News

Composer for John J. King’s “The Mementi Mori of Edward Gorey”

This entry was posted in new works on July 19, 2021 by marybichner

Mary is delighted to announce that she has just completed composing the music for THE MEMENTI MORI OF EDWARD GOREY, a shuffle play by John J. King inspired by the life and work of Edward St. John Gorey (1925-2000). The play consists of thirteen vignettes, each of a different genre that Gorey loved: from opera and ballet to hand puppets and silent film. For each performance, several sketches are selected and ordered by an audience volunteer – Tarot card reading style – resulting in a new performance each night. By casting nine actors as different versions of the artist, MEMENTI MORI explores the spectrum and fluidity of identity, artistry, and personhood, through a life.

Selected vignettes from MEMENTI MORI include:

*”Oh, the OF It All!”: A 10-12min orchestral ballet work celebrating Gorey’s obsession for the New York City Ballet and its legendary choreographer, George Balanchine. Orchestrated for 2 flutes (flute + flute/piccolo), 2 oboes (oboe + oboe/English horn), 2 clarinets (clarinet + bass clarinet), 2 bassoons (bassoon + bassoon/contrabassoon), 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones (2 tenor + 1 bass), tuba, timpani, percussion (snare drum, triangle, gong), piano, celesta, harp, and string orchestra.

*Fair Isle: A 12-15min orchestral opera work that tells the tale of Ted (Edward Gorey) and Tom, two friends in the midst of a month-long trip through the Scottish Isles. With Tom, Ted’s heart swells like a storming sea, but – as Ted searches for the right words – Tom’s feelings remain firmly planted on earthy matters. Orchestrated for: “Ted” (tenor vocalist, OR any singer with a range of D#3-A4), “Tom” (bass-baritone vocalist, OR any singer with range of either E2–E4 or A2–E4 [with five optional F#2+E2 notes]), “The Porter” (mezzo-soprano vocalist, OR any singer with a range of E#4-D#5), 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, timpani, harpsichord, and string orchestra.

Mary composed the bulk of MEMENTI MORI’s music from April 2020 to May 2021, and is currently putting the finishing touches on the score’s orchestration.

While originally intended as an evening-length theatre work, the individual scenes are also able to be performed as self-contained, stand-alone works of approximately 10-15 minutes each. For inquiries, please contact John or Mary at:

John J. King: jjk [at] j-rexplays [dot] com
Mary Bichner: info [at] marybichner [dot] com

Thank you so much to John King for inviting Mary to take part in this incredible project! More information will be available soon, so please stay tuned!

String Quartet Compositions Now in the Sheet Music Shop

This entry was posted in sheet music site updates on July 14, 2021 by marybichner

Greetings all! <3 Just a little note to let you know that Mary's string quartet-based compositions, for both traditional string quartet AND double-viola string quartet, are now available in the Sheet Music Shop. You can browse the string quartet scores -- as well as Mary's works for solo vocalist, vocal trio, and vocalist/piano -- by visiting the following link:

https://www.marybichner.com/shop/

All scores are pay-what-you-wish. If you end up programming any of the works into your ensemble’s concert season, please do let Mary know! <3

Mary’s orchestra scores will be slowly added over the rest of 2021. In the meantime, if there is a piece of Mary’s currently not listed in the shop that you’d like a copy of, please send her an email!

Thank you to one and all and wishing you a string-filled summer!

Christina Goh’s “Ut Fortis” Project in French Newspaper La Nouvelle République; Concert Rebroadcast by TV Tours Val de Loire on July 11th

This entry was posted in performances press recordings travelogue on June 29, 2021 by marybichner

On June 23rd 2021, the French newspaper La Nouvelle République published a write-up on Christina Goh’s powerful and meaningful live concert centered on the topic of suicide prevention, the “Ut Fortis” project. Mary is honored to be mentioned in the article, which discusses “Ut Fortis” as well as Christina’s and Mary’s music work together.

Here a link to the original article in French:
https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/tours/musique-en-couleur-pour-prevenir-le-suicide

And here is an English translation of the article:

“On June 9, the VIES 37 network (Living and intervening together in the face of suicide) organized a masterclass at the Institut de Touraine with Mary Bichner, guest composer of the Ut Fortis artistic project. Originally from Boston, she is the author of the Synesthesia Suite, with the Boston Museum of Sciences, and the composer of the opera The Memoirs of Antonina on Queen Marie Antoinette. In this context, a series of poetry workshops were conducted by the poet Christina Goh, initiator of Ut Fortis, with the students of the Institute. This is the first time that they have been together on stage in France, brought together by this solidarity project for suicide prevention. Colors are everywhere in the creations of Mary Bichner, synaesthete, synaesthesia being that particularity that allows some people to “see” music, to associate letters or tastes with colors. The final show will be broadcast in July, and from September, made available free of charge and on request to structures that so wish. — http://www.utfortis.com“

As mentioned in the write-up, a televised re-broadcast of the concert will air on TV Tours Val de Loire on Sunday, July 11th at 2:45PM Eastern Time [ET] / 8:45PM Central European Summer Time [CEST]; featuring performances by Christina Goh, Catherine Capozzi, Gotham Aymar, G.K, Les Passeurs de Legendes, Maxime Perrin, Noah Preminger, Jacques Moury Beauchamp, and Mary Bichner. You’ll be able to stream the broadcast on July 11th @ 2:45PM ET / 8:45PM CEST via TVTours website right here:

https://www.tvtours.fr/

Thank you so much to La Nouvelle République for this article, and for spreading the word about “Ut Fortis”! And thank you so much to TV Tours Val de Loire for bringing “Ut Fortis” to the airwaves — we hope you will join us for the broadcast!

Travelogue: Ut Fortis Concert June 11, Institut de Touraine Masterclass June 9, and Studio Concept Prod Recording Session June 8 in Tours, France

This entry was posted in performances recordings travelogue on June 25, 2021 by marybichner

(“Ut Fortis” Concert Finale / Photo by: Sabine Soury-Poussard)

From June 5th-13th 2021, Mary was honored to visit the city of Tours, France to perform in composer Christina Goh’s Ut Fortis concert; a multi-media, multi-artist event centered on the important topic of suicide prevention. While in Tours, Mary was also honored to give a presentation of her work at the Institut de Touraine as part of their masterclass series, as well as record vocals for the Christina Goh song “Ut Fortis” at David Perraudin’s Studio Concept Prod. Here are some photos from the week:

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JUNE 8TH, 2021: “UT FORTIS” RECORDING SESSION AT DAVID PERRAUDIN’S STUDIO CONCEPT PROD:

(Christina Goh records the French-language verse of her composition, “Ut Fortis”)

(Mary records the English-language verse of the Christina Goh composition, “Ut Fortis”)

(A post-recording session selfie with Julien Legado, Gotham Aymar, David Perraudin, and Christina Goh!)

JUNE 9TH, 2021: “COMPOSITION AND SYNESTHESIA” MASTERCLASS PRESENTATION AT THE INSTITUT DE TOURAINE

(Top photo: Mary meets with the Institut’s president, Thierry Peltreau / Middle photo: Masterclass at the Institut de Touraine / Bottom photo: A post-event party with new friends at the Institut!)

JUNE 11TH, 2021: “UT FORTIS” CONCERT AT THE UNIVERSITÉ DE TOURS