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| Guitarist Jake Danson-Faraday encourages listeners to approach new music with open minds. (Abriel photo) |
For Dalhousie music students, the ultimate test before graduation is looming: final recitals.
Guitarist Jake Danson-Faraday isn脮t just putting on a concert. He has commissioned three local composers to write new works for his 70-minute program of contemporary chamber music. It脮s an ambitious and daunting approach for an undergrad, but he wanted the challenge in preparing for his professional career.
脪There脮s huge security in playing pieces that are historic and familiar 脡 I didn脮t want to be the umpteenth guitarist to play the A Minor Fugue,鈥� says the 24-year-old Haligonian.
脪New compositions require a great deal of effort; no recordings are available, so you can脮t really learn by listening to other people. No traditional resources exist, basically. So the stress level for me is pretty high right now!鈥�
Danson-Faraday accessed scholarship funding to pay the composers to write these new pieces:
- God, a concerto for guitar and chamber orchestra, by fellow student John Bogardus
- Tango, for guitar and two sopranos, by professor Gary Ewer (BM 脮82)
- Shakey Ground, a solo guitar piece by Jeff Torbert (BM 脮04)
Two of these will premiere at his April 20 grad recital. When he first tested out the concerto at a February concert, audience members congratulated him on his bravery.
脪I think their response was courageous too, because nobody really knows what new music is supposed to sound like,鈥� he says. 脪People generally still see it as inaccessible. It脮s a different tonal language, with extended techniques. It脮s not predictable.鈥�
He advises listeners to approach new music with 脪an absolutely open mind.鈥� With each chord, every note has its own flavour and purpose. Expect to hear recurring thematic rhythms.
脪Don脮t be intimidated by it,鈥� he says. 脪There will be melody, harmony, tone. It脮s just in a new arrangement, that脮s all.鈥�
Expect some electronic elements too 脨 in Halifax composer Bob Bauer脮s piece, Suspended and Mobile (originally written for guitar professor Douglas Reach), Danson-Faraday is accompanied by audiotape. A narrator joins him on one piece, and a viola on another. He脮s also dipping into the vaults, putting a fresh spin on J.S. Bach, with his own arrangements for guitar and marimba.
After graduating, he plans to dive into the international festival circuit. He loves to travel and aims to collaborate with more composers, dancers and multimedia artists in the future.
He comes by his passion for music genetically. His father Jim Faraday was a longtime percussionist with Symphony Nova Scotia, and teaches at Dal. His mother Ruth Danson (BA脮70, MLIS脮93) is a music teacher at Springvale Elementary School.
Danson-Faraday first picked up the guitar as a young lad 脨 his older brother was studying classical guitar but 脪his interest waned, and the guitars were still there.鈥� He loves the instrument脮s portability and versatility; he plays many genres, and is a particular fan of jazz and blues.
But right now, it脮s all about chamber music 脨 he hasn脮t had the new compositions for very long, so rehearsals are intense.
脪After I graduate, one of my main goals is脡 to go outside!鈥澛