Cultural Affairs; editor Sidney Sweinfart for the July 14, 2010
(Berkshire Eagle Sunday Magazine).
SS: Forgive me, Maestra Rose, but you have a reputation in the Berkshires for conducting sacred music and choral works. How did you become involved with a bugle quartet?
PR: No problem. People often confuse me with the conductor Pena Rose. I’m her evil twin, Pena the Cursing Choral Conductor. We look enough alike that I can do a lot of her rehearsals. It suits my skills. And, my experience. I might add, it still doesn’t pay sh*t.
SS: Still, it seems strange for someone with your obvious training and experience to be conducting a quartet, and playing a bugle while conducting. How did this come about?
PR: There has been a long history of so-called “New Music” at Tanglewood. Serge Koussevitzky, for example. When I was approached by the other three members I was honored to be a part of that tradition.
SS: To be sure. But this is awfully avant-garde music.
PR: I wouldn’t say “awfully.” “Challenging” is a better word. Hard-edged. Another reason I joined is that I believe, fundamentally, that NOISE NEEDS ORGANIZATION. Put that in capital letters. Also, they said they would pay me.
SS: I must say the concert I attended was surprisingly well attended. Who do you see as your audience?
PR: New Music fans. Burned out punkers. Bikers. Bikers like noise. Republicans. The angry, know-nothing Tea Party types. They don’t know sh*t about New Music but we play a lot of sharp-stick-in-the-ear music that appeals to angry white people. They really liked the piece with the chant “Health Care, Health Care, Hate, Hate, Hate!” It’s called “F*ck Socialism,” based on a tune by the late Paul Krasner. An insurance company paid for the publicity. Good audience. Those lame dorks on the lawn at Tanglewood make me want to puke. Our audience has hairy forearms.
SS: They were rather rowdy at the last concert.
PR: You haven’t seen rowdy. It bothers me because I have to face the other buglers half the time to keep them in line and the audience starts winging beer cans. We all have garbage can lids which are helpful, but if my back is turned I have to rely on someone to shout “In-Coming!” Pain in the ass. We started playing Zappa’s “Ask Any Vegetable” using rutabagas as mutes. They throw beer cans, we throw rutabagas.
SS: Where did your group come from?
PR: I wish you wouldn’t call them “my group.” John Alicea is a former trumpet player and singer. His picture is in half the bars in the Berkshires: “Do not give this man gin.” He’s not allowed to carry golf clubs either. Mean f*cker. Irene Kochevar does some kind of science thing in Boston. She had hard time with the tuba so she took up the bugle. Her husband, John Kochevar, comes from Detroit and a bugle quartet was his idea. He wants to be the Motor City Five of classical music. The dude can’t play any better than he can count.
SS: What are your plans for the future?
PR: The difficult part for a bugle quartet is coming up with good compositions. We were really lucky to commission “The Charge of the Malcontents” from Ken Ueno. He’s the real thing: A classically trained composer with one foot in the European intellectual tradition. A real mad man too. As soon as music students and faculty heard that he wrote a piece for us we started getting calls. At our next concert we have a premier, “Shubert’s Refinished” for bugle quartet and electric sander. We’ve commissioned “The Charge of the Gurre” for bugle quartet and rusty armor from a very distinguished local composer.
SS: Good luck Maesetra Rose.
PR: No problem. The modern day composer refuses to die. Tell everyone we’re looking for rusty armor.
Pig Roast and Bugle Quartet
Featuring mixed media and chant. “Roast that Pig in a Zulu Drum.”
Après Tanglewood
Does too much featureless classical music and too many well behaved people make you want to puke? We have the antidote.
Bar Mitzvah
If Charlie Parker could do Bar Mitzvahs we can too.
Klezmer and bugles
Cruel humor suitable for 13-year olds.
