In a recent Live Internet Broadcast, students listened to composer/musicians perform their own piece, Mahler in Blue, and then had a chance to chat with the artists. Here is the transcript of the chat session from Cu-SeeME (an audio/video technology that operates over the Internet). The musical performance was carried over a separate Internet audio service, RealAudio.
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: Why did you choose these instruments? Katie - junior from Acton Boxboro in MA
Moderator@WGBH: Welcome schools to the CUSeeMe session for the MOTET. To make sure we can address your questions, please type them into the chat window as well as speak them. If we find that the sound break ups too much we will rely on the chat window.
Horizon Middle School: We heard the audio on realaudio 3.0....it was fine
Runkle School: In the first movement why did he choose the top range of the sax? Why was he pushing that envelope?
Central Middle School: what did you connect at?
Horizon Middle School: We are on a wan....T1
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: I noticed that throughout a majority of the piece you featured distinct parts for each instrument. When composing the piece did you have seperate ideas which you later worked together, or did you have a general idea which you worked out from start to finish? Tim-sophmore from acton-boxboro
Cazenovia High School: To Mr Bell: Were you visualizing anything specific when you composed this piece?
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: Why did you choose these instruments? Katie - junior from Acton Boxboro in MA
Riviera Middle: The sound is breaking up. Is there anything that can be done about that?
Central Middle School: what is the best way to get sound
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: How long did it take you (in hours) to compose this piece?-Tenley and Sunindia-freshmen at Acton-Boxboro
Horizon Middle School: Why was this type of musical piece selected? Jason R.
Moderator@WGBH: Please submit questions for Ken Radnofsky who played the saxaphone.
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: How old were you when you wrote your first piece?-Jillian and Sarah, freshmen at Acton Boxboro HS
Moderator@WGBH: Acton -we have the saxaphone player right now.
Riviera Middle: What made you decide to become a composer? And how did you get interested in Mahler? Yara and Vanessa
Horizon Middle School: Did you hear us?
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: When you were writing the piece, what came first to you, the chords? The melody? A rhythm? Did you write on blank manuscript or a computer? Did you write at a piano, or in your head? -Josh
Central Middle School: What got you interested in the saxaphone?
Horizon Middle School: IT came out garbled ...what was the answer?
Central Middle School: we didn't understand the answer it came out garbled
Motet @ WGBH: We chose thiscombination because we are all friends and we enjoyworking together.
Motet @ WGBH: In addition, we respect Larry's work.
Horizon Middle School: Thank you!
Central Middle School: What is going on?
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: To Mr. Bell: Did you mainly use piano to compose, or did you use any other instruments for the composition aspect? Dave
Motet @ WGBH: hi Cazenovia-- I have friends there! Pamela Frame
Scott - White Pine : Where did the players study ??
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: How long have you been composing and how many pieces have you done?
Motet @ WGBH: Are there any cellists out there?
Horizon Middle School: We have one here!
Cazenovia High School: Will you persue other works for cello and sax. Do you like how the combination works?
Motet @ WGBH: Ken studeied in Houston at the University of Houston, and at the New England Conservatory. Pam (me) studied at Eastman School of Music, where I now teach. Ken teaches at New England Conservaotry. Seems to be a parallel...
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: how long have you been playing saxaphone? Sean
Central Middle School: it is coming out clearer.
Central Middle School: The talking over the computer.
Motet @ WGBH: Caz: We will definitely pursue other works for this combination. We reallyenjoyed working on this piece.
Horizon Middle School: Which window are the performers on?
Moderator@WGBH: The composers are on Motet@WGBH
Central Middle School: it came out garbled
Riviera Middle: Did you receive our question? The composer and Mahler
Motet @ WGBH: Ken began saxophone because he liked the wayit looked. It was the right color, and it fit my mouth because I had buck teeth. Pam started cello because she took the music aptitude test and her parents rejected the idea of harp and bass. Too hard to carry.
Motet @ WGBH: I have been playing the sax. for 35 years.
Horizon Middle School: We heard his sax story loud and clear
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: Did you receive our saxophone question that was spoken into the mike?
Horizon Middle School: We heard the high register question loud and clear
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: At least SOMEONE heard it....
Central Middle School: We heared a part of the question.
