Hi everybody.

[Tahar Mouslim]

I'm Tahar: 49, born & raised in Paris, France.

I have been living in Michigan for 10 years, between 1998 & 2008, moved back to Paris for 16 months & just settled in the Rockville-Bethesda area in Md.

I have been a classical music geek for the last 35 years, and still counting 

Over the last 10 to 20 years, I have been more & more passionnate about contemporary classical music, which made me change my behavior from collecting several renditions of the masterworks of the past to exploring the music of XX century & contemporary composers. It is a never ending quest, by the way, but is proves me every day that the author of Calvin & Hobbes,  Bill Watterson is right: "there's treasure everywhere".

Of course, I always will cherish Beethoven's last String Quartets, in my mind the greatest music ever written ( from opus 59 to the last opus 135), but I couldn't live without Birstwistle, Babbitt, Sessions, Stockhausen, Read Thomas, Taaffe Zwilich, Scelci, Feldman, Cage, Nono, Maderna & the list goes on and on.

I have been actively participating in French speaking classical music forums over the last 6 years, but it is more & more a mixed & frustrating feeling for mostly two reasons:

- I am living in the US & the classical musical life I describe in terms of concerts & cds is very different from the one the others forum members experience & vice versa: I can't speak about concerts happening at Paris Opera or Théatre des Champs Elysées, & it does not ring any bell to me.

- It is very rare to be able to speak about contemporary music in a French speaking forum without quickly falling into the trap " pro or anti Boulez and Darmstadt School " & starting another fight. Plus, contemporary music only has a tiny & ever shrinking portion in the ongoing discussions.

That's why I decided to join you, guys. I hope being able to learn a lot, exchange & discuss with interesting & passionnate people about one of my greatest passion in life.

Best to all of you.

[Harry]

Tahar, welcome, pretty impressive credentials. As a rule we have only friendly skirmishes on GMG.
So you must feel okay here, and I bid you a fair welcome.
Enjoy and participate at will.
Wow, another Zwilich admirer, o, man you are the number one in my book

Harry

[MN Dave]

Welcome to GMG.

[bhodges]

Of course, I always will cherish Beethoven's last String Quartets, in my mind the greatest music ever written ( from opus 59 to the last opus 135), but I couldn't live without Birstwistle, Babbitt, Sessions, Stockhausen, Read Thomas, Taaffe Zwilich, Scelci, Feldman, Cage, Nono, Maderna & the list goes on and on.

There is indeed treasure everywhere, and there is a lot of it on that list above!  Welcome, Tahar, and hope you enjoy yourself here.  Lots of fans of all the composers you mention. 

--Bruce

[Franco]

Welcome!

Jump in  - the water's fine.

[karlhenning]

Welcome, Tahar!

[Hollywood]

Greetings from Vienna, Austria. Welcome to the forum Tahar.

[david johnson]

hi! 

dj

[secondwind]

Hi from another DC area resident.  It looks like you're into a lot of recent and contemporary music, so I hope you'll be posting in the "What concert are you looking forward to" thread so I will get a heads-up about interesting concerts within driving distance!