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Suffolk Spotlight, September 3, 2001

OPEN EARS- Twelve Concerts and Going Strong!


The brainchild of Professor William Ryan, the Open Ears concert series has been a tremendous success. Since its inception in the spring of 1997, the series has presented a wide variety of musicians performing the new and unusual. This series, along with the Contemporary Music Ensemble which Ryan founded and directs, has changed the culture of the music department and the college. From massed boomboxes roaming the hallways, to large-scale soundpainting, to world percussion, to electric string quartets, Open Ears continually entertains and challenges the audience.

The name Open Ears was coined by Professor Ryan as a suggestion for the audience to listen positively, with an open mind. "This music tends to be quite distant from what people are familiar with." explains Ryan. "By listening to discover what each composition has to offer, rather than by making quick comparisons to what you are already familiar with, you will gain an rare insight that many miss. You might just discover that there is a link which makes this music a lot closer to you than you think."

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Suffolk Spotlight, January 28, 2002

Open Ears Concert Series Wins National Award


The Open ears concert series, founded and produced by Professor William Ryan, was one of nine chamber music ensembles and presenters recently honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for their adventurous programming during the 2001 concert season, at Chamber Music America's Annual Conference in New York City at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. These ASCAP Awards, presented for the fifteenth year, are made in recognition of performances of the music of our time, with specific emphasis on works written since 1975.

ASCAP's Vice President of Concert Music, Frances Richard, presented the awards. Richard commented: "ASCAP is very proud of its long association with Chamber Music America. Together, we created these Annual Adventurous Programming Awards to salute those whose great performances of music composed by contemporaries of your audience remind us all that we are engaged in a living art form."

Professor Ryan received the award and addressed the audience. "This is an incredible honor for our school. Spread the word that there are important, significant contemporary music events happening at Suffolk Community College."

The ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards were conceived 15 years ago to encourage ensembles and presenters to program new works as a salute to Chamber Music America's leadership in the field. The winning members of Chamber Music America are chosen by a panel of experts selected by CMA.

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Suffolk Spotlight, January 28, 2002

Composer Evan Ziporyn Commissioned


The SCCC Contemporary Music Ensemble, founded and directed by Professor William Ryan, has commissioned the internationally recognized composer Evan Ziporyn to create a new work for them. The work, which will feature Ziporyn performing bass clarinet, guest violinist Todd Reynolds, and the ensemble, will be premiered Wednesday May 1, 2002, 11:00 AM at Open Ears XVII. Ziporyn will also be the featured guest at Open Ears XVI, Wednesday April 24, 11:00 AM, where he will perform and discuss his compositions. Both events are in the Southampton Building, room H-20.


Evan Ziporyn photo © MIT

ZiporynŐs experiences are far reaching. From Lincoln Center to Balinese temples, from loft spaces to international festivals, he has traveled the globe in search of new musical possibilities. His work is informed by his twenty-year involvement with Balinese gamelan, which has ranged from intensive study of traditional music to the creation of a series of groundbreaking works for gamelan and western instruments. His compositions for conventional forces have been performed by the Kronos Quartet, Bang On A Can All-stars, Nederlands Blazer Ensemble, master p'ipaist Wu Man, Maya Beiser and Steven Schick, Arden Trio, and the California EAR Unit.

As a bass clarinetist, he has developed a distinctive set of extended techniques which he has used in his own solo works, as well as new works by Martin Bresnick, Michael Gordon, and David Lang. He has been associated with the Bang On A Can Festival since its founding in 1987, appearing as composer, soloist, and ensemble leader. As a member of the Bang On A Can All-stars, he has toured over a dozen countries and worked with composers such as Glenn Branca, Don Byron, Brett Dean, Nick Didkovsky, Arnold Dreyblatt, Steve Martland, Ralph Shapey, Tan Dun, Henry Threadgill, and Julia Wolfe. In addition to writing for the group and co-producing their most recent recordings, he has arranged works by Brian Eno, Hermeto Pascoal, and Kurt Cobain. He also regularly performs and records as a featured soloist with Steve Reich and Musicians.

 

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