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Comments
On our Work By Professionals Note:
To view Abbie's video interviews of colleagues click here. Comments
About Our Work
“We had a
stunning concert in the Gallery at Deep Listening Space: A world class
trombone player and a world class piece of music. Last night was a magical moment in musical life - a great performer and great music carefully prepared and
lovingly composed and played. It is a
rare occasion when so many factors coalesce to create a special moment in
musical life. The music was
beautiful, expressive, moving and grand.
It was symphonic in it’s breadth and depth - wonderful uses of
electronic sound and sampling - the trombone brought breath, presence and
scope. If you are anywhere near one of their concerts it is a must attend!
... it was a remarkable highlight of our 13 years of presentations.”
--Pauline
Oliveros, internationally renowned composer
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Thank you for bringing your
musical message to share with us, and for delivering it with such artistry and
sincerity. Your ability to express the ineffable through your composition
and performance is rare, making the experience of hearing profound.
Please let us know if your plans for the future include Texas. We would
want to come hear your music again. And, Abbie, thank you for the
positive and supportive effect you have had over the years.
--Andy Russell, trombonist
“It
was every performer’s nightmare: the
last note faded away into stillness, yet the hall was silent, and remained
silent. But then suddenly it became
every performer’s dream as the audience erupted into wild applause and
delivered a standing ovation which continued bow after bow. With tears
streaming down my face as I rose and joined the others, I was reminded why I
had become a musician: I wanted to
affect people, as Abbie Conant had just affected me with her performance of
William Osborne’s performance-art piece “Miriam: Part II.”
--Monique
Buzzarte, Free-lance trombonist, New York City
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“Before
much time gets by, I want to tell you your presentation at Edison Theater last
night was truly amazing! I was so impressed and envious of you’re
freedom and ability to do so much so well! It was pure pleasure to participate as
audience for something so riveting and almost death-defying! You could feel the electricity flow. Even these words are very inadequate…”
--Julie Studebaker, first
horn Gewandhaus Orchestra, Amsterdam
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The
performance you gave was absolutely profound. Your exquisite musicianship,
dramatic commitment and your simultaneously elegant and powerful trombone
playing illuminated the works performed to perfection. The works themselves
were sublime; frightening, funny, terrifyingly beautiful, powerful and
brimming over with humanity. This was a stunning, engaging and enlightening
experience. Thank you!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure
of attending a talk and concert by one of the world's most accomplished and
polished trombone virtuosi, Abbie Conant. She and her husband (both New Mexico
natives, I might add), composer William Osborne, collaborated on a two large
multimedia performance art pieces, which were presented last night here in
Redlands.
--Anthony Suter, Prof. of Compostion, Redlands University
It was wonderful to have you both here - the
students really learned a lot from your visit, about what performing really is
and can encompass, about musicianship, and much more. Your performance was
something of the type that most of them had not seen before, opening up their
minds to what possibilities there are. Abbie's masterclass was also very
informative, and made a big difference in the students' approaches to the
pieces that they played.
Thanks so much
for taking the time to visit our campus and work with our students. Your
gender studies talk, master class, and concert were all so inspiring. This
was such a rich experience for students and faculty, and your artistry,
enthusiasm, and obvious love for performing and teaching made a significant
impact on all of us.
It was great to
be able to have Abbie visit
--Andrew Molloy, Prof. of Trombone, Cal State Northridge
What a pleasure
it was to have you here! I think we all felt moved and inspired by your
story and your incredible playing. It is great that you are stretching our
ears and sense of musical possibility with your multimedia concerts. Combine
that with your great teaching in the master class, and we get a sense of the
depth and breadth of your musicality. Thank you for sharing your and
William's work with us. I hope we'll be able to have you back!
You
were great and the kids loved you. Abbie
Conant is truly a wonderful trombone player and teacher. She has been at USC
on two separate occasions and did an excellent job with my students both
times. It is always good to bring in outside teachers from time to time and
I can think of none better than Abbie. She has a soft spoken style which
imparts a calming atmosphere regarding the master class which allows the
students to play their best. I highly endorse Abbie. She is a terrific
person and trombone player."
--Terry Cravens, Prof. of Trombone, USC
So neat to see
you two. Such a special treat!
--Stuart Dempster, Emeritus Prof of Trombone, University of
Washington
It was a pleasure
having you headline Trombone Day and fun playing Euphonie!
Trombone
Day 2009 at California State University, Fullerton was a big success in no
small part due to the participation of Abbie Conant and her husband, William
Osborne. In addition to
performing a work of epic proportion, Music for the End of Time (with
Mr. Osborne handling the several technical requirements of the piece) to
close out the day, my studio benefited greatly from a truly masterful Master
Class presented by Ms. Conant. The
CSUF trombone ensemble enjoyed very much performing Mr. Osborne's new work
for trombone choir and tuba, Euphonie.
A great time was had by all!
--Bob Sanders, Prof. of Trombone, Cal State Fullerton
I
was thrilled with the classes and recital. The students are still
talking about it! Just getting the chance to visit with you helps me keep
the motivation to keep at it.
