Joseph Bertolozzi signing and discussing Bridge Music today at Barnes and Noble in Newburgh, NY

Here's an item I'm tardy in sharing, but not entirely too late:

Joseph Bertolozzi will be discussing and signing copies of his cd Bridge Music at 7pm today at the Barnes and Noble in Newburgh (1245 Rt. 300.)

Bridge Music opens June 6 in Poughkeepsie. CD releases on May 26

Joseph Bertolozzi's sound installation on the Mid Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie will officially open on June 6. The project which was originally planned as a series of live performances of music made using the actual bridge structure as the instrument will exist as an installation of listening stations on the bridge and and as an FM transmission of the piece in the park areas around the bridge ( the signal will be broadcast at 87.9FM. The June 6 ribbon cutting(s) - there will be four of them, one for each of the dispersed components of the project will happen beginning at 11 am.

The Bridge Music CD, on the Delos label has been available for pre-order and will available for sale at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other purveyors of fine music.

Bridge Music goes digital

Joseph Bertolozzi announced last month that, commencing in the Spring, his Bridge Music project will have a permanent digital presence on the Mid Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie. Listening stations located on the pedestrian portion of the bridge, at the bridge's two towers will serve up the musical composition at the touch of a button. A future feature will entail a low frequency transmitter by which the work can be listened to via car radio or other personal receiver on and in the vicinity of the bridge.
The original live performance has been postponed pending sufficient financial sponsorship.
A more formal release of information will be forthcoming as the implementation of the digital phase draws near.
Sources have it that Bertoluzzi, who is a recipient of a 2008 NYFA Artist Fellowship in Music Composition will be reaching a milestone birthday later this month.
If you're interested in finding out more about the Bridge Music Project, or supporting it, visit Joe's website.

A plea for state funding of the Fulton-Hudson 400th Anniv.

I'm very late in posting Joe Bertolozzi's email with a link to Governor Spitzer's office urging folks to write and voice their support for funding for events celebrating The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial.

Joe's been working on securing funding and corporate sponsorship for his ambitious project, and as far I know, there's been little response from the corporations he's contacted. His Bridge Music project has been featured in news reports in several countries. If you haven't seen it, here is the feature the NYTimes did on the project, including video.
This project will be a technical and physical feat. Some 22 musicians will be positioned high and low on the bridge playing structure as an instrument in a live performance.

To sit down an speak with Joe is to understand that he is wildly passionate and committed to this project and he has done his homework. It's taken him years to get to this point, and this project has all of the markings of the signature event of this major historical anniversary. It seems to me that the cache of being linked with such a project during such a visible region-wide celebration would make a lot of sense in portraying the area as an enclave of creative, and innovative activity. Let's not forget the potentially marketable poetry that the image of a singing bridge and all of the metaphorical fodder that could be expoited by a progressive company. If a Verizon or a Central Hudson can't be bothered to be involved, I'd hope that an AT&T, TMobile, or some other communication or tech company from outside the area would sweep in and put their brand on this event pointing out that pioneering creative spirit knows no boundary.
But that's a separate matter. Here's Joe's email:

The Governor's office is reviewing budget 08-09 funding for among other things, the Hudson Quadricentnnial.

If you'd like to help, click
here http://161.11.121.121/govemail or http://www.ny.gov/governor/contact/index.html
to send him an e-mail, and an say that:

Please consider generous funding of the
Hudson-Fulton Quadricentennial. It would benefit NYS
economically by drawing thousands of tourism dollars. Millions have already seen the articles in NY Times, AP, Reuters, NPR, AOL, BBC, Japanese TV, etc. about Joseph Bertolozzi's "Bridge Music" a monumental artistic endeavor worthy of the Empire State that
celebrates the Mid Hudson Bridge, the Hudson River and the valley. Slated for 2009, Bridge Music is seeking official Quadricentennial endorsement and there would be a mutual benefit to the collaboration between Bridge Music and NYS.

You may cut and paste the above paragraph if you like or use your own words. I appreciate your consideration in helping to bring 'Bridge Music' to fruition.
My very best,
Joe

Joseph Bertolozzi's Bridge Music in the NYT

Yesterday's NYTimes Art section ran a long article, accompanied by a video on the website, on Beacon composer Joseph Bertolozzi's project Bridge Music.
Bertolozzi is creating a musical composition that will be played on the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie, using the bridge as musical instrument, by an ensemble of percussionists.

Joe's website contains a narrative of his process thus far, as well as information on how to donate toward supporting this project.

In the Naus

I was perusing some of the additions on bau's website today. I'm aware that Gary O'Connor, who joined bau at the end of last year has left the group recently. The listing of the current membership now lists Poughkeepsie artist, Franc Palia as the new member filling the vacancy.

There's a new page on the site that profiles the current state of composor, Joseph Bertolozzi's project "Bridge Music." The ultimate intent of the project is to perform a musical composition by using the structure of the Mid Hudson Bridge as an instrument. You can check it out here.