SONiC – Sounds of a New Century A Festival of 21st Century Music by Composers Age 40 and Under

LAUNCHES at Carnegie Hall on Friday, October 14, 2011 with
American Composers Orchestra’s Season Opening Concert featuring Five World Premieres
TWO FREE SONiC SMARTPHONE APPS NOW AVAILABLE: Thicket: SONiC (iPhone/iPad) & UrbanRemix (iPhone/Droid)
PLUS RE:SOUND – a partnership with WQXR’s Q2 Music
www.SONiCfestival.org
New York, NY (September 28, 2011) — SONiC – Sounds of a New Century – a festival of 21st century music by more than 100 composers age 40 and under, will take over New York from Friday, October 14 through Saturday, October 22, 2011. Events will range from a daylong marathon to an electronic music night, from a free symphony concert at the World Financial Center Winter Garden to collaborations between emerging choreographers and composers. SONiC concerts will take place at eleven different venues throughout New York. SONiC is a production of American Composers Orchestra (ACO) and The Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, co-curated by composer Derek Bermel and pianist Stephen Gosling. SONiC is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall and Miller Theatre at Columbia University. Q2 Music, the contemporary online music stream of WQXR, New York’s premier classical radio station, is the media partner and digital venue.

SONiC includes music by more than 100 composers from five continents including premieres by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and Bryce Dessner of The National (who will perform with Aaron Dessner and the American Composers Orchestra in a FREE concert on October 22 at the World Financial Center Winter Garden as part of WNYC’s New Sounds Live, which Q2 Music will present as a live, international audio webcast), as well as composers from across the United States, and from Australia, Portugal, China, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Lithuania, Canada, the UK, Germany, Brazil, Poland, and Korea.

Ensembles performing include ACO, eighth blackbird, ICE, Alarm Will Sound, JACK Quartet, NOW Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, the Imani Winds, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, Argento Ensemble, Ensemble Klang (Netherlands), Camerata Aberta (Brazil), Either/Or, and many more. Venues where SONiC concerts take place include Carnegie Hall, Miller Theatre, Symphony Space, 92YTribeca, Joe’s Pub, Roulette, Joyce SoHo, The Kitchen, Americas Society, The Stone, and the World Financial Center. See the complete SONiC schedule below and at www.SONiCfestival.org

From October 10 through 16, Q2 Music will launch a multimedia companion festival devoted to exploring the radical and vibrant sound worlds of many of the featured SONiC composers. Through in-depth interviews with Q2 Music host Nadia Sirota, archival interviews and shows, and world-premiere audio webcasts of new commercial recordings and live concerts, Q2 Music will present a full sensory immersion into the sounds of these composers, age 40 and younger, who are charting the course of 21st century music. For more information, visit www.wqxr.org/q2.

SONiC aims to present a snapshot of the broad array of new music being composed today – from serialism to minimalism, world music and jazz to indie rock, string quartet to electric guitar quartet. SONiC co-curator and composer Derek Bermel explains, “The festival is a window into the vast and diverse worlds that musicians are exploring today. There are no more aesthetic or stylistic barriers out there; SONiC is offering a whirlwind showcase for the boundless creativity of our contemporary composers.”
American Composers Orchestra’s Season Opening Concert Launches SONiC

SONiC opens on October 14 at 7:30pm with American Composers Orchestra’s Orchestra Underground: 21st Firsts, presented by Carnegie Hall at Zankel Hall, with an all-world premiere program featuring music by five up-and-coming composers: Kenji Bunch, who premieres his own fiddle-inspired, dazzling concerto for amplified viola and orchestra; Montana native and winner of ACO’s 2010 Underwood Emerging Composer Commission Christopher Stark, whose piece …and start west is inspired by the landscapes of his upbringing and takes its title from a line in William S. Burroughs’ novel Naked Lunch; Alex Temple, whose music lies somewhere between Surrealism and Pop Art, contributes a piece for luminous soprano Mellissa Hughes with live electronics; Andreia Pinto-Correia, a rising young composer identified through ACO’s national EarShot new music readings network whose music is deeply influenced by Arab-Andalusian poetic forms, has written Elegia a Al-Mu’tamid, an homage to the forgotten king-poet; and Wang Lu, whose multimedia work for video and orchestra tells the story of the ancient Chinese instrument, the Qin. The program will be led by ACO Music Director George Manahan.

