NEXUS has had some wonderful opportunities to play with some of the drum-set greats: Out of the Blue CD; and of course the inimitable Steve Gadd. NEXUS performed with Steve at Gotanda Kan-I Hoken Hall in Japan at “Super Percussion”, part of the Tokyo Music Joy Festival. Bob Becker not only arranged several pieces that… Read more »
You can catch a recent article about NEXUS by clicking here. The Varsity, the newspaper of the University of Toronto, ran the article in mid-March, this time featuring NEXUS’s Bob Becker, who talks about the genesis and evolution of both NEXUS and himself as a musician. Enjoy!
In case you missed it, John Terauds ran a great article in the Toronto Star a couple of weeks ago about percussion today. The article features NEXUS’ own Russell Hartenberger
Further to my blog posting on July 26, 2009 (see “On Wings of Song”) the premiere of a new work for chamber orchestra, narrator and children’s chorus occurred on Sunday March 28, 2010 at the Hochstein Performance Hall in Rochester, New York. The performers were Simon Pontin as Narrator, the Bach Children’s Chorus directed by… Read more »
Last year (2009) percussionist Daniel Smithiger asked the members of NEXUS to answer a number of interesting questions for an interview now posted on the Percussive Notes magazine. Below are my answers to a few of Daniel’s questions. DS: Of what things are you most proud, in the accomplishments and history of NEXUS? BB: I… Read more »
Don’t forget that this Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. NEXUS is performing in the handsome Glenn Gould Studio Theatre in downtown Toronto in the CBC Broadcasting building. ( Buy tickets. Address: 250 Front Street West, Toronto, ON). If you are a student, show your ID and get in for a mere $10 – a great… Read more »
During the week of February 14, 2010 I made visits to two schools in the University of Wisconsin network – UW Stevens Point and UW Madison. I was lucky with the weather as I had to connect through Detroit going and coming back, and at this time of year in the northeast, the more airports… Read more »
NEXUS has invited three guest artists to perform at the upcoming NEXUS concerts in March: Midori Koga, Paul Ormandy and Ryan Scott.
I have been reading wonderful notices at the Ojai Festival in California not long ago. Slonimsky was a gifted musician who was born into a remarkable Russian family in 1894, fled his homeland during the Revolution of 1917 and emigrated from Europe to America in 1923 at the invitation of George Eastman (inventor of the… Read more »
In 2008 NEXUS performed at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. Incredibly, this was NEXUS’ first time at the OCMF. They gave three different performances: one in a late-night “after-hours” venue, the second a formal evening solo concert, and the third an afternoon educational concert at the Museum of Civilization. Here is an interesting article and… Read more »
March 19 and 20 bring two opportunities to hear NEXUS in concert. Our friends in Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Fort Erie, and upper New York State can come to Brock University in St Catharines, Ontario, in the heart of Niagara wine country, and our fans in Southern and Central Ontario can come to the handsome Glenn… Read more »
Brass and Percussion is a match made in heaven. So it is no surprise that the Canadian Brass decided to include percussion – and LOTS of it! – in their upcoming recording. Keep an eye on the CB’s website for future updates on the recording and its availability. The recording session took place just last… Read more »
When things are quiet on the Blog, you can be sure that things are hopping behind the scenes! NEXUS is deep into rehearsal for the much-anticipated premiere of the legendary Steve Reich’s new Mallet Quartet. Watch for it on April 29th here in Toronto under the auspices of Soundstreams Canada.
What do Ling Lun, Antonio Stradivari, Robert Moog, Harry Partch and Pat Metheny have in common? They have all built musical instruments that have had a profound influence on the music which followed. Pat Metheny’s music and his playing style is unique, complex and masterful. Yet, it is accessible, fun and beautiful. He has gone… Read more »
It’s January 15, 2010 (Japan time) – the last day of my 2-week residency at the Showa Academy of Music. This has been my seventh such residency since 1998 – the third time at the school’s new campus facility in Kawasaki. The old campus was in Atsugi, about another 40 minutes southwest away from Tokyo… Read more »
