This was a Valentine's Day we won't soon forget. In a sold-out benefit concert at (le) Poisson Rouge and with twenty-six love-infused works, we raised a grand total of $6,630 to support our friends at Partners in Health. PIH provides world-class health care to the people of Haiti, and are leading the way in the recovery efforts after last month's earthquake.

We responded with Love Letter to Haiti, nearly three hours of music, featuring two dozen musicians and soloists, all of whom donated their time. Why host a concert? Artistic Director / Conductor Andrew Cyr explained in a recent interview:

"My wife and I were talking after the earthquake struck and when the horrific human tragedy started sinking in, we felt both incredibly moved and helpless. We're not doctors, we can't fly a plane, we can't write a big check... what could we do? The answer was really simple: just try and see what happens... It's been so much fun to put this together!"

And what an evening it was! The concert featured works from Metropolis composers Ryan Francis and Adam Schoenberg. Our friend David Bruce prepared a new arrangement of a Tallis motet especially for the night. We sold beautiful illustrated t-shirts by artist Jennifer Salomon, so patrons could literally wear their heart on their sleeve (all proceeds going to PIH). We also sold and donated our new album, Avner Dorman's Concertos. (le) Poisson Rouge donated the space; InTicketing generously waived their ticket fees; and many patrons opened their wallets to make donations to Partners in Health. Thank you for supporting us in so many ways!

We were honored to have special guest Klaus Gauthier from Port au Prince fly into New York to attend the concert; he himself was trapped during the quake, and has worked since to help find missing persons and organize tent drop-offs in Haiti.

As it turned out, Allan Kozinn from the New York Times was also on hand to enjoy the concert, and wrote our first NYT review:

"All told, 26 works of various lengths were performed, most contemporary and eclectic, with standard repertory pieces cropping up on occasion. Some of those were among the evening's highlights. A short set by the Avenue 9 Trio and its members included a sweetly singing account of Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" by the group's cellist, Dane Johansen, and a breathtakingly beautiful reading of Debussy's "Clair de Lune" by its violinist, Sean Lee, both accompanied by Edvinas Minkstimas the ensemble's pianist. Mr. Lee returned later to play Massenet's "Meditation" from "Thaïs" with the harpist Bridget Kibbey." Read the full article...

It truly was a special evening. Thanks to everyone who made the concert possible. We witnessed the very best that our community of composers, performers, and patrons can be: giving of your time, talent, and treasure to support the people of Haiti in the most vital way possible... rallying around Partners in Health and their inspiring work... and celebrating a kaleidoscope of music that connects us all together.

Photos by Gareth Paul Cox.

Labels: adamschoenberg, andrewcyr, davidbruce, jennifersolomon, lepoissonrouge, lovelettertohaiti, partnersinhealth, ryanfrancis

With four completely different voices, the composers in our fall concert, REVERB, have summed up their thoughts on what new music can express. Here's some excerpts from the program notes.

Erin Gee:

The music seeks an experiential non-language, containing the virtuosity of a native speaker.

Vivian Fung:

I am not an ethnomusicologist and am less concerned with replicating anything akin to an exact version of these works than with the way I have internalized the shimmering harmonies and interlocking rhythms of their traditions into my own original voice.

Cristina Spinei:

My interest in integrating percussion with orchestra comes from varying sources, each stemming from dance. I constantly immersed myself in sounds that shared one common principal: rhythm as the driving force of music that inspires and compels movement.

Jakub Ciupinski:

Avant garde composers were trying to find new solutions by rejecting the past. They were really trying to find something new. Whereas our generation is trying to find something new by incorporating elements that already existed. So this is an entirely new philosophy.

And some parting thoughts from Metropolis Ensemble Music Director Andrew Cyr on his curation of this concert of commissions and premieres:

In getting to know these composers and the nuances of their compositional styles in the process of developing these new commissions, I realized over time that they shared something in common that I found to be artistically fascinating and vital: an open and deep curiosity for exploring diverse source material and developing new and highly individual systems of compositional techniques to absorb these modes of representation.

Read more in the program notes...

Labels: andrewcyr, composerseries, cristinaspinei, eringee, jakubciupinski, reverb, vivianfung

We're pleased to share a new documentary video about Metropolis Ensemble's world premiere of The Rite Remixed, last summer's adventurous collaboration exploding the boundaries of live electro-classical music. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the three concerts and watch exclusive interviews with the performers and composers!

Update: You can also experience the concerts through our highlights page with streaming audio, photo gallery, interviews, and press.

Video produced by Gareth Paul Cox and Kyrié Cox. Audio engineering by Leo Leite.

