Eighth Blackbird @ Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's 2010 New Music Festival

I was so disappointed when the Winnipeg Free Press’ review of Thursday, February 11, 2010, night’s performance at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s New Music Festival included only details of the performance of Tanya Tagaq and nothing of the performance of Eighth Blackbird.

There is no question that Tagaq was phenomenal. She has taken Inuit throat signing and melded it with elements of other vocal styles. Her infusion of jazz and hip-hop added much to the performance. And I cannot fail to mention her unbridled energy on stage. She was just so much into the experience and her music that she drew us as the audience into her performances. As if this was not enough the compositions of fellow Canadian Derek Charke were perfectly suited to her signing and liveliness. Very approachable new music all.

As if that were not enough, we were honoured to have Eighth Blackbird grace the stage of our festival. Eighth Blackbird, based in Chicago, is one of today’s top new music ensembles, of the likes of Kronos Quartet and Bang on a Can. Kudos to the WSO for having them take part. Their portion of the program was very accessible new music. And their style was clearly of a well integrated and elegant sextet. Many of the performances used a technique of the performers being choreographed to move around the stage to play in smaller groups. As they explained it, the music at times had the themes being concentrated in the smaller groups so it made sense to have those groups together to play and the musicians be further motivated by the synergy of concentrating the sound as they played closely together. A very polished rendition. Their explanations of their pieces were meaningful and showed the connections of their group with the pillars of the new music world. Of note is that they performed Stephen Hartke’s masterpiece, Meanwhile, which was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize. To conclude their program they performed a work they had commissioned of Steve Reich. Reich is unquestionably the Beethoven, Bach, Mozart; pick whatever great composer you want, of today’s new music world. Reich’s work, Double Sextet, was accomplished by Eighth Blackbird pre-recording their performance of the music of one sextet, and then performing the accompanying sextet live to that recording. It was awesome. The music was colourful and powerful. It was clear to see why is won a 2009 Pulitzer Prize. The performance by Eighth Blackbird was energetic, enthusiastic and meaningful. Winnipeg, we have no idea how lucky we were to have had this calibre of new music ensemble and music played for us.