Announcing SONiC: Interact – FREE Opportunities for the Public

SONiC takes place not only on the stage, but reaches beyond the concert hall with three interactive elements that bring the public into the SONiC experience.
Thicket: SONiC is a FREE app for iPad and iPhone that allows users to create original, kaleidoscopic audio and art. The Thicket app is a mobile audiovisual world of texture, movement, line and tone that is part art piece and part toy. Thicket: SONiC is a special free version of this award-winning app created by Interval Studios. (The same software was used to create SONiC’s animated logo on www.SONiCfestival.org.) Thicket: SONiC will be on display at most events during the festival and will be featured at Electronic SONiC, a SONiC: AfterHours concert on October 21 at Roulette.

For more information or to download the app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thicket-sonic/id464093717?mt=8

UrbanRemix is a FREE app for both iPhone and Droid systems, that allows anyone to record found sounds in their environment and submit them for archiving on the UrbanRemix site, available via an interactive map. The found sounds can be manipulated and mixed online at UrbanRemix.com. Sounds submitted through UrbanRemix will be showcased by the electronic duo exclusive/or in their original compositions performed during Electronic SONiC at Roulette. In addition, UrbanRemix is the focus of several in-school workshops as part of ACO’s Music Factory education initiative. UrbanRemix is a project of the Music Technology and Digital Media programs of the Georgia Institute of Technology and is directed by Jason Freeman, Carl Disalvo, and Michael Nitsche.

For more information or to join UrbanRemix: http://urbanremix.gatech.edu/content/sonic

Re:Sound asks audience members to make their voices heard by voting and commenting on which piece from each concert they would most like to hear again. Q2 Music will broadcast recordings of the pieces that receive the most votes during two special program dedicated to SONiC on October 19 and 26, 2011. For more information: www.wqxr.org/q2

For updates, behind-the-scenes scoops, and dialog with several of the composers and ensembles, audiences can follow SONiC on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SONiCFest2011), Facebook (www.facebook.com/SONiC.SoundsOfANewCentury) and can participate in the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #SONiCfest

See the complete SONiC schedule below and at www.SONiCfestival.org

SONiC Composers (Subject to Change)

Víctor Adán, Kati Agócs, Andy Akiho, Timo Andres, Aphex Twin, Vykintas Baltakas, Marcos Balter, Matthew Barnson, Oscar Bettison, Greg Beyer, Rafiq Bhatia, Valéria Bonafé, João Victor Bota, Ryan Brown, Kenji Bunch, Caleb Burhans, Patrick Burke, Richard Carrick, Aaron Cassidy, Tatiana Catanzaro, Raphaël Cendo, Phyllis Chen, Anthony Cheung, Valerie Coleman, Lisa R. Coons, Dan Cooper, Mark Dancigers, Corey Dargel, Nathan Davis, Bryce Dessner, Mario Diaz de León, Toby Driver, Jason Eckardt, Roshanne Etezady, Mohammed Fairouz, Suzanne Farrin, Lainie Fefferman, Michael Fletcher, Gabriela Lena Frank, Stefan Freund, Sean Friar, David Fulmer, Ruby Fulton, Michel Galante, Ryan Gallagher, Erin Gee, Jenece Gerber, Judd Greenstein, Jonny Greenwood, Aleksandra Gryka, Yotam Haber, Pete Harden, Troy Herion, Susie Ibarra, Konrad Kaczmarek, Amy Beth Kirsten, Michael Klingbeil, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum, Kristin Kuster, David Laganella, Hannah Lash, Thomas Lavoy, Payton MacDonald, Andrew McKenna Lee, Paul Yeon Lee, Steve Lehman, Lei Liang, Sarah Lipstate, David T. Little, Ryan Lott, Wang Lu, Igor Leão Maia, Keeril Makan, Bruno Mantovani, Matt Marks, Paula Matthusen, Alex Mincek, Jesse Montgomery, Kate Moore, Jason Moran, Nico Muhly, Jascha Narveson, Mayke Nas, Clint Needham, Andrew Norman, Marcílio Onofre, Tarik O’Regan, John Orfe, Joshue Ott, Christopher Otto, Hector Parra, Andreia Pinto-Correia, Matthias Pintscher, Sam Pluta, Nicholas Reeves, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Ches Smith, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Jeff Snyder, Kate Soper, Tyshawn Sorey, Gregory Spears, Christopher Stark, Fabian Svensson, Philip Taylor, Alex Temple, Hans Thomalla, Ken Ueno, Dan Visconti, Rufus Wainwright, Bora Yoon, Du Yun, Elizabeth Ziman, and more

