Newband
Encyclopedia
Newband is a contemporary music ensemble
devoted to the performance of microtonal music
. The group was founded in 1977 by musicians Stefani Starin and Dean Drummond. As a youth, Drummond performed with maverick composer Harry Partch
in a unique ensemble of microtonal instruments
that Partch designed and built himself; Drummond performed in the premieres of Partch’s Daphne of the Dunes, And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell in Petaluma, and Delusion of the Fury, as well as on both Partch Columbia
Masterworks recordings made during the late 1960s.
Inspired by Partch's example, Drummond began to invent instruments of his own, creating the "zoomoozophone" and "juststrokerods," metal instruments tuned to subsets of Harry Partch's 43-tone microtonal scale
. After Partch's death in 1974, Partch's instruments had fallen into disuse and disrepair, being used only occasionally for revivals of Partch's compositions. In 1990, Drummond acquired all of Partch's instruments for Newband. With assistance through residencies at the State University of New York at Purchase
(1990-1999) and at Montclair State University
(1999-present), Drummond was able to insure and repair all of the instruments, duplicating many of them with new materials.
The Partch instrument collection is now the largest component of Newband, and these instruments are used for performances and recordings of Partch's music. Combined with traditional acoustic and electronic instruments as well as those developed by Drummond, Newband also commissions new works, including Julia Wolfe
's Steam, three works by Elizabeth Brown, and many works by Drummond.
As part of their residency at Montclair State University, Newband offers courses to college students that are based around the special instruments of Newband's ensemble, including "Microtonal Music Ensemble" (for which students may compose new works), a study of Partch's life, instruments and musical theories, and "Music Instrument Repair and Invention," in which students replicate Partch's instruments and develop new instruments.
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
devoted to the performance of microtonal music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. The group was founded in 1977 by musicians Stefani Starin and Dean Drummond. As a youth, Drummond performed with maverick composer Harry Partch
Harry Partch
Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
in a unique ensemble of microtonal instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
that Partch designed and built himself; Drummond performed in the premieres of Partch’s Daphne of the Dunes, And on the Seventh Day Petals Fell in Petaluma, and Delusion of the Fury, as well as on both Partch Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
Masterworks recordings made during the late 1960s.
Inspired by Partch's example, Drummond began to invent instruments of his own, creating the "zoomoozophone" and "juststrokerods," metal instruments tuned to subsets of Harry Partch's 43-tone microtonal scale
Harry Partch's 43-tone scale
The 43-tone scale is a just intonation scale with 43 pitches in each octave, invented and used by Harry Partch.The first of Partch's "four concepts" is "The scale of musical intervals begins with absolute consonance and gradually progresses into an infinitude of dissonance, the consonance of the...
. After Partch's death in 1974, Partch's instruments had fallen into disuse and disrepair, being used only occasionally for revivals of Partch's compositions. In 1990, Drummond acquired all of Partch's instruments for Newband. With assistance through residencies at the State University of New York at Purchase
State University of New York at Purchase
Purchase College, State University of New York, is a public four-year college located in Purchase, New York, United States. It is one of 13 comprehensive colleges in the State University of New York system...
(1990-1999) and at Montclair State University
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
(1999-present), Drummond was able to insure and repair all of the instruments, duplicating many of them with new materials.
The Partch instrument collection is now the largest component of Newband, and these instruments are used for performances and recordings of Partch's music. Combined with traditional acoustic and electronic instruments as well as those developed by Drummond, Newband also commissions new works, including Julia Wolfe
Julia Wolfe
Julia Wolfe is an American composer. She was born in Philadelphia, holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Princeton and Yale, and currently works in New York. Wolfe's music is rhythmically vigorous and often clangorously dissonant...
's Steam, three works by Elizabeth Brown, and many works by Drummond.
As part of their residency at Montclair State University, Newband offers courses to college students that are based around the special instruments of Newband's ensemble, including "Microtonal Music Ensemble" (for which students may compose new works), a study of Partch's life, instruments and musical theories, and "Music Instrument Repair and Invention," in which students replicate Partch's instruments and develop new instruments.
Members
- Dean Drummond (composer, conductor, zoomoozophone, harmonic canons, kithara, surrogate kithara, adapted guitar, spoils of war)
- Stefani Starin (flutes, surrogate kithara, harmonic canons, adapted guitar, chromelodeon, bloboy, drone devil)
- Dominic Donato (zoomoozophone, diamond marimba, bass marimba, boo, cloud chamber bowls, surrogate kithara, spoils of war, juststrokerods, percussion)
- Nina Kellman (harp, kitharas, harmonic canons, adapted guitar)
- Michael Lipsey (zoomoozophone, kithara, harmonic canons, diamond marimba, bass marimba, marimba eroica, cloud chamber bowls, juststrokerods, surrogate kithara, koto, percussion)
- Frank Cassara (zoomoozophone, bass marimba, boo, cloud chamber bowls, juststrokerods, spoils of war, cone gongs, bloboy, percussion)
- Robert Osborne (voice)
- Bill Ruyle (zoomoozophone, juststrokerods, diamond marimba, bass marimba, boo, bloboy, percussion)
- Thomas Kolor (zoomoozophone, bass marimba, kithara, surrogate kithara, harmonic canon, zymo-xyl, bamboo marimba, percussion)
- Gregory Hesselink (cello, tenor violin, adapted guitar, surrogate kithara, gourd tree, cone gongs, crychord, guba gubi)
Newband Plays Microtonal Works, Volume 1. Mode Records 18.
- HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Two Studies on Ancient Greek Scales (arranged for flute and zoomoozophone) - JOHN CAGEJohn CageJohn Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, music theorist, writer, philosopher and artist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde...
: Haikai for Flute and Zoomoozophone - JOAN LA BARBARAJoan La BarbaraJoan La Barbara is an American vocalist and composer associated with contemporary music. She is a former student of Helen Boatwright...
: Silent Scroll - DEAN DRUMMOND: Columbus
- DEAN DRUMMOND: Incredible Time
- DEAN DRUMMOND: Then or Never
Newband Plays Microtonal Works, Volume 2. Mode Records 33.
- DEAN DRUMMOND: Different Drums
- THELONIOUS MONKThelonious MonkThelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
: Round Midnight (arranged for cello and zoomoozophone) - HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Daphne of the Dunes - JAMES PUGLIESEJim PuglieseJim Pugliese is an American percussionist, drummer, composer and international recording artist on over ninety CDs of experimental, jazz and rock music.His performing experience is diverse...
: Freeze - MATHEW ROSENBLUM: Circadian Rhythms
Dance of the Seven Veils. Music and Arts CD931.
- HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Castor and Pollux - ANNE LE BARON: Southern Ephemera
- ELIZABETH BROWN: Archipelago
- DEAN DRUMMOND: Dance of the Seven Veils
Harry Partch and Dean Drummond. Innova 561.
- HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Eleven Intrusions - HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Dark Brother - DEAN DRUMMOND: Before the Last Laugh
- DEAN DRUMMOND: Congressional Record
The Wayward. Wergo 6638 2
- HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: Barstow - HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: San Francisco - HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: The Letter - HARRY PARTCHHarry PartchHarry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
: U.S. Highball
Films
- 1995 - Musical Outsiders: An American Legacy - Harry Partch, Lou Harrison, and Terry Riley. Directed by Michael Blackwood.