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SOMNA M. BULIST
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Collaboration |
 
2010 An Evening of New Music by Ben Richter and Somna M. Bulist Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 8:00 pm The Gershwin Hotel performance series, hosted by Neke Carson and Michael Wiener, presents a concert of new music Saturday, June 12, at 8:00 pm, featuring compositions by Ben Richter and Somna M. Bulist, including several world premieres and recent works for harp, accordion, and chamber ensemble. Three new works for harp will be performed by Ms. Bulist, including two of her own compositions - Campbell's Soup (2008) and I Thank The Sea For The Gifts She Gives Me (2008-2010) - and the world premiere of Ben Richter's The Elementals for microtonal harp. Ms. Bulist and Mr. Richter will open the evening with a duo performance of Bulist's Brillo (2002) for harp and accordion. In addition to The Elementals, Mr. Richter will present three ensemble works and a work for violin solo. World premieres include Song of Lost Jerusalem for soprano voice, banjo, accordion, flute, viola, and cello, There Is A Void Outside Of Existence Which If Entered Into Englobes Itself And Becomes A Womb (2008-2009) for clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and piano, and Göbekli Hymn (2009) for violin solo. The evening will feature performances by Somna M. Bulist (harp), Emily Kalish (violin), Siobhan Solberg (viola), Alysha Glenn (cello), Shiau-uen Ding (piano), Jennifer Winn (soprano), Melinda Ryan (flute), Daniel Whitener (banjo), Ben Richter (accordion), and Zara Acosta (clarinet). Composer biographies: Ben Richter is a composer and accordionist from New England. Before being admitted to the Royal Conservatory of the Hague in the Netherlands, where he is currently enrolled, he studied composition at Bard College with Joan Tower, George Tsontakis, Kyle Gann, and Keith Fitch, graduating in 2008. While at Bard, he also received private instruction in accordion with avant-garde composer and accordionist Pauline Oliveros, and performed in a klezmer ensemble led by David Krakauer. Ensembles who have recently performed Ben Richter's music include the American Symphony Orchestra with conductor Leon Botstein, the Da Capo Chamber Players, the New York Miniaturist Ensemble, the Colorado Quartet, and the Portland Saw Orchestra. He has prepared musical scores for films including Untitled Chapters, The Dresden Dolls: Paradise, The Abyss Gazes Also, and Learning from James, and sound installations for video and sculpture projects at Bard College and ZKM Karlsruhe, Germany. His piece "The Center of The World" is currently featured in an exhibit on Music and Science Fiction at the Maison d'Ailleurs, "Museum of Science Fiction, Utopia, and Extraordinary Journeys", in Yverdon-les-bains, Switzerland. As a performer, Mr. Richter has appeared with bands such as The Land of Dreams, The Dresden Dolls, Over A Cardboard Sea, Dog on Fleas, The Aboriginals, and Wingnut Dishwashers Union, and in the productions of the Surrealist Training Circus, of which he was musical director from 2004–2008. Since 2009, he has been Master Teacher of Instrumental Composition at the Young People's Institute. Harpist and composer Somna M. Bulist is a 2006 ASCAPLUS award recipient for performances of her original compositions all over New York City in such unlikely places as Webster Hall (Zenwarp's The Lord of The Rings Two Tower Ball), CBGBs, and a New York Vampyre Society. Ms. Bulist is a veteran of three Fringe Festivals, including the 1998 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, where she performed her original work for solo harp, The FAERYE Invocations, and, in the same year, a selection of the pieces were released on her debut CD, Invocations FAERYE. She premiered her situational work in tribute to the millennium, 44 minutes on the flatline_A Cry for the Millennium, at the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival, a production of The Present Company. In 2001, her third Philadelphia Fringe Festival presentation, Bulist performed her dark wave opera Valentine Stigmata, which was also released on CD. Ms. Bulist studied harp with Lucile Lawrence and completed coursework at the Mannes School of Music and the Delcroze School of Music in New York City. www.benrichtermusic.com www.jenniferwinn.com www.shiauuending.com www.siobhansolberg.com www.danwhitenermusic.com Concert Program for June 12, 2010 Link to video here |
 