SONiC Ensembles & Performers (Subject to Change)

Alarm Will Sound, American Composers Orchestra, Argento Chamber Ensemble, Camerata Aberta, Dither, eighth blackbird, Either/Or, Ensemble Klang, Imani Winds, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), JACK Quartet, The New York Virtuoso Singers, NOW Ensemble, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Talea Ensemble, Young People’s Chorus of New York City, Andy Akiho (Drums), Greg Beyer (Drums), Rafiq Bhatia (Guitar), Ryan Brown (Guitar), Kenji Bunch (Amplified Viola), Dan Cooper (Guitar), Corey Dargel (Vocals), Aaron Dessner (Guitar), Bryce Dessner (Guitar), Toby Driver (Guitar), Michel Galante (Conductor), Erin Gee (Vocals), Troy Herion (Electronic Composer), Mellissa Hughes (Soprano), Susie Ibarra (Drums), Daniel Iglesia (Videographer), Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp), Payton MacDonald (Drums), Andrew McKenna Lee (Guitar), Erin Lesser (Flute), Sarah Lipstate (Electronic Composer), Ryan Lott (Electronic Composer), Deborah Lohse (Choreographer), Miro Magloire (Choreographer), George Manahan (Conductor), James Moore (Guitar), Darcy Naganuma (Choreographer), Joshue Ott (Electronic Composer), San Pluta (Electronic Composer), Douglas Repetto (Multimedia Artist), Alex Ritz (Drums), Mariel Roberts (Cello), Wil Smith (Keyboards), Kate Soper (Vocals), Tyshawn Sorey (Drums), Rebecca Stenn (Choreographer), Jeff Snyder (Electronic Composer), Alex Tyson (Electronic Composer), Jeremy Viner (Woodwinds), and more

For composers’ and performers’ bios, please visit www.SONiCfestival.org.

Ticket Information & SONiCpass Discount Offers

Tickets are available from the venues where SONiC concerts take place and range from FREE to $50. See the SONiC schedule below for ticket information for each concert.
SONiCpasses for the entire festival provide discounts of at least 20% on all ticket prices, reserved or preferred seating at the free events, and other free items and perks. SONiCpasses are $25 and are available at www.SONiCfestival.org or 212.977.8495.
SONiC: Sounds of a New Century Schedule (Subject to Change)
OPENING CONCERT: Friday, October 14, 2011, 7:30pm
American Composers Orchestra – Orchestra Underground: 21st Firsts
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall; 7th Ave. and 57th St., NYC
George Manahan, Music Director & Conductor
Kenji Bunch, Amplified Viola
Mellissa Hughes, Soprano & Electronics
Daniel Iglesia, Videographer

