The most meaningful part of my trip was having the composer, Joseph Schwantner there for the duration of my performances. Being that his concerto inspired me to be a solo percussionist and that his concerto was the first percussion concerto I ever studied, last week felt like a huge milestone in my career as a soloist. It was so great to talk one on one with the composer about the work and to share our personal insights and experiences with the audiences.

Here are some parting shots and press from the trip. Next up: Recording sessions, performances of Kevin Puts’ Marimba Concerto and a new studio space!

What defines us? Often, I wonder how and why people recognize each other. As a professional musician, people often define me by what I do, not knowing much about who I am. It may be interesting that I play the drums for a living, but more interesting is how I got to this point. Where I came from, the daily struggles, the lifetime of different experiences. I suppose those things make me who I am more than what I do.

As I transformed my studio from one large percussion set up to another one this weekend, I also recognize how I myself have transformed from one work to another. When you look at what a soloist does, you see that we are often re-creating works over and over again. Some might think that this could get boring. But re-creation in performance is anything but that. I am not the same person I was last April when I performed Joseph Schwantner’s Percussion Concerto with the Lima Symphony Orchestra. And, when I performed the solo version of Tobias Brostrom’s Arena last week; it wasn’t the same as last summer with the Peninsula Festival Orchestra.

Indeed, the print of music remains the same. But, it is the performer which is constantly changing. This is what makes live performance more interesting and exciting than any recording or computer imitation. The music speaks through me, and I through the music. It contains all of what I’m going through, what I’ve been through, and where I’m going. The creativity lies within the performer, the artist. Without this, the notes are dead. They have no life on that page without performer–just as the paintbrush has no meaning without the painter. Listen deeply, and you will start to know not just the music, but also the person performing it.

If you happen to be around Charleston, WV in January, come hear me perform Joseph Schwantner’s Concerto for Percussion with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. I want to share its life, and mine with you.

See you soon,

Lisa P.

Just a quick announcement: If you have time on Tuesday, November 8th, tune into WOMR.org and listen to The Latest Score.  The host, Canary Burton, will be playing some of my recordings and talking about my career as a solo percussionist. It will begin streaming live at 2:00PM, EST.

Thanks for tuning in!

Lisa

Greetings all.

As I work on my upcoming performances and having spent some time in NYC last week, I cannot help but ponder the state of the arts in our society right now. There are so many creative and interesting things happening.  For one, the SONiC Festival was taking place. If you haven’t heard of it, you should.  Just to listen to the excerpts and watch the video on the website makes one feel that we really are part of a movement that is taking place in music right now. Change is inevitable and embracing it makes it all the more exciting. The music is evolving at such a rapid pace right now that it is sometimes difficult to sort through it all but it assures us that the arts are still alive.

It also saddens me that music and arts are being somewhat downgraded in importance because of this unstable economy. As musicians and artists, we can look at it as a reason to give up, or as a reason to stand up.

We must continue to work around road blocks and come up with new ways to present interesting art and performances to the public. There is one universal solution to every problem: Work Harder.

Every time I hear about a new budget cut that will affect the arts, or politicians speaking about how art and music is not important in education, I see this image in my head of what New York City, Los Angeles, or Dubai would look like if these people built it. What I see are square boxes. Miles and miles of square boxes. Who wants to live in a place like that?

The work we do is the good work. If you are struggling as an artist or musician right now, my advice is to find a way around it. Be creative. It’s what we do.  Do not let a square box be built where you stand.

-Lisa P.

The launch of the new site was successful, and I’m happy to have new innovative ways to keep in touch with my audience. Some of the most important aspects of the new site are that you can now buy tickets to upcoming shows directly from the site. You can also sign up for my newsletter that will keep you informed about new projects, and compositions for solo percussion. Please sign up, or leave a message on the contact form. I would love to hear from you.

Also check out the new Listen/Watch page where you can hear a recent in depth interview about my career in solo percussion and watch short clips of recent performances. The next few months are going to be exciting and I’m looking forward to sharing them with all of you.

Stay tuned…

Lisa

In two months my new website will be launched where you will be able to view videos, music, check out my upcoming performances and learn more about my touring show: Minimal Art.

Until the new site is finished, keep an eye on my twitter account for upcoming shows, or like me on Facebook to also get up to date links on where I am in the world.

I’m Looking forward to new beginnings this season, and have so many exciting new projects, commissions and concerts in store to share with all of you!

Find calendar updates below while my new website is being constructed:

Twitter: @LisaP_SoloDrums

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Pegher/279462728450

I’m just arriving home from an amazing performance of Joseph Schwantner’s Percussion Concerto with Crafton Beck and the Lima Symphony Orchestra this past weekend. The past few months have been a whirlwind of performing and the past two years have been full of new concerti, projects and new surroundings.

In January I was thrilled to present the world premiere of Mathew Rosenblum’s Double Concerto with Kenneth Koon, Gil Rose and the Boston Modern Orchestra. Before that, I made a trip to Princeton on the IAS concert series hosted by one of my favorite composers, Derek Bermel. Although my season is not over, I wanted to pause to remember all that has taken place since December. I’m looking forward to writing more as the season wraps up, but until then, here are some photos of some wonderful moments that have already taken place.

In a way, it has become a staple piece for me. When I get back to it, I remember my roots. I remember why and how I got into all of this in the first place. Recalling each performance, and each preparation for that performance. Where I was, what was happening in my life. Who I was. I compare it to what I am.

But, the thing that I realize is that I am this music. I’ve become it. It has become me. We inter-are. It was the piece that set me on my path. And, it seems to come back each time I am about to set off in a new direction on my path. Or, sometimes, it saves me from myself and puts me back on the right path. It has the power to pull me out of a destitute state or out of post-performance depression.. It lures me back to reality. And I remember…

Pittsburgh, Chicago, Minnesota, Texas … [the beginning]

Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi: 2006. It forced me to live. It made me remember who I was. It forced me to become who I am. It told me that if I give everything to it, and loose everything for it, that it would give it back to me.
Somehow–someday.

February, 2007. Lansing, Michigan. Sibby. It was the only thing that would bring me back from the sorrow of loosing Sibby. Colorado 2008. My first performance after the coma. A new path. New direction.

What it is this time, I cannot say. I suppose I won’t know until I perform it again next season.. But, I do know that my life always seems to come back to this concerto. Each time it returns, it has my utmost respect because part of me knows that I’m witnessing something amazing that I won’t fully realize until the next time it’s on my music stand.

Respect, and a bow Joseph Schwantner.

Lima, Ohio: Six weeks. Come witness it.

LP

This is an interview that was conducted in December 2010 after a performance at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, NJ. It is one of the most in depth interviews I’ve done in quite some time. If you’re interested, please give it a listen, and enjoy!

-LisaP.

When beginning a new work the practice takes a lot of patience and concentration to learn correctly. This wears on me when I have so little time to learn so much. As most people, I’d much rather skip ahead and just do the fun part: Perform.

I used to dread this struggle. Now though, things are different. Without the struggle, the performance is meaningless, no? When you perform something you’ve struggled for and suffered in a way for, it makes it all that sweeter in the end. It’s a feeling of accomplishment that some never experience… For these moments, I am grateful. This is my life right now. It has been since I can remember. No time to rest. Full speed ahead. Although time passes in a much different way for me than most (behind a music stand and percussion instruments..), it is more fulfilling than I could ever put into words.

LM