My
students loved the recital, the master class and the talk at lunch. One
of the highlights to some of them was when you spoke informally with them in
my studio following the luncheon. This was very gracious and appreciated
by all. Your work with composition, performance
and
pedagogy is all excellent, and we were fortunate to have someone like
yourself serve as our guest artist this year. Your work and that of
Bill's will be remembered for a long time. We also appreciate the
website availability of some of your solo and collaborative efforts. 'Rachel's
Lament' had a profound effect on my students. You are
reaching the souls of many people with work such as yours and William's.
Please extend our gratitude also to Bill, his dedication toward the art
form, the preciseness of performance, and comments at the performance were
all appreciated.
--Dr. Robert Lindahl, Prof. of Trombone, Central Michigan University
“I left Abbie Conant’s performance of
William Osborne’s ‘Street Scene for theLast Mad Soprano’ and ‘Music for the
End of Time’ in a state of total awe.
They’ve raised the standards for all of us and greatly expanded the concept
of what a solo trombonist can do.
She’s so damn good!!!”
--Tom Plsek,
Chairperson of the Brass Department, Berklee School of Music, Boston
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“The class had a wonderful discussion
about your visit...some of the students seemed as moved by the experience as
I was, and it really marked a turning point in the course. I think the students have been more
engaged in the overall topic since then...a very great help indeed!”
--Deborah Rohr, Prof. of Music and Women’s Studies, Skidmore College
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It
is a true testament to the quality of your work that it is still being
discussed by undergraduates years after you have been here.
Comments that you made to my students have been carried with them
through master classes and performances.
One of my students told me that one of your recordings is his
favorite of that particular work, and that he likes
what
you bring to it. Your comments
on posture and articulation have been particularly helpful.
Thanks again for the clinics and performances!
--Ross Walter, Prof. of Trombone, Virginia Commonwealth University
The
'Mad Soprano’ is an experience not
to be missed; no matter what one’s relation to the subject matter, the
emotional impact is heart-wrenching and poignant. ‘Music For The End of Time’ is an absolutely unbelievable
virtuosic display; I saw people spell-bound, I saw people shaken and I saw
people weep. The masterclasses I
attended were unlike any I had ever seen before; Abbie unfailingly addressed
the human behind the instrument which, along with superb technical guidance,
engineered clear and exciting progress with each student. Witnessing such a staggering level of playing,
singing, theatrical performance and communication by a woman, as well as a
decidely female version of teaching, is an astounding and life-changing
experience for players of my vintage who may well have never seen such a thing. We never
doubted...”
--Susan Dustan, Free lance trombonist,
Toronto
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“What a lovely concert you gave at
Kenyon! The students AND faculty
talked about it for days afterward, and it was indeed a pleasure to hear *in
person* what we thought we would hear!
I have never heard a trombonist that I enjoyed as much--and it’s nice
to have a CD to remind me of your playing!”
--Prof. Ben Locke, Music Department
Chairperson, Kenyon College
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“Abbie’s
performance in Toronto was enthusiastically received by the audience. [A standing Ovation.] “Street Scene for the Last Mad Soprano”
was both electrifying and riveting. Combined with “Music for the End of
Time,” in which Abbie takes trombone performance into newer heights, the
evening recital was both a stunning and moving experience. Abbie’s husband,
William Osborne, has written and produced some very impressive material as a
vehicle for Abbie’s talents. The next
day at a clinic presented at the University of Toronto, Abbie displayed a
genuine, positive interest in the students in which she worked. Her jovial, relaxed manner of presentation
was well received by all present. She
seems to have a natural ability to express her ideas in a way that everyone
could easily understand. All in all, a very worthwhile 2
days.”
--Frank
Harmantas, 2nd Trombone Toronto Symphony and top
Prof.
of Trombone Univ. of Toronto
“...it is inspiring to see a player of Abbie
Conant’s caliber who has broken the gender barrier. Her power as a teacher is
just as amazing and astounding as her playing. Her workshop and performance
of “Music for the End of Time” left me speechless and musically stimulated. Abbie as a person, trombone player, and
performer moved me greatly and left me boundlessly inspired. She is not just an inspirational woman,
she is inspirational and a woman which is much more
meaningful.”
--Erika Eichner, Student at the Oberlin
Conservatory
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“What a
remarkable duo you have become, and continued excellence is the norm for both
of you. You were again the highlights
of the Eastern Trombone Workshop. I
hope the International Trombone Workshop sees your value and understands the
incredible contribution you are making towards the ART of
trombone playing.”
--Master Sargent Scott Shelsta, US Army
Band, Chair
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of the Eastern Trombone Workshop
“Abbie came to us after a horrendous
night of theft and loss to give a spontaneous, inspiring, and intriguing
session on the political and gender issues of our profession as well as
performing beautifully for us and instructing the members of our brass class
at Yale on the art of ‘tromboning’.