KENJI BUNCH: The Devil’s Box (World Premiere, Mary Rodgers Guettel/Meet The Composer commission)
CHRISTOPHER STARK: …and start west (World Premiere, ACO/Paul Underwood commission)
ALEX TEMPLE: Liebeslied for female voice, electronics, and chamber orchestra (World Premiere, ACO commission)
ANDREIA PINTO-CORREIA: Elegia a Al-Mu’tamid (World Premiere, ACO/Patricia Wylde commission)
WANG LU: Flowing Water Study II for orchestra and video (World Premiere, ACO/Jerome Foundation commission)
Tickets: $39, $50 ($31, $40 with SONiCpass) at www.carnegiehall.org or from CarnegieCharge at 212.247.7800

Saturday, October 15, 2011, 7:30pm
eighth blackbird: Fractured Jams
Miller Theatre at Columbia University; 2960 Broadway at 116th St., NYC

TIMOTHY ANDRES: Crashing Through Fences
BRUNO MANTOVANI: Chamber Concerto No. 2 (NY Premiere/eighth blackbird commission)
AMY BETH KIRSTEN: Pirouette (NY Premiere)
MAYKE NAS: DiGiT #2
FABIAN SVENSSON: Two Sides (NY Premiere)
DAN VISCONTI: Fractured Jams
CALEB BURHANS: Lullaby for Madeline
Tickets: $25 ($20 with SONiCpass) at www.millertheatre.com or 212.854.7799

Sunday, October 16, 2011, 12pm-12am
Extended Play – A Marathon Event
Miller Theatre at Columbia University; 2960 Broadway at 116th St., NYC
12pm-3pm
JACK Quartet
ALEX MINCEK Mincek: String Quartet No. 3 (lift-tilt-filter-split)
Talea Ensemble
HECTOR PARRA: String Trio (US Premiere)
ANTHONY CHEUNG: Roundabouts (US Premiere)
VICTOR ADAN/DOUGLAS REPETTO: Tractus (World Premiere/Meet the Composer Commission)
JACK Quartet
VYKINTAS BALTAKAS: b(ell tree) (US Premiere)
AARON CASSIDY: Second String Quartet (NY Premiere/JACK Quartet commission by Südwestrundfunk/Donaueschinger Musiktage)
The New York Virtuoso Singers
JENECE C. GERBER: Je me delace
NICHOLAS REEVES: In Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich
MICHAEL FLETCHER: H
THOMAS LAVOY: White Stones
Yotam Haber: I Am (with JACK Quartet) – World premiere

4:30pm-7:30pm
JACK Quartet
HANNAH LASH: Filigree in Textile with harpist Yolanda Kondonassis (World Premiere)
Prism Quartet
DAVID LAGANELLA: Leafless Tree
ROSHANNE ETEZADY: Inkling
KEN UENO: from sunrise to sunset, the summer of the Ken Ueno S.E.P.S.A. bus rides destra e sinistra around Ischia just to get tomorrow’s scatolame
LEI LIANG: Yuan
KATI AGOCS: Coloratura
KRISTIN KUSTER: Breath Beneath
JACK Quartet
JESSIE MONTGOMERY: Standing/Forward (World Premiere)
Young People’s Chorus of New York City: Cantare Chorus
ELIZABETH ZIMAN: Beauty in a Moment
TARIK O’REGAN: The Taxi
SUSIE IBARRA: Excerpts from Saturnalia
NORA KROLL-ROSENBAUM: Two Songs from e. e. cummings
JACK Quartet
GREGORY SPEARS: Buttonwood (NY Premiere)
Young People’s Chorus of New York City
GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Picaflor Esmeralda from Two Mountain Songs
BORA YOON: Semaphore Conductus
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: Hope is the Thing with Feathers

9:00-12:00am
JACK Quartet
JASON ECKARDT: Subject (World Premiere)
Imani Winds
VALERIE COLEMAN: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta
MOHAMMED FAIROUZ: Wind Quintet (I. March) (NY Premiere)
Philip Taylor: Prelude and Scherzo
Jason Moran: Cane
JACK Quartet
MATTHEW BARNSON: String Quartet No. 3 (World Premiere)
Dither Electric Guitar Quartet
PAULA MATTHUSEN: but because without this
JASCHA NARVESON: The Driving One
CHES SMITH: Metal Vacation
LISA R. COONS: Prolix
LAINIE FEFFERMAN: Tongue of Thorns
JACK Quartet
CHRISTOPHER OTTO: Algol
NOW Ensemble
PATRICK BURKE: Awake
MARK DANCIGERS: New Work
SARAH KIRKLAND SNIDER: New Work
JUDD GREENSTEIN: Change

