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Graham Reynolds and Pancho Villa in the Big Bend Sentinel

November 11, 2016

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Photo by John Daniel Garcia

John Daniel Garcia talks with Graham Reynolds about the inspiration behind his Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance opera for the Big Bend Sentinel

For Reynolds, who majored in Latin American history in college, the addition of Mexican culture was an important factor in choosing the subject of the opera.

“I wanted to dive more deeply into the landscape and the culture of Mexico and the West Texas border,” he said, adding that a trip to Mexico at age 9 sparked a life-long interest and affinity for the culture. “That trip with my parents was transformative. For the opera, we got [Mexico City-based theater collective] Lagartijas Tiradas Al Sol for the libretto. That was really important to me. I needed to have Mexican and Mexican-American collaborators for this project.”

Keep reading at Big Bend Now, and find more information about Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance at panchovillaopera.com. The production premieres in Marfa tonight, Friday November 11,

Announcing the New Pancho Villa Website

September 26, 2016

  For those of you aching to know more about Graham Reynolds’ opera Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance, check out our new website! Panchovillaopera.com features a full list of the collaborators and some new videos, with more to come. Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance is the third and final chapter in Reynold’s epic Marfa Triptych. Tickets for Pancho Villa‘s public premiere on November 12 are now sold out.
To be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected].

Support Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance on Kickstarter

July 18, 2016

Pancho Villa Kickstarter-2 Ballroom Marfa is excited to announce the launch of our Kickstarter campaign for Graham Reynolds’ experimental chamber opera, Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance,

the third and final installment of The Marfa Triptych. Join us in supporting this extraordinarily ambitious collaboration through Kickstarter today! Click here to visit the campaign page and find out more about the project and the unique rewards available to all Pancho Villa backers.

Graham Reynolds and Shawn Sides in the Austin Chronicle

April 1, 2016

cover_big Graham Reynolds and Shawn Sides discuss their upcoming project, the final chapter in the Ballroom Marfa-commissioned ‪Marfa‬ Triptych in the Austin Chronicle … AC: What’s it like working together professionally?
Reynolds: In that first show, Jason [Neulander] was the boss. And in all the Rude Mechs shows, Shawn’s been the boss. And now we’re doing Pancho Villa for Ballroom Marfa, which she’s directing.
AC: So it’s not just a music performance, it’s a whole … ?
Reynolds: It’s a chamber opera, staged, the whole thing. And Shawn’s directing. But, for the first time, essentially, I’m sort of the boss of that one.
AC: So what’s the dynamic like there? Difficult? Enjoyable?
Sides: It’s very enjoyable, I enjoy it very much.
Read the full article in the Austin Chronicle.
The Marfa Triptych: Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance premieres at the Crowley Theater here in Marfa on November 11 and 12. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for soon-coming information on tickets and more. Read more about the project here.

R. Michael Berrier on “The Desert”

October 21, 2014

Graham Reynolds,   October 4,  2014.   Photo by Jennifer Boomer.

We recently received this poem from artist R. Michael Berrier about Graham Reynolds’ performance of The Marfa Triptych: The Desert.
It’s a lovely tribute: many thanks to Berrier for sending it to us.

For more photos of the performance, head here, and stay tuned for part three of the Marfa Triptych, an opera about Pancho Villa, in 2015/2016.

————————————————————

West Texas towns peter out.
The blacktop turns to caliche.
In the end, one last house.
The garden fence.
And then the vast emptiness.
Of West Texas,
Of Mimms Ranch.
Of the desert.

And so we meet at that edge of reality.
Gather with strangers,
And ride in yellow school buses.
Along the ranch road until we stop,
And look up to the ridge.
Something happening there on the Marfa Plateau.

