NOTE Magazine - Issue 12: The Vinyl Revival by Classical Music Indy

WINTER 2020 ISSUE 12

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The Vinyl Revival ____

02 Editor’s Note

Contributors

JENNIFER HUTCHINSON DELGADILLO is a MexicanAmerican artist and writer living on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis. CRYSTAL HAMMON is a freelance writer and an ardent fan of classical music and opera. She loves playing “the airline bump game” to earn free travel vouchers and blogs at CrystalHammon.com.

NICHOLAS JOHNSON, PH.D. is an assistant professor of musicology at Butler University, the musicology director of the Vienna Summer Music Festival and a local musician.

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

Crystal Hammon

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Amy McAdams-Gonzales APRIL BUMGARDNER is a homeschooler, a freelance writer and an avid reader of literature and theology. She is currently working on her first book and blogs at lovingeveryleaf. wordpress.com. AMY LYNCH is an Indianapolisbased freelance writer and active vice president of the Midwest Travel Journalists Association. She enjoys live music and breakfast any time of day.

CORRIN GODLEVSKE is a senior marketing and strategic communication major at Butler University. She enjoys exploring the Indianapolis community and supporting local small businesses.

TOM ALVAREZ A principal of Klein & Alvarez Productions LLC, Tom Alvarez is a freelance journalist. For 40 years, he has covered theatre, dance and music for numerous publications and websites. He appears on WISH-TV’s Indy Style as a regular contributor and writes On the Aisle, a blog at Tom Alvarez.studio.

MICHAEL TOULOUSE has worked in broadcasting for nearly three decades, sharing classical music with radio audiences throughout Indiana. As an experienced interviewer and program host, he is known for immersing himself in a subject to highlight the fascinating details that often go unnoticed.

DESIGNER

Lisa Brooks, D.M.A. Lillian Crabb Rob Funkhouser Corrin Godlevske Gregory Heinle Lindsey Henry Kyle Long Stephania Pfeiffer Anna Pranger Sleppy Eric Salazar Michael Toulouse Lauren Weirich Julian Winborn NOTE magazine is a publication of Classical Music Indy, Inc. To subscribe, visit www.classicalmusicindy.org. For more information contact us at info@classicalmusicindy.org or 317-788-3291.

03 The Allure of Vinyl

HOW VINYL RETURNED TO GLORY AND WHAT IT

COULD MEAN FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC.

10 The Makers

JOYFUL NOISE AND ROMANUS RECORDS

12 Where to Buy + Borrow 13 Hidden Classical

RUSSIAN MUSIC FANS OF THE 1950S AND

1960S RISKED EVERYTHING TO BE PART OF

A WORLDWIDE MUSIC REVOLUTION.

16 My Music. My Story.

STEPHEN LANE

20 Music in Nature

PERCUSSIONIST AND COMPOSER

ROB FUNKHOUSER

22 Today’s Classical Musician

CLARE LONGENDYKE

24 New Classical

BUTLER UNIVERSITY’S WIND ENSEMBLE AND

DEPARTMENT OF DANCE COLLABORATES WITH

HOLLYWOOD COMPOSER MICHAEL ABELS.

26 Legends

JAMES PELLERITE, MASTER OF THE FLUTE

28 Music Unites Artist

JENNA PAGE GIVES CLASSICAL FLUTE

A CONTEMPORARY VOICE.

30 Neighborhood Music

COMMUNITY BUILDER ELYSIA SMITH BRIDGES

THE GAP BETWEEN WORDS AND MUSIC.

32 Classical Pairings

8TH DAY DISTILLERY, HAND CRAFTED FINE SPIRITS

35 On Air

Dear Classical Music Fans and Friends, What’s in your vinyl collection? I have fond memories of growing up, watching my family’s stereo twirl LPs, especially the record that introduced me to classical music: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, also known as the “Pastoral Symphony.” With vinyl returning as a sound experience of choice, we asked experts to explain its distinctions. I love movies, so I was thrilled to learn that Butler University has commissioned a new work from Michael Abels, the composer for the scores of the recent films Get Out and Us. Turn to page 22 to learn more about this world-premiere collaboration with internationally-acclaimed choreographer Patrick de Bana. You know Classical Music Indy as the premier classical music syndicator in Central Indiana, and now, we are also the producers of a new classical music streaming service, which launches December 3. Visit our website to hear two channels: Local Classical features Indiana artists you know alongside those you have yet to meet; and New Classical highlights living composers, genre-bending work and fresh interpretations of works you love. These 24/7 music streaming services are made possible through the generous support of the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation. Many readers mourn the loss of two Indianapolis champions of classical music: P.E. MacAllister and Maestro Raymond Leppard. P.E. was among the co-founders of the Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis (now Classical Music Indy) and was one of our most generous supporters. Maestro Leppard served on Classical Music Indy’s Advisory Board, and we are honored that he and Michael Toulouse met for an interview published in the previous issue of NOTE magazine. We cherish the time we shared with these two extraordinary arts icons.

Vinyl’s Sovereign Reign In 2019, sales of new vinyl records outpaced CD sales. It’s a first in the music industry, according to Billboard Magazine. How did an analog technology that’s been around since the 1940s help displace a physical format that once seemed poised to rule? The answer is revealed through an intricate web of truths about art, business and culture –– then and now. Inside, learn how these factors have shaped the resurgence of interest in vinyl records, who’s driving the demand for vinyl, how musicians are responding and what it could mean for classical music.

____ by Crystal Hammon

Classically yours,

Jenny Burch 02

President & CEO

the

Allure of Vinyl REMEMBER THE CD? WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED IN THE 1980S, IT WAS LAUDED AS A FORMAT THAT WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY WE LISTENED TO MUSIC. YOU COULD THROW A COMPACT DISC IN THE DISHWASHER OR STOMP ON IT WITHOUT HARM. ____ by Crystal Hammon

Swayed by the CD’s so-called indestructibility and superior sound, many audiophiles ditched their vinyl collections and replaced them with CDs. Ironically, the physical format once embraced for its longevity is effectively dead, quickly unseated by streaming music and a distant cousin from the analog era: vinyl. Ask any vinyl aficionado why they love it and you’ll hear a common refrain, especially among people born in the 1960s or before. “Oh, it sounds so warm,” they’ll say, explaining their unique, better-felt-than-told experience of listening to a vinyl recording. Ardent fans may praise vinyl’s many virtues, but they inadvertently lapse into describing one of its fundamental weaknesses when they mention a favorite, worn-out record. Each time a vinyl record is played, it degrades a little. And, technically speaking, vinyl recordings are inferior to digital recordings available via streaming services like Spotify or Pandora, not to mention the highresolution audio files a devout audiophile can download from websites like HDtracks.com and others. There’s a nuanced reason for the contradiction between vinyl’s allure and its obvious shortcomings, according to Mark Hornsby, vice president of operations and senior producer/engineer at Fort Wayne-based Sweetwater, the largest online music retailer in the United States. “When you’re exposed to that sound at a young age and you grow up on it, that’s subconsciously what you gravitate toward as your compass,” says Hornsby. “That’s north. That’s what you think sounds good.” A music producer and audio engineer who began his career during the 1980s in Nashville, Hornsby says the warmth listeners attribute to vinyl stems partially from distortion — a term used to describe the surface noise that occurs when you play a vinyl record.

