NOTE Magazine - Issue 7: Women In Music by Classical Music Indy

Women in Music

Contributors

RUTH MCARTHUR’S MUSIC CONSERVATORY

PROVIDED A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

IN INDIANAPOLIS.

06 Focusing

KYLE LONG is host of

NICHOLAS JOHNSON

is an Assistant Professor of Musicology at Butler University, the Musicology Director of the Vienna Summer Music Festival, and a local musician. JAN DOWLING is an Indianapolis death penalty investigator who writes biographies and personal profiles. She is a devoted fan of classical music and opera, and a serious Francophile, drawn to parle français as often as possible. Between visits to Paris, she devours French-related novels and non-fiction.

Cultural Manifesto on 90.1 WFYI Public Radio and performs as a DJ at a variety of clubs and cultural events around Indianapolis.

SPECIAL THANKS TO NOTE MAGAZINE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD AND CONTRIBUTING STAFF:

Whit Bones

Dr. Lisa Brooks

Rob Funkhouser

Crystal Hammon

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Kyle Long

Amy McAdams-Gonzales DESIGNER

BURTON RUNYAN went

to art school to become a writer. He enjoys Tchaikovsky, Charleston and chocolate.

Tierney McGuire

Anna Pranger-Sleppy Eric Salazar

Michael Toulouse

on the Music

JANNA HYMES INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION

OF CONDUCTORS.

09 Classical

CHANTAL INCANDELA

studied Double Bass Performance at Indiana University under the tutelage of Lawrence Hurst and Bruce Bransby. In addition to having a teaching studio, she is a member of several regional orchestras and a contributing writer to NUVO, covering classical music in Indianapolis.

02 Editor’s Note 03 On Air 04 Jazz Catalyst

Connections

#RANDOMACTSOFMUSIC MAKES NOISE IN INDY.

10 12

Music Therapy Making Contact

MEET MUSIC UNITES ARTIST LAURA RECENDEZ.

Solo Artist

THE INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION

OF INDIANAPOLIS

The Gray Area

HANNA BENN MAKES A BIGGER TENT FOR

MUSIC BY BENDING THE RULES.

Why Viola?

JAMES AIKMAN’S LATEST ICO COMPOSITION

OPENS IN APRIL.

19 20

Your City on a Playlist My Music. My Story.

JEN AND STEVE HANCOCK DESCRIBE

HOW MUSIC AFFECTS THEM.

Classical Pairings

ENHANCE YOUR LISTENING EXPERIENCE WITH THE PERFECT BEER.

Dear Classical Music Fans and Friends, For Classical Music Indy’s 50th anniversary, we plan to celebrate all year long. To kick off this milestone, I am honored to relaunch a newly-designed NOTE magazine, after a two-year hiatus. With this first issue, we chose to feature women in music, to celebrate local influencers, past and present, who have made stunning accomplishments, not only with their talent, but also with their leadership in the genre. You’ll also read about two mainstay classical music organizations that add to the vibrancy of arts and culture in our city. Indianapolis has a robust classical music scene, worthy of being treasured as one of our city’s defining assets. And with NOTE, Classical Music Indy aims to tell stories that will delight and surprise avid classical fans, as well as welcome those new to the world of classical music. I am indebted to our NOTE Community Advisory Board, who helped shape this issue’s content and started what I hope will be many inspiring discussions about Indy’s finest classical music artists, entrepreneurs, and patrons—past, present and future. You are receiving NOTE magazine because you support our work, and we hope to bring this vibrant publication to many others in our community. Classical Music Indy strongly believes that classical music is for everyone. So spread the word about this new local arts publication, and please share your copy of NOTE with others. I look forward to sharing our 50th anniversary issue with you in a few months, coinciding with Classical Music Month in September. Until then, enjoy all things classical music on-air, online and in the community.

Jenny Burch

President & CEO

On Air ____

Our nation celebrates women’s history in March, and at Classical Music Indy, we’ll join the celebration. One piece to listen for is the GAELIC SYMPHONY BY AMY BEACH. Premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, it was the first symphony written and published by an American woman. Beach took her musical inspiration for the symphony from traditional English, Irish and Scottish melodies—a practice made popular by European composers like Grieg, Chopin and Dvorak, who used traditional music from their homelands. Beach’s Gaelic Symphony was well received at its premiere and helped establish her as one of the most important composers—male or female—of her day. Few contemporary composers have embraced the concerto form quite as enthusiastically as JENNIFER HIGDON. Her website lists eight concertos, chock full of solos for instruments ranging from the ever-popular violin to the vastly underappreciated soprano saxophone. The viola was likely to get the Higdon treatment at some point, yet her 2014 Viola Concerto is no routine check-mark on a list. It’s tailored to the playing of Roberto Díaz, former principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, who participated in Higdon’s first major recording project. Díaz, now president and CEO of the Curtis Institute, can boast of another collaboration with Higdon. His performance with the Nashville Symphony and conductor Giancarlo Guerrero helped the composer earn the 2018 Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.

