Face The Music Ensemble to Perform World Premier at P.S. 321

Face the Music, an ensemble of 20 classically-trained musicians ranging from sixth to twelfth grade dedicated to performing today’s most compelling and creative new music, will be presented by Simone Dinnerstein’s PS 321 Neighborhood Concerts in a concert called “Beating Down the Doors” on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7pm at PS 321 (180 7th Avenue, Brooklyn) in Park Slope. The performance is open to the public and raises funds for the school’s Parent Teacher Association.

The centerpiece of the concert is the world premiere of Liquid Timepieces by composer and PS 321 faculty member Joseph C. Philllips, Jr. Commissioned for Face the Music by Simone Dinnerstein and PS 321 Neighborhood Concerts, Mr. Phillips’ piece is cinematic in its intensity and expansive sound. The teen members of Face the Music will also present four of their favorite works: Graham Fitkin’s sax-heavy Mesh (1992); Marcelo Zarvos’ foot-stomping “Memory” from Nepomuk’s Dances (2002); Nico Muhly’s stop-and-start How About Now (2006); and Jacob TV’s Lipstick (1998), with a playback mix based on clips from American talk shows. Face the Music’s young players will talk to the audience between pieces and take questions at the end of the concert, making this an excellent opportunity for families with children.

Of his new piece, Liquid Timepieces, Mr. Phillips says, “The years 2010 and 2011 are the 50th anniversaries of Gustav Mahler’s birth (1850) and death (1911). I wanted to celebrate these ‘Jubilee Years’ by writing a work that honors the profound influence Mahler’s music has had on my musical thinking. Liquid Timepieces is my homage to Mahler, but despite some subtle references to his Symphony No. 1, No. 3, and No. 9, it is not meant to sound like his music. Rather, I hope to create a similar resonance to the protean spirit of life and the world that permeates his works.”

Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7pm
PS 321 Auditorium | 180 7th Avenue | Brooklyn, NY Tickets: $15 available at www.ps321.org after March 14 For more information, visit: http://kaufman-center.org/special-music-school/face- the-music.

About Face the Music: Face the Music is an ensemble of astonishingly talented teenagers performing works by today’s most compelling and creative new music composers. In residence at Kaufman Center, Face the Music breaks the boundaries of classical music education and performance, featuring today’s music presented by the emerging artistic voices of tomorrow.

Founded by Kaufman Center’s Special Music School Music Director Jenny Undercofler and composer Huang Ruo, Face the Music provides an unparalleled performance and education experience for the next generation of musical leaders. The group burst onto the scene in 2005, performing works by such new-music mainstays Michael Gordon, Phil Kline, and John Adams.

Since their debut, Face the Music has played throughout New York City at venues such as Le Poisson Rouge, The Queens Museum of Art, Roulette, and El Museo del Barrio. The ensemble also performed at the opening of Apple’s new West 67th Street location, on the live broadcast opening of WNYC’s Greene Space, and gave the U.S. premiere performance of Gérard Grisey’s Manifestations in Kaufman’s Merkin Concert Hall.

Face the Music’s mission is to engage talented teenage musicians from across the city to represent a diverse range of backgrounds and talents. The performers are primarily students or alumni of Kaufman Center’s own Special Music School, the only public school in New York City that integrates pre-conservatory musical training with academic education.

Other concert dates:

March 21, 2010 – Hudson View Gardens, 2 pm
116 Pinehurst Ave., NYC, hudsonviewgardens.com
Works by Marcelo Zarvos, Miguel del Aguila, Paul Desenne, Nico Muhly and JacobTV

May 9, 2010 – Look and Listen Festival, location TBA, 3 pm
Works by Marcelo Zarvos and Dan Visconti

May 12, 2010 – Brooklyn Lyceum, 8 pm
4th Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn
Works by Joe Phillips, Nico Muhly, Graham Fitkin and Paul Desenne

May 27, 2010 – Merkin Concert Hall Upper Lobby, 6:30 pm
Works by Nico Muhly, Paul Desenne and Joe Phillips. Pre-concert performance before the SIGNAL ensemble’s gives the world premiere of a new work by Muhly and American premiere of Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s The Corridor in Merkin Hall.

Photo credit: Kaufman Center via Flick’r Photo Share

Popularity: 2% [?]