Impromptu Jazz Composition at Neighborhood House

The American Composers Forum, Philadelphia Chapter (ACF Philadelphia) will present a site-specific musical challenge to three prominent Philadelphia jazz composer/performers in front of a live audience: to produce artistic explorations of various aspects of the Neighborhood House and Christ Church.

The musical and inspirational elements for these works will be suggested on printed cards, given to the performers 30 minutes prior to their performance, similar in style to the “Songbooks” of John Cage. These cards will contain minimal instructions and representations of various aspects of the Christ Church and Neighborhood House physical structures, contents, and history. Audience attendees will select several of these elements as they arrive at the concert. Two separate works will be composed and improvised by the three artists, who will work together as an ensemble, including solo explorations that utilize the performing space....

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The American Composers Forum, Philadelphia Chapter (ACF Philadelphia) will present a site-specific musical challenge to three prominent Philadelphia jazz composer/performers in front of a live audience: to produce artistic explorations of various aspects of the Neighborhood House and Christ Church.

The musical and inspirational elements for these works will be suggested on printed cards, given to the performers 30 minutes prior to their performance, similar in style to the “Songbooks” of John Cage. These cards will contain minimal instructions and representations of various aspects of the Christ Church and Neighborhood House physical structures, contents, and history. Audience attendees will select several of these elements as they arrive at the concert. Two separate works will be composed and improvised by the three artists, who will work together as an ensemble, including solo explorations that utilize the performing space.

The three jazz composer-performers for this event will be: Norman David (saxophonist and clarinetist, composer, faculty at University of the Arts, artist-in-residence at Temple University, and leader of The Eleventet jazz ensemble); Matt Davis (guitarist, arranger, composer, faculty at University of the Arts, and leader of the 12-piece modern chamber jazz ensemble, Aerial Photograph); and Peter Paulsen (bassist, composer, faculty at West Chester University, and leader of the Peter Paulsen Quintet).

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