Patrick Feaster Photo by Ronda L. Sewald

Patrick Feaster, an audio historian who works at Indiana University’s Media Digitization and Preservation Initiative, draws a similar conclusion. He compares vinyl’s distinctive sound to the traits that make analog movies popular. “There’s a familiar warmth associated with watching film as opposed to something shot with a digital camera, which often looks cold and surgical,” Feaster says. “It’s probably similar for audio.” Audio that’s recorded and mastered digitally with today’s high-fidelity technology may be precise, but to some ears, it’s also very unfamiliar. “Vinyl is like a warm fuzzy blanket — one that you’re used to and like,” Feaster says. In other words, vinyl is an aesthetic choice. Whether it sounds good or bad depends entirely on the listener. THE VINYL CRAZE TRANSCENDS AGE.

Aesthetics may explain why people of a certain age prefer vinyl, but what about the tsunami of interest among younger demographics raised on the pristine recordings that followed vinyl? Todd Robinson, owner of LUNA music, a local vinyl, CD and cassette store that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has an informed opinion

THE COLLECTORS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, LIKE ANY OTHER, IS PROFIT DRIVEN.

Beneath vinyl’s revival, there are also economic principles at work. “Vinyl has made a resurgence not because it’s superior, but because it’s something people will pay for,” Hornsby says. Touring bands and independent musicians make money from two sources: live performances and merchandise, including T-shirts, CDs and vinyl records. Most vinyl records come with a digital download card, so when you buy vinyl, you get something attractive to display plus a download — two products for the price of one.

Todd Robinson LUNA music

about vinyl’s popularity with young people who have far more convenient ways of listening to music. “Everything in the music business is cyclic — whether it’s the format or the style,” Robinson says. “Every generation wants to codify and do their own thing, so it’s very much about ‘My parents did this. I want to do something different.’”

The Vinyl Revival

During the early 2000s, Robinson says sales of CDs began to decline. As file swapping and access to free music became “a thing,” people began to miss interacting with a physical artifact. Independent and major record labels took note and began to embrace the new-old format. Vinyl’s popularity grew exponentially.

“I think a lot of people’s interest in vinyl is that it is tangible, and it is directly correlated to the music itself,” he says. “The nature of how you play vinyl — flipping each side over, picking your favorite song, dropping the needle — you’re forced to interact with it. That’s a lot different than turning on a streaming platform or turning on your laptop and listening to whatever music you have on your hard drive.”

It turns out that vinyl’s 12-inch format makes a divine canvas. In a world that’s increasingly visual, the layout of the album cover, the packaging and the vinyl itself are just as important as the music. Our culture’s preoccupation with beauty paved a path for music businesses such as Romanus Records and Joyful Noise, two local record labels that transform vinyl into a new form of art. How far can the human imagination travel past a round slice of black vinyl? Pretty far, judging by the novel formats that make today’s vinyl so interesting — holograms etched inside vinyl’s runout grooves, hidden songs under record labels, clear vinyl filled with gold, or beer, or toys. “I’ve never heard of anyone framing their CD covers and putting them on the wall, but we sell a fair amount of LP frames and albums simply to have them hang as artwork,” Robinson says. “I think it’s just one more facet of buying, playing and loving vinyl that you get to interact with it as an art piece.”

A vinyl record may cost a music fan twice as much as a CD, but the cost of manufacturing it is about the same. Vinyl’s profit margins are better than other physical formats — a big deal in an industry decimated by the world leader in music consumption, YouTube. To wit: millennials don’t typically own CD players. They either listen to music digitally or they have a record player. “You charge more for [vinyl] because you can,” Hornsby says. To some extent, making music available on vinyl is a no-brainer for artists like Mike Adams, a Bloomington, Ind. musician and founder of At His Honest Weight, an indie rock band. “For whatever reason, it’s what people want,” he says. “If people like what you do, they will buy it.” Adams has been a vinyl fan since the 1990s, when he began searching for underground music, rare pressings and people making music in smaller circles. “When people buy my albums, they are acknowledging that we have some common ground,” Adams says. “It’s a connected feeling of, ‘Oh, you like this thing that I made because I like it.’”

Will Sibley Will Sibley got hooked on collecting vinyl as a sixth grader growing up in Spokane, Washington. He bought his first record in 1978. “I rode my bicycle to the record store and bought the Beatles album, Revolver,” Sibley says. On the ride home, the album got caught in the bike spokes. “I still have the album with the corners all dog-eared.” A lifelong musician himself, Sibley says it means a lot to him to support the artists and bands he loves by purchasing new vinyl recordings. The 52-year-old Ben Davis University High School history teacher enjoys scouring the globe for vintage albums on family vacations. Among his most cherished albums: an original 1970 German pressing of Let it Be, a Beatles boxed set that came with a book. Sibley snagged it at an auction for $35. The set’s value is estimated at $600. As much as he enjoys music, Sibley also values vinyl records as historic markers. “Whether you’re listening to The Who or Chuck Berry, that music is a placeholder for what was going on, not only in the United States, but in our shared history around the world,” he says. Reflecting on the bone recordings and bootlegged rock ‘n’ roll industrious music fans smuggled into censored China and Russia, Sibley is reverent. “How desperate were those kids in Russia to be a part of this phenomenon, to be a part of this wave of culture that was spreading all over the world? Not even a totalitarian state could keep the music out of those kids’ hands.”

Now in his late 30s, Adams says he noticed a shift in the demand for vinyl about a decade ago. “The point wasn’t that it was ironic, campy or retro,” he says. “It became something people actually want now, which is what makes it feel modern — not like we are reaching back.” Adams points to sales

music industry.” Robinson agrees that renewed interest in vinyl has the potential to give classical music a boost. Driven by customer demand, his store, LUNA music, carries more vinyl records than CDs. Their classical vinyl collection focuses mainly on famous composers and artists, including forgotten, outof-print and small-run titles, some of which are being reissued for the first time in decades. “I can’t help but think there’s going to be a nice market for someone who may say, ‘Hey, I like Phillip Glass. I’d love to have some of his classical pieces in my collection,’” Robinson says. “That could be a gateway for someone getting turned on to classical music.”

Mike Adams Photo by Anna Powell Teeter

In previous decades, Time-Life and other vintage record series introduced listeners to classical music and composers. Today, that introduction could be made by local musicians. “I hope to see more local, classical musicians put some stuff out,” Robinson says. “I think that would be fantastic. That’s the beautiful thing about music in general; it’s all interrelated.” ■

of a vinyl LP he produced with Joyful Noise in 2016 as evidence of supply and demand. “They disappeared,” he says. “And I never heard that we were even close to selling out the CDs.”

