Rick Robinson
Pittsburgh
To play and adapt classical music for a career have been my greatest joys. Then I began creating new music to share with broader communities in new ways.
While playing in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for decades, I began to put classical newbies at the center of my music-making with two unique ensembles; CutTime Players and CutTime Simfonica®. Together, we began to reset classical music (esp. public domain) so everyone knows what to actually do with it.
Originally a symbol meaning fast and lively, CutTime® means to create shortcuts into classical music.
Because if to most Americans, classical music seems so European, ancient, exclusive, restrained, dry and somewhat pointless, then we the musicians need to smarten it up, and show immediate benefits for regular people that stick, esp. outside of the arts bubbles.
Concert halls and traditional concerts are designed to maximize the potential personal impact for the greatest number. The sonic blanket of acoustic instruments is warmest with quiet, theater rules.
But a good counterpoint to this environment is "casual classical," background or foreground, well-produced or cheap, that can reset the classical arts IRL. So let's make "clam" gig-gil-y fun, sexy and instantly profound, and stick it everywhere!
CutTime® plays symphonic and classical music with as few as 4-8 players. We show up everywhere, make classical active, rewarding and "info-taining." We amplify lightly, and often add a drummer and audience participation. Live classical can now work almost anywhere, from living rooms to popular venues, naturally schools and churches, but also shaded summer streets and backyards.
Sexy movie music, mad counterpoint, and street beats meet in my compositions City of Trees, Pork 'n Beans, Gitcha Groove On!, Phantom Detroit and First Grief. Modulations, drama and fugatos make VERY sexy action music.
Drums and historic grooves let us rock dramatically. The folk music of our time refreshes the 19th-Century sonata forms. Then, we should be ready for some Brahms.
Thanks for listening! Be sure to share. I'm done with Twitter.
Search for "cuttime" on YouTube.
- Rick
Mr. CutTime’s tracks
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