To celebrate our upcoming concert, Home Stretch, Metropolis Ensemble and composer Timothy Andres are delighted to offer the mp3 of his title work, having its New York premiere on May 20. You can download it here, absolutely free, for a limited time.
"Home Stretch" was recorded on December 16, 2008 in Sprague Hall at Yale University with Timothy Andres on piano and Julian Pellicano conducting the Yale Philharmonia.
We are pleased to share that composer Timothy Andres' debut CD release Shy and Mighty will be released by Nonesuch Records on May 18, 2010. The album includes ten interrelated piano pieces performed by Timo and pianist David Kaplan. Alex Ross from The New Yorker says the recording "is the kind of sprawling, brazen work that a young composer should write" and achieves "an unhurried grandeur that has rarely been felt in American music since John Adams came on the scene... Nothing is harder for a young composer than to find an individual voice. Andres is on his way: more mighty than shy, he sounds like himself."
Timo's CD Release Concert is Monday, May 17 at Le Poisson Rouge (7:30pm). Since the release also coincides with our Home Stretch concert, you can purchase tickets to our May 20 concert at Monday's event and receive a free copy of Shy and Mighty!
Zachary Detrick is an eleven-year-old with some really big ideas. His "Fanfare from Symphony No. 7" premiered at Kaufman Center in New York City when he was only four (arranged for trumpet ensemble and chimes by his father). Since then, he taught himself music notation software and began composing prodigiously on the computer. He won the citywide Music Memory Competition in 2009, studies piano with Andrea Hough, and plans to attend the Special Music School, PS 859, in the fall.
For two years, Zachary has also participated in Youth Works, our after-school program at Public School 11 in Manhattan. Through this program, he had the opportunity to work with Metropolis composer fellows Ryan Francis, Cristina Spinei, and Ray Lustig. Now Zachary is collaborating with our newest fellow, Brad Balliett, and they've become quite the pair:
"Zachary and I have been working together for about two months now, and I'm constantly surprised by his imagination and facility. We discovered that we had a lot in common. For one, a love of Stockhausen, which is so rare that I often find our lessons veering off into conversations about Samstag or Tierkreis. There aren't many with whom I can discuss these great pieces!
Brad is part of The Academy (or Ensemble ACJW), a unique fellowship program at Carnegie Hall that works in NYC schools and performs around the city. As head of the programming committee, Brad suggested young Zachary's work as an example of a new generation of composers.
As a result, Ensemble ACJW will present a special live performance on April 26 (7pm) at the Upper West Side Apple Store (Broadway at West 68th Street), part of the store's ongoing artistic partnership with Juilliard. The performance will feature the world premiere of Zachary's "Five Duets for Flute and Bassoon" (with flautist Julietta Curenton and bassoonist Brad Balliett) alongside some stalwarts of the classical world, including Stravinsky, Ligeti, Wolf, and Shoenfeld. RSVP here...
"Five Duets for Flute and Bassoon" gives a nod to Bartok and Stravinsky and tackles some compositional problems posed by Zachary's teacher, Daniel Ott, with some compelling results. For example, in the first piece, the flute plays only "white key notes" and the bassoon only the "black key notes" leading to a surprising sound. Other contrasts - such as staccato (short) and legato (smooth) playing - and clever solutions - including a scale of Zachary's own devising - abound in each duet.
Here's a short excerpt from the fourth duet:
But it doesn't stop there. Elementary students at Zachary's school, PS 11, will be in for a treat on June 8 when Metropolis Ensemble presents the annual end-of-year Youth Works concert that showcases students' work in collaboration with Brad. One of those pieces will be a new work from Zachary inspired by Alice in Wonderland, specifically the Mad Tea-Party scene.
Originally, Zachary was working on a full opera of the famous Lewis Carroll story, but he's put that project on hold to focus on the Metropolis project. Brad and Zachary are meeting regularly to prepare the final piece for the concert: "Each week I visit, he's added a new and delightfully unique piece of the total picture," says Brad. "I, for one, can't wait to hear the final product when we perform it at his school."