The Vinyl Revival

COULD VINYL RECRUIT THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC LOVERS?

Mark Hornsby says the popularity of vinyl has huge implications for orchestras with an interest in spreading enthusiasm for classical music and improving their business results. “One of the best things symphonies could do for themselves and for classical music is hop on the train,” he says. Making a high-quality orchestral recording isn’t difficult or expensive, but it isn’t just the economics that should make sense to orchestras. Hornsby

Ben Lamb In the 1990s, Ben Lamb was a middle school student turned off by popular music. He found an alternative among racks of discarded LPs at Goodwill. Drawn by cover art from the 1950s and 1960s, Lamb frequently stumbled across classical recordings, which he played on an old record player that belonged to his mother. “The kind of thing that gets sent to Goodwill is really poorquality classical music,” he says. “It was just fun to have.”

says vinyl also has the cachet to make classical music more accessible and to improve classical music’s hip factor among young people. “Remember what people do with these things,” he says. “Suppose you’re a season ticket holder for XYZ orchestra, and they give you (or you purchase) a vinyl record with a great photo of the orchestra in the beautiful 100-year-old hall they perform in. You take that to work and put it on your desk. One of your coworkers might walk up and say ‘Wow, let me see that. This is our orchestra?’” Hornsby sees vinyl as a magnet for audiences that might never have gone to a concert on their own initiative. “This piece of merchandise, designed to be sold, also becomes a marketing tool for said orchestra,” he says. “That’s how it works in the

THE COLLECTORS

Mark Hornsby Photo by Erick Anderson

Lamb drifted away from collecting old records during college, but returned to it a decade ago after a hard-drive failure. “All my CDs were in a box somewhere — I have no idea where,” he says. “I started buying new records as well, and I’ve been doing that ever since.” Now in his mid-30s, Lamb plays LPs on an old stereo credenza given to him by his grandmother. “I think what’s great about [vinyl] is that it’s tactile,” he says. “Part of the reason I like records is you get this big, beautiful piece of art.”

THE MAKERS

Chris Banta has built a business by making collectible vinyl

Chris Banta, Romanus Records, holds a holographic style prototype LP he later used for Maybe I’m The Problem, a Dan Cummins album.

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Words and Photo by Crystal Hammon

Interactive Vinyl Karl Hofstetter, founder of Joyful Noise, an Indianapolis-based independent record label, is clear about one thing: making vinyl records for the latest generation of music lovers has nothing to do with practicality or convenience. In fact, the more elaborate the vinyl record or its packaging, the better chance it has of selling. “We find that making a physical product that’s really tactile and engaging makes it much more likely that people will get excited about the record and delve into the music,” Hofstetter says.

Think in terms of a 12-sided record with six spindle holes. To listen, you pick up the record and place it on a different spindle hole for each song. Joyful Noise made 127 copies of this innovative format, which sold out within five minutes of its release. “People paid $100 for less than five minutes of music on this incredibly impractical record because of the tactile, playful nature of it,” he says. “People like to be involved in the culture of their music, and collecting vinyl is a way for them to engage.”

Joyful Noise is a magnet for a listening demographic that has always had access to music through cell phones and computers. “They gravitate toward unique physical items,” he says. “Seeing music come from moving parts is a fascination for people who’ve grown up during the digital age.” Hofstetter says many customers still use streaming music to sample music or as a companion for daily activities; vinyl is reserved for listening to music they’ve already decided upon.

In an era that allows anyone to release music on Bandcamp or Sound Cloud, the vinyl format also raises the threshold on what constitutes an album, according to Hofstetter. “It’s not a real album unless it’s on vinyl,” he says. “It’s the format that is historically legitimate.” Hofstetter estimates that vinyl accounts for 90 percent of the music sales among the experimental, indie rock bands and artists Joyful Noise represents. ■

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Wowed by the response, Banta began experimenting with what he calls insertion vinyl — highly-collectible, limited-edition albums that are artfully made and often filled with toys, candy, sand, gunpowder, razor blades and other novel objects that move inside while the record spins. Not all of his experiments were successful, but Banta eventually settled on a handful of wellhoned, proprietary processes. Music fans may pay $20 to $100 for a limited-edition record made by the label. “I never want to price anybody out,” says Banta, who grew up in modest circumstances with eight siblings. “It was very important to me to think about 16-year-old me who worked at Wendy’s, and if I had a favorite band with a crazy, cool record coming out, maybe I could scrape together enough money to buy it.” During the past three years, the Indianapolisbased record label has released custom albums for 20 bands and artists and shipped product all over the world. Romanus Records now occupies more of Banta’s time than Brother ‘O Brother, which plays 80 to 100 days a year.

At first, Banta courted every client. As the label’s reputation grew in the music industry, unbidden business started to flow their way. Banta says Romanus Records is still small, but the label continues to grow by helping up-and-coming bands prosper. “Our biggest passion is working with mid-level, national bands that are touring and working hard,” he says. “These customs sell out so fast that it helps everybody make some money right away. That’s attractive to bands.” Banta maintains an artist’s eye, scouring his environment for imaginative ideas for the physical format. “These aren’t just art records,” he says. “They all play. It would be pointless to make these beautiful records and not be able to play them.” Owning a band’s limited-edition record and displaying it with pride is evidence of the intense loyalty that helps bands thrive. “It shows the power of music and caring about a band,” Banta says. ■

The Vinyl Revival

by Crystal Hammon

These superfans may not listen to vinyl often, but when they do, they expect it to be a worthwhile experience. Joyful Noise caters to this segment of the population by pushing vinyl’s outer boundaries in the most improbable ways.

Like so many entrepreneurs who’ve gone before him, Chris Banta has achieved success by failing over and over again. The 33-year-old musician and artist founded Romanus Records with partner Warner Swope in 2016 after his first project, an online sale of 60 custom-made vinyl records for their band, Brother O’ Brother. Within three minutes, all 60 records were gone. “Sixty records at $60 a pop,” Banta says.

