Cavafy at Kerrytown, Solo Piano Tour, Beyond

Hi friends,

I hope this email reaches you in a place of winter restfulness. I’ve had a day or two to recuperate after a busy holiday season, and after an even busier first semester of my D.M.A. at Michigan. I’m recharging, and excited to get back to work in 2025.

I have some exciting events coming up, both locally in Detroit and beyond.

The Kombos Collective Presents "Out of Time, Out of Place”

Michael Malis, Constantine Novotny, and Ellie Falaris Ganelin

Sunday, January 26, 2025
4:00 pm
Kerrytown Concert House
Ann Arbor, MI

The Kombos Collective presents Out of Time, Out of Place, a look at displacement and self-discovery through the eyes of artists in the diaspora. Hellenic-American artists Michael Malis (piano), Constantine Novotny (baritone) and Ellie Falaris Ganelin (flute) explore these concepts through the convergence of music and poetry. The cornerstone of the program is Malis’s original song cycle: Another Shore, Another Country, set to the poetry of C.P. Cavafy, commissioned by ProMusica Detroit and premiered in February 2024. Cavafy, who lived most of his life in Alexandria, Egypt, is the quintessential voice of the Greek diaspora and a prominent figure among 20th-century poets.

Through Ganelin’s and Malis’s own arrangements, the trio performs songs of love and longing by Greek idols Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjiadikis. These masterful colleagues born the same year (1925) each brought a new vision and prominence to Hellenic music through the radio in their homeland and in film worldwide.

This concert is presented in part with the generous support of Artist Sponsors, The Modern Greek Program at the University of Michigan

Solo Piano Tour

I’m hitting the road for a short solo piano recital tour this winter. If you’re in any of these cities, I’d love to see you. More details to come.

Friday February 28, Grand Rapids MI
4:00pm
Calvin University
Masterclass and performance for Calvin University Jazz Piano studio

Saturday March 1, Chicago IL
7:00pm
Rosehill Cemetery
with Josh Harlow

Sunday March 2, Saugatuck MI
2:00pm
Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Hemphy Solo Piano Concert Series
Preorder Tickets Here

Wednesday March 5, Detroit MI
7:30pm
Historic Fort Street Presbyterian Church
Preorder Tickets Here

Photo credit: Costa Kazaleh Sirdenis

Motor City Wine Residency Continues

My band Hear No Evil’s residency at Motor City Wine will continue into 2025. This music has been developing into an incredibly vital space and I’m very excited with the direction this group is heading. Come join us on any of these upcoming dates:

Friday January 17
Friday March 21
Friday May 16
Friday June 20

all shows at 8:00pm, all shows cost a measly $5. Motor City Wine is at 1949 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216.

Note that I won’t be there in February or April.

That’s all for now. Stay safe, stay healthy, and thanks again for all of your support. I hope to see you out there somewhere in 2025.

Best wishes,

Michael

End of Summer Activities

Hi friends,

Just popping in to share some end-of-summer performances with you, as well as a really nice profile that came out recently:

The next installment of my monthly, Hear No Evil.

Friday August 16
8:00pm
Motor City Wine
1949 Michigan Ave., Detroit.
$5 at the door.

Brand new music for solo piano and electronics. Been working toward this direction this summer, and I’m excited to finally share some things. Featuring Maritza Garibay/Kaleigh WIlder’s new duo project.

Saturday August 17
Doors 8:00pm
Moondog Cafe
8045 Linwood St #2, Detroit, MI 48206
$15 at the door suggested donation

For the Washtenaw County crowd: similar music to the Moondog set, but of course it will be completely different too. Featuring Jane Marie Rogers.

Wednesday August 21
Doors 6:00pm
$10 suggested
Ziggy’s
206 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Finally got my hands on the Spring issue of Maggot Brain — issue 16 for anyone keeping track at home. Grateful and elated to see Ana Gavrilovska’s portrait of Balance: “deceptively capacious and downright transcendental.” 

Find yourself this print-only publication wherever fine records, books, and media are sold, or at Third Man Records’ website.

Catch Balance at New Music Detroit’s annual Strange Beautiful Music Festival, Saturday September 7. With a stacked lineup, featuring My Brightest Diamond, New Music Detroit, Ahya Simone, Onyx Ashanti, Hub New Music, and Dominant Hand. Get your tickets here.

This quartet of shows — all 4 are very dear to my heart, all 4 are in venues that I care deeply about, all 4 are with people who are very special to me. If you’re in my locale, it would mean the world to see you at any or all of these. What a blessing it is to be able to make music with these people in these times. I don’t take it for granted.

I might be a little quieter on this channel for a little bit while I get this whole grad school thing under control. But there are big things in the works, including two albums in various stages of production. I’m moving as fast as I can, I promise.

I’ll be in touch with important updates. Love to you all, and abundant gratitude for all that you are.

