant by the Alice M. Ditson Fund. With a few more grants and private donations, this project will become a reality in the near future.
Budget: $22000 (includes artist fees, recording studio, PR, administrative fees, and manufacturing costs)
Funds raised: $7000 (Alice M. Ditson Fund, private funds)
Remaining balance: $15000
If you would like to donate to this project you can donate in two ways:
Donate to JACK Quartet for tax-deductible donations:
INDICATE ON THE FORM THAT YOUR DONATION IS FOR THE RECORDING PROJECT
Requiems offer a space for individuals to process grief, think about aspects of mortality and what makes them cherish life. Written with a wide range of musical and philosophical approaches to grief and death, this piece provides many opportunities for meditation, healing, and the appreciation of loved ones. If it can give a few people solace in the time of need, it has achieved its purpose. Mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway deftly navigates the various styles, languages and characters with dramatic precision, while maintaining a lyrical tone which is both nimble and powerful. The JACK Quartet effortlessly navigates through both lyrical and technical passages with ease. Both performances of the Requiem were met with very enthusiastic crowds. At the 2015 SONiC Festival in New York, it was voted as an audience favorite and broadcast on WQXR. Recordings have much greater reach: a recording of this significant work can reach a variety of crossover audiences beyond new music circles, ensuring broader success.
dopamine takes the traditional quartet and retunes the entire group to become something like a synthesizer for playing microtonal music. Written for the JACK Quartet in 2007, it was played over 10 times by JACK in 2009-2013 around the world in places like The Library of Congress, Darmstadt, and the Kimmel Center, to an enthusiastic response.
There are nascent plans to promote the album. JACK is currently pitching the Requiem to prospective concert series. Myers and JACK plan to propose a record release concert in New York at one of the prominent new music venues. The JACK Quartet has the ability to play this challenging music and make it sound effortless and full of life. Friends and collaborators for many years, it would be perfect to make Myers’ first full length album a JACK album. This album project has already been awarded a grant by the Alice M. Ditson Fund. With a few more grants and private donations, this project will become a reality in the near future.
Budget: $22000 (includes artist fees, recording studio, PR, administrative fees, and manufacturing costs)
Funds raised: $7000 (Alice M. Ditson Fund, private funds)
Remaining balance: $15000
If you would like to donate to this project you can donate in two ways:
Donate to JACK Quartet for tax-deductible donations:
INDICATE ON THE FORM THAT YOUR DONATION IS FOR THE RECORDING PROJECT
To make a donation by mail, please mail a check or money order made payable to "JACK Music Inc." to:
JACK Music Inc.
809 W 181st St #224
New York NY 10033
Add memo: "Requiem project"
Donate to Jeff Myers for non-tax-deductible donations through PayPal:
JACK Music Inc.
809 W 181st St #224
New York NY 10033
Add memo: "Requiem project"
Donate to Jeff Myers for non-tax-deductible donations through PayPal:
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DISCOGRAPHY
The Angry Birds of Kauai
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Wizard Island for septet
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TAG for 2 violins and electronic drone
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Turtle and Rat
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The Age of Assassins
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Kulintang Suite
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Five Parametric Etudes
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