James Sanders on New Music
"Sanders was the epitome of cool...a free thinker who is expanding the possibilities of the violin." -Chicago Tribune
James Sanders, FP Ensemble Member and Board Member, confidently crosses stylistic borders while staying true to both the jazz violin legacy and his rigorous classical training, creating music that transcends categories yet remains faithful to its multiple inspirations. Sanders received a Masters Degree in Performance from Yale University and performs with the Chicago Sinfonietta. He teaches and coordinates the string program for the Arlington Heights school district. He is also a faculty member of the Music Institute of Chicago.
Sanders reflects on the idea of new music after attending two recent concerts:
"If we are going to define new music as newly created music written by living composers, then this weekend's events [Jan 31-Feb 1, 2020] offered an opportunity for some insights:
In a rehearsal for the world premiere of Freedom Train with the Chicago Opera Theatre, I noticed the interaction between composer Dan Shore, Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya and the musicians regarding phrasing dynamics, articulations, and, on occasion, the actual notes played. Even though the piece had already been composed, changes were still being made to the score by the composer a few days prior the performance.
While attending the George Crumb Festival held at the Music Institute of Chicago, I watched Jeffrey Jacobs perform Twelve Fantasy Pieces after the Zodiac (written by Crumb). It was mind numbing. He had such ownership of the work that I could feel the expression of his individual personality. I later read that he has had a long relationship with Crumb and the composer has written works specifically for him.
New music offers us a chance to witness interactions between a living composer and the performers and how that affects the creative process. Many of these works will be performed for decades and perhaps centuries. These moments give us an opportunity to experience history in the making."
--James Sanders
Sanders will be performing with his ensemble project Proyecto Libre at Intuitive Music: A Celebration of Diversity on May 20th. Tickets are on sale now. See you there!