VIDEO: TwtrSymphony Performs Four Movements of Chip Michael's Symphony No. 2 'Birds of a Feather'

TwtrSymphony is musicians from around the world collaborating to create new music in a new way for a new audience. This "new way" involves providing music in multiple formats via social media, including download, video and printed score, culminating in the group's debut CD March 2014. Below, TwtrSymphony performs four movements of Chip Michael's Symphony No. 2 "Birds of a Feather"!

Many modern composers struggle to find orchestras to play their works. Premieres of new orchestral works tend to be by composers who either are already established or have an association with the orchestra. TwtrSymphony wants to give a venue to composers everywhere to get a short sample of their music out to the world.

TwtrSymphony has also established a 140 second length for its pieces, which fits perfectly into this rapid assessment, as well as tying in with Twitter's 140 character tweet length.

"Birds of a Feather" first movement - "The Hawk Goes Hunting": The 1st movement of Symphony No. 2 "Birds of a Feather" performed by TwtrSymphony -a new concept in symphony orchestra. Musicians from around the world recorded their parts in remote sessions, put together in a studio to create the symphony orchestra sound.

"Birds of a Feather" second movement - "Birds of Paradise": Each of the 40+ musicians recorded their part separately from various locations around the world, with Felipe Gonzales and Garry Boyle putting the tracks together in the studio. Sarah Richardson compiled the video from clips sent in by the various musicians.

"Birds of a Feather" third movement - "Tremulando Dança": "Tremulando Dança" is Portuguese for Fluttering Dance. As might be typical for a third movement in a classical symphony the minuet and trio is used with a nod toward the Scherzo or "joke." The music dances about in an altered rumba beat for the minuet, with the trio a modified waltz with some unlikely shifts in the beat. The minuet keeps the heavy use of 13/8 as the main underlying meter.

"Birds of a Feather" fourth movement - "Murmuration": The final movement, "Murmuration" is a chance for the orchestra to truly emulate the flight of birds. The music shifts and flows as a flock of starlings might glide through the sky, taking sudden turns without warning, all the while keeping a cohesive form. The music form is a variation on a theme and variations. As the music is 'reduced' to a 140 beat limit, the flow of the variations actually ride overtop of each other, much like the formation of the starlings do in the murmurations. By the time the piece recapitulates the main theme, there have been six variations.

Learn more about TwtrSymphony and download the music at:
http://TwtrSymphony.instantencore.com or www.facebook.com/TwtrSymphony.

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