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Event
David Amram 91st Birthday Concert - A filmed Event
**ONLINE SALES HAVE ENDED: ADMISSION STILL AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.**
SYNOPSIS
David Amram: composer, instrumentalist, poet, artist.
David Amram at 90: Still a Promising Young Composer is a feature length
documentary and celebration of musical polyglot David Amram currently in production. On Wednesday, November 17th, 2021, David will perform a concert in celebration of his 91st birthday at the historic St. Johns Episcopal Church on the Point in Newport, RI. The concert, the conclusion of the composer's 90th year celebration, is being filmed for inclusion in the movie.
In the days preceding the event, David will conduct a few small performances in different parts of the town and reflect on his long and exceptionally idiosyncratic life.
Through the better part of a century, David has been on a musical journey that has led
him all over the globe. Even today he continues to learn, master and champion the
many forms of the worlds music and culture.
An eclectic musical talent, David has woven his career through the modern history of
American culture in many genres: Classical, Jazz, Folk, and indigenous musics of the
world. David has worked and recorded with include Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker,
Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Leonard Bernstein and James Galway... to list a
few.
Newport Rhode Island was the lynchpin of the Davids first biopic, David Amram: the
First 80 Years.and is an ideal location for capturing Davids story. Home to three of the
most established musical festivals in the US; The Newport Classical Music Festival, The
Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival, Newport is rich in significance to
both David's musical strengths and the greater musical narrative of the country.
In the photo at left, a meeting of the Beat Generation in New York City, 1956: Left to right: Larry Rivers, Jack Kerouac, David Amram, Allen Ginsberg (and Gregory Corso's back). Photo by John Cohen.
COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO THIS EVENT. While the State of Rhode Island has lifted capacity restrictions on both indoor and outdoor events, this event, held within a church building, is governed by the regulations currently in effect issued by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. Seating capacity is reduced by half, with every other row of seating roped off. Face coverings must be worn within the building by all audience members regardless of vaccination status. Performers who are not vaccinated also will wear masks.
PROGRAM AND PERFORMERS
===DAVID AMRAM 91st Birthday Concert, honoring Newport's pioneering Classical, jazz and folk festivals===
THREE CHAMBER MUSIC COMPOSITIONS by David Amram
l The Wind and the Rain for viola and piano (1959) Consuelo Sherba, Viola; Yoshiko, Kline Piano (8 minutes)
ll Prelude, Prayer and Dance for solo viola (2021) Consuelo Sherba, Viola (12 minutes)
lll Greenwich Village Portraits (2014) Ken Radnofsky alto Saxophone; Yoshiko Kline, Piano (30 minutes)
1) Macdougal Street (for Arthur Miller)
2) Bleeker Street (for Odetta)
3) Christopher Street (for Frank McCourt
INTERMISSION
lV The St. John's Adult Choir and Professional Choristers of The Choir School of Newport County
Peter Stoltzfus Berton, director and organist
1) Jubilate Deo (Psalm 100) - William Walton (1972) (3 minutes)
2) May the Words unto Thee - David Amram (1964) (2 minutes)
3) For the fallen - Douglas Guest (1971)(in memory of past musicians, especially Newport Jazz and Folk Festival Founder George Wein)(1 minute)
Amram Jazz Quartet: Kevin Twigg drums and glockenspiel; Rene Hart acoustic bass; Adam Amram Congas; David Amram piano, penny whistles, dumbek, french horn, Lakota courting flute, vocals and improvised scat.
JAZZ CLASSICS
V St Thomas by Sonny Rollins (1955) (6 minutes)
Vl Waltz for Arthur Miller's After the Fall (1964) by David Amram(8 minutes)
Vll The Old Man in the Mirror (2021) by David Amram (6 minutes)
Vlll Theme from Splendor in the Grass (1960) by David Amram (5 minutes)
FOLK CLASSICS
lX The Fox Hunt Traditional Irish Step Dance Melody (3 minutes)
X Mastinchele Wachipi Olwan Traditional Lakota Ladies Choice Round Dance Song (4 minutes)
Xl Pastures of Plenty by Woody Guthrie (6 minutes)
Xll When I'm Gone by Phil Ochs (5 minutes)
Xlll Two SHORT gems from On the Road (1957) by Jack Kerouac (5 minutes)
Narrator Adira Amram
XlV Irene Goodnight by Leadbelly, entire cast, choirs and audience sing along (7 minutes)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on DAVID AMRAM and the DOCUMENTARY FILM
His story, like his own ascribed personal drum, weaves a harmony that doesn't break down musical boundaries, it has found a way to tie everything together. It's his own singular path, and the purpose of this documentary is to give a larger stage for Davids story to continue to shine.
