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