About this project
2 Moon Smile :: a new chamber opera by Padma Newsome
$9,205
83
"2 Moon Smile" is:
Beautiful, odd, touching, abstract, dreamy, pop...
A lady faces a million morning mirrors. —Pink Lycra
2 Moon Smile is a new chamber opera by the soulful Australian composer Padma Newsome, who's best known for his work performing and arranging for The National and Clogs.
The wise man stands outside and observes his wife’s beauty. —Pink Lycra
In an allegory about love, war and healing, Pink Lycra is a charismatic leader whose prophetic vision and ability to speak truth draws people to her.
The fool fell in and so deserves it. —Pink Lycra
Here, a riotous and unruly alliance of electro-acoustic and operatic elements reveal a saga of unrequited love.
The owl falls
Looking for a bit of vampire action. —Pink Lycra
About the Team
Heliand Consort :: project manager/producer
is a chamber music ensemble based in Vermont. We're celebrating our 10th anniversary season with our most ambitious production to date.
Our clarinet, bassoon and piano trio brings local talent, exquisite musicianship and years of experience developing passionate audiences to 2 Moon Smile. We are so excited to introduce our fabulous collaborators to our hometowns.
Find out more about Heliand Consort at our website.
Padma Newsome :: composer/music director
is an Australian whose compositions span a broad musical palette, including traditional small and large ensemble, electro-acoustic, song writing, improvised ensemble, music for dance, film and theatre, and arrangements for pop/rock bands. His works have been performed by the Academy of Melbourne, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Da Capo Chamber Players, Locrian Chamber Players, Brooklyn Rider and Clogs; rock groups such as The National and The Devastations; and numerous soloists.
Vocal writing has been integral to Padma’s recent compositions, including three pieces for choir and chamber ensemble premiered in New York and performed in London. Clogs’ latest album, The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton, features Padma’s song cycle composed while he was in residence at the Walton estate in Ischia, Italy.
Clogs :: performing partner
is a new music ensemble founded in 1999 by project participants Padma Newsome, Rachael Elliott and Thomas Kozumplik, along with co-founder Bryce Dessner. 2 Moon Smile comes to life with their injection of poise and scrappiness.
The group has toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, and recorded a number of critically acclaimed albums. They compose and improvise using sounds and textures from across the musical spectrum—the immediacy of folk and rock music, twisted Americana, and the complexity of modern composition.
Clogs has appeared in Vermont to perform, record and present improvisation workshops across the state, and is delighted for the opportunity to return in April 2017. More about Clogs at our website.
Mary Bonhag :: soprano
is a celebrated vocalist and devotée of contemporary music whose artistry and charisma bring Pink Lycra to life.
Mary has appeared in festivals and venues across the country including her 2009 Carnegie Hall solo debut, engagements with San Francisco Chamber Players, the American Symphony Orchestra, Yellow Barn, and Strings in the Mountains, among many others. She co-directs the Scrag Mountain Music series in Warren, Vermont together with her husband, double bassist and composer Evan Premo.
Rochester Chamber Music Society :: community partner
provides food and housing support for the musicians during our rehearsal residency, as well as marketing and audience development for our Rochester, Vermont performance.
Upright Steeple Society :: community partner
provides marketing and production support for our Lyndon, Vermont performance.
What We Need; What You'll Get
Our budget for this project is $10,000, of which our goal is to raise $7,500 through this campaign. The remainder will be covered by donations received at the door and funds from our existing budget. The budget is comprised of three categories:
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Salaries: $8,400
We are paying all of our performers for the rehearsal residency and two performances in April 2017. This is our budget’s biggest line item because it is our primary obligation and priority. We are working with superb musicians who deserve to be paid for their time and work. -
Travel: $1,000
Four musicians’ travel from New York City; regional travel expenses in Vermont. -
Production: $600
Items include marketing, website, poster and program printing, piano tuning, and more.
Check out the rewards to the right – our way of thanking you for supporting 2 Moon Smile. In addition to these perks you’ll get exclusive behind-the-scenes updates of our progress leading up to our workshops and performances.
Goals
Outstanding performances:
Seven virtuosic musicians from diverse backgrounds come together for an intensive rehearsal residency in the bucolic Green Mountains of Vermont, culminating in the premiere performances of 2 Moon Smile on April 7-8, 2017.
Broad accessibility:
Our concerts are admission by donation to encourage access for all. Both venues are fully accessible, and we welcome families and children.
This project includes an outreach event in the Rochester school, and post-concert discussions between the audience, composer and performers.
Grass-roots, community-based project:
Pianist Cynthia Huard (Heliand Consort and Middlebury College artist faculty) raised her children in Rochester, Vermont, and continues to serve as artistic director and pianist for the Rochester Chamber Music Society, a post she has held for over 20 years.
Bassoonist Rachael Elliott (Heliand Consort and Clogs) grew up in Lyndon, Vermont and has appeared throughout the Northeast Kingdom with both groups over the past two decades.
We are deeply committed to bringing outstanding performances to our community. This project pulls people from literally all over the globe (Australia, Germany and New York City) to rural Vermont. We are proud to bring the world premiere performances to our hometowns, and look forward to expanding outward from these initial concerts to share 2 Moon Smile with more and more people in years to come.
Performances
Fri, April 7th at 7:30 pm – Rochester Federated Church, Rochester, VT
Sat, April 8th at 7:30 pm – York Street Meeting House, Lyndon, VT
**Admission is by donation**
For more information, visit our website.
Other ways to help
- Check out our Facebook page and share our campaign
- Watch the Youtube video and tell your friends about this project
- Updates on Twitter @PadmaNewsome
- Attend a show in April - visit our website for project updates
THANKS for supporting 2 Moon Smile!
* * *
Risks and challenges
Producing a chamber opera is an exciting undertaking for Heliand Consort. "2 Moon Smile" marks our first concert-length production of a dramatic work; it features four guest musicians in addition to our clarinet-bassoon-piano trio. The logistics and funds required to pull this off are daunting, but we feel it is an appropriate and reachable challenge for us in our tenth year—a fitting tribute to our past decade, and a sign of our ambitions for the next ten.
Our connections to our communities in Rochester and Lyndon are deep-rooted, and we have confidence in our combined management and performance abilities to create a memorable and rewarding experience for all who participate in the project, whether as performers, audience or community members.
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Funding period
- (30 days)