WHERE TO BUY + BORROW In a world with corporate megastores and ever-growing options for purchasing music, Indianapolis has its very own local gems to buy (or borrow) classical LPs. Check out these locations for new, used, or to borrow classical music vinyl: HALF PRICE BOOKS 1551 West 86th Street and other locations INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL BRANCH 40 East Saint Clair Street INDY CD & VINYL 806 Broad Ripple Avenue INDY READS BOOKS 911 Massachusetts Avenue IRVINGTON VINYL & BOOKS 9 Johnson Avenue LUNA MUSIC 5202 N College Avenue SQUARE CAT VINYL 1054 Virginia Avenue WORLD RECORD SHOPPE 2184 East 54th Street

HIDDEN CLASSICAL:

Contraband Music RUSSIAN MUSIC FANS OF THE 1950S AND 1960S RISKED EVERYTHING TO BE PART OF A WORLDWIDE MUSIC REVOLUTION. ____ by April Bumgardner In 2013 Lisa Lobdell, archivist at The Great American Songbook Foundation, received a call that someone had old recordings to donate. “Well, I get this kind of call frequently,” she smiled, “so at first I didn’t think much about it.” Lobdell’s office is nestled upstairs at The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts near downtown Carmel where she manages the musical archives and gallery displays. The nature of the donation, however, surprised her. The songs were all recorded on x-ray film. The donor, Dr. Richard Judy, was a professor of economics and computer science at the University of Toronto until he moved to Indianapolis in 1986 with the Hudson Institute. He is also the founder of TORQWorks, a developer of application software. Back in 1958 and 1959, however, he was an American graduate student studying political economy in Moscow. Soon, he discovered a Russian friend was involved in creating bone recordings. Also known as “music on ribs” or “jazz on bones,” these black market recordings were widely circulated during the 1950s and 1960s. Judy eventually returned to the United States with several in his suitcase. Although the Khrushchev Thaw introduced a lifting of censorship, policies regarding music from the West were still highly regulated. American rock ‘n’ roll and jazz, in particular, were seen as ideologically dangerous. Music enthusiasts found a way around it, however. Thus, the genesis of bone music.

Judy describes Vitaliy and Oleg as businessmen, entrepreneurs and music lovers. “They were building a business in a most unorthodox way,” he says. “To risk being caught, you have to be interested in the technology of making music. You have to have courage, or maybe foolishness, to defy the authorities.” Because x-ray film was so thin and pliable, they were able to curl stacks of bootlegged copies into small cardboard tubes or discreetly roll them up shirt sleeves. “They would mail them all over the country, to Novosibirsk and God knows where,” Judy recalls. Many were seized and imprisoned. Even so, the cool vibes of jazz began circulating widely. Imagine listening to Elvis, the Stones or Monk, then lifting a flimsy disc to the light and finding a femur or a cranium.

Lisa Lobdell

Taking advantage of the vast numbers of discarded x-rays, these opportunists concocted a solution. Fearing the boxes of x-rays would be fire hazards, radiology labs were eager to find ways to dispose of them. Lab technicians jumped at the chance to be rid of the x-ray film when they were offered bottles of vodka in exchange.

Hidden Classical

Judy’s friend Vitaliy, or “Vit Scrub,” according to a nickname at the time, was the son of a KGB Major General, and was crazy about jazz. “He was very anti-Soviet, though,” says Judy. Vit’s friend Oleg Kuznetsov had somehow acquired a German record-cutting machine. Through a painstaking process, Oleg cut the discarded x-rays into discs and recorded to them from bootlegged copies or from live radio play. Although the Soviets garbled radio programs from the outside, eager music lovers listened to Voice of America in hopes of hearing even a portion of the latest in rock ‘n’ roll or jazz. “There was a great craze for jazz music,” Judy remembers. “My taste ran to classical music, but I had all these jazz records sent over.” An American visitor Judy met by chance in Moscow promised to send several jazz records — a promise he fulfilled after leaving Moscow.

Judy’s donations include classics like Rock Around the Clock by Bill Hailey and the Comets, Rocket Boogie by Pete Johnson, an unfortunately-warped We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye by the Andrews Sisters, and one unknown piece with a peppy Hammond organ, simply labelled “floating rib.” George Blood of George Blood LP in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania was eager to work with this historic medium. Blood’s digitized archives will soon be available to the public through Indiana University in Bloomington.

The largest locally-owned national bank is proud to be a major supporter of the Arts. 317-261-9000

If there is a lesson to be learned from this piece of history it is resilience. “People will find ways of doing things,” says Judy. “We have to appreciate the indomitable spirit of human beings to pursue artistic interests in the face of opposition.” ■ To learn more about The Great American Songbook Foundation, visit their website at thesongbook.org or visit the gallery in person Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Palladium at 1 Center Green, Carmel, IN 46032.

www.nbofi.com

Member FDIC

HOW HAS WORKING AT THE INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY INFLUENCED THE TYPE OF MUSIC YOU LISTEN TO?

I’ve gotten to learn about local artists and local musicians. It has definitely pushed me to learn more about the musical history of Indianapolis, especially the jazz history. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF MUSIC TO LISTEN TO FOR PLEASURE?

My Music. My Story.

Stephen Lane ____

Words by Jennifer Delgadillo Photo by Mike Williams

Stephen Lane is a special collections librarian at the Indianapolis Public Library, where he maintains and acquires vinyl recordings for the library’s collection. Lane has a master’s degree in library science and public history from IUPUI, and he enjoys collecting vinyl for his own personal music library.

Right now, my favorite is funk music, and that’s the collection I’m trying to grow at home. I like Funkadelic and Parliament, and local funk bands like Crazy 8s. It is what I like to listen to when I’m trying to relax and de-stress at home because it’s very upbeat. DO YOU HAVE FAVORITE MEMORIES LINKED TO MUSIC?

When I was in high school, I played the trumpet in marching bands, and in my senior year, we won the Bands of America competition at the RCA Dome. That was probably one of my favorite moments with music. One of my recent memories: I went to the Big Freedia concert when she was here. Just being with all these people from the city — a very diverse crowd — it was a really positive feeling. Anytime Big Freedia is in town, I’m always at her concerts. I just have to go. WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE COMPOSERS OR MUSICIANS?

I would say Wes Montgomery. The way he played the guitar is amazing. I really like Miles Davis. I just got a Miles Davis record, Bitches Brew. It’s just such a good record. Even though he was experimenting with drugs at the time he was recording it, it came out so well. You just really get a good feeling while listening to it. IF YOU WERE A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?

I played the trumpet in high school, so I have to say the trumpet. I love the sound that it makes. It’s a very beautiful, full sound — very brassy and [it] just gets attention. It is commanding and can lead an ensemble to have really good sound.

TELL US ABOUT THE OVERLAP BETWEEN YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND MUSIC.

Working for the public library, we get a lot of different kinds of musicians here in the city and from the city. We’ve had the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra here. We have a program, Hot Jazz for Cool Kids. Whenever we have the symphony here, sometimes they’ll play in the Cret Building, the old part of the library, and you can see how the patrons seem really calm and relaxed while they’re browsing the shelves. CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT HOW YOU STARTED YOUR PERSONAL VINYL COLLECTION?

I started this collection in 2014, and I just wanted to focus on funk records. That’s my big passion: collecting a lot of funk records, as well as jazz. I bought the record player from Indy CD & Vinyl and then a few records too. I like going to different record stores and even Half Price Books, and digging through all the records that they have to see if I can find something to add to the collection. HOW IS YOUR PERSONAL RECORD COLLECTION ORGANIZED?

I’m a librarian so [my personal collection] is organized alphabetically. I don’t have it by genre. I might split it by genre if I end up getting different types of music. So, it’s all organized alphabetically and I’m very particular about putting them back. And if people come over and listen to my records, they have to put [them] back where [they] need to go. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RECORD RIGHT NOW?