The Jazz Catalyst FOR OVER TWO DECADES, RUTH MCARTHUR’S MUSIC CONSERVATORY PROVIDED A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS AMONG INDIANAPOLIS’ BEST-KNOWN MUSICIANS.

____

By Kyle Long During the mid-20th century, a small patch of land in the Midwestern city of Indianapolis produced a generation of musicians who helped shape the development of American popular music. This area became known as Indiana Avenue, named for the street that cut through the heart of the neighborhood. The Avenue was born from the racist segregation policies of Jim Crow America. From roughly the 1870s to the 1960s, it was the main hub of AfricanAmerican culture in Indianapolis. The dense cluster of jazz and blues clubs populating the Avenue helped give birth to the careers of several iconic jazz players, including Wes Montgomery and Freddie Hubbard. Beyond the stars of the scene, the Avenue produced literally dozens of musicians that made important contributions in the fields of jazz and R&B music. What sparked this historic burst of creative Hoosier energy? It’s impossible to isolate one factor alone, but there is

no doubt that the exceptional quality of music education available on the Avenue played a large role. The scholastic anchor of the Avenue neighborhood was Crispus Attucks High School. Crispus Attucks opened in 1927 as a response to the segregationist movement’s petition for the establishment of an all-black high school in Indianapolis. Over the years Crispus Attucks employed a renowned group of music educators, including respected names like LaVerne Newsome, Norman Merrifield and Russell W. Brown. The work of these teachers left a lasting impression on every adolescent who moved through their programs. But there was a need in the community for quality music education beyond the walls of Attucks, a place for adult learners seeking training in advanced music techniques and parents seeking introductory courses for pre-teens.

Photo courtesy of Indiana Historical Society (cropped)

Fortunately, one of Indianapolis’ most visionary music educators stepped forward to meet the demand for music instruction.

her father owned at 808-810 Indiana Avenue, McArthur took the biggest step in her career and opened the McArthur Conservatory of Music.

Ruth McArthur was born in Bristol, Virginia on November 29, 1916. Her father, Rutherford McArthur, was a physician, graduating from Nashville, Tennessee’s Meharry Medical College in 1912. Rutherford moved his family to Indianapolis in 1926 for postdoctoral studies at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

McArthur’s conservatory thrived on the Avenue from 1946 to 1963. Her mission was to make high-quality music instruction accessible for Avenue residents, and she achieved that goal by recruiting an all-star staff of educators. Early faculty at the conservatory included Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians like

During the 1950s the conservatory made history as the first educational institution in Indiana to offer formal courses in jazz study. Ruth McArthur attended Crispus Attucks. After graduating in 1934, she headed south for Alabama to begin formal study of music at the Tuskegee Institute, where she studied band and orchestral music. According to David Williams’ indispensable 2014 book Indianapolis Jazz, McArthur was deeply influenced by the pioneering African-American composer William L. Dawson. After earning her bachelor’s degree, McArthur remained at Tuskegee for grad courses in choral technique and musicology. But the outbreak of World War II cut her studies short and McArthur headed home to Indianapolis. In the 1940s McArthur was hired as music supervisor for the Indianapolis Public Schools, where she oversaw instrumental music programs at 13 of the city’s elementary schools. McArthur also began offering private music lessons from her home. When an opportunity arose to occupy a building

Gene Franzman and Mildred Lind, and legendary Ink Spots vocalist Jerry Daniels. The conservatory was housed in a threestory, 20-room structure located directly across the street from Lockefield Gardens. At its peak, the school featured 13 departments offering diplomas for two- and three-year course studies. Vintage advertisements list composing, arranging, orchestra conducting and “private lessons on any instruments” as areas of study offered at McArthur. During the 1950s the conservatory made history as the first educational institution in Indiana to offer formal courses in jazz study. The appointment of former Katherine Dunham dancer Jon Lei to the McArthur staff provided another breakthrough. Lei’s courses in African, Latin and Caribbean dance were unprecedented in the Indianapolis of the 1950s.

