January 27, 2003
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's Centara New Music Festival
Centennial Hall, Winnipeg
Diana had just completed writing her eye and ear-catching work, Four On The Floor, which features the unusual combination of 4 pianos, with trumpet, french horn, trombone and 2 percussionists. The work was commissioned by The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra for their Centara New Music Festival.
The WSO asked her for a work for "multiple" pianos, and she thought any more than 4 would be too much of a good thing! The work is based on her take on the unique characteristics of colours. The three primary colours - red, blue and yellow - are stated thematically by pairs of piano and brass. The main body of the work involves the mixing of these into secondary colour themes, and their re- mixing in various combinations. The visual aspect is enhanced by the composer’s integral lighting design. She was one of the 4 pianists in this premiere performance, and it was extremely well received by a large audience.
February 19, 2003
Women With Vision Series
Crescent Ft. Rouge United Church
Winnipeg, Manitoba
On their billing for Diana's presentation, the sponsors wrote, "What inspires and influences this creator and performer of new music? McIntosh will illustrate with musical examples."
And in her opening comments Diana said, "How does a person, who studied classical piano for years, end up being, almost exclusively, a composer and performer of contemporary music? It was never a conscious decision. My desire to communicate with an audience as directly as possible just naturally led me to using any means ...." And then she fascinated, entertained and moved her audience with comments, and by performing extracts from 8 of her highly original, varied, eclectic works:
Doubletalk, Luminaries (on tape, only), Eliptosonics, Beryl Markham - Flying West With The Night, Sampling the Communication Parameters in the Ambience of Structural Phrasing and Dynamics in Contemporary Music, Through the Valley: Milgaard, and All in Good Time
March 10, 2003
Church Fine Arts Building
The Catherine Smith Award Series
University of Nevada
Reno, Nevada, USA
Diana was invited by the University of Nevada, Reno Campus, to give a workshop for senior students on her compositional style, and a public concert of some of her music. She performed Sampling the Communication Parameters in the Ambience of Structural Phrasing and Dynamics in Contemporary Music, Doubletalk, and All in Good Time, as well as excerpts from Beryl Markham - Flying West With The Night and Through the Valley: Milgaard.
April 12, 2003
Heliconian Hall
Toronto, Ontario
Diana joined with Toronto composer Mary Gardiner in the presentation of "McIntosh, Gardiner and Maude", a concert of music written by Diana and Mary. The "Maude" included in the title refers to composer Maude Pilly, Diana's alter-ego, from Dandelion, Manitoba, (which is also imaginary!) Five of Diana's works for various instrumentation were performed: Glorified Chicken Mousse (by Pilly), She Had Some Horses, Sampling the Communication Parameters in the Ambience of Structural Phrasing and Dynamics in Contemporary Music; Doubletalk and Zwei Pianola Mit Vistlen, Klappen und Shtompen (by Pilly). This last work is a duo for toy pianos, and McIntosh and Gardiner played it.
The program also included 4 of Gardiner's works, for a variety of instruments.
Other musicians on the program were Jill Kelman, soprano; Xiao Grabke, violin; Carina Reeves, cello; Michael Gambacurta, percussion; Eileen Fawcett, flute; Rita Greer, clarinet; Julie Shier, bassoon; and Louise Morley, piano.
May 31, 2003
GroundSwell Concert
Crescent Ft. Rouge United Church
Winnipeg, Manitoba
In a GroundSwell concert titled "Give Her Percussion" curated by Diana, she premiered her just- completed Uhuru Kamili ("Complete Freedom" in Swahili), for piano and percussion. She was the pianist, and Beverley Johnston, Canada's renowned percussionist, played the vast array of percussion instruments.
Of this piece, Diana wrote, "It was inspired by a balloon safari I was privileged to take over the Masai Mara in Kenya, in October, 2002. The balloon was called “Uhuru”, and the basket below it held 12 passengers and the pilot. The vast numbers, and the variety and beauty of the birds and animals we saw, as we silently floated over the plain, was awesome. The only sounds were the occasional cry of a bird soaring below us, the loud hiss of the flame that was turned on sporadically to keep the balloon aloft, and the excitement of the passengers. The silences, and the sense of freedom of the wildlife and of the passengers, was an experience I will never forget."
Other presenters please note availability, for your venues,
of performances and workshops by Diana McIntosh.
