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“Avant-garde percussion” alive and well in Newfoundland

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The Short List for the 2010 Atlantis Music Prize has just been announced and it reminded me that the 2009 winner was a percussionist. The Atlantis Music Prize is  awarded to the best full-length album from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, “judged on artistic merit, without regard to genre or sales”. Percussionist/composer Curtis… Read more »

Gifts!

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December is glowing: Hanukah candles, Christmas trees, Kwanzaa lights, Solstice and New Year preparations. Gifts and music are a major part of the celebrations and it has me thinking about the gifted artists in NEXUS and their offerings, ranging from choral to kids.

Bob Becker – An Interview (1996)

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The following interview with Bob Becker took place on July 30, 1996. This is the first time it has been published. Bill Cahn: Do you see any “sea changes” happening now and if so what would you say they are and what are their characteristics?

Russell Hartenberger – An Interview (1996)

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The following interview with Russell Hartenberger took place in two sessions: first in Toronto in August, 1996 and the second in Ottawa on January 10, 1998.  This is the first time it has been published. Bill Cahn:  Let’s begin by addressing the issue of art being in service to something – in other words, art… Read more »

Calling All European Readers!

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We had a query from the UK today, asking if NEXUS has any plans for a performance trip to Europe. I was delighted to be able to tell him Yes, NEXUS is planning a trip overseas in October 2011. It is too early for these plans to appear on our Upcoming Events list, but as… Read more »

NEXUS Cover Art #6: “Changes”

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Following our blog post about Michael Craden‘s cover art on the NEXUS recording Garden of Sounds (with Richard Stoltzman), we heard from Nick Moreau at the Art Gallery of Peel here in Canada in downtown Brampton, Ontario. The Art Gallery has a Michael Craden work in its permanent collection.

Another Premiere for NEXUS – November 20, 2010

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For the fifth time since May 2010, I made the 5-hour drive from my house to Garry Kvistad’s home to perform in the Woodstock, NY area – this time with NEXUS in the Quimby Theater at the State University of New York in Ulster County.  The concert by NEXUS on November 20 was be the… Read more »

From The Archives: NEXUS plays “Fauna”

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Almost exactly 21 years ago, on November 13, 1989, NEXUS performed at the the “NEXUS Now” CD. Also on the WNYC broadcast is Wendy Mae Chambers’ “Night of the Shooting Stars,” (a tone poem for 16 percussionists inspired by The Leonids meteor shower), that features Jack-in-the Boxes, key chains, conch shells, sleigh bells, and slide… Read more »

NEXUS in New York State, November 20

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NEXUS will be performing on Saturday, November 20th at 8 p.m. in Stone Ridge, New York, about 90 minutes north of New York City. With this fantastic autumn weather we have been having, you could enjoy an afternoon hike in the nearby Catskills Park, perhaps at wonderfully-named Peekamoose or Buttermilk Falls

18th Century Roots

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This blog posting starts in the 20th century – 1959 to be exact.  That was the year I entered the 8th grade and had my first drum lesson with a real drum teacher.  His name was Joseph Huttlin, and he came from a family lineage of rudimental drummers.  He visited  my school for one afternoon… Read more »

NEXUS in the Hall of Fame

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In 1999 NEXUS was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society’s Hall of Fame. Inaugurated in 1972 the Hall of Fame has welcomed many of the greatest percussion personalities into its ranks. It is impossible to list them all here, and even more difficult to decide who to mention on a “short list”, but here are… Read more »

Exciting!

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Thanks for an exceptional concert last night, everyone! Judging by the many enthusiastic comments that swirled around me at intermission and afterwards, I was definitely not alone in finding the music (Rite of Spring and The Planets) exciting, sublime, and played to perfection by NEXUS, Midori Koga and Lydia Wong (a tour de force!), and… Read more »

Images from Hyogo

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September 10, 2010 – Hyogo Performing Arts Center (all photos by Yasuhiro Ishino)                  

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