1 - MUSIC, MAESTRO

Ever dreamed of conducting an orchestra? Experience this once-in-a-life-time thrill by conducting Metropolis Ensemble during the 2011–2012 season. Grammy-nominated conductor Andrew Cyr will prepare you for your conducting debut with private lessons.

Conductor Andrew Cyr

Grammy-nominated conductor Andrew Cyr is a leader in the rapidly growing contemporary classical music scene. His enthusiasm for connecting musicians and composers of the next generation to today's audiences led him to create Metropolis Ensemble in 2006. Cyr has collaborated with many of the leading composers of our time and premiered over 60 new works of music. Cyr is a native of Fort Kent, Maine, and holds music degrees from Bates College, the French National Conservatory (Etudes Supérieures), and Westminster Choir College. His primary musical mentors include Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt, Kenneth Kiesler, Pierre Grandmaison, and Kynan Johns. Cyr has performed at such venues as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, (Le) Poisson Rouge, and, in 2008, appeared with the Wordless Music Series, conducting a remix of The Rite of Spring for a live audience of 10,000 people.

2 - IMMORTAL BELOVED

Become a part of music history. Commission and dedicate the creation of a new musical work from one of our rising-star composers to a loved one, for a special occasion, or simply for posterity. Your commission will be premiered in your home (or mutually agreed upon location) by one of Metropolis Ensemble's virtuoso musicians and you will also receive the signed original manuscript.

COMPOSITION FOR PIANO
by Composer / Pianist Timothy Andres

Timothy Andres (b. 1985) is a composer and pianist based in Brooklyn, NY. Recent commissions include several new works for Metropolis Ensemble, as well as pieces for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Carnegie Hall's Ensemble ACJW, New World Symphony, and singer Gabriel Kahane. His critically-acclaimed debut album, Shy and Mighty, was released by Nonesuch in 2010. He and pianist Brad Mehldau will perform selections from it this weekend at Zankel Hall. Next season, Metropolis Ensemble will record and perform his orchestral music for an album to be produced by Grammy-winning producer David Frost and released by Nonesuch Records.

COMPOSITION FOR HARP
by Composer Ricardo Romaneiro with Harpist Bridget Kibbey

Brazilian born, New York based composer Ricardo Romaneiro (b. 1979) is known for synthesizing his interest in electronic music with his background in classical composition. His music has been commissioned and performed by Metropolis Ensemble, the Museum of Modern Art's Summergarden Series, Wordless Music, the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, the New Juilliard Ensemble, Quintet of the Americas, the Colorado Ballet, and the Sacramento Ballet and Romaneiro's composition process and music was featured in Esquire Magazine's 2007 Best & Brightest issue. His work with Metropolis Ensemble includes The Rite: Remixed, a re-imagination of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring presented by Wordless Music Series as part of "Celebrate Brooklyn!" for an audience of 10,000 and live broadcast on National Public Radio.

Hailed by the New York Times for her "blazing power and finesse," harpist Bridget Kibbey is an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, a member of Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's CMS II, a winner of Concert Artists Guild's International Competition and Astral Artist Auditions. Her debut album, Love is Come Again, was listed as one of 2007's Top Ten Albums by Time Out New York. Redefining solo harp for modern times, Bridget will record a solo album with E1 Records of newly commissioned works from a diverse collection of international composers, joined by special guest, soprano Dawn Upshaw.

COMPOSITION FOR PIANO AND SOPRANO
by Composer Ryan Franics with Soprano Kiera Duffy

Ryan Anthony Francis's (b. 1981) compositions have been met with international audience and critical acclaim, variously described as "sweeping" and "exceptional" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), "compelling" (Los Angeles Times) and "shimmering", "focused" and "rhythmically sharp-edged" (New York Times). His works have recently been performed in Tonhalle Hall, Zurich, Tatemono Yaesu Hall, Tokyo, and his most recent commission High Line, commemorating the newly opened High Line park, was premiered by the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in December, 2010. His debut album of solo piano works recorded by Bang on a Can's resident pianist Vicky Chow, will be released on Tzadik Records in April.

American soprano Kiera Duffy is recognized for both her gleaming high soprano and insightful musicianship in repertoire that encompasses Handel, Praetorius, Bach, Mozart, and Verdi to the modern sounds of Alban Berg, Elliott Carter and John Zorn. This season she appears at the Marlboro Music Festival, Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland, Atlanta Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Opera, London Symphony, and Sao Paolo Symphony. She records the fifth volume of The Complete Songs of Richard Strauss for Hyperion Records with legendary pianist, Roger Vignoles, which will be released September 2011. Duffy was the recipient of a prestigious William Mattheus Sullivan Grant, as well as a grand finalist in the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

COMPOSITION FOR SOLO VIOLIN
by Composer Jakub Ciupinski with Violinist Kristin Lee

Multi-faceted New York-based Polish composer Jakub Ciupinski's (b.1981) wide-ranging compositional styles have landed him contracts with Sony Music in the electronic-infused world music genre as well as premieres at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, (le) Poisson Rouge, and Tonhalle in Zurich. Although his music is often associated with electronica and interactive performances, he has written numerous traditional classical pieces ranging in scope from solo miniatures to an hour long Oratorio for symphony orchestra and double choir. Jakub's recent commissions for Metropolis Ensemble include the innovative site-specific Brownstone.

Winner of 2010 Astral Artist Competition, violinist Kristin Lee has performed as a soloist throughout the US, Italy, Russia, France, Japan, China, and Korea. As a member of the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center Two program, Lee performs regularly at Alice Tully Hall and the Rose Studio at Lincoln Center. As a leading member of Metropolis Ensemble, she will be premiering Vivian Fung's Violin Concerto next fall. She is a recent graduate from the Juilliard School where she received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees and is now on the faculty at The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.