In his own words:
As a 9 year old living on a farm in Feasterville Pennsylvania I was taken March 28 1940 to hear Peter and the Wolf played by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski. I dreamed from that day on someday I could be a composer and even write a piece for them. This dream became a reality in 1977 when the Philadelphia Orchestra commissioned and premiered my Trail of Beauty, conducted by Stokowski's successor Eugene Ormandy. Ever since C.F. Peters became my publisher of classical concert music in 1963 all my chamber works; two operas, cantatas, concertos and symphonies have been written for what I felt was honest, musical and built to last. I have done this ever since and at 90, my music is performed around the world more than ever. Since Leonard Bernstein chose me as the the New York Philharmonic's first-ever Composer in Residence in 1966, he told me to write from the heart and to use all the influences of all the musics which had became part of my life as a performer and improviser. More than ever, I try to make each piece a personal reflection of what i have lived that has touched my heart and hopefully my compositions will make those who perform it and those who hear it feel something creative in themselves.
Among his early wanderings as an artist, David found himself in the middle of what would become acknowledged as the Beat movement. While hanging out with Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, William S. Burroughs, and Allen Ginsberg, David helped to establish the vibe of the American zeitgeist that was to come a decade after the end of WWII.
Notability writing the music for, and performing in, the film Pull My Daisy, David is likely the last surviving inside member of this artistic awakening in American culture; a tradition he continues to carry the torch for even today.
As a composer, David is a unique and ubiquitous talent. His first major career successes however were for writing scores for major Hollywood motion pictures in the 50s and 60s. Along with Pull My Daisy, Elia Kazan's Splendor in the Grass, and John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate are two examples that stand particularly tall.
David continues to be active in making music for all media formats, and most recently composed the music for New Homeland in 2018, directed by Academy Award winning documentarian Barbara Kopple.
One of the most visually stunning cities in America, Newport Rhode Island is an ideal location for capturing David's story. Home to three of the most established musical festivals in the US; The Newport Classical Music Festival, The Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival, Newport is rich in significance to both Davids musical strengths and the greater musical narrative of the country. Aside from the main birthday concert David will put on small performances around the city in places that lend themselves to his music. For example: an original composition on piano at the Breakers, a indiginous melody on an Native American flute while traversing the Cliff Walk, and of course probably at least one rendition of Pull My Daisy with obligatory penny whistles and improvised lyrics at a local bar. We hope to capture an interview with David at each performance discussing topics related to the music and what part it plays in his musical oeuvre.
Needless to say, with a career that spans seven decades David has touched a lot of lives, and made innumerable friends and acquaintances. The people in Davids life provide an important perspective that this film would be remiss to exclude. As we learn more and more about David we will film interviews and conversations along the way. This will amount (and already has) to a massive amount of content, and it wont be wasted on the cutting room floor. As much as possible anything that doesnt make it into the film will be retained as stand-alone video available on YouTube and other platforms. It will amount to an Amram Universe of content that will help round out the telling of David's large and complicated life story.
Executive Producer, Writer, Lawrence Kraman - Larry is the Director and Producer of David Amram: The First 80 Years, an acclaimed documentary about David created in 2011. Aside from making the first film about David, he has been producing Amrams music on his Grammy Award winning label, Newport Classic for the last 30 years.
Director, Dillon Poole - Dillon worked as the Editor on David Amram: The First 80 Years, and has been working as an editor and producing partner with Larry on various film project for the last decade. He returns to revisit David and his ever-evolving story as the films Director. Dillon finds Amrams indomitable spirit and unique tale to be vexing and important to share with the world.
ONLINE SALES HAVE ENDED: ADMISSION AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.
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LocationChurch of St. John the Evangelist (View)
61 Poplar Street
Newport, RI 02840
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 5 |
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: Yes! |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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Contact
Accessibility
St. John's Church is ADA accessible via a removable aluminum ramp at the corner of Washington and Willow Streets. Advance notice is required for ramp set-up.
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