All inquiries should be addressed to:
John Alicea
P.O. Box 29
Canaan, NY 12029
Cultural Affairs; editor Sidney Sweinfart for the July 14, 2010
(Berkshire Eagle Sunday Magazine).
SS: Forgive me, Maestra Rose, but you have a reputation in the Berkshires for conducting sacred music and choral works. How did you become involved with a bugle quartet?
PR: No problem. People often confuse me with the conductor Pena Rose. I’m her evil twin, Pena the Cursing Choral Conductor. We look enough alike that I can do a lot of her rehearsals. It suits my skills. And, my experience. I might add, it still doesn’t pay sh*t.
SS: Still, it seems strange for someone with your obvious training and experience to be conducting a quartet, and playing a bugle while conducting. How did this come about?
PR: There has been a long history of so-called “New Music” at Tanglewood. Serge Koussevitzky, for example. When I was approached by the other three members I was honored to be a part of that tradition.
SS: To be sure. But this is awfully avant-garde music.
PR: I wouldn’t say “awfully.” “Challenging” is a better word. Hard-edged. Another reason I joined is that I believe, fundamentally, that NOISE NEEDS ORGANIZATION. Put that in capital letters. Also, they said they would pay me.
SS: I must say the concert I attended was surprisingly well attended. Who do you see as your audience?
PR: New Music fans. Burned out punkers. Bikers. Bikers like noise. Republicans. The angry, know-nothing Tea Party types. They don’t know sh*t about New Music but we play a lot of sharp-stick-in-the-ear music that appeals to angry white people. They really liked the piece with the chant “Health Care, Health Care, Hate, Hate, Hate!” It’s called “F*ck Socialism,” based on a tune by the late Paul Krasner. An insurance company paid for the publicity. Good audience. Those lame dorks on the lawn at Tanglewood make me want to puke. Our audience has hairy forearms.
SS: They were rather rowdy at the last concert.
PR: You haven’t seen rowdy. It bothers me because I have to face the other buglers half the time to keep them in line and the audience starts winging beer cans. We all have garbage can lids which are helpful, but if my back is turned I have to rely on someone to shout “In-Coming!” Pain in the ass. We started playing Zappa’s “Ask Any Vegetable” using rutabagas as mutes. They throw beer cans, we throw rutabagas.
SS: Where did your group come from?
PR: I wish you wouldn’t call them “my group.” John Alicea is a former trumpet player and singer. His picture is in half the bars in the Berkshires: “Do not give this man gin.” He’s not allowed to carry golf clubs either. Mean f*cker. Irene Kochevar does some kind of science thing in Boston. She had hard time with the tuba so she took up the bugle. Her husband, John Kochevar, comes from Detroit and a bugle quartet was his idea. He wants to be the Motor City Five of classical music. The dude can’t play any better than he can count.
SS: What are your plans for the future?
PR: The difficult part for a bugle quartet is coming up with good compositions. We were really lucky to commission “The Charge of the Malcontents” from Ken Ueno. He’s the real thing: A classically trained composer with one foot in the European intellectual tradition. A real mad man too. As soon as music students and faculty heard that he wrote a piece for us we started getting calls. At our next concert we have a premier, “Shubert’s Refinished” for bugle quartet and electric sander. We’ve commissioned “The Charge of the Gurre” for bugle quartet and rusty armor from a very distinguished local composer.
SS: Good luck Maesetra Rose.
PR: No problem. The modern day composer refuses to die. Tell everyone we’re looking for rusty armor.
Pig Roast and Bugle Quartet
Featuring mixed media and chant. “Roast that Pig in a Zulu Drum.”
Après Tanglewood
Does too much featureless classical music and too many well behaved people make you want to puke? We have the antidote.
Bar Mitzvah
If Charlie Parker could do Bar Mitzvahs we can too.
Klezmer and bugles
Cruel humor suitable for 13-year olds.
All inquiries should be addressed to:
John Alicea
P.O. Box 29
Canaan, NY 12029