In Wednesday’s (10/21) New York Times, Michael Cooper reports that at the NY Phil Biennial new-music festival in 2016, “Alan Gilbert will lead alumni of the Lucerne Festival in works by Ligeti and those he influenced in three concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jennifer Koh will play short new works for solo violin by some 30 composers at National Sawdust in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ilan Volkov will conduct … New York Philharmonic musicians in … Gerald Barry’s opera ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center…. NY Phil Biennial … has become one of Mr. Gilbert’s signature achievements as the Philharmonic’s music director. The orchestra and its partners will spread out across the city from May 23 through June 11 to present works by 74 composers, including many premieres, in a program planned by Mr. Gilbert and Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Philharmonic’s composer in residence…. ‘I’ve approached these biennial planning processes as under the mantra of more is more,’ Mr. Gilbert said… The idea is to create a kind of whirlwind and maelstrom of enthusiasm and energy.’ ” Composers and ensembles at the festival include Timo Andres, William Bolcom, Anthony Cheung, John Corigliano, Mizzy Mazzoli, Per Norgard, Brooklyn Rider, the Knights, and the JACK Quartet.
Posted October 22, 2015