My favorite record that I just got over the weekend is Funkadelic: The Mothership Connection. The live show of The Mothership Connection is so out there. And just so amazing. ■

was very literally reflecting on certain parts of the wildlife of the park and ecosystems. This year I focused more on why I think parks are important to us.” In Funkhouser’s mind, parks serve as a sanctuary from the bustle of daily life. Sanctuary, his 2019 composition, is written for instruments made by Funkhouser, including windchimes and six amplified music boxes that play melodies written specifically for the piece. Sanctuary features musicians Jenna Page playing flute, Eric Salazar playing clarinet and Corey Denham on percussion. The music also includes an audience participation element, with six audience members playing music boxes. “Getting classical music outside the concert hall is a step in the right direction, getting even more casual with it, where people can actually actively participate,” Funkhouser says. The idea of making instruments for the Music in Nature Concert Series came from Funkhouser’s work with clarinetist Eric Salazar. Funkhouser

M U S I C I N N AT U R E :

Outside the Music Box ____

by Jennifer Delgadillo

CMI asked Funkhouser to write another composition for the same program in 2019. “Each year we’ve done three performances out of Fort Harrison State Park, and both pieces are written to sort of reflect part of the park,” says Funkhouser, who also serves as operations and education manager at the Rhythm! Discovery Center for the Percussive Arts Society. “Last year

To get a sense of Funkhouser’s talent, listeners can search online videos that show him performing with a propane tank and metal mixing-bowls, reproducing the brassiness of the marimba and the crispness of a vibraphone. Clock Coils, a performance for IndyStar Sessions, features an instrument made from a cigar box and metal coils. The sounds are easily mistaken for various percussion instruments, yet they all come from Funkhouser’s precise use of drumsticks on coils inside a small box. Funkhouser began making his own instruments out of necessity after booking his first performance at The Clinic, a Bloomington venue operated by students from 2008 to 2010. There, he played with Peaking Lights, a husband and wife music duo. At the time, Funkhouser had experience with making and releasing music digitally and on analog cassettes, but he had not performed live. “The stuff that I was doing digitally was sort of spatial and didn’t have a lot of performance elements,” says Funkhouser, who began composing with a few noisemakers and a drum set. He began building percussion instruments to get new sounds. “In some ways, it was more about not dumping a bunch of money into a bunch of gear,” he says. “Making something allowed me to expand the sounds I had.”

During Classical Music Indy’s (CMI) annual program at Fort Harrison State Park, Music in Nature, many visitors strolling the park have a unique experience with music; they hear their first experimental composition. Percussionist and composer Rob Funkhouser wants their first exposure to be a good one. CMI first commissioned Funkhouser to compose Three Peacetime Images for Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park in 2018 as part of the Indiana Arts Commission’s Arts in the Parks and Historic Sites. The program celebrates parks and weaves the arts into park activities. In this case, Funkhouser’s work introduces classical music to park visitors, especially children. Funkhouser’s 2018 composition included percussion instruments imitating woodpeckers, melodicas and alto saxophone representing frogs, and glockenspiels evoking the excitement of lightning bugs.

Most recently, he composed confidently, but with an awkward gait for the Los Angeles Percussion Quartet. The composition included a set of instruments built by Funkhouser.

wrote a piece in 2018 for Forward Motion, Salazar’s ensemble. The composition, Reflect & Release, included hand-built glockenspiel bars and drums connected to plastic tubes. The modification allowed musicians to change the drums’ pitch in the opening movement by breathing into tubes. The 30-year-old musician has a history of building instruments as part of his practice.

Funkhouser hopes his compositions demystify instrumental and abstract music for music lovers who are unfamiliar or turned off by it. “A lot of times I will be the first experimental composer that someone comes across,” says Funkhouser. “I try to be extremely casual and forthright with my intentions to make people as comfortable as possible.” ■ The Music in Nature Concert Series is made possible by the Indiana Arts Commission, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Fort Harrison State Park.

Clare Longendyke would never suggest that a certain kind of music is better than the rest. The Chicago native grew up in the Twin Cities, where she loved and played all kinds of music. At the age of 7, she began learning piano and worked her way through a repertoire of everything from You’re a Grand Old Flag and Disney tunes to Bach and Chopin. By the time she was a teenager, Longendyke was a serious pianist who dreamed of a career as a classical musician.

Today’s Classical Musician

Personal Experience INDIANAPOLIS PIANIST HAS A FLAIR FOR MAKING CLASSICAL MUSIC ____ Words by Amy Lynch

After finishing degrees in music at Boston University, Ecole Normale de Music de Paris and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Longendyke is now living her dream. Over the past year, the classically-trained pianist swallowed a generous taste of a soloist’s life; she played nearly 50 concerts in the United States and Europe from September 2018 to June 2019. Virtually every performance was the result of ambitious networking and self-promotion. A successful classical musician in this era must often hug the lines between entrepreneur, musician and businesswoman, and Longendyke’s daily life shows mastery over this trifecta. The self-described go-getter blends marketing and concert tours with a rigorous practice routine and a busy schedule as an artist-in-residence and parttime director of chamber music at the University of Chicago.

PIQUING INTEREST IN NEW CLASSICAL COMPOSITIONS In 2019 Longendyke also earned a reputation in central Indiana as a firebrand for new classical music — an interest sparked by one of her mentors at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. While pursuing her master’s degree, she joined the New Music Ensemble and began thinking about how she could encourage others to develop a taste for what she calls “the music of our time.”

During her final semester of doctoral studies, she launched the Music in Bloom Festival in Bloomington. “The motivation for the festival was that I found there were too few performances of works by living composers in Bloomington outside the Jacobs School of Music,” she says. “My case for new music is that many [classical]

composers were influenced by their surroundings, whether that was the sounds [they heard] in daily life, or other art forms that were developing around them, or their life status—their loves and losses as they were writing music. In many ways, art and music are chronicles for a time, and I think that our time needs to be chronicled.” Buoyed by the results of their May 2019 newmusic festival, Longendyke and Amy Petrongelli, Music in Bloom’s administrative director, decided to repeat it. In May of 2020, they’re bringing the Music in Bloom Festival to Indianapolis, where Longendyke now lives. “My life is very much in transition now,” she says. “I’m going to be splitting time between Indy and Chicago, which is exciting because I get to explore a larger pond and learn from the things that are going on up there, but I’ll remain committed to Indianapolis because there is so much room for growth here.”