The list of former McArthur Conservatory students includes an impressive roster of jazz legends. Dr. Larry Ridley is one of the most prominent jazz players to emerge from Indianapolis. In addition to heading the jazz program at Rutgers University, the legendary bassist has performed and recorded with jazz icons including Thelonius Monk, Horace Silver, Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker and many others. McArthur provided Ridley with his first formal music lessons. Ridley was a violin student at the time. “I was fortunate that my first studies, around 6 years old, were with Miss McArthur,” Ridley recalls. “As she expanded her operations, she brought in musicians from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She’d set up some kind of arrangement with the orchestra’s conductor Fabien Sevitzky and I ended up studying with a young lady who was the first chair violinist with the symphony. Her name was Mildred Lind.” Ridley refers to McArthur as a “catalyst for the musicians in the Indianapolis community,” and credits the school as the foundation of his later success. “The excellent instruction I received at the conservatory was my introduction to music. That was the root.” Jazz trumpeter Dr. David Hardiman is another notable alumnus of the McArthur Conservatory. Hardiman is the founder of the brilliantly progressive San Francisco All-Star Big Band and taught music for 30 years at San Francisco’s City College. Hardiman remembers Ruth McArthur as a thorough teacher and good business woman. He was around 8 years old when he began taking lessons at the school with Lancaster Price.

Hardiman remembers the conservatory as one of the backbones of music instruction for many African Americans raised in Indianapolis. “It was affordable,” Hardiman explains. “In those days people weren’t earning a lot of money and maybe couldn’t have afforded private instruction somewhere else.” In addition to the success stories mentioned above, the conservatory also contributed to the community by sending its choirs, jazz orchestra and marching band to perform for various civic events, church functions and parades. Sadly, this wasn’t enough to save the school from the changing socio-economic climate of the Avenue. A myriad of outside forces began pushing the neighborhood’s population outside the downtown corridor, resulting in declining revenue for area merchants and entrepreneurs. The McArthur Conservatory closed its doors permanently in 1963. Ruth McArthur died on March 1, 1994 with little recognition of her enormous contributions to Indianapolis culture. Driving down Indiana Avenue today, there’s no evidence of the once-bustling conservatory’s existence. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis acquired the property in 1967 and demolished the building as part of the university’s expansion. While the physical evidence of McArthur’s work has been erased, her legacy lives on in the timeless music of former students like Larry Ridley and “Slide” Hampton. Jazz fans in Indianapolis and around the world owe Ruth McArthur a debt of gratitude. ■

Focusing on the Music

JANNA HYMES INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONDUCTORS. ____

by Jan Dowling After besting over 130 applicants for the job as music director of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Maestra Janna Hymes has taken the helm as the CSO’s first female conductor. Her journey to the podium began as a teenager when a music teacher was tardy for orchestra practice. Reading her classmates’ restlessness and boredom during the wait, Hymes seized the opportunity to pick up the baton and lead. The moment the orchestra followed, her heart’s desire was revealed. Born in New York City, Hymes came from a creative family steeped in the arts. Her father was a lighting consultant on popular shows such as Saturday Night Live, and her mother coordinated public relations for the American Ballet Theatre. Early in her career, female conductors were often limited to the role of guest conductor. Hymes was aware that she needed to shine brighter than her male

counterparts, but that knowledge was less of a distraction than an energizing force. A Fulbright Scholar who trained with Leonard Bernstein, Hymes kept her focus on the music. Undaunted by the obstacle of breaking into a male-dominated field, she plunged into musical scores, analyzing how the pieces were put together and the relationship between the instruments. While Hymes honed her baton technique, she reflected on the lives and careers of the master composers, hoping to honor their vision for each arrangement. “We’re not there yet when it comes to equal treatment,” says Hymes of women in the music industry. The number of enthusiastic, young women who approach her about their ambition to become the next preeminent conductor is heartening. She encourages them to study their craft and sharpen their skills, but also to enjoy the journey as much as she has.

While becoming a world-class conductor, Hymes became a role model for women who balance a career with family life. Raising two sons only enhanced her work by bringing out motherhood’s enormous range of emotions. “Love expands when you have children,” say Hymes. She maintains a balanced life by hiking, biking, knitting and enjoying a dog named Winston.

CLASSICAL

community. Playing side by side with high school orchestras, giving music lessons to children, showcasing different composers, crossing genres and elevating performances through creative use of light and color are just a few of the possibilities she sees for growing an already exceptional program.

CONNECTIONS #RANDOMACTSOFMUSIC MAKES NOISE IN INDY. ____

It’s always a challenge to get and keep 75 gifted musicians on the same page, but Hymes says she inherited a talented orchestra, as comfortable with a technically demanding piece as a lush, poetic classic. She aims to deliver vibrant performances by inspiring each musician to be their best in an orchestra where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

How great would it be to have a personal band follow you around and play your theme song? Imagine you’ve just left a business meeting downtown where you sealed the deal of a lifetime. You feel great, like royalty. As you march down Monument Circle with a skip in your step, you hear (not just in your head) a triumphant Haydn fanfare that, in some way, feels like it’s your song. As you approach the source of the sound, you see a string quartet playing away. The musicians look up from their stands and smile at you, and for that moment, you know they are playing just for you. These are the experiences Classical Music Indy aims to create with #RandomActsofMusic.

