Allan von Schenkel
Encyclopedia
Allan von Schenkel is an American double bass
ist, performance art
ist, music promoter, and composer. He is a self-described "creative bass soloist", and, since the beginning of his music career in the early 1990s, has performed an average of 80 recitals each year. He has developed connections with many important personalities in music, including Lee Hoiby
and Yoko Ono
.
. He attended Shasta College
in Redding, California
from 1993 to 1996 and lived in Lansing, Michigan
and attended University of Michigan
, Michigan State University
, and Wayne State University
from 1996 until he relocated to Washington, D.C.
in 2005.
Schenkel has composed over three hundred musical works including three musicals, incidental music
to eight plays and other pieces. The most recent work, composed alongside Kristen Williams, was '69 Ways to Fall in LOVE'; premiered at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington DC in 2007.
Schenkel is best known as a performer of contemporary classical music
and performance art
. His main mentors on the bass have been Gary Karr
and Stefano Sciascia. Schenkel studied with Sciascia in Italy from 2002 to 2003.
Since 2004, Schenkel has expanded his career to include promoting contemporary music for the double bass from around the world. As a member of the Basso Moderno Duo, alongside pianist Kristen Williams since 2006, Schenkel has commissioned more than 100 composers from dozens of countries in all regions of the world. In addition, he has premiered works by Karlheinz Stockhausen
and Alan Hovhaness
.
In November 2005, he performed the works of Lee Hoiby
, together with the composer himself at the Cosmos in Washington DC.
In 2006, renowned composer and artist Yoko Ono
wrote "Secret Piece II" for Allan von Schenkel, which he premiered at the Hirshhorn Museum. This and many of the other pieces Schenkel performs are, according to him, "just as much art as music." This has made Von Schenkel a notable performance art
ist. These works involve Schenkel using the double bass in innovative ways, such as turning it upside down and making unusual sounds with it. Since the beginning of his career, Schenkel has attempted to lead an expansion in the popularity of the double bass while also exploring its musicological nature and expanding its uses. He believes that his entry into the world of performance art may be an important step in this process.
American composers Ned Rorem
, Pauline Oliveros
, Leo Kraft
and seven other celebrated American composers composed works for the Basso Moderno Duo to be premiered at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
in July 2007.
In November 2007, Schenkel relocated to New York, from where he continues his musical career, including a greater emphasis on travel.
Recent activities have included a tour of Bulgaria and Romania as well as a recital at the United Nations
in New York City.
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
ist, performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
ist, music promoter, and composer. He is a self-described "creative bass soloist", and, since the beginning of his music career in the early 1990s, has performed an average of 80 recitals each year. He has developed connections with many important personalities in music, including Lee Hoiby
Lee Hoiby
Lee Henry Hoiby was an American composer and classical pianist. Best known as a composer of operas and songs, he was a disciple of composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Like Menotti, his works championed lyricism during a time when such compositions were deemed old fashioned and irrelevant to modern society...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
.
Biography
Schenkel grew up near Mount Shasta, CaliforniaMount Shasta, California
Mount Shasta is a city in Siskiyou County, California, located at around 3,600 ft on the flanks of Mount Shasta, a prominent northern California landmark. The city is less than southwest of the summit of its namesake volcano...
. He attended Shasta College
Shasta College
Shasta College is an American two-year to four- year community college located in Redding, California founded in 1950. It later moved to a much bigger campus, while the original campus became the new location of Shasta High School....
in Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
from 1993 to 1996 and lived in Lansing, Michigan
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
and attended University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, and Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
from 1996 until he relocated to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 2005.
Schenkel has composed over three hundred musical works including three musicals, incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
to eight plays and other pieces. The most recent work, composed alongside Kristen Williams, was '69 Ways to Fall in LOVE'; premiered at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington DC in 2007.
Schenkel is best known as a performer of contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
and performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
. His main mentors on the bass have been Gary Karr
Gary Karr
Gary Karr b. November 20, 1941 in Los Angeles, California, is an American classical double bass virtuoso and teacher.- Biography :Although he comes from seven generations of bassists, he was not encouraged by them to go into music...
and Stefano Sciascia. Schenkel studied with Sciascia in Italy from 2002 to 2003.
Since 2004, Schenkel has expanded his career to include promoting contemporary music for the double bass from around the world. As a member of the Basso Moderno Duo, alongside pianist Kristen Williams since 2006, Schenkel has commissioned more than 100 composers from dozens of countries in all regions of the world. In addition, he has premiered works by Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
and Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness
Alan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
.
In November 2005, he performed the works of Lee Hoiby
Lee Hoiby
Lee Henry Hoiby was an American composer and classical pianist. Best known as a composer of operas and songs, he was a disciple of composer Gian Carlo Menotti. Like Menotti, his works championed lyricism during a time when such compositions were deemed old fashioned and irrelevant to modern society...
, together with the composer himself at the Cosmos in Washington DC.
In 2006, renowned composer and artist Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
wrote "Secret Piece II" for Allan von Schenkel, which he premiered at the Hirshhorn Museum. This and many of the other pieces Schenkel performs are, according to him, "just as much art as music." This has made Von Schenkel a notable performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
ist. These works involve Schenkel using the double bass in innovative ways, such as turning it upside down and making unusual sounds with it. Since the beginning of his career, Schenkel has attempted to lead an expansion in the popularity of the double bass while also exploring its musicological nature and expanding its uses. He believes that his entry into the world of performance art may be an important step in this process.
American composers Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem
Ned Rorem is a Pulitzer prize-winning American composer and diarist. He is best known and most praised for his song settings.-Life:...
, Pauline Oliveros
Pauline Oliveros
Pauline Oliveros is an American accordionist and composer who is a central figure in the development of post-war electronic art music....
, Leo Kraft
Leo Kraft
Leo Kraft is an American composer, author, and educator.He holds degrees from Queens College and Princeton University. He studied composition with Karol Rathaus, Randall Thompson, and Nadia Boulanger...
and seven other celebrated American composers composed works for the Basso Moderno Duo to be premiered at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C. with an extensive collection of American art.Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States...
in July 2007.
In November 2007, Schenkel relocated to New York, from where he continues his musical career, including a greater emphasis on travel.
Recent activities have included a tour of Bulgaria and Romania as well as a recital at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York City.