Brooke
Green
Submitted:
May 30, 2009
Awarded
: $
1000
Contact Information:
Brooke
Green
1 Demden St
West Hobart
Tasmania
7000
Australia
61408657042
Reference 1:
Wendy Gillespie
Reference 2:
Wolodymyr (Vlad) Smishkewych
Summary of Submitted Materials:
vielle receipt from Judith Kraft of payment of 5500 euros.
review of recent performance of Machaut's Remede de Fortune.
Submitted Documents:
Submitted Recordings:
Committee Notes:
Although it sounds legit and feasible (and is not a huge pull on the budget), I would like to know what Ms. Gillespie thinks, and then I'd like to see other applications for this same granting period.
-Mr. Morris/ Dr. Fong
Hi Committee,
I know it's not all about me, but I just want to give y'all a heads up that I may be intermittently functional in the coming months. I start chemotherapy tomorrow, and it will run for 12 weeks. I'm happy to stay on this committee, but I seem to remember that I've become chair of same, which might be a bit much for these distracted times. Could we appoint an interim chair for a few months?
Now, about Brooke. Hers seems a highly worthy application. The Australian thing might be iffy, though as Wendy points out, she Is a member of the VdGSA. Would this be an issue for Board discussion, or do they have enough on their collective plate?
We were going to revise the website's application page, and that ball was in my court. Alas, the cancer ball was passed to me at the same time, and balls that big are hard to juggle. I dropped one. Can anyone help?
JJ
Thanks so much for sending that, Wendy. As it happens, Brooke and I spent a little time together in Boston last week, talking of this and that (everything EXCEPT this application, as it happens). Unless there is any good reason NOT to go give her the money, I think we should do it. It's really not a lot of money, we haven't gotten any other more pressing requests (or ANY other requests, have we?), and I think we'd get a lot out of it in the future, as Brooke is likely to be seeding another corner of the world with pernicious gamba weeds, bwa-ha-ha-ha. Think of the Pan-Pacific enrollment in a few years...
But we still have ten days to consider what else (if anything) may come in under the wire. Stay tuned!
-Dr. Fong (who is absolutely, positively planning on getting a durian in Boston's Chinatown this week!)(Oh- and I'm having dinner with Sarah and Mack tonight! yahoo!!!)
I'm with Princess Durian on this, with the only caveat the ol' question about Martians buying banjos to take back to Mars. I think Brooke is entirely worthy, so the only sticking points are the non-viol thing and the non-North American thing. Precedents? Concern?
Sarah (PS to Dr. Fong - promise you don't BRING the durian to our house tonight)
This was awarded by the committee, I believe. Would committee members please confirm for me so we can wrap this one up and I can tell Brooke the good news?
Thanks!
WG
Project Description:
I'd really appreciate it if the VdGSA could help pay for some of the costs towards my purchase of a new vielle by Judith Kraft. I have been a full time student at the Early Music Institute, Indiana University, studying viol and vielle with Wendy Gillespie, since August 2007. However, for Fall Semester, 2008, in order to pay for the costs of being a student, I had to interrupt my studies and return to work in Hobart, Tasmania. I am doing the same for Fall Semester, 2009. This is also to start paying off the credit card loans I have taken out to pay for the vielle. If the VdGSA could help with a contribution towards the cost of the vielle, I am more likely to be able to return to my studies sooner, rather than later! I would like to be able to return to IU in Spring, 2010 but this may have to be delayed longer if lack of money is a problem.
Request Amount:
$
1000
Total Project Cost:
$
Budget and Additional Funding:
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Music, University of Sydney. I was a professional baroque violinist for many years before I took up the viol, several years ago. I have just completed 3/4 of a Masters in Early Music Performance, Indiana University. Member of Consort Co-operative, Conclave, 2006.
In 2007, at the Pan Pacific Gamba Gathering, Hawaii, I directed and performed in a recital of contemporary Australian music for viol consort with my group Backgammon, from Tasmnaia. I commissioned and arranged many of these works for this occasion. In June, 2009, I am giving a recital of solo works for treble viol at the VdGSA's
Letter of Reference 1:
Brooke's request is both legit and feasible as far as I am concerned. She is very interested in medieval music in particular, and of course we would all love to have an instrument made by Judith Kraft. Brooke has physical limitations that mean she cannot play large instruments (nothing larger than a small tenor viol). Yet she is very devoted to early music, she works hard, she is an enthusiastic improviser, and an entrepreneur (probably a very useful trait in Tasmania!). She seems to be able to persuade people to participate in her projects, as evidenced by her current production of Machaut that is being performed as a fringe event at the Bloomington and Boston Festivals.
This will be an interesting test case for the selection committee: Brooke is Australian (though, of course, a member of the VdGSA) and the grant is for a vielle, not a viol or anything to do with the viol. I would imagine the committee will want to consider the precedents it might be setting by giving this grant: could some worthy applicant ask for a tromba marina? an erhu? a shawm? Could someone from Britain join the Society and ask for money to go to Trinity (as Jen Barron did)?
Having mentioned these considerations in my Pres. cap, I am happy to support Brooke's enthusiasm in my referent cap!
WG
Letter of Reference 2:
Here is the other reference. I cannot figure out how to attach it other than "copy" and "paste". Maybe one day I'll know how to attach it. It came on proper letterhead as a .doc, trust me. Sorry - WG
Viola da Gamba Society of America
Grant-in-Aid Committee
Re.: Letter of Recommendation for Brooke Green
To Whom It May Concern:
I have known Brooke Greene since fall of 2007, when she came to the Early Music Institute at Indiana University to study treble viol and medieval vielle. She is a versatile and promising musician and has performed in several medieval programs with Ensemble Lipzodes: notably at the Bloomington Early Music Festival, 2008; Loyola University, Chicago, March 2009 and St Louis Art Museum, April 2009.
Brooke’s many years as a viol player and violinist means that she maintains a high standard of chamber music skills on whatever instrument she plays. She is always concerned with issues such as intonation and ensemble. She is equally interested in skilful and appropriate improvisation and can play with grace or fire as required by the occasion.
Brooke brings an intelligent, fresh approach to the challenges of vielle playing. She is concerned to present appropriate historical and contextual styles. Ensemble Lipzodes’ programs trace the development of Christian, Jewish and Muslim influences on music in Medieval Spain and Brooke has enthusiastically explored convincing realizations of these styles. For instance, Ensemble Lipzodes’ program Call, Court and Casbah required Brooke to play both vielle and kamençe (Arabic spike fiddle). Since she had previously not played the kamençe, she took the initiative to seek out a professional player for tuition and now plays with a good understanding of this instrument. Her kamençe playing has informed and influenced her vielle playing and her performances have very capably demonstrated her understanding of where these styles might converge.
In our performance at the St Louis Art Museum, April 2009, Brooke debuted her new vielle by Judith Kraft. What a difference this made to the group’s sound! Since she is now playing on a professional instrument, she has a far greater range of tonal possibilities and can play confidently with a much greater range of dynamics. There is also a sweetness to this instrument which makes it particularly appropriate for more intimate troubadour music. Her new vielle has made an enormous difference to her playing and I look forward to future collaborations.
I understand that Brooke’s purchase of her new vielle does not mean she is abandoning the viol, quite the contrary. In her recent production of Machaut’s Remede de Fortune, she played vielle and viol and she continues to be interested in presenting programs where both instruments are appropriate. She receives my highest recommendation for a grant from the Viola da Gamba Society of America.
Sincerely,
Wolodymyr Smishkewych