notesong

My students often ask, where do you think African American music will go next?    Lately, I usually smirk and respond, "What genre?"  (Knowing that they want me to comment on Hip Hop culture and Rap music.) Then, after a few moments of reconsidering, I refer them to works by amazing young musicians who cross genre borders as they consciously fuse contemporary sounds. In our twenty first century, we have a quantum array of natural ambient and artificially constructed sounds. Today's composer's combinatorial aural pallet choices are exciting from the blend of programmed electronic sound with written acoustic scores to improvised vocalise with eclectic instrumental orchestration. Add to this our newest media technology/accessibility and our young musicians can free-jam world wide, or collaborate to notate a terrestrial symphony with the touch of an App. Consider a few of the elders whose shoulders this African American Millennial generation (Af-AM Mills) stands on. ...

It is an honor to update the CarpeNoctum2 global community on the activities of a philanthropic organization that continues to help community youth and families in San Diego. Dad Hill (yes, I get to call him that) and the staff of San Diego Young Artist Music Academy(SDYAMA)  is on a mission to provide quality, extensive musical education in the arts at relatively little parental expense. Personal expenditures, donations and grants keep this worthy organization going.   http://www.mada-choir.org/programs/music A few days ago, I watched dad Hill present SDYAMA and its programs to a discussion chaired by District 7 Council member Marti Emerald http://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd7/staff/emerald.shtml during a City Council meeting on the arts. Dad Hill is articulate, an advocate for the arts dedicated to bringing hope into young people's lives. He and his family are spiritually inspiring.We can thank those like them who personally sacrifice to keep arts education alive as...

Last week was a busy week for many of us here in San Diego. One of my favorite events, San Diego's Mardi Gras seemed to prance quickly by. Since I was preparing for the Haiti benefit, several other upcoming appearances/events, and teaching, the week was a memory blur, except for a few very noteworthy experiences. Thank you to San Diego State's BSSO(Black Student Science Organization) for inviting me to perform; last Wednesday was an inspirational and informative evening of fund raising for Haitians still suffering from the aftermath of earthquake destruction. The organiztion drew a diverse selection of gifted artists and a future statesman--Paolo Paolini. Although only an elementary schooler, Paolini gave a rivoting, mature, motivational speech that highlighted reasons to remember Haitian humanity and to assist those still in crisis---despite lack of current media coverage. A special guest appearance at the start of the show from writer/poet Vogue Robinson   http://www.linked...

It was a busy evening on the San Diego State campus with several events providing opportunities for student social networking, lovers of Opera, listeners to theater monologues, and those who wanted to interact with  Farrell and Sandra Foreman.  These two community minded artist/educators created the Bear Arts Foundation.I met them a couple of years ago when I was a panel member on a discussion during their theater arts event: Colorfest.  http://www.examiner.com/community-theatre-in-san-diego/colorfest-2010-highlights-minority-artists The busy couple graciously dedicated time out of their schedules to participate in one of the Africana Studies Department's Black History month celebration events: Meet The Founders. The department is also celebrating its 40th Year Anniversary this year and will have its official anniversary kick-off event:   Date: Friday, February 24, 2012 Program: Afriana Studies 40th Anniversary Kick Off Reception Location: Extended Studies Buil...

                                                                        Delores Fisher Hello readers from around the world. As the San Diego California tourist season welcomes you, make sure to check out our theater scene. From time to time we seem to limp along behind Los Angeles, but we also have a vibrant high school, university, and community theater scene with much to offer. The smaller theaters in San Diego's live theater scene have often limped along for several reasons including insufficient funds, local actors in competition with traveling shows with glitz, and big name draws, politically motivated mega funding of special productions ...

It is finally 2012 and many of us are not sure whether to inhale deeply, thankfully or exhale shallowly, anxiously.  San Diegans wonder where we as a city are headed. Our building funds for future projects have been co-opted. Our universities face budget cuts AND fee hikes. Our K-12 educational system is crying into the wilderness of fewer funds, fewer teachers,an increasing intellectually hungry student population,  more work demands and longer hours. Our city streets are home to thousands of homeless because shelters are overcrowded. Many of our leaders in economics, politics, religion, philosophy, law, medicine, education, the arts, philantrhopy, social services, and technology are linking together, collaborating, searching for solutions beyond bigger bandaids for swelling societal wounds. Will we look inside for ethical, spiritual, and moral answers as a way to combat rising despair? Only time will reveal that answer. Where will Carpe Noctum fit into this socio-cultura...

As the yearly count down swags and boogies to electro-night club Dub beat around the county, tourists and locals--check out the smaller news print and online sources (like my favorites) Night and Day, City Beat, the Troubador, and the Reader. This New Year's Eve San Diego will offer a variety flavored evening ranging from traditional quiet bonding at home, church watch night services, public accessible open air park parties, to mega private expensive themed festivities: 2011 is ending in our Western measurement scheme called "time" that marks our existence. It has been an intense year. For those who want and like to laugh on New Year's Eve, try Horton Plaza's new comedy stage.  http://madhousecomedyclub.com/calendar.php Mad House Comedy Club is nestled between the Panda Inn and Nordstrums on the mall's upper level. It offers Lunch and Dinner daily with a menu of steaks, salads, burgers and much more. It is on the circuit, which means audiences can enjoy ...

Well, it's Veteran's Day and I have been walking to ease my mind. As I walked by the Midway Museum, one of our San Diego News 8 people, Larry Himmel, was getting ready to record a segment for the evening. I shared my thoughts about creating an amateur Veteran's Day 2011 video Journal. He said, "You know, sometimes images make the most powerful statement. Do it!" And so, I selected several video shorts to frame my day's experience. A teachable/mentor moment from a respected journalist who is community oriented. I decided to share a few with Carpenoctum readers.  It was a wonderful day. Thank you Mr. Himmel! Hope all of you experienced a Veteran's Day of remembrance and celebration. Delores Fisher

      Dr. David Ward-Steinman and Nadia Boulanger Photo: Al Fenn. Composing music is an interesting process, so many combinations of sounds and silence. Today's twenty-first century sonic landscape is replete with pre-packaged(sampled) as well as real time natural and artificial sound. Choices are extensive. Through the empathetic ears of a gifted producer and sound equiptment, our music receives its first filtering interpretation. Contemporary composers' mental roadmap(musical score/soundscape) is often assisted by producers who work many hours to shape the completed sound.  These full recorded works of collaborative creative expression are splashed onto the surface of our daily-real sonic wash, usually through the additional filter of earphones. It's a sonic moulding process of infinitessimal moments.The composer's roadmap is removed behind several layers . I enjoy this type of recording, however, I often prefer the raw, good and bad...

We sing together softly, on occasion, while searching through several boxes of  Popular piano and vocal sheet music for hours. Hushed laughter dances around jokes and anecdotes. It's difficult to contain my excitement. Today we are looking at pre- and turn of the Twentieth Century music. Mr. Meades gingerly removes the music from their containers and shows me the proper way to handle fragile pages more than a century old. What can I say about a man who shares his love of music so freely? Each moment he guides me through another box is like walking through a sonic looking glass. This treasure chest is the collection that he has graciously donated to the San Diego States Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. http://infotutor.sdsu.edu/scua/readingroom.cfm HERE'S A SHOUT OUT 'CAUSE: the Special Collections staff is extremely knowledgeable and patiently assist when Mr. Meades is not on site. Librarian Gloria Rhodes keeps me anchored when I need to proces...