VISIONS

A concert where fashion and classical music converge. ‘Visions’ will will take our audience through a dream-like soundscape with music-inspired fashion in a beautiful, intimate venue.

Musicians will don fashion inspired by the music, designed by Edward Lorenz and Eri Wakiyama of Rag and Bone and Comme de Garcons, respectively.

This concert will feature Unsound Grounds performed by the composer himself, Trevor Gureckis, who regularly assists Phillip Glass on major projects. Also on the program are Glass’s Changing Opinion, Liebermann’s rarely performed Piano Trio No. 1, and Takemitsu’s Seasons (aka red and blue graphic score for live improvised percussion with tape!), which premiered in New York just a few months ago.

When fashion and classical music collide, the result is a beautiful visual and aural experience.

Meet and mingle with our artists at the after party- bar TBA!

Musicians: Walter Aparicio, Trevor Gureckis, Sugar Vendil, piano; Patti Kilroy, violin; Rebecca Dragonetti, cello; Amanda Hick, soprano; Jeffrey Eng, Laura Jordan, Frank Tyl, percussion.

Our last concert sold out, so try to get tickets soon!
20 adv/25 door

http://ncpvisions.eventbrite.com/

Science and Sound as Storyteller

Sunday evening we headed to the NYU Skirball Center to see and hear Icarus at the Edge of Time, a new children’s book by superstar string theorist Brian Green, and in this case, an event in the World Science Festival that attracted clusters of cute kids. After an introduction by Tracy Day and a short talk by Green on the Icarus myth and black holes, the story began. A film by Al and Al vividly portrayed a futuristic galaxy as Liev Schreiber narrated. We especially loved Icarus’s spaceship, complete with bird-like wings. Brad Lubman conducted the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in performing Philip Glass‘s accompanying score, which was composed exclusively for the film. Glass himself was in attendance with his two youngest sons.

Green’s Icarus re-imagines the story of Icarus in physicist kind of way: in this story, Icarus foolishly travels to a black hole after his father tells him not to. His journey is a success, except for the fact that he forgot to account for one thing: time. When Icarus returns, it is 10,000 years later, which felt like an hour to him, and everything he knew was gone…floating in space are detached feathers, representing his fall. Icarus at the Edge of Time dark tale for young ones that teaches them: a) a bit about Einstein and relativity, and b) if Daddy says ‘Stay away from black holes,’ YOU’D BETTER LISTEN!

So if you want your kids to grow up smart and well-behaved, perhaps you should pick up this book and mix in some Glass with that Mozart!

le Grand Makeover

This weekend we got to see the final performance of György Ligeti’s “anti-anti-opera” le Grand Macabre. We had a feeling it would be good, but we had no idea it would be so outrageously fun and, for lack of better words, so very cool. (We tried: no luck from thesaurus.com.) After avoiding reading reviews, so as not to interfere with ours, le Grand Macabre went beyond what we expected.

To be honest, we didn’t know what to expect. There were quirky and silly (in a good way) puppets manipulated and projected onstage by Giants are Small. Super off-the-wall characters were fabulously portrayed. Our favorite was Gepopo, performed by Barbara Hannigan, a hyper-active Lady Gaga-in-outer-space-looking creature (so Lady Gaga normal we mean?) that dances around like she’s strung out on some serious drugs (aka: how we typically dance at bars downtown). Then there were Amanda and Amando, a topless, super-horny couple clad in grass mini-skirts. Pretend analingus onstage. There was so much hilarity. Really funny stuff. Not like, ‘I’m-at-the-opera-this-is-where-I’m-supposed-to-laugh-so-it-shows-I-get-it-funny,’ but like real people funny.

One of the best parts was that the New York Phil looked like they were having FUN (gasp!) and showed they have a personality. Alan Gilbert is the Cher to their Tai. (If you haven’t seen Clueless, Cher, the main character, is the popular girl who takes newbie Tai under her wing and dresses her in a plaid mini and knee-socks, instantly making her popular, 90′s style.) The night we went, there were a few chic-looking people. Maybe not as many as you’d see at one of those Nouveau Classical concerts, but more than usual ;). The New York Phil might get to sit next to the cool kids at lunch period this week!

It looks like the Phil is getting a clue, and they have Gilbert to thank, along with whoever else was responsible for making le Grand Macabre happen. The strong visuals, which include outlandish costumes by Catherine Zuber, were a huge factor in the opera’s success. And we loved the booklets (pictured above) that contained drawings and the libretto inside.

We wonder what the New York Phil plans to do next. How do they plan to make their non-operatic, regular concerts stand out? Will it be possible to make as much of an impact? This weekend got us interested (and almost excited) about their next move.

This Week

…has a lot going on! It’s been a busy week so far…last night we hit a couple parties with our friend Charles at NYLON, including the Mulberry Glastonbury Book Party at Milk Studios, where we were able to catch a great performance by Kelis. What we’re really excited about, though, are:

-the Keys to the Future Festival at LPR
-SIGNAL at Merkin Hall
-the New York Premiere of Ligeti’s le Grand Macabre at Avery Fisher!

So now that you know, throw on your chicest concert-going outfit (translation: something that’s NOT boring) and don’t miss out!

P.S. We’d love to hear your thoughts if you hit any of these…give us a shout on Twitter.

Feathers and Headgear

Thanks to all who came! And thanks to our wonderful musicians, designers Gigi Burris and Edward Lorenz, and artist Chris Rini.  Thanks to Yamaha for generously providing our piano! And to our generous volunteers: Michael Angeles, Trevor Gureckis, Ejay Jung, Jesse Patch, Jay Wadley. These amazing photos are by Frank Wang Photography. Looking forward to the next one…

form/figure

For form/FIGURE, we curate art, fashion, and music that take a direct cue from established or traditional elements.  Musicians will wear garments by fashion designer Gigi Burris, who draws inspiration from 1930’s icons Elsa Schiaparelli and Isabella Blow in creating her elegantly disheveled pieces.  Edward Lorenz adds a modern edge to extremely classic men’s wear. Artist Chris Rini takes historical New York City architecture and saturates it in bright colors. The musical selections on this program utilize forms and styles that stem from the past.  This concert offers examples of how perspectives on fixed things can still change over time.

Publicity for $1?! Your name in lights (ok, more like in ink on quality paper) at our next event! Details here.