THE RESURRECTION OF A TRADITIONAL CONCERT FORMAT Several of Longendyke’s 2018-2019 performances were presented in her favorite format — the house concert, a tradition used by Chopin and Schubert to debut new compositions, performed in their patrons’ homes for small audiences. “I like them for a couple of reasons,” she says. “You can make eye contact with every single audience member, whereas on the concert hall stage, it’s often dark and you can’t see anyone. I find that very impersonal. We are already so impersonal, walking around with our noses in our devices. Finding an opportunity to make a personal connection is so key.” The intimate format also allows Longendyke to speak directly to the audience and guide listeners through long, difficult pieces. Music in Bloom is much more than a music festival; it’s Longendyke’s brand — an umbrella for all the projects she wants to tackle as a musician: early education outreach for children, house concerts, and commissioning new solo piano works she can perform and record. Longendyke hopes to build the Music in Bloom identity by expanding her network, identifying a family of patrons and donors, and establishing a non-profit to make her work sustainable. ■

Michael Abels

NEW CLASSICAL:

Rhythm & Dance

BUTLER UNIVERSITY’S WIND ENSEMBLE AND DEPARTMENT OF DANCE COLLABORATE ON RARE WORLD-PREMIERE BY WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS ____

by Nicholas Johnson, Ph.D. One of the city’s major artistic events of 2020 is coming this spring, when the Butler University Wind Ensemble and the Butler University Department of Dance perform a new commission by Hollywood composer Michael Abels, with choreography by internationally-acclaimed choreographer Patrick de Bana. The event celebrates the 100year anniversary of Butler bands.

Michael Colburn, director of the Butler University Wind Ensemble, selected Abels for the commission. Colburn, formerly of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, has never been averse to taking risks as a conductor. Striving to make wind ensemble

music relevant and fresh for modern ears, he has been involved in several commissions. For this event, Colburn wanted to expand the music and performance experience that wind ensemble players typically have. Wind ensemble musicians seldom get to play the same concert multiple nights in a row, and they rarely draw as many concertgoers as orchestras and stage productions do. By commissioning a leading composer who wasn’t linked with band music, Colburn hoped to create an innovative concert experience that benefited students and the arts community as a whole.

Enter Michael Abels, a composer best known for his brilliant, innovative scores for breakthrough movies such as Get Out and Us, both directed by Jordan Peele. Working with Abels was a perfect opportunity to acquire a new, groundbreaking piece for the Butler Wind Ensemble — one that might become part of the wind band’s standard repertoire. Abels expanded the collaboration even further by suggesting that the work include Butler University’s Department of Dance. The Butler University Wind Ensemble rarely performs a genuine world-premiere or provides dance accompaniment. Abels, who is composing for a wind ensemble for the first time, says the premiere piece is a great creative stretch for him. Michael Colburn Minus several compositional “tricks” he might normally employ, the process forced him to be creative in new ways, and to familiarize himself with the musical parameters and possibilities of a new ensemble. “I feel like now I’ve developed my own sense of what works and how to approach it,” Abels says, “and I think by the time I’ve finally finished, I’ll feel like this is a piece that is well done for the ensemble and also in my voice.” This piece is also distinct because Abels’ recent work is primarily for film scores. Writing for a concert stage provides more creative freedom and opportunity, but there is a risk of getting lost in freedom. “You need boundaries in composition for creativity,” he says. “In film, the boundaries are extremely rigorous, and you are basically walking a very small tightrope of possibility. In a concert piece, it is up to the composer to define what the rules are.”

Abels, Colburn and da Bana selected three defining parameters to promote creativity for the piece: • Formal and rhythmic parameters, designed to accompany dance. • Rhythmic and harmonic elements derived from hip hop. • An abstract story of social justice. With these boundaries in place, Abels tells a compelling story through music. Just as past classical composers once looked to jazz, rock or folk music, Abels is glad to see modern composers influenced by the most popular music genre in the world: hip hop. “Art involves social commentary,” he says. “You can’t do that without being of your time.” Abels and da Bana collaborated on their vision in September when they traveled to Butler University for a creative meeting. The composition was only partially finished at the time, but da Bana felt Abels would be inspired to see Butler dancers and to meet faculty and student performers. The meeting gave composer, conductor and choreographer the chance to make a truly collaborative work that resonates with audiences. Abels has composed for stories like Get Out, but this piece provides an opportunity to create the entire story. “I believe that music is storytelling,” he says. “I’m always involved in telling a story, even in my concert music.” The composition will be ready by the end of the year, giving ample time for choreography and rehearsal. ■

The work will be performed as part of the Butler Midwinter Dances, February 5-9, 2020. Tickets are on sale now at butlerartscenter.org. For more events of the Centennial Anniversary of the Butler University Bands, visit butler.edu/bands/BandCentennial.

he succeeded his famed teacher, William Kincaid. Pellerite performed under a list of celebrated conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Pablo Casals, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski and Igor Stravinsky, with whom he recorded the composer’s famed Octet. In 2016, he was the recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor the organization bestows.

LEGENDS:

AFTER A LIFELONG REPUTATION AS A MASTER OF THE FLUTE, JAMES PELLERITE IS STILL CLIMBING.

Musical Mountains ____

Words by Tom Alvarez • Photo by Jane Daniels

James J. Pellerite says he is not retired. “I’m not even living a new life,” says the 93-year-old world-renowned flutist, a former Indiana resident who now lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. “I’m living a renewed life,” he emphasizes.

Up until a year ago, Pellerite lived in Bloomington, Ind., where he taught flute at Indiana University. He retired from the faculty in 1987. Having lived for a time in New Mexico a quarter century ago with his wife of 63 years, Helen Mae, who passed away in 2013, Pellerite longed to return. Pellerite’s renewal follows a storied career as a master of the modern flute. After studying flute at The Juilliard School, he played in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra followed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Eventually, Pellerite served as principal flutist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, where

Add to Pellerite’s achievements his mastery of the Native American flute, a passion ignited in 1993, when he attended an Independence Day event at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque. “I was entranced with not only New Mexico, but by the beauty of the instrument of tradition,” Pellerite says. “It had an almost spiritual quality and an expression that was haunting. The instrument has a natural sound that is magic.” Thus began a career in 1995 with his newly chosen instrument. Since then, besides playing the Native flute, he has commissioned and published 85 scores, featuring a mix of works for solo flute, chamber music, and with orchestra. His published scores are housed at the William and Gayle Cook Music Library, which serves the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His lecture recitals include excerpts from symphonies, ballets, films and even music from The Great American Songbook. “The Native American flute provided the inspiration for me to continue on in a more creative manner and branch out as a musician, and not just a flute player,” says Pellerite. As an orchestra soloist, he has recorded compositions with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra. Pellerite’s performances are recorded on CDs by Azica Records and Centaur Records, and others have been released by Albany Records,

including Embrace the Wind and Mystic Voices Soaring. Although he recently recorded his eleventh CD, Pellerite embraces newer formats for sharing his work. “Nobody buys CDs anymore,” he says. “Everybody goes online, so I post performances on YouTube. You have to follow what’s being pushed, so you swing with the times.” Pellerite says he still performs live, but not as often as he would like. “I’ve slowed down, but I practice daily and believe the breathing is excellent physical therapy,” he says. “Also, I’d like to retain my flute technique, if at all possible.” Neither classical music audiences nor Native Americans have pushed back against Pellerite’s varied repertoire. “They don’t give me the time of day,” says Pellerite, referring to Native American flutists. “They have no interest in what I am doing because I play contemporary music on the Native flute.” Some of his students can’t quite accept that he no longer plays the modern flute, although they seem to appreciate the fact that his intense dedication been transferred to a new instrument. And what is a typical day like for the father of two adult children and two grandchildren? “I follow the stock market and the news, and of course, I do my own investing,” says the former stockbroker. “I practice every day, enjoy the fine Mexican restaurants in this area and sightsee.” Pellerite is still working on his bucket list, though he says it is now yellowed and frayed at the edges. “I had hoped to bring the American Indian flute to the university classroom,” says the vibrant nonagenarian. “It has not happened yet, but I have not given up. I want to be remembered for being totally dedicated as a performer and teacher, always eager to give 110 percent. I am equally proud to have embraced diversity with music of all types.” ■