Tickets: All-Day Pass $25 ($20 with SONiCpass), each 3-hour block $15 ($12 with SONiCpass) at www.millertheatre.com or 212.854.7799

Monday, October 17, 2011, 7:30pm
Either/Or
Miller Theatre at Columbia University; 2960 Broadway at 116th St., NYC

Richard Carrick: à cause de soleil
Erin Gee: Mouthpiece I / Yamaguchi Mouthpieces / Akiguchi Mouthpiece
Keeril Makan: Resonance Alloy
Hans Thomalla: Piano Counterpoint
Raphaël Cendo: In Vivo part I
Jonny Greenwood: smear (US Premiere)
Tickets: $25 ($20 with SONiCpass) at www.millertheatre.com or 212.854.7799

Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 7pm
Camerata Aberta
Americas Society; 680 Park Ave., NYC

MARCÍLIO ONOFRE: Estudo sobre os arrependimentos de Velázquez (World Premiere)
VALÉRIA BONAFÉ: Lan (World Premiere)
TATIANA CATANZARO: Kristallklavierexplosionsschattenspliter (US Premiere)
MATTHIAS PINTSCHER: Shining Forth
JOÃO VICTOR BOTA: Homenagem Almeida Prado (World Premiere)
JOHN ORFE: New Work (World Premiere)
CLINT NEEDHAM: Color Study (NY Premiere)
IGOR LEÃO MAIA: New Work (World Premiere)
Tickets: Free, reservations required (VIP reception included with SONiCpass). Register online 5 days in advance of the performance at www.americas-society.org.

Tuesday, October 18, 10pm – SONiC AfterHours
Twang
The Stone; East 2nd Street and Avenue C
An evening of new music for guitar featuring Ryan Brown with James Moore and Taylor Levine; Rafiq Bhatia with Jeremy Viner, Jackson Hill and Alex Ritz; Toby Driver (sponsored by MATA); Andrew McKenna Lee and Dan Cooper with Daniel Palkowski and Javier Diaz as Erbium.
Tickets: $15 ($10 with SONiCpass) at the door, cash only. No advance sales. For information: www.thestonenyc.com

Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 7:30pm
Ensemble Klang
Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Peter Norton Symphony Space; 2537 Broadway, NYC

PETE HARDEN: forming a petal from a piece of metal (US Premiere)
SEAN FRIAR: Little Green Pop
KATE MOORE: 101
OSCAR BETTISON: O Death (selected movements)
Tickets: $25 ($20 with SONiCpass) at www.symphonyspace.org or 212.864.5400

Wednesday, October 19, 10pm – SONiC AfterHours
New Sounds, New Moves
Joyce SoHo; 155 Mercer Street, NYC
Argento Ensemble
Michel Galante, music director
David fulmer (composer)/Deborah Lohse (choreographer)
Michel Galante (composer)/Miro Magloire (choreographer)
Michael Klingbeil (composer)/Darcy Naganuma (choreographer)
Konrad Kaczmarek (composer)/Rebecca Stenn (choreographer)
Tickets: $15 ($12 with SONiCpass) at www.joyce.org or 212.242.0800

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 8pm
International Contemporary Ensemble: ICElab
The Kitchen; 512 West 19th St., NYC

MARCOS BALTER: Edgewater, for alto and bass flutes
MARCOS BALTER: à vis, for clarinet and violin
STEVE LEHMAN: Manifold for flute, saxophone, clarinet and live electronics
STEVE LEHMAN: Lenwood & Other Saints Who Roam The Earth
DU YUN: Viscissitudes Alone for guitar and electronics (NY Premiere)
PHYLLIS CHEN: Beneath a Trace of Vapor for flute, tape, and effects (NY Premiere)
NATHAN DAVIS: Dowser, for bass clarinet and electronics
MARIO DIAZ DE LEÓN: Portals Before Dawn for two flutes, clarinet, piano, keyboard, percussion, with tape
Tickets: $15 ($10 with SONiCpass) at www.thekitchen.org or 212.255.5793 ext. 11

