Reflections on Summerkeys 2012

Summerkeys is a music program for adult students, located in Lubec, Maine. I just finished my first summer on the faculty as piano teacher, coach and accompanist. What an experience! Students come from all over the country (and a few from Europe as well) to study and practice intensively for a week or more.

Summerkeys was founded and is directed by Bruce Potterton, who began it twenty years ago as a program for piano students. Since then its scope has expanded quite a bit. Programs are offered for string and wind instruments, voice, composition, and even celtic harp and mandolin. There are programs in photography, visual arts and creative writing as well. Program details are at Summerkeys.com.

The level of Summerkeys students ranges from beginner to advanced. No audition is necessary, and students of all levels are welcomed and valued.

Bruce has put together an incredible faculty of top notch musicians who are dedicated to teaching. They do a wonderful job of identifying each student's needs and presenting ideas and techniques that students can work on in their studies during the year. For more information visit summerkeys.com.

All Summerkeys students bring a love of music and a high level of motivation. It is quite inspiring and gratifying to work with them. Each week it was great fun to meet and work with students of an incredible variety of backgrounds and experiences.

New students should come prepared for an intense week of lessons, practice and music making. Some returning students now spend more than a week in Lubec so that they can enjoy the local sights and other activities like hiking, whale watching, relaxing by the bay. Also, I've discovered that students form quick bonds with each other. Quite a few return year after year to be with the friends they have made at Summerkeys. A piece of advice to students: set reasonable goals as to what you would like to accomplish during the week.

The closing Friday night performance class (we do not call it a recital) is always very inspiring for me. By the way, the audience (your peers) is always incredibly supportive. Everyone is in the same boat! Some students are performing for the first time ever. Playing a solo in the performance class is not required, but I found that it is a good opportunity to try out what one has learned during the week.

The faculty concert on each Wednesday evening is another highlight of the week. I had a great time performing with fellow faculty members cellist Kathleen Collison and violist Margret Hjaltested.

Quotes by Henri Matisse

A few weeks ago I ran across a wonderful quote by the artist Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954) . After some searching around I found more; they constitute terrific advice for creative artists, in whatever field. 

Don't wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working.   

One gets into a state of creativity by conscious work.  

Work cures everything.

A large part of the beauty of a picture arises from the struggle which an artist wages with his limited medium.  

I would like to recapture that freshness of vision which is characteristic of extreme youth when all the world is new to it.  

In most cases success equals prison... An artist should never be: prisoner of himself, prisoner of a manner, prisoner of a reputation, prisoner of success.  

A young painter who cannot liberate himself from the influence of past generations is digging his own grave.  

There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so, he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted.  

The effort to see things without distortion takes something like courage and this courage is essential to the artist, who has to look at everything as though he saw it for the first time.  

Each work of art is a collection of signs invented during the picture's execution to suit the needs of their position. Taken out of the composition for which they were created, these signs have no further use.  

You study, you learn, but you guard the original naivete. It has to be within you, as desire for drink is within the drunkard or love is within the lover. 

Fit the parts together, one into the other, and build your figure like a carpenter builds a house. Everything must be constructed, composed of parts that make a whole...  

The effort to see things without distortion takes something like courage and this courage is essential to the artist, who has to look at everything as though he saw it for the first time.  

An artist is an explorer. He has to begin by self-discovery and by observation of his own procedure. After that he must not feel under any constraint.

An artist should never be a prisoner of himself, a prisoner of manner, a prisoner of reputation, or a prisoner of success.

Composition is the art of arranging in a decorative manner the various elements at the painter’s disposal for the expression of his feelings.

A musician once said: In art, truth and reality begin when one no longer understands what one is doing or what one knows, and when there remains an energy that is all the stronger for being constrained, controlled and compressed. It is therefore necessary to present oneself with the greatest humility: white, pure and candid with a mind as if empty, in a spiritual state analogous to that of a communicant approaching the Lord’s Table. Obviously it is necessary to have all of one’s experience behind one, but to preserve the freshness of one’s instincts.

