Press Release: Love Letter to Haiti

2/05/2010 |

Valentine's Day concert to benefit Partners In Health - 6:00PM (doors) 7:00PM (concert) Sunday, February 14th 2010 at (le) poisson rouge

New York, NY - As a way of showing love to those who need it most this Valentine's Day, (le) poisson rouge will present an evening of romantic favorites, new and old, performed by musicians and friends of Metropolis Ensemble. The emerging British-American composer David Bruce has written a piece especially for the occasion. 100% of ticket proceeds will benefit Partners In Health, providing world-class health care to one-third of Haiti's citizens for the past twenty-five years.

The celebrated chamber musicians of Metropolis Ensemble will perform solo and chamber works by Bach, Bowles, Debussy, Brahms, Chopin, Piazzolla, Rachmoninoff and Ravel as well as Metropolis Ensemble's own David Bruce, Adam Schoenberg and Ryan Francis. The generous musicians donating their performances include:

Ashley Bathgate, Cello - Sarah Beaty, Clarinet - Misha Bouvier, Baritone - Rachel Calin, Bass - Layla Claire, Soprano - Rachel Drehmann, Horn - Akimi Fukuhara, Piano - Jonathan Greenburg, Trombone - Conor Hanick, Piano - Dane Johansen, Cello - Bridget Kibbey, Harp - Taka Kigawa, Piano - Kristin Lee, Violin - Sean Lee, Violin - Britton Matthews, Percussion - Matt McDonald, Trombone - Edvinas Minkstimas, Piano - Guillaume Molko, violin - Paul Murphey, Trumpet - Anna Polonsky, Piano - Yannick Rafalimanana, Piano - Gregorio Robino, Cello - Lance Suzuki, Flute

Metropolis Ensemble is a professional chamber orchestra and ensemble based in New York City. Dedicated to emerging composers and performers, Metropolis Ensemble has quickly established a reputation for presenting "new music played with the same kind of panache and bravura we usually experience only in performances of standard repertoire" (Esa-Pekka Salonen).

The dynamic ensemble, comprised of the finest young artists now performing, is led by Music Director Andrew Cyr. Cyr is a distinctive new voice in the growing contemporary classical music scene. His enthusiasm for connecting musicians and composers of the next generation to today's audiences led him to create Metropolis Ensemble in 2006.

Metropolis Ensemble commissions, premieres and records new works from the freshest voices in classical composition, including Timothy Andres, David Bruce, Anna Clyne, Jakub Ciupinski, Avner Dorman, Ryan Francis, Vivian Fung, Ryan Gallagher, Erin Gee, Raymond Lustig, Ricardo Romaneiro, David Schiff, Adam Schoenberg, Cristina Spinei, and Michael Ward-Bergeman. Since its formation in 2006, Metropolis Ensemble has performed to capacity crowds and has premiered and commissioned over 24 new works.

David Bruce is developing a growing international reputation as a composer, with performances this season in the US, UK, Belgium, Australia and Israel. His work has attracted the attention of some of the world's leading musicians, including soprano Dawn Upshaw, Klezmer pioneer Giora Feidman, clarinetist Todd Palmer and the St Lawrence String Quartet.

Upshaw was also the soloist in a new song-cycle with ensemble, The North Wind was a Woman, commissioned for the Gala opening of the 2009 season by the Chamber Music Society of the Lincoln Center. Other recent commissions include Gumboots, commissioned by Carnegie Hall for clarinetist Todd Palmer and the St Lawrence String Quartet, Groanbox for New York's Metropolis Ensemble featuring his friends the Groanbox Boys; and Caja de Musica for Concert Artists Guild Winner Bridget Kibbey's Carnegie Hall recital debut. Current projects include a new commission for pianist Bruce Levingston to be premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2011.

$15 Students | $20 Bar (limited) | $25 General ($30 at door) | $80 VIP Opera Box ($100 at door) | $250 | $500

(le) poission rouge is located at 158 Bleecker Street

For additional information, please contact:
Nate Bachhuber
ph. 917.763.9396
e. press@metropolisensemble.org

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KSJN: "Inspired Accompaniment... Absolutely Perfect"

1/26/2010 |

Michael Barone of KSJN Minneapolis on Avner Dorman's Concertos:

"Intrigued by Baroque music since childhood, Dorman has created a collection of 'modern' pieces imbued with the formal clarity and rhythmic energy of 18th century music. Make no mistake, these pieces sound 'new', but they also sound fresh and friendly, and surprisingly 'original', despite the obvious derivations. Performances are breathtakingly fine, and if you pass by this album you're missing out on a disarmingly satisfying production. Go for it!"


