End of 2011 Update
For those regular readers of these ERM posts, you probably recall that from time to time we might refer to something like ‘top secret orchestration projects’ for ER in the works. Here is one of those items, now fully disclosed:
We’re very pleased to announce the great success of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Symphony. Just released in November, the CD has enjoyed some of the top sales figures among Seasonal, New Age and orchestral recordings for 2011. ER was integral to the creation of Christmas Symphony, creating orchestrations for each of the tracks and performing a variety of duties on the production and post-production end. For more information or to buy Christmas Symphony CLICK HERE.
Have a happy holiday season and look forward to more news in 2012 about Distant Worlds, the CAPE project at South Loop Elementary and other surprises.
9pm Sunday, November 6 at the Hideout in Chicago, the new ensemble Between Yelling and Sleep has its debut performance. BYAS (pronounced “bias”) is Seth Kim-Cohen/electric guitar, voice; Eric Roth/drums, percussion, voice; Christopher Neal/winds, keyboards, voice. They’ll perform music by Bob Dylan and the premieres of new music by Seth Kim-Cohen/Tim Rutili/Brad Wood and by Eric Roth.
After BYAS, the esteemed Azita will perform. Please join us for a great evening of adventures in new music.
For all other information CLICK HERE.
September Subjects
In August, ER was named to the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education‘s prestigious Teaching Artist Roster, beginning in the 2011-12 school year. More details about the particular partnership and related projects will be forthcoming.
ER’s orchestrations will continue to be featured for upcoming Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY concerts this fall in LA, Seoul and London.
ER conducts – more video evidence
ER conducts the Chicago Clarinet Ensemble for the premiere of ruth, rubric-rational; realisms-relationals by Jeffrey Kowalkowski at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago 2011
Video is also accessible from the Video page.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
In 2008, Brooklyn violist Brian Thompson commissioned a new composition for solo viola from ER. Here (and on the Audio page) is your first chance to listen to streaming audio of Brian Thompson’s premiere performance of The Feel Variatious at the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music.
Poster for Percussion Attack Camp in Marquette, MI August 2011
This August, ER is the artist in residence at the Percussive Attack Camp in Marquette, MI, performing in 3 concerts (two as conductor of the ensemble, one as a percussion soloist) of his own compositions and rehearsing with the student percussionists and other faculty.
Please see the accompanying poster for more details. [Zoom to get a better look at the information, please.] Or visit carriebiolo.com [the website of the visionary director and founder of the Camp, acclaimed percussionist and educator Carrie Biolo].
A following post will have more details concerning the programs for the concerts, including news on premieres and the new composition Lyceum for percussion ensemble and solo recitation, commissioned for the performance at the historic Kaufman Auditorium in Marquette.
Summer?
Along with the orchestration projects that keep Eric chained to a desk, May also showcased ER’s conducting chops for two truly unique performances, one with an exceptionally high profile.
ER was the conductor of the orchestra for Music Director and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes for the “Surprise, Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular,” which aired in two parts on May 23-24 for the Oprah Winfrey Show’s 2nd and 3rd to last programs and was taped lived before an audience of roughly 15,000 at the United Center in Chicago.
Among the outstanding and legendary performers that ER and the orchestra accompanied were
Kristin Chenowith [Video from the performance]
On May 27, ER conducted the Chicago Clarinet Ensemble for the world premiere of ruth, rubric-rational; realisms-relationals by composer Jeffrey Kowalkowski at Northeastern Illinois University.
Coming up in June and July are performances of the Distant Worlds: music from FINAL FANTASY concert production, featuring orchestrations by ER, in Chicago, Houston, Baltimore and Vancouver.
Spring Update
ER has been busy with top secret orchestration and arranging projects. But there are plenty of not secret items to share:
The upcoming Resplendant release Despite the Gate, No Mansion is expected to drop this summer. Four tracks are co-written, fully orchestrated and co-produced by ER. More information soon…
For the Oprah Winfrey Show’s Annual Oscars After Party, ER and AR orchestrated Katy Perry‘s “Firework” for her performance on the program [VIDEO], accompanied by the Academy Awards Orchestra.
The Distant Worlds: music From FINAL FANTASY concert DVD “Returning Home: Live in Tokyo,” featuring ER arrangements and orchestrations, is available starting April 1 at amazon.com.
The concert production itself has upcoming 2011 performances in New York, Sydney, Atlanta, Krakow, Chicago, Houston and London.
With other conducting and composing news unavailable at press time, stay posted for more information in the next weeks. Happy Springtime.
The Distant Worlds concert production has garnered another award (see SEMO/gamemusic.net’s reproduced text below) for its exciting orchestral presentations of music from the Final Fantasy game series. The concerts feature arrangements and orchestrations by ER.
See the Distant Worlds link above for information about upcoming concerts in NYC, London, Sydney, Atlanta, Chicago and other major metropolitan areas. And check back for news about the new english language concert DVD package (available soon).
Annual Game Music Awards of 2010 :: Best Production Winners
In collaboration with our partners GameMusic.net, SEMO is proud to present the winners of the ‘best production’ category in the Annual Game Music Awards 2010. These panel-voted officially recognised awards provide a thorough and wide-reaching recognition of achievement in game music over the last year. Congratulations to all winners, runners-up, and nominees.
Outstanding Music Production — Concert :: Distant Worlds II
The culmination of a massively successful tour, Distant Worlds II – More Music from Final Fantasy (Stockholm, June 12) offered the most encompassing orchestral tribute to the much-loved Final Fantasy series to date, inspiring rave reviews and many cheers from fans.
