dreamseminar Project Timeline
2006: January 10-11. First development workshop, at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, with five members of the ensemble. In this first improvisational workshop, members explored the themes and texts of Tranströmer's poems, worked toward creating a physical and musical language for their expression, and recorded that process on videotape for later reference. Sponsored by Stony Brook University and private donors.
2006: April 16. Tomas Tranströmer receives New York University's prestigious Creative Writing Award. Members of Companion Star attend the ceremony and meet with Tomas and Monica Tranströmer to discuss the project. Henny Linn Kjellberg, set designer from Sweden, was also present.
2006: May 12. Premiere of Romanska Bågar, the first composition resulting from the initial development workshop, at the Tenri Cultural Institute, New York City. Sponsored by the Stony Brook Alumni Association.
2006: December. Romanska Bågar performed at Stony Brook University.
2007: January 15-21. Second developmental workshop, held at the Gateway Theater in Bellport, New York, with 17 members of the ensemble in attendance, including members from Sweden, Canada, Spain, France, and the USA. Expanding on material from the first workshop and introducing new material, this workshop incorporates input from new musicians as well as the choreographer. All workshops are open to the public and initial footage is taken for the documentary film, including interviews. The workshop results in two work-in-progress performances and is made possible by major sponsorship from The Gateway Theatre, private donors, and Stony Brook University.
2007: March-June. Composer Ellen Lindquist travels to Sweden, where she composes music in preparation for the third developmental workshop and performance. Ellen is a fellow with the American-Scandinavian Foundation during the three months leading up to the workshop, and has additional support from Mälardalens University in Västerås in the form of living accommodations and workspace.
2007: June 8-16. Third development workshop, held at Engsö Castle in Västmanland, Sweden, with 18 members of the ensemble in attendance. A substantial amount of newly composed music is introduced, and the improvisational work is enhanced with poetry. More footage and additional interviews are shot for the documentary. All workshop sessions are open to the public. The workshop results in one work-in-progress performance. Reviews of the performance at Engsö Castle are excellent, and the work is presented on both Swedish radio (national broadcast) and SV-TV (channel 4).
2007: June 10. Companion Star performs a program of chamber music at the Wik Castle in Wik, Uppland, presented by Kultur i Lanet.
2007: June 11. Companion Star opens the Engsö Cultural Week with a concert of American Poetry and Music. Co-produced by Companion Star and Mëlardalens University, at Engsö Castle.
2007: July 10-August 5. Set designer Henny Linn Kjellberg and composer Ellen Lindquist are invited to the International Ceramics Research Center in Denmark to develop porcelain percussion instruments to use in the show. They present their work during the Centre's 10th-anniversary symposium, where percussionist Birgit Løkke performs on the new instruments.
2008: January 10-14. Fourth development workshop, held in Bellport, New York, with 10 members of the ensemble. This workshop focuses on the incorporation of a style of movement into the final work, introduces a new choreographer, and results in a long-term plan for the completion of the piece.
2008: June 2-14. Fifth development workshop, held at the Västerås Konserthus in Västerås, Sweden, with the full ensemble in residence (24 people including support staff). The focus of this workshop is on structuring the piece, adding more composed material and integrating movement with music. A work-in-progress performance took place June 14 in the Lilla Salen of the Västerås Konserthus.
2009: January 12-16, 2009 a workshop is held in New York with eight members of the company present, including a new addition to the team, Tim Long as Musical Director. The focus of the meetings was structure and design, and the decision was made to chance the name of the piece from "For the Living and the Dead" to "Dreamseminar".
2009: June 2-19, Seventh development workshop, held at the Västerås Konserthus in Västerås, Sweden, with the full ensemble in residence (25 people including support staff). A substantial portion of the work was presented in performance and in a review from the Vestmanlans Läns Tidning, Johan Lif says, "Although the shape is changing it seems like the ensemble has found a tone and an interaction that functions, and that assures good things. Ellen Lindquist's music is consistently excellent: spacious, but also dense and content-rich."
Future
2010: January 16, 8pm, Rattlestick Theater, NYC. Skogensemble and Companion Star present the first of a series of new music concerts showcases premieres of works by contemporary Scandinavian composers.
2010: May/June. Members of the company are invited to return to Mälardalens högskola to give courses as part of their Summer Music Academy in Västerås, Skapande genom Improvisation (Creating through Improvisation).
2010: November, NYC. Skogensemble performs a reading of the complete score of dreamseminar/drömseminarium.
2011: January. Final production workshop will take place to complete work and prepare for premiere.
2011: September/October. Rehearsals culminating in Swedish Premiere in Västerås and Stockholm.
2012: Spring, NYC. Rehearsals culminating in US premiere in NYC.
