News

Bang on a Can at the Noguchi: Miles Okazaki – June 9

We’re launching our season at the Noguchi Museum!
First up, Miles Okazaki performs Work: the compositions of Thelonious Monk for solo guitar. Miles Okazaki was armed only with his solo guitar when he recorded all 70 known compositions by Thelonious Monk. It’s an undertaking of such ambition, even Monk never got there. Okazaki speaks of the work in visual, special terms – “It’s like a crystal…it’s got all these angles inside of it…It’s three-dimensional…And it’s African rhythmically.”

June 9, 3pm, Free.

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Bang on a Can with Doug Varone and Dancers at BAM – June 5-8

Bang on a Can joins Doug Varone and Dancers for: “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

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Applications due March 28 for the 2019 Bang on a Can Media Workshop at MASS MoCA

The Bang on a Can Media Workshop at MASS MoCA is an exploration of contemporary music criticism and journalism taking place from July 27-Aug 5, 2019.

“One of the most meaningful and impactful experiences of my writing career thus far.”  – Maggie Molloy 2018 participant

Bang on a Can, our special guest faculty, John Schaefer (of WNYC’s New Sounds), Will Robin (writer and musicologist), and 4 writers in the early stages of their careers will gather at MASS MoCA (the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA) to explore the role of criticism and journalism in today’s dynamic contemporary music scene. 

The aim of the workshop is to help writers generate a vocabulary, syntax, and context that is most useful for readers/ listeners and to make modern music and criticism more accessible, welcoming, and exciting to all audiences.

Applications are due March 28.

More info and link to online application

Peoples Commissioning Fund Concert – March 6!

The Peoples Commisioning Fund Concert is Bang on a Can’s annual performance of world premieres commissioned by our fans especially for the All-Stars! We’ll present new works by Josue Collado, Nicole Lizee, Trevor Weston, and Henry Threadgill, and will also be performing classics from Annie Gosfield, Andrew Dreyblatt and Glenn Branca. We are delighted to be part of the Ecstatic Music Festival, and to have this performance hosted by John Schaefer and New Sounds Live.

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David Lang's "the loser" at LA Opera – Feb 22 and 23

David Lang returns to the LA Opera with the west coast premiere of his intimate work for baritone, piano and chamber ensemble – the loser – starring baritone Rod Gilfry 

Music, libretto and stage direction: David Lang
Text adapted from the novel by Thomas Bernhard, translated from German by Jack Dawson

Scenery: Jim Findlay
Costumes: Suzanne Bocanegra
Lighting: Jennifer Tipton

Two shows, Feb 22 and Feb 23

 

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Bang on a Can and the Jewish Museum presents: ETHEL performs the string quartets of Julia Wolfe – Feb 28

The “extraordinarily skilled, passionate musicians” (NY Times) in ETHEL perform the complete string quartets of Julia Wolfe: Dig Deep, early that summer, Four Marys, and Blue Dress for String Quartet. This is the first ever performance of ALL of Julia Wolfe’s string quartets at one time, on one stage.  Julia Wolfe’s string quartets, as described by The New Yorker, “combine the violent forward drive of rock music with an aura of minimalist serenity [using] the four instruments as a big guitar, whipping psychedelic states of mind into frenzied and ecstatic climaxes.” This performance is presented in conjunction with the exhibition of fellow New York City cultural icon Martha Rosler: Irrespective. 

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Julia Wolfe's Fire in my Mouth world premiere with the NYPhil – Jan 24-26

World premiere of Julia Wolfe’s Fire in my Mouth performed by the New York Philharmonic, The Crossing Choir, and Young People’s Chorus of NYC, with projections/scenography by Jeff Sugg.

Jaap van Zweden conducts Julia Wolfe’s immersive visual and musical event — featuring lights, chamber choir, video, and projection — that explores a seminal event in New York City, the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 that killed more than 100 young immigrants.

Julia Wolfe and Bang on a Can salute EILEEN FISHER for their dedication to fair labor practices and for generously contributing wardrobe to the performances.

January 24-26

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