chamber works inspired by Celtic
melody, jazz rhythm and harmony and
classical foundations. Conant's
evocative music and expressive flute
playing paint a lush landscape of
moods from contemplative to joyful.
All tracks on the CD are original compositions or
arrangements by Susan Conant
Celtic Suite
performed with and co-arranged by Jacqueline Schwab
Bur Oak, a strathspey in rondo form named after the most stately
tree on the praire
House on the Hill, a sublime waltz for piano and whistle written
for Mike Briggs who challenged Susan to begin writing dance tunes.
Reel One, Latin overtones and perpetual motion
Waltz Three, a beautiful waltz with a boring title that
Trip Time, a lively, syncopated jig written for Warren (Trip) Banner,
Susan's energetic husband
Mixed Ensembles
Meditation -- for solo alto flute, inspired by Debussy
Fantasy -- an impressionistic duet with Scottish overtones for flute
and piano
Duet -- a bright, jazzy piece for flute and piano
Dialogue - a duet for flute and bassoon in Calypso time
The Tide -- soprano voice, alto flute, flute and piano, text from
Longfellow and Sandburg.
Celtic Explorations
Bonnie at Morn - A classical chamber music arrangement of a
traditional Scottish lullaby for flute, violin and cello
Lord Balgonie's Medley - An arrangement of three Celtic tunes
(Lord Balgonie's March, Spootiskerry, and Lexy MacAskill's)
combining echoes of Bartok with minimalist and traditional styles for
alto flute, flute, violin, cello and piano.
Sassafras Reel - flute and electric guitar. A reel with heavy flute
and driving rhythms inspired by hearing the band, Fluke.
on CD Baby
and Bulk Purchases:
send an email to Susan
http://cdbaby.com/cd/susanconant
Susan Conant, flute, alto flute,
whistle
Jacequline Schwab, piano
Lynn Fisher McCanne, piano
Cynthia Spiegel, voice
Conor Mackey, bassoon, electric
guitar
Wendy Evans Glazier, violin
Larry Glazier, cello
Susan Conant is known for her chamber and folk music
performances on flute, recorder, whistle and other miscellaneous
instruments. Composing is a bright, new direction for Conant.
She finds that it provides an expressive way to creatively tie
together disparate corners of her musical background. These
compositions are partly a result of Conant's search for a unique
repertoire and partly a practical response to her duties as one of
the musical directors at the Unitarian Universalist Society of
Geneva, IL (UUSG).
At UUSG, Conant directs an eclectic assortment of instrumental
and vocal ensembles in a wide variety of musical genres from
classical to rock on acoustic and electronic instruments using
both composed and improvised techniques and everything
in-between. As a result, Conant has composed a varied body of
music tailored to the different musical talents and presentation
formats found at UUSG. The tracks on "A New Leaf" are a
compilation of the chamber works for flute that resulted from this
endeavor.
Besides working with the UUSG community, as a founding
member of James Street Players, Susan has played chamber
music for numerous local festivals and concert series. She was
instrumental in starting a Christmas Revels troupe in Chicago
where she participated as instrumental music director, performer
and board president, and was the administrator of the Folklife
Festival at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN. She is currently
a member of O'er the Border, a Scottish country dance band and
Musaica, a Latin folk music ensemble.
Susan attended the New England Conservatory of Music where
she studied with Claude Monteux. She grew up playing folk music
from the British Isles and North America and learning early music
at Pinewoods Camp where her grandmother, Lily Conant, was
steward for many years.
This album represents a new beginning for Susan in her
re-discovery of composing, a skill that she began learning at the
New England Conservatory, but until now, never pursued. She is
also a landscape architect and very interested in native plants
and creating beautiful public spaces. Thus in a few ways, the CD
represents the turning of "A New Leaf" for Susan.
Latin folk band
Border, a
Scottish Country
Dance band
Landscape
Architectural
portfolio
Jacqueline Schwab's sublime piano improvisations add her
uniquely expressive depth to Conant's "Celtic Suite", a
compilation of five dance-like tunes in strathspey, waltz, jig and
reel meters.
Schwab, (perhaps best known nationally for her piano work on
Ken Burns' PBS Civil War documentary) transports the concert
goer to the intimate atmosphere of a 19th century parlour. Her
piano has been described as "gorgeously spare" (the Boston
Globe) yet 'sounds as if she has an orchestra at her fingertips"
(Sing Out). Jacqueline's style fits somewhere between folk
traditional, classical and new age. Although improvisation is
often connected with jazz, Jacqueline derives inspiration form
traditional music, especially that of the British Isles, tango, and
early 20th century classical music.
Jacqeuline
Schwab's Site
on CD Baby
Lynn McCanne's expressive piano playing can be heard on Duet,
Fantasy, The Tide, and Lord Balgonie's Medley. Lynn performs
locally in the western suburbs of Chicago, provides piano music
at UUSG and is a member of a number of vocal ensembles.
Cynthia Spiegel, featured on The Tide, has been making a name
for herself as a vocal soloist in the Chicago area. As a member of
St Charles Singers, Cynthia performed as soloist in their 2006 tour
of France.
Conor Mackey (Dialogue and Sassafras Reel) is a very talented
high school senior who hopes to major in composition. He is
equally accomplished on both classical bassoon and electric
guitar and moves easily between an eclectic array of musical
styles from classical to jazz and funk.
Wendy Evans-Glazier, violinist, (Lord Balgonie’s Medley and
Bonnie at Morn) holds a Bachelor of Music degree in performance
from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and a Master of
Music degree and Performance Certificate from Northwestern
University. She has held positions with the Omaha Symphony,
Florida Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Elgin
Symphony. She also performs with the Chicago Philharmonic,
Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Chicago Opera
Theater, and the Rockford Symphony.
As a member of the Telos String Quartet, she performed
numerous recitals in the Midwestern states and in Italy. She has
recorded with Mannheim Steamroller and John Denver, and
performed with such popular artists as Josh Grobin, Patti LaBelle,
Vince Gill and Ray Charles.
Larry Glazier, cellist, (Lord Balgonie’s Medley and Bonnie at Morn)
has held positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Elgin
Symphony. He also performs with the Grant Park Symphony and
the Chicago Lyric Opera.