    - From Jazz (1947)

Down East Maine: A Surprising Richness of Culture

I was recently asked to write an article for a weekly newspaper, The Advocate, located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. We moved from there to here last June. There are other individuals and organizations I wanted to write about, but the word count limit prevails! Here is the link:

http://www.advocateweekly.com/classicalmusicbeat/ci_20069966

The Classical Music Beat

By JOHN NEWELL

 Down East Maine Boasts a Richness of Culture

My friend Stephen Dankner invited me to share with you my take on classical music in a remote corner of the United States – Down East coastal Maine. Could there be any “culture” east of Bar Harbor? As they say, “You betcha.”  

Last June my wife and I moved to Lubec, “the easternmost town in the U.S.” Like many others from away, we were drawn here by the natural beauty of the area. I had also become aware of the area’s cultural riches, in the visual arts and in a thriving music scene.

There aren’t a lot of people in the small towns of Washington County; but there is a very strong sense of community. This is a characteristic shared by the musicians here. Whether they have grown up or moved here they are dedicated to sharing their talents and sustaining a richness of cultural opportunity.

As in the Berkshires the “summer” season tends to get the most attention. The Machias Bay Chamber Concerts feature a stimulating variety of internationally known soloists and ensembles (the St. Lawrence String Quartet is a perennial favorite). 

The SummerKeys program has become a cultural (and financial) boon for the area. SummerKeys was founded in 1991 by Bruce Potterton, a well known piano teacher in Manhattan. Its focus is on the adult amateur musician who wants the opportunity to become immersed in music study and practice. There are no admission requirements and students of all levels attend.   

Summerkeys attracts students from all over the country, as well as Europe and Asia; over 350 students participated in 2011. Its original focus was on the piano, but now programs are offered in strings, winds, celtic harp, mandolin, guitar, voice, trumpet and composition. Programs in photography, creative writing and mixed media art have been added, as well as two weeks of orchestra.

The success of Summerkeys lies, I believe, in two things: the uniqueness of the program and the excellent faculty that Bruce has put together, most of whom are active in the New York City area. Many students return year after year to work with highly accomplished musicians and teachers.   

What happens when the summer folk leave? After a week or two of kicking back, it’s very easy to get busy in music again. One of the mainstays of the area is the Passamaquody Bay Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra based in Eastport. From its inception in 2007 it has been a collaborative endeavor of musicians from both sides of the border.

The orchestra prepares two concerts during the year, performing in three venues: Machias, Eastport and in St. Andrews-By-the-Sea. During the summer it collaborates with the Summerkeys program.

The orchestra is conducted by Trond Saeverud. Originally from Norway, Trond and his wife moved here full time about ten years ago. Like many transplants he first came to Maine for the summers.

Trond is a master at choosing from the standard repertoire works that highlight the players’ capabilities. He is patient and experienced in working with players of different skill levels. And here’s something original for a community orchestra: On last spring’s concert they performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto, with Trond both conducting and performing the solo violin part. This could happen only because Trond is also a marvelous violinist. He combines a passionate sensibility with an elegant and refined sound. Check out his CD entitled “Ghosts,” which features works by contemporary Norwegian composers. 

The Eastport Arts Center, home venue for the PBSO, is a hub of artistic activity, sponsoring an art gallery, its own film and concert series, and a theater group. One of its most important programs is the Eastport Strings, a children's ensemble directed by Alice St. Clair.  

Another highly successful effort for developing the musical skills of local youth is the Washington County Children’s Chorus. Under director Christine Guy the chorus has performed throughout eastern Maine and way beyond, presenting concerts in Washington DC, Chicago, and even Luxembourg.

Educational programs such as these are critical to the vitality of a musical community. They help to assure that music is passed to the next generation, and doesn’t merely exist in a museum-like setting.  

No discussion of the Down East music scene would be complete without highlighting Gene Nichols. Gene is professor of music at the University of Maine in Machias. Truly a protean – and polyglot – musical personality, he conducts the UMM Chorale, but also leads the Ukulele Club and town band.   

A talented composer as well, Gene is best known for his ability to play an incredible variety of  instruments: the saw, Theremin, recorders, percussion, synthesizer, hubcaphone (one of many he has built)… you get the idea. In all this Gene is dedicated to involving others in the making of music. That is, as we’ve seen, a common characteristic of musicians in Down East Maine.

