Noble Accents

There was another pleasant surprise in last week's Grammy nomination announcement - six old friends of mine who make up a ridiculously innovative chamber ensemble called eighth blackbird got a nod for their latest CD, strange imaginary animals. (One of the pieces on the album, Zaka, by composer Jennifer Higdon, is also up for Best Contemporary Composition.)

It's hard to describe exactly what the blackbirds do on stage, because it's almost completely unlike what anyone else in the business is doing. But I've been watching them do it since we were all in college together, and every time I see them perform, I wonder how it's possible that anyone could make the most complex pieces of new music as accessible and immediately engaging as they do.



It's also difficult to express just how mind-blowingly hard it is to play music the way the blackbirds play it: memorizing impossibly difficult scores, adding subtle (or not-so-subtle) bits of choreography to emphasize the barest nuances within the music, and in effect, giving the audience a complete sensory experience rather than just an aural one. It's an approach that requires almost superhuman patience and dedication, and a commitment to teamwork far beyond that needed for an average chamber ensemble. It's the kind of grind that usually leads idealistic young musicians to burn out and disband within a few years. But the blackbirds have been together for over a decade now, and five of the original six members are still with the group. I know from conversations I've had with them that it hasn't always been easy, but this is a group that really believes passionately in what they're doing, and that enthusiasm is infectious. If you get the chance to see them live, (especially if you've never yet heard a piece of new music you liked,) seize it. I promise you won't be sorry...