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Our years of exploration of the metaworld where music meets juggling make the fusion of The Flying Karamazov Brothers with The Symphony Orchestra a natural evolutionary step. Some of the finest orchestras in the country have stepped up to the plate to see how well they can deal with whatever we throw at them. It's marvelous to see staid professional musicians having as much fun as we do, and we love to borrow their mantle of seriousness and mess with it until we rip it to shreds. It's just as wonderful a spectacle to have our eclectic fans cohabit with their formal and sophisticated audience, and to have everybody end up learning something new.
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There are two distinct symphony shows currently in circulation. Each is a combination of juggling music with orchestra, juggling without orchestra, and music without juggling. (Since we don't rehearse the non-orchestral portions with the orchestra, we particularly enjoy moments when the musicians see what we really do on stage for the first time, like the sound of the collective jaw drop when we play a Bach two-part invention on the marimba while juggling the mallets.) Orchestra Show Number One, In Concert, features "In the Hall of the Mountain King", "Suite for Marimba and Backdrums", "Theme from Comedy of Errors", and Howard's rendition of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto on the Baritone Horn. Orchestra Show Number Two, Life Begins at Forte, features "We Are the Very Model of a Modern Vaudeville Juggling Troupe", "The Whole World (Gotta Learn to Juggle)", "Swing Concept", Howard attempting the Boccherini Cello Concerto on the Baritone, and Paul's remarkable rendition of "Suite Aymara" on the clarinet. Yikes. In both shows, Mark gets to actually use his years of academic training and actually conduct an orchestra. It's always a wonderful explosion of colliding cultures, and a splendid time is guaranteed for all.
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Choose the title for the program of one of our two orchestra shows below:
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| ...In Concert |
"In the Hall of the Mountain King" from Pier Gynt Edvard Grieg
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Rhythm I - Juggling Music by Howard Patterson
Not-Juggling Music by Douglas Wieselman
A percussion quartet for juggled clubs. The orchestra's wind section accompanies the soloists |
| Taiko - Howard Patterson An homage to Japanese festival drumming, played on meticulously tuned cardboard boxes. |
The Fan Dance - Douglas Wieselman and Howard Patterson
Exploring the tessan, a Japanese war fan, in a piece from the Karamazov's play "Le Petomane" . |
| Rhythm III A suite in four movements for juggling ensemble |
con brillo ~ Howard Patterson
Messrs. Kimball and Ettinger play a duet for backdrums. The backdrum is a wall of drums played by juggling three clubs and striking the drums with them in one's copious spare time. |
con moto ~ Anonymous
A marimba rendition of a classic of Chinese folk music by Messrs. Patterson and Magid. |
piu mosso ~ Two-part Invention #4 in d minor - Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed on marimba by two Ks, each juggling three mallets. As Johann originally intended it. |
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allegro ~ St. Louis Blues W. C. Handy
Marimba and modified backdrums together play a rousing finale to the suite tout ensemble. |
"Pas de Six" from Guillaume Tell Gioacchino Rossini
A hip-hop comic ballet, choreographed by enfant terrible Doug Elkins. |
1st Bassoon Concerto in Bb Major (1st movement) - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conducted by Mark Ettinger - Solo Euphonium: Howard Patterson
No real reason to do it, except that there was no way Mr. Patterson, fanatic champion of Adolphe Saxe and his lesser-known inventions, was going to pass up the opportunity. |
Jazz III - The Company
A piece of free-form improvisational club passing - a visual equivalent of musical jazz. |
Symphony No. 9 (excerpt) - Ludwig van Beethoven
Using radio transmitters and hockey helmets, the Ks do an exceedingly complicated juggling pattern while playing the theme from the fourth movement of Beethoven's Choral Symphony. |
BP 2 (Big Production Number 2) - Douglas Wieselman
The theme from the K's 1987 Lincoln Center production of Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors" , a lilting Turkish cartoon jazz folk tune for jugglers and orchestra in 20/8 time. |
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Tuesday, January 31, 2002
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Life Begins at Forte
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We are the Very Model of a Modern Vaudeville Juggling Troupe - Sir Arthur Sullivan (music)
Howard Jay Patterson (lyrics)
In which The Brothers introduce themselves, and a few juggling concepts
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Minimalament - Howard Jay Patterson
Orchestral arrangement by Mark Ettinger
A repeating melodic figure in 11/8 time came to Mr. Patterson in a dream: He woke in the middle of the night with a melody running through his head, and quietly, so as not to startle it, he crept to his harpsichord, transcribed it and went back to bed.