2006 Wrequiem by Armen Ra La Mama, NYC, on January 23rd at 8:00 pm Wrequiem, an extraordinary, moving, and virtuosic music/performance work conducted and constructed by latter-day theremin doyen Armen Ra, and countertenor phenomenon Benjamin Marcantoni, receives a one-night-only presentation at La Mama on Jan. 23 at 8:00 p.m. A musical and poetic expression of madness, solitude and enlightenment, Wrequiem is a supremely evocative work that draws from the remnants of nearly-lost cultures as well as touching on then resonances of the European Romantic/classical tradition, American popular culture, and high camp. From its opening moments, in which Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's "Over the Rainbow" is given an absolutely otherworldly treatment by Karen LeBlanc on the musical saw, up to and beyond Ra's own virtuosic theremin renditions of sacred Armenian melodies, accompanied by the enchanting Somna M. Bulist on the harp, the theme of an ever-more-desperate desire for a home‹not just a physical dwelling but a spiritual and psychological one‹reaches dimensions that transcend the physically modest design of the production. Weaving texts from Kahlil Gibran's The Madman (read by Kembra Pfahler, Donna D'Cruz and special guests) with Ra's own compositions as well as pieces by Verdi ("La Vergine degli angeli," sung by extraordinary countertenor Benjamin Marcantoni) and Massenet (Ra's treatment of the latter's "Meditation" on the theremin can only be called virtuosic), Wrequiem creates a powerful spell, fueled by the emotional commitment, eclectic sensibility, and painstaking craftsmanship of its creator. Elements of religious ritual bring the piece to a shattering but strangely hopeful conclusion. Much of Wrequiem's power is attributable to Ra's incredible command of the theremin, the unusual electronic instrument on which the player creates sound by seemingly manipulating the air around the instrument. Most familiar to mainstream listeners as the source of the "weird" sounds heard on the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" and in countless '50s sci-fi films, the theremin has an expressive potential that is only now being fully explored by a small but dedicated band of visionary musicians. Ra‹whose visual presentation (he is often bedecked in jewelry of his own design) is a dazzling as his musical talent‹ is at the forefront of that group, and Wrequiem is just one powerful example of his overall vision as both a creator and performer. ARMEN RA is an Armenian performer born in Tehran Iran. Raised by a concert pianist mother and aunt a renowned opera singer and Ikebana master, it was no surprise that Armen flourished, not only as one of New York's leading aesthetes, but also as a self-taught master of the theremin . By combining both the visual and aural aspects of his craft, Armen Ra has developed an art form that is truly his own and is something quite amazing to behold. Fusing Armenian folk music with modern instrumentation, along with melodic lounge standard's and classical arias.His unique and elegant recitals transport the listener to a time and place of beauty, emotional healing, and of course sacred glamour. CBGB's, Knitting Factory, Fez, La Mama,etc... Featured on and appeared in: CNN, HBO, MTV, VOGUE, NY TIMES, NY POST, VILLAGE VOICE, ROLLING STONE, and so on... "Am I scaring you?" he asked the crowd, which had been lulled into such a trance they weren't even cruising each other. It was spooky and fabulous - Michael Musto |
2005 New York Harp Consortium Concert at the Gershwin Hotel TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2005 presented by Neke Carson in association with Michael Wiener Live in the Living Room at the Gershwin Hotel Hoping to shed their angel wings (or maybe just wear them in defiance?) three harpists- Somna Bulist, Shelley Burgon, and Mia Theodoratus- have joined forces to bring an evening of outsider music to NYC audiences. The night will be at the acclaimed Gershwin Theater on Tuesday, May 3rd at 8pm. All three harpists play the harp in nontraditional venues, performance, and mediums. Somna is a veteran of three Fringe Festivals-”FAERYE Invocations”, 1998 in Philly, “44 Minutes on the Flatline-A Cry for the Millennium”, 1999 NYC, and “Valentine Stigmata” 2001 Philly. Her original compositions can be heard all over NYC is such unlikely places as Webster Hall (Zenwarp’s The Lord of The Rings Two Tower Ball), CBGB’s, and a New York Vampyre Society. She has BFA from Pratt Institute and has studied with the legendary Lucile Lawrence. Shelley plays free improvised