Labels: andrewcyr, deerhoof, ensemblenews, hilaplitmann, leoleite, ricardoromaneiro, ryanfrancis, therite, three

Hear the Metropolis Ensemble and Deerhoof perform a concert from the Wordless Music Series, recorded live by WNYC at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. Listen on NPR.org starting at 7:30pm EST. An hourlong special about the Wordless Music Series begins at 6:30pm. Tonight's webcast is produced by WNYC and hosted by David Garland.

Go to the broadcast now...

Wordless Music Series pairs Metropolis Ensemble led by Artistic Director/Conductor Andrew Cyr and indie sensation Deerhoof for a night of music under the stars. Experience The Rite: Remixed and Two-Part Belief with an expected audience of 10,000 at Celebrate Brooklyn. Featuring soprano Hila Plitmann.

Join us in Prospect Park - either in person or online - for a night of music under the stars!

Labels: andrewcyr, deerhoof, ensemblenews, npr, ricardoromaneiro, therite, wnyc

Artistic Director/Conductor Andrew Cyr and Composer Ricardo Romaneiro will be on WNYC Soundcheck at 2pm EST today to discuss their new composition, The Rite: Remixed and share the secrets of setting Stravinsky's most famous work to keyboards, laptops, brass and drums.

Three ways to listen...

1. Tune into WNYC FM 93.9 Radio
2. Listen on iTunes
   • Click on Radio (top left)
   • Open the "Public" category
   • Click on WNYC-FM
3. Listen Online. Click on the "listen live" box on this page.

UPDATE: You can now listen to the broadcast online or as a podcast.

Labels: andrewcyr, ensemblenews, ricardoromaneiro, therite, wnyc

Metropolis Ensemble will be opening for Deerhoof in Prospect Park on July 18, 2008, as part of the Wordless Music Series and Celebrate Brooklyn.

Metropolis Ensemble led by Artistic Director/Conductor Andrew Cyr and Wordless Music co-commissions The Rite: Remixed, a collaboration between three composers and live electronics producers, explodes the boundaries of live electro-classical music. Ryan Francis, Leo Leite, and Ricardo Romaneiro re-conceptualize the most revolutionary work of the 20th Century, Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, through the lens of the latest sounds and technology from electronica. Combined with acoustic forces consisting of huge percussion and brass ensembles, 2 keyboards / 2 laptops, and electric bass, the remixed version will fuse a futuristic, rhythm-inspired sonic tableaux with a hyper-kinetic visual show.

The Metropolis Ensemble and The Rite: Remixed appears as part of the Wordless Music Series, which puts popular and classical artists together to tear down boundaries between performers and audiences of each. "At the moment, there is no more inventive music series in New York" (Alex Ross, The New Yorker).

The mercurial SF experimentalists Deerhoof, "the most creative band in indie rock today," (LA Weekly) forge a distinctive sound out of sophisticated improvisation, fierce dissonance, and weirdly catchy melodies.

Labels: andrewcyr, deerhoof, ensemblenews, leoleite, ricardoromaneiro, ryanfrancis, therite

Metropolis Ensemble and Artistic Director/Conductor Andrew Cyr are delighted to announce two new concerts for 2008:

LOOP
Thursday, April 10, 2008 (8pm)
The Times Center (620 8th Avenue at 41st Street)
Tickets: $20 online / $25 at the door
Buy tickets now...

The World Premiere performance of Piano Concerto by Wet Ink Composer Resident Ryan Francis featuring pianist Anna Polonsky. Also on the program, three 20th Century masterpieces: Ravel's Trois Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé, Salonen's Five Images from Sappho with soprano Kiera Duffy, and Satie's Sports et Divertissements, arranged by David Bruce. Wine reception during intermission.

Digital Sustain: Six Etudes for Piano by Ryan Francis
Saturday, March 8, 2008 (2pm)
Chelsea Art Museum (556 W 22nd Street)
Tickets: $20 online / at the door
Buy tickets now...

The World Premiere performance of ETUDES for Piano by Ryan Francis featuring pianists Vicky Chow, Michael Shinn, and Daniel Spiegel. Presented in tandem with etudes from Ligeti, Bolcom, Chopin, and Liszt. This special concert is a preview of Ryan Francis' spring concert premiere, Piano Concerto.

Labels: andrewcyr, digitalsustain, ensemblenews, loop, ryanfrancis

What happens when you put Vivaldi, bluegrass, and Israeli folk music together? Why is an international cast of top musicians converging on New York City this month? Find out when Metropolis Ensemble conductor Andrew Cyr and featured composer Avner Dorman talk about our fall concert, On Record, with Classical Domain. Read the interview...

Labels: andrewcyr, avnerdorman, ensemblenews, onrecord

David Bruce, our friend at Composition Today, recently sat down with Andrew Cyr to discuss the beginning of the Metropolis Ensemble, its mission, and plans for the spring concert and beyond. Read the interview...

Labels: andrewcyr, ensemblenews, thereandbackagain