CASTLE OF OUR SKINS
  • ABOUT
    • WHAT IS COOS?
    • LEADERS
    • ARTISTS
    • COLLABORATORS
    • CREATIVE IN RESIDENCE
    • CONTACT
  • SEASON
    • 2022-2023 SEASON
    • MassQ Ball
    • Black Composer Miniature Challenge >
      • #BCMC 1.0
      • #BCMC 2.0
      • #BCMC 3.0
    • Black Poet Miniature Challenge
    • BSU Fellowship
    • Card to Culture
    • REPERTOIRE
  • EDUCATION
    • EDUCATION
    • AS TOLD BY
    • BIBA Blog
    • RESOURCES
  • PRESS
    • IN THE NEWS
    • Videos & Images
  • CONTRIBUTE
    • DONATE
    • VOLUNTEER
    • Join the Board
    • SPECIAL THANKS
  • Store

9/6/2016

A lil' talk with Jeffrey Mumford

0 Comments

Read Now
 
BIBA is back from a summer hiatus, planning wonderful entries here, as well as a preparing for a FANTASTIC, giant new season for Castle of our Skins! The season kicks off with COOS's first ever portrait concert, featuring string works by the beloved composer Jeffrey Mumford! The concert, entitled a veil of liquid diamonds, will feature solo, duo, trio, and quartet works, and the composer will be in attendance for a Q&A after the performance. I (Anthony Green) recently got to speak to Jeffrey about music, life, and the future. Unfortunately the recording app that I downloaded did not do a very good job, and I cannot post the audio from the conversation here (which was my grand plan). However, I truncated the conversation, and scribed it for you all below. I hope you enjoy, and if you are in the Boston area on September 24th, PLEASE COME AND CHECK OUT COOS's a veil of liquid diamonds! Buy tickets : click here!
Picture
​BIBA: Hypothetical situation. I give you $1 million and 2 years. What piece would you compose? What would the instrumentation be? Approximate duration? Instrumental forces?

JM: I have longed wanted to write a double concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra, so that would be the piece. Right now, I am focusing a lot of my work on orchestral music, and I would love to get the opportunity to record it. My focus these days is to get these pieces on CD and out into the world, because – as you know – orchestral music can be very difficult and expensive to get out there. But that is one of my next priorities. I finished recently a concerto for cello and orchestra, in memory of my former teacher Elliot Carter, and I am now working on another concerto for violin and orchestra, a concerto for piano and large ensemble, and a concerto for cello and chamber orchestra. So, a double concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra would be what I would write, and then create a CD of all of these concerti.

BIBA: That sounds like a fantastic project! I know that your repertoire does have lots of commissions from orchestras, but it also has lots of chamber music. What attracts you to the orchestral sound as a composer who also has quite a bit of chamber music?

JM: Well, I love the colors and the possibilities of writing for an ensemble that produces such amazing layers and colors. Like a lot of composers, I love that the possibilities to write for the orchestra are endless, and one can create a beautiful fabric of sound.

BIBA: How did you come into music, and when did you know that you wanted to be a composer?

JM: I always had melodies running through my head. Perhaps from my past lives, but I certainly heard melodies. I started my studies as a painter, but one of my paintings was sabotaged during my sophomore year. Nevertheless, I graduated with a degree in Art, but I had focused on going to graduate school for composition. Fortunately I had the opportunity to study with Bernard Rands and Elliott Carter.

BIBA: That is amazing. Do you still paint?

JM: Unfortunately no, there is no time.

BIBA: You mentioned that you studied with Elliott Carter. How was he as a teacher and what are some of the most valuable gems that he imparted upon you?

JM: Actually, he was great. I remember one time during our studies, I was writing a violin concerto, and after the first performance I had some doubts. I will always remember what he told me. He said, “always create a window for the soloist”. After that, I thinned out some of the textures, and the second performance went so much better because I created these windows.

BIBA: As a successful African-American composer, what words of encouragement and wisdom do you have for the upcoming generation of African-American and Black composers around the world?

JM: I have been thinking about this in the context that, next month – in October, I was invited to be on the panel for a major conference hosted by the BBC entitled Diversity and Inclusion in Composition. Also one of the panelists will be Chi-Chi Nwanoku, a bassist who started the all-Black Chineke orchestra in the UK. So I have been thinking a lot about this issue, and I would say that one of the most important things is to do what you and Ashe are doing – creating networks, making friends, making connections, reaching out into the community, becoming a voice for change, garnering a very clear vision, and having alliances within the greater community. Stay true to your voice. Don’t let anyone tell you what is or what is not Black music. Anything that a Black person writes is automatically Black music. 
​

Share

0 Comments
Details
    Picture
    Writings, musings, photos, links, and videos about Black Artistry of ALL varieties!
    Feel free to drop a comment or suggestion for posts!  

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    November 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    RSS Feed

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
ABOUT
WHAT IS COOS?
LEADERS
ARTISTS
COLLABORATORS
CREATIVE IN RESIDENCE
​CONTACT
SEASON
2022-2023 SEASON
MASSQ BALL
​BPMC
​BSU FELLOWSHIP
​REPERTOIRE
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
AS TOLD BY
BIBA BLOG
​RESOURCES
PRESS
IN THE NEWS
​VIDEOS & IMAGES
CONTRIBUTE
DONATE
VOLUNTEER
JOIN THE BOARD
SPECIAL THANKS

STORE
A LITTLE HISTORY
X: CURRICULUM GUIDE
#BCMC VOL. 2 
#BCMC VOL. 1
JULIUS EASTMAN
FLORENCE PRICE

Member Login
Black concert series and educational programs in Boston and beyond
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
PRIVACY POLICY
  • ABOUT
    • WHAT IS COOS?
    • LEADERS
    • ARTISTS
    • COLLABORATORS
    • CREATIVE IN RESIDENCE
    • CONTACT
  • SEASON
    • 2022-2023 SEASON
    • MassQ Ball
    • Black Composer Miniature Challenge >
      • #BCMC 1.0
      • #BCMC 2.0
      • #BCMC 3.0
    • Black Poet Miniature Challenge
    • BSU Fellowship
    • Card to Culture
    • REPERTOIRE
  • EDUCATION
    • EDUCATION
    • AS TOLD BY
    • BIBA Blog
    • RESOURCES
  • PRESS
    • IN THE NEWS
    • Videos & Images
  • CONTRIBUTE
    • DONATE
    • VOLUNTEER
    • Join the Board
    • SPECIAL THANKS
  • Store