At the same time that artists such as Marta Minujín and her New York Pop Art contemporaries were challenging the art establishment of the 1960s, there were also composers using ideas from popular culture to take on the institutions of serious music. With “Bang on a Can All-Stars Play Philip Glass,” a program including Glass’s iconic late 1960s works Music in 5ths and Two Pages, the All-Stars play music that reflects the time and ideals of Pop Art—experimental versus classical, high versus low—the time Minujín first broke into New York and ideals that remain evident in her work today.
This event is presented in conjunction with the current exhibition Marta Minujín: Arte! Arte! Arte!
The Bang on a Can All-Stars join Kronos Quartet in their Five Decade Celebration!!
Kronos Quartet welcomes a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of guest artists and ensembles to celebrate its 50th anniversary. This special concert includes a short film by award-winning documentarian Sam Green; the New York premieres of Carnegie Hall co-commissioned works by Michael Gordon and Gabriella Smith; and an extraordinary new “Sunrise Jam” version of Terry Riley’s Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector for 50 musicians. With Special Guests Laurie Anderson, Jake Blount, Brian Carpenter, Tanya Tagaq, Wu Man, Aizuri Quartet, Attacca Quartet, Bang on a Can All-Stars, and Sō Percussion.
Meredith Monk’s MEMORY GAME
Performed by Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble and the Bang on a Can All-Stars
MEMORY GAME is both a look back at a pivotal point in Meredith Monk’s storied career, and a richly layered portrait of how vocal music—under the guidance of an indefatigable master—can play with our expectations in poignant and compelling ways.
This event is part of the Long Play Festival
Meredith Monk’s MEMORY GAME, as its title implies, is both a look back at a pivotal point in her storied career, and a richly layered portrait of how vocal music, under the guidance of an indefatigable master, can play with our expectations in poignant and compelling ways.
Meredith teams up for a live performance in NYC with her renowned Vocal Ensemble (featuring Theo Bleckmann, Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin) and the Bang on a Can All-Stars.
The Bang on a Can All-Stars, along with Bang on a Can’s artistic directors and founders, Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe, celebrate the work of bassist Robert Black, a founding member of the All-Stars, who is retiring from his Hartt faculty position after 29 years.
Program:
David Lang – Cheating Lying Stealing
Michael Gordon – I Buried Paul
Julia Wolfe – Believing
George Lewis – Float, Sting
Meredith Monk – Spaceship
Philip Glass – Closing
Thurston Moore – Stroking Piece #1
The Bang on a Can All-Stars a high octane set of works by contemporary composers to Eau Claire Wisconsin.
Program:
David Lang – Cheating Lying Stealing
Michael Gordon – I Buried Paul
Julia Wolfe – Believing
George Lewis – float sting
Meredith Monk – Spaceship
Philip Glass – Closing
Thurston Moore – Stroking Piece #1
More info
Bang on a Can brings the Marathon concert to Colombia!
The Marathon in Bogotá will feature the Bang on a Can All-Stars alongside an incredibly diverse and amazing lineup of Colombian composers and performers. The concert features many different ensembles and soloists from different musical and cultural backgrounds including classical, jazz, and traditional Colombian and American traditions.
Bang on a Can All-Stars perform ROAD TRIP, by Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe.
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform their “Classics” in Bogota, Colombia
Program:
David Lang: Cheating Lying Stealing
Michael Gordon: I Buried Paul
Julia Wolfe: Believing
Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint
George Lewis: float, sting
Meredith Monk: Spaceship from The Games
Philip Glass: Closing from Glassworks
The All-Stars perform a reading of new works by Colombian composers Andrés Felipe Poveda, Juan Manuel Jaramillo, Jesús Buendia Puyo, as well as give a lecture/demonstration including works by Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe. This is a free event.
