This May 17-19, ALIAS Chamber Ensemble will take to the stage with the Nashville Ballet and Watkins College of Art, Design & Film for the Ballet’s annual Emergence effort. (Click here to buy tickets from the Nashville Ballet) We recently sat down with ALIAS cellist and composer Matt Walker and Nashville Ballet Artistic Director Paul Vasterling to learn more.

Q: How did the ALIAS-Nashville Ballet collaboration come to be?

Matt Walker, cello

MW: ALIAS’ Artistic Director, Zen Bowers, had been talking with Paul for several years about some sort of collaboration – one that put to use some of the interesting and unusual music ALIAS has been performing over the years. When the Ballet began planning for its 2012 Emergence series, it seemed like the time had come.

Paul Vasterling

PV: Yes! There was quite a long time between first talking of this and finally doing it… The time was finally right!

Q: Was a composition by Matt a part of the original plan?

MW: When Paul met with us to discuss the collaboration, Zen and I were throwing a lot of different ideas at him – various composers and pieces. We wanted the programming to look like an ALIAS concert, embracing our eclecticism and innovation. When we suggested doing one of my pieces as part of the program, Paul seemed to sort of light up. Then I suggested that I might write something new specifically for the Ballet, and that was the idea that took root.

PV: I’d attended a number of ALIAS concerts and was familiar with Matt’s music. I was intrigued by his influences and thought it would be interesting to work with him on a piece from the ground up.

Q: How have you worked together to develop this project? Give us a sense of your process.

MW: I had taken a bit of time to think about what sort of piece I’d like to write, and then Paul and I met to talk about the length, instrumentation, mood, shape and so on. I knew it would be something with a jazz element to it, but we also wanted to incorporate something ancient or mysterious…maybe explore combining and alternating different time periods. After a lot of wine and cheese, and after solving many philosophical riddles, we arrived at a vague idea of how the piece would be shaped and how it could work with dancers. A subsequent meeting saw me playing a few melodies and rhythmic figures on my cello to give Paul an idea of how the piece was shaping up. Because I composed the piece for specific members of ALIAS, the instrumentation is odd – clarinet, English horn, viola and cello – but the dark richness of all these instruments makes for a really nice blend of sounds.

A short version of the piece was premiered at the July 2011 Arts & Flowers event, and we later recorded the full version for the Ballet to practice with over the course of this season.

I must add that Paul was very kind to tell me that I should write as if I were writing chamber music that could stand on its own, rather than dance music. I can imagine other ballet masters being far less liberating in this circumstance.

PV: All true! One thing that Matt didn’t touch on is that we are also collaborating with fine arts students from Watkins, who will provide visual elements, video – perhaps sculpture – for each piece.  I think that most music can be danced to, and after experiencing a few of Matt’s pieces I knew a new piece by him would have something to inspire us. I think all the elements should be interesting on their own, but will be doubly (or triply) interesting and surprising all together!

Q: What barriers/challenges have you faced in getting this project moving – and keeping it moving?

MW: Surprisingly, there are none that I can think of. I was very inspired by the whole idea, so my piece has been completed since last summer. And the Ballet has been fantastic to work with at every step – very enthusiastic and highly organized. Sandy Obodzinski (the Ballet’s Director of Development) has been ALIAS’ contact there, and she is a civic treasure.

PV: We love Sandy, too! The only challenge has really been to keep all these collaborators together. Four pieces, four composers (albeit one long gone), four sets of musicians (as each piece has different instrumentation) and four visual artists. It’s crazy!

Q: What has surprised you most about this project?

MW: Hmm…

PV: That remains to be seen. The combinations of all three art forms should bring unexpected surprises that I’m looking forward to experiencing.

Q: What can audiences expect come performance night?

MW: A great program of really interesting music, with brand new choreography from four different ballet masters. The four pieces are VERY different, and could easily find themselves together on an ALIAS program. (Each piece other than mine, in fact, has been performed by ALIAS on past concerts.) Audiences who don’t yet know ALIAS will meet a really fantastic and dedicated ensemble of musicians doing what they love.

PV: The performances are at our studio theater and will be really intimate. Imagine these rock star ALIAS musicians – along with our rock star dancers – in all new and fresh work, in very close proximity. You will definitely feel the energy!

Q: Will you each please suggest something our audience members can look for and listen for?

MW: My piece will include a short bit of improvisation from each of the musicians – and therefore also from the dancers! Musically, the variety of musical style from one piece to the next is remarkable. Three of the pieces are written by American composers within the last couple of decades. The fourth is a charming little violin sonata by one of the Baroque masters of the 17th century; it has animal sounds built in to the music. Listen for them!

(Click here to buy tickets from the Nashville Ballet)

Get ready for the 3rd Annual Arts & Flowers, Nashville’s hottest arts event of the year!

ALIAS Chamber Ensemble’s annual fundraiser returns Saturday, July 28, 2012 to W.O. Smith Music School (CLICK HERE FOR A MAP), where art patrons will be treated to an evening of incredible art complimented by stunning floral arrangements. Guests are treated to a unique performance by ALIAS musicians.

This year’s Patron’s Party will be from 5-6 p.m., and the main event will be from 6-9 p.m.

