Mobtown Modern

Mandala of the Four Directions

April 1, 2010, 8 p.m. @ MICA's Brown Center

Recently unearthed by Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, Erik Spangler's mythic ritual cantata for 4 singers and 4 ensembles has remained in the vaults of Langdon's own music library since 2004. Drawing upon texts from diverse world religions, united by lyric imagery of the 4 elements, Mandala of the Four Directions serves as the opening hour of an all-night musical vigil, devoted to ideas of the cosmic wheel, the cardinal directions, the four seasons, and elemental symbols.

This is a FREE event! Donations will be accepted.

Featured Composer

Take Note

    This is an outdoor concert. In the event of inclement weather, the show will take place in atrium of MICA's Brown Center and downstairs outside of Falvey Hall.

Next up...

    On May 12, Igor Stravinsky's 20th century masterwork, The Rite of Spring is given a jazz makeover by award-winning arranger Darryl Brenzel in The Rite of Swing for modern big band.

Program Details

Mandala of the Four Directions (2004) by Erik Spangler (World Premiere)
     I. Entrance Music
     II. East Invocation
     III. South Invocation
     IV. West Invocation
     V. North Invocation
     VI. “The Vigil” (Rumi)
     VII. Antiphonal Refrain 1 (Theophrastus)
     VIII. Water Interlude
     IX. Water Motet (Psalms/’Abdu’l-Baha)
     X. “Water of Life” (Revelation)
     XI. Antiphonal Refrain 2
     XII. Air Interlude
     XIII. “Mindfulness of Breathing” (Buddhaghosa)
     XIV. “The Breeze at Dawn” (Rumi)
     XV. Antiphonal Refrain 3
     XVI. Fire Interlude
     XVII. “O People of Justice” (Baha’u'llah)
     XVIII. Earth Chorale
     XIX. “Grandmother Earth” (Black Elk)
     XX. Antiphonal Refrain 4
     XXI. Climactic Interlude
     XXII. Long Healing Prayer (Baha’u'llah)
     XXIII. “How can I choose to sleep…” (Baha’u'llah)
     XXIV. Midnight Turning (with Rumi)

Featuring
Singers: Nola Richardson, soprano; Megan Ihnen, mezzo-soprano; William McCullough, tenor; Jeffrey Williams, baritone; North Ensemble: Julien Benichou, conductor; Brian Sacawa, saxophones; Jeanne Wiesman, horn; Jacqueline Pollauf, harp; Ben Beirs, guitar; Caleb Johnson, viola; Domenica Romagni, cello; Joel Ciaccio, double bass; West Ensemble: Ruben Capriles, conductor; Lauren Rester, John Blair, Jennifer Everhart, Chad Maritin, clarinets; Chris Taylor, percussion; East Ensemble: Takuya Nishiwaki, conductor; Phillip Johnson, Ward Yager, trumpets; Bob Cherry, horn; Aaron Kadrmas, trombone; Scott Cameron, tuba; Paul Neidhart, percussion; South Ensemble: Brandon Keith Brown, conductor; Martha Morrison, Ruby Fulton, violins; Sarah Lowenstein, viola; Rachel Hsieh, cello; Janet Kuperstein, accordion; Neil Gladd, mandolin; Nathan Ellman-Bell, percussion; DJ Dubble8, electronic mixing; Michele Clark, choreography; Jon Bevers, video production; Jon Bevers, Haniya Rae, Kristin McWharter, and Lara Antal, production

Complete Vigil Schedule

9:00 p.m. Drum Circle (Center) + DJ Dubble8 (North) [open mics in East & West, until 10:40 p.m.]

9:20 p.m. Drum Circle + DJ Dubble8 (North) & jason.sloan (South)

9:40 p.m. Drum Circle + jason.sloan (South)

10:00 p.m. Drum Circle + Fasimbas Dub Sound (North)

10:20 p.m. Drum Circle + Fasimbas Dub Sound (North) & Faith in the Glitch (South)

10:40 p.m. Drum Circle + Faith in the Glitch (South) & VEKTR (East)

11:00 p.m. Carbyn w/ Dubble8, Bethany Dinsick & Adam Hopkins (North, South, East, West)

11:20 p.m. Out Of Your Head (North, South, East, West)

11:40 p.m. Microkingdom (North)

12 a.m. Jason Ressler (West)
[DOWNTEMPO & AMBIENT SETS by MICA students in Live Electronic Music,
until 6:50 AM]
Video by Patrick Wright’s Electronic Media and Culture Class

12:20 a.m. Maureen Sullivan (East)

12:40 a.m. Matt Tabin (South)

1:00 a.m. Ryan Soper (North)

1:20 a.m. Peter Brown (East)

1:40 a.m. Niv Bavarsky (West)

2:00 a.m. Alisa Alig and Renee Clark (North)

2:20 a.m. Cam Floyd (South)

2:40 a.m. Anna Obikane (East)

3:00 a.m. Tyler Naugle (North)

3:20 a.m. Michael Maher (West)

3:40 a.m. Alisa Alig and Renee Clark (East)

4:00 a.m. Nick Krus (South)

4:20 a.m. Amy Reid (West)

4:40 a.m. Ben Luce (North)

5:00 a.m. Eric Bos (South)

5:20 a.m. Neil Sanzgiri (North)

5:40 a.m. -antiphonal improv groups-

6:50 a.m. [sunrise] end