HOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS ARE CURATING MUSIC

From Porch Pickin’ to Percussion

by Burton Runyan

Corey Denham grew up in Appalachia, in the mountains of North Carolina, watching his cousins and great-grandfather come together to play bluegrass music in the living room, or when the family crowd got too big, on the porch. “I learned early on that there can be quality music happening in all sorts of spaces. It doesn’t have to be prestigious,” Denham says. “I think that’s one thing that’s been really impactful on me. Not only was music a big part of my family life, but the music was at a really high level.” Denham’s early exposure to music led him to study the art and earn a master’s degree in music from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He now lives in Indianapolis and teaches at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Through Classical Music Indy’s Music Unites Artists program, Denham has found another great way to share music the way he did on the porch all those years ago. “A lot of people feel that music is a magical thing that only a few people are talented enough to do,” he says. “It’s important, for young people especially, to hear quality music often, but also to recognize that the people who make that music are just like them. They’re just regular people.” Music Unites facilitates pop-up concerts in places people may not expect to see classical music—places outside of a concert hall such as First Friday events, art galleries and more. The program brings music to people rather than the other way around. “For me personally, it’s a really good fit because I enjoy playing in those settings more than a concert hall,” Denham says. “It feels more interactive and personal. I have a chance to actually share with an audience in a more meaningful way. Concert halls can sometimes feel sterile and prestigious, and might feel uninviting to people who aren’t from that world.”

Denham’s notion of making music feel more accessible has also influenced his personal style and instrument of choice. As a percussionist, his instrument is constantly changing and adapting. “The materials we’re playing with don’t afford us the same relationship a violinist or cellist might have,” he says. A violinist may carry the same instrument through their entire professional life, learning its quirks and personality like an old friend, while a percussionist may play one piece on construction buckets, another on a snare drum, and yet another on a fence railing.

For Denham, sharing classical music with people from all backgrounds is an article of faith, stemming from his North Carolina roots. Playing in interesting spaces for people who may have little to no experience with classical music has only confirmed what he has always felt.

“It’s become one of my goals as a musician to actively perform in spaces that are not typically thought of as having classical music audiences,” he says. “It’s become an extremely important part of what I do, and Classical Music Indy has been a huge part of shaping that perspective.” ■

Meet the Voice

with Michael Toulouse

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25 AT 6 P.M.

WFYI PUBLIC MEDIA 1630 N. MERIDIAN ST. INDIANAPOLIS, 46202 (FREE ADJACENT PARKING)

Michael is Program Director of Classical Music Indy and the host of Classical Music with Michael Toulouse. With three decades of experience hosting classical music programs throughout the Midwest, Michael’s expert knowledge and award-winning broadcasts keep you tuning in for more.

Michael will share how he selects classical pieces for his radio show, why his listening audience matters, and how today’s classical compositions are shaping the future of classical music.

Tickets available at Eventbrite.com by searching “Meet the Voice”

On Air

Favorites from the Past

by Michael Toulouse

FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC INDY’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, WE ASKED HOST MICHAEL TOULOUSE TO REFLECT ON HIS FAVORITE CLASSICAL PIECES - TIMELESS WORKS THAT HE HAS PROGRAMMED FOR AUDIENCES’ ENJOYMENT OVER THE YEARS.

At any given moment, someone in radio is compressing something. From the engineer smoothing out the signal, to the IT expert squishing the data, or the programmer—one of my kind— perpetually compressing time. I skim, skim, skim, trying to predict listeners’ reactions.

Auditioning a whole symphony or concerto is impossible, yet in the time it takes to plan an afternoon of listening, at some point I hit on a problem child. It’s the favorite child, actually, but that’s what makes it a problem. Listen to me, it says. All of me. Such an insistent message can really mess up your day. It’s only worse when there are extra obstacles—such as an oddly-shaped cardboard box, opening from the bottom, as if it holds fine jewelry. Tucked inside is something nearly as precious: the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra’s complete recording of Tafelmusik, by Telemann. The composer thought of this collection as merely the accompaniment to a fine meal, but the music becomes my food. The chefs are Karl Kaiser (flute) and Petra Müllejans (violin). Sadly, the Freiburgers are just an appetizer. My entrée is an even larger hunk of time, sculpted by Beethoven into three string quartets he intended for “a later age.” Count Razumovsky, the Russian diplomat who paid for the music, apparently didn’t begrudge this extravagant bit of delayed gratification, ceding Opus 59 to future listeners whom Beethoven neglected to identify. He didn’t name any performers, either, but I would guess at least four of them play in the Takács Quartet, whose recording of the Razumovskys is a worthy time sink in any age. Another to-do list bites the dust, thanks to my fondness for boxed sets of CDs. My long side trip ends with something mercifully shorter: the Danzon No. 2, by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez. Gustavo Dudamel leads the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela in a 10-minute romp on the edge of chaos. With a smile on my face, I return to my regularly-scheduled compression.