“A community can’t live without an orchestra,” Hymes says. “Music is such a catalyst for changing people because it touches us at the deepest level. I want to play music for everyone. Let’s open the doors and make classical music available to everyone.” ■ Known for being tough on the podium, Hymes is treasured by audiences in the United States and abroad for her intensity and graceful artistry. She feels blessed to co-create with the Palladium and to be welcomed by the Carmel community, where she sees a great opportunity to build bridges between cultures, collaborate with other artists and create new possibilities for artistic expression.

#RandomActsofMusic brings music to anyone and everyone, transcending boundaries and uniting community members to share in a unique experience. People who happen upon one of these events are delighted to hear live classical music in uncanny places like art galleries, hospitals, street corners and market festivals. One attendee at the Meadful Things and Outcider Festival 2017 exclaimed “This was cool. I wasn’t expecting to hear a classical cello here at a mead and cider festival!”

Find Carmel Symphony Orchestra’s 2018 concert calendar at carmelsymphony.org.

Classical Music Indy performed at Gen Con 2017, where audience members directly requested music from their favorite video game franchises. People cheered when they heard their favorite Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy or Star Wars song on classical instruments. #RandomActsofMusic are meant to be surprise performances that delight and enrich an already vibrant Indianapolis community. If you are an avid classical music lover who wants to be in the know about #RandomActsofMusic, then head over to www.classicalmusicindy.org and sign up to receive special email updates for #RandomActsofMusic and other events. ■

Photo by Esther Boston

Authentic and passionate, she is brimming with ideas to “rev up” the program and give back to the

are two masters programs—one at St. Mary of the Woods and one at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. As with any kind of therapy, Wright says music therapy is only effective if people are willing to do the work. The pleasure associated with music increases the likelihood of enthusiastic participation. “We see a lot of improvement because music is very motivating,” she says.

Music Therapy: MORE THAN BALM FOR THE SOUL. ____

by Crystal Hammon If Lindsey Wright is successful, she works herself right out of a job. A young man with autism will overcome his vocal idiosyncrasies and serve as a best man at his sister’s wedding. A girl with cerebral palsy will, for the first time, have the motor skills to type her own homework. A stroke victim will recover her speech and return to work. Eventually, all these clients could outgrow the need for Wright’s services.

“As people learn about the benefits of music therapy, it’s in high demand,” says Wright, who serves as executive director of music therapy at Opportunities for Growth, an agency that delivers support services in central

Indiana to people with intellectual disabilities. Almost half their clients are affected by autism. At any given time, they have at least 150 people on a waiting list to receive music therapy. Wright leads a team of board-certified music therapists who use music and musical activities to develop skills that help people function and pursue a rewarding life. They are part of a growing profession that requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in music therapy and a credential issued by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. At least six universities in Indiana offer undergraduate degrees in music therapy, and there

The science behind music’s healing power is linked to its predictability and patterns, which engage the brain more fully than other forms of therapy. When you speak, for example, you only use one side of your brain, while singing employs both sides. This, in part, explains why stroke victims recover speech, motor and cognitive skills more quickly when music therapy is combined with traditional treatment. The concept of music therapy isn’t new. It began when musicians started working with World War I and II veterans who had post-traumatic stress.

Today it’s considered standard care for people with brain injuries, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, pain, autism, depression, cerebral palsy, sensory processing disorder, chronic or terminal illness, trauma and a host of other health conditions. There is a growing body of neuroscience research to prove that music is more than just balm for the soul. In fact, Wright says the volume of research devoted to music therapy and its effects on the brain now outstrips that of its nearest cousin—occupational therapy. Music therapists hope these studies will improve health care and expand access to music therapy. Despite its effectiveness for treating many conditions, music can be detrimental for some patients with neurologic disorders, compromised communication or trauma—one of the many reasons it’s important to receive treatment from a properly trained music therapist. ■

THE SCIENCE BEHIND MUSIC’S HEALING POWER IS LINKED TO ITS PREDICTABILITY AND PATTERNS, WHICH ENGAGE THE BRAIN MORE FULLY THAN OTHER FORMS OF THERAPY. 11

Unites Artists program. The artists travel the city to play for people who wouldn’t otherwise hear live classical performances. Her audiences are elderly people, those with limited incomes and children in after-school programs designed to give kids their first taste of classical music. Beyond her Music Unites gigs, life is a dizzying regimen. Recendez gives private flute lessons to mostly adult students, plays weddings, holiday parties and special events, and performs with two orchestras—the Anderson Symphony Orchestra and the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra. Recendez is also the music director and conductor for Indy Winds Flute Choir, a 30-person wind orchestra she founded in 2011.

Making Contact MUSIC UNITES ARTIST USES HER GIFT TO CONNECT WITH AUDIENCES.

