South Oxford Three in Brooklyn

Hiya again – Dan here.
Yesterday three SO6 boys in New York City gathered to exchange photos, videos, and memories. Eddy and I met up at Mike R’s place in Prospect Heights, and had a good time of it, each of us battling jet lag to varying degrees (Eddy most of all, since he just flew in Friday night).

We are working on a slideshow and a video, trying to make the best use of the literally thousands of images we brought home from Serbia. Meanwhile, Aleksandra remains on in her homeland, and Kala has forged ahead to Stockholm. So we are spread across the globe, carrrying with us the burning embers of our dreamy days together in leafy Sombor.

Here’s a group photo taken inside City Hall where our student concert took place a week ago today. Apparently the painting in front of which we all stand is the largest one in Serbia. It made for a dramatic backdrop to some dramatic music.

The return home, remembering Serbia

Hi all – Dan again here. I’m slowly working on getting this blog up to speed, and soon hopefully you’ll be hearing from not only me, but other members of the SO6 and maybe even some of our students from the Summer in Serbia Workshop.

Our week in Sombor reached a fever pitch of rehearsals, intensity and excitement, and culminated in a great concert of student works on Sunday night at the Sombor City Hall. The Mayor introduced us in perfect English (but I still had my chance, later on, to say to him: “Zaxtevem da vidim Gospodine grado nacil nika” (I demand to see the mayor!)) And the Season Quartet, who probably worked harder than any other performing ensemble in the world over the last ten days, gave eight world premieres (we had three students who did not submit a composition for this year.)

It was a smashing success, and we finished off the night dancing our booties off at the sublime Cafe del Sol, which was kept open in our honor until 3am.

Afterwards, the SO6 hit the road for a whirlwind tour of Serbia in full rock star style. First stop was Zrenjanin, where our five new pieces were performed at the Cultural Center, along with compositions by our American student, James Call, and our Serbian student and (absolutely wonderful) host, Milan Aleksic. Milan then took us all out for a wondeful fish dinner, where his friends – a tamborashi group (Serbian folk music) – were waiting to serenade us all night long. It was really quite magical.

On Tuesday it was off, by van, to the lovely city of Novi Sad – Serbia’s second largest after Belgrade. We made it just in time for a press conference (!), and a short tour of the city and the Vojvodina Museum where our concert would be later that night. Aleksandra took special joy in sharing with us her home city, and it was indeed one well worth sharing.

Our concert in the courtyard of the museum (with absolutely stunning acoustices) was standing room only, with a heavy contingent of press. We were on Natioinal television, and apparently a documentary is being made about the South Oxford Six’s Serbian adventures.

More updates to follow – or perhaps more recollections from these amazing days. Already we are planning for next year, and the year after that, and the year after that…

Summer in Sombor!

I guess it seems a little late to be starting this blog, at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, the last day of our weeklong workshop here in Sombor, Serbia. But hey, better late than never? Five of the SO6 – Kala, Eddy, Michael, our fearless leader over here, Aleksandra, and myself (Dan) have organized a week of discussions, presentations, string quartet rehearsals and performances, and lessons. We’ve had five American students, one Irish student, and five Serbian students, and by this point in the week we’re all sort of blissed out, walking around in love with everything and every one. There is a great cultural and musical chasm to bridge between home and here in some ways, and yet students seem to have bonded without issue, and faculty (the SO6) are just stumbling around wondering how they ever got it quite so right. Of course the meaning of this all is that come early September, we’ll begin thinking about Summer in Sombor ‘08, but for now we have one more beautiful day to enjoy.

Our mornings have been filled with faculty and student presentations, and then discussions on topics such as “Secret music,” grants for composers, career paths, world music and more. Of course interspersed here and there have been frequent well-timed visit to the lovely cafe next to the English Language Academy where we hold our classes. Afternoons have consisted of lessons and rehearsals with the lovely and talented Season Quartet, in residence and working like gangbusters. They put on a concert of our new music on Wednesday, and will play student (in some cases student should be in quotes, as some of our participants are in fact quite advanced) pieces tomorrow night in city hall. We have had wonderful local press coverage on TV and in the newspaper, and have been treated pretty much like royalty by the Sombor locals.

When it all ends tomorrow night we’ll go on a little Serbian tour, with two concerts – the latter in Novi Sad – before making our way back to Belgrade and the long trip home. Maybe some others will post in this space, but for now thought I’d just bring you up to date. Check our website, http://www.southoxfordsix.org for many, many pictures of this magical week.

Sdravo!

Dan

Coming Soon…this blog

Tune in to hear insightful (or otherwise) words from the members of South Oxford Six, a New York-based composers collective.