I’m writing from Pittsburgh, where the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble‘s 40th season begins this weekend. Playing with this group is always a highlight of the year for me – the PNME team finds an unbelievable blend of theatricality and music, and the result is deeply meaningful. We’re presenting four programs this month, and we open with a world premiere evening-length show by Kieren MacMillan. The piece is a tribute to a longtime PNME patron, and Kieren’s score tears me to pieces every time we play it. Please join us if you’re in the area – first-time audience members get their tickets on the house.
The season also includes premieres by Dan Visconti and our founder David Stock, along with works by Gyorgy Ligeti, Kevin Puts, Steve Reich, Roger Zahab, and much more. If you’re in or near Pittsburgh this month, check us out. See our full season here.
The latest…
Last week was a crazy one for me – six concerts in seven days, hitting 3 different states. In a way, the music on these programs represents a perfect cross-section of the types of collaborations that I value most, and I wanted to write a little bit about them.
For the past three seasons, I’ve had the honor of being a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s CMS Two program. CMSLC is a fantastic organization that presents a plethora of concerts with an incredible roster of artists each season, both in NYC and on tour throughout the world. CMS Two is their young artist program, and members are thrust headlong into every aspect of the Society: performing, touring, educational events, recording, and more.
My residency comes to an end this season, and as a kind of culminating experience, CMS is presenting an all-percussion program next week, both at Alice Tully Hall and at the Harris Theater in Chicago. Read more…
Karakurenai is a piece for open instrumentation performed here with the composer on steel drum and marimba. Recorded live at the Yale School of Music. Video courtesy of Vic Firth. To purchase the music, click here.
I’m heading south today for a 2 week tour! I’ll be playing a solo program that includes works by Andy Akiho, Christopher Cerrone, David Crowell, Tawnie Olson and Frederic Rzewski and joining up with Sandbox Percussion for a show at Furman University. Check out the full schedule below and you can find details over at the events page.
Hope to see you at one of these events!
September 23, 8pm – Solo show at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art – Charleston, SC
September 25, 5pm – Masterclass at Florida Atlantic University – Boca Raton, FL
September 26, 12pm – Workshop with the composition department at the New World School for the Arts – Miami, FL
September 26, 6:15pm – Masterclass at the University of Miami – Miami, FL
September 27, 2pm – Solo show at the Bakehouse Arts Complex – Miami, FL
September 30, 8pm – Solo show at the University of Central Florida – Orlando, FL
October 2, 9:30am – Masterclass at Georgia State University – Atlanta, GA
October 3, 8pm – Solo show at Eyedrum (double bill with Caleb Herron) – Atlanta, GA
October 7, 8pm – Sandbox Percussion with Elspeth Davis at Furman University – Greenville, SC