And we walk.
The light is fading, not fast.
We see,
The perfectly round architecture of concrete.
A smooth bench, an alien circle.
And inside, Graham stands among the instruments,
From which he will pull a cacophony,
Edging to serenity,

Photos from The Marfa Triptych: Part Two

October 6, 2014

We just received photos from the second installment of Graham Reynolds’ The Marfa Triptych, which took place last Saturday, October 4, at Mimms Ranch in Marfa, Texas. The stars aligned that night, with great weather, a bright moon, an excellent audience and, of course, Reynolds’ beautiful music.

Special thanks to Robert Potts, Joey Benton, The Dixon Water Foundation, MISD, and Marfa Public Radio for their support.

All photos by Jennifer Boomer.

(And stay tuned for part three of the Marfa Triptych, an opera about Pancho Villa, slated for 2015/2016!)

Graham Reynolds, October 4, 2014.    Photo by Jennifer Boomer.

Mimms Ranch, October 4, 2014.  Photo by Jennifer Boomer.

Mimms Ranch, October 4, 2014.  Photo by Jennifer Boomer.

The Overlook at Mimms Ranch, October 4, 2014.   Photo by Jennifer Boomer.

The Marfa Triptych Part One: Photo Evidence

November 19, 2013

Graham Reynolds, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Images of the first installment of The Marfa Triptych at the Crowley Theater in Marfa, Texas from November 16. Such a pleasure to see all of these excellent musicians playing together — especially in such a small venue. All photos by Alex Marks. Video coming soon!

Musicians: Graham Reynolds (piano), Redd Volkaert (electric guitar), Ruby Jane (fiddle), Ricky Davis (pedal steel guitar), Adam Sultan (acoustic guitar), Alexis Buffum (violin), Elizabeth Warren (violin), Leah Nelson (viola), Hector Moreno (cello), John Mills (saxophone and clarinet), Shane Pitsch (trumpet), Wayne Myers (trombone), Utah Hamrick (bass) and Jeremy Bruch (drums).

The Marfa Triptch performance, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

The Marfa Triptch performance, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Bartenders at the Marfa Triptch performance, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

The Marfa Triptych performance, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Jeremy Bruch, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Ruby Jane, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Redd Volkaert, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

The horn section, November 15, 2013. Photo by Alex Marks.

Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips, Florida State’s Mario Edwards JrThe general approach is to define a higher dimensional notion of a chordal graph which can be applied to simplicial complexes or hypergraphs.

Later we arrive at Alfarcito, a hamlet made up of a small school and craft shop.
Colombia is one of the closest allies.

But it leaves Amman trying to balance the demands of a big donor while not losing its best bargaining chip in efforts to secure the release of Maaz al Kassasbeh, who was captured by Islamic State fighters after they shot his plane down over Syria.
“Once in a while it does, I have to admit.
Israel’s occupation remained in place, and in 1981 the Israeli parliament formally annexed the land, a move unrecognised in international law.
In the 149 pound match, Mizzou’s Drake Houdashelt outlasted Old Dominion’s Alexander Richardson 5 2 to win his fourth consecutive conference title a Big 12 championship in 2012 and three straight in the MAC.

The Daily Texan on Graham Reynolds’ Marfa Triptych

November 14, 2013

The Daily Texan previews Graham Reynolds’ Marfa Triptych, which premieres here in Marfa on Saturday at the Crowley Theater. Click here for tickets.

Reynolds described his first composition as a mix of “West Texas, country music and Western movie sound tracks.” The piece will feature contributions from veteran guitarist Redd Volkaert and up-and-coming fiddle player Ruby Jane.

“I was fascinated by country. It seemed so other-worldly to me,” Reynolds said. “[The musicians] are so generous in letting me pull them out of their box and letting me explore their world a little bit.”

Lead guitarist Volkaert, who has worked with the likes of Merle Haggard, Tim McGraw and Trace Adkins, has played gigs in and around Austin for more than 20 years. In regards to “The Marfa Triptych,” Volkaert urges his audience to pay attention to the way the 14-piece ensemble works together.

“It’s a challenge, but that’s why I’m in it,” Volkaert said. “Reynolds, is a wonderful talent and I really enjoy working with him.”

Keep reading “Graham Reynolds creates music inspired by Marfa, Texas” at The Daily Texan.

Graham Reynolds on The Marfa Triptych

November 13, 2013

The Marfa Triptych poster by Noel Waggener

Join Ballroom Marfa this Saturday evening for the premiere of the first installment of Graham Reynolds’ Marfa Triptych, an epic musical composition over three years in the making.

The Marfa Triptych Part One: Country and Western Big Band Suite is an instrumental suite for 14 players, described by Reynolds as “classic instrumental country meets Western soundtrack meets power jazz rhythm section.” The project was inspired by Reynolds’ trips from his base in Austin, Texas to the high desert grasslands of Far West Texas. His approach combines local musical traditions — from cowboy songs and Southern jazz to the norteño music of Northern Mexico — with a personal perspective that comes from years of scoring film, theater and modern dance performances. In addition to his music with Austin’s Golden Arm Trio, Reynolds is known for his award-winning soundtrack work with director Richard Linklater, including the films Before Midnight, Bernie and A Scanner Darkly.

Reynolds has spent the last three years working with Ballroom Marfa to coordinate research trips throughout the Big Bend in order to experience its culture and history firsthand. He’s been keeping an itinerary that includes visits with musicians, historians, storytellers, artists and local legends from Terlingua, Alpine, Presidio, Shafter, Fort Davis, Valentine, Marfa and other far-flung locales in the Far West Texas region.

Future installments in this ambitious project include a site-specific composition for layered piano and a bilingual chamber opera, scheduled to premiere at the Ballroom Marfa Drive-In at Vizcaino Park in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

We talked with Reynolds on the eve of the Marfa Triptych debut about his sneak preview performance at the Long Center in Austin, and he gave us more background on what we can expect from the main event here in Marfa on Saturday evening.

How was the Big Band Suite preview at the Long Center?

The band sounds great and I learned a lot about the piece. I’ve made some adjustments for the premiere.

How has The Marfa Triptych changed since your last visit to Far West Texas earlier this year?

The difference between each of the three parts is becoming more clear. And this first part has been composed. I was highly influenced by watching the Marfa sunset from a bench on the west edge of town.

What can you tell us about the players involved?

There is so much to tell! It’s a bit of an Austin all-star band. Redd Volkaert is one of the greatest living country guitarists. Ricky Davis is one of the leading experts on Sho-Bud pedal steel guitars, repairing instruments from the defunct but highly regarded brand. John Mills is a professor of saxophone at University of Texas at Austin and a fantastic live and studio player, having recorded with everyone from Aretha Franklin to Jonny Greenwood. Adam Sultan’s guitar work was recently featured in the film Before Midnight. Alexis Buffum was the lead violinist for the film Bernie. Ruby Jane is fiddler, singer, and songwriter, and one of the great young talents to hit the Austin scene in a long time. Utah Hamrick and Jeremy Bruch are the incredible players that form the foundation of my band and we play together all the time. On and on. It’s a great band that I feel lucky to play with.

Can you tell us more about your most recent trips to Marfa?

I’ve continued to do interviews, explore West Texas nature as well as its history, interview residents, and keep finding myself deeper in love with the region. We went to Big Bend Ranch State Park on the last trip and found some very out-of-the-way spots that I’d love to play music in some day.

What was your process for incorporating your field research into this chapter of the Triptych?

The process is hard to explain. Some is overt and some is very subtle. When composing I would think of different experiences I had and then try to translate them into music. I’m trying to create the soundtrack to the film of West Texas in my mind.

How has your impression of Far West Texas changed in the course of your research? What have you learned?

That it is the most beautiful area of Texas, that the history is deep and complicated. The border is blurry and it’s hard to explore Texas without also exploring Mexico and its history and culture.

The Marfa Triptych: The Country and Western Big Band Suite premieres at the Crowley Theater in Marfa, TX at 8pm on November 16, 2013. Tickets are available at the door and online at www.ballroommarfa.org. Half-price tickets are available in the gallery for all residents of Brewster, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties.