Brooklyn Academy of Music Alan H. Fishman, Epiphany: Chairman of the Board William I. Campbell, Vice Chairman of the Board Adam E. Max, The Cycle of Life Vice Chairman of the Board Katy Clark, President VisionIntoArt Joseph V. Melillo, Executive Producer Young People’s Chorus of New York City An immersive choral installation inpired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, traditional African folk songs, and ancient mythologies DATES: NOV 4—7 at 7:30pm Doors and Installation at 7pm Season Sponsor: LOCATION: BAM Fisher (Fishman Space) RUN TIME: 1hr (no intermission) Viacom is the BAM 2015 Music Sponsor. Leadership support for programming by New York City artists in the BAM Fisher provided by Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Additional support provided by The TinMan Fund. Leadership support for music #EpiphanyCycle at BAM provided by: #BAMNextWave Frances Bermanzohn & Alan Roseman. BAM Fisher AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ENSEMBLE (ACME) Ben Russell & Caleb Burhans, violins Epiphany: The Cycle of Life Caitlin Lynch, viola Clarice Jensen, cello & artistic director CONDUCTED BY David Cossin, Ibrahima “Thiokho” Diagne, & Ian Rosenbaum, percussion Francisco J. Núñez PROGRAM PERFORMERS ORIGINAL CONCEPT & VIDEO Passage YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHORUS OF NYC CONCERT CHORUS Ali Hossaini Vhiri reNgoro Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director/Founder Composed by Netsayi Chigwendere THEATRICAL CONCEPT & Tiffany Alulema Emma Higgins Maya Osman-Krinsky STAGE DIRECTION Epiphany Clare Altman Nyota Holmes-Cardona Ranya Perez Michael McQuilken Michelle Britt Bianca Jeffrey Jordan Reynoso COMPOSED BY Kelli Carter Olivia Katzenstein Elvira Rivera STORY DEVELOPMENT Paola Prestini Samuel Chachkes Zoe Kaznelson Sophie Saidmehr Nathaniel Bellows, Maruti Evans, LIBRETTO BY Nadine Clements Bethany Knapp Jeniecy Scarlett Michael McQuilken, Netsayi, Niloufar Talebi Louisa Cornelis Maria Kogarova Isabel Schaffzin Francisco J. Núñez, Paola Prestini, Brianne Cotter Gabrielle Kone Sarea Shariff Sarah Kirkland Snider, Intermezzo Scarlet Diaz Riya Koshy Natalie Shclover and Niloufar Talebi Jamila Drecker-Waxman Alyssa Koutellos Thalia St. Hubert COMPOSED BY Nola Dwyer-Hernandez Gabrielle Kuker Jacqueline Stern SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGN Netsayi Chigwendere Dea Elezaj Ayline Le Sourd Kaia Tien Maruti Evans Maggie Feldman Rebecca McCartney Theodora Tomuta LIBRETTO BY Netsayi Chigwendere Asila Folds Evelyn Menkes Erika Urgiles COSTUME DESIGN Celia Frank Joy Motz Caroline Watters Nicholas K Funeral Song Keerti Gopal Miki Nakano Kaila Wharwood Sugar for Your Wounds Naya Griles Jasmine Neal Cierra Willis PROJECTION DESIGN Kayla Norflus Brad Peterson The Light SOUND DESIGN Ouroboros PRODUCTION STAFF Nicholas Pope COMPOSED BY Sarah Kirkland Snider PRODUCTION MANAGER ASSISTANT STAGE DIRECTOR Co-produced by LIBRETTO BY Sarah Peterson Anne Cecelia Haney VisionIntoArt and Young People’s Nathaniel Bellows Chorus of New York City STAGE MANAGER ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Catherine Costanzo Lauren Stern Developed at PERFORMED BY 3LD Art & Technology Center Young People’s Chorus of New York City PROPS MASTER PRODUCTION CARPENTER Francisco J. Núñez, Sydney E. Schatz Vadim Malinskiy Music Director and Conductor ASSOCIATE PROJECTION DESIGNER MASTER ELECTRICIAN with David Palmer Tom Dyer Netsayi ABOUT die, they leave a cord that connects us Part 3: Ouroboros to the numinous beyond. In creating Epiphany: the original video installation—also en- The “Ouroboros” is an ancient Hossani Ali Photo: titled Epiphany—Ali imagined a world symbol of a snake eating its own tail— The Cycle of Life where everything was full of grace, an emblem of rebirth and cyclicality, and, guided by several spiritual tradi- “the eternal return.” It serves as the PROGRAM NOTE tions, he began exploring that world inspiration for Sarah Kirkland Snider’s with a camera. Then, drawing from work by the same name, with text by An exuberant living installation filled the Latin Mass, the Tibetan Book of Nathaniel Bellows, which explores the with live music, Epiphany: The Cycle of the Dead, pre-Columbian Aztec poetry, struggle—and eventual freedom—that Life sends its audience through tunnels Zoroastrian beliefs, and death-bed con- arises from the self’s efforts to under- of light while reflecting on our earthly versations, librettist Niloufar Talebi en- stand, and transcend, the constraints attachments and our place in the visioned a story of transformations—of of the human world. Ouroboros is cosmos. Based on video cycles by Ali being released into the unknown. Paola visually focused on a grand view of our Hossaini (Epiphany and Ouroboros), Prestini then composed a modern majestic and unfathomable universe— Francisco J. Núñez, YPC Founder and requiem for Niloufar’s libretto—a new an extraordinary vantage that connects Artistic Director, conducts the Young musical world for the Young People’s the most massive supernova to the People’s Chorus of New York City, Chorus of New York City that will usher tiniest single-celled creature. joined by Zimbabwean singer Netsayi, us through that transformation. American Contemporary Music En- Director Michael McQuilken took semble (ACME), percussionists David the bountiful contributions from the Cossin, Ibrahima “Thiokho” Diagne, Part 2: Intermezzo creative team and wove them together and Ian Rosenbaum as they perform within a large-scale theater machine world premiere compositions by Paola Responding to the idea of Epiphany, that is patterned after the various Prestini, Netsayi, and Sarah Kirkland Netsayi reflected on her beliefs and stages of the afterlife Bardo passage Snider. This ecstatic and mysterious how they related to her music. She (as described in the Tibetan Book of hour of new music blossoms within a says, “To me, faith is about humility the Dead.) Ultimately, Epiphany: The vibrant and all-encompassing media and discipline, a commitment to a Cycle of Life is an affirmation of this and scenic installation. The perfor- single path. Therein lies freedom. Life extraordinary privilege called life. It is a mance consists of three parts, in Zimbabwe is very close to death. gathering into a shared moment of mu- Epiphany, Intermezzo, and Ouroboros. At the time of writing this music, I tual breath and contemplation. It is a attended a series of funerals, and this love song for the unknowable possibili- influenced my approach from respond- ties awaiting us in lives yet to come. Part 1: Epiphany ing to a concept to responding to the reality of my daily environment. Death Epiphany is a reflection on the endless is beyond our understanding. We free cycle of death and rebirth, told through ourselves by leaving the need to under- the eyes of youth. The event began as stand at the garden gate and stepping a reflection on mortality for Ali Hos- onto the path.” saini who was with his mother when she died. As she became less animate, her environment came alive. Brightly colored balloons were talking, she said. The walls were breathing. Many cultures believe that when our parents four continents, among them, invita- tions to represent North America at 3-Legged Dog American Contempo- the World Choral Summits of Kyoto in 2005 and Beijing in 2012. YPC is in 3-Legged Dog was founded in 1994 rary Music Ensemble Who’s residence at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s by a group of artists working at the (ACME) Frederick P. Rose Hall and was named Ontological-Hysteric Theater and has New York’s first radio choir by WNYC, become one of the leading experimen- The American Contemporary Music New York public radio. In 2011 tal arts groups in New York. Since its Ensemble (ACME) was honored by YPC was presented with the nation’s Who inception, 3-Legged Dog has performed ASCAP during its 10th anniversary highest honor for youth programs, a and exhibited at the Kitchen, the On- season in 2015 for the “virtuosity, National Arts and Humanities youth Young People’s Chorus tological, PS 122, La MaMa, the Sig- passion, and commitment with which program award by First Lady Michelle nature Theatre, and at its home, 3LD it performs and champions American Obama at the White House. ypc.org of New York City Art and Technology Center. Outside composers.” The flexible ensemble New York its work has been seen at comprises some of New York’s most Young People’s Chorus of New York the Venice Biennale, Prague Quadren- sought-after, engaging musicians City is a multicultural youth chorus VisionIntoArt nial, Click Festival, Sundance Festival, including violinists Caroline Shaw (win- internationally renowned not only for American Film Institute Festival, and in ner of the 2013 Pulitzer prize) and its superb virtuosity and brilliant show- Co-founded in 1999 by composer many other festivals. From the center Yuki Numata Resnick; violists Caleb manship, but as a model for an in- Paola Prestini, VisionIntoArt (VIA) in lower Manhattan, 3LD has built Burhans and Nadia Sirota; cellist and clusive society that is being replicated is a non-profit production company an unrivaled talent magnet, drawing Artistic Director Clarice Jensen; flutist globally. Founded in 1988 by Francis- dedicated to fostering collaborative, artists from around the globe to New Alex Sopp; pianist Timo Andres; per- co J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow, YPC interdisciplinary new music. VIA pro- York to create large-scale, immersive, cussionist Chris Thompson; and more. annually reaches more than 1,400 vides integral, comprehensive support and technology-driven artworks and ACME has recorded for New World, children from seven to 18 through its from fund-raising, commissioning, and experiences in New York City. 3-Legged New Amsterdam, and Butterscotch after-school and in-school programs. incubation to performance, record- Dog exists to produce new, original Records. Its recording of Max Rich- Its repertoire spans four centuries with ing, marketing, and beyond, VIA is works in theater, performance, dance, ter’s eight-hour piece, Sleep, will be works ranging from Renaissance and the sustaining force behind more than media, and hybrid forms. Working from released by Deutsche Grammophon in classical traditions to gospel, folk, pop, 100 original productions to date, with a strong literary tradition, its mission is fall 2015.