You hear about people who were prescient enough to choose their lifelong calling at a tender age. Count Laura Recendez among the lucky few. “When I was 4 years old, my parents and I went to a Saturday market in downtown Los Angeles with lots of street performers,” Recendez says. “One of them was a flute player, and I was so mesmerized by the performer that I refused to leave.”

by Crystal Hammon

Afterwards, Recendez begged her parents to play the flute. When she was 8, her mother finally took her to a reluctant music teacher who said she was too young for lessons. “He handed me a flute and said, ‘Here you go. Try to make a sound,’” Recendez says. “I made a sound on the first try.” The rest, as they say, is history.

“If you have an abundance—whether it’s time, money or other resources or skills—the idea is to give back in whatever way you can,” Recendez says. “The appeal of Music Unites and Random Acts of Music is returning something to the community and sharing music with children and seniors in a way that feels very valuable. To use something I love so much to bring joy to other people is really cool.”

The Long Beach, California native studied music performance at Chapman University and completed an advanced degree at California State University, Northridge. She is one of a dozen or more classical musicians selected for Classical Music Indy’s Music

With 25 years of experience as a musician, Recendez has spent a significant amount of time on the stages of concert halls and auditoriums, but her most meaningful and

____

The 33-year-old classical musician juggles two additional roles: new mother to a baby boy born last fall and co-founder of Chickadee Gardens, a local nonprofit that runs an urban farm. Their mission is to make healthy foods affordable in the city’s eastside food deserts and to help people learn about home food production and nutrition.

unpredictable performances are those for Music Unites. “When we’re doing these concerts in schools and assisted living centers, it’s nothing like a concert hall,” she says. “You’re looking people straight in the eye and you can see the reaction.” Forget all your ideas about listening to music as a private experience. Recendez says the space between audience and performer is never dead—especially not in intimate places such as these. “If you’re in tune with your audience, you can tell when they are listening, even without visual or auditory clues,” she says. “You can sense when they are locked in.” She witnesses everything from boredom and grief to joy and engagement. It all depends on where someone is in their life experience and what’s happening to each person at the time of the performance. In Recendez’s mind, there’s no wrong way to listen. As much as she loves classical music, she is well aware that it isn’t everyone’s favorite, often dismissed as too fancy, too intellectual or too outdated. “Everyone’s journey with classical music is on its own schedule,” she says. “At its core, classical music is about the human experience. When you sit down and listen with that in mind, and relate what you’re hearing to your own life, it allows you to hear so much more than the notes that are being played.” ■

Solo Artists

WINNING INDY’S COVETED PRIZE FOR VIOLINISTS CAN LAUNCH A CAREER. ____

The Gray Area

by Chantal Incandela

Competitions are known for awarding monetary prizes, but the IVCI competition goes further than that. “We don’t give you your prize money, wish you well and send you on your way,” says Glen Kwok, Executive Director of the IVCI. “In addition to the prize money and use of the 1683 ‘ex-Gingold’ Stradivarius, we provide four years of mentorship and management to help them grow their careers. We set up concerts with orchestras. We handle the busy work of being a travelling musician like doing itinerary, setting up a website and so forth.” To help them build their careers, the IVCI also coaches the winner on the art of giving interviews and conducting masterclasses. Winners follow quite a journey to get these valuable prizes. There are four rounds, all streamed and viewed by people across 100 countries, starting with the preliminaries.

The 2018 semi-finals include a work by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William Bolcom, commissioned for this competition. In the classical final round, laureates play a concerto from the classical era with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra. The last round is with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Leonard Slatkin. Even if a laureate doesn’t get to the finals, their stay in Indianapolis isn’t always over right away. Those eliminated in the competition get a chance to play for students in local schools. “It’s not just a musical exchange, but a cultural one as well, as so many of our laureates come from all over the world,” Kwok explains. “It’s important . . . to have this component. Whether it be playing front of kids, giving preconcert talks or giving masterclasses, we always want there to be an educational aspect, in addition to everything else this competition offers.”

HANNA BENN MAKES A BIGGER TENT FOR MUSIC BY BENDING THE RULES.

All laureates, particularly the winner, gain something essential for a young artist, attempting to launch a career as a soloist: exposure. Starting August 31, 40 violinists will be in pursuit of the coveted Gold Medal. Afterwards, the IVCI will be there each step of way to propel the winner toward further success. ■

____

by Burton Runyan

Photos by Mallory Talty

In just a few months, 40 violinists, chosen from 200 applicants scattered across the globe, will head to the Circle City for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI). All 40 will have their hopes set on winning what has become of the one of the world’s most respected musical competitions. This quadrennial event started in 1982 with the support of Josef Gingold, a famous violinist. It was the first international violin competition in the United States.

