Archive
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
ZAPPA WEEKEND - 200 MOTELS - THE SUITES
A translation to the stage of 200 Motels, Frank Zappa’s wild and wonderful film exploring the life of a rock band on tour, 200 Motels - The Suites is an impressive musical-theatrical saga, performed for the first time in France.
Léo Warynski, conductor
Coproduction T&M, Festival Musica Strasbourg, Théâtre de Nîmes, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Les Métaboles, Philharmonie de Paris.
Ensemble Intercontemporain
ZAPPA WEEKEND - THE YELLOW SHARK
In 1984, the Ensemble Intercontemporain recorded The Perfect Stranger, a score written by Frank Zappa. Heir of Pierre Boulez, Matthias Pinscher presents a programme centred around the whimsical, mustachioed musician’s work.
Coproduction Ensemble Intercontemporain, Philharmonie de Paris
Long Beach Symphony Orchestra
Eckart Preu, conductor
Ensemble Intercontemporain
ZAPPA WEEKEND - THE GRAND WAZOO
Frank Zappa, « The Grand Wazoo », s’est amusé de tout. Musicien ouvert à une très grande variété de styles, il fut l’admirateur de nombreux compositeurs du XXe siècle. Ce concert est conçu comme une expédition dans sa tête kaléidoscopique, entre esprit de satire, doo-wop et musique contemporaine.
Matthias Pintscher, conductor
Pour ceux qui souhaitent explorer l'univers de l'artiste avant le concert, un atelier de préparation a lieu le samedi 29 septembre à 9h30.
Coproduction Ensemble Intercontemporain, Philharmonie de Paris
Pygmy Twylyte - An Evening Of Zappa Classics
Pygmy Twylyte, with the help of special guest Ben Thomas (formerly of Zappa Plays Zappa), present you with a smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics from his enormous back catalogue. This very special gig sees the band unite with the LA based multi-instrumentalist and singer for an unmissable evening of music! Zappa's 70's and 80's work is the main showcase, though there is the occasional foray into his earlier 60's material. Expect to hear some well-known tunes such as "Cosmik Debris", "Stinkfoot" and “Outside Now”, interspersed with instrumentals like "Black Napkins" and “Zoot Allures”. The eight-strong band will surely bring something to suit everyone’s tastes (and maybe even some poodles, dental floss, snowballs, devils, and a low-rent monster from the silver-screen on the side...) ARF!
Pygmy Twylyte - Absolutely (Not) Free – Special Extra Show
Special additional show featuring former Zappa Plays Zappa vocalist/instrumentalist Ben Thomas, who will be opening the show with his own material and then joining the band for... a smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics hand-delivered by those finest purveyours of conceptual continuity, Pygmy Twylyte! Expect pickles, poodles, dental floss, muffins, snowballs and stinky feet! ! Presented as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Pygmy Twylyte - Absolutely (Not) Free
A smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics hand-delivered by those finest purveyors of conceptual continuity, Pygmy Twylyte! Expect pickles, poodles, dental floss, muffins, snowballs and stinky feet! Two nights only!! Presented as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Pygmy Twylyte - Absolutely (Not) Free
A smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics hand-delivered by those finest purveyors of conceptual continuity, Pygmy Twylyte! Expect pickles, poodles, dental floss, muffins, snowballs and stinky feet! Two nights only! Presented as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Accademia del Teatro alla Scala
Stressa Festival
F. ZAPPA, The Yellow Shark
Première in Italy
The Dog Breath Variations; Uncle Meat; Outrage at Valdez; Times beach II (brass quintet version); The girl in the Magnesium Dress; Be-Bop tango; Ruth is sleeping (piano solo); None of the Above (string quintet); Pentagon Afternoon; Questi cazzi di piccione; Times beach III (brass quintet version); Pound for a Brown; Exercise #4; Get Whitey; G-Spot Tornado
This concert marks the première in Italy of Frank Zappa’s last music project, The Yellow Shark, dated 1993, issued in a CD before his death. His use of a classical ensemble illustrates the outstanding creativity of this great American guitarist. He has no trouble tackling a contemporary piece but never loses his eclectic gift for producing a personal language that is always recognisable. Zappa’s stature comes through in every single item of this exceptional work, the musical testament of a great artist who left us too early.
MANX!! Performs the music of Frank Zappa
MANX!!
An Evening Of Music From The Great American Composer Frank Zappa
in collaboration with the guys from Zappa Plays Zappa
Jamie Kime…Guitar
Pete Griffin…Bass
Ben Thomas…Vocals
Matt Rohde…Keys
Gergo Borlai…Drums
Theater Kiel
Freak Out! Tribute to Frank Zappa
Conductor Daniel Carlberg
Orchestra 2001
THE YELLOW SHARK
Orchestra 2001 will present the Philadelphia premiere of the genre-defying 17-movement, 75-minute piece composition The Yellow Shark, by maverick American composer and rock guitarist Frank Zappa, in the 25th anniversary year of the album’s release and of Zappa’s death.
Orchestra 2001
ZAPPA'S RADICAL CLASSICAL ROOTS
Orchestra 2001 and Artistic Director Jayce Ogren explore Zappa’s Radical Classical Roots in a World Café Live concert that pairs selections of Zappa’s chamber music with works by contemporary classical composers who were influential to his artistic development: Edgard Varèse, Pierre Boulez, Igor Stravinsky, and Anton Webern. Integrated into the program will be discussions with one of the nation’s leading Zappa experts, Dr. Joseph Klein, composer and professor of music at the University of North Texas, who will explore the musician’s exceptionally wide range of compositional skills, and the musical and non-musical influences that are on display in The Yellow Shark.