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Quartet for Lacrosse Balls and Long Table - Howard Jay Patterson
The Brothers begin to idly twiddle a juggling ball. And another. And another...
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I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles - Jean Kenbrovin and John W. Kellette
In which Ivan and Dmitri try to push the envelope for a number of different things attempted simultaneously: juggling, singing, playing marimba, tap dancing, playing harmonica... and chewing gum. Oh yeah? You try it.
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Minaret - The Company
Orchestral arrangement by Mark Ettinger
A juggling and tap dancing piece in 5/4 time, created in the burning sands of Morocco while waiting (endlessly) to be on camera in the shooting of the film "Jewel of the Nile".
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Suite Aymara: excerpt - Traditional Conducted by Mark Ettinger Arranged by Douglas Wieselman From the repertoire of Banda del Commando Armada, under the command of Lt. Amalio Barco, Bolivia. Featuring the authentic clarinet stylings of Dmitri Karamazov.
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Isn't It a Lovely Day (To Be Caught in the Rain) - Irving Berlin Arranged by Douglas Wieselman
A form of Musical Chairs with juggling, but no chairs.
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Concerto no.9 in Bb Major for violoncello and orchestra - Luigi Boccherini
Conducted by Mark Ettinger Orchestrated by Friedrich Grutzmacher Cadenza by Douglas Wieselman
Solo performed by Ivan Karamazov on the Euphonium. Music of the Eighteenth Century, played on instruments of the Nineteenth, at the dawn of the Twenty-first. Wow.
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Whole World (Gotta Learn to Juggle) - Howard Jay Patterson
Orchestral arrangement by Douglas Wieselman
A paean to the universal appeal and worldwide benefit of throwing things in the air.
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The Polish-Appalachian Clog Dance - Composed and arranged by Douglas Wieselman
Choreography by Doug Elkins
A Polish miner, his long suffering wife, his rebellious son and his slatternly daughter sum up the social Realist vision of the American immigrant experience...through dance!
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Jazz II - The Company
A further extension of the Karamazov's trademark improvisational club passing system. The stringed members of the orchestra will leave, for the sake of instrumental security; The audience had better stay and take their chances.
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The Swing Concept - Composed and arranged by Douglas Wieselman
The spirit of 1937: Big Band meets Big Orchestra and learns to juggle. Solid, cats.
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The Karamazovian portion of these performances were written, directed and produced by The Flying Karamazov Brothers.
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The Flying Karamazov Brothers past performances with orchestras
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| DATE |
CITY |
VENUE |
ORCHESTRA |
| June 1, 2007 |
Phoenix, AZ |
Symphony Hall |
Phoenix Symphony |
| Feb 16-17, 2007 |
Salt Lake City, UT |
Abravanel Hall |
Utah Symphony Orchestra |
| July 23, 2005 |
Lancaster, OH |
Ohio University |
Lancaster Symphony |
| April 22-24, 2005 |
Dallas, TX |
Morton Meyerson Symphony Center |
Dallas Symphony |
| March 4-6, 2005 |
Grand Rapids, MI |
DeVos Hall |
Grand Rapids Symphony |
| November 16-17, 2004 |
Toronto, ONT |
Roy Thompson Hall |
Toronto Symphony Orchestra |
| March 26-27, 2004 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Orchestra Hall |
Minnesota Orchestra |
