Wikipedia

ONCE Group

The ONCE Group was a collection of musicians, visual artists, architects, and film-makers who wished to create an environment in which artists could explore and share techniques and ideas in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The group was responsible for hosting the ONCE Festival of New Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan, between 1961 and 1966. It was founded by Ann Arborites Robert Ashley, George Cacioppo, Gordon Mumma, Roger Reynolds and Donald Scavarda.[1]

ONCE Group
OriginAnn Arbor, Michigan
Years activelate 1950s and early 1960s
ONCE Festival of New Music
GenreElectronic music, experimental music, etc.
Location(s)Ann Arbor, Michigan
Years active1961 - 1966
FoundersRobert Ashley, George Cacioppo, Gordon Mumma, Roger Reynolds and Donald Scavarda
ONCE.MORE
Composer Robert Ashley at a rehearsal of his music at ONCE.MORE, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 2010.
Composer Robert Ashley at a rehearsal of his music at ONCE.MORE, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 2010.
Composer Robert Ashley at a rehearsal of his music at ONCE.MORE
DatesNovember 2010
Location(s)Ann Arbor, Michigan
AttendanceRobert Ashley, Gordon Mumma, Roger Reynolds and Donald Scavarda

During the years the festival was active, a number of avant-garde composers’ works were performed along with performances in dance, jazz (Eric Dolphy) and rock and roll. Composers represented include: Robert Ashley, Pauline Oliveros, David Behrman, George Cacioppo, George Crevoshay, Donald Scavarda, Roger Reynolds, Gordon Mumma, Meredith Monk, Bruce Wise, Robert Sheff (a.k.a. 'Blue' Gene Tyranny), and Philip Krumm. The musical compositions and works in dance and avant-garde performance art pushed the limits of then current artistic endeavour and inclusiveness well beyond their limits. The festival served as a laboratory for the development of new approaches in both acoustic and electronic music as well as dance, film and multi-media performance.[2]

In November 2010, the University Musical Society and University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance collaborated to present a multi-day festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ONCE Group, entitled ONCE.MORE.[3] ONCE.MORE was organized by Michael Daugherty, who was the chair of composition department of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the time and also a former composition student of Roger Reynolds at Yale during 1981.[4]



Further reading

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  • Cohen, Milton. “Space Theatre,” from Dimension No. 14, 1963. University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library.
  • Hitchcock, H. Wiley. “The Current Chronicle,” from Musical Quarterly, Vol. 48, No. 2, 1962. Oxford University Press.
  • James, Richard. “ONCE: Microcosm of the 1960s Musical and Multimedia Avant-Garde,” from American Music, Vol. 5, No. 4. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1987.
  • Kasemets, Udo. “The Current Chronicle,” from Musical Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 4, 1964. Oxford University Press.
  • Miller, Leta. ONCE and Again: The Evolution of a Legendary Festival, from the CD Box Set Music from the ONCE Festival 1961–1966. New York: New World Records CD 80567-2, 2003.
  • Mumma, Gordon. “The ONCE Festival and How It Happened,” Arts in Society, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1967, Madison, WI. Revised by Gordon Mumma 2008. Copyright 2008 by Gordon Mumma.
  • Reynolds, Roger. Preface to score publication from Generation, Vol. 15, unmarked number, 1963. University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library.
  • Sheff, Robert and Mark Slobin. “Music Beyond the Boundaries,” from Generation, Vol. 17, No. 2, 1965. University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library.
  • Weingarten, Emily. The Music of ONCE: Perpetual Innovation. July 2008.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tai, Paul. Liner notes for Music from the ONCE Festival: 1961-1966. New World Records 80567.
  2. ^ Mumma, Gordon. “The ONCE Festival and How It Happened,” Arts in Society, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1967, Madison, WI. Revised by Gordon Mumma 2008. Copyright 2008 by Gordon Mumma.
  3. ^ "UMS Events: ONCE. MORE.: ONCE NOW". 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  4. ^ "Michael Daugherty". Retrieved 2021-06-05.
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