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform their “Classics” in Medellin, Colombia
Program:
David Lang: Cheating Lying Stealing
Michael Gordon: I Buried Paul
Julia Wolfe: Believing
Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint
George Lewis: float, sting
Meredith Monk: Spaceship from The Games
Philip Glass: Closing from Glassworks
Free with registration
Live music and dance on film! CAN DANCE is the Bang on a Can All-Stars’ newest show is a seamless integration of cutting-edge music, revolutionary dance, and film. Nine extraordinary choreographers have been commissioned to create dance/films to music written for and performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars
Live music and dance on film! CAN DANCE is the Bang on a Can All-Stars’ newest show is a seamless integration of cutting-edge music, revolutionary dance, and film. Nine extraordinary choreographers have been commissioned to create dance/films to music written for and performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars.
The Bang on a Can All-Stars are performing in Bruges!
Program:
Julia Wolfe: Big Beautiful Dark & Scary
Meredith Monk: Spaceship (arr. Michael Gordon)
Julius Eastman: Stay On It (arr. Ed Rosenberg III and Ken Thomson)
Brian Eno: Music for Airports
(photo of the All-Stars by Peter Serling)
This performance has been postponed – stay tuned for the new date coming up!
Meredith Monk’s MEMORY GAME, as its title implies, is both a look back at a pivotal point in her storied career, and a richly layered portrait of how vocal music, under the guidance of an indefatigable master, can play with our expectations in poignant and compelling ways.
Meredith teams up for a live performance in NYC with her renowned Vocal Ensemble (featuring Theo Bleckmann, Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin) and the Bang on a Can All-Stars.
The 2018 Carnegie Hall performance of Julia Wolfe’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Anthracite Fields was one of the season’s most unforgettable events. Inspired by the lives of Pennsylvania coal miners, Wolfe uses oral histories, interviews with miners and their families, speeches, and children’s stories in moving musical tableaux that depicts their plight. Hear this “major profound work” (Los Angeles Times) for the first time or be moved by it once again.
Bang on a Can All-Stars perform on the “New Music Series” at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI
Program
David Lang: sunray
Michael Gordon: gene takes a drink
Nick Dunston: Fainting is down, Whooshing is up
Julia Wolfe: Big Beautiful Dark and Scary
Meredith Monk: Spaceship
Louis Andriessen: Workers Union
more info
April 7 – Bang on a Can All-Stars and Ensemble Klang
April 8 – Meredith Monk’s MEMORY GAME
More info
Bang on a Can All-Stars and Meredith Monk perform MEMORY GAME at the Southbank Centre in London!
More info
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform at Crosstown Arts!
Program:
- David Lang: sunray
- Michael Gordon: For Madeline
- Nick Dunston: Fainting is down, Whooshing is up
- Julia Wolfe: Big Beautiful Dark and Scary
- Meredith Monk: Spaceship
- Louis Andriessen: Workers Union
Big Ears Festival is back in 2022! It’s all happening March 24-27 in Knoxville, TN. Bang on a Can All-Stars will perform MEMORY GAME with Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble and also Terry Riley’s Autodreamographical Tales. The full line up is outstanding, and we can’t wait to see you there!
The Southern Exposure New Music Series is devoted to exploring the rich variety of contemporary classical and world music written in the past 30 years and masterworks of the 20th century.
Program:
David Lang: sunray
Michael Gordon: For Madeline
Nick Dunston: Fainting is down, Whooshing is up
Julia Wolfe: Big Beautiful Dark and Scary
Meredith Monk: Spaceship
Louis Andriessen: Workers Union
Julia Wolfe’s Steel Hammer is a moving retelling of “John Henry,” a classic American ballad of man versus machine. Based on hearsay, recollection, and tall tales, the piece features exquisite vocal writing complemented by Appalachian folk instruments, such as wooden bones, mountain dulcimer, banjo, clapping, and clogging.
Bang on a Can’s annual People’s Commissioning Fund concert returns with a high-octane concert of world premieres and an expanded Bang on a Can All-Stars lineup! The 2022 PCF concert is part of the Ecstatic Music Festival and will be hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer.
The concert will also be live streamed on live.bangonacan.org
Tickets are $25 or $15 for students.
