Moment of Silence

Kyle Gann's ongoing John Cage project has resulted in the best "desperately seeking disc"-type post I've ever seen:

One thing I could sure use before finishing this book on 4'33" is an obscure recording on the Korm Plastics label called 45'18" (Forty-five Minutes, Eighteen Seconds). It's a CD of nine versions of 4'33" by Thurston Moore, Keith Rowe, the Deep Listening Band, Voice Crack, and others. It doesn't seem to be available anywhere at the moment. Is there someone out there who could dupe me a copy, with program info? I'd gladly pay a reasonable price for a CDR. (I mean, I am paying basically for silence, but it's really important silence.)

Please, people, if you have that disc, or know someone who does, help a brother out. And Jesus, don't make him pay for it! Who does that??

(Photo of Jim Altieri, also from Gann's blog.) UPDATE: Found, before this post even left my queue. Hooray!

HEY YOUNG COMPOSERS You Oughta Do This Thing!

I just got an email from the New York Youth Symphony regarding this program they're putting on for young composers and musicians, meaning 22 and under. There is an application fee ($70, looks like), and a materials fee if you get in ($100 plus a refundable $100 deposit), but no tuition! Everybody gets a scholarship.

The program consists of 11 seminars held throughout the season at ASCAP (see 08-09 syllabus below). We discuss compositional structure, form, harmony, rhythm, and the many issues involved in putting musical ideas down on paper. At each session, a guest speaker illuminates aspects of composition and instrumentation, and discusses their experience as it relates to the creative process. At the end of the year, members of the Youth Symphony perform music by the program participants on a final concert at Symphony Space. Students receive one-on-one tutorials at BMI to help them develop and realize their compositions. This year we will be continuing Orchestrations +, a collaborative workshop with the American Composers Orchestra/EarShot whereby students arrange, and compose new works for an orchestra that combines ACO and NYYS musicians. In addition, we are excited to be collaborating with the New York string quartet, ETHEL, for a readings and feedback workshop.

You're excited already! The press release lists guest composers such as Kernis, Muhly, and Reich, plus performers like Jason Treuting of So Percussion. So click here for more info, then here to download your application. (And click here if you want to email somebody with questions.)

Now do it quick! Deadline is October 1.