Have you been
reading our new
JN blogs?

Now you can get even more of the JN content you love
online from Jewish community members just like you!

The Mandolin Player by John Thomas Biggers highlights the power of music to
transport the human spirit.

very slow to suggest a feeling of sus-
pended animation to being rapid in pro-
jection of a different sensibility.
Three other programs will include
Shifrin, who decided, at age 13, to
become a professional clarinetist while
attending Interlochen and much later
taught at the University of Michigan.
One program, coming just after the
release of Shifrin’s Delos label record-
ing that presents Carl Nielsen music,
features Bernstein’s first published work,
“Sonata for Clarinet and Piano.”
FIT Siegel, a techno music composer
and DJ who moved beyond Aaron as
his first name, will join other perform-
ers in a program related to the fine arts.
“Audio/Visual: Muse at the Museum”
offers sound interpretations of the
painting The Mandolin Player by social
realist artist John Thomas Biggers as
well as musical style comparisons.
The concert will be held at the
Charles H. Wright Museum of African
American History, which made a com-
mitment to restore the image, originally
completed toward the middle of the
20th century. Others offering their own
interpretations of the painting include
cellist Paul Watkins, artistic director
of the Great Lakes Festival; composer
William Banfield; saxophonist Marcus
Elliot; and the Thalea String Quartet.
Siegel, who chose his stage name to
go along with his businesses, FIT Sound
(a recording label) and FIT Distribution,
will be at a computer when communi-
cating his reaction to the image. In his
studio, he works with vintage keyboards,
drum machines and synthesizers.
“This is a composition using altered
samples from environmental sounds,”

says Siegel, who experimented directly
with various instruments before being
drawn into the techno movement and
gaining hit status with the record-
ing “Tonite,” his first. “I’m overlapping
plucking sounds, looping and layering
them for this commission.”
Siegel, based in Detroit, has been
researching interviews and commen-
tary about Biggers and feels inspired by
what he’s learned. He has latched on to
the concept of interrupted spirit.
“Sometimes, it’s easier to have this
kind of a framework when composing,”
says Siegel, who has brought his DJ
techniques to the Downtown Synagogue
and Israeli stages as linked to his own
religious background. “Composing
reigns in if I can limit myself a little bit
in terms of ideas and tools.”
As part of commemorating the anni-
versary, there will be a new piece lasting
about 2½ minutes at the beginning of
each subscription-level performance.
The pieces are being developed
by previous festival composers-in-
residence, such as Joan Tower, Piers
Hellawell, Sean Shepherd and Paul
Schoenfield.
Rabbi Mark Miller, who joined Temple
Beth El after the festival started, has
become an enthusiastic fan.
“Members and leadership of Temple
Beth El are so proud of our historic part-
nership with St. Hugo of the Hills and
Kirk in the Hills in founding this incred-
ible festival 25 years ago,” the rabbi says.
“The appreciation of world-class
music is a value we all share, and I’m
so appreciative of all those who worked
so hard to create something we will be
enjoying for many more years.” •

:
s
r
e
g
g
lo
b
e
h
t
t
e
e
M

ill share her
nnie Citron w

rtise.

musical expe

A

Hannah Gordon will toast a
l’chaim to her favorite drinks.

Amanda Alber
ts will show yo
u what it’s
like to cook with
a preschooler.

tle Detroit

will bring a lit
Alexandra Kirsch
to the Big Apple.

Lori Gordon-Michaeli
will
take you on a Journey
Within.

Leslie Rott will give you an inside-
look at her JSwipe relationship.

Rachel H
yams wil
l tell you
her best
kosher r
ecipes.

Lauren Wallenfels will
bring a Jewish connec
tion
to your favorite TV show
s.

We’re always
adding new
content to
The Blog!

Just visit thejewishnews.com
and go to The Blog under
Community to check out our
exclusive web content today!

Follow us online

Detroit Jewish News

@JewishNewsDet

the line
ow will walk
n
d
u
h
C
i
n
fa
Ste
life.
and Jew-ish
h
is
w
Je
n
e
e
betw

NOW YOU CAN
MANAGE YOUR
SUBSCRIPTION
ONLINE!

Go to thejewishnews.com
and click “Subscribe”

@detroitjewishnews

jn

May 31 • 2018

37