| February 15, 2004 |
Toledo, OH |
Stranahan Theatre |
Toledo Symphony Orchestra |
| January 23-24, 2004 |
Edmonton, ONT |
Francis Winspear Centre |
Edmonton Symphony |
| January 2-4, 2004 |
Milwaukee, WI |
Marcus Center |
Milwaukee Symphony |
| September 13, 2003 |
Albuquerque, NM |
Popejoy Hall |
New Mexico Symphony Orchestra |
| June 5-7, 2003 |
Ottawa, ONT |
National Arts Centre |
National Arts Centre Orchestra |
| April 1, 2003 |
New York, NY |
Carnegie Hall |
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra |
| March 28-30, 2003 |
Omaha, NE |
Orpheum Theatre |
Omaha Symphony |
| March 16&23, 2003 |
Cincinnati, OH |
Music Hall |
Cincinnati Pops |
| March 26, 2002 |
Seattle, WA |
Benaroya Hall |
Seattle Symphony |
| June 2 - 3, 2001 |
Cupertino, CA |
Flint Center |
San Jose Symphony |
| March 30 - 31, 2001 |
Jacksonville,FL |
Jacoby Symphony Hall |
Jacksonville Symphony |
| Jan. 26 - 27, 2001 |
Dayton, OH |
Dayton Convention Center |
Dayton Philharmonic |
| Jan. 19 - 20, 2001 |
Nashville, TN |
Tennessee Performing Arts Ctr |
Nashville Symphony |
| Nov. 2, 2000 |
Seattle, WA |
Benaroya Hall |
Seattle Symphony |
| Sept. 23 - 25, 2000 |
Portland, OR |
Schnitzer Hall |
Oregon Symphony |
| August 31, 2000 |
Concord, CA |
Chronicle Pavillion |
California Symphony |
| July 15, 2000 |
Vienna, WA |
Wolftrap |
National Symphony |
| June 2 - 4, 2000 |
Milwaukee, WI |
Marcus Center |
Milwaukee Symphony |
| April 1, 2000 |
Louisville, KY |
Palace Theatre |
Louisville Orchestra |
| Nov. 26 - 27, 1999 |
Atlanta, GA |
Woodruff Arts Center |
Atlanta Symphony |
| Nov. 18 - 21, 1999 |
Detroit, MI |
Orchestra Hall |
Detroit Symphony |
| Sept. 24, 1999 |
St. Louis, MO |
Powell Symphony Hall |
St. Louis Symphony |
| Sept. 17 - 19, 1999 |
San Antonio, TX |
Majestic Theatre |
San Antonio Symphony |
| May 21-22, 1999 |
Salt Lake City, UT |
Abravarel Hall |
Utah Symphony |
| April 19, 1999 |
Richmond, VA |
Landmark Theatre |
Richmond Symphony |
| April 18, 1999 |
Baltimore, MD |
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall |
Baltimore Symphony |
| April 9-11, 1999 |
Omaha, NE |
Orpheum Theater |
Omaha Symphony |
| January 14, 1999 |
Portland, OR |
Schnitzer Hall |
Oregon Symphony |
| January 7-9, 1999 |
Calgary, AB, Canada |
Singer Auditorium |
Calgary Philharmonic |
| Nov. 20-21, 1998 |
Hartford, CT |
Bushnell Memorial Hall |
Hartford Symphony |
| October 3, 1998 |
Youngstown, OH |
Stanburgh Auditorium |
Youngstown Symphony |
| July 26, 1998 |
Hollywood, CA |
Hollywood Bowl |
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra |
| July 10-11, 1998 |
Cincinnati, OH |
Riverbend Music Center |
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra |
| April 24-26, 1998 |
Grand Rapids, MI |
DeVoos Hall |
Grand Rapids Symphony |
| April 17-18, 1998 |
Minneapolis, MN |
Orchestra Hall |
Minnesota Orchestra |
| March 6, 1998 |
St. Louis, MO |
Powell Symphony Hall |
St. Louis Symphony Pops |
| Feb. 27-March 1, 1998 |
San Jose, CA |
Flint Center & Civic Auditorium |
San Jose Symphony |
| August 1, 1997 |
San Francisco, CA |
Davies Symphony Hall |
San Francisco Symphony |
| May 9 & 12, 1997 |
Boston, MA |
Symphony Hall |
Boston Pops (taped for PBS) |
| March 20, 1997 |
Greenville, SC |
Peace Center Concert Hall |
Greenville Symphony |
| July 18, 1996 |
Vienna, VA |
Wolftrap |
National Symphony |
| July 16, 1996 |
Ocean City, NJ |
Music Pier |
Ocean City Pops |
| July 7, 1996 |
Cuyahoga Falls, OH |
Blossom Music Center |
Cleveland Orchestra |
| March 25-26, 1995 |
Washington, DC |
Kennedy Center |
National Symphony |
| March 16-18,1995 |
Buffalo, NY |
Kleinhaus Music Hall |
Buffalo Philharmonic |
| Feb 10-11, 1995 |
Rochester, NY |
Eastman Theatre |
Rochester
Philharmonic
Orchestra | |
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