Outside the windows, it was just a typical rainy day in New York, but behind closed doors of the Bohemian National Hall in Manhattan, an evening that was exceptional in so many ways took place. As I sat down in the front row across from a large orchestra before the start, a whole generation of American avant-gardes in music gradually sat down next to me.
The Czech Center New York made history yesterday, and thank goodness someone was there to film and photograph it all with at least one music historian present.
Compositions by five American composers were played, three of whom attended the event in person: Christian Wolff, then Phill Niblock, and of course Petr Kotík, who prepared and conducted the entire musical evening of The American Avant-Garde.
Before Phill Niblock's opening minimalist composition, the violinist of the S.E.M. Ensemble, Liuh-Wen Ting, came to me and said, “Just watch, the first piece is 21 minutes long and the entire large orchestra will play it on the exact same note.” I thought maybe I had misheard her, but then I heard an incredible, chromatic, and emotional piece reminiscent of Andy Warhol's endless footage. To hear such a moving work, and in the presence of the composer no less, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The S.E.M. Ensemble orchestra itself, which is now filled by young musicians, dates back in history to the golden era of this now older generation of composers, who have worked together in the States since the latter half of the 20th century. Every other player in the orchestra had joined Petr Kotík at some point during the New Music Days in Ostrava.
I'm heading for breakfast now in the New York rain with one of the two female Czech soloists from this extraordinary evening: violin virtuoso Hana Kotková. Just like yesterday and on Friday while having my morning coffee, I'll be talking about this music, the composers of the group surrounding John Cage, and the musicians who managed to live up to their own artistic intentions.
Even yesterday, we learned that New Music is not for everyone. Even for me, it's not your everyday music. But it instills an even longer impression in us all. I am, thus, overjoyed that this concert was played at "my" Czech Center in New York City.
Despite the unwelcoming weather outside, the BNH welcomed through its doors 150 concertgoers, who braved the storm to witness such a memorable cultural event.
Miroslav Konvalina, Director, Czech Center New York, October 25, 2021