jazz in venues all over NYC like Tonic, Barbes and the Bowery Poetry Club. Her most noted group is a duo with Trevor Dunn. She has also played with Fred Frith, Brett Larner (koto) and Butch Morris. Shelley received her MFA from Mills College. Mia is an awarding winning classical harpist having placed second at the American Harp Society Competition. She is accomplished in a range of musical styles, playing rock with a 20-piece band the Ambitious Orchestra, a Celtic/Raga based duo DreamTal with Nick Smith (Swirl on Ni records, 2005 Compilation on Hey Day Records, and Joy For the Climb on NM records 2005), free jazz with Hanuman Group (Rent Control Records), and strolling as the angry angel. Notable past performances include The Oedipus Plays with Michael Kahn, Avery Brooks, Baikida Carol, Arcadia! The Art Maker Tarot with Chi Chi Valenti/Jackie Factory, Scottie the Blue Bunny at Carnegie Hall, and Catherine Sullivan’s The Ice Floes of Franz Joeseph Land. Festivals include the Visions, Azalea Cape Fear, NC, World Turning and JVC Jazz. She has a BFA from UT Austin, TX and a MFA from CALARTS in harp performance. The program will contain premieres of Somna’s “Folkart Songs”, a work for harp and computer by Shelley and a planned improvisation by Mia with Butoh dancer Katherine Adamenko. Our goal is to present a fascinating soire of harp without having to go to a wedding or eat crumpets! photos of Mia and Somna by Christopher D. Moore |
2004 Musical Tribute to Ancient Egypt by Jezibell Presented by Neke Carson in association with Michael Wiener Live in the Living Room at the Gershwin Hotel Jezibell, Dumbek, vocals, dance Somna M. Bulist, Harp, vocals Kai Mera, Flute, vocals Introduction by Jezibell: All songs written by Jezibell, except Mighty One and the Osiris Suite melodies by Somna M. Bulist. Harp and flute instruments were developed by Somna and Kai Mera. Unfortunately we don’t know exactly how ancient Egyptian music sounded, but instruments included the harp, flute and drum as well as the rattling percussion instrument known as the sistrum. Probably best classified in the world/folk vein, this body of material was inspired by respect for the ancient culture and influenced by modern Arabic music. Jezibell is a writer, singer, drummer, actress and bellydancer who has performed in a variety of venues and productions throughout the New York metro area, including Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, the Knitting Factory, and the Renaissance Festival. She wrote, directed, choreographed, and performed in Inanna, Journey of Darkness and Light, a Pagan musical theatre production, and recently appeared in Ankhst at the 2005 Fringe Festival. For more information, visit www.joeandjezibell.net. more information about Jezibell's TRIBUTE |
Valentine Stigmata at the 2001 Philadelphia Fringe Festival Somna M. Bulist and Friends Return to the Philadelphia Fringe Festival With the world premier of Valentine Stigmata, a dark-wave opera by Somna M. Bulist. August 2001 In her third Philadelphia Fringe Festival presentation, harpist Somna M. Bulist explores the notions of symbol and archetype with the strangely phosphorescent Valentine Stigmata. The three-part, dark-wave opera melds electro-acoustic harp, ethereal soprano vocals and electronic sound into a haunting journey fueled by music inspired by ceremonial Qabalist chant. The story: It is a mournful time, a time of deep slumbering, sleep. The ceremony has begun. Invocations to the Divine are performed. Breath of the Archangels bellows forth. Lilly sings to the Four Corners. The Middle Pillar begins. The Fringe phenomenon has grown to be an anticipated event in Philadelphia. Since beginning in 1997, the Fringe has tripled in size, and has attracted tremendous attention, support and community involvement. Local, national and international artists perform a full spectrum of colorful work that falls within, between and sometimes beyond the standard categories of theater, dance performance art, music, poetry and puppetry. Audience members jam into unusual performance spaces in Old City -an abandoned car, a warehouse, an upscale restaurant and a downtown home diner. They view unique performances, then stroll through galleries, enjoy street entertainers and patronize Old City's bars and restaurants. In 2000, the Fringe attracted over 32,000 attends. Over 200 artists and companies performed more that 500 performances in over 35 venues, all within walking distance of each other. The 2001 Festival will take place August 31-September 15, 2001. This