New Zealand Symphony
Hamish McKeich, conductor
Rice University
Jerry Hou, conductor
Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Alumni
Matthias Pintscher and the Ensemble of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ALUMNI play the music of Frank Zappa, alongside pieces by Pierre Boulez and Edgard Varèse that influenced him as well as works by composers such as Olga Neuwirth, John Zorn, and Tyshawn Sorey that respond to Zappa.
Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Alumni
Matthias Pintscher and the Ensemble of the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ALUMNI play the music of Frank Zappa, alongside pieces by Pierre Boulez and Edgard Varèse that influenced him as well as works by composers such as Olga Neuwirth, John Zorn, and Tyshawn Sorey that respond to Zappa.
Ubu Ensemble
Directed by Simon Wills
Natalie Davies voice
The Guildhall School’s Ubu Ensemble focusses on classics of avant-garde and experimental music. This programme explores the work of musical pioneers from Stravinsky to Frank Zappa.
Noord Nederlands Orkest
Hans Leenders, conductor
Noord Nederlands Orkest
Hans Leenders, conductor
Ensemble Modern & Australian National Academy Of Music
Frank Zappa composed Yellow Shark in 1992 especially for Ensemble Modern. Tom Waits described it as one of his favourite works, writing "the ensemble is awe-inspiring. It is a rich pageant of texture and colour. It's the clarity of his perfect madness, and mastery. Frank governs with Elmore James on his left and Stravinsky on his right. Frank reigns and rules with the strangest tools." For the first time in Australia, musicians of Ensemble Modern perform Zappa's Yellow Shark with ANAM in a concert that promises to be a thrilling experience for musicians and audience alike.
MUSICIANS
Members of the Ensemble Modern:
Dietmar Wiesner flute
Saar Berger horn
Jagdish Mistry violin
Hermann Kretzschmar piano
Johannes Debus conductor
ANAM Musicians
Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and Contemporary Music Ensemble
Zappa and Varèse
Composer Edgard Varèse’s emphasis on timbre, rhythm, and emerging technologies inspired a multitude of musicians who came of age during the 1960s and ’70s, among them guitarist and composer Frank Zappa. The Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and Contemporary Music Ensemble celebrate the spirit of experimentation that united the two composers with a program featuring Zappa as a “virtual emcee” in recordings discussing his Varèse experiences. The Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble is featured in Varèse’s Ionisation.
Alan Pierson, Ben Bolter, and Taichi Fukumura, conductors
Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and Contemporary Music Ensemble
Alan Pierson, conductor
Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
Fabien Gabel, conductor
University of Washington
Mark Tse, conductor
Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
Fabien Gabel, conductor
Ensemble Musikfabrik
The American Frank Zappa was one of the great geniuses of postwar music. The untouchable modern master Edgard Varèse was his hero. Zappa himself drew not hesitate to throw everything into the mix: Stravinsky, jazz, rock and bawdy jokes. It makes Zappa's music instantly recognizable, but devilishly difficult to implement. Fortunately there is Ensemble Musik Fabrik. This international top ensemble is just as broad view as Zappa plays his music for years exactly as it should be: on the tops of their abilities, with all the stops. The emphasis in the program with Zappa's jazz rock period of the 70s, the time of steaming big bands and hallucinatory improvisations. The notoriously tough Black Page sounds even in three different versions. As a tribute to Zappa's hero program begins with classic Varèse's Ionisation.
Ulrich Löffler, keys
Frank Wingold, electric guitar
Christopher Brandt, electric bass
Dirk Rothbrust, percussion, conductor (Zappa)
Paul Jeukendrup, sound direction
Ensemble Musikfabrik
Carl Rosman, conductor (Varèse)
Ali N. Askin, arrangements
Introductory talk at 7:15pm
Rice University - Shepherd School of Music
Jerry Hou, conductor
UMD Wind Orchestra
Michael Votta, conductor
Ensemble Modern
Jonathan Stockhammer, conductor
Concert introduction with documentary in Werner Otto Hall at 7pm:
Ulf Werner in conversation with members of the Ensemble Modern.
Film Screening AAAFNRAA - Making of "The Yellow Shark" (30 min, Germany 1992). Free entrance with ticket for the concert at 8pm in the Great Hall.
Otterbein University
Michael Yonchak, conductor
Turning Point Ensemble
Owen Underhill, conductor
Turning Point Ensemble
Owen Underhill, conductor
Turning Point Ensemble
Owen Underhill, conductor
Contrechamps
Musical Director: Michael Wendeberg
Pianos: Antoine Françoise & Stefan Wirth
University of Denver
University of Alberta
Angela Schroeder, conductor
ensemble intercontemporain
Quatre américains à Amsterdam
Bryce Dessner - guitar
Ensemble Intercontemporain
André De Ridder - Conductor
ensemble intercontemporain
Grand soir Bryce Dessner
Della Miles - voice
Tyshawn Sorey - drums
Bryce Dessner - guitar
Ensemble Intercontemporain
Matthias Pintscher - direction
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra
Eckart Preu - conductor
Stephen De Pledge - piano