Motet @ WGBH: Playing in the upper register of sax.: practice scales, but increase the range by adding extra notes. Also practice harmonics by fingering low notes and imajining the upper notes. There are harmonics contained within low Bb, an octave and then a fifth higher.
Horizon Middle School: How long do you practice every day?
Cortland High School: We were not able to hear the concert. We have a string program here though and would be interested in knowing if Ms. Frame or Mr. Radnofsky know of other pieces for unusual combinations of instruments?
Central Middle School: Was someone trying to say something?
Motet @ WGBH: Pam: Chamber music players are inspired by each other-we watch eachother breather and move. That is part of the visual inspiration. Of course the jazz element is there too.
Central Middle School: We can't hear clearly.
Cazenovia High School: What was the inspiration for mixing jazz and classical istruments for your piece?
Horizon Middle School: Where did you attend music school and how many years did you attend it?
Central Middle School: How does it feel to be a composer?
Horizon Middle School: For the Saxiphonist
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: When each of the members of the group was our age, what musical activities were they involved in? Did they perform in orchestras or compose?
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: Do you plan on expanding this piece to other instruments?
Cortland High School: MR. BELL - We couldn't hear your answer. Could you type it in please? Our question was whether you had written any other compositions for unusual instruments such as the cello and sax.
Central Middle School: what is it like to compose pieces for diiferent kinds of instroments?
Central Middle School: It's coming out much clearer when you talk louder.
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: This question is for the composer/pianist. I imagine that this is not the first genre of music you have composed in. What other types of music have you written? Have you gone through a "rock" phase? I'
Central Middle School: What other composers inspire you?
Moderator@WGBH: Acton- can you talk into your mike?
Central Middle School: It's hard to understand when you talk so loud.
Barry Kort: Melanie's Mic has either fallen off its perch, or her Mic Volume is set too low.
Riviera Middle: what about our question? remember Mahler and composer? it was asked about 25 minutes ago. but...we can't hear too well, so let us know when you are addressing it.
Moderator@WGBH: Riviera - can you repeat your question in the chat window?
Riviera Middle: What made you decide to become a composer and how did you get interested in Mahler?
Riviera Middle: Thank you.
Central Middle School: At what age did you start writing music
Central Middle School: What was your first instrument?
Moderator@WGBH: Central - can you move away from the mike and pull the gain button down on the mike to - 10. thanks
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: Do you like any popular artists? If so which ones?
Central Middle School: Did you get our question?
Moderator@WGBH: Central - yes, Mr. Bell answered that he started playing the piano. Are you having difficulty hearing the audio?
Riviera Middle: By using the piano, sax and cello, could you briefly describe how you set the melodies throughout these instruments or did you plan to center on one particular instrument? Julie and Kim
Central Middle School: We didn't hear that answer at all.
Moderator@WGBH: Runkle - do you have a question?
Cortland High School: Thanks for letting us join you. School's almost over, we have to go now. looking forward to the second project in April-May
Moderator@WGBH: Acton- are you still there?
Cazenovia High School: Re your comment about the piece being your "whole world", Were you visualizing anything specific ie- mood, images, when composing your piece? If so, what?
Riviera Middle: Some of us are trying to write music. We have limited knowledge of composition. What would suggest for us to get started? We want to write simple melodies with harmony. Stephanie and BiLan
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: The students have been dismissed. I'm online to capture the chat text.
Moderator@WGBH: Acton- if you have been able to capture the chat - can you send us a copy? my email is mgoldman@bbn.com
Central Middle School: What type of mouthpeice is the best?
Acton-Boxborough Regional HS: It's a simple copy and paste into any wordprocessor...I'll e-mail you a copy....Pat Joy
Scott - White Pine: FYI : Unfortunately, chat must be "cut & pasted" to be saved. A "save chat" feature is being developed for future releases of CU-SeeMe.
Central Middle School: Did you get our question?
Moderator@WGBH: Central - yes but that is a question for the saxophone player.
Central Middle School: Including flute
Cazenovia High School: How does it feel to have your piece on the cutting edge internet development?
Riviera Middle: WE would like to tell the performers how much we enjoyed the performance. May we do that? Kim, Steph, Yara, Julie, Bi, and Vanessa
Central Middle School: but of course
Cazenovia High School: We need to go. Thank you for letting us participate.
WGBH-FM Engineering: Enjoy all kinds of music! -and practice!