As Brad can attest, we are looking forward to more of Zachary's big ideas: "I'm proud to be among the first to present music by our next emerging American composer!"
When you arrive at the Home Stretch concert on May 20, you will be handed your chair and given the opportunity to sit anywhere in the Angel Orensanz Center you like! Why not try a different location after intermission?
Looking for a truly unique perspective? Buy one of our VIP tickets and take a seat on the stage, watch the concert from the balcony, or reserve a table for four with a complimentary bottle of wine. Become a member of Metropolis Ensemble and enjoy discounts on all VIP tickets!
Tune into KUSC Los Angeles on Friday, February 19 (9pm PST / 12 midnight EST) to hear an exclusive interview with Metropolis composer Avner Dorman and our new album Concertos. KUSC's Jim Sjevda will interview Avner on his popular program The Record Shelf.
This was a Valentine's Day we won't soon forget. In a sold-out benefit concert at (le) Poisson Rouge and with twenty-six love-infused works, we raised a grand total of $6,630 to support our friends at Partners in Health. PIH provides world-class health care to the people of Haiti, and are leading the way in the recovery efforts after last month's earthquake.
We responded with Love Letter to Haiti, nearly three hours of music, featuring two dozen musicians and soloists, all of whom donated their time. Why host a concert? Artistic Director / Conductor Andrew Cyr explained in a recent interview:
"My wife and I were talking after the earthquake struck and when the horrific human tragedy started sinking in, we felt both incredibly moved and helpless. We're not doctors, we can't fly a plane, we can't write a big check... what could we do? The answer was really simple: just try and see what happens... It's been so much fun to put this together!"
And what an evening it was! The concert featured works from Metropolis composers Ryan Francis and Adam Schoenberg. Our friend David Bruce prepared a new arrangement of a Tallis motet especially for the night. We sold beautiful illustrated t-shirts by artist Jennifer Salomon, so patrons could literally wear their heart on their sleeve (all proceeds going to PIH). We also sold and donated our new album, Avner Dorman's Concertos. (le) Poisson Rouge donated the space; InTicketing generously waived their ticket fees; and many patrons opened their wallets to make donations to Partners in Health. Thank you for supporting us in so many ways!
We were honored to have special guest Klaus Gauthier from Port au Prince fly into New York to attend the concert; he himself was trapped during the quake, and has worked since to help find missing persons and organize tent drop-offs in Haiti.
As it turned out, Allan Kozinn from the New York Times was also on hand to enjoy the concert, and wrote our first NYT review:
"All told, 26 works of various lengths were performed, most contemporary and eclectic, with standard repertory pieces cropping up on occasion. Some of those were among the evening's highlights. A short set by the Avenue 9 Trio and its members included a sweetly singing account of Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" by the group's cellist, Dane Johansen, and a breathtakingly beautiful reading of Debussy's "Clair de Lune" by its violinist, Sean Lee, both accompanied by Edvinas Minkstimas the ensemble's pianist. Mr. Lee returned later to play Massenet's "Meditation" from "Thaïs" with the harpist Bridget Kibbey." Read the full article...
It truly was a special evening. Thanks to everyone who made the concert possible. We witnessed the very best that our community of composers, performers, and patrons can be: giving of your time, talent, and treasure to support the people of Haiti in the most vital way possible... rallying around Partners in Health and their inspiring work... and celebrating a kaleidoscope of music that connects us all together.
Here are a few highlights from our concerts in 2009, edited and produced by Gareth Paul Cox. Groanbox on January 28, 2009, featuring the works of David Bruce, Michael Ward-Bergeman, and John Adams. Glimpses on May 6, 2009, featuring the works of Vivian Fung, Jakub Ciupinski, and Cristina Spinei. New Music 101 on September 16, 2009, featuring the interactive works of Jakub Ciupinski. Reverb on November 19-20, 2009, featuring the works of Jakub Ciupinski, Vivian Fung, Erin Gee, and Cristina Spinei.