Listen to the broadcast:

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KBAQ: CD of the Week

1/23/2010 |

Sterling Beeaff named Avner Dorman's Concertos the CD of the Week on KBAQ Phoenix, hailing the recording as "new and delightful... a guilty pleasure... a journey of light and color... and a generous doorway into something new." Listen to the broadcast:

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Press Release: Metropolis Ensemble Celebrates Launch of First International Studio Recording

1/22/2010 |

Free Concert, Reception, and CD signing Monday, February 1, 7:30pm at the former Tower Records - Avner Dorman: Concertos for Mandolin, Piccolo, Piano and Concerto Grosso released January 26 on NAXOS American Classics

New York, NY - The imaginative, up-and-coming chamber orchestra, Metropolis Ensemble, will celebrate its first studio album, Avner Dorman: Concertos for Mandolin, Piccolo, Piano and Concerto Grosso, with a free concert, reception, and CD signing on February 1 at 7:30pm. The event will feature a performance of Avner Dorman's Mandolin Concerto (string sextet version) by renowned mandolinist Avi Avital and members of Metropolis Ensemble. All attendees will receive a free copy of the new CD and are invited to a CD signing and reception with artists from Metropolis Ensemble. The event is presented in association with, No Longer Empty, a non-profit organization that organizes site-specific public art exhibitions in vacated storefronts and properties in New York City, located in the former Tower Records on Broadway and East 4th Street.

Produced by Grammy-winning producer David Frost, the album contains the complete chamber orchestra concerti by award-winning Israeli composer Avner Dorman. In addition to Dorman's 2006 Concerto for Mandolin, the album also features three world premiere recordings: the 2001 Piccolo Concerto, with piccolo soloist Mindy Kaufman and pianist Eliran Avni; Concerto Grosso (2003) with Arnaud Sussmann and Lily Francis, violins; Eric Nowlin, viola; Michal Korman, cello; and Aya Hamada, harpsichord; and the composer's 1995 Piano Concerto, a work he penned when he was only nineteen years old, also featuring pianist Eliran Avni. Metropolis Ensemble was the first professional orchestra to perform Dorman's music in the United States.

Metropolis Ensemble is a professional chamber orchestra and ensemble based in New York City. Dedicated to emerging composers and performers, Metropolis Ensemble has quickly established a reputation for presenting "new music played with the same kind of panache and bravura we usually experience only in performances of standard repertoire" (Esa-Pekka Salonen).

The dynamic ensemble, comprised of the finest young artists now performing, is led by Music Director Andrew Cyr. Cyr is a distinctive new voice in the growing contemporary classical music scene. His enthusiasm for connecting musicians and composers of the next generation to today's audiences led him to create Metropolis Ensemble in 2006.

Metropolis Ensemble commissions, premieres and records new works from the freshest voices in classical composition, including Timothy Andres, David Bruce, Anna Clyne, Jakub Ciupinski, Avner Dorman, Ryan Francis, Vivian Fung, Ryan Gallagher, Erin Gee, Raymond Lustig, Ricardo Romaneiro, David Schiff, Adam Schoenberg, Cristina Spinei, and Michael Ward-Bergeman. Since its formation in 2006, Metropolis Ensemble has performed to capacity crowds and has premiered and commissioned over 24 new works.

Avner Dorman has quickly risen to become one of Israel's most successful and renowned composers. At the age of 25, he became the youngest composer to win Israel's prestigious Prime Minister's Award and that same year he was awarded the Golden Feather Award from ACUM (the Israeli Society of Composers and Publishers). Since coming to the United States, Dorman has received several international awards from ASCAP, ACUM, and the Asian Composers League.

Dorman's unique approach to rhythm and timbre has inspired some of the world's leading conductors, including Zubin Mehta, Marin Alsop, Asher Fisch, and Simone Young to bring his music to international audiences in performances with The New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, and Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestras.

Dorman's fresh, spontaneous style lends itself well to the screen and he has written for film, notably Nitzan Aviram's award-winning film Son. His music is exclusively published by G. Schirmer, Inc. and is available on NAXOS, the world's leading classical music label. Dorman holds a Doctorate from the Juilliard School.

The former Tower Records is located at 15 East 4th Street at Broadway. To RSVP for reserved press seating or to request a review copy of the CD please contact:

Nate Bachhuber
ph: 917.763.9396
e: press@metropolisensemble.org

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Wired: Metropolis Ensemble Remixes Rite of Spring

7/22/2008 |

Eliot Van Buskirk mentions The Rite: Remixed on the Wired.com Listening Post blog. Read the article...

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New Yorker: Concerts in Town

7/21/2008 |

Metropolis Ensemble's The Rite: Remixed helps to celebrate the opening of (Le) Poisson Rouge. Read the article...

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NPR: Stravinsky Gets His Rite Remixed

7/18/2008 |

WNYC host David Garland discusses the wild re-imagining of Stravinski's The Rite of Spring with composer Ricardo Romaneiro and music director Andrew Cyr. Read the article...

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NPR: Deerhoof In Concert: Angular, Yet Pretty

7/18/2008 |

Metropolis Ensemble and Deerhoof perform a concert from the Wordless Music Series, recorded live by WNYC at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. The concert and interview are hosted by David Garland. Listen to the broadcast...

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WNYC Soundcheck: Rite of Spring Remixed

7/16/2008 |

WNYC host John Schaefer discusses The Rite: Remixed with artistic director Andrew Cyr composer Ricardo Romaneiro. Listen to the interview...

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New York Times: Arts Briefly

7/15/2008 |

Julie Bloom writes about Metropolis Ensemble's The Rite: Remixed concert in Prospect Park. Read the article...

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