kit dunborg
Inspired
I know this is a forum for fractal products and hence most of us are here with a guitar related background. Nonetheless, I know that a lot of you guys are also interested in all kinds of music.
I am sad today because yesterday, August 19th 2023, my friend Gloria Coates passed away.
Gloria was a classical composer, born in Wisconsin in 1938, living in Munich since 1969 and arguably the “greatest female symphonist ever” as you might read.
I was introduced to Gloria via her 14th symphony by an artist friend at a residency at VCCA in West Virginia back in 2016. We would show each other music we liked, and when she put on Glorias 14th, I felt so overwhelmed, it’s hard to put into words. I had an immediate connection with her music, something I haven’t experienced before or since in that special way.
Naturally, I listened to every composition by Gloria that I could find when I was back home. I spent nights reading the couple of interviews I found online and, to my great surprise, I also found her telephone number in the ether of the world wide web. I did not dare to call her though. Yet.
In the spring of 2020 the lockdown hit, and without much contemplation I went into my little home studio and called her. I have no idea how this event, the lockdown and me calling Gloria connected, but I just did it. Quite naturally.
So, my pulse hammering in my head and in my chest, I was listening to the ringing of the phone, not sure if this was her real number at all.
“Hello?” a voice ended the monotony of the beep. “Uhm, hello? Am I speaking to Gloria Coates?” I stumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed and excited at the same time. What ensued was a conversation that lasted quite some time, close to an hour if I recall correctly.
I explained to Gloria who I was (a composer/guitar player who writes music for his instrumental metal trio with a string quartet) and how much her music means to me and how it influenced my writing. Gloria would tell me a bit about her music and technique. At the end of our conversation we exchanged email addresses and our skype details.
A couple of days later we video chatted, and she was curious about me, my life and my family. To my own surprise, I was quite open with Gloria. Normally I am rather slow to open up to people. I remember, when she heard about my Swiss white shepherd Anouk, I had to go upstairs and bring Anouk in front of the camera for Gloria to see. Anouk was, to my surprise, not as excited about meeting Gloria Coates as I was!
Gloria was living a 20 min walk from my then girlfriend's (now wife) apartment in Munich. I was flabbergasted to find out that my favorite composer was not only living in the same city, but was within walking distance from me!
So, despite the rather uncomfortable circumstances the pandemic brought with it, Gloria and I decided to meet in the lobby of Glorias apartment building. I told her we’d bring coffee and something sweet. Of course we’d wear a mask and keep our distance.
I bought vanilla croissants, made some coffee in a thermos, packed cups and off we went, my wife, Anouk and I.
In the lobby was a lonely table made of stone and a matching chair and when we entered, there were three plastic cups on the table. My wife and I exchanged glances, smiling, for we were sure Gloria prepared them. And then Gloria came down the stairs, elegantly dressed, white gloves, a mask and a lovely rose shaped brooch on the left side of her coat.
We introduced ourselves and spent the next two hours talking about everything and anything, with Anouk being the star of the afternoon. To my delight, Gloria told me that vanilla croissants were her favorite (I still don’t know if that’s true though). After we said goodbye, Gloria said “Don’t forget your cups!” Well, my wife and I were quite surprised as you might imagine. Turns out, it wasn’t Gloria who brought the cups. We still don’t know who set the table for my wife and me to meet my favorite composer in personam!
So, over the last couple of years, Gloria and I had contact over skype every now and then and I visited her with Anouk, ( “the dramatic soprano” as she referred to her after witnessing her howl at the ambulance once), whenever I was in Munich, since we moved to Amsterdam in 2021.
I fondly remember her skyping me late at night asking me about guitars and playing techniques. Gloria in her nightgown, and me sitting awkwardly on the couch with a guitar, trying to bring the fretboard in the frame and in focus.
We also skyped when my bandmates and I were recording our latest album, showing her the recording studio and sending her bits of the string quartet takes. Glissandi for the win!
The last time I saw Gloria was in fall of 2022. We met in the lobby and she brought me a wedding gift, a “real chinese vase” as she declared. I had to chuckle as I brought it home and removed the remnants of plastic flowers from the inside of the vase. It sits in a prominent place in our living room now.
When Gloria said goodbye to me that day, she looked me in the eyes for a rather long time. She opened her arms and had a beautiful, very “true” smile on her face and gave me a long hug. It was quite emotional and I left the building rather shaken. Premonitions are rare, they carry weight and they linger, I reckon.
Gloria was fun to be with. Witty and a great sense of humor. Always curious about the world. I recently congratulated a dear friend and also an incredible composer on his 50th birthday and told him that I am fortunate to know some souls who seem ageless, and that he is one of them. Gloria was also a timeless soul for me. I felt a connection to her music and to her as a person.
She may have been occupying the body of an 80+ year old woman when I met her, but her mind was as vibrant as it gets.
Still, despite her exuberant nature I have the impression Gloria chose the rather difficult path in her life: Always true to her inner voice and her art, not submitting to external pressure. I can identify with that, I feel I am on a similar trail (writing instrumental metal music with a string quartet does not sell out MSG! Quite a surprise, isn’t it!?). I believe, and Gloria said so herself, life had not only summits to offer to her, but also deep valleys to walk through.
Maybe some of you also find beauty in the music of Gloria. Here is her 14th ....
