Tribeca New Music Festival ’07

The New York Art Ensemble presents its sixth annual Tribeca New Music Festival with five exciting new concerts this April.

Concert #1: Sunday, April 1 at 7:00 pm
Robert Dick and Ursel Schlicht
Performing works from their new CD, Photosphere
Although a common pairing in classical music, flute-piano duos are rare in improvised music. But as they roam the territory between jazz, new music, and world music, Robert Dick and Ursel Schlicht present five original works that explore a panorama of improvisation, unusual sonics and startling techniques.
"A flutist whose technical resources and imagination seem limitless" -NY Times
Robert Dick has often been referred to as “the Hendrix of the flute” because of his revolutionary musical approach and the ultra-high intensity level of his performance. An improviser, composer, author, teacher and inventor, he is known worldwide for redefining the flute, creating revolutionary visions of its musical role. His music is rooted in free improvisation, new jazz, and classical music, contemporary and traditional. He has released numerous solo recordings and performed and recorded with New Winds, Tambastics, the Soldier String Quartet, the A.D.D. Trio, Paul Giger, Randy Raine-Reusch, Barry Guy, Maari Kimura, and others. He is “a flutist whose technical resources and imagination seem limitless” (The New York Times).
Ursel Schlicht is an internationally active pianist, composer, improviser, and ethnomusicologist. She has played improvised music, jazz, new music and world music throughout Europe, North America, Russia, Mexico and Australia. She has written for large and small ensembles, dance theater, and improvisational scores for silent film. As an artist-in-residence at Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center in New York, she created a score for F.W. Murnau’s classic silent film Faust. She is “among the best free improvisers of either side of the Atlantic” (allmusicguide.com).

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Concert #2: Monday, April 2 at 7:00 pm
Amy Kohn in concert–followed by
Robbie Martin aka Fluorescent Grey, beyond Intelligent Dance Music (IDM)
On the second day of the festival, see and hear two of new music’s rising stars – New York-based accordianist and pianist Amy Kohn and Bay Area sound artist Robert Martin, a.k.a. Fluorescent Grey – in a two-part concert.
Amy Kohn is the kind of individual talent that is situated somewhere between Thelonious Monk’s quirkiness and Suzy Roche’s sweetness. Her music possesses a childlike innocence and a harmonically and rhythmically advanced sense of inquiry. Kohn’s compositions and arrangements are complex and alluring, with influences from classical to jazz and much in between. With nods toward Tori Amos and Kate Bush, her soaring, impressionistic vocals, poetic lyrics, and instantly recognizable voice produce a music that is totally unique. “Well trained, self-inspired, talent for the odd, up and down and all-around, and out there” — Voice Choices, The Village Voice
~Intermission~

Robert Martin a.k.a. Fluorescent Grey: Bay Area sound artist Robert Martin, a.k.a. Fluorescent Grey, goes beyond the genre of Intelligent Dance Music (IDM), producing a driving, rich, and original body of work. Morphing the sounds of Kabuki theater with drum-n-bass, or of a Peruvian shaman fragmented into mesmerizing rhythmic clips, the imagination of Robert Martin creates an extraordinarily new world of music. Simple sounds, found and otherwise, are pulled, prodded, and polished, to form syntax both abstract and tangible.
“Listen closely and you’ll catch a glimpse of the future sound of electronics”
–Michael Casano, Virus-mag.com
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Concert #3: Sunday, April 22 at 7:00 pm
Music Votes! – The Music of Neil Rolnick

Do music and politics make good bedfellows? Can music educate us about political problems or move us to political action? Do artists necessarily have a clear perspective on political issues? Should we listen to an artist talk (or sing) about politics? In Music Votes! (Concert #3 in the Tribeca New Music Festival), composer Neil Rolnick answers with a resounding "Yes!" Pulsating loops, cutting-edge sound design, and top Avant-pop performers join him as he aligns politics and art into four powerful musical offerings.
"Riviting, exhilarating music" –Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

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Concert #4: Monday, April 23 at 7:00 pm
Monsters on the Loose

The New York Art Ensemble presents an evening that features two "monster" performers: one of new music’s most important violinists, Mary Rowell, and pianist/new music specialist Geoffrey Burleson in concert. Monsters on the Loose presents a variety of violin and piano music that reflects the New York Art Ensemble’s penchant for mixing and matching music that jars genres, yet forges its own logic–combining previous, current, and next-generation composers in ways that are unusual and exciting. For more details, click here.

Violinist Mary Rowell is considered by critics to be one of the most important and exciting performers on the contemporary scene, equally at ease on the stage of Lincoln Center and in grunge rock clubs. Her playing is “flaming, jagged, and fascinating, a performer of hyperactive brilliance with an avant-classical delivery that provides a unique presence.” –NY Times

Pianist Geoffrey Burleson is “a first-class instrumental presence whose performances are outright thrilling” (Boston Globe). The New York Times has hailed his solo performances as "vibrant" and "compelling," and praised his "command, projection of rhapsodic qualities without loss of rhythmic vigor, and appropriate sense of spontaneity and fetching colors."

Join these two monster musicians as they perform and combine the modern and the cutting-edge into a program of exciting new works–a rewarding program not to be missed.

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Concert #5: Tuesday, at 7:00 pm
Katrina — Voices of the Lost
Music by Michael Sahl, text by Margaret Yard

Violinist Mary Rowell will lead the New York Art Ensemble as they premiere three new works of maverick composer Michael Sahl, who’s music flows from a harmonic language influenced by Mr. Sahl’s reverence for Beethoven, the classics, and a life-long career in popular music.

On the program:
First up will be the world premiere of "Baby Music" and "Volcano Pie". These two pieces are scored for soprano sax, tenor sax, trumpet, bass trombone, electric guitar, drums, keyboards, electric violin, electric cello, and electric bass. Taken from a child’s-eye view of the world, "Baby Music" begins quietly and simply as a lullaby, progressing and building… until the baby awakes!

"Volcano Pie" is inspired by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who believed that fire -because it is always in motion – is a fitting symbol of the universe. Katrina — Voices of the Lost draws upon a text by a frequent collaborator of Mr. Sahl’s, librettist Margaret Yard. The music, scored for keyboards, percussion and voices (SATB), falls into three movements that depict the moment of destruction, nostalgia, and aftermath. Mr. Sahl and librettist Margaret Yard teamed up to create Katrina — Voices of the Lost based upon a text Ms. Yard began writing during the hurricane Katrina disaster.

All concerts are presented at the Flea Theater–a great place to relax and enjoy.
Join the party and have a glass of wine! The fun continues after the performance. Have some libation, hang out, and talk with the musicians and other audience members.