UMS Concert Program, March 29, 1987: The Cambridge Buskers --

Season: 108th
Concert: Thirty-ninth
Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Intstfiatiprjal
THE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
The Cambridge Buskers
MICHAEL COPLEY, Flutes DAVID ADAM GILLESPIE (Dag) INGRAM, Accordion
Sunday Afternoon, March 29, 1987, at 4:00 Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Today's program will be announced from the stage.
What on earth is a BUSKER
Well you may ask.
The Oxford English Dictionary is usually
regarded as the authority on language, to which
we had to refer to find out for ourselves. Here's
what we found:
busker n. An itinerant musician or actor, especially one who plays music or entertains on the street (from busk : beat about, seek, perhaps also from Fr. obs. busquer : to prowl).
For those of us who are more involved in music than arcane vocabulary, linguistics or animal husbandry when the word BUSKER is mentioned, we think of:
Cambridge Buskers (kam'brij bus'kers) prop. n. pi. Two young English gents. Met at Cambridge University. Virtuoso musicians on accordion plus twenty other wind instruments. Started working the streets and have the police records to prove it. Now give successful concerts in major halls everywhere. Do some nutty things on stage such as last movement from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony arranged for penny whistle and accordion and the Mendelssohn Concerto for violin and orchestra, without either. Pull it off brilliantly. Perform as serious guest soloists with important orchestras. Regularly tour the world. Head Quarters of fan club in Japan. Sell many, many records in North America and elsewhere on Deutsche Grammophon. Rumoured to be one of DCs top selling artists. See also: 'Hot Act.'
Thirty-ninth Concert of the 108th Season Chamber Arts Series, Bonus Concert
About the Buskers
Michael Copley and Dag Ingram, both in their late twenties, met as undergraduates at Cambridge University, England. Copley was studying music; Ingram, French and Russian.
Their career as buskers began in London when they found themselves stranded at Blackfriars Underground Station without fare back to Cambridge. Taking courage and instruments in hand, they delighted commuters with their then extremely limited reper?toire: Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Joplin's The Entertainer. After three hours, a London transport official asked them to move along. Busking is illegal in London.
Move along they did -to Paris, where they were also arrested, and then to Germany where busking is not considered a criminal offense. During their time in Cologne, composer Karlheinz Stockhausen walked by, loved the sound of their music, gave them two Deutschmarks, and subsequently sent them a piece of music with an arrangement dedicated to them -Tierkreis (Zodiac), which they have now included in their repertoire.
This visit to Germany marked the beginning of their whirlwind success: major concert tours in Europe, Japan, and North America, numerous broadcasts on radio and television, and a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Their recordings are now in great demand on both sides of the Atlantic, and at one time they held two positions simultaneously on Billboard's top ten classics. Their albums include "A Little Street Music," "Soap Opera," "Not Live From New York Double Concerto," "Music Abbreviation 101The Explosive Sounds of the Cambridge Buskers," and "The Cam?bridge Buskers Handel Bach (and other stock Baroquers) with their Academy of Original Instruments-in-the-Streets."
The secret of the Buskers' appeal lies in their highly original and lighthearted arrange?ments of works from Handel to Joplin and in the beguiling sound of Michael's assortment of 20 or so flutes, recorders, ocarinas, and tonettes which blend so well with Ingram's $10 accordion.
The Buskers are now appearing in Ann Arbor for the first time.
The Musical Society gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Ford Motor Company Fund for underwriting the costs of this house program.
Remaining Concerts
Chamber Orchestra of Europe ...............................Fri. Apr. 3
Lorin Maazel, Conductor; Frank Peter Zimmermann, Violinist
Gary Karr, Double BassEuor Fisk, Guitar .....................Sun. Apr. 5
Jean Guillou, Organist ......................................Sun. Apr. 12
1987 Ann Arbor May Festival -April 28-May 1
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Kurt Masur, Music Director and Conductor
The Festival Chorus, Donald Bryant, Director
Pinchas Zukerman, Violinist Peter Rosel, Pianist
Marilyn Horne, Mezzo-Soprano
Arleen Auger, Soprano Vinson Cole, Tenor
Susanne Mentzer, Mezzo-Soprano Paul Plishka, Bass
Single tickets now on sale.
Watch for new 1987-88 season announcement next week.
Smoking is permitted in the outer lobby restrooms only. Your cooperation is appreciated. Cameras and recording devices are not allowed in the auditorium.
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1270 Telephone: (313) 764-2538