will be the second year that Bulist will perform in an outdoor venue at the Fringe. Her situational work from 1999, 44 minutes on the flatine_A Cry for the Millenium, was presented in an alleyway on the day after a hurricane passed through the city. In her 1998 Fringe presentation of The FAERYE Invocations, Somna M. Bulist made her first public appearance, by candlelight. This year Bulist includes a company of compatriots in the world premier of Valentine Stigmata. Returning to the Fringe for her second time is vocalist, Haley Alexandra Saba aka, Lillian deNile who made her Fringe debut as Lilly of the Valley in Bulist's 1999 performance of 44 minutes on the flatline_A Cry for the Millennium. Ms. deNile is the featured soprano on the Valentine Stigmata demo CD. The Celestial Deities are coming. Gene Fenton's papier mache creations depict the Chinese mythical Guardians of the Four Corners, the Blue Dragon of the East, White Tiger of the West, Red Phoenix of the South and Black Tortoise of the North. Please don't miss this colorful cast.    
A preview of Valentine Stigmata was presented in Pittsburgh at the 2001 WOMEN'S WORK, "a festival of exciting new works by women". Bulist was one of fifteen local artists and two regional artists who presented a short performance of a new work. "The performance opens with a mini-opera, "Valentine Stigmata" (think Laurie Anderson, not Handel), played on electric harp with vocals by Mary Elise Grandelis. It's haunting tones fill the space, surrounding the audience. It made images flash through my mind from memories and dreams, and not all of them were pleasant." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Biographies Somna M. Bulist is a conceptual artist in musical form and an accomplished electro-acoustic harp soloist. A Chinese-American denizen of Pennsylvania, Somna-nee Wendy Renee Fong- is graduate of Pratt Institute, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors, and was awarded a Ford Foundation Scholarship, for her work in photography. Somna began and continued harp study with the renowned harpist and innovator, Lucile Lawrence, and completed coursework at the Mannes School of Music and the Delcroze School of Music, in New York City. Ms. Bulist, an advocate of the electro-acoustic harp, has embraced extended techniques and experiments in electronic processing and composes under her pseudonym, Somna M. Bulist. She made her first public appearance at the 1998 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, where she performed her original work for solo harp, The FAERYE Invocations, and, in the same year, a selection of the pieces were released on her debut CD, Invocations FAERYE. She premiered her situational work in tribute to the millennium, 44 minutes on the flatline_A Cry for the Millennium, at the 1999 New York International Fringe Festival, a production of The Present Company. She is a member of The American Harp Society. Fans often ask Somna about the derivation of her pen name. "It comes from the word somnambulist which means dreamwalker. It represents a state of mind for which I have a special affinity." Lillian deNile 
Haley Alexandra Saba is a senior at Greensburg Salem where she has participated for four years in school musicals, one-act play competitions, vocal ensemble, and in the last year received the "Best Witness Award" at the Mock Trial State Competition. Miss Saba has also been performing in collaboration with Somna M. Bulist under the pseudonyms Lilly of the Valley and Lillian deNile. Lilly made her debut at the 1999 Philadelphia Fringe Festival and has since appeared at First Night Pittsburgh 2000 and LiveArt2000 at Metropol, as well as various private engagements. Saba has attended two six-week summer acting programs. The first in 1998 at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York City campus and the latest in 2000 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She has studied voice privately for four years with Cheryl Shenefelt and has trained in piano in the Suzuki School of Music and privately with David Volker.
Gene Fenton is a fine artist working in papier mache. He lives in Indiana Pennsylvania and exhibits extensively in the Pittsburgh area. He is an award winning sculptor, receiving his BA in Sculpture and Printmaking from Indiana University of PA and his Masters of Sculpture from Long Island University in New York. Please take a moment to visit Gene Fenton's Web site at www.genefenton.com for the latest in his Scream Queen Series and many exhibits in the Pittsburgh area. |