Fall 2020 Newsletter!

My latest newsletter is up. Highlights: working to keep our elections free & fair; a Arts and Humanities Fellowship Program Grant from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities; lots of teaching, including Beatles @Stanford, Writing for the Stage @Catholic, Sondheim in the spring; and Inferno is coming at you, fall 2021!  Click HERE!

Guest speaker for Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute

I was very happy to be the guest speaker for Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute (DCI) today. We had a great time doing a deep dive into the creation of the song Help! JL: “Stop it! Stop, stop… string gone” GH: “I’ll have to double-track singing it. I’ll have to do this bit singing, which is going to be even harder still.” Thank you DCI! 

Premiere of Inferno Postponed Until Fall 2020/Covid-19

Dear Friends: In an abundance of caution, and following suit with a number of other Bay Area organizations, the March 29, 2020 premiere of my Inferno, Double Concerto for Viola, Cello, and Chamber Orchestra with Jennifer Kloetzel, Jonathan Moerschel, Maestra Barbara Day Turner, and San José Chamber Orchestra has been postponed. However, Silver Lining: We are working on the reschedule! So: watch this space! Meanwhile, let’s keep those on the West Coast, and the Bay Area in particular, in our thoughts.

My Mid-Winter 2020 Newsletter Update!

I’ve been busy, and got a bit behind with this. So here you go:

https://mailchi.mp/d90791d07f39/midwinter-2020-news-from-joel-phillip-friedman?e=cfa78605c4

“Home” was a hit!

“Home” the evening-length puppetry theatre multimedia play I scored had a successful run at the Tank NYC in May. It was a real pleasure to work with an all-star creative team and cast on this moving and beautiful work. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Taipei, Taiwan!

A fantastic trip traveling all over Taiwan meeting artists, composers, teachers, and administrators, and seeing everything thing from the new ultra modern Weiwuying – National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, to the Aboriginal Piwan tribes, to the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. Composer Dr. Ching-Wen Chao was kind enough to invite me to speak to her fantastic students in her formal analysis class about “Beatle Innovation: When Curiosity & Technology Met Songwriting.” The warmth, breath, and high level of art making here is beyond belief (not to mention… the food!).

Presentation at the Abbey Road Conference!

I had a great time giving my paper/presentation George Harrison and Something- Sinatra’s “favorite Lennon & McCartney song” at the recent Abbey Road Conference at Eastman/University of Rochester (for the 50th Anniversary of the release of Abbey Road). It was a fantastic conference, with amazing participants and presentations, and how often do you get to hang out and chat with legend Ken Townsend, MBE – the inventor of ADT (Artificial Double Tracking), and the savior of Abbey Road Studios?

I’m participating in Come Together: Fifty Years of Abbey Road conference at Eastman!

I’m happy to report that I will be joining the next international Beatles conference “Come Together: Fifty Years of Abbey Road” and presenting my  paper “George Harrison and Something – Sinatra’s ‘favorite Lennon & McCartney song’” at the Eastman School of Music in September. Nothing is Beatle proof! And, if George looks confused… all will be explained in my paper.

Home is happening! Opening May 30th

The score I’ve written for “Home,” a new play by Evolve Puppets (Tanya Khordoc & Barry Weil) is done, and the show opens in New York at the Tank NYC on Thursday, May 30, 2019!

“Home” fuses puppetry, theatre and multimedia (including a lot of music!) into a visually thrilling and emotionally moving story of a woman’s connection to the universe: the Circle Of Life! It features an all-star creative team and cast.

“Home” will be performed at The Tank NYC from May 30-June 2, 2019.

SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES:
Thursday May 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday May 31 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday June 1 at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday June 2 at 3:00 p.m.

The Tank NYC is located at 312 West 36th Street, NYC between 8th and 9th Avenues, on the 1st floor. Tickets are $20 at 212-563-6269 or at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, visit www.evolvepuppets.com.

Home is opening soon in New York!

I’m excited to be scoring this wonderful show, “Home,” which fuses puppetry, theatre, multimedia, and music into a visually thrilling and emotionally moving story. I’m also happy about this lovely write up in Broadway World. “Home” opens May 30th at The Tank on W. 36th.

SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES:
Thursday May 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Friday May 31 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday June 1 at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday June 2 at 3:00 p.m.

The Tank NYC is located at 312 West 36th Street, NYC between 8th and 9th Avenues, on the 1st floor. Tickets are $20 at 212-563-6269 or at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, visit www.evolvepuppets.com.