... and if you look online, there's a whole universe to explore!
Good night from Amsterdam.
I am sad today because yesterday, August 19th 2023, my friend Gloria Coates passed away.
Gloria was a classical composer, born in Wisconsin in 1938, living in Munich since 1969 and arguably the “greatest female symphonist ever” as you might read.
I was introduced to Gloria via her 14th symphony by an artist friend at a residency at VCCA in West Virginia back in 2016. We would show each other music we liked, and when she put on Glorias 14th, I felt so overwhelmed, it’s hard to put into words. I had an immediate connection with her music, something I haven’t experienced before or since in that special way.
Naturally, I listened to every composition by Gloria that I could find when I was back home. I spent nights reading the couple of interviews I found online and, to my great surprise, I also found her telephone number in the ether of the world wide web. I did not dare to call her though. Yet.
In the spring of 2020 the lockdown hit, and without much contemplation I went into my little home studio and called her. I have no idea how this event, the lockdown and me calling Gloria connected, but I just did it. Quite naturally.
So, my pulse hammering in my head and in my chest, I was listening to the ringing of the phone, not sure if this was her real number at all.
“Hello?” a voice ended the monotony of the beep. “Uhm, hello? Am I speaking to Gloria Coates?” I stumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed and excited at the same time. What ensued was a conversation that lasted quite some time, close to an hour if I recall correctly.
I explained to Gloria who I was (a composer/guitar player who writes music for his instrumental metal trio with a string quartet) and how much her music means to me and how it influenced my writing. Gloria would tell me a bit about her music and technique. At the end of our conversation we exchanged email addresses and our skype details.
A couple of days later we video chatted, and she was curious about me, my life and my family. To my own surprise, I was quite open with Gloria. Normally I am rather slow to open up to people. I remember, when she heard about my Swiss white shepherd Anouk, I had to go upstairs and bring Anouk in front of the camera for Gloria to see. Anouk was, to my surprise, not as excited about meeting Gloria Coates as I was!
Gloria was living a 20 min walk from my then girlfriend's (now wife) apartment in Munich. I was flabbergasted to find out that my favorite composer was not only living in the same city, but was within walking distance from me!
So, despite the rather uncomfortable circumstances the pandemic brought with it, Gloria and I decided to meet in the lobby of Glorias apartment building. I told her we’d bring coffee and something sweet. Of course we’d wear a mask and keep our distance.
I bought vanilla croissants, made some coffee in a thermos, packed cups and off we went, my wife, Anouk and I.
In the lobby was a lonely table made of stone and a matching chair and when we entered, there were three plastic cups on the table. My wife and I exchanged glances, smiling, for we were sure Gloria prepared them. And then Gloria came down the stairs, elegantly dressed, white gloves, a mask and a lovely rose shaped brooch on the left side of her coat.
We introduced ourselves and spent the next two hours talking about everything and anything, with Anouk being the star of the afternoon. To my delight, Gloria told me that vanilla croissants were her favorite (I still don’t know if that’s true though). After we said goodbye, Gloria said “Don’t forget your cups!” Well, my wife and I were quite surprised as you might imagine. Turns out, it wasn’t Gloria who brought the cups. We still don’t know who set the table for my wife and me to meet my favorite composer in personam!
So, over the last couple of years, Gloria and I had contact over skype every now and then and I visited her with Anouk, ( “the dramatic soprano” as she referred to her after witnessing her howl at the ambulance once), whenever I was in Munich, since we moved to Amsterdam in 2021.
I fondly remember her skyping me late at night asking me about guitars and playing techniques. Gloria in her nightgown, and me sitting awkwardly on the couch with a guitar, trying to bring the fretboard in the frame and in focus.
We also skyped when my bandmates and I were recording our latest album, showing her the recording studio and sending her bits of the string quartet takes. Glissandi for the win!
The last time I saw Gloria was in fall of 2022. We met in the lobby and she brought me a wedding gift, a “real chinese vase” as she declared. I had to chuckle as I brought it home and removed the remnants of plastic flowers from the inside of the vase. It sits in a prominent place in our living room now.
When Gloria said goodbye to me that day, she looked me in the eyes for a rather long time. She opened her arms and had a beautiful, very “true” smile on her face and gave me a long hug. It was quite emotional and I left the building rather shaken. Premonitions are rare, they carry weight and they linger, I reckon.
Gloria was fun to be with. Witty and a great sense of humor. Always curious about the world. I recently congratulated a dear friend and also an incredible composer on his 50th birthday and told him that I am fortunate to know some souls who seem ageless, and that he is one of them. Gloria was also a timeless soul for me. I felt a connection to her music and to her as a person.
She may have been occupying the body of an 80+ year old woman when I met her, but her mind was as vibrant as it gets.
Still, despite her exuberant nature I have the impression Gloria chose the rather difficult path in her life: Always true to her inner voice and her art, not submitting to external pressure. I can identify with that, I feel I am on a similar trail (writing instrumental metal music with a string quartet does not sell out MSG! Quite a surprise, isn’t it!?). I believe, and Gloria said so herself, life had not only summits to offer to her, but also deep valleys to walk through.
Maybe some of you also find beauty in the music of Gloria. Here is her 14th ....
... and if you look online, there's a whole universe to explore!
Good night from Amsterdam.
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