From the Blog

• Tomorrow Night: ICElab @ MCA Chicago!

  June 3, 2011

  

  We are really looking forward to our ICElab concert tomorrow night at the MCA! We'll be featuring world and Chicago premieres of music by ICElab composers Marcos Balter, Du Yun, and Nathan Davis.

• Shahzia Sikander in Conversation with MoMa Director Glenn Lowry

  May 5, 2011

  

  We are very excited to for the upcoming world premiere of ICElab composer Du Yun's new work, The Last Post, on June 4th at the MCA in Chicago. The Last Post will be music for film by internationally renowned artist Shahzia Sikander. Watch this illuminating conversation between Ms. Sikander and MoMa director Glenn Lowry:

• Nathan Davis: “Bells” Explained

  May 10, 2011

  

  Nathan Davis' "Bells" is one of the most interesting and fun pieces we've had the opportunity to perform recently, and we can't wait to bring it to the MCA in Chicago on June 4th! The piece, which is site-specific and involves the audience as co-composers (make sure you bring your cell phones), was premiered at the opening of the 2011 Tullyscope Festival recently to great effect. In characteristic digitICE fashion, we bring you words directly from the composer. Here are Nathan Davis' notes on the piece.

• Marcos Balter on Musical Identity and Sensibilities

  May 16, 2011

  

  Happy Monday, everyone! Take a peek at these videos from ICElab composer Marcos Balter, originally posted by our friends at Meet The Composer, in which Marcos discusses his musical identity and sensibilities.

• Marcos Balter, Du Yun, Nathan Davis - ICElab Concert Preview @ the MCA

  April 21, 2011

  

  For those of you in the Chicago area, come through the Museum of Contemporary Art this Saturday, April 23 at 3pm. We'll bring you onto the MCA stage, where you can meet and listen to works by ICElab composers Marcos Balter and Nathan Davis, as ICE musicians play some some of their works and discuss the ICElab composition process. We'll also screen video from the premiere of Davis's Bells, as well as a clip from visual artist Shahzia Sikander's animation The Last Post scored by ICElab composer Du Yun.

• Interview: Marcos Balter (by Elly Fishman)

  May 26, 2011

  

  by Elly Fishman I recently sat down with Marcos Balter in his Uptown apartment where I was enthusiastically greeted by both Marcos and his dog, Colin. It was a beautiful day in Chicago and spring fever seemed to have finally settled into the air. Marcos, an ebullient spirit, took time from his 3-deadline week (!), to discuss everything from his favorite Chicago spots to his enduring philosophies of music.

• Guest Post: Shahzia Sikander on “The Last Post”

  May 23, 2011

  

  We are kicking off this week with a guest post from the amazing artist Shahzia Sikander. In the paragraphs below, Sikander discusses her collaboration with ICElab composer Du Yun, The Last Post, which will receive its Chicago premiere during our ICElab concert at the MCA on June 4th. Don't sleep!

• Guest Post: Marcos Balter Discusses “Æsopica”

  May 11, 2011

  

  We have a very special guest post from Chicago-based ICElab composer Marcos Balter. In the video below, Marcos discusses his new song cycle “Æsopica”, which will receive its Chicago premiere during our June 4th ICElab concert at the MCA ($10 student tickets are available, make your reservations today!). He also talks about the challenges of making work accessible, in the tradition of Aesop, to audiences of all ages while still making contemporary and boundary-pushing music. Enjoy!

• Guest Post: Du Yun _ Music Crushes of the past year

  June 1, 2011

  

  When I was asked to write this blog, I realized there are enough posts about me covering my influences of other composers and other influences in my life… So I decide to share with you my music crushes of last year. We all have certain snippets of music that make us cry and laugh. This is how I define my musical crushes: the tracks on my iPod whenever they are on, no matter where I am, they would send me in tears repeatedly, or triggered my adrenaline, in tears, with no fails. Every Single Time. (Sometimes every other time.) At any rate, you know that feeling: the moment something grabs you, you are the happy prey while at the same time, the willing victim.

• Du Yun: “Air Glow” for 5 Trumpets + Laptop

  May 18, 2011

  

  ICElab composer Du Yun's piece "Air Glow" was recently posted in the fifth issue of the Art & Culture Magazine Glasschord. Commissioned by the 2006 Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT), this composition for 5 trumpets + laptop is a must listen.

• Du Yun + Phil Moffa + Gareth Flowers

  May 13, 2011

  

  In less than a month, we'll be presenting an amazing concert at the MCA in Chicago featuring music by ICElab composers Marcos Balter, Nathan Davis, and Du Yun. We have a long working history with Du Yun and are thrilled to premiere her latest piece, The Last Post, which will accompany video by artist Shahzia Sikander. Du Yun is a woman of many hats - those of you who have heard her latest release under her pop diva alter ego, duYun, know exactly what we mean. Those of you who haven't...well, you absolutely should; Shark In You is out now on the New Focus Recordings imprint. We urge you to check out these great vids from recent rehearsals and performances by Du Yun, DJ Phil Moffa, and trumpeter Gareth Flowers - their current collaboration is laying the groundwork for the upcoming world premiere of Angel's Bone (featuring ICE) at the Mann Center this September.