News and Notables

CMS - College Music Society, Composition, Conferences, Performance

Goldspiel’s Golus I Performed at Vanderbilt University

Alan Goldspiel
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Kris Carlisle, Laura Clapper, and Lauren Wright Rehearse at Blair School of Music

On Friday, February 28th, the CMS-Southern Chapter/SCSMT Joint Conference in Nashville, TN presented a Composers Concert with works selected from all over the country. The concert took place at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music in Turner Hall.

Among the fabulous works presented that night, Alan Goldspiel’s composition, Golus I, opened the 8:00 p.m. concert. The piece written for flute, clarinet, and piano was skilfully performed by Laura Clapper (flute), Lauren Wright (clarinet), and Kris Carlisle (piano).

Goldspiel commented that the performance was fantastic and spot on! “I so much appreciate that the musicians volunteer to perform on composer’s concerts and that they do so at such a high level.”

When asked about his inspiration for the piece, Goldspiel stated:

“The word golus is Yiddish for exile and it refers to the diaspora of the Jewish people. Diaspora Studies, in general, reflect on overcoming tremendous hardship, the ongoing growth of the diasporic phenomenon, and the cultural, social, political, and economic contributions of such peoples to their new homeland hosts. The musical work Golus I reflects on the tragedy and courage of all exiled peoples and, in some very small way, seeks to emotionally represent that life-altering experience. It is the first in a series of works that takes the notion of exile as inspiration and commentary.”

Other composers whose works were presented that evening were Michael Boyd, William Price, Kyle Vanderburg, Daniel Morel, Valentin M. Bogdan, Traci Mendel, Hyowon Bong, and Darleen Mitchell.

The Session Chair for the event was Valentin M. Bogdan from Mississippi University for Women.

Composition, Performance, World Premieres

New Music At The W Premieres Goldspiel Pieces

Alan Goldspiel

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25 February, 2020

On the evening of February 25, Mississippi University for Women (The W) presented a New Music at the W concert filled with premieres and great performances.

Classical guitarist and composer, Dr. Alan Goldspiel premiered his most recent composition for guitar and clarinet entitled, A Diluvian Response.

The piece consists of three movements: Enlil and the Noisy Humans, HaShem and the Sinners, and Zeus and the Bellicose World.

When asked about the inspiration for the piece, Goldspiel stated:

“A Diluvian Response recalls that there are many flood legends existing in different cultures.  These common narratives usually involve a deity who destroys civilization as punishment for some wrong doing, some survivor(s), and ultimately the rebirth of civilization. Often closely linked to creation myth, our stories here involve writings from Mesopotamian, Hebrew, and Greek sources. My objective was to write this music for clarinet and guitar at the part of the story when it is decided to send the catastrophic waters because we rarely view the events from that side of things.”

Goldspiel was delighted to be joined by long-time collaborator Dr. Lori Ardovino on Clarinet for the performance, which was well received.

Later in the program, another premiere piece composed for tuba and two trombones by Goldspiel called A Winter’s Tale was performed by Joe L. Alexander (tuba), Demarcus Smith (trombone), and Ren Garrison (trombone).

A Winter’s Tale consists of two movements: If I Prove Honey-Mouth’d and Let My Tongue Blister. Goldspiel had this to say about the inspiration for the piece:

“A Winter’s Tale sparked from a bit of line from a Shakespeare play in which whimsy, deception, tragedy, and romance abound. While attending the play, the notion of “honey-mouth’d” and “tongue blister” caught my attention and I thought then what an interesting title for music they might make. The music for two trombones and a tuba tries to be evocative of deceit and guile and, because of it, the subsequent inability to express “my red-look’d anger.””

Among the other composers whose pieces were presenting during the evening were Lori Ardovino’s Eloquence II for Solo Bb Clarinet and Eloquence IV for Solo Eb Clarinet (both performed by Ardovino); Biraj Adhikari’s Midnight and Nightmare; Joe L. Alexander’s The Land of Maximus (performed by Alexander, Smith, and Garrison); Amy Beach’s Variations on Balkan Themes Op 60 Set (performed on piano by Julia Mortyakova and Valentin M. Bogdan); and Valentin Bogdan’s Subterranean Thoughts.

Composition, Performance, World Premieres

Sometimes Y Performed In Its Entirety By LeBaron Trio

Alan Goldspiel
The LeBaron Trio: Dr. Laurie Middaugh, Dr. Lori Ardovino, and Dr. Melanie Williams (Photo: LeBaron Trio FB Page)

13 January, 2020

The LeBaron Trio performed Dr. Alan Goldspiel’s piece, Sometimes Y, in its entirety at an evening concert in the University of Montevallo’s LeBaron Recital Hall to an enthusiastic audience.

Continue reading “Sometimes Y Performed In Its Entirety By LeBaron Trio” →
Composition, NACUSA, National Association of Composers, USA, Performance, World Premieres

Two World Premieres, One NACUSA Concert at the W

Alan Goldspiel

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Goldspiel performing at the W

The November 10th, 2019 National Association of Composers/USA (NACUSA) concert at Mississippi University for Women (otherwise known as The W) not only saw Dr. Alan Goldspiel featured prominently but also premiered two of his pieces.