Hanna Benn is a composer, but she is probably more accurately described as a collaborator who incorporates dance, opera and theater in her work. She is part of a growing movement of creative people exploring the intersection of genres and the ways in which traditional classical music theory evolves amidst today’s technologies and cultural experiences. Benn grew up in Indianapolis, spending the weekends of her childhood singing choral music at Christ Church Cathedral on Monument Circle. While she got most of her traditional music education in the heart of the city, the passion in her own heart grew at home, where she listened to her parents’ albums of jazz, R&B, soul and, of course, Stevie Wonder. “A broad spectrum is important. It opens your ear. It doesn’t allow you to be limited,” Benn says. Her exposure to all this music— Anglican choral music, jazz fusion, violin and piano lessons—may have predestined her for a musical career, but Benn didn’t really begin to explore composing until she moved to Seattle to attend Cornish College of the Arts. Originally there to study voice, Benn was pressed to explore her talents by a professor in a composition class. “I never thought I would be a composer,” she says. “The idea wasn’t even a reality for me.”

After finishing at Cornish, she began to discover all the possibilities within composition, breaking down music of all kinds to its very roots and combining styles and themes. “Genre is funny isn’t it? We like to identify everything. Put a name on it. [But] to me it’s all the same,” Benn says. Benn’s attitude towards genre evolved as she began working in the avantgarde musical communities of Seattle and Indianapolis. In both cities, she found a support system—not just for inspiration, but for exploration. “I was collaborating a lot [after school],” she laughs, as she details her projects: co-founding an experimental pop band, writing music for friends involved with chamber ensembles, and producing commissioned works. She even completed a residency in Indianapolis to work on her solo album before starting an international tour with the band Son Lux. Benn’s exploration of what she calls “the gray area” evolved into a unique style of composing—one that included a taste for electronic beats mixed with new age synth, all built on a foundation of jazz rhythms and classical rules of musical composition. Dive into her work and the gray area she mines becomes even more apparent—especially when trying to describe her music. The challenge of

creating music that can’t be labeled by genre is one she accepts like an honor. If Benn must break rules to represent the universe of music that has influenced her, then so be it. It’s impossible to miss the parallel between her lovely genre-bending style and her experiences in an artistic area where there are few women of color. Music may have developed throughout the ages as a unifying human experience, but the history of classical music and classism are intertwined. Benn recognizes how privileged she was to grow up with classical music, and is grateful for it, but her goal is to make music that is accessible to everyone. Creating loosely-defined, genre-less music and wrapping together emotions representative of an entire community allows her to bring classical music to people from all classes, races, genders and ages. ■

“A BROAD SPECTRUM IS IMPORTANT. IT OPENS YOUR EAR. IT DOESN’T ALLOW YOU TO BE LIMITED.” 17

Why viola?

JAMES AIKMAN’S LATEST ICO COMPOSITION OPENS IN APRIL. ____ by Chantal Incandela When concert-goers hear a classical music concerto, it’s usually for violin or piano—rarely the viola. Later this season, however, attendees of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) will hear the world premiere of James Aikman’s Viola Concerto with ICO Principal Violist Csaba Erdélyi as soloist. Why viola? Why not one of the more common instruments? In a recent interview, Aikman described his admiration and enthusiasm for the viola. “The viola has that lower register that is so rich, and it’s a perfect merge down to celli and bass, but then also up to the violins as well,” he says. “And then, there’s a purity in the higher register of the viola.” In an orchestra, Aikman says the viola can play not only the interior, but the exterior parts, revealing how harmonies fit with the choral aspects of a work. Photo by Ernestine Ruben

As ICO’s Composer-in-Residence, Aikman creates new works each year specifically for the ICO, getting to know the orchestra and the musicians who will play his music. He pictures the interactions between players and imagines combinations that make sonic sense. Aikman says the ICO residency has been good for his work. “It gives me a reason for being, a sense of focus and . . . steadiness,” Aikman says. “Think about the great composers of the past and their appointments, like Haydn with the Eszterházy family and Bach at his various church posts. I’m not just writing for buddies or my family. I have an audience . . . to interact with. I take that seriously, and it’s made me a better composer.” Aikman credits the built-in focus of a residency with helping him create a concerto he is immensely proud of and excited about. “I made it three movements, and each one has unity within and variety between,” he says. “There’s contrast and continuity all the time. First movement is energetic and almost starts with an ominous rising air, and then it blossoms into this virtuosic line for the viola that runs through the piece. The interior is an interplay of harp, bass and solo instruments, and then it comes back to the opening. The second movement is exotically gorgeous, and the third is almost like a frolic.” During composition, Aikman frequently shared the music with Erdély as part of the creative process. As Erdély played the piece, Aikman assessed its balance and determined how it would project. “We didn’t make any major changes, but it’s been tailored a bit,” Aikman explains. “When you hear something and you write it, that writing is only a middle step . . . in the translation of what you’re hearing. The notation—though we pay way too much . . . respect to it—it’s only a guide to what’s really here,” he says, gesturing around him. “That’s what we’re after—that invisible field, the aural facet, which is music. It’s an aural art.”

