Daniel John Plonsey
Biography, Part 2:
Interviews and Statements about Music)
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Daniel John Plonsey |
Recent Work: Plonsey writes:
``In 1999, I founded the group
Daniel Popsicle
to present my
growing body of large ensemble works for "extremely mixed" instrumentation,
including Balinese gamelan instruments, Turkish saz and cumbus,
Japanese shakuhachi, and shofar.
``Also in 1999, I began a series of operas with librettist Paul Schick,
premiering the first 6 scenes of
Sunburst
on March 19, 2000, at the
OPUS415 No.5 Bay Area New Music Marathon.
``I have written a large body of music for multiple saxophones, first, as co-leader of the Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, then for myself (overdubbed up to 13 times) for two solo CDs, Ivory Bill (Music & Arts) and Open Door And Desire (New Tone). Some of this music, adapted for saxophone sextet, toured Cleveland, Buffalo, New York, Connecticut and Massechusetts in February and March, 2001. On this tour, entitled Bird Constructions and Musics, I was re-united with Chris Jonas and Randy McKean of the Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, with whom I have worked for 12 years or so. Chris and I developed what we called Line Duets, combining improvisations, compositions and drawing (upon a giant 11' x 7' canvas), and in these performances the process was extended to include the construction of a jagged structure which could enclose the ensemble, and upon which drawings, paintings and projections were made - some building while others played.
``Also in February, I performed four concerts in Holland of music for winds, bass and percussion, inspired by compositions of Sun Ra, with Peter van Bergen, Steve Horowitz, Joost Buis, Jim Meneses and Jim Bove.
``In January 2001, I recorded in a tentet and sax quartet of music by Anthony Braxton, sessions led by Braxton, released as a 4-CD set June 25, 2002. In December, 2003, the group was reunited for a concert in San Francisco, and several days in studio, during which enough music was recorded for either a 6-CD set, or more likely, one DVD.
``In 2002, I was chosen for New Langton Arts' `Bay Area Awards Show,' and Daniel Popsicle performed 32 of my smallest new works, plus a second opera-in-progress (with Paul Schick), AMARAMA. A chamber version of Daniel Popsicles played another set of short pieces on the wonderful ``Garden of Memory'' concert, June 21, curated by New Music Bay Area. On September 30, a 20-person Daniel Popsicle presented two sets of music at Oakland's premiere jazz club, Yoshi's.''
``In 2003, I wrote and premiered a Concerto for Electric Guitar and Toy Orchestra for the wonderful guitarist Fred Frith and the fantastic Toychestra." This work was recorded, and released in May, 2004. Also released in 2004 was Moving About, Humming, Still Our Flowers are Blooming, Under the Old Portcullis, the first (hour-long) installment of Plonsey's Kingdoms Diptych. Part 2, the two-hour-long Wise King Taken by the Foolish One, became available shortly thereafter.
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Dan Plonsey dan@plonsey.com |
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