WildCello Newsletter August 2008

 

 

* The Improv!

* Tour Schedule

* The Endpin! This month: Truly Transformational Cello Music!

                                                               

                                                      ***

 

* Improv

 

Recording this month's improv took very little time - once I realized how to approach it. In the past, when I have used audio clips of voices, the clips have always been put on after the music. In this case, the clips were compiled first, and the challenge was improvising music which fit them. After a couple of attempts, nothing was really working, until it occurred to me last night that Obama's Germany speech had a bit in it which was not only nicely in tune, but also in time. Never thought I'd be tuning my A string to the phrase "save this planet", spoken by an American politician!

 

So here it is, raw, rough & ready for the world - or at least the subscribers to the WCN!

 

A special shout to out to my friend Julian Levy, who spent a bunch of time editing the first version of this improv.

 

To warm up to, wade into, & sample the wares of this wailing wave of wacked-out, waxing wank, waltz your way to "this month's improv", or, walk over to: http://www.wildcellist.com/improv_of_the_month.html

 

                                               

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* Tour Schedule

 

(All dates are solo performances unless otherwise specified)

 

I am gigging more these days, however for the near future they are mostly private functions, except for:

 

Aug 23 (early aft time TBA)

Bowen Island, BC

Bowfest (community fair)

 

http://www.bowfest.info/Bowfest_2008/Bowfest_buzz/Bowfest_buzz.html

 

oh and & this, which isn't a solo cello performance, but still really cool:

 

http://www.luluperformingarts.ca/Elementsfestival_Introduction.html       

 

I shall announce more gigs soon. (some possibilities for the fall are already unfolding)                                                          

 

                                                      *** 

 

* The Endpin!

 

Transporting their instrument safely is a dilemma that many serious cellists struggle with on a daily basis. As small vehicles like Smart Cars become more prevalent, and airlines increasingly more restrictive with their baggage policies, getting one’s cello safely from point A to point B can be a real challenge. We spoke with an inventor who claims that his new instrument, the Intellicello, can be shrunk to the same size as an attaché case, with no loss of sound quality, thus ending the cellist's transportation woes forever! We spoke with Dr. Michel Travis at his home in Los Angeles.

 

WCN: “So we’re dying to know, Dr. Travis, how a cello that's as small as a briefcase can still be considered a cello?”

 

MT: “In a word: sound. My Intellicellos may different drastically in appearance from standard cellos, however their sound is indistinguishable from the real thing. At the heart of the Intellicello is its Digital Oscillating Resonance Kernel, or DORK. Have you ever come across one of those greeting cards that plays a little tune when you open it? The kind of tiny sound module that you're hearing there is somewhat along the lines of my DORK. The greatest difference of course is that my device sounds incredible, whereas the greeting card sounds tinny and lame.”

 

WCN: “So what I’m hearing is that you've made a tiny digital noisemaker that can sound like a real cello - is that correct?”

 

MT: “Yes. To date, I have conducted 172 tests, in which my Intellicello technology is pitted against a high quality real cello. Thus far, not one person has been able to discern the difference.”

 

WCN: “Impressive. So what do your instruments look like?”

 

MT: “Anything you want. There simply needs to be some sort of interface between the player and the DORK. I have developed a number of prototypes. One model is of the fold-up a variety; this is the model which you referred to at the beginning of our interview, that can become the size of a briefcase. Imagine that you could take your cello and fold it into pieces. Because there is no necessity for the Intellicello to have any acoustic sound properties, it can do just that: the neck hinges forward across the body, then the two sides fold up, then the whole works folds the other way, making a neat, compact package. It is also quite aesthetic. There are few places that this instrument cannot fit. And when you expand it back to full size - which takes seconds - it is in every appearance a normal cello. And, best of all, it sounds like one! My newest creation is the most exciting yet. This cello folds down to - are you ready for this - the size of a credit card! It’s made mostly of reinforced cardboard, and will be marketed as a free toy in select boxes of name brand cereals!”

 

WCN: “How can something so tiny expand into a cello? And... cardboard?? Cardboard strings?”

 

MT: “To answer your first question, the cello is compressed very tightly. You pull a tab and - *zing* - it quickly expands to full size. It is, to some extent, an inflatable unit. As for the strings, they are indeed 87% recycled paper fiber, enhanced with a light metal alloy composite.”

 

WCN: “That's amazing. Next question: why cereal boxes? And why the cello? Can't your device sound like any instrument you choose?”

 

MT: “Kids eat cereal. Imagine literally millions of children the world over, gaining instant access to a full-fledged, top notch sounding cello. How many more Casals, Rostopobiches... As to why the cello, what a question! Cello, cello, cello!! It is the King! Even when it is made of cardboard!”

 

WCN: “You’re not going to get an argument out of me!”

 

©2008 Corbin Keep

 

Note: the above should be read after you tidy up those Transformers® you've been playing with all afternoon!