music | Carmen-Helena Téllez

An artist who knew himself

June 11, 2019 by carmen helena tellez

I have been pretty much in shock after hearing of the departure of my colleague and teacher Sven-David Sandstrom, yesterday June 10. I have spent 24 hours reading and sharing all the tributes online without the will power to comment myself. I had spent all day yesterday saying farewell, one way or another, to colleagues and friends, and even to a doctoral student after a very successful defense. But I did not quite expect to receive the news at the […]

Categories: contemporary music, music composition, new choral music • Tags: Sven-David Sandstrom

Two oratorios sing the trials of our society and prayers of reflection

May 5, 2019 by carmen helena tellez

I am delighted to announce that Ensemble Concept/21 has invited the Euclid Quartet, Kosmologia, and the Notre Dame Children’s Choir to premiere the oratorios The Tower and the Garden by Gregory Spears and Beatitudes by Jorge Muñiz, under my direction, next Friday, May 10, at 7 pm, in the Campus Auditorium of Indiana University South Bend. This project joins together two important sponsors of creativity in this country– The New Frontiers Program at Indiana University, and the Ann Stookey Fund […]

Categories: art and religion, art and society, gesamtkünstwerk, intermedia, music composition, new choral music, new forms of presentation, new opera and music drama, postclassical music, sacred music • Tags: CARMEN HELENA TELLEZ, Denise Levertov, Gregory Spears, Jorge Muñiz, Notre Dame Vocale, Thomas Merton

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Bernstein’s birthday and his legacy

August 25, 2018 by carmen helena tellez

Today Google has a charming and ingenious homage to Leonard Bernstein, with cartoons of him in action. It is a good occasion to ponder the role of artists in our society–who gets to leave a mark in the culture, and is it always the one who eschews popular taste and sentiment for high academic complexity…or vice versa. I say, great music is not in the style… https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=O8fQyb6tkdk

Categories: art and paradox, conducting, contemporary music, context affects perception, context and perception, music composition, new conductor, Uncategorized • Tags: high and low, Leonard Bernstein

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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

“Creation exists only in the unforeseen made necessary.”

January 7, 2016 by carmen helena tellez

“Creation exists only in the unforeseen made necessary.” Pierre Boulez, who passed away Tuesday, reportedly made that statement, an incredibly succinct description of the thrust of a visionary artist. Time will be the rock that will filter the water of his contributions to music in the last 60 years. His influence on music professionals has been incalculable, especially on those who like me love the creation and promotion of new music. The last few weeks have been extraordinary in that […]

Categories: art and paradox, contemporary music, music composition • Tags: Glberto Mendes, John Eaton, Pierre Boulez

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Wonderful memories of wonderful music

July 7, 2015 by carmen helena tellez

The Americas Society of New York City has just posted three videos of the extraordinary composition by Gabriela Ortiz, Baalkah, for soprano and string quartet. The performance was part of a concert I curated as Director of the Latin American Music Center at Indiana University, for the Americas Society Concert Series directed by Sebastián Zubieta. Baalkah will be heard again tomorrow July 8 at the REDCAT in Los Angeles, as part of the LA International New Music Festival. The probing […]

Categories: contemporary music • Tags: Gabriela Ortiz, Latin American Music Center

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On opera commenting on history: Michael Dellaira’s The Death of Webern

December 11, 2013 by carmen helena tellez

It is now two months since the Pocket Opera Players premiered under my musical direction Michael Dellaira’s The Death of Webern, alongside John Eaton’s Rerouted, in New York City’s Symphony Space. In a way, both operas commented, one tragically and the other farcically, on the future of high art. Now Michael Dellaira sends me a wonderful article on his opera that offers both a summary and a context for his insightful work. It is worthy reading for those opera lovers […]

Categories: art and society, Carmen's work, music composition, new opera and music drama

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Notes from a recent performance of Mozart’s Requiem

November 4, 2013 by carmen helena tellez

Last September 14 I had the opportunity to conduct Mozart’s Requiem in the Decio Theater of Notre Dame, with the Notre Dame Festival Chorus and Orchestra and the wonderful soloists Jessica McCormack, soprano; Julia Bentley, mezzo-soprano; Nick Fitzer, tenor; and Stephen Lancaster, bass. Given that the hall is designed for drama and the spoken voice, I thought we would connect with our audience’s expectations better through a slightly unconventional approach, and instead of presenting a pre-concert talk, we delivered the […]

Categories: art and religion, art and ritual, Carmen's work, sacred music • Tags: Mozart's Requiem

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The controversy about the title “Female Composer”…..

July 17, 2013 by carmen helena tellez

…or “Woman” composer, (or “Latin American” composer, for that matter) gets a perspective from composer Kristin Kuster here. It is worth reading her opinion piece in the New York Times alongside the piece she quotes from NewMusicBox. Much of what she says about women composers applies to women conductors, and both contingents are underrepresented in the high-level circles of the profession that receive the most performances or conduct the elite ensembles. She is right that women have sought to separate […]

Categories: art and society, contemporary music, interdiscipline, music composition, my work, new conductor, postclassical music, postmodernism, Uncategorized • Tags: Kristin Kuster, Women Composers

Carmen-Helena Téllez

Conductor – Producer – Interdisciplinary Artist • A presentation site with notes about music, art and the occasional paradox

Category Archives: music

An artist who knew himself

Two oratorios sing the trials of our society and prayers of reflection

Bernstein’s birthday and his legacy

The re-birth of new opera

“Creation exists only in the unforeseen made necessary.”

Wonderful memories of wonderful music

On opera commenting on history: Michael Dellaira’s The Death of Webern

Notes from a recent performance of Mozart’s Requiem

The controversy about the title “Female Composer”…..