Continue reading “Two World Premieres, One NACUSA Concert at the W” →

Festivals, Performance, The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band

Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band In High Demand During October Holidays

Alan Goldspiel

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The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band – R. Janssen (clarinet), A. Goldspiel (guitar), P. Wu (violin)

At the height of the Jewish holiday season, the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band were in high demand this year. In addition to a gig at the Chez Lulu restaurant on October 15th (Click Here to read more about that event), the Klezmer musicians found themselves doing back to back performances on October 20th and 21st at different holiday celebrations.

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Alan Goldspiel (guitar), Robert Janssen (clarinet), and Pei-Ju Wu (violin) performing at Sukkot Celebration

Sunday, October 20th the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band were invited for the second year in a row to provide music for Be One Ministries’ Sukkot Celebration at the Crossbridge Church of Christ’s Fall celebration.

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Celebrants dancing to the music of the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band during Sukkot Celebration

The band’s line up for the outdoor celebration was Alan Goldspiel (guitar), Robert Janssen (clarinet), and Pei-Ju Wu (violin) and they were embraced by the crowd, who were dancing and clapping along to the Klezmer music all evening.

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Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band Ron Alexander (bass), Robert Janssen (clarinet), Alan Goldspiel (guitar) pose at Temple Emanu-El

The next evening, Monday, 21 October, found the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band returning to Temple Emanu-El to perform for the congregations of Temple Emanu-El and their neighbors Temple Beth-El. The combined get together celebrated Simchat Torah – marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings. The festivities began at Temple Beth-El earlier in the evening and ended at Temple Emanu-El where the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band were waiting to provide the music for the event.

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Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band performing during Simchat Torah Celebration at Temple Emanu-El

Simchat Torah is the only time of the year where the Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark and read at night. During this celebration everyone leaves their seats to dance and sing with the Torah scroll in a joyous celebration.

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Celebrants dancing and singing with the Torah scrolls

The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band line up for this year’s Simchat Torah was Alan Goldspiel (guitar), Robert Janssen (clarinet), and Ron Alexander (bass). This was the second year in a row that the band was asked to provide the music for this joyous celebration.

The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band was formed by Alan Goldspiel in 2010 to celebrate the opening of the art exhibit Darkness Into Light sponsored by the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center and has varying members depending on how large or small a band is required. The band has performed throughout central Alabama and is available for events both public and private. For more information about or to contact the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band Click Here!

Composition, Conferences, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI), Performance, World Premieres

Goldspiel’s Golus I Has World Premiere at National Conference

Alan Goldspiel

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Lori Ardovino, Laurie Middaugh, and Brittney Patterson

Dr. Alan Goldspiel’s Golus I had its World Premiere on Saturday, October 12th, 2019 at the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors (NACWPI) Conference at the University of Northern Iowa’s Bengtson Hall at 8:30 p.m.

The piece, written for clarinet, flute, and piano, was performed by three of Dr. Goldspiel’s fellow University of Montevallo colleagues – Dr. Lori Ardovino (clarinet), Dr. Laurie Middaugh (piano), and Dr. Brittney Patterson (flute).

Goldspiel states:

“The word golus is Yiddish for exile and it refers to the diaspora of the Jewish people. Diaspora Studies, in general, reflect on overcoming tremendous hardship, the ongoing growth of the diasporic phenomenon, and the cultural, social, political, and economic contributions of such peoples to their new homeland hosts.

The musical work Golus I reflects on the tragedy and courage of all exiled peoples and, in some very small way, seeks to emotionally represent that life-altering experience. It is the first in a series of works that takes the notion of exile as inspiration and commentary.”

Goldspiel was also recently notified that Golus I has been selected for presentation at the College Music Society (CMS) 2020 Southern Conference at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee in February.

Dr. Ardovino’s piece The Nine Worlds also had its World Premiere at the conference and was performed by the trio of University of Montevallo professors.

Composition, NACUSA, National Association of Composers, USA, Performance

NACUSA Returns to the University of Montevallo

Alan Goldspiel

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Dr. Goldspiel Performing During NACUSA Event at the University of Montevallo

On Sunday, October 20th, 2019, the National Association of Composers, USA/Mid-South Chapter (NACUSA) returned to the University of Montevallo for a concert of new music by region composers.

Continue reading “NACUSA Returns to the University of Montevallo” →

Performance, The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band

Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band Joins Chez Lulu Fall Festivities

Alan Goldspiel

15 October, 2019

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The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band in a Van

The Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band was honored to be invited to join in on the Chez Lulu Fall Oohlala! Lantern Parade and Harvest Party last month. It was quite a unique performance at the Chez Lulu restaurant with belly dancers, poetry readings, and a parade throughout the Village as well.

Continue reading “Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band Joins Chez Lulu Fall Festivities” →