John Newell is a composer now living in Lubec, Maine. Send your comments to him

at jnewell384@gmail.com. His web site is www.johnnewellmusic.com

Piano concert photos - March 1

Thanks to Nancy Briggs of the Lubec Memorial Library for these photos of last week's concert. A small intimate group and, as always, food. My lovely wife wife baked the musical cake.

Played a concert last night...

... at the Lubec Memorial Library. My first solo recital in quite a while. Here's the program, made up of works I last performed many years ago, some in high school. And it certainly was a winter evening. During The Girl with the Flaxen Hair a town snow plow went by.

Music for a Winter Evening

John Newell, piano

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Lubec Memorial Library

Lubec, Maine

             

             

Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major                                       J. S. Bach  

  - from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I

Sonata in A major, Opus 120                                         Franz Schubert  

       I.  Allegro moderato

      II.  Andante

    III.  Allegro

                                                                                           

Intermezzo, Opus 117, No. 1                                     Johannes Brahms  

Intermezzo, Opus 76, No. 4

Intermezzo, Opus 116, No. 6

Capriccio, Opus 116, No. 7

The Girl with the Flaxen Hair                                      Claude Debussy  

The Hills of Anacapri

The Engulfed Cathedral

Minstrels

     - from Preludes, Book I

Variations on Amazing Grace                                            John Newell  

        

What color is the water today?

Our house overlooks a bay in Maine. This morning I asked "What color is the water today" and answered myself: "Slate gray." She added "With an undertone of cornflower blue crayon... and putty." 


This really struck me, as it came from a person who makes fun of the descriptions of wines. But a very discerning person. 

The water is indeed a different color each day. And each day is different from the last. Gives you something to look forward to and to appreciate. 

Epiphany: Revealing the Light

Epiphany is a very appropriate religious season for the northern latitudes. It celebrates the revealing of the light of Christ. Yes, with the visit of the magi and the baptism of Jesus by Simeon: the revelation of the "light to enlighten the nations." (We haven't gotten it yet.)


During this season we also celebrate the baptism of Jesus by John, the beginning of his mission, with the voice of God and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove;  and the Transfiguration, where it is revealed to several disciples who Jesus is. (We haven't gotten this yet, either.)


In our part of the world the days are beginning to get noticeably longer (yes, even as the cold get stronger). The darkness begins to part. There is hope. 

Regardless of your tradition, Christian or not, this is a time to celebrate the light that shines through all creation. Realize the light within you. Then, in the words of my brother Roger, "let us be the instrument that God needs to change the lives of others around us. Let’s equip ourselves to be His people where we are and thereby fulfill the purpose for which He gave us life in the very beginning."

Below is a short hymn or chant that I composed some years ago. It is included in my collection, Devotional Chants and Mantras. Here is the audio clip:  Light of Heaven  


   Light of heaven, pure and indestructible, beyond arising and ceasing. 
   Give us your blessing. Purify, transform, awaken us. 
   Shine through our words, deeds and thoughts, 
   That we may give blessings to others. 


  

Do you know what sea smoke is?

On very cold mornings we see sea smoke in the bay. It's a thin layer of condensed water vapor right above the surface of the water. Sea smoke is caused by very cold air coming in over warmer water. The evaporating water molecules condense as they enter the colder air. Sea smoke is quite wispy and incredibly beautiful. As it is often windy here, we enjoy seeing the sea smoke being blown across the bay. 


Recently I observed two crows sitting in their favorite tree down by the water. Like me, they sat and watched. A short work for piano (or flute and piano, or clarinet and piano... oboe would be perhaps a bit melancholy) was the result. Strangely enough it is titled "Two Crows in a Tree Watching Sea Smoke." Here is an image of the first page. I'll post the piece to my web site in a few days. 

  

New Work: Devotional Chants and Mantras

I recently finished the score of a collection of fifty short chants and mantras that have "come to" me at various times over a period of years, from about 1992 to last month. Sample pages of the score and a link to audio clips of some of the selections are at posted at:  


http://www.johnnewellmusic.com/Vocal.html

It was quite a challenge to collect them from various pieces of paper lying about; often a chant would come to me at a time when I was not had no music paper handy, so I would quickly jot it down on whatever piece of paper I could put my hands on. I expect that the collection will continue to grow.  