Music Unites artist Jenna Page is constructing her own multi-faceted career around the magic of the flute. Born in Wisconsin, Jenna moved to Indiana with her parents at age 2, and currently lives just 15 minutes away from the house where she grew up. Her first exposure to music came early, and often. “I grew up with music as part of my daily life,” she recalls. “My parents were always listening to musical theater soundtracks, and my grandfather was an amateur violinist.”

music unites artist

Musical Chameleon JENNA PAGE GIVES CLASSICAL FLUTE A CONTEMPORARY VOICE.

____

Words by Amy Lynch • Photo by Chris Waterman

Jenna had begun piano lessons by the time she reached kindergarten, later participating in choirs at school and church. Flute came into the picture in sixth grade when she tested it out at a musical “petting zoo.” “I actually wavered between flute and saxophone, but my older cousin played the flute and was there to help me if needed,” she says. “From the first few days of having the instrument in my hand, I was getting notes out and playing.” Through high school and into college, Jenna contemplated career paths in musical performance and education. She ultimately chose to work toward a Bachelor of Arts in music performance from the University of Indianapolis and, after a gap year, went on to earn a master’s degree in flute performance at Butler University, studying with principal ISO flutist Karen Moratz. These days, Jenna finds her talents in demand as a freelancer, allowing her to explore both her love of performance and her love for teaching. “A good percentage of my income comes through private lessons and adjuncting at local universities, but I also play with regional orchestras in the area, as well as wedding gigs, social events and studio sessions with local musicians,” she describes.

“I really try to connect with the heart of the music to paint a picture and help people engage with it,” she explains. “I’m much more an emotional player than a technical one; I approach my playing as if I’m singing through my instrument.” Jenna loves the lush ballet scores of composers like Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, but as a founding member of the Indianapolis-based Forward Motion ensemble, she also enjoys the chance to play around with modern music by living composers. The small group consists of classically trained emerging artists, but mainly performs in bars, informal halls, outdoor settings, art galleries and other non-traditional settings. In addition, Jenna serves as treasurer of the Greater Indianapolis Flute Club, a membership group that hosts events throughout the year for flutists of all ages and skill levels. Introducing new audiences to the joys of classical music is an underlying constant that runs through all of Jenna’s varied pursuits. “Sometimes at classical concerts, there aren’t a lot of young people there; I want to break that ‘stigma,’” she says. “The genre has so much depth. Our culture is so fast and busy all the time. Classical music encourages you to slow down and take a moment to appreciate. You can’t be in a hurry when you’re listening to a symphony or a sonata.” Looking toward the future as she enters her 30s, Jenna feels good about what she’s been able to accomplish thus far. “I’ve done a lot of what I’ve set out to do as a musician,” she says. “I’ve made connections, I’m earning a salary and paying my bills. Now I’m just looking to create more opportunities that satisfy my own artistic creativity — finding new music I love to play, collaborating with other musicians and always learning something new.” ■

Working on a freelance basis gives Jenna the chance to move in many different directions at once — a musical chameleon of sorts, yet with a consistently distinctive style.

Still working full-time, Elysia wrote a business plan and met with potential investors, but her pitch didn’t gain the traction she’d hoped for, and it seemed all but certain the shop would shutter. Scrolling through contacts, Elysia finally connected with a family friend who loaned her the money to buy the store. She quit her job and threw herself full tilt into relaunching the business as Irvington Vinyl & Books on June 30, 2018.

Elysia Smith

NEIGHBORHOOD MUSIC:

For the Record COMMUNITY BUILDER ELYSIA SMITH BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN WORDS AND MUSIC. ____

Words by Amy Lynch • Artwork by Maria Iqbal Owner of Irvington Vinyl & Books, Elysia Smith has a lot of stories to share. Originally from California, Elysia moved to Elkhart County, Ind. with her family at age 13. As a Ball State undergrad, she initiated creative community-building efforts that included a writers’ community, poetry readings and an arts collective that hosted pop-up shows throughout Muncie. Next came a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts and then a permanent move to Indy, where Elysia worked as a waitress — “because that’s what you do with

a poetry degree!” — and at a local marketing firm. Fate stepped in during a date in spring 2018 that brought her to Bookmamas/ Irvington Vinyl. The sunny storefront, eclectic inventory and quirky vibe made an immediate impression. Gutted to learn it would soon be closing, Elysia showed up with coffee to talk to Irvington Vinyl owner Rick Wilkerson. “We struck up a rapport quickly,” Elysia recalls. “I had a lot of ideas about how to save the space by transforming it into a co-op where local DJs and vinyl buffs could buy in to curate collections and make samples.”

The historic brick building that houses the store has an intriguing story of its own. The original Masonic Lodge 666 (fitting right into Irvington’s affinity for all things Halloween), has also been a post office, a barber shop and a book storage warehouse. “I actually grew up in an old Masonic Lodge in Nappanee, so this feels very full circle for me,” Elysia mentions. The store’s contents are pretty much an even split of books and music, reaching unique audiences through the distinctive appeal of vinyl. “There’s an intentionality to it,” Elysia explains. “We often listen to music when we’re on the move. When you play a record, you have to be within 25 feet of the turntable. It forces you into a stillness that’s hard to find in this digital age. The same holds true with books. They tether you to a nostalgic time, place or experience.” Within an expansive 8,000 to 10,000-record inventory, Elysia specializes in rare vinyl and specific genres. In the classical music realm, the store has a diverse collection from all over the world, but don’t expect to see it highly indexed and organized. Browsing the collection is part of the experience — one that keeps classical music relevant and engaging. “I think if you come in and there are tab dividers for Rubenstein and Berlioz, people who aren’t

familiar with those names are going to feel a sense of imposter syndrome, as if ‘Am I even allowed to be looking at this?’” she says. Last December, Elysia and a friend — a classically-trained opera singer — were going through some classical vinyl, pricing it for a store event, when they discovered an album the singer had been trying to locate for five years. “Treasure trove is the only way to put it, and approaching it that way is the only way to approach it,” she says. Casting an eye toward the future, Elysia continues to hatch big plans. She recently leased an industrial printer and is in the process of founding Caliban Press to publish fiction, nonfiction and chat books/ zines for underrepresented communities. “Trans writers, queer black writers, POC, the homeless, the elderly — there are so many creative people we never get to hear from,” she says. “When we’re able to make those voices heard, it casts Indianapolis in a whole new light.” Irvington Vinyl & Books also hosts an educational zine series called GlueStick, operated and founded by Kelsey Simpson, and the Three Hole Punch Arts and Music Festival in March. Whatever brings them into the store, Elysia encourages customers to linger awhile with a listening station, cozy sofas and chairs, live readings, musical performances, and a resident cat. “I want people to ‘dig,’ in both senses of the word — the act of uncovering that which is buried, or appreciating and enjoying something,” she says. “That’s the intersection I want to achieve here.” ■

Founded in 2016 as a distribution-only distillery, 8th Day Distillery added a full cocktail bar in 2018. Located on Indy’s near east side, the distillery offers a delicious menu of rotating cocktails and bottles of their finely-crafted spirits. All cocktails are $8, and each one I sampled was unique and inventive. Here are some suggestions of music to pair with 8th Day’s specialty drinks.

