James Ackley and Bala Brass win Global Music Awards for work on “Deus Ex Machina”
USC trumpet professor, James Ackley, part of the highly acclaimed and award winning brass quintet Bala Brass, recently
collaborated with performers from around the nation to create a new operatic listening
experience. The CD, "Deus Ex Machina,” has won three Global Music Awards.
Released worldwide on October 1, the cutting edge electroacoustic work "Deus Ex Machina”
is a new graphic novel steampunk opera by award-winning composer and University of
South Carolina School of Music alumnus Robert J. Bradshaw.
The CD was recorded in historic Cabot Cinema in Beverly, Massachusetts — conducive
to the post-victorian, steampunk opera – a gorgeous vintage space to help the singers
get into character for the sessions.
“In a fascinating twist, the entire opera is performed to the main character’s clockwork
heartbeat and the sounds of steam engines (all synced with the music),” composer Bradshaw
explains. “It was important that every aspect of this project be choreographed as
the soundscape (sounds of the world where the opera exists) are ever-present until
the tragic demise of the main character."
In addition to the release of this recording, which includes sophisticated packaging
with beautiful photography, extensive biographical information, and libretto booklets,
“Deus Ex Machina” was recently performed in New York City (August 2015).
The work features soprano, Gillian Hurst (Rockport, MA), returning from Scotland to
record alongside baritone Gary Wood (Salem State University, Professor of Music) and
tenor Brendan P. Buckley (Plymouth State University). Also featured is Bala Brass
with trumpeter James Ackley (University of South Carolina), Seelan Manickam (Keene
State College), Kristen Sienkiewicz (Austin Peay State University), Robert Hoveland
(Plymouth Philharmonic), and tubist John Bottomley (University of Massachusetts Amherst).
Completing the star-studded artistic team of performers is virtuoso percussionist
Megan Arns (University of Missouri) performing on Timpani and engineer/percussionist
Benjamin Fraley.
www.capeannopera.org
BalaBrass.org