Darker Materials: New Music w/Panoramic Voices & ARCOS

Last night, I was elated to host another Panoramic Voices virtual concert, this one being by far the biggest and most near-and-dear to my heart we’ve presented during the pandemic. 

Anyone who has followed my career knows I’m a new music nerd at heart who has strived to present as many new works as possible since I arrived here in the mid-90’s (whether the conservative classical fan base that exists here wanted it or not, haha). Which is why I was really excited to highlight some of the world-premiere performances PV performed in the year leading up to the pandemic, as well as a brand new work by yours truly featuring the ever-amazing ARCOS dance collective and the inimitable soprano Rina Saporsantos.

During this live broadcast, I reconnected with some of my dear composer friends, including Kitty Xiao (composer of Brought Into Morning), Carlos Cordero (creator of Forgiveness), and my former composition student Mack Nixon-Hoxie (whom I mentored in the writing of mythos). How fun to relive bringing their compositions to life, and to chat with them live via Zoom on the YouTube concert. Selfishly, it was truly rewarding to present my own 12-minute work atmósfera3, as it allowed me to interact with my PV peeps (even if only by having them on the screen). That and watching ARCOS kill it on the dance front (special shout out to the Erica Gionfriddo for the excellent choreography and Eliot Gray Fisher for the incredible videography).

We had a great online turnout for the show, and it was truly rewarding to present a program which reflects so much of what I’ve attempted to accomplish in my two-and-a-half decades in Austin: that new works are THE essential path to vitality and relevance in the world of the arts.

Many thanks to all the people who turned out (and donated to PV) during this broadcast. For those who missed, it, you may catch the virtual concert here: https://youtu.be/i1e3Uu1NTqE