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November 3, 2021, 7:30pm

The Cell Theatre

(338 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011)

$10

 

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OVERVIEW

 

FSO’s annual Showcase, now in its sixth year, is a diverse offering of what new vocal music has to offer. Ranging from tonal to atonal, from acoustic to electronic, from libretto-driven to sound-driven, the Showcase gives composers an opportunity to have their works performed by emerging artists of the highest caliber, and for artists to perform new and exciting vocal works and collaborate in a small chamber ensemble.
 
The theme of this year’s Showcase is “an antidote to failure” -- exploring what makes people resilient in the face of great challenges.

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Featuring the world premiere of a commission from Molly Joyce.

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COMPOSERS

 

Molly Joyce

Kangyi Zhang

Mamed Sadykh-Pur

Minato Sakamoto

Brian Mark

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MUSICIANS

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Danielle Buonaiuto, voice

Candace Chien, piano

Lauren Cook, voice 

Victoria Davis, voice

Andy Dwan, voice       

John Gattis, horn

Adam Holmes, percussion

Jarrett Hoffman, clarinet     

Markus Kaitila, piano       

Victoria Lewis, violin

Veronica Mak, voice

Thea Mesirow, cello       

Caroline Miller, voice

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PROGRAM

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Our way of being small in the world (World Premiere)
              by Molly Joyce; Commissioned by Fresh Squeezed Opera
   
        Andy Dwan, voice
        Lauren Cook, voice
        Markus Kaitila, piano
        Jarrett Hoffman, clarinet
        Thea Mesirow, cello
        Adam Holmes, percussion


Climbing High (NY Premiere)
              by Minato Sakamoto
   
        Veronica Mak, voice
        Markus Kaitila, piano

Climbing High is composed of three songs on the same ancient Chinese poem in three languages. While the songs in Japanese and English (No.1 and No.3) stem from the images invoked in the poem, the song in Chinese (No.2) reflects two non-semantic considerations—the form of Tang-dynasty poems and the sound of the poem.
      

A Noiseless Patient Spider (World Premiere)
The Fly (World Premiere)
              by Mamed Sadykh-Pur
   
        Caroline Miller, voice
        Markus Kaitila, piano
        Jarrett Hoffman, clarinet
        Thea Mesirow, cello
      
Our world is dual and each of us in any situation has a choice of at least two options, two strategies for overcoming failures. With two different texts from different times, this diptych explores how to overcome failures — to be active and fuss or try to calmly contemplate the situation? To be aggressive or peaceful? What to choose? Rampant or pacification? Darkness or light? 


Willed Capital
              by Kangyi Zhang
   
        Danielle Buonaiuto, voice
        Candace Chien, piano
     
Bssed on poems express the detriments of unfettered consumption while leaning towards what’s human, therefore sustainable. Motivic ideas from Armenian and Chinese folktunes tether compassion to identity along a silken road that celebrates being alive.


Harlem (A Dream Deferred)
              by Brian Mark
   
        Victoria Davis, voice
        Candace Chien, piano
        John Gattis, horn
        Victoria Lewis, violin

Based on the poem of Langston Hughes, explores a nostalgia for the "old world" of New York City, when life was more grittier, creative, vibrant, communal, and at times angry from a sense of yearning for freedom of spirit. 

 

SUPPORTED BY

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