On December 10-12, 2021 at radialsystem Berlin, the Bang on a Can All-Stars will give their first performances abroad since the pandemic. Celebrated German dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests present their latest work, In C, for the first time with live music, performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars. In C is a brand new dynamic dance work based on Terry Riley’s revolutionary and open composition by the same name.
The December 12 performance will be live-streamed on live.bangonacan.org
2 days of ear-bending music and mind-blowing art featuring dozens of festival composers and performers, Kronos Quartet, the electric Bang on a Can All-Stars, Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe, and special guests.
Live Virtual Concert and Conversation featuring Steve Reich and Amy Sillman with performances by Bang on a Can All-Stars David Cossin, Mark Stewart
Program:
Piano Phase/Video Phase, performed by David Cossin
Electric Counterpoint, performd by Mark Stewart
Cal Performances at Home premieres a new film, Steel Hammer, based on the acclaimed oratorio by Julia Wolfe. Steel Hammer is a meditation on over 200 versions of the “John Henry” folk ballad. The various versions—based on hearsay, recollection, and tall tales—reveal both the evolution of the story, as well as the timeless tale of human versus machine.
The video premiere is May 6 at 7pm PT/ 10pm ET. It will be available on demand through August 4.
PROGRAM:
Julia Wolfe: Reeling
Christian Marclay: Fade to Slide with film by Christian Marclay
David Lang: unused swan
Caroline Shaw: Really Craft When You
Michael Gordon: Gene Takes a Drink with film by Bill Morrison
Bryce Dessner: Letter 27 with film
Todd Reynolds: Seven Sundays
Gabriella Smith: Panitao
Jóhann Jóhannsson: Hz with film by Jóhann Jóhannsson
Anna Clyne: A Wonderful Day
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform Field Recordings at the Walled City Music Festival in Derry UK!
PROGRAM
Esben Nordborg Møller: Rags
Lasse D. Hansen: Dances of Remote Islands
Kirsten Milenko: Tapestries
Julia Wolfe: Believing
Kate Moore: Ridgeway
Philip Glass: Closing
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform on the 2020 Pulsar Festival in Copenhagen Denmark.
PROGRAM:
Julia Wolfe: Believing
David Lang: sunray (Irish premiere)
Philip Glass: Closing (Irish premiere)
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction (Irish premiere)
Bang on a Can All-Stars perform on the New Music Dublin festival!
As part of the RNCM’s Original Voices series The Bang on a Can All-Stars will perform Steve Reich’s 2×5 with students of the Royal Northern College of Music! Also on the program:
Julia Wolfe: Believing
Kate Moore: Ridgeway
Philip Glass: Closing
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction
Musiktage / Staatsoper Hannover Hanover,
Germany map “in the shelter of the fold / epilogue”
In an intricately woven tapestry of sound, shape, momentum, and stillness, choreographer Doug Varone and his 13-member ensemble contemplate our private and public relationship to faith. in the shelter of the fold / epilogue comprises six interconnected vignettes, featuring original music by Lesley Flanigan, Julia Wolfe, David Lang, Raz Mesinai, and Kevin Keller, masterfully interpreted by Flanigan, PUBLIQuartet, and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Drawing upon Varone’s own personal questions about prayer as both a spiritual and secular dialogue, this episodic work digs deep to ask how and why we find shelter in the unknown.
4 shows, June 5, 6, 7, 8 at 7:30pm
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform Field Recordings on the Victoriaville Festival in Quebec, Canada!
Program:
Julia Wolfe, Reeling
Christian Marclay, Fade to Slide (with film by Christian Marclay)
Caroline Shaw, Really Craft When You
David Lang, unused swan
Michael Gordon, Gene Takes a Drink (with film by Bill Morrison)
René Lussier, Nocturne
Todd Reynolds, Seven Sundays
Steve Reich, The Cave of Machpelah (excerpt from The Cave) (arr. Michael Gordon)
Richard Reed Parry, The Brief and Neverending Blur
Nicole Lizée, Dancist (with film by Nicole Lizée)
Anna Clyne, A Wonderful Day
Newman Center at U of Denver Denver,
CO map Bang on a Can All-Stars and students from University of Denver’s Lamont School perform Michael Gordon’s Big Space!