I composed the texts, unless otherwise indicated. These chants are appropriate for personal devotion; many of them will work also in a group worship setting. Accompaniment is optional, and may be helpful in some cases. In a few of the chants I couldn't resist writing out simple chordal accompaniments; but again, these are not necessary. One may find it helpful to use a one or two note drone; a two note drone should be tonic and dominant notes (e.g. C and G). 

I notated the chants in a voice register that is comfortable for me. You should pitch them wherever it is comfortable for yourself.

Christmas Prayer

Emmanuel, God with us, 
Christ, the anointed one:
You are born, you are here.
Glory in all the heavens, and on earth, peace. 


May we recognize you, may we accept you, 
May we nurture you in our hearts.  
And may we ourselves be born again in you:
So that indeed there is a new creation, 
So that all things become new. 


Thanks be to God.

Advent Prayer

O Lord, You are coming. 
Through the power of your Holy Spirit, 
Help us to prepare. 
Help us, we pray, to recognize You. 
Help us to be ready to receive You. 
Help us to be open to the love and grace which You bring. 
Make still our hearts, make still our minds, 
That you may be born once more in us. 
Amen. 

Another morning prayer

Thank you God for this precious day.
Help me to live it with a peaceful and joyful heart.
Help me to live it with a mind that is clear and undistracted.
Help me to live it with compassion for all those around me.
Help me to live it in service to your will.
Help me to live it in humility, without ego-clinging.
Help me to live it in faith, for in you all things are possible.
Amen.

Another morning prayer

God, You are with me, You are within me.

I sit now in your life-giving presence.

Fill my body, my mind and my heart. 

Grant that I may know your presence. Amen

Prayer for Today and Many Days

O Lord, I place myself in your hands
Tell me what to do, I humbly pray.
Amen.

Antiphons for Advent

Yes, it is Advent, the season of expectation, preparation for the birth of the Messiah. As part of my own Advent celebration this year I have completed new musical settings of the great O Antiphons. They are for unison voices, in a chant style. 


The O Antiphons are brief prayers that are recited or sung during the daily office of Vespers on successive evenings from December 17 - 23. In the liturgy they precede and  follow the singing of the Magnificat. 

The precise origin of these texts is unknown.  However, by the 8th and 9th centuries they were in wide use by the church in Rome and monastic communities throughout western Europe. Sometimes called the Great O Antiphons, they have held a special place in the Church’s Advent tradition for centuries. The texts were adapted  in possibly the 12th century to form the basis of the hymn Veni veni Emmanuel. This hymn was translated into English in 1851 as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.  

  

Each of these antiphons addresses the Messiah (thus the beginning word “O”) by one of the different titles found in the prophecies of the Old Testament, especially those of Isaiah. Each concludes with a  plea for the Messiah to come. 

The first letters of the titles for the Messiah (Sapentia, Adonai, Radix Jesse, Clavis David, Oriens, Rex Gentium, Emmanuel) in Latin are SARCORE. Read backwards, these form the expression EROCRAS, which means "Tomorrow I come" (or "shall be").  Traditionally, feasts were said to begin on the eve of their celebration, so Christmas began at sundown on Christmas Eve. 

I personally feel that tradition needs to be renewed from time to time, so that it continues to speak to us and remain meaningful. We forget what the words of hymns and other commonly used texts are actually saying. That is why I decided to make a new English translation of the original Latin texts. I was surprised at the strength of the original imagery of the texts and how relevant they are for us today. They carry a “punch” that we would be wise to heed. 

This setting of the antiphons may be sung a capella or (as I prefer) with simple chordal accompaniment, e.g. keyboard, harp or guitar. 

Below are the Latin texts of antiphons. Click here for an audio file:  


                             Seven Antiphons for Advent.mp3

Please Note: I am not a professional singer! The score is available on my web site:


                              johnnewellmusic.com  

O Sapientia                                        

quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,

attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,

suaviterque disponens omnia:

veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.                 

O Adonai 

et dux domus Israël,

qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,

et ei in Sina legem dedisti:

veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Radix Jesse 

qui stas in signum populorum,

super quem continebunt reges os suum,

quem gentes deprecabuntur:

veni ad liberandum nos,

jam noli tardare

O Clavis David
et sceptrum domus Israël,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit,
claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Oriens
splendor lucis aeternae,
et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina
sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Rex Gentium
et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O Emmanuel
Rex et legifer noster,
expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.