Musical group to do more than just 'bang on a can'
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By: Nash Roberts, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Arts
Bang on a Can is a group on a mission to push music outside of the confines of rock or classical, jazz or folk.
"People like their music to be easily classified, and this is anything but that," said Emil Kang, UNC's executive director for the arts.
The core group of musicians forming Bang on a Can have been around officially since 1992, but since then they have been an evolving collective of some of the most influential names in both formal and alternative music.
David Lang, composer and co-artistic director for the group, recently won a Pulitzer Prize in Music for his work in "The Little Match Girl Passion," based on "The Little Match Girl," a Hans Christian Andersen story.
On Saturday Bang on a Can will feature two additional members, Lee Ranaldo, guitarist for the influential indie-rock band Sonic Youth, and drummer Glenn Kotche, famous for his work with alt-rockers Wilco and recent, highly acclaimed solo albums.
"People are basically boxed in by the way music is presented in this culture, with radio and even online," said Evan Ziporyn, who plays clarinet for Bang on a Can.
"The shows are about opening doors and introducing things to people that they might have not heard."
In addition Bang on a Can's show in Memorial Hall will feature the world premiere of pieces written by both Ranaldo and Kotche.
"I think Wilco fans will be surprised by the range of interests that Glenn has," Ziporyn said. "He wrote some very ambitious music that reflects his diverse interests."
Kotche was inspired to write the pieces from Southern soul and R&B, which has been thoroughly documented at UNC's Southern Folklife Collection, housed in the Wilson Library. Kotche was inspired to write the pieces because of a tour he took of the Folklife Collection when Wilco spent two nights at UNC during their 2006 tour.
"On that tour I witnessed a vast collection of media documenting Southern and American culture and music," Kotche said. "I thought it would be especially fitting for a new work based on this music to be premiered at the home of such an important collection."
Kang said that in attempting to break down boundaries between musical genres, the show itself eludes any specific classification.
"This show is part of our Urban Voices series, but it could be put anywhere," Kang said. "It's everything and nothing."
And Ziporyn said that is a result of bringing together a diverse collection of musicians.
"With Bang on a Can, we were trying to find the thing that connected creative music makers from all over the map and see what would come of it," Ziporyn said. "It's been a life's work of trying to find that creative thread."
Kang said that work was successful in achieving its goal.
"It epitomizes the spirit of music today," Kang said. "It's about collaboration."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
"People like their music to be easily classified, and this is anything but that," said Emil Kang, UNC's executive director for the arts.
The core group of musicians forming Bang on a Can have been around officially since 1992, but since then they have been an evolving collective of some of the most influential names in both formal and alternative music.
David Lang, composer and co-artistic director for the group, recently won a Pulitzer Prize in Music for his work in "The Little Match Girl Passion," based on "The Little Match Girl," a Hans Christian Andersen story.
On Saturday Bang on a Can will feature two additional members, Lee Ranaldo, guitarist for the influential indie-rock band Sonic Youth, and drummer Glenn Kotche, famous for his work with alt-rockers Wilco and recent, highly acclaimed solo albums.
"People are basically boxed in by the way music is presented in this culture, with radio and even online," said Evan Ziporyn, who plays clarinet for Bang on a Can.
"The shows are about opening doors and introducing things to people that they might have not heard."
In addition Bang on a Can's show in Memorial Hall will feature the world premiere of pieces written by both Ranaldo and Kotche.
"I think Wilco fans will be surprised by the range of interests that Glenn has," Ziporyn said. "He wrote some very ambitious music that reflects his diverse interests."
Kotche was inspired to write the pieces from Southern soul and R&B, which has been thoroughly documented at UNC's Southern Folklife Collection, housed in the Wilson Library. Kotche was inspired to write the pieces because of a tour he took of the Folklife Collection when Wilco spent two nights at UNC during their 2006 tour.
"On that tour I witnessed a vast collection of media documenting Southern and American culture and music," Kotche said. "I thought it would be especially fitting for a new work based on this music to be premiered at the home of such an important collection."
Kang said that in attempting to break down boundaries between musical genres, the show itself eludes any specific classification.
"This show is part of our Urban Voices series, but it could be put anywhere," Kang said. "It's everything and nothing."
And Ziporyn said that is a result of bringing together a diverse collection of musicians.
"With Bang on a Can, we were trying to find the thing that connected creative music makers from all over the map and see what would come of it," Ziporyn said. "It's been a life's work of trying to find that creative thread."
Kang said that work was successful in achieving its goal.
"It epitomizes the spirit of music today," Kang said. "It's about collaboration."
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
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