Program:
David Lang Sunray
Julia Wofe Big Beautiful Dark & Scary
Steve Martland Horses of Instruction
Ornette Coleman Haven’t been where I left
Philip Glass Closing
Michael Gordon Big Space
The Bang on a Can All-Stars visit the Brighton Dome in the UK!
Program:
Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint
Meredith Monk: Spaceship [arr Michael Gordon]
Meredith Monk: Totentanz [arr David Lang]
Brian Eno: Music for Airports 1/1 [arr. Michael Gordon]
Julia Wolfe: Believing
Philip Glass: Closing
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction
Julia Wolfe’s Anthracite Fields with the National Forum of Music Choir, led by Agnieszka Franków-Żelazny in Wroclaw, Poland!
Also on the program:
Michael Gordon, For Madeline
David Lang, Little Match Girl Passion
2 shows! January 12 and 13
The Bang on a Can All-Stars and Cantus Domus, Ralf Sochaczewsky, conductor, will perform Julia Wolfe’s Anthracite Fields in Berlin, Germany!
The All-Stars join students at the The Academy of Music and Performing Arts at Fontys University, for a residency and concert performing the following:
Kraftwerk: ‘ruckzuck’ and ‘megaherz’ (performed by students)
Louis Andriessen: Langzame Verjaardag (performed by students & BOAC)
Louis Andreissen: Workers Union (performed by students & BOAC)
Plus Selections from Field Recordings
Julia Wolfe: Reeling
Caroline Shaw: Really Craft When You
Christian Marclay: Fade to Slide with film by Christian Marclay
David Lang: unused swan
Aart Strootman: Lesson 25 – Time
Michael Gordon: Gene Takes a Drink with film by Bill Morrison
Steve Reich: The Cave of Machpelah
Anna Clyne: A Wonderful Day
The All-Stars at the Cello Biennalle!
Program:
David Lang – cheating, lying, stealing
Michael Gordon – Light is Calling, with film by Bill Morrison
Julia Wolfe – Believing
Aart Strootman – Lesson 25 – Time
Steve Reich – The Cave of Machpelah
Julia Wolfe – Reeling
Anna Clyne – A Wonderful Day
This All-Stars performance will include Michael Gordon’s epic new work Big Space with local orchestra musicians!
Program:
David Lang: Sunray
Julia Wofe: Big Beautiful Dark & Scary
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction
Ornette Coleman: Haven’t been where I left
Philip Glass: Closing
Michael Gordon: Big Space
Bang on a Can All-Stars perform on the Vertice Fesitval at the Sala Miguel Covarrubias at Centro Cultural Universitario UNAM (National University) in Mexico City, Mexico!
Program:
Julia Wolfe: Big Beautiful Dark & Scary
Michael Gordon: For Madeline
Josue Collado: Joie de Vivre (world premiere!)
David Lang: Sunray
-intermission-
Steve Reich: Piano Counterpoint
Philip Glass: Closing
Steve Martland: Horses of Instruction
Delaware Museum of Art Wilmington,
DE map The All-Stars play a high octane set at the Delaware Museum of Art!
Program:
Julia Wolfe, Big Beautiful Dark & Scary
Michael Gordon, For Madeline
David Lang, Sunray
Steve Reich, Electric Counterpoint
Philip Glass, Closing
Steve Martland, Horses of Instruction
The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform Field Recordings at DePauw!
Program
Julia Wolfe: Reeling
Florent Ghys: An Open Cage
Michael Gordon: Gene Takes a Drink (with film by Bill Morrison)
Christian Marclay: Fade to Slide (with film by Christian Marclay)
David Lang: unused swan
Todd Reynolds: Seven Sundays
Caroline Shaw: Really Craft When You
Steve Reich: The Cave of Machpelah
Bryce Dessner: Letter 27 (with film)
Anna Clyne: A Wonderful Day
Home of the Arts Gold Coast,
Australia map The All-Stars perform at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast of Australia!
