Two Works by Janice Giteck

Two pieces by Janice Giteck inspired by her interest in ritual and Native American culture. Ms. Giteck began her career as a Bay Area composer and teacher at the University of California at Berkeley, and later became a member of the faculty at the Cornish Institute of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. The first work heard here, “Thunder like a White Bear Dancing” is a performance ritual based on the Ojibwa Mide Picture Songs and their rituals of initiation for their medicine men. “Callin' Home Coyote” is another theatrical work that draws upon a text by Lewis MacAdams and stories of the Native American trickster god, Coyote, for its inspiration. Performed here by tenor John Duykers, with drumming by Andy Narrell and the additional string bass of Karla Lemon, the work is a fascinating mix of avant-garde vocal techniques and ancient rhythms that is inflected by the humor and wisdom of Native American folklore