American Composers Orchestra - Innovating Right Before Your Ears

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Playing it UNsafe promo
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Playing it UNsafe promo
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NEW! Playing it UNsafe promo
ACO launches laboratory process for innovative composers

Playing it UNsafe is an opportunity for composers to try out new ideas, extend working methods conceived in other musical settings, establish new collaborations, or showcase a new piece in development. Activities include open rehearsals, public readings, panel discussions and two laboratory performances, April 23 - 27, 2008. This video highlights the concepts behind this "Research and Development Laboratory" for new orchestra music, and previews two of the composers who are writing new works. Click here for more info....


 

Composer Portraits
ACO composers share insights
into their craft

All Composer Portraits produced by Jeremy Robins.

Tania León

Steve Coleman

Vijay Iyer

Ken Thomson

Michael Gatonska

Uri Caine

 

Uri Caine speaks about his influences as a composer and his work, Double Trouble for Improvised Piano and Orchestra, commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra, given its world-premiere on February 8, 2008 in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, NYC, and Philadelphia-premiere on February 10, 2008, at the Annenberg Center for the Performing arts at UPenn. In this "micro-concerto" for improvising pianist and orchestra, Caine explores the meshing of spontaneous and scripted music, conducted by David Alan Miller.

 

A look into the creative process behind Ken Thomson's Wait Your Turn, commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra and given its world-premiere on October 19, 2007 in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, NYC. In this "concerto" for jazz-punk ensemble and orchestra, Thomson's band, gutbucket, joined forces with the ACO to create a truly visceral experience, conducted by ACO Principal Guest Conductor Steven Sloane.

 

 

Composer-saxophonist Steve Coleman gives conceptual background to his World Premiere/ACO Commission for saxophone and orchestra, The Illusion of Body, which premiered October 19, 2007, in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, on ACO's HYBRIDITY program, conducted by ACO Principal Guest Conductor Steven Sloane. Coleman performed as soloist in the work alongside the American Composers Orchestra.

 

Tania León speaks about her work, Indigena, and its relation to her Cuban roots. Performed on March 25, 2007 in Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA and March 26, 2007 in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY. Conducted by ACO Conductor Laureate, Dennis Russell Davies.

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Vijay Iyer discusses his ACO Commission/World Premiere, Interventions for Improvised Piano, Electronics and Orchestra. Performed on March 25, 2007 in Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA and March 26, 2007 in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY. Conducted by ACO Conductor Laureate, Dennis Russell Davies.

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Michael Gatonska provides insight into the creation of his Underwood Commission and World Premiere, AFTER THE WINGS OF MIGRATORY BIRDS. Gatonska was the winner of the 2005 Underwood New Music Readings, winning a substantial cash prize and this commission, premiered in NYC at Zankel Hall in Carnegie Hall, October 13, 2006. The performance was repeated on October 15, 2006 at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA.

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About the Filmmaker

Jeremy Robins is a filmmaker and educator in Brooklyn. He is currently a field producer on shows for MTV and PBS and his dance-for-camera projects have screened at PS122 and Dance Theater Workshop. Currently, Jeremy is finishing a documentary on Haitian roots music in Brooklyn (http://www.othersideofthewater.org). Jeremy Robins has taught video production to NYC high school students since 1998.

 

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