THE DRINK:

Bust a Move

gin, blackberry and blue spice basil shrub, lemon, soda THE MUSIC:

Arvo Pärt,

Seven Magnificat Antiphons

Classical Pairings WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD AN EIGHTH DAY EVERY WEEK? FOR BROTHERS MATT AND MASON, THE ANSWER WAS SIMPLE: START 8TH DAY DISTILLERY, HAND CRAFTED FINE SPIRITS. ____ Words by Nicholas Johnson, Ph.D. • Photo by Cliff Ritchey

This bright, astringent palate-cleanser is like a warm breeze on a cool, spring morning. The cocktail’s gin is fantastic, but the star of this show is the housemade shrub. A shrub is a sweetened, vinegar-based syrup often used in place of simple syrup; this one is made of an unexpected and delightful mix of red-wine vinegar, sugar, blackberries and blue spice basil. When combined with lemon and just the right amount of soda water, the result is a unique, eyeopening experience that grows in complexity. The first few measures of Estonian-born Arvo Pärt’s Seven Magnificat Antiphons does an amazing job of clearing stress. As with many of Pärt’s works, it is written in a simplified manner that sounds timeless. Liturgically, this text is usually performed at the end of Advent, but the music doesn’t need to be heard in a spiritual setting to enjoy its pure beauty. Just like the cocktail, the more time one spends with this work, the more depth and meaning one discovers. THE DRINK:

Peaches and Cream

bourbon, peach, banana, coconut milk, pineapple THE MUSIC:

George Frideric Handel,

Ev’ry Valley Shall be Exalted Bourbon Milk Punch is a creamy, sweet, frothy cocktail that always hits the mark. Loaded with bourbon and rum, it is mostly a winter cocktail. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find during other seasons. 8th Day responds to that problem with Peaches and Cream. Their riff on the Bourbon Milk Punch adds fruit and coconut blasts that are welcome in

any season. I was so impressed with the coconut milk in this cocktail that I may try it myself this holiday season. Never fear: 8th Day’s smooth, nutty bourbon has plenty of room to shine. Performances of Handel’s Messiah are ubiquitous around Christmas, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, the premiere occurred in Dublin in April of 1742, following a long tradition of oratorios offered during lent as an edifying alternative to opera. The joyful melodies of Ev’ry Valley work just as well in spring as winter. Handel was reportedly a big fan of liquor. It’s easy to imagine Handel approving of a match that pairs Peaches and Cream with his magnificent aria in any season. THE LIQUOR:

Chat Maison Absinthe Verte THE MUSIC:

Claude Debussy,

Deux arabesques The good people of 8th Day wanted to make a New Orleans-style Sazerac — my personal favorite. Liquor laws require distilleries to make all spirits in-house. 8th Day obliged by distilling their own absinthe. Long banned in several countries, absinthe has made a comeback in recent years, thanks to changing laws and production methods. 8th Day’s “house cat” is more than just a mixer; it stands on its own with notes of lemon, licorice, pepper and botanicals. Grab a bottle and drink it neat, with sugar, or in a cocktail. Debussy’s Deux arabesques were among his earliest “impressionist” works, although he hated that term. Its many shifts of key and mode dance across the keyboard, akin to the way this absinthe’s lemon and licorice flavors dance across the tongue. The music evokes images of nature and serenity, both of which are accentuated by 8th Day’s absinthe. You may find the licorice objectionable at first, but push through and let the complex flavor coat all corners of your mouth in the incomparable way Debussy’s music coats the ears. ■

ON AIR:

Indy’s New Classical Music and Culture Podcast Classical Pairings combines local leaders in classical music with Indy’s top craft food & beverage makers. Join host Nicholas Johnson as he blends two different cultural experiences into one delightful listening and palatable pleasure.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

From A to D and Back Again CLASSICAL MUSIC COMES FULL CIRCLE ON VINYL. ____ by Michael Toulouse WENDY CARLOS, PIONEERING PERFORMER OF BACH ON SYNTHESIZERS, ONCE HOPED THAT FOUR D’S WOULD EARN HER A SPOT AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS. THREE OF THOSE MARKS, STAMPED ON THE SLEEVE OF THE 1992 REISSUE OF SWITCHED-ON BACH, SIGNIFIED THAT THE PRODUCER HAD OPTED FOR DIGITAL RECORDING, DIGITAL EDITING AND DIGITAL MASTERING. THE DISTINCTIVE FOURTH D WAS FOR CARLOS’ PERFORMANCE, WHICH HAD BEEN DIGITAL ALL ALONG.

Where to Listen

With more than 50 years in classical radio in the Midwest, Classical Music Indy is a Peabody Award recipient for excellence in broadcasting. Listen to Classical Music Indy’s syndicated radio programming on these stations:

Indianapolis – WICR 88.7 Fort Wayne – WBNI 94.1 Evansville – WNIN 88.3 West Lafayette – WBAA 101.3

All-digital recordings were the gold standard for many audiophiles back then. Formally defined in the mid-1980s by the Society of Professional Audio Recording Services, the “DDD” code purportedly guaranteed that a recording would be free of extraneous noise. The hissing, popping, all-analog, long-playing vinyl record would have been coded “AAA,” if anyone thought it was worth the effort. Strangely enough, in a medium defined by spinning discs, things have a way of coming round. Now it’s the “D” that’s endangered. For the past dozen years or so, people everywhere have been dusting off their old turntables, and buying brand-new records. According to the latest annual report from the Recording Industry Association of America (as summarized in Rolling Stone), more than one third of the revenue in the physical music marketplace is drawn from vinyl.

Classical music represents a small but growing segment of that revenue stream, thanks in part to reissues of legendary recordings that have come full circle. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf ’s most acclaimed interpretation of Strauss’s Four Last Songs, for example, first hit the market in the LP format in 1965. It was then remastered and re-released on CD, and now — more than half a century after its initial release — it’s available again on vinyl. Nobody should be surprised by this particular comeback. Classical music is sustained by its rituals: tuning, applause, bowing and so on. Doesn’t an ordinary listener, pulling a cherished record from its sleeve, have the right to a few goosebumps now and then? ■

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