With the start of the new year, we want to pause a moment to reflect on the four years since Metropolis Ensemble's founding, and many of the amazing opportunities that have come our way.
Since 2006, Metropolis Ensemble...
commissioned 24 world premieres and 5 U.S. premieres
performed to capacity crowds in partnership with Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Celebrate Brooklyn, Le Poisson Rouge, Wordless Music Series, Smithsonian Magazine, Angel Orensanz Center, Americas Society, Chelsea Art Museum, Scandinavia House, and The Times Center
introduced a new version of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring in front of an audience of 10,000 in Prospect Park
featured in broadcasts by WNYC and National Public Radio
recorded its first studio album featuring composer Avner Dorman, produced by Grammy-winner David Frost, and released on NAXOS American Classics
taught music composition and creativity to hundreds of elementary school students through our Youth Works program at P.S. 11 in Manhattan
nurtured four young composers through our Wet Ink Emerging Composers program
collaborated with leading artists, including monologist Mike Daisey, producer David Frost, indie-rock sensation Deerhoof, accordionist Michael Ward-Bergeman, international roots-trio Groanbox, vocal stars Hila Plitmann and Kiera Duffy, jazz saxophonist Marty Erhlich, and mandolinist Avi Avital
We've had the privilege of working with several world-renowned composers over the past four years, including John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and David Schiff. It's also worth noting the incredible musicians who have appeared with Metropolis Ensemble thus far. Our roster - both past and present - now occupy leadership roles in orchestras around the world, including Montreal Symphony (concert master), Philadelphia Orchestra (first violin), Cleveland Orchestra (associate concertmaster), and St. Louis Symphony (principal viola). We are honored to share the stage with such bright young performers and composers!
Accolades and statistics aside, the true heart of Metropolis Ensemble lies in each of you: our fans, friends, patrons, volunteers, and music lovers who continue to encourage us with each new concert. Thank you for supporting our mission to breathe life into classical music and inspiring us to reach new heights in the years to come.
Metropolis Ensemble welcomes its 2009-10 Youth Works fellow, Brad Balliett. Over the next year, Brad will work with elementary students at PS11 in Manhattan to teach them about composition and music appreciation... which culminates in a concert featuring the students' work. Brad is an accomplished composer, avid bassonnist, and active teaching artist. In addition to his work at PS11, he is part of Carnegie Hall's The Academy, in residency at PS315 in Brooklyn.
Youth Works is made possible thanks to a generous grant from the van Otterloo Foundation.
Show your support for Metropolis Ensemble and experience inspiring musical performances! If you become a member today, you'll be invited to attend a private concert hosted by June Wu at her Upper West Side apartment (Friday, December 11 at 7pm). The concert will feature the popular "Composing and Cocktails" and "Music from Air" programs from our New Music 101 concert with composer Jakub Ciupinski and Metropolis Ensemble musicians.
You can help sustain the future of Metropolis Ensemble and the vitality of classical and contemporary music in our society by becoming a member today! Contributions are tax deductible and benefit the ensemble throughout the upcoming year.
This post was written by Timo Andres, one of Metropolis Ensemble's featured composers in Spring 2010, for the upcoming Reverb concerts at (Le) Poisson Rouge.
There's a long tradition of composers finding inspiration in Balinese music, from Poulenc and Britten to Evan Ziporyn and Ingram Marshall. A trip to Bali was also the genesis of Vivian Fung's piano concerto, subtitled Dreamscapes. She traveled there in the summer of 2008 to study traditional music and dance, play in a gamelan orchestra, and indulge her voracious appetite for Asian folk music of all kinds. But don't call her an ethnomusicologist: "I'm less concerned with replicating anything akin to an exact version of these works than with the way I have internalized the shimmering harmonies and interlocking rhythms of their traditions into my own original voice."