ALIAS is excited to have nine of Nashville’s top art galleries participating! They are:

ALIAS Performing in May in Collaboration with

Nashville Ballet’s “Emergence” Series

May 17-19, 2012

ALIAS Chamber Ensemble teams up with the Nashville Ballet for its “Emergence” series on May 17-19, 2012. This series stands in place of ALIAS’ usual Spring Concert event. (Click here to buy tickets from the Nashville Ballet)

“We are really excited to perform with one of Nashville’s premier arts organizations, especially on such a creative project,” ALIAS Artistic Director Zeneba Bowers says. “It’s a chance for our musicians to show yet another facet of their artistry.”

Emergence also features a new work by Paul Vasterling to an original score composed by ALIAS cellist Matt Walker. CLICK HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH BALLET DIRECTOR PAUL VASTERLING AND ALIAS CELLIST (AND COMPOSER) MATT WALKER

The program will be complemented by visual art by Watkins College of Arts, Design and Film.

Click here for the full article about the collaboration.

Nashville Ballet “Emergence” Series Featuring ALIAS Chamber Ensemble

Martin Center for Nashville Ballet (directions)

Thursday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 19 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The program includes:

• Heinrich Biber Sonata Representativa for violin and continuo (1669)
• Peter Schickele String Quartet No. 1, “American Dreams” (1983)
• Kevin Puts And Legions Will Rise for clarinet, violin and marimba (2001)
• Matt Walker “Arabian Blues” for clarinet, English horn, viola and cello – commissioned by the Nashville Ballet (2011)

Please join us March 3 at 8 p.m. for two works by Kenji Bunch, including the world premiere of “26.2″, which ALIAS will record for the Delos label. The concert will also feature works by Tickmayer, Norton, Debussy and Keller. The concert will be at the Blair School of Music [MAP] on the Vanderbilt University campus.

All ticket sales will benefit The King’s Daughters Child Development Center, a Nashville organization that provides child care and educational programs for children from financially-challenged families. The Center offers a loving, academically and socially-stimulating environment for children, so that parents can attend school or work.

Full program:

• Kenji Bunch Luminaria  (2002), Alison Gooding, Licia Jaskunas
• Claude Debussy Sonata for Cello and Piano (1915), Michael Samis, Leah Bowes
• Kenji Bunch Horn commission (2011), Leslie Norton, Zeneba Bowers, Chris Farrell, Matt Walker
• Intermission
• Christopher Norton Open Door, Peninsula Field (2009)
• Stevan Tickmayer Three Variations on a theme by J.S. Bach (2005), Alison Gooding, Chris Norton, Melissa Rose
• Kevin Keller, Riding the Purple Twilight (2008), Zeneba Bowers, Jeremy Williams, Chris Farrell, Matt Walker

ALIAS, Nashville’s most eclectic and critically acclaimed chamber music ensemble, will find out today whether it has won its first-ever Grammy today for Hilos, an album composed by Latin Grammy-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank and performed by members of ALIAS and Frank.

To view the pre-telecast from 3-5:30 p.m. CST, go to Grammy.com/live.

Check back at ALIASmusic.org for more details after the announcement.

Alison Gooding & D.J. Sparr

Here is your exclusive opportunity to be part of ALIAS’ next album!

Composed by Kenji Bunch, the as-yet untitled album will be released in 2012 on the Delos record label.

For a $250 tax-deductible donation, your name will be memorialized inside the CD jacket, and you will receive exclusive invites to ALIAS events and parties.

As part of the album, ALIAS Chamber Ensemble in 2012 will be putting out five premiere recordings: Boiling Point for amplified string quartet, bass and teakettle; Luminaria for harp and violin; Drift for clarinet, viola and piano; String Circle for viola quintet; and 26.2 for horn quartet.

ALIAS, Nashville’s most eclectic and critically acclaimed chamber music ensemble, is thrilled to announce that it has been nominated for its first-ever Grammy for Hilos, an album composed by Latin Grammy-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank and performed by members of ALIAS and Frank.

Hilos is among five nominees in the Grammy category for Best Small Ensemble Performance, as announced Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 on the Grammy.com website.

“It’s phenomenal,” said ALIAS executive director Jim Robert on Wednesday, after learning of the group’s nomination.”It’s beyond our wildest dreams. These guys have worked so hard to do this. It’s ALIAS, (Artistic Director) Zeneba (Bowers) and the group that deserve the recognition. They have worked very, very hard for this. It is phenomenal that this is their first CD, and to have this nomination. I think they’re a winner right now.”

ALIAS wishes to thank composer and fellow performer Gabriela Lena Frank, engineer Gary Hedden, producer D. Wilson Ochoa, the fantastic musicians and dedicated Board of Directors of ALIAS, and Naxos Records.

Commissioned by ALIAS, The Schubert Club, and Dr. Jonathan Neufeld and Dr. Jennifer Lena, and supported by a grant from Vanderbilt University, Hilos (Spanish for “threads”) is an eight-movement quartet for piano, violin, cello and clarinet.

ALIAS’ recording of Hilos was released by Naxos Records in February 2011 on its American Classics imprint.

“ALIAS has been inspired by Gabriela for years and has already programmed four of her chamber works on our regular season concerts,” said Bowers, founder and artistic director of ALIAS.”Naturally, we were thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to commission a piece from her and to perform and record it alongside her.”

Frank frequently draws on her multicultural Latin heritage as inspiration for her music. In Hilos, each short movement evokes vivid pictures, such as “Canto del Altiplano” (Song of the Highlands), “Zumballyu” (Spinning Top), and “Juegos de los Niños” (Games of the Children).