Solo Piano
Duets
Duets
Trios
Chamber Music
Orchestra and Large Chamber Ensembles
The Pierrot Lunaire Project
In May, 2008, Frank Stemper instigated and produced a performance of Schönberg's Pierrot Lunaire, arguably the most notable piece of Modern Music in the 20th Century. However, this particular performance fulfilled a career-long dream of combining the composer's two worlds - Modern Classical Music and Straight Ahead Jazz by producing the performance in a neighborhood bar, aptly named FUSION, in Carbondale, Illinois. 'With the help and dedication of members of The Altgeld Chamber Players - Diane Coloton Suzanne Lord, Eric Mandat, Michael Barta, Meng-Chun Chi, Eric Lenz, and an astoundingly versatile conductor, Christopher Morehouse, we were able to pull off this strange juxtaposition. A concert grand piano was moved into the night-spot on Carbondale's main drag. The bar was filled with an equal number of Modern Music devotees and normal Friday night revelers and other patrons of the bar. The place was packed. The musicians took their places and tuned up. An announcement was made: "There will be no drinks served for the next 45 minutes." The locals were a bit put off, but kept their places at the bar. The music began with the familiar piano 'lick' that holds in it all the thematic, harmonic, and gestural information of the 21-movement work. The 45 minutes went by, piece by piece. The music could have only been strange to the local Fusion crowd, who, being ingrained with pop, rock, and bluegrass, and who most had never heard Classical Music much less something from the modern repertoire. Diane Coloton, the sprechstimming soprano, was quite concerned before the performance that there would be heckling! But the entire crowd - and it was a crowd - seemed entranced by the misplaced trip back to 1913 Vienna. Through the entire performance, you could have heard a pin drop. Perhaps a few even expanded their repertoire as they grew new ears. That night, the crowd at Fusion was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime performance, and they were completely intrigued by the event.
Frank Stemper's two worlds came together that night, like they had long before when the two worlds came together inside his own head, heart, and muse.
Frank Stemper's two worlds came together that night, like they had long before when the two worlds came together inside his own head, heart, and muse.
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A second performance was held back at the university.