6/12/2017 EIGHTH BLACKBIRD: 2016-17 THE 20th ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES - Eighth Blackbird

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AUGUST 11, 2016 E I G B C K B I R D : 2 0 1 6 - 1 7 E 2 0 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y C O N N U E S

Self-assured, eminently curious, and artistically tireless, Eighth Blackbird has earned credibility and wide appeal over the past 20 years. In the words of Chicago’s Sarah Solotaroff Mirkin, “… as audience members we do not feel left out. We are spirited along into new territory.” Have a look at what’s new in 2016-17, as the spirited 20th anniversary celebration continues.

August 11, 2016 | [email protected] | t. 718.344.3690 | www.dotdotdotmusic.net

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EAUX CLAIRES FESTIVAL • SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY • ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO

INTERNATIONAL TOURS IN FRANCE, NETHERLANDS, AUSTRALIA

WORLD PREMIERES BY HOLLY HARRISON, DAVID LANG, NED McGOWAN

ON THE ROAD WITH FILAMENT (2015 GRAMMY WINNER) • HAND EYE • REICH • RZEWSKI

IN COLLABORATION WITH YMUSIC • WILL OLDHAM AKA BONNIE “PRINCE” BILLY • THIRD COAST PERCUSSION

“The blackbirds are examples of a new breed of super-musicians. They perform the bulk of their new music from memory. They have no need of a conductor, no matter how complex the rhythms or balances. They are […] stage animals, often in motion, enacting their scores as they play them. They are without stylistic allegiances.” — Los Angeles Times

Eighth Blackbird, “one of the smartest, most dynamic contemporary classical ensembles on the planet” (Chicago Tribune), kicked off 20th anniversary celebrations auspiciously in early 2016, winning a fourth GRAMMY Award and a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Twentieth anniversary celebrations continue throughout the 2016-17 season, with an enticing lineup of creative projects, commissions, and collaborations at home and abroad, from the indie-rocker curated Eaux Claires Festival in Wisconsin to the San Francisco Symphony, with multicity tours in Australia, France, and The Netherlands.

This season, Eighth Blackbird tours hybrid programs from its two most recent, broadly acclaimed albums (Cedille Records): Filament (winner of the 2015 GRAMMY Award) and Hand Eye, a “diverse, eclectic and colorful” (The New York Times) concert-length suite by starry young composer sextet Sleeping Giant (Timo Andres, Andrew Norman, Christopher Cerrone, Jacob Cooper, Ted Hearne, Robert Honstein).

Beyond the album tours, highlights of the 2016-17 season include keystone performances as part of Steve Reich’s 80th birthday celebrations (in collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony, Third Coast Percussion, and yMusic), a debut performance on the Eaux Claires Festival (founded by of and of The National), a fresh

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round of raucous shows with Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy (called an “Appalachian post-punk solipsist” by The Wanderer), and world premieres by three composers: Holly Harrison, Pulitzer Prize winner David Lang, and Ned McGowan. The 20th anniversary also covers significant international terrain, with performances in France, The Netherlands, and Australia.

A C L O S E R L O O K

EAUX CLAIRES FESTIVAL

Eighth Blackbird kicks off the season (Aug. 12–13) with four sets at the Eaux Claires Festival, founded by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Aaron Dessner (The National) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. For the first set, the ‘birds team up with indie-classical touring group, yMusic, to perform Steve Reich’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Double Sextet. Commissioned by Eighth Blackbird, Double Sextet flaunted the ensemble’s prowess in double time for the 2008 world premiere, featuring a live performance by the members of Eighth Blackbird against a recording of themselves. For this show, yMusic joins the ‘birds in a fully live 12-person performance of this intricate 22-minute masterpiece.

The ‘birds bring to the Festival more fresh music written just for them—’s Murder Ballades (from the 2015 Grammy Award-winning album, Filament) and Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lang’s learn to fly from these broken wings (2008)—along with Frederic Rzewski’s iconic Coming Together, a touchstone among classical music’s independently- minded set. Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy, who toured with the ‘birds in 2015-16, stays on for this and several other shows this season, performing the spoken role in Coming Together and several of his own original songs.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY + STEVE REICH @ 80

Eighth Blackbird teams up with another sextet, this time members of the San Francisco Symphony, to perform Steve Reich’s Double Sextet (Sep. 9–11) as part of the Symphony’s week-long celebration of the composer’s 80th birthday. For this show, six members of the San Francisco Symphony join the ‘birds in another fully live 12-person interpretation of the masterwork.

