One of his fellow graduates was Eric Segnitz, who became Present Music's violinist. In a stroke of fate, PM's artistic director Kevin Stalheim was Bush's counselor at Michigan's Interlochen music camp in the mid-'70s. The pianist's relationship with the Milwaukee ensemble was cemented following his 1993 performance with composer-guitarist Scott Johnson and a pair of Present Music members at Shank Hall, the kind of unconventional venue the group sometimes favors. Midwest Express' sponsorship arrangement with Present Music enables Bush to fly easily between home and his periodic Milwaukee gigs. Everyone is sent the music a few weeks before a concert.
Intensive rehearsals begin a week ahead of time.
I show up in Milwaukee, stay at Kevin's house and begin rehearsing with the group. At its season opener, Present Music will perform an all-20th century program featuring Phillip Bimstein's Casino , Conlon Nancarrow's Suite for Small Orchestra , Steve Reich's Eight Lines , Harry Partch's Hitchhiker Inscriptions and Michael Daugherty's What's That Spell . I like Present Music concerts. Compared to any of the new music events I've been involved with in New York, none of them have the same festive atmosphere as here. Present Music has a happy, celebratory vibe.