Carmen-Helena Téllez

Artists and Parallel Universes…

January 4, 2018 by carmen helena tellez

It was only a matter of time that the brilliant music writer of the New Yorker magazine, Alex Ross, would address the musical treatment of leitmotifs in John Williams’ music for the Star Wars movies. Perhaps there is more than just a musical homage of a living composer to the grand master of the Gesamtkünstwerk; it may reveal Star Wars as a “total work of art”, collectively created under the vision of George Lucas. Just like Wagner’s serialized mythology in his Ring operas […]

Categories: art and ritual, context and perception, gesamtkünstwerk, Uncategorized • Tags: space opera, Star Wars, Wagner's Ring Cycle

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Happy 2018!

January 1, 2018 by carmen helena tellez

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A beautiful way of describing the sacred purpose of art…

August 24, 2017 by carmen helena tellez

Historian Jaqui Shine pays a beautiful homage to both her mother and artist Mark Rothko in her meditation about Rothko’s site-specific painting installation named Rothko Chapel. She distills in surprising ways a description about art connecting with the sacred. Rothko’s visual work is so powerful that it spilled inspiration upon a musical work, composer Morton Feldman’s piece for chorus and instruments carrying the same name. I had the privilege of conducting it with Notre Dame Vocale and Ensemble ND at […]

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A composer and his way of praying

July 12, 2017 by carmen helena tellez

This lecture was given by Arvo Pärt during commencement at St Vladimir’s Seminary in 2014. He shared thoughts from his musical diaries. It begins with a most powerful question: Have you thanked God for this failure already? Food for thought, because we always must ask the question, what is Art for? http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2017/jul/6/most-sensitive-musical-instrument/

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Context affects perception-a case in Wall Street

April 14, 2017 by carmen helena tellez

An amazing example of how context and sharing space affect perception is playing out in Wall Street. When Arturo di Modica’s Charging Bull stood alone, it meant something to the passers-by. When Kristen Visbal’s Fearless Girl was placed next to it, now it means something else. The energy is coming from the dialogue between the two statues. But –which of the statues keeps its specific message regardless of the context? Check the article at Artnet.com

Categories: art and paradox, art and society, context and perception

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The re-birth of new opera

February 20, 2017 by carmen helena tellez

A few days ago I tweeted that 10 years ago I argued with skeptic colleagues — as I pursued my own experiments — that interdisciplinary musical works were going to become mainstream. I think this time is here. Sometimes I feel we are again in the 1600s, with the birth of opera, and the Baroque style, and a new way of organizing music. Some will argue that we have a rebirth of the ‘happenings” of the 60s and 70s–but I venture to say […]

Categories: contemporary music, new opera and music drama, Uncategorized • Tags: Alex Ross, Ipsa Dixit, Kate Soper, new opera

A Happy and Creative New Year to All!

January 1, 2017 by carmen helena tellez

2016 was a rich and extraordinary year, full of lessons and insights. I will soon share news about projects with Kosmologia, Notre Dame Vocale and Aguavá New Music Studio. For now, let us revel in friendship and celebration of the promise of 2017!

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A perceptive article by Jack Walton about “Journeying La Divina Commedia”

October 2, 2016 by carmen helena tellez

The South Bend Tribune just published an insightful note about our upcoming performance of “Journeying La Divina Commedia,” an inter-artistic work created by Anton Juan, Robin Kirkpatrick and myself. It includes a new oratorio on the Paradiso by Robert Kyr, original soundscapes by Christopher Preissing, original art by Gwen Terry, original video art by Allison Evans, Hugh Sato and Liviu Pasare, and wonderful choreography by Ayako Kato and Kristina Isabelle, among many other wonderful artists. The image is a rendering of […]

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The term “Classical Music”

January 19, 2016 by carmen helena tellez

The excellent compilation of music news delivered by the Jacobs School of Music’s Project Jumpstart curated by Alain Barker came today with an intriguing piece by music journalist Craig Havighurst. It is titled “Classical Music Needs a New Name.” Havighurst’s interesting post reminded me that I should finally write into an article the lecture I gave upon receiving the Tracy M. Sonneborn Award at Indiana University in 2010. With some guilt, I will share some of its ideas here. The […]

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