Barbara Ulman Articles

News 20

Articles 25

14 June 2013 Article: New covers, improved scores
Soon all the music that was up before will reappear, with new covers designed by John Kilburn, and corrections made in the scores. It's been a long and rewarding process. John is as talented artistically as he is musically, and just as insistent on excellence.
13 March 2013 Article: Guest speaker in ear-training classes
The students asked me about my musical life, how I became a composer, why I wrote Interval Studies. We started with a sing-along of "Somewhere" from West Side Story, showing how Bernstein used minor sevenths all through the accompaniment. Then I played my study based on that piece. It was very gratifying to be invited as composer to address the two ear-training classes.
12 March 2013 Article: Minor Sevenths study
A wonderful soprano sang "Somewhere" from West Side Story (There's a place for us...) while I played the piano part (which has lots of minor sevenths in it.) Then I played my Interval Study "Minor Sevenths "based on that theme and explained to the audience how the two were related.
15 December 2012 Article: Third time's a charm!
For the 3rd time, I re-notated my two songs on the poetry of Rachel Oliver: "Evening Dress" and "January Morning" for high voice, either tenor or soprano. This time they're easier to read for the pianist. The vocal part has not been changed. Both were enjoyed by the audience in the Nov. 17 concert in Fresno.
14 December 2012 Article: Ear training -- and finger training
It began during an ear-training class. Some students had problems identifying or singing the intervals. I practiced playing them all over the keyboard, and realized that actual music which did that might be helpful. I wrote the first five (through perfect fourths) in 1979 and 1980, then ran out of steam. Two years ago, I decided to finish the set, and wrote the music focusing on perfect fifths through octaves. Comments: 1
20 November 2012 Article: Concert was successful!
We had an enthusiastic audience, and the variety of music pleased them. Two local composers (John Kilburn and I) and some more famous ones; piano duet, voice with piano, cello and guitar, cello and piano, flute and piano, flute, cello and piano; and a short choral number. Fun for all!
05 November 2012 Article: Concert: chamber music from Mozart to the present
Three Fresno musicians will join three musicians from the foothills for this varied and interesting concert. The audience will have an opportunity to hear works by well- known composers, as well as new music by two mountain area composers who have degrees in composition. John Kilburn has composed works for small ensembles and full orchestras, as well as music for modern dance and films. He won an award for his score of "Living Death Valley." He has taught Digital Audio classes at ...
02 November 2012 Article: New video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEhLCx1BnK4&feature=plcp This song will be sung by soprano Christel Biasell on Nov. 17 in a chamber music concert in Fresno that will also include four more of my art songs.
22 October 2012 Article: Recent review of my CD
"The cumulative effect [of Joy, Praise, Hope] is a hypnotic oscillation between chant-like calm and anthem-like exaltation, with the mantra providing an obligato that twines in fascinating counterpoint with the psalms, as well as dramatic key modulations and leading eventually to repose.”
26 September 2012 Article: Lyrics now included in descriptions of vocal compositions
After an introductory paragraph, I have added the lyrics. I recommend that as you listen to the music, you follow along with the words. The poems I have set to music are important to me. Some evoke laughter, some carry an important message, and some are just beautiful poetry.

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