About the CD:
The Composer and the Musicians
The Composer:
Frances Kandl, who wrote songs for seven of the women portrayed in Aging Artfully, has been writing music since the age of five. Her first composition, "The Tiger Cat," consisted of a series of c-major chords, culminating in several dissonant grace-notes and a crashing tone cluster (full forearm percussion) representing the cat scampering over a table and toppling a vase. She has since attempted to develop a greater degree of subtlety in her composition. The 7 wonderful women of these songs afforded her this opportunity, not only for greater subtlety, but for a higher, more heartfelt expression of the human spirit.
Past compositions include a musical called " Myoptika" which was performed in Berkeley by the Speakeasy Theatre in 1996. She also wrote a collection of rounds and canons based on English proverbs called " Musical Maxims," and a sight-singing/ear-training book for the elementary grades called "Cantabile," both published by the Black Pine Curriculum Institute. She is author of two collections of choral works, a series of gypsy songs, "Czigány," arranged for full chorus, two of which were performed by the Berkeley Community Reparatory Chorus, and a setting for women’s chorus of the " Ursaline Poems" by Kristina Bear. She is presently Director of the Black Pine Curriculum Institute, which publishes educational materials for teachers.
Frances lives in Berkeley in a house with Nico, Mari, and Peter, who embody all the reasons she wouldn’t live anywhere else. She loves vibrant old women and aspires to be one.
The Musicians :
The Crones Kwartet was formed to perform the 7 Songs of Women’s Lives at several Berkeley concerts over the past 3 years. It consists of Debra Golata, soprano, Cathy Allen, cellist, Rachel Durling violinist and Frances Kandl, pianist. Debra, Cathy and Rachel are all professional musicians who have performed and taught in the Bay Area for many years.
Debra Golata has been heard as a soloist in many concerts in the Bay Area, as well as in her own solo recitals. She has also worked as accompanist for many choral groups, including the Philharmonia Baroque and the Berkeley Community Chorus. The expression of these women’s lives and personalities has relied heavily on Debra’s talent and interpretation. As the vocalist who "becomes" each women as she sings their stories, she has lent tremendous depth and feeling to the attempt to capture a life through the medium of music.
Cathy Allen has also been a soloist in many Bay Area concerts. She has played with the Rose Quartet and other local chamber groups that feature contemporary composers. She is also a member of several Bay Area symphonies. The warmth and vibrancy of her cello was an invaluable addition to the group. Lily’s Song, the duet between Debra and Cathy, would never have succeeded without Cathy’s incredible phrasing, as well as her ability to blend with the voice and be equally lyrical. Contrast this with Rose’s Song in which Cathy turned her instrument into a jazz double bass, providing a pizzicato beat. This is true versatility!
Rachel Durling is violinist for the popular Baguette Quartet and has played with many other chamber groups and orchestras as well. She is also head of the instrumental program for Black Pine Circle, which boasts several string orchestras, two choral groups and a jazz band. For these songs she not only became a thoroughly convincing gypsy violinist (Gizi’s Song), creating her own very authentic slides and embellishments, but also assumed the carefree, lilting style of the café violinist for Rose’s Song. Rachel, whose training is classical, has proven to be another thoroughly versatile musician.
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