Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Clarinetist Marcus Eley to Perform at Prestigious Beethovenfest Bonn in September; One Evening Will Be Devoted to Music of African-American Composers

But Not Forgotten: Music by African-American Composers for Clarinet & Piano; Marcus Eley, clarinet; Lucerne DeSa, piano; Sono Luminus DSL-92156

Clarinetist Marcus Eley sends this release:


March 4, 2015 --- Los Angeles, CA

Clarinetist Marcus Eley has accepted an invitation to perform a recital at the Beethovenfest Bonn in Germany in late September. His program will feature the music of African-American composers for clarinet and piano. Collaborating on this recital with him will be his pianist, Lucerne DeSa.
“Ms. DeSa and I have had the unique privilege of performing and recording the repertoire of African-American composers for many years. The invitation to perform at the prestigious Beethovenfest Bonn is a distinct honor.”
“This 2015 festival will have three evenings called “Chamber Music of the World”. I am pleased to program a recital featuring African-American composers on one of the evenings. Also, I like the idea,” Dr. Tilman Schloemp, Head of Artistic Management. “The Beethoven Festival Bonn, in the name and in honour of Ludwig van Beethoven, has been very successfully established on a high artistic level since its reintroduction in 1999. There is no other Beethoven Festival in the world, apart from that in Bonn that has the same standard of authenticity.”
Marcus Eley is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music in clarinet. He has performed as a soloist with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (Germany), the Louisville Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Edmonton (Canada) Wind Sinfonia and the National Army Military Band of the People’s Republic of China (Beijing). Eley has served as Dean of Students at the New England Conservatory, Assistant (Adjunct) Professor of Music (Clarinet) at California State University Los Angeles and Marketing Projects Specialist/Artist Relations for Rico International.
In 2012, record company, Sono Luminus released Eley and DeSa’s second CD (DSL-92156), But Not Forgotten: Music by African-American Composers for Clarinet and Piano. Lawrence Vittes, CD reviewer for Gramophone magazine said, “(Eley) applies his pure, limpid tone eloquently in music of a varied range of styles.” Steve Arloff, MusicWeb International cites, “… a disc of pure unalloyed joy.” The Listener (Germany), Rainer Aschemeier exclaims, “Wow!’ What a beautiful, varied CD! This CD has succeeded in its well chosen repertoire, as well as interpretation and sound.” “Marcus Eley knows when and how to make the clarinet charm, dance, sing and cry. – Jean Yves Dupperon, Classical Music Sentinel.
In 2015, the Beethovenfest Bonn takes place from September 4th until October 4th hosting up to 2200 artists presented in 120 concerts and events.

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Comments by email:

1) BRAVO!  Now what will you play?  Dominique-René de Lerma


2) Congratulations for being invited to the festival and sharing music by composers of African descent.  [John Malveaux]

3)  Thank you for posting the press release.  All the Best.  Marcus  [Marcus Eley]

4)  Bill, I look forward to seeing the programme when it is published in April. Marcus is exceptionally musical understanding of the works I have heard on his CD and on ‘You tube’. I am at a loss as to why the big recording companies have not signed him up. Surely, his talent exceeds that of many ‘well known’ artists that have big contracts but often fail to deliver anything more than a routine performance. Music is much more than ‘getting the notes right’ and use whatever technology is on hand to achieve that. A live performance by an exceptional musician can be ‘magic’ and I believe that whatever he plays at Bonn, it will be a very, very special musical event.  I hope that someone has the initiative to release a live recording so that the world can hear more. I also hope that his arrangement of William Grant Still’s ‘Romance’ (originally for saxophone) is performed. It is my view that Marcus’ recording of this work inspirational.  Kind regards  Mike  [Michael S. Wright]

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