New Works Ensemble photo by Dylan Koa
BY DYLAN KOA
“This is a good example of where commerce meets art,” says Wayne Horvitz, as he carefully tucks a cocktail card under a piano leg to balance it.
This simple gesture is the epitome of Wayne Horvitz’s New Works ensemble. A program that started at JazzED, Horvitz had initially wanted to provide a space for advanced student players. When the pandemic hit, New Works ceased sessions until The Royal Room club co-owner revitalized it this year — the first time since 2019. Usually structured in weekly meetings of two hours a day over the course of a few months, this year’s ensemble was a five hour, five day intensive in which the musicians meet for the first time on Monday and must perform a repertoire of nine songs by Friday night.
The ensemble is made up of younger musicians ranging from as young as 8th grade up to freshman year of college. These young musicians aren’t your typical high school band, though they are special, and like the cocktail card, they each represent a unique set of skills and styles that comprise this sturdy ensemble.
This year’s program included a setlist ranging from a variety of underrepresented composers, such as Sonny Clark, Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk, and Hank Mobley, as well as modern musicians like Bill Frisell, John Zorn, Tomeka Reid, Joshua Redman, and even Horvitz.
The most notable addition to the repertoire, however, is a method of group improvising known as “Conduction” — a nod to the work of Lawrence “Butch” Morris, the inventor of Conduction, — which consists of a series of hand signals signifying to players to solo a certain section of music, improvise, or mimic another musician, creating an authentic performance that doesn’t conform to any materials designated by the written music, thereby uniquely revolutionizing the direction and feel of a given song.
Though he isn’t the only one in Seattle who practices Conduction (the great Stuart MacDonald regularly uses it in his band’s exercises), Horvitz is unique in his approach to it.
The real gem of New Works isn’t the music played nor the technique of Conduction, rather it’s the director. As someone who tries to be himself in his directing, the award-winning musician and composer’s directing style has been best described as eye-opening. To the band members, Horvitz’s personality and interesting anecdotes gives an additional perspective to the music, adding depth and cultivating a greater understanding to the work.
Through New Works, Horvitz hopes to challenge his students by pushing them out of their comfort zones and play music styles not traditionally found in most music programs. Most importantly, he hopes to broaden perspectives surrounding what is possible in creative and improvised music, reducing any preconceived prejudices and opening listeners and musicians alike up to more more forms of music. In doing so, we partake in a music so refreshing, quenching a thirst we didn’t know we had that one can only wait to see what’s new & in the works for this project to come.
