Shaping Sound, Honoring Friendship: Ecce’s Early‑June Sessions
Four Days with Melinda Wagner: Rehearsing, Recording, and Renewing a Musical Friendship
Early June brought Ecce back into the orbit of one of our dearest artistic companions: composer Melinda Wagner. Across four focused, joyfully intense days - June 1st through 4th - the ensemble gathered in New York to rehearse and record two of her major chamber works, Elegy Flywheel and Unsung Chordata. What unfolded was not just a work period, but a reaffirmation of the deep musical relationship we’ve built with Melinda over many years.
June 1–2: Rehearsals at Dreamflower Acoustic, Yonkers
We began at Dreamflower Acoustic in Yonkers, NY, a space whose warmth and clarity supported two full days of immersive rehearsal. These sessions were devoted to shaping the emotional and structural contours of the two works - the tensile lyricism of Elegy Flywheel and the vivid, creature‑like energies of Unsung Chordata.
Hours were spent refining articulation, balancing textures, and aligning the ensemble’s collective breath. The dedication of our performers and conductor made this possible: everyone arrived prepared, alert, and ready to push deeper into the music’s expressive terrain. By the end of June 2nd, the pieces had taken on a new level of polish and cohesion, ready for the microphone.
June 3–4: Recording at Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon
With the groundwork laid, we moved to Oktaven Audio in Mount Vernon for two days of recording. Oktaven’s engineers and acoustics provided the ideal environment to capture the nuance and intensity these works demand. The sessions were focused, collaborative, and energized by the sense that we were documenting something meaningful -not only for the ensemble, but for Melinda’s body of work.
These recordings mark the beginning of a new album Ecce will produce featuring Dr. Wagner’s chamber music, to be released on New Focus Recordings. It’s a project that feels both natural and necessary: a continuation of our long-standing relationship with Melinda and a celebration of her singular voice in contemporary music.
Looking Ahead
As we step into the editing and production phases, we carry with us the spirit of those four days - the camaraderie, the precision, the shared commitment to bringing Melinda Wagner’s music into the world with clarity and care. We look forward to sharing more as the album takes shape and to inviting listeners into the sound world we’ve been living in this June.