Program:
David Lang cheating, lying, stealing
Michael Gordon, For Madeleine
JG Thirlwell, Anabiosis
Julia Wolfe, Believing
Kate Moore, Ridgeway
Philip Glass, Closing
Steve Martland, Horses of Instruction
Melbourne Recital Hall Melbourne,
Australia map The All-Stars perform at the Melbourne Recital Hall!!
Program:
David Lang, cheating, lying, stealing
Michael Gordon, For Madeleine
JG Thirlwell, Anabiosis
Julia Wolfe, Believing
Kate Moore, Ridgeway
Philip Glass, Closing
Steve Martland, Horses of Instruction
Bang on a Can All-Stars play the Marathon-style extravaganza “Extended Play” in Sydney! Extended Play is a 12 hour micro-festival that explores and celebrates new music in every format imaginable. From noon to midnight, music in all shapes and sizes will transform multiple spaces within City Recital Hall. Be prepared to challenge your preconceived ideas of how music can be created, performed and consumed.
This isn’t a festival where you sit and listen to music with your hands neatly folded on your lap. At Extended Play they want you to hear music, and also to see it, feel it, move with it and move around it.
The Bang on a Can All-Stars will play
David Lang, cheating, lying, stealing
Michael Gordon, Gene takes a drink
JG Thirlwell, Anabiosis
Julia Wolfe, Believing
Philip Glass, Closing
Steve Martland, Horses of Instruction
The Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA is a 3-week residency and festival of today’s most exciting new music. We invite 40 performers and composers from all over the world to learn from and play alongside our faculty, the world’s most accomplished contemporary musicians. The public performances include free performances in the community, recitals in the gallery and a blowout festival finale on July 28.
July 12-27: Daily (Mon-Sat) recitals in the galleries at 1:30 and 4:30
July 21: Julia Wolfe’s Anthracite Fields with the Bang on a Can All-Stars and The Choir of Trinity Wall St, Julian Wachner, conductor
July 23: Ten world premieres by our festival composers
July 28: Marathon Concert with Steve Reich. 6 hours of non-stop music performed by our festival fellows and faculty.
Bang on a Can goes to Big Ears!
The Big Ears Festival is an international cultural gathering, and a dynamic, interactive experience that explores connections between musicians and artists, crossing all musical genres while interfacing with film, performance, and the visual arts.
There are few festivals with line ups quite like this.
The All-Stars will present 3 performances:
-The music of Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe to celebrate 30 years of Bang on a Can. (Michael, David, and Julia are the 2018 composers in residence at Big Ears as well!)
–Anthracite Fields
–Field Recordings
Kennedy Center Washington,
DC map The Bang on a Can All-Stars reunite with the Choir of Trinity Wall St, conducted by Julian Wachner, for this performance of Julia Wolfe’s Anthracite Fields in Washington DC!
This event is part of the Kennedy Center’s annual new celebration DIRECT CURRENT–an immersive showcase for cutting-edge contemporary arts and culture with a focus on interdisciplinary creations.
Bang on a Can All-Stars perform on the ROCKIT Festival – “A journey into jazz and beyond”
The festival also includes Herbie Hancock, tUnE-yArDs, Knower, and more!
(photo credit Govert de Ross)
Grand Theater Gronigen,
Netherlands map Julia Wolfe’s Pulitzer-prize winning oratorio Anthracite Fields will be presented on the Autumn Strings Festival in Prague! The Bang on a Can All-Stars will be joined by the Martinů Voices, conducted by Lukáš Vasilek.