Thursday, October 20, 11pm – SONiC AfterHours
Innovocal
92YTribeca; 200 Hudson St., NYC
An evening with young singer/songwriters blurring the lines between pop and art song featuring Corey Dargel with James Moore and Wil Smith, and Kate Soper with Erin Lesser of Wet Ink Ensemble.
Tickets: $15 ($12 with SONiCpass) at www.92y.org/tribeca or 212.601.1000

Friday, October 21, 2011, 7:30pm
Alarm Will Sound
Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue at 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn

ALEKSANDRA GRYKA: einerjedeneither (NY Premiere)
STEFAN FREUND: Drowning
DAVID T. LITTLE: Haunted Topography (World Premiere)
NICO MUHLY: Seeing is Believing
MATT MARKS: A Song for Wade (This is Not That Song) (NY Premiere)
APHEX TWIN (arr. Hause): Omgyjya Switch
Tickets: $30 includes free admission to SONiC AfterHours Electronic Composers at 10pm ($25 with SONiCpass) at www.roulette.org or 212.219.8242.

Friday, October 21, 10pm – SONiC AfterHours
Electronic SONiC
Roulette; 509 Atlantic Avenue at 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn
An evening of electronic composition with Ryan Lott (sponsored by MATA), exclusiveOr (Sam Pluta and Jeff Snyder), Joshue Ott, Troy Herion, Alex Tyson, Morgan Packard, and Sarah Lipstate.
Tickets: $10 ($8 with SONiCpass) at the door, cash only. No advance sales. For information: www.roulette.org or 212.219.8242

CLOSING CONCERT: Saturday, October 22, 2011, 7pm
American Composers Orchestra: American Pie
World Financial Center Winter Garden; 220 Vesey St., NYC
Presented by Arts World Financial Center as part of WNYC’s New Sounds Live hosted by John Schaefer
George Manahan, Music Director & Conductor
Bryce Dessner & Aaron Dessner, electric guitars

RUBY FULTON: Road Ranger Cowboy (NY Premiere)
PAUL YEON LEE: Echo of a Dream (World Premiere, ACO/Whitaker Commission)
BRYCE DESSNER: St. Carolyn by the Sea (World Premiere, ACO/LVMH commission)
RYAN GALLAGHER: Grindhouse (World Premiere)
ANDREW NORMAN: Unstuck (NY Premiere)
SUZANNE FARRIN: Infinite Here (NY Premiere)
Tickets: Free, no reservations required (VIP seating with SONiCpass). For information: www.artsworldfinancialcenter.com or 212.977.8495

Saturday, October 22, 2011, 11:30pm – SONiC AfterHours
Different Drummers
Joe’s Pub; 425 Lafayette Street, NYC
A celebration of new music for percussion with influences from around the world featuring Tyshawn Sorey (drumset), Payton MacDonald, Susie Ibarra, Greg Beyer (Brazilian berimbau), and Andy Akiho with Mariel Roberts (steel pan and cello).
Tickets: $15 ($12 with SONiCpass) at www.joespub.com or 212.967.7555.

# # #

Sounds of a New Century Festival (SONiC) is a production of American Composers Orchestra and The Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University in partnership with Miller Theatre, with other funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, The Booth Ferris Foundation, and with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. Re:Sound is made possible by American Express.

The festival is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall and Miller Theatre at Columbia University. Q2 Music is a media partner and the digital venue of the festival. Additional collaborators include Americas Society, Arts World Financial Center, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, Joyce SoHo, The Kitchen, MATA, Roulette, The Stone, Symphony Space, 92YTribeca and WNYC’s New Sounds Live.

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