1st Act // Berrow Duo
Berrow Duo is the dynamic combination of flute and cello committed to the creation of new works. New York City-based performers Leia Slosberg, flute, and Thea Mesirow, cello, bonded over their desire to push traditional playing boundaries with the incorporation of text and extended techniques in instrumental music. Together, they focus on the promotion of women and femme-identified composers and artists to create new works through close collaboration. Their 2017-2018 season included their international debut in Montreal, QC presented by the Montreal Contemporary Music Lab, as well as a performance presented by Metropolis Ensemble, a weekly pick by I Care if You Listen, a performance as part of New York University’s Music Department Conference in February 2018, and a visit to Baltimore to participate in a multimedia installation. The 2018-2019 season will include a joint curatorship with Aviary Duo at MISE-EN_PLACE, and collaborations for new works with composers Emily Praetorius, James Hamilton Lowrie, AJ Stillabower, and ZongYun We. Berrow Duo is passionate about experimentation, exploration, and the expansion of expression in instrumental music.
Main Event // NewOrch
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World premier of Michael Sheelar’s latest work “Tuning”. Commissioned by NewOrch in and effort to change the tradition of tuning the orchestra. Idea being to make every part of the show artistic and expressive.
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Antonin Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony “The New World” written and premiered in 1893 in New York
Together with the “American” string quartet, this symphony is one of the most celebrated pieces by the Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak. Whatever maybe the story, whether it’s the local folk music, the bizarre experience of moving to a truly new world of sounds, smells and cuisine, the impression that New York left on Mr. Dvorak, was groundbreaking.
This Symphony, like many others, has four movements – that is four parts. Like a good show, a symphony puts contrasting movements one after the other so they can accentuate each other, or in other words, so it doesn't become boring.
Unless otherwise instructed by the composer, the various movements of the symphony are named after the interesting marking in the beginning of the movement. This instruction will tell how fast the piece should be performed and in what general character. Since usually no accurate indication, like a metronome marking, is given- the actual tempo, or speed, is up for interpretation. The movements of the symphony are as follow:
1st movement // Adagio. Allegro Molto
2nd movement // Largo
3rd movement // Molto vivace
4th movement // Allegro con Fuoco
The names are in Italian and translate roughly into:
1. Slow. Very Swift - A slow introduction bursts into the fast part.
2. Wide
3. Very Lively
4. Lively with Fire
As you can tell these markings are quite vague to say the least. In most popular music now a days a "click" is employed. That is, a metronome beats exactly to coordinate between all the various tracks (coincidentally 95% of tracks are either 120bpm or 100bpm, check it out). I think one of the most wonderful things about classical despite its rigid reputation, is the necessary flexibility and sensuality in every performance. In a way, the many rules and detailed music scores create the perfect environment for creativity, every performance almost flexes time.
I'll leave you with an image. Classical music is like driving with a shift stick- all the cool kids are doing it.
Program notes written by Daniel Zinn.
AfterParty
Eric Umble
DJ Eric Umble is based in Brooklyn and enjoys spinning minimal, melodic, and dark techno. Eric discovered his love of dance music and techno in the clubs of New York City and Berlin. A practitioner of classical music, Eric's love of primal repetition and long forms led to the study and subsequent obsession with the works of Steve Reich and La Monte Young. The jump to DJing from classical music was a natural next step. He is heavily influenced by Victor Calderone, Mary Youzovskaya, Femanyst, and Nicole Moudaber. Eric has performed at club H0L0, and he releases a monthly live mix on SoundCloud. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Eric Umble is also a versatile, award-winning clarinetist hailed as "lovely," (New York Arts) and known for his "... nuanced and coloristic playing." (The Clarinet). Eric enjoys a diverse international career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and music educator. An advocate for and avid performer of contemporary music, he is the founding member of SoundMind, sTem, DuoHelix, Wavefield, and Pink Noise ensembles; all champion music by living composers. For more information visit ericumble.com
ft. Melanie Tomsky
Melanie Tomsky is a classical musician and abstract expressionist painter from Brooklyn, New York. She has performed as a classical violist, pianist, and performance artist at various venues throughout NYC. As an orchestral violist she has played with The Juilliard Prep Orchestra, with The Mannes Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall, and as an accomplished chamber musician she has performed as a violist in The French Alps, Vermont, NYC and more. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Ever since discovering a love for painting in 2015, Melanie is driven to pursue other creative fields like visual art and acting.⠀⠀
Special Thanks
New School USS
America Israel Culture Foundation
New School Student Leadership
Austin East Cider
Mannes School of Music
Artery.is
Orchestra Players
Conductor: Louis Arques
Violin
*Daniel Zinn // Concertmaster
*Raphael Papo
Cesare Zanfini
Thomas Purcell
Adam von Hausen
Aurora Mendez Irizarry
Bryant Denmark
Yejin Nikki Kim
Melanie Haskins
Eliano Braz
Melanie Haskins
Nathan Kamal
Elisabeth Mandic Nowac
Liz Merrifield
Thomas Purcell
Roger Shao
Lucy Voin
Cesare Zanfini
Viola
*Adam Kramer
Kate Barmotina
Santiago Del Castillo
Kat Lawhead
Will Marshall
David Shann
Cello
*Christine Chen
Ezra Escobar
Christopher James
Thea Mesirow
Lydia Paulos
Federico Strand Ramirez
Double Bass
*Michael Levin
Griffin Meinbresse
Dario Olachea
Oboe and English Horn
*Erin Lensing
*ChanMi Kim
Jason Smoller
Flute
*Kat Lopes
Jackie Traish
Clarinet
*David Valbuena
William Birkbeck
Bassoon
*Pierre Lidar
Devin Cohen
French Horns
*William Bard
Kevin Newton
Blair Hamrick
Sarah Konvalin
Trombones
Matthew Jermiason
Dave Joseph
Nathan Wood
Trumpet
*Walter Cano
John Otten
Timpani and Percussion
*David Rozenblatt
Allan Randall
NewOrch Staff
Artistic Director // Daniel Zinn
Orchestra Manager // Louis Arques
Development Manager // Christine Chen
Stay in touch
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