I asked Vivian about formulating a voice, which she says is one of the most difficult aspects of a composer's development. Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta and later studying at Juilliard, she was steeped in the canon of Western 20th-century music: Stravinsky, Debussy, Schonberg. It was not until she reached her mid-twenties, at the urging of a friend, that she undertook a comprehensive exploration of Chinese art and music, which also became an important method of self-discovery. Her listening soon widened to the music of other Asian countries. Eventually she found something which she'd felt had been missing from her "musical vernacular" all along: a connection to her ethnic roots.
The origins of her musical material were not a primary concern when Vivian conceived of Dreamscapes; rather, she turned first to her Western models to see how they structured and developed their materials (planning ahead, she says, is key). She ended up with less a traditional piano concerto than a series of vignettes. Each paints a unique sonic portrait, like a travelogue. To this end, the musicians sometimes become foley artists, calling upon a pile of toys and effects: a chorus of bird whistles (purchased from a street vendor in Ho Chi Minh City), a piano "prepared" to imitate the sound of a gamelan orchestra, and, at the end, musical use of a familiar household object which Vivian intends to keep a surprise.
Dreamscapes is scored in bold and brilliant colors, and never settles in one place for too long. Like a tourist's first visit to an unfamiliar city, there's a sense of needing to cover a lot of ground, take in a great many sights, try unrecognizable foods, and somehow have it all take on personal meaning. Vivian writes that "the sounds of Bali haunt my dreams... getting up in the early morning and seeing the morning mist covering the rice paddies [and] hearing a symphony of birds, some of which actually chirp in a gamelan-like rhythm. Occasionally, one also hears frogs and cicadas. Those moments I have remembered and are the inspiration of the opening of the concerto."
This post was written by Timo Andres, one of Metropolis Ensemble's featured composers in Spring 2010, for the upcoming Reverb concerts at (Le) Poisson Rouge.
The title of this concert, Reverb, seems especially meaningful to composer Jakub Ciupinski. "I absolutely love churches for their long reverb. Very often in my music I use a thin, hocket-like texture full of single, short notes that almost never overlap. Harmonic structures can only emerge through reverb or the listener's memory." Jakub favorite musical space is an abandoned salt mine near Cracow, in his native Poland, where "irregular shapes create the most smooth and perfect reverb I've ever heard."
Le Poisson Rouge is also underground, but seems better suited toward one of Jakub's other obsessions: electronics. Many of his recent works are written for acoustic instruments augmented and supported by electronic textures ("like the back row of an orchestra"). His approach to writing this kind of music is architectural, focusing on soundscapes, timescales, and overall continuum rather than the details of a notated score.
Electronica provides more than just a backing track - it also informs content and structure. Jakub's music is built on "loops": short musical phrases that repeat, layer, and evolve - and, like electronic dance music, it often has a very strong groove. This tended to be a source of discord with his composition teachers when he was studying at Juilliard. "For traditionally-oriented composers, having a regular 'beat' seems too casual, [like a] profanation of high art." On the other hand, he appreciates New York's artistic pragmatism, which is refreshing. In Poland, he says, artists are more appreciated for being "original and sometimes weird."
Jakub's art testifies to his easygoing demeanor. He's been straddling musical cultures for several years now, and perhaps realizes it's just as well not quite fitting into any of them. Instead, he strives for "acoustic experiences. I try not to think or analyze." That's not to say he has no time for craft; quite the contrary. "Writing quasi-minimal music... is about finding these little unique jewels with potential so great that even after many repetitions they sound equally fresh... they can resist the destructive power of time."
Metropolis Ensemble is dedicated to sharing artistic connections between emerging composers and performers with audiences in settings meant to inspire a new generation of music lovers. Learn more...
We are pleased to share that composer Timothy Andres' debut CD release 
Zachary Detrick is an eleven-year-old with some really big ideas. His "Fanfare from Symphony No. 7" premiered at Kaufman Center in New York City when he was only four (arranged for trumpet ensemble and chimes by his father). Since then, he taught himself music notation software and began composing prodigiously on the computer. He won the citywide 
And what an evening it was! The concert featured works from Metropolis composers 
As it turned out, Allan Kozinn from the 