Elsewhere, Eighth Blackbird contributes to the international celebrations of Reich’s 80th birthday with performances of the landmark work Music for 18 Musicians. For this, the ‘birds

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team up with Chicago comrades Third Coast Percussion at Notre Dame University (Sep. 30) and the University of Michigan (Mar. 18).

WORLD PREMIERES + AT HOME + ON TOUR

Central to any Eighth Blackbird season is the development of new work. In 2016-17, the ‘birds bring three new pieces to life, performing world premieres by Holly Harrison, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lang, and Ned McGowan.

David Lang’s Composition as Explanation, commissioned by the Arts Club of Chicago in celebration of its 100th anniversary, premieres there (Oct. 22). Writes Lang, “Composition as Explanation is a musicalization of Gertrude Stein’s 1926 lecture of the same name. A love letter both in repetition and plain language, the work is part concert, part installation and part performance art, using music, speech, singing, movement and lighting to transform the text into a carnival of language.”

Last season, Eighth Blackbird released two albums, Filament (Sep. 2015) and Hand Eye (Apr. 2016), to unanimous praise. Hybrid programs of selected music from those albums anchor the group’s domestic and international tours in 2016-17. Filament, which landed on numerous Best of 2015 lists, also landed the ‘birds’ fourth GRAMMY Award for Best Chamber Ensemble Performance. The album centers around a live recording of Philip Glass’s Two Pages with world premiere recordings of works by Bryce Dessner (Murder Ballades) and Nico Muhly (Doublespeak) alongside two remixes by Son Lux (Ryan Lott). Hand Eye, a “diverse, eclectic and colorful” (The New York Times) concert-length suite by starry young composer sextet Sleeping Giant, brings each composer’s personality into play: wild rambunctiousness (Andrew Norman), driving tunes (Ted Hearne), fragile lyricism (Christopher Cerrone), flickering virtuosity (Timo Andres), atmospheric beauty (Jacob Cooper), and minimalism-tinged athleticism (Robert Honstein). Each composer has written a different section of Hand Eye, for a collection of six pieces catalyzed by each of the six members of Eighth Blackbird.

For tour dates/locations/select repertoire see “2016-17 Schedule At A Glance” below.

ABROAD: FRANCE + THE NETHERLANDS + AUSTRALIA

The ‘birds fly to great lengths to bring their engaging style and impeccable precision to fans, with performances in Paris, France, multiple cities in The Netherlands, and numerous venues

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all over Australia. The group tours Filament and Hand Eye abroad with special additions in various locations.

In Paris, the group first plays the Paris Philharmonie (Sep. 25), joined by Aaron & Bryce Dessner, Katia & Marielle Labèque, and Justin Vernon for a program titled “Invisible Bridge.” The next stop is the Mona Bismarck American Center (Sep. 26), with a hybrid Filament and Hand Eye program, also featuring works by Tansy Davies, David Lang, and Alex Mills. The Dutch tour includes performances in Tilburg (Nov. 18) and Rotterdam (Nov. 20), featuring the world premiere performances of Ned McGowan’s new untitled work, alongside pieces from Filament, Hand Eye, and David Lang. In Australia, the ‘birds hit nine cities (Feb 21—Mar. 9) with the third and final world premiere of the season, a new untitled piece by Holly Harrison, alongside works from Filament and Hand Eye.

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND

Eighth Blackbird enjoys its twelfth year as Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of Richmond (Virginia) with several weeks on campus, working individually and collectively with students and performing concerts, master classes, and workshops. The 2016—17 dates include Sep. 19—23, Oct. 24—Nov. 6, Jan. 30—Feb 3, Mar. 27—31. The ‘birds bring Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy to Richmond for a program featuring some of his original songs alongside Dessner’s Murder Ballades, Lang’s learn to fly, and Rzewski’s Coming Together.

ELSEWHERE WITH OLDHAM

The season wraps in May with a mini-tour of the program featuring Will Oldham, with works by Dessner, Rzewski, and himself (Portland, OR, May 3; Seattle, WA, May 4; Durham, NC, May 6).

