Masters of Russian Animation Debuts Musical Rebirth in San Francisco
San Francisco, California, USA
August 15-16, 2009
World Music quartet, the Berkeley-based Gojogo, will perform new original instrumental compositions set to films from the compilation "Masters of Russian Animation," August 15 and 16, 2009, with a Sunday children's matinee, at the Community Music Center in San Francisco. In 2006, Gojogo, who Stewart Mason of All Music Guide calls, "an uncategorizable delight," began composing musical scores to accompany these short animated films created in an oppressed Soviet Russia between 1969 and 1984. Gojogo first premiered their compositions-set-to-animation to critical acclaim in 2007 in San Francisco.
"Masters of Russian Animation" exemplifies some of the best work of Russian film directors who, with little resources, abandoned the real world in favor of one over which they had complete control. Through innovative techniques like stop-motion animation, cut paper, and over-laid glass, these films defy "low budget" and convey meaning relevant to any time and any place. Gojogo was drawn to the directors' creative use of limited resources and materials to create pieces of unrivaled beauty and eccentricity. Inspired to bring these films to a contemporary audience, Gojogo collaboratively composed fresh music, as the original sound tracks used excerpts from Russian classical music by Rimsky Korsakov and Tchaikovsky.
The Saturday evening, August 15, 2009, performance begins with a lecture discussing the relevance of the "Masters of Russian Animation" films on modern society. Sunday's performance, August 16, 2009, will also begin with a discussion for children with the Gojogo members about how music influences the mood of films, featuring musical examples and interactive activities.
Founded in Berkeley, California in 2003, Gojogo is an extraordinary musical "World Fusion" quartet that combines the Western sounds of classical and jazz with the rhythmic traditions of India. The acoustic instrumentation includes Sarah Jo Zaharako on violin, Eric Perney on bass, Gabriel Robinson on tabla, and Elias Reitz on dholki (a double-headed drum from Northern India) as well as electronic samples. Gojogo performs throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and the West Coast and has produced two recordings of music that defy the borders of any specific genre. In order to represent the many characters and colors depicted in the "Masters of Russian Animation" films, the original scores extend the Gojogo quartet to include co-collaborator and guitarist Roger Reidlbauer, as well as Patrick Farrell on accordion, Aaron Novik on bass clarinet, guitar, and Tim Strand on drums.
This event is supported in part through SUBITO, the quick advancement grant program of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the American Composers Forum and the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music Musical Grant Program.
When and What Time:
Saturday, August 15, 2009, at 8:00pm
Sunday, August 16, 2009, at 4:00pm
Where: Community Music Center
544 Capp St, San Francisco, CA 94110
www.sfcmc.org - tel: (415) 647-6015
How Much: $10.00 -- $15.00 Adult General Admission
$5.00 -- $10.00 Children General Admission
Buy tickets at the door (cash only) or online with your Credit Card or Checking account with Paypal at
http://www.gojogo.com
For more info, please visit:
http://www.gojogo.com or
http://www.myspace.com/gojogomusic .
