By the way, if you haven’t signed up to my mailing list yet, please do so. I’ll send around a notice once the recording is ready. And hopefully you will be able to come to one of the many concerts that we are planning as well!

– Seda

If you would like to learn more about “Listening to Istanbul” here is a video in which I introduce the project. To stay informed about the upcoming CD and the concerts simply sign up for my newsletter or visit us on http://www.newmusicistanbul.com!

This video and many other videos about the project are also available on Listening to Istanbul Website, and on Youtube.

Thanks for watching!

if you missed the HYDRA concert on December 11, here you can watch the video of our performance (with Sam Solomon on percussion). Even if this video cannot capture the effect of the electronics with 32 loudspeakers I guess it will still stimulate your appetite for the next HYDRA series. I hope you enjoy the video of Winternacht as much as we enjoyed performing it! Let us know what you think!

Best,
Seda

Yesterday, my friend Mike Einziger from Harvard, invited me to the Incubus show at the Comcast Center in Boston! It was a great show! Here are some images of me and the band from the backstage area! I hope you enjoy them!

– Seda

That’s me and Mike Einziger before the show:

Picture of Mike “Veritas” Einziger in action:

With band manager Steve and DJ Chris Kilmore, who used a ring modulator!! :

With Mike after the show:

Here are some interesting links that might help you while digging deeper into the material:

• Karlheinz Stockhausen Official Website

What is … ?

• Open Form
• Twelve-tone Technique
  
• Total Serialism
  
• Fibonacci Sequence

I hope you like this episode. As always, please feel free to post any comments or questions you might have, either below in the comment field or via email to seda@sedaroeder.com.

Have fun!

– Seda

How can I get the podcast delivered automatically in the future?

You can also check out the pre-concert podcast that Tolga and I produced for this performance. It contains a lot of background information and some suggestions on how to approach the listening experience!

About the composition

“In the temporal gardens was written for and is dedicated to Seda Röder. This piece, which takes its title from a poem by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, explores Bergson’s idea of material and intuition by reflecting two contrasting experiences of reality. In the piece, this dichotomy manifests itself in various ways and constitutes the backdrop of a dialectic unfolding. The composition is really about the dialectic relationship between various musical layers which are spread throughout the piece both vertically and horizontally.”
– Tolga Yayalar

“A extended work of ferocious difficulty”
– Drew Massey, amusicology

About the composer

A native of Istanbul, Tolga Yayalar studied Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music. He is currently a PhD candidate at Harvard University. He has studied with Bernard Rands, Harrison Birtwistle, Joshua Fineberg, Brian Ferneyhough, and Helmut Lachenmann.

For more information visit Tolga’s website.

The Blackbox #001 features a conversation with the Turkish composer Tolga Yayalar on his solo piano piece “in the temporal gardens” which he dedicated to me. In this episode we talk about Tolga’s intention in composing this piece and what the particular challenges in writing for piano are. In addition, I also play specific musical examples that highlight certain aspects we discuss.

The world premiere of “in the temporal gardens” will take place at the next HGNM concert on April 25 at Harvard University.

Tolga and I would be more than happy to hear any comments, or answer all of your questions. Just post them as a comment on my website or email me at seda@sedaroeder.com.

I hope to see you at the concert!
Seda

How can I get the podcast?

Enjoy the music!

As we have already mentioned, in early January Seda was featured on Acik Radyo, Turkey’s most-renowned independent radio station. During the show “Farazi – Hypothetical,” which is hosted by Yaprak Melike Uyar, Seda talked about her new album “Mozart.Brahms.Berg“, the contemporary music scene in Turkey, as well as her upcoming projects. For those of you who had to miss the live broadcast we just finished uploading a recording of the show.

Press the play button to listen to the show

[Please press the play button to listen to the music]

Composed late in his life, the Six Pieces for Piano op. 118 by Johannes Brahms constitute a turning point in the history of piano music. On the one hand this collection of short pieces adheres to traditional forms and structures. On the other hand, however, Brahms explores novel sonorities and new methods of developing musical material that paved the way for the music of the 2nd Viennese School in the beginning of the 20th century.

Seda has recorded these wonderful pieces earlier this year at Harvard University, and her interpretation of Brahms’ masterpieces will be published on a forthcoming CD along with Alban Berg’s Sonata op. 1 and Mozart’s Sonata in F major, K. 280.

As a preview of the forthcoming CD we present to you a section of the third piece in the cycle, the Ballade in g minor. We hope you enjoy the music! If you would like to order Seda’s CD please contact us at info@sedaroeder.com.

To receive information about upcoming performances, please subscribe to Seda’s newsletter.