| Review of Improvised session with Nathan Hubbard and Scott Walton, by Robert Bush, January 18, 2013, in the San Diego Reader (session video) Review of Once, in a Grove of Tamarisk, in Percussive Notes, January 2013 Review of the soundON Festival of Modern Music 2011 night 2 by Kenneth Herman for sandiego.com Review of the soundON Festival of Modern Music 2011 night 1 by Christian Hertzog for sequenza21.com "Two pieces stood out. Christopher Adler, the one American on the program, exercised his fascination with Chinese instruments, particularly the sheng (a mouth organ) and the guanzi (an oboe), in the invitingly sinuous "Serpent of Five Tongues" (2009). Using the sheng to produce a chordal backdrop — undulating at first, then more varied — against which the guanzi plays long-lined melodies. Near the end, the guanzi line becomes a jazz-tinged solo in which the instrument’s timbre is softened so radically that it sounds more like a trumpet than an oboe. The expert players were Hu Jianbing on the sheng and Bao Jian on the guanzi." "The close-knit harmonies and concentrated reedy sounds that began American composer Christopher Adler’s "Serpent of Five Tongues" gave way to a blazing, virtuosic, partially improvised climax before settling into an irresistible groove, all the while melding southeast Asian inflections, blues and dance rhythms. The piece — whose title refers to a Hindu serpent god, naga, protector of Buddha as well as the five-voice texture of the opening bars — was a world premiere at the MATA Festival, which had its first concert at Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday. The work was fresh, well crafted, brilliantly executed and accessible without ever seeming to pander — an ideal representation of the festival’s mission." "In Christopher Adler’s virtuoso hands, the evening made the case for the versatility of an instrument with charms that transcend its limitations." Two-part interview concerning my percussion music on nief-norf Chronicles, February, 2011: Part 1 Part 2 "I was greatly impressed by Juan Campoverde Q.’s virtuoso solo piano suite Aires, played with finesse and confidence by Christopher Adler." WNYC New Sounds, Feb. 18, 2009 "Christopher Adler is one of the bright lights on the West Coast today." "...a stunning music sporting unique instrumentation, timbres and tones that reflect an affinity for electronic music, and an acoustic esthetic that is sonorous, at times shimmering, and definitely spiritual" "Brillamment écrit, cette pièce sonore demeure une oeuvre fantastique, dont l’écoute vous apportera une évasion de l’esprit." "Stunningly distinctive yet steeped in tradition, Adler's work stands as a testament to the power of global-minded musicmaking." "...this music is filled with vibrant energy and sunshine." "Fresh and challenging" "Evan Ziporyn's 1999 "Pondok: Fragrant Forest," a work for solo piano played with energetic precision by Christopher Adler..." David Gregson reviewed the final concert of the 2007 soundON Festival of Modern Music, for sandiego.com, June 17, 2007 Cathy Robbins previewed and reviewed the events of the 2007 soundON Festival of Modern Music (seven articles: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7) KPBS and the San Diego Union Tribune previewed the 2007 soundON Festival of Modern Music I was featured in the San Diego Union-Tribune, March 5, 2006 Composer David Loeb and I were featured in Asia, The Journal of Culture and Commerce, March 17, 2006, as a preview of the premiere performance of David Loeb's Three Friends of Winter, for NOISE with myself playing khaen. (The article is not available on-line.) David Gregson reviewed Colin McAllister's Albus/Ater concert, featuring my composition Liber Pulveris, for sandiego.com, May 9, 2006. I have appeared on Dirk Sutro's The Lounge, on KPBS radio 89.5 FM in San Diego to preview performances: For reviews of CDs, please see the pages for each individual CD here |
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