Slideshow: New Music Gathering 2018 at Boston Conservatory at Berklee

on June 19, 2018 at 6:00 am

The fourth New Music Gathering convened at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, May 17-19, 2018, less than a week after NMG co-founder and instigating genius Matt Marks suddenly passed away. As hard as it must have been for the New Music Gathering organizers to forge ahead with the event despite this tragedy, it proved to be the perfect opportunity for the new music community to collectively grieve Matt’s passing and celebrate something that was so important to him.

NMG2018 was another whirlwind of presentations, performances, and casual encounters. About 500 people attended, many for their first New Music Gathering. As at the other three events, there was a significant local contingent and flavor. Over three packed days there were 30 panels/presentations featuring more than 80 participants, and 17 concerts with 62 performances involving at least 162 players.

The most impactful moments of NMG2018 came from WQXR radio host and interdisciplinary artist Helga Davis. In her provocative keynote address, she challenged everyone to look around the room and notice how much we look like each other and determine what are we willing to do to open the door to people who don’t look like us. She concluded with the most stirring a capella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner you’re likely to hear. There is no better way to explain the impact of Helga’s remarks than to implore you to watch her address in full in the following video (keynote begins at 32:45).

New Music Gathering Keynote Speech—May 17, 2018 from Boston Conservatory at Berklee on Vimeo.

Below is a photo gallery featuring some of the other highlights of NMG2108. Whether you are viewing this vicariously or as a fond memory, we hope to see you all at NMG2019, dates and location TBA.

: Local host Jonathan Bailey Holland and NMG organizers Danny Felsenfeld, Jascha Narveson, and Lainie Fefferman ready for the onslaught of NMG2018 at Boston Conservatory (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Mad rush at 8:30 sharp on Thursday May 17 to register for NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Composer Stephen Miles preparing attendees for an opening performance of his “Pitch Chess” for voice and movement at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: “Pitch Chess” ended when everyone had joined the diagonal line, at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: A lot of hands went up when Danny Felsenfeld asked who were first time attendees at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: WQXR radio host and interdisciplinary artist Helga Davis delivered a provocative keynote address at #NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Local host Jonathan Bailey Holland led a panel on carving out a unique space in Boston’s crowded artistic landscape at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Tara Khozein as “Tania Presents…” opened the Thursday evening concert at NMG2018 (photo by Tina Tallon, Salt Arts Documentation)

: Cellist Amanda Gookin of Forward Music Project gave an impassioned performance of Morgan Krauss’ “memories lie dormant” at NMG2018 (photo by Tina Tallon, Salt Arts Documentation)

: Composer/performer Viola Yip combined light and sound in a multi-sense-tingling set at NMG2018 (photo by Tina Tallon, Salt Arts Documentation)

: Pianist Sarah Bob of Boston’s New Gallery Concert Series played works of Jonathan Bailey Holland and Shaw Pong Liu at NMG2018 (photo by Tina Tallon, Salt Arts Documentation)

: Cosmos New Music collective played works by Kamran Ince and Kenji Bunch at NMG2018 (photo by Tina Tallon, Slat Arts Docuemtnation)

: JACK Quartet headlined the Thursday evening concert at NMG2018 with music by Liza Lim, Sabrina Schroeder, and Amy Williams (photo by Tina Tallon, Salt Arts Documentation)

: Originator Brooks Frederickson and Lainie Fefferman gong the start of Composer-Performer Speed Dating at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Composer-Performer Speed Dating was bigger and better than ever at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Composer/singer Tanner Porter and friends performed songs from Summer Sinks and a new upcoming song cycle at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Ami Ensemble performed Cullen D. Murphy’s heart-racing “Agony” at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Paul Pinto dazzled in Tenth Intervention’s performance of Peter Maxwell Davies’ “8 Songs for a Mad King” at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Naked Eye Ensemble with composer Richard Belcastro and his custom-made quartz glass bowls at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Composer/performer Angélica Negrón performs at NMG2018 with her veggie-synths–Photo by Austin Eamnarangkool

: Multi-media artist Pamela Z headlined the Saturday evening concert at NMG 2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Composer Inti Figgis-Vizueta’s “amplify | augment” for double quartet was premiered at NMG2018 by students and alumni of Boston Conservatory (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Cellist Bri Tagz performed in the premiere of Inti Figgis-Vizueta’s “amplify | augment” at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Musicologist Will Robin led an NMG2018 panel on 10 years of New Amsterdam Records (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Violist Kallie Ciechomski led off a viola super session featuring violists Martha Mooke, Wendy Richman, and Michael Hall with mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen at NMG 2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Mantra Youth Percussion performed a precise and focused rendition of Reich’s “Drumming” at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Tuned bongos section of Reich’s “Drumming” by Mantra Youth Percussion at NMG2018 (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: NMG cofounder Mary Kouyoumdjian made a surprise visit to the NMG2018 finale to feel the love and embrace of the gathered community (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Boston-based violist Eve Boltax opened the final NMG2018 concert with selections from Kaija Saariaho’s “Vent Nocturne” (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Boston’s Semiosis Quartet performed works by Aaron Jay Meyers and Steven Snowden on the final NMG2018 concert (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Violist Ashleigh Grodon of Boston’s Castle of Our Skins played Jeffrey Mumford’s “revisiting variazioni elegiac” on the final NMG2108 concert (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)

: Katherine V. Matasy, accordion, and colleagues from Boston’s Dinosaur Annex Ensemble closed the final NMG2018 concert with music by Lansing McLoskey, Paul Georgoulis, and Christopher Trepani (photo by Austin Eamnarangkool)