2 0 1 6 – 1 7 S C H E D U L E AT A G L A N C E

DATE PRESENTER/VENUE CITY/STATE/COUNTRYPROGRAM

8/12/16- Eaux Claires Festival Eau Claire, WI Double Sextet w/ yMusic, Frederic 8/13/16 (Creek Stage) Rzewski’s Coming Together, originals by Will Oldham aka Bonnie “Prince”

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Billy, music from Filament, Hand Eye, and David Lang

8/30/16 Chicago City Winery Chicago, IL w/ Peter Ferry

San Francisco 9/9/16- Symphony (Davies Double Sextet w/ members of San 9/11/16 Symphony Hall) San Francisco, CA Francisco Symphony

University of Richmond (Modlin 9/19/16- Center for the 9/23/16 Performing Arts) Richmond, VA Residency

w/ Aaron & Bryce Dessner, Katia & 9/25/16 Paris Philharmonie Paris, FR Marielle Labèque, Justin Vernon

Music from Filament and Hand Eye Mona Bismarck + works by Tansy Davies, David 9/26/16 American Center Paris, FR Lang, Alex Mills

University of Notre Dame (DeBartolo Performing Arts Music for 18 Musicians w/ Third 9/30/16 Center) South Bend, IN Coast Percussion

10/13- The Ringling Sarasota, FL Hand Eye: Unplugged 10/15 International Arts Festival (Historic Asolo Theater)

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10/22/16 Arts Club of Chicago Chicago, IL World premiere by David Lang

University of Richmond (Modlin 10/24/16-Center for the 11/6/16 Performing Arts) Richmond, VA Residency

11/8/16 Exeter (recital hall) Exeter, NH Hand Eye: Unplugged

Music from Filament, Hand Eye, 11/18/16 Theatres Tilburg Tilburg, NE David Lang, Ned McGowan

11/20/16 De Doelen Rotterdam, NE “

Old Dominion University (Diehn Center for the Performing Arts, Music from Filament, Hand Eye, and 1/23/17 Chandler Recital Hall) Norfolk, VA more

Wake Forest University (Brendle Music from Filament, Hand Eye, and 1/26/17 Recital Hall) Winston-Salem, NC more

1/30/17- University of Richmond, VA Residency 2/3/17 Richmond (Modlin Center for the Performing Arts)

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University of Tennessee (Fine Arts 2/6/17 Center) Chattanooga, TN Hand Eye: Unplugged

Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Newcastle, Southbank, Music from Filament and Hand Eye 2/21/17 Tour of Australia Sydney, AU + world premiere by Holly Harrison

University of Michigan (Hill Music for 18 Musicians w/ Third 3/18/17 Auditorium) Ann Arbor, MI Coast Percussion

University of Richmond (Modlin Center for the Music from Filament + David Lang, 3/29/17 Performing Arts) Richmond, VA Frederic Rzewski w/ Will Oldham

Cornell University 4/28/17 (Barnes Hall) Ithaca, NY Music from Filament and Hand Eye

Portland’5 Centers for the Arts (Schnitzer Music from Filament + David Lang, 5/3/17 Auditorium) Portland, OR Frederic Rzewski w/ Will Oldham

5/4/17 Seattle Theatre Seattle, WA “ Group (The Nepture Theatre)

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Duke University 5/6/17 (Baldwin Auditorium) Durham, NC “

A B O U T E I G H T H B L A C K B I R D

Eighth Blackbird is “one of the smartest, most dynamic contemporary classical ensembles on the planet” (Chicago Tribune). Launched in 1996 as a twinkle in the eyes of six entrepreneurial Oberlin Conservatory undergraduates, this Chicago-based super-group has earned its status as “a brand-name…defined by adventure, vibrancy and quality….known for performing from memory, employing choreography and collaborations with theater artists, lighting designers and even puppetry artists” (Detroit Free Press).

Eighth Blackbird kicked off its 20th anniversary in 2016, quickly garnering a fourth GRAMMY Award as well as the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. Anniversary celebrations continue throughout the 2016-17 season.

Over the course of two decades, Eighth Blackbird has commissioned and premiered hundreds of works by dozens of composers including David T. Little, Steven Mackey, Missy Mazzoli, and Steve Reich, whose commissioned work, Double Sextet, went on to win the Pulitzer Prize (2009). A long-term relationship with Chicago’s Cedille Records has produced seven acclaimed recordings (most recently, Hand Eye) and four impressive GRAMMY Awards for Best Small Ensemble/Chamber Music Performance: for strange imaginary animals (2008), Lonely Motel: Music from Slide (2011), Meanwhile (2012), and Filament (2015).

Eighth Blackbird’s members (Nathalie Joachim, flutes; Michael J. Maccaferri, clarinets; Yvonne Lam, violin & viola; Nicholas Photinos, cello; Matthew Duvall, percussion; Lisa Kaplan, piano) hail from the Great Lakes, Keystone, Golden, Empire and Bay states. The name “Eighth Blackbird” derives from the eighth stanza of Wallace Stevens’s evocative, aphoristic poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” (1917).

Eighth Blackbird is represented in Europe by Hazard Chase (London). Elsewhere in the world Eighth Blackbird is represented by David Lieberman Artists’ Representatives. www.eighthblackbird.org

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