You can hear the premiere of Aikman’s viola concerto on April 21 at the Howard L. Schrott Center for the Arts at Butler University. ■

Your City on a Playlist ____ by Crystal Hammon In all but a few American cities, the public art scene is so dominated by murals, sculpture and landscape architecture that the term “public art” is almost synonymous with visual art. With the unveiling of Sound Expeditions, a collection of site-specific music that serves as the city’s soundtrack, Indianapolis is set to break that mold. Funded by the Central Indiana Community Foundation, Newfields, Eskenazi Health and the National Science Foundation, Sound Expeditions is a publicly-accessible library of original music created by pairing a contemporary composer with one of 30 spots around the city. The goal of Sound Expeditions is to expand thinking and disrupt assumptions about the places we live, work and visit. In that context, even the human tendency to look past the familiar can be inspirational fodder to a composer, as was the case for Rafiq Bhatia—a first-generation American of East African Indian descent who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bhatia composed In Name after observing that the word “Indian” is Rafiq Bhatia album art by Mandy Crandell Derek Johnson album art by Stuart Hyatt

buried within our name, yet Indiana’s indigenous people are a mostly-invisible part of our identity. Only a few of the 30 Sound Expedition composers have Indianapolis roots. The composers were selected based on their diverse musical styles, race, gender and ethnicity—not their link to the city. “We felt a responsibility to invite as many different voices as possible into the conversation,” says Michael Kaufmann, one of the curators of the collection. “Every new perspective gives you a way to see your city through another lens—not just the homogenized way we usually think of it.” If you’re curious about the music commissioned by Sound Expeditions, visit https://soundcloud.com/sound-expeditions, where you can access music by a local map that corresponds to each composition. You can also enjoy it this spring at a new listening kiosk in the lobby of the Indiana State Museum. You’ll hear everything from Hanna Benn’s The White River, commemorating the city’s waterways, to Derek Johnson’s You Are Beautiful, a tribute to the Murphy Building in Fountain Square.

Photo by Captured Beginnings Photography

WHAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH HEARING CLASSICAL MUSIC PERFORMED IN A LIVE SETTING? JEN: Two years ago, a friend gave us ISO (Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra) tickets for Christmas. I remember that we heard Stravinsky at the first concert we attended. That was just eye opening for me. The music was amazing. I was so excited afterwards. We talked so much about how different it is to hear music performed live. Periodically, we have friends who share their ISO season tickets when they are out of town. That allowed us to attend an afternoon concert last fall. It made an enjoyable date-day for the two of us, which is hard to come by as young parents.

My Music. My Story. NOTE INVITED JEN AND STEVE HANCOCK TO DESCRIBE HOW MUSIC AFFECTS THEM. JEN IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FACE LOW-COST ANIMAL CLINIC. STEVE IS A MANAGEMENT ANALYST FOR IUPUI AND IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

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by Crystal Hammon 20

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC? JEN: My favorites tend to be folk, jazz and music from the singer/songwriter era. I really enjoy the storytelling that goes with it and the relaxing sound of that type of music. I tend to be much more of a jumper, depending on how I feel at the time. My preference probably leans towards singer/songwriter and jazz, but I like swing, as well. There could be some Foo Fighters once in a while.

STEVE:

WHAT MUSIC DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING? JEN: For a very long time I was strictly a pop music listener. Over the years, I’ve become more open and more exposed to different kinds of music. It’s hard to pinpoint a certain type of music I really don’t like, but I have discovered that I don’t like pop as much as I used to. I would have once said classical music is totally challenging, but I think that was because I was very new to it and didn’t realize the breadth of it. Classical music pieces that tend to run much longer than I expect are challenging. In recent years, I’ve been listening to and appreciating classical music a lot more. I know I like Vivaldi. I know I like Rachmaninoff.

STEVE:

WHAT ROLE DOES MUSIC PLAY IN YOUR LIFE? STEVE: When I was growing up, my mom was a big fan of singing, so anytime we traveled together as a family, we sang in the car. My dad has always been an acoustic guitarist. He is now in a bluegrass band and plays the dulcimer and the banjo. Music has always been a regular part of my life. I’m one of those people who sings in the car. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LISTEN TO CLASSICAL MUSIC? JEN: Sometimes I’m thinking about the story that goes with the music or making up my own story along the way. Other times, I let my mind wander. Or I may just enjoy emptying my mind and hearing music as a meditative experience. If I’m listening to live music, I tend to be more interested in the orchestra itself. I’ll listen to just the violins and try to pick out how they all work in tandem and support one another. I don’t know the correct terminology, but I listen for the motifs that run through a piece. And I try to pick up on where the piece might be going or how the composer might have intended to drive my thoughts.

