MICHAEL T ROBERTS
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Mike Roberts Quintet: Art Song + Roots

Mission

The Mike Roberts Quintet (working name) is a musical ensemble with a primary mission to create and perform original songs based on great literature from around the world, preferably in its original language. 

​Additional goals include:
​
• Complementing original music with creative arrangements of music from around the world and across the ages, reflecting the interests of band members. For example, Mike likes medieval French chansons, New England psalm singing, and Sufi music. What could this particular group of musicians do with that music? 

• Collaborations with communities in the SF Bay Area (ethnic, spiritual, activist, etc.) to create music that fills a need and/or serves a purpose. I like it if music can do more than sit on a pedestal. 

​• Making recordings of original material. 

Strategy

1) Recruit a crack ensemble, using existing repertoire and mission as a starting point. 
2) Assemble a full program, augmenting existing material with new songs.
3) Schedule one or more concerts in the Bay Area, exploring possibilities for community collaboration. 
4) Launch crowdfunding campaign and/or pursue grants to secure funding for musicians.
5) Perform. 

If results are satisfactory, repeat steps 2 through 5. Record an album. 

Instrumentation

1) Voice (Adrienne Shamszad)
2) Guitar/Voice (Mike Roberts)
3) Piano/Accordion, and/or 2nd Guitar/Charango/Other stringed instrument
4) Cello
5) Percussion/Drum Kit

Repertoire

The project's repertoire will be primarily composed by me (Mike Roberts). I welcome each member's involvement in the process of developing songs and creating arrangements, and am also open to the possibility of other ensemble members contributing original compositions. The "seed repertoire" for the project is:

1) Cuentos de Eva Luna (five-song cycle, words by Isabel Allende)
2) Love or a Season (in progress: four- or five-song cycle, words by Robert Frost)
3) The Mad Farmer Revolution (freestanding song with the possibility for expansion, words by Wendell Berry)

Ideally, I would like to consider ideas for new works with the input of ensemble members. I want everyone in the group to have a stake in the music we perform. I would like to think hard about the audience we are serving, and perhaps develop projects in tandem with some of the many immigrant populations here in the Bay Area, and/or groups focused on social justice, environment, and spirituality of all stripes. 

Some ideas include: 

• Buddhist or Vedic mantras
• Celtic poetry
• Rumi
• Japanese haiku
• Native Californians (Ohlone, Miwok, etc.)
• American and Mexican pioneers in California
• Words of protest and activism
• Arrangements of medieval music: Resvellies vous or Rose, liz, printemps, verdure

Existing Original Repertoire: Recordings

Love Or a Season
text by Robert Frost

A Dream Pang
Demo with Adrienne Shamszad (voice) and Mike Roberts (guitar/piano/voice), synthesized cello, drum loops via Logic
Into My Own
Adrienne Shamszad and Mike (electric guitar), synthesized cello, piano, and drums


Cuentos de Eva Luna 
Text by Isabel Allende
Live recording with Adrienne Shamszad, Mike Roberts (charango), Zac Selissen (guitar), Adaiha Macadam-Somer (cello), and Colin Douglas (percussion)

​I think accordion would sound great in place of the charango. 


The Mad Farmer Revolution
​Text by Wendell Berry
Live recording with Brittany Hicks (soprano), Mike Roberts (electric guitar), contrabass and drum kit

The part played here on guitar was originally written for piano. It short be a short step to arranging this for our quintet, substituting cello for contrabass, scoring for piano and guitar, or perhaps piano + ukulele? Or accordion + guitar? Who knows...
mike@hotmike.com   •   415 260 2091
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  • Audio
  • About
    • Highlights from the Musical Life of Mike
    • Press Kit
  • Works
  • Commission
    • Previous Commissions
    • Commission Ideas and Process
  • News/Blog
    • Upcoming Concerts
  • More
    • Lessons
    • Duo Symphonious
    • Guitar Jukebox
    • Store
  • Contact