Michael

New Video Out Now, and Some Personal News

Hey Friends,

Last year, I was commissioned by Edgefest (Kerrytown Concert House) to compose a major new work for large ensemble. The result was In Search of Softer Selves, which premiered October 2023 in Ann Arbor MI. I’m so grateful to finally share this work with you! Take a look below:

This piece features an all star lineup of some of Detroit (and the world’s) greatest musicians:

Wendell Harrison - clarinet and tenor saxophone
Marcus Elliot - soprano and tenor saxophone
Kaleigh Wilder - baritone saxophone
Allen Dennard - trumpet
Vincent Chandler - trombone
Zekkereya El-magharbel - trombone
Marion Hayden - bass
Ben Willis - bass
Jonathan Barahal Taylor - drums
Michael Malis - piano

With additional funding from the Foundation for Contemporary Art
Video directed by Matthew Lima
Audio by Dave Thiefels Audio

If you like this piece and would like to support what I do, consider making a donation to the Middle East Children’s Alliance. They are working in Gaza to provide emergency assistance to families who have fled their homes to seek shelter with relatives, and procuring emergency medical supplies for hospitals and clinics.

Some Personal News

I’m going back to school! This fall, I’m returning to the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater, and Dance, where I’ll be pursuing a doctorate (DMA). I’m very excited for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to share whatever new work comes out of this chapter with you all.

That’s all for now. I hope you’re well, wherever you are.

Peace,
Michael

Preorder New Balance Record, And Two Release Shows

Friends,

Today’s a special day. I’m grateful to share with you some new music from Balance, my collaborative duo with Marcus Elliot:

Balance: Live at the Congregation

Artwork by Leander Hope Lemon

The full album goes live in one week, on Friday April 5. We’re releasing one track and opening preorder today. For now, this is a digital-only release.

This album documents a magical set last December at The Congregation, when we played with YIMES. Every once in a while, the vibes are just right and you put together a set that you’re really proud of. That’s what this one is. It’s a notably different sound than both of our previous releases — whereas we’ve mostly worked acoustically in the past, this record finds us navigating electronics alongside our instruments. I hope you’ll come along for the journey with us.

We’re celebrating with two shows next weekend

On Friday April 5, we’re playing a very rare trio set with one of our heroes: drummer and master musician Gerald Cleaver! If you’re in Northern Michigan, catch us at the Alluvion. Tickets are on sale now and going fast.

Then on Saturday April 6, we’re coming back to Detroit to play a duo set at what’s soon going to be our favorite hometown venue: the still-in-the-process-of-opening Moondog Cafe. This is one of the first shows at this incredible space. Opening set by King Sophia. No preorder for this show — door sales only.

That’s all for now. Thanks for affording me the privilege of sharing this work with you. It means a lot. Hope to see you out there.

Till soon,

-Michael

Marcus and I, performing the set we’re releasing. Photo by John Mark Hanson.

Cavafy Replay -- Balance Mini Tour -- Detroit Shows

Hi friends,

Popping in to share with you some exciting happenings. This is sort of a long one, but there just happens to be a lot going on:

World Premiere Performance Now On YouTube

My recent song cycle, Another Shore, Another Country, based on the poetry of C.P. Cavafy, premiered on February 3rd in a concert presented by ProMusica Detroit. This concert was special beyond words — not only did I get to premiere a new (and big) original work, but I also got to perform the music of Mikis Theodorakis, a rare joy for me.

You can now view that entire show online! Check it out below.

Some timestamps to guide your viewing:

18:10 - my solo piano composition Hold Tightly Your Vision of How Things Could Be

33:14: Constantine Novotny, Ellie Falaris Ganelin (our special guest from the San Fransisco-based Greek Chamber Music Project), and I performing the music of Mikis Theodorakis

1:08:22: Another Shore, Another Country - myself and Constantine premiering my new composition based on the poetry of C.P. Cavafy

FYI: Constantine and I are currently devising a new evening-length program that will feature Another Shore, Another Country alongside other selections for piano solo and piano/voice. We’ll be booking it for 2024-2025 and beyond. If you or someone you know are interested in presenting this, send me an email.

Balance Mini Tour and Other News

Balance is getting ready for a big 2024. We’re hitting the road for two dates in Southern Ontario:

Friday 3/22 - workshop at University of Guelph

Friday 3/22 - Silence (Guelph). With Matthew Endahl.
Tickets here

Saturday 3/23 - Sellers & Newel (Toronto).
Tickets here

We also have a big surprise coming at the end of March/beginning of April. And a Detroit show in the works for that time too. But I’ll reach out about all that soon.

Detroit Happenings - Hear No Evil, Other Tones

Two exciting events that I’m putting together in Detroit in a couple of weeks:

I’ve been curating Other Tones, a little series of quarterly-ish concerts, for the last few years. This installment is going to be one of the best yet. Extremely limited space in this magical venue.

Jessica Ackerley (Hawai’i)
Patrick Behnke (Los Angelos)
Teiku (Detroit/Chicago)

Thursday 3/14 7:00pm
Huckleberry Club
2660 Buchanan, Detroit
$10

Hear No Evil, my new monthly residency at Motor City Wine, is entering its third installment. We’ve been having so much fun and playing to great audiences. Come early to get a seat. This month:

Zekkereya El-magharbel - trombone
Jonathan Barahal Taylor - drums
Noah Jackson - bass
MM - piano

Friday 3/15 8:00pm
Motor City Wine
1949 Michigan Ave., Detroit
$5 at the door (you can’t beat that price)

That’s all for now. Thanks again for your patient ears and kind souls.

Till soon,

Michael