STEVE:

DO YOU SEE ANY CORRELATION BETWEEN YOUR WORK AND CLASSICAL MUSIC? JEN: Obviously, there have been so many studies that show how certain types of music can help calm animals. On a more abstract level, I love teamwork, and a huge group of musicians working together to create a beautiful piece of art seems very much like the teamwork between 30 employees who are planning a project with a shared mission. STEVE: Coding

is similar to composing. You can do it roughshod, but there are usually more elegant ways to make things work.

WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE HAS MUSIC HAD ON YOUR CHILDREN? STEVE: We are parents of a 4-year-old son, Emerson. Initially, he listened to whatever we liked. Later on he showed some clear preferences, so we started making playlists for him. He has several things by Queen, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. He really likes the upbeat music of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. He’ll listen to instrumental pieces as long as there is an upbeat or swing vibe to it. One day I was driving him to school and a Mozart song (Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major, K.545) came on. When he started laughing, I asked him, “What’s up, buddy?” He said, “That’s a funny song, Daddy.” We don’t know what there is about that particular piece, but he absolutely loves it. JEN: We noticed fairly early that he responds well to music. He really likes Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, a television show on PBS. Each episode has songs for different things that pertain to a toddler. We started to sing those songs to him to help him understand what he is supposed to be doing at different times of the day. Steve has experimented with sharing classical music on their morning commute. One morning after Steve had dropped Emerson off at school, I got this text from Steve: “So Emerson likes waltzes.” I thought, “I don’t even know what that sounds like, but I guess I’ve got to find out about that.”

Pooka American Wild Ale BRUGGE BRASSERIE Indianapolis, IN

Wolfgang Mozart – “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (Hell’s vengeance boils in my heart) from The Magic Flute

Classical Pairings INDIANAPOLIS BREWERIES AND CLASSICAL MUSIC

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by Nicholas Johnson, Ph.D.

Unless you’re a peasant from the thirteenth century (unlikely), you don’t need beer to live. And unless you’re a sentient soundwave (very unlikely), you don’t need music to live. But what would life be without beer and music? One or both of them accompany our best moments. To that end, try pairing these local beers with fantastic pieces of music. Decorate your day, and imbibe in some culture––both local and timeless.

I get why some people don’t like Mozart – predictable, formulaic and trifling. Remember a few things: a) Mozart did not write for you; he wrote for the tastes of the Viennese so he could sell tickets and buy all the little sausages he needed; b) his operas have stronger female roles than any composer before him; c) he was a political revolutionary. This all comes to life in The Magic Flute, a metaphorical opera about enlightenment versus tradition. In this fantastic aria, the coolest character, the Queen of the Night, reveals herself as a villain. I get why some people don’t like sour beers – hard to drink, tart and unusual. While a good sour beer is not a villain, it can certainly steal the show. Brugge’s Pooka is crimson in color from its boysenberries, and is both sweet and tart like the Queen of the Night’s soaring high notes as she plans sweet revenge.

Photo by Esther Boston

Shadow Boxer Oatmeal Stout

Fieldhouse Wheat

INDIANA CITY BREWING Indianapolis, IN

TRITON BREWERY Indianapolis, IN

Philip Glass – Metamorphosis 1-5

Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony 6 (Pastoral)

Philip Glass? More like phil-up my glass. This beer oozes coffee, cream and contemplation. It doesn’t attack the drinker, but if you succumb to its subtle chocolate aftertaste, it will take you exactly where you need to go. Likewise, Philip Glass doesn’t attack the listener in Metamorphosis. These five pieces are minimalistic views of a simple riff that transports the listener to a meditative place. Nerdier beer/music lovers may know this piece from Battlestar Galactica—a scene where Starbuck plays a recording of Metamorphosis and attributes her father as the recording’s soloist. I tend to think Starbuck would love a good stout.

A traditional wheat beer can be a little boring, but a truly good beer is born when a brewer complements its smooth qualities by adding just enough hops to lend some spice. Symphonies in the early 1800s could also be a little boring. Add a dramatic story about a storm coming to disrupt a beautiful summer day, and maybe this Beethoven guy knew what he was doing. The Fieldhouse Wheat is a simple beer with just enough complexity to make it memorable, not unlike Beethoven reinvigorating the symphony as something truly grand. Sip, listen and let the master paint visions of nature in your head.

Celebrating 50 years of classical music on-air, online and in the community. PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE FOLLOWING UPCOMING EVENTS: Classical Revolution

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 8 P.M. Chatterbox Jazz Club

Random Acts of Music

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 12:30 P.M. Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital

Music in Nature Series SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2 P.M. Fort Harrison State Park

This issue of NOTE magazine is made possible by the Eloise Paul Women in Music Fund and these generous donors: