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Excerpts from the Press on the music of Joseph Koykkar from 2008 to 1976
“…the program continues with a bouncy three-movement suite by Wisconsin-based composer Joseph Koykkar…this material is a potent example of Relache’s lifetime interest in music of theatrical impact and accessibility.”
“Philadelphia Music Makers”, vol.7, #2, summer 2008
Joseph Koykkar’s “Musica per Due” for piano and percussion…with hints of boogie-woogie, R & B and Latin jazz…was a bracing, well-made, beautifully colored piece, brilliantly played by the performers…
-Mike Greenberg, San Antonio Express-News 9/17/06
Joseph Koykkar’s “Music for Mallets and Strings” …was direct, simple, tonal and slightly exotic…compelling for its insistence.
-Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle 6/6/05
The Saturday afternoon concert focused on works involving new technologies…in the end, the only technology that seemed overtly “new” to me was the weird electronic pitch-bending device…for Joseph Koykkar’s piece “Interfacing”. It was very Mr. Wizard, as in I wish someone could explain to me how the damn thing worked.
-Randy Nordschow, New Music Box (American Music Center) 6/9/05
…the spirited, rhythmically driven perpetuum mobile in “Music for Mallets and Strings,” (by Joseph Koykkar) that affords one of the disc’s most enjoyable moments.
-John Rausch, Percussive Notes Journal 2003
Another imaginative work is “Interfacing” of Joseph Koykkar…a curious montage of sound most effective in the final movement, which simulates the exotic sounds of the Indonesian gamelan orchestra.
-David Abrams, The Syracuse Post Standard 4/2/01
…the impulsive Impulse by Joseph Koykkar found pianist Robert Satterlee engaged in through-composed exciting…adventures…
-Mark Alburger , 21st Century Music December 2000
Joseph Koykkar’s “Reflections on a Friendship” showed that newer music (has) the ability to call forth a depth of emotion compared to older works of the classical repertory or even to well-crafted popular music.
-Christian Rix, St. Louis Post Dispatch. 3/27/00
I give this album a BIG thumbs UP and suggest you try it out. (CD review-Expressed in Units)
-Canary Burton, Alternative Music Press 11/98
The first piece (Double Take by Joseph Koykkar) …was full of pleasing tonal fragments and repetitions, and I sat back and enjoyed it.
-Marie Winn, The Wall Street Journal, 3/26/96
Out Front by Joseph Koykkar (was) my favorite(s) due to (its) synthesis of jazz/blues rhythms and contemporary harmonies.
-Richard Ragdale, St. Louis Post Dispatch 6/4/95
Koykkar writes music with a crystalline kind of clarity and rhythmic urgency that places him among the more exciting of contemporary composers.
-A.Taylor, American Record Guide July/August 1993
I think Koykkar (CD Expressed in Units) should appeal to a wider audience …Try it; you’ll like it!
-James H. North, Fanfare January/February 1993
On the stimulating side was Joseph Koykkar’s brilliant “Double Take”, a Present Music commission…The pithy eight-minute work, a paean to sparklingly clear sonorities and economic means, bristled with good-naturedly restless activity anchored by a strong sense of direction.
-Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel 9/12/92
Koykkar’s Circumstance, a high-energy romp… over intriguing tonalities.
-Tim Smith, Fort Lauderdale News 5/15/89
The Paart was matched in both intent and effect by Joseph Koykkar’s 1983 Circumstance, a rhythmically scintillating abstraction that joined delicate chordal sonorities in transparent scorings with purposefully repetitive forward impetus, its mission one of process and growth.
-Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel 4/19/89
Koykkar’s piece, Circumstance, concerns itself with complex over-lapping rhythms, with clever results.
-Michael Anthony, Minneapolis Star Tribune 10/10/87
…Koykkar’s Contiuum offered a happy reminder that humor keeps a place in today’s music. (He) possesses a highly developed craftsmanship to go with his wit.
-Lawrence Johnson, Milwaukee Sentinel 11/15/85
Also worth noting was Joseph Koykkar’s Continuum that has clarinet, oboe, pianos, and percussions relentlessly flowing yet shifting as an ocean wave…
-James Roos, The Miami Herald 11/7/83
Chamber Symphony by Joseph Koykkar was the evening’s most promising piece by far. The three movement work …had depth, variety and interest – a most polished effort.
-Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Sentinel 3/20/76
rev. 7/12
REVIEWS OF MUSIC COMPOSITIONS AND MUSIC RECORDINGS 2008-1976
“Philadelphia Music Makers”, vol.7, #2-“Panache” as performed by the Relache Ensemble on the CD “Eight-Point Turn” summer 2008
“Guest violinst brings exposure to international music” Lawrence University Orchestra concert
The Lawrentian Lawrence University campus newspaper 11/20/08
Fanfare, The Magazine for Serious Record Collectors
This review highlighted my composition, Out Front, as part of the review of the CD, Traveling West, featuring the New York ensemble North/South Consonance. January/February 2007
IonSound’s new music generates some sparks
Andrew Druckenbrod, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11/12/07”
Review: Concerts highlight composers, innovations”
Mike Greenberg, San Antonio Express-News 9/17/06
“Miami: All keyed up” New Music Miami ISCM Festival
New Music Box, the Web magazine of the American Music Center 6/9/05
“Duos make a perfect pairing for barmusic”
Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle 6/6/05
“Film Frenzy-Young and Restless”
Gayle Worland, Wisconsin State Journal 4/4/05
“Balancing Act Oakwood Chamber Players combines heavy and light”
John W. Barker, Isthmus, Madison, WI 5/28/04
“The Robin Cox Ensemble – Level 7”
Soundtracks – New Music Box, the Web Magazine of the American Music Center 4/03
“Level 7 CD Review”
John R. Rausch, Percussive Notes Journal Spring 2003
“Visiting composers bring creativity to conference” (Society of Composers Conference)
David Abrams, The Post Standard, Syracuse, NY 4/2/01
“Relache opens season with urgent, symbolic ‘Dark Waters’”
Peter Dobrin, The Philadephia Inquirer 10/2/01
“The Theater is Closed- 21 Years of Relache”
Deborah Kravetz, Sequenza 21/ The Contemporary Classical Music Weekly, 9/29/01
“Bowling for Musical Riches” (Bowling Green New Music Festival)
Mark Alburger, 21st Century Music (periodical) 12/2000
“Music,visual images work nicely together”
Nadine Goff, Wisconsin State Journal 10/18/99
“Expressed in Units CD Review”
Canary Burton, Alternative Music Press 11/98 (Internet Publication)
“Relache performs works by Rouse and Nyman at Annenberg Center”
Lesley Valdes, The Philadelphia Inquirer 1/11/97
“Music from SEAMUS” 3 (CD Review)
Kevin Austin, Contact! (Canadian periodical) Fall 1997
“Uptown or Downtown, With a Composer as Guide”
Marie Winn, The Wall Street Journal, 3/26/96
“Robert Black Conducts – Koykkar: Composite (CD)”
William Zagorski, Fanfare, September/October 1995
“Last Concert Showcases Synchronia’s Best”
Richard Ragsdale, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 6/4/95
“Synchronia Concert”
Richard Ragsdale, St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4/24/95
“Cross-state exchange proves a great idea”
Scott Cantrell, The Kansas City Star, 4/4/95
“Rhythm Method”
Jess Anderson, Isthmus, Madison, WI, 12/2/94
“Present Music injects new twists into old format”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 11/27/94
“At Temple, new works of 36 composers”
Daniel Webster, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/1/94
“Joseph Koykkar – Expressed in Units (CD)”
Dave Luhrssen, Shepherd Express, Milwaukee, WI, October 1994
“Relache opens new season with Glass”
Lesley Valdes, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/26/94
“Joseph Koykkar: Expressed in Units (CD)”
More Dead Trees, Issue No. 2 (located on the Internet) 5/94
“Performance a study in collaboration”
Phillippa Kiraly, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 4/1/94
“Verve, Style Mark Synchronia’s Concert”
John Huxhold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3/28/94
“Half-dozen works by Relache”
Lesley Valdes, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/26/94
“14th Annual Festival of New Music and Art”
Kristine Burns, International League of Women Composers Journal, February 1994
“Report on ISEA ‘94” Twin Cities International Symposium on Electronic Art
Craig Harris, Leonardo Electronic Almanac, December 1993
Koykkar: Expressed in Units…(CD)”
A. Taylor, American Record Guide, July/August 1993
“KOYKKAR: Expressed in Units”
