NYC Musical Saw Festival 2008

I am the founder and director of the annual NYC Musical Saw Festival. This is the 6th year in which the festival took place in Astoria, NYC. The first festival had 5 musical saw players participating. This year we had 30 musical saw players. My, how the festival grew!
Participating saw players came from Germany, Canada, GA, CA, OH, PA, MO, MA, MN, NJ and of course NY.

Photographer: Alex Kim

WFMU Radio’s DJ Bronwyn C called the festival “the concert of the summer. The idea of a musical saw backed up by a handbell choir makes the top of my head blow off”.
Indeed the festival featured an eclectic mix of sonic delights. A trio of NYC saw players opened the festival with a hymn accompanied by organist Judy Dimino.

Photographer: Alex Kim

I presented the educational segment of the festival, featuring the musical saw as an ensemble instrument in Donizetti’s opera ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’, with singer Ilya Speranza and pianist Arielle Levioff (who is the artistic director of the ‘Goliard ensemble’), followed by a contemporary piece by composer Scott R. Munson, with Seth Gilman (baritone).

Photographer: Alex Kim

Photographer: Nick Bardach

The Trinity Handbell Choir, directed by Richard Walker, joined me in a mesmerizing rendition of Satie’s ‘Gymnopedie’.

Photographer: AMS Wizard

Just when you thought there is no topping that off, came the highlight of the concert – the world premier of a piece by composer Scott R. Munson for musical saw and… Japanese music box. In this ‘east meets west’ gem I played together with an amplified old music box that plays a traditional Japanese koto song, weaving the sound of the musical saw along the decelerating melody of the music box.

Photographer: AMS Wizard

A succession of saw players followed, each presenting music of different styles, from classical to blues, gospel, folk, contemporary and avant guard. The audience got to witness the use of different types of saws, played in different techniques – with bows, mallets and electronic effects. A clown act and a vaudeville act featuring the saw were entertaining. The ‘Chorus of the Saws’, which featured all 30 saw players playing together, garnered a standing ovation.

Photographer: Alex Kim

The audience was also treated to an art exhibit featuring many paintings by different artists, all depicting the musical saw. Also, a video installation by Jamie Isenstine, featuring a headless magician playing the saw, accompanied by an oscillating fan blowing air into bottles – creating the effect of a mysterious jug band.

The festival, which was made possible in part by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, culminated in a workshop.
The festival was filmed by Associated Press TV for world wide broadcast.

Turn off the player in the right-hand margin before playing the video below.