Mark Chambers - Composerhttp://www.markchambersmusic.com/index.htmlNewseninfo@markchambersmusic.comCopyright 2010 Mark Chambers2011-03-10T12:09:49-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:42:02 -0400News and Site Updateinfo@markchambersmusic.comNone2011-03-10T12:09:49-05:00http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/e0c51dd6385dd06bc5efd738fd426655-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/e0c51dd6385dd06bc5efd738fd426655-3.html#unique-entry-id-3Just came back from another great trip to NYC to hang out with the IAM folks. It’s always a pleasure to go up there and hear some great speakers and meet interesting artists of all stripes.

I am beginning work on a chamber opera I have been wanting to write for some time. I began this project with my friend Nicholas Barker. Unfortunately, he passed away at the end of 2009 and work on the project came to a halt. Recently, I came across the work of Dutch composer Michael van der Aa and was deeply moved by his chamber opera/theater piece The Book of Disquiet. It is an inspiring work that generated a lot of creative thought in my own mind concerning the defunct opera project. As such I have decided to pick it back up and pursue getting funding in order to get it produced.

The opera is on the great theologian and pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. His work has had an influence in my life particularly his challenging The Cost of Discipleship. I am currently working on pre-compositional material and developing ideas that will form the framework of the piece. I find this part of the process both trying and inspiring as I work through the myriad potentialities that exist. I hope to have an aria, using Bonhoeffer’s poem Who Am I?, and the opening movement competed by this summer.

On another note, as you can tell I have updated my site. If you come across any problems with it let me know so that it can be addressed.

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]]>Going Back Home with C. S. Lewisinfo@markchambersmusic.comHome2010-11-17T13:04:16-05:00http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/1a468c408713766c08e18edda410cd8c-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/1a468c408713766c08e18edda410cd8c-2.html#unique-entry-id-2It is interesting, how after 20 years, something takes on a whole new meaning when it is encountered again. I recently experienced this when I came across the quote below from C. S. Lewis' work "Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold". I am glad that I am not the same person I was when I first read this so many years ago but there is apart of me that wishes I had seen this before. Regrets over so many lost opportunities, I think . But that is the past I can enjoy this insightful passage. Thanks Mr Lewis!


The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing — to reach the
 Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from — my
 country, the place where I ought to have been born. Do you think it
 all meant nothing, all the longing? The longing for home? For indeed it
 now feels not like going, but like going back.

– Psyche


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]]>IAM Encoutner and NYCinfo@markchambersmusic.comHome2010-11-13T13:03:25-05:00http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/1227bd5c90c84f733e7f8c93797a2727-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/1227bd5c90c84f733e7f8c93797a2727-1.html#unique-entry-id-1I have posted some photos from the IAM encounter in the media page. This was on the panel discussion "Does Avant-Garde still mean anything?" In the photos, from left to right, you'll see saxophonist extraordanaire and moderator Kevin Gosa, film maker Gregory King, visual artist Brent Dickinson, myself and playwright/director/actor Michael Albanese. It really was a great trip and conference. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet the other guys on the panel. I only wish we had more time for the panel discussion. It seemed that we just got rolling when our time was up. I met some other great folks including several other composers including David Davies and Toby Twining.


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]]>Projectsinfo@markchambersmusic.comHome2010-11-14T13:03:11-05:00http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/e275a3b5641bf5b80c057e7baa2826d0-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.markchambersmusic.com/files/e275a3b5641bf5b80c057e7baa2826d0-0.html#unique-entry-id-0I know the news has been slow around here. I have been busy with many things, not the least of which are simmering compositional endeavors.


I am presently working on a piano quartet, a series of solo instrumental works and Max/MSP, as well as continued explorations into the relationships between visual and auditory spectra.


For those who might be interested here is a PDF of the first two pages of my score for the quartet.

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