James H. North, Fanfare, Tenafly, NJ, January/February 1993,
Vol. 16, Number 3 (The nation’s foremost guide for serious CD collectors)
“Joseph Koykkar: EXPRESSED IN UNITS”
John Baxter, Option, Los Angeles, CA, November/December 1992
“Present Music Season Opening Concert”
Leon Cohen, Art Muscle, Milwaukee, WI, October 1992
“Shedding Light on the Present”
Arthur Durkee, Night Sites and Sounds, Madison, WI, October 1992
” `Passage’ gives a bumpy ride ”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 9/12/92
“Present Music sticks to here and now”
Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel, 9/12/92
“Present Music does `Double Take'”
Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel, 9/11/92
“Study in silence highlight of concert”
Kevin Lynch, The Capital Times, Madison, WI, 9/10/92
“The economy of a premiere composition”
Ina Pasch, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 9/6/92
“Present Music stimulates imagination”
Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel, 5/30/92
“Present Music dials up originality in `Talk Radio'”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 5/30/92
“Local work highlight of contemporary music concert”
Richard Chon, The Bakersfield Californian, Bakersfield, CA, 3/24/92
“Minimalism yields results”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 4/9/91
” `Of Significant Length’ doesn’t just take up time”
James Wierzbicki, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, MO 4/24/90
“UW dance diversity proves compelling”
Timothy Hedgepeth, The Capital Times, Madison, WI, 4/9/90
” `Sarah’ stirs concert of state composers”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 3/12/90
“New dance directions dramatic, witty”
Steve Groark, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 2/24/90
“New music festival rewarding”
Tim Smith, Fort Lauderdale News, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 5/15/89
” `Present Music’ shied away from past”
Steve Groark, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 5/12/89
” `Yesterday’ gives superb performance to excellent works”
Nancy Raabe, Milwaukee Sentinel, 4/19/89
“Music Ensemble offers mixed bag”
Tom Strini, The Milwaukee Journal, 3/18/89
“Brave musical innovations draw bravos”
Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Sentinel, 3/18/89
“Ritz Theater’s acoustics gives works fair hearing”
Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Sentinel, 10/17/88
“Ensemble gives flavor to new music”
Richard Chon, The Buffalo News, Buffalo, NY, 9/26/88
“On Wisconsin”
Jess Anderson, Isthmus, Madison, WI, 6/24/88
“Movement, Mime, and Metaphor at a Choreography Workshop”
Lawrence Biemiller, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 6/22/88
“Premiere of `The Golem’ enchants”
Martha Engber, Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, 3/28/88
“Composers Forum fulfilling its purpose”
Michael Anthony, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN, 10/10/87
“Synchronia’s quiet rock scores with real thing”
James Wierzbicki, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, MO, 9/16/87
“Alliance is more even-footed today”
Tina Maples, The Milwaukee Journal, 2/28/87
“New Music Chicago Festival ’86”
Ray Wilding-White, The Chicago Musicale, Chicago, IL, June 1986
“The state connection means little for music”
James Chute, The Milwaukee Journal, 4/7/86
“By the time we got to Phoenix: Report on the 1985 A.S.U.C. National Conference”
Robert Gerster, Perspectives of New Music, Princeton, NJ, Winter 1985
“Series finds signs of life in new music”
Lawrence Johnson, Milwaukee Sentinel, 11/15/85
“Lowe’s party brings unique art forms”
Mary Stapp, The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 9/25/84
“Performance is `State of the Art'”
Laurie Horn, The Miami Herald, Miami, FL, 9/22/84
“Program offers variety of scores”
James Roos, The Miami Herald, Miami, FL, 11/7/83
“Youth Symphony awards a $1,000 composer prize”
James Roos, The Miami Herald, Miami, FL, 6/5/83
“IU revival of `Hair’ is joyous”
Scott Jones, The Bloomington Herald Tribune, Bloomington, IN, 1/20/78
“Composers’ daring pays”
Jay Joslyn, Milwaukee Sentinel, 3/20/76