Ford Theater Los Angeles,
CA map We call it Road Trip. The tank is full, the top is down, and we have our collective hand on the dial for a euphoric musical journey celebrating 30 years of Bang on a Can. Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe flood the waves with an original mash-up of wind-in-your-hair tunes that capture the sublime exhilaration of freedom and possibility. Performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars, with stunning scenic design by projection artist CandyStations (Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent) and stage direction by Michael Counts, “Road Trip” is a tribute to journeys of all sorts, and the people who make them. There is a road, but it is no simple highway.
World premiere!!
The All-Stars perform selections from the new collaboration between Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe – Road Trip! As well as classics from their repertoire – sunray, cheating lying stealing, and Lick. Klaipeda Festival in Lithuania.
This engagement is supported by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation through USArtists International in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Cloud River Mountain
Enter the world of the gods, spirits, and shamans of ancient Chinese myths and poetry in this evening-length work co-composed by Lao Luo and Bang on a Can Co-Artistic Directors Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe.
Your guide is the extraordinary Chinese vocalist Gong Linna, whose dynamic voice travels across vast terrains of sonic colors. Her adventurous artistic range that embraces Chinese folk, pop, and avant-garde art music has drawn comparisons to Björk. Singing in both Mandarin and English, she joins the Bang on a Can All-Stars for a thrilling cross-cultural voyage through dramatic musical landscapes, from groove-driven melodies and lyrical meditations to punk back beats and stratospheric vocalizations.
Royal Conservatory, Koerner Hall Toronto,
Canada map The All-Stars will perform a specially devised program “Bang on a Canada” that features selections from Field Recordings, most of which will be Canadian premieres. Works by Canadian composers Richard Reed Parry and René Lussier will be anchored by a world premiere from John Oswald, commissioned by The Royal Conservatory/Koerner Hall.
Program:
Eliot Britton: Cuneiform and Glide (1st movement) -Vicky Chow, solo piano
Julia Wolfe: Reeling
Michael Gordon: Gene Takes a Drink with film by Bill Morrison
Christian Marclay: Fade to Slide with film by Christian Marclay
David Lang: unused swan
John Oswald: new work
-intermission-
Allison Cameron: 3rds, 4ths & 5ths
Richard Reed Parry: The Brief and Neverending Blur
Caroline Shaw: Really Craft When You
René Lussier: Nocturne
Steve Reich: The Cave of Machpelah
Anna Clyne: A Wonderful Day
The Bang on a Can All-Stars and Julia Wolfe will be in residence at Drew University April 24-26!
Monday 24 April
7-9PM Steel Hammer – An Inside Look: A Discussion with Julia Wolfe and the Bang on a Can All-Stars on the Making of Steel Hammer
In this lecture demonstration Julia Wolfe and the Bang on a Can All-Stars will perform music and discuss the building of this new work which explores the quintessential American worker ballad John Henry, and its implication for labor history then and now. Q&A following the talk.
Tuesday 25 April
1:15-3:45PM Open Reading of Student Works (For the class: Special Topics in Documentary Expression, co-taught by Julia Wolfe and Associate Professor of Art Rebecca Soderholm) and Q&A with the musicians.
Wednesday 26 April
3:30-6:30PM Open rehearsal for 8PM concert, plus Q&A with the musicians
8PM: The Bang on a Can All-Stars perform Julia Wolfe’s Steel Hammer
All events are free and open to the public!
Roebling Wire Works 675 South Clinton Avenue,
Trenton,
NJ 08611 map Presented as part of Westminster’s Transforming Space project, the All-Stars and the Westminster Choir perform Julia Wolfe’s Pulitzer prize winning oratorio Anthracite Fields, in the monumental space of the Roebling Wireworks in Trenton, NJ. Staging for this performance by Doug Varone!
Pre-Performance Talk for both April 21 and 22 shows at 7:15 p.m – Julia Wolfe, conductor Joe Miller and historian and preservationist Clifford Zink will present a talk about Anthracite Fields, the significance of the performance site and the Transforming Space project before each performance. Coal from the Anthracite mines played a vital role in Trenton’s industrial success, which inspired the slogan “Trenton Makes, the World Takes.”