Her ‘reading’ of the class was masterful and her empathy with the
people who performed, most impressive.”
--John
Swallow, Prof. of Trombone, Yale University
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“...what you are both doing with music
was truly a turning point for me musically and as a trombonist, and in many
ways as a person. The two of you are
truly breaking ground with the way you reach an audience. Sitting there listening to ‘Music for the
End of Time’ was a journey not a concert.
I was terrified, enraputured, awed, and sometimes just visualising
beautiful landscapes. Your
performances trigger a response which is very unlike any other
concert I have attended.”
--Dr.
Cynthia Yuschyshyn,
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“It was a great pleasure to have you as
our guests. Your performance was very moving -- intense, dramatic; it was
obvious that the audience was very engaged in what was happening. Thanks for giving us another side of your marvelous talents.”
--Marilyn Shrude, Prof. of Composition,
Bowling Green State University
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and
Director of the MidAmerican Music Center for Contemporary Music
“I found
“Music for the End of Time” and its performance engrossing and enjoyable, and
I was repeatedly impressed with Abbie’s extraordinary emotional focus and
physical and mental stamina. I
enjoyed the traditional elements in the composition, not just because they
were there, but because they were employed with imagination, and I liked the
way the trombone playing sustained the work’s broad
expanse.”
--David Fetter, Assistant Dean Peabody
Conservatory of Music and former
trombonist of the Baltimore Symphony
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“The ‘sister’
pieces, as William Osborne describes them, ‘Street Scene for the Last Mad Soprano’ and ‘Music for
the End of Time’ are complex, rich in allusion, profound in signification...
The sounds surround, ranging from delicate glass-tinkling bells to earth-shaking
thunder, from the familiar snatches of those patriarchally laden
putting-women-in-their- ‘place’ oh-so-lovely-and-haunting arias to
unanticipated swirls and swoops and
crashes and, yes, silences... The dynamic range is mountainous... This is music which leads one through
heights and depths. It is a sonic mirror into which we can peer and hear
reflected our darkest aspects, together with glimmers of
hope.”
--Norman Lowrey, Prof. of Composition,
Drew University
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“The Toronto portion of Abbie Conant’s
North American tour was highly successful. An outstanding presentation of
“Street Scene for the Last Mad Soprano” and “Music for the End of Time”
before a large audience at the Concert Hall of The Royal Conservatory was
followed by a well deserved standing ovation. Abbie’s gentle coaching at the
Masterclass on Tuesday at the University of Toronto will surely be of benefit
not only to the four students who played, but also to all of us who listened.
Abbie Conant is a truly wonderful player and I am pleased to have been able
to have been involved with her visit.
--Dave Buckley, Concert Agent, Hamilton, Ontario
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"Abbie Conant is one of the finest trombonists worldwide. Her beautifully
vibrant and warm sound matched with her technical mastery of the instrument are
beyond compare. Conant's performance of "Street Scene For the Last Mad Soprano" by William Osborne mesmerized the audience with its strong emotional
content. Among the college music majors, Conant's recital created a stir of
discussion for several days about the meaning and importance of avant-garde music. While some modern audiences feel the need to be entertained and to tap
"At last, a RELEVANT trombone recital. If this is what music of the 21st Century sounds like, bring it on. Many of our students were forced
to expand their definition of art and deal with issues like whether music is just for entertainment or can it contain the negatives of human
existence as well. That Abbie Conant has channeled some of these negatives into such a positive outpouring should be an inspiration
to us all."
Everyone
in attendance at your performance of "Street Scene for the Last Mad
Soprano" and "Music for the End of Time" were surely deeply
touched and moved by your work. I have heard many effusive compliments
from members of the community, faculty, and many students regarding the
tremendous amount of care and detail apparent in the craftsmanship of your
work, and in Abbie's dramatic, powerful performance. This truly was a tour
de force, something special and altogether different.
The
performance of your Wired Goddess compositions was truly a spectacular
evening of brilliant music -- entirely new conceptions in the field of
trombone perfomrance. Your virtuosic perfomrances did great justice to
very difficult music, helped the listener approach entirely unfamiliar
styles of music, and hear the beauty in every composition.
-- Christopher Nigrelli, (Prof. of trombone, Lenoir-Rhyne College)
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It was a wonderful two day happening for the trombone studio and all of the
others who
--Art Jennings (Prof. of Trombone, Univ. of Florida)
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It was wonderful having you in
Gainesville--I enjoyed your presentation and concert very much, and I also was very happy to meet you and William. The presenation for our composition
students was a real eye-opener for them. They now have a much more complete
picture of the compositional possibilities of the trombone! And the music
It
is a true testament to the quality of your work that it is still being
discussed by undergraduates years after you have been here.
Comments that you made to my students have been carried with them
through master classes and performances.
One of my students told me that one of your recordings is his
favorite of that particular work, and that he likes what
you bring to it. Your comments
on posture and articulation have been particularly helpful.
--Ross Walter (Prof. of Trombone, Virginia Commonwealth University)
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