Contact: Gabriel Langfur
info@chameleonarts.org
617-427-8200
Chameleon Arts Ensemble presents “of spirits voices ecstatic”
April 17, 2009 – Boston, MA – The Chameleon Arts Ensemble will close its 2008-2009 subscription season with of spirits voices ecstatic, a concert of music that transports us to a mystical realm, a rapturous place of inner spirituality and otherworldly fantasy. The performances are on Saturday, May 16, 8 PM and Sunday, May 17, 3 PM, at the Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon Street in the Back Bay. The program includes Robert Schumann’s Fantasiestücke for cello & piano, Toru Takemitsu’s Rain Spell for flute, clarinet, piano, vibraphone & harp, Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel for clarinet & piano, and Fauré’s g minor Piano quartet, Op. 45, as well as the world premiere of a new work entitled Zhikr: Songs of Longing by Cambridge-based composer Shirish Korde. Mr. Korde will present “Word on Music” pre-concert talks about Zhikr thirty minutes before each performance.
Regarding his new work, Korde comments: “Zhikr, an Arabic word which means ‘divine listening,’ is also a melodic sequence performed for the purpose of finding a connection with God in a Sufi assembly. This song cycle, for soprano, flute, string trio, harp, tabla & percussion, draws on several mystical/spiritual traditions, as well as musical styles and texts from the Sufi and Hindu traditions. The ecstatic singing style is influenced by Indian classical music, Quawalli, Fado and Flamenco. The last song ‘Ecstasy’ is based on the Indian solfege system of syllables, a kind of ‘scat singing’ which uses the syllables used in Indian Music: Sa, ri, ga, ma, etc., instead of the Western Do, Re, Mi, Fa system.”
The Chameleons will be joined for Zhikr by tabla artist Adtiya Kalyanpur and soprano Elizabeth Keusch. Mr. Kalyanpur has been carving a niche for himself not only as one of the world’s leading musicians in the traditional Indian Punjab Gharana style of tabla performance, but also as a versatile artist who performs with jazz musicians, Western classical musicians, and popular artists such as the Rolling Stones. Praised for her “vocal power and dramatic flexibility” in the New York Times, young American soprano Elizabeth Keusch is rapidly emerging as an artist to watch and has already been heard in major venues worldwide. Widely recognized for her remarkable musicianship, Ms. Keusch is an avid champion of chamber music and new music.
In keeping with Chameleon’s ongoing commitment to public service, the concerts will serve as a benefit for ReadBoston. Audience members who bring new or gently used books will receive 25% off ticket prices. Founded in 1995, ReadBoston works to promote a love of reading and literature at every age. Each year, they distribute thousands of free books to community centers, childcare providers, and after school programs throughout Boston’s many neighborhoods.
In a city immersed in music, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble is distinguished by superb artistry, luminous performances, and dynamic musical dialogues. Since its founding in 1998, Chameleon and artistic director Deborah Boldin have earned unqualified praise for integrating old and new repertoire into unexpected chamber music programs that are themselves works of art, and were recently recognized nationally with a 2009 CMA/ASCAP award for adventurous programming, their second such award in three years. The Boston Globe praised her “discerning ears and cosmopolitan tastes” and remarked that “planning a good chamber music program is an art unto itself, and few in town have mastered it as persuasively as the Chameleon Arts Ensemble.” This innovative ensemble draws capacity audiences of those who love the adventure of music—classic and contemporary. A Chameleon concert is a multifaceted experience in an intimate environment joining audience and musicians in an exuberant celebration of music.
For tickets or more information, concertgoers can call 617-427-8200
or visit www.chameleonarts.org. Individual tickets are $38,
$28 and $18. $5 discounts for students and seniors are available.
The Goethe-Institut is a wheelchair accessible venue.
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