| Salt Lake City Classical Pianist Jed Moss has a lot to | | | | can be described in a classic ballet move. Yet there is |
| be thankful for. This February, Moss takes on the | | | | nothing at the outward appearance. It's not classical |
| challenge of performing works with Canyonlands New | | | | ballet at all. It's very modern." |
| Music Ensemble for the Maurice Abravanel Visiting | | | | Moss commented that in teaching GONG to Ballet |
| Distinguished Composer Series, Ballet West and his | | | | West, choreographer Tina Fehlandt expressed the |
| own Sundance Trio. | | | | importance of posturing with men and women. |
| Learning a single new composition presents its own | | | | Particularity with the women, it's important to show |
| difficulties, but throw in 'avant-garde' pieces with a | | | | power and assertiveness, and the total capability of |
| Balinese "East meets West" ballet and a flurry of | | | | women. Fehlandt wants the dancers to make contact |
| performances on the road with a classical Trio, and | | | | with the audience, but not so much as to give away |
| you have a month filled with challenges, obstacles, | | | | any of their power. |
| anxiety, frenzy, excitement, accomplishment and, | | | | Incorporating the vibrancy and beauty of traditional |
| ultimately, full-blown pride. | | | | Balinese clothing, designer Isaac Mizrahi's bold, bright |
| In early February, Jed Moss performed with the | | | | and colorful costumes are a stark contrast to the |
| Canyonlands New Music Ensemble for the Maurice | | | | frequently similar-colored costumes of dancers. |
| Abravanel Visiting Distinguished Composer Series. A | | | | When asked how he felt about performing GONG |
| member of Canyonlands for many years, under the | | | | with Ballet West, Jed Moss said that he has a |
| leadership of Morris Rosenzweig Moss has performed | | | | particular fascination for GONG because of his prior |
| compositions of such composers as John Harbison, | | | | travels to Indonesia. During his early visits when he |
| Roger Reynolds, and George Tsontakis. | | | | would stay at a grand hotel, there would typically be a |
| This February, celebrated composer George | | | | gamelan orchestra playing in the lobby and "he'd never |
| Tsontakis was welcomed to Salt Lake City as the | | | | heard anything like it before." |
| Maurice Abravanel Visiting Distinguished Composer. | | | | Regarding the Ballet West Orchestra, Moss said, "This |
| For Moss, Tsontakis' work was an exciting challenge, | | | | orchestration utilizes the authentic instruments. It's quite |
| particularly because he had never heard the Tsontakis | | | | impressive. There are 62 members of the orchestra |
| piece. Credited as one of his finest performances, | | | | and they, along with a full complement of percussive |
| Moss' interpretation was well performed and well | | | | instruments, two pianos and a celesta, fill the entire |
| received. | | | | orchestra pit." Moss said, "It's great fun to play! It's a |
| Throughout February, Jed Moss worked and | | | | machine that just doesn't stop til you reach the end." |
| performed with Utah's Ballet West. Ballet West's latest | | | | Jed Moss performed GONG with Ballet West in |
| production Madame Butterfly, with GONG. A Mark | | | | February. |
| Morris ballet, GONG has been performed by the | | | | Immediately following the final performance with Ballet |
| American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet, making | | | | West, Moss left for a mini-tour with The Sundance |
| Ballet West only the third company worldwide to | | | | Trio, which is comprised of Moss on piano, BYU |
| perform the piece. | | | | Professor of Oboe Geralyn Giovannetti on oboe and |
| A Balinese and Gamelan-inspired composition, | | | | BYU Associate Professor of Bassoon Christian Smith |
| Tabuh-Tabuhan, Toccata for Orchestra and Two | | | | on bassoon. |
| Pianos, was first performed by Carlos Chavez and | | | | With schedules that frequently prevent touring, The |
| the National Orchestra of Mexico City in 1936 and | | | | Sundance Trio is excited to have this time to be able |
| brought worldwide acclaim to U.S. composer Colin | | | | to perform its current repertoire throughout the U.S. In |
| McPhee (1900-1964) who spent years immersing | | | | late January, The Sundance Trio traveled to the |
| himself in Bali's culture and music. Combining Balinese | | | | Midwest, and in late February and early March, The |
| and traditional Western musical elements, | | | | Sundance Trio performed in Nevada, Utah and Idaho. |
| Tabuh-Tabuhan translates as a collection of | | | | In addition to the upcoming tour, The Sundance Trio is |
| percussive rhythms and sounds. | | | | awaiting the imminent release of its first CD. Expected |
| In McPhee's notes about Tabuh-Tabuhan, he writes | | | | to be available around the beginning of March, it will be |
| that "although Tabuh-Tabuhan makes much use of | | | | available for sale through Centaur Records. Two |
| Balinese musical material, I consider it a purely personal | | | | years in the making, Jed Moss is thrilled to see the |
| work in which Balinese and composed motifs, melodies | | | | recordings finally come to market. |
| and rhythms have been fused to make a symphonic | | | | The Sundance Trio is currently preparing to record its |
| work. Balinese music never rises to an emotional | | | | second CD and as such, the repertoire performed on |
| climax but at the same time has a terrific rhythmic | | | | the upcoming tour will likely include some of these new |
| drive and symphonic surge and this partly influenced | | | | compositions. A listing of upcoming Sundance Trio |
| me in planning the form of this work. Many of the | | | | performances is below. Please contact the venue for |
| syncopated rhythms of Balinese music have a close | | | | additional information about a specific performance. |
| affinity with those of Latin American popular music and | | | | January and February have turned out to be very |
| American jazz, a history in itself, and these have | | | | busy months for Jed Moss. Managing the multitude of |
| formed the basic impulse of the work from start to | | | | performances is undoubtedly a challenge, but the |
| finish." | | | | success of each has brought its own rewards. They |
| Mark Morris brings GONG to the stage combining | | | | say that good things happen in threes, and with the |
| formal and structured ballet with modern dance. | | | | Maurice Abravanel Visiting Distinguished Composer |
| Described as a ballet where "East meets West", Jed | | | | Series performance, GONG, and touring with The |
| Moss said, "It's still ballet. Even though the movements | | | | Sundance Trio, one can only expect good things to |
| are heavily influenced by Eastern dance, everything | | | | follow for Moss in 2009! |