Unleashing Creativity

Our stable financial footing enables us to plan ambitious collaborations with today’s leading arts institutions. Your generosity provides Metropolis a foundation to empower and employ the next generation of artists and bring music to life across New York City and beyond.

“With all the ups and downs of the last three years, these projects have been a source of grounding in an otherwise cloudy, somewhat directionless time. Thank you Metropolis!”
— Lauren Cauley, Metropolis violinist
 

Creating Together

In 2021-2022, Metropolis collaborations with leading arts institutions, our musician community, and generous donors expand impact and opportunity for all.

Here are a few highlights:

+ A One Year Journey in Thirteen Chapters

Postcards to The Met featured a layered time-lapse video series over 12 months from composer Matthew Evan Taylor.

  • Metropolis partnered with The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s MetLiveArts.
  • Metropolis commissioned artwork by Juniper CreativeArts slowly revealed over one year.
  • 12 films received 300K views via Instagram.
  • Life Returns brought together the video series artists for a culminating in-person concert.
  • The project featured composer / saxophonist Matthew Evan Taylor, RAJAS led by Rajna Swaminathan, and Metropolis artists.

+ Pop-Up Music Everywhere

Biophony Pop-Up NYC brought Metropolis artists to dozens of plazas, squares, parks, and open-streets across the city in 2021-2022.

  • 500 musicians supported
  • 68 pop-ups across four boroughs
  • In partnership with NYC Department of Transportation, reaching dozens new places for new music: open streets and plazas across the city
  • Innovative platform allows musicians to pick their time, place, performing partners, and new works commissioned

+ An Unforgettable Roving Festival of Sound

Our Biophony Festivals in September 2021 and May 2022 were in collaboration with Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Make Music New York.

  • 90 newly commissioned works
  • 200 musicians spread out over 52 acres
  • 8,000 audience participants

+ Six New Studio Albums

Metropolis created several albums this year, including Tyondai Braxton's Telekinesis, Gity Razaz's The Strange Highway, and Him Sophy's Bangsokol.

  • In collaboration with major recording labels and studios like Nonesuch Records and New Amsterdam
  • Helping artists expand their careers and inspire new audiences
  • We are investing in their future and the vitality of our art-form
 

A World of Imagination

The show will, and must, go on. Here’s a preview of our ongoing and upcoming projects.

+ Weaving Together Jazz and Baroque

Lady Moon is a commissioning project with Ruckus Baroque, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Metropolis, and avant-garde jazz icon, Roscoe Mitchell.

  • The large-scale work includes combined baroque instruments (continuo group, plus solo winds) and jazz quartet
  • World Premiere dates will be announced for 2023-24

+ Recording the Music of our Time

We've announced three upcoming studio albums:

  • Nonesuch and Metropolis partner to record new works by Timo Andres in May 2023 with Grammy-winning producer Silas Brown
  • Merge Records with Wye Oak partner with Metropolis and William Brittelle on a new remixed album recording
  • Our debut opera recording from composer Chris Cerrone with Los Angeles Opera and Pittsburgh Opera

+ Expanding our Digital Universe

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we created new virtual series, each supported by a generous constellation of donors, foundations, and our board.

  • Terragenesis: Metropolis expands to Mars with the soundtrack for a new simulation video game
  • Migration Music: our video series and podcast hosted by pianist Han Chen
  • Flame Keepers: our perpetual live-streaming concert since February 2021

+ Looking Ahead to 2023

Here are some of the innovative projects arriving in the year to come:

  • OneRivington: our music laboratory on the Lower East Side hosts a vibrant series of concerts throughout 2023
  • Biophony Pop-Up NYC: concerts in partnership with NYC DOT returning in Fall 2023
  • Biophony continues with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for Winter 2023... stay tuned for more details!
 

Make Tomorrow Possible

100% of your donation brings creative projects to life and supports artists careers. All together, we amplify impact and promote greater access to the arts. Thank you for your support and confidence in what we can accomplish together!

Make a donation today:

Questions? Reach out to our team. We’re happy to help.