SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2017 7PM TENRI CULTURAL INSTITUTE 43 W. 13TH ST NY, NY 10011 Tickets: $30 ($15 Seniors/Students) Reservations/Information: [email protected] (917) 825-3478 (212) 645-2800 |
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"Tokyo to New York: Composer/Performers” at Tenri
A concert featuring World Premiers and United States premiers of Tokyo- and NYC-based
composer/performers with clarinetist/hichiriki player Thomas Piercy performing each work with the composer.
A Co-Presentation of Tenri Arts and Tokyo to New York Concerts.
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Chen Yihan - Changqiang III "Little rituals here and there" for clarinet and piano
(World Premier) ISunao Isaji - "Dancing Piper" for solo hichiriki (New York Premier) Bin Li - "Netori, Netori" chamber concerto for clarinet and gagaku ensemble (World Premier) Paul Morin – "Hope" for clarinet and piano (World Premier) Miho Sasaki - "The Soul of Lights Freeze" for clarinet and piano (World Premier) Michael Schelle - "Chords That Rhyme With Your Eyes" for clarinet and piano (World Premier) Chatori Shimizu –"Shiki to Unkai II" for sho and cello (United States Premier) Hifumi Shimoyama - "Icefall 2" solo clarinet (United States Premier) |
Thomas Piercy, clarinet/hichiriki
Lester St. Louis, cello Lish Lindsey, ryuteki Hiroshi Ebina, hichiriki Jun Ando, koto Chatori Shimizu, sho/composer Bin Li, biwa/composer Chen Yihan, piano/composer Paul Morin, piano/composer Miho Sasaki, piano/composer Michael Schelle, piano/composer |
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"Tokyo to New York” celebrates the connections between Tokyo and New York City with a series of concerts in Tokyo and New York. This concert will feature works of Tokyo- and NYC-based composer/performers with clarinetist/hichiriki player Thomas Piercy performing each work with the composer. The concert includes a wide variety of styles of music and composer/performers from all walks of life and experience. Since 2012, “Tokyo to New York” has performed over 100 world premiers and numerous Japan and United States Premiers.
The New York Times selected “Tokyo to New York” concerts as a critics’ concert of the week; NYClassical Review wrote of a “Tokyo to New York” concert as a season highlight; and a review from Lucid Culture Magazine described a “Tokyo to New York” concert as "…a fascinatingly eclectic, virtuosic program of new chamber works." |
TENRI CULTURAL INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK
43A WEST 13TH STREET NY, NY 10011 TELEPHONE 212.645.2800 FAX 212.727.3234 [email protected] www.tenri.org TOKYO TO NEW YORK CONCERTS www.tonadaproductions.com/tokyo-to-new-york [email protected] |
PROGRAM NOTES | BIOS
YIHAN CHEN
Changqiang III "Little rituals here and there" for clarinet and piano
What are rituals? Are they repetitive motions performed by humans? Are they society’s tools for controlling individuals? Are they the presentations of humanity between different individuals? Or are they the media for transforming one’s heart?
Changqiang III "Little rituals here and there" was composed for Thomas Piercy.
World Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, Clarinet. Chen Yihan, Piano.
Described as "emotional", "powerful", "fresh", "with luminous color", Chen Yihan's music is rooted culturally both in the East Asian heritage and the tradition of western Classical music. With his intellectual curiosity and diligence in the craft of composition, Chen Yihan offers a unique and spiritual musical language.
As a composer, Chen Yihan’s music has been performed across America, Europe, and Asia. His work Dust for orchestra was performed by the Juilliard Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Jeffrey Milarsky on April 3, 2017 in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City. His work Solemn Rites was performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the National Opera House at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China. His choral work Shui Guang Lian Yan (Ripples Glisten Away...) was included in Half Moon Rising, an anthology of Chinese choral music published by Edition Peters, and was premiered by Cantoría Hong Kong in the Hong Kong City Hall. His compositions have received numerous honors such as two ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, the Jacobs School of Music Dean’s Prize, the American Prize, the winner of the IMTA Composition Competition, the Chamber Instrumental Winner of the IMEA Composition Competition, and the First Prize Winner of the University of Indianapolis Young Composer’s Contest, among others. He has received commissions from China Remixed (a global arts & humanities festival hosted by Indiana University Bloomington), conductor Miguel Diniz, the Entre Madeiras Trio, violinist Max Tan, clarinetist Thomas Piercy, soprano Chen Nai-Chia, mezzo-soprano Yu Yulin, etc.
Described as “colorful” and “incisive” by the Oregon Artswatch, Chen Yihan was the featured pianist at “The Clearing”, a contemporary piano festival presented by Portland Piano International, in which he also performed piano four-hands with internationally celebrated pianists Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich. He has received numerous recognitions such as being the Grand Prize winner of the Cincinnati World Piano Competition, the winner of the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, the winner of the Young Artist Concerto Competition by Murray State University, and the winner of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, etc. He made his debut as an orchestra soloist at age 11 at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, performing with the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra. Since then, he had performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, the World Symphony Orchestra, the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado State University Chamber Orchestra, and the Honors Orchestra of America, and made his debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of 16.
Chen Yihan is currently pursuing a master's degree in music composition at the Juilliard School with Christopher Rouse and holds bachelor’s degrees in music composition and piano performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. His principle teachers in the past include Samuel Adler, Claude Baker, Don Freund, P. Q. Phan, Sven-David Sandström, and Aaron Travers and in composition, and the world-renowned Brazilian pianist Arnaldo Cohen as well as Dr. Karen Taylor, the director of Indiana University Piano Academy, in piano. www.yihanmusic.com
SUNAO ISAJI
"Dancing Piper" for solo hichiriki (New York Premier)
“Dancing Piper” for solo hichiriki was composed in 2009 for Hitomi Nakamura. The solo mixes the spell-casting quality of the ancient hichiriki with the light, nimble quality of a dance piece to create a magical space to inhabit that differs from the everyday world.
New York Premier. November 18, 2017. Tenri Cultural Institute.
Thomas Piercy, hichiriki
Sunao Isaji (b. 1968; Saitama, Japan) received his Masters Degree in music from the Tokyo University of Music where he studied with Aki Nishimura and Masatake Kanazawa. He has composed in many genres and for traditional Japanese instruments as well as Western classical instruments. He has won many composition awards including prizes from the Japan Music Competition, Nippon Music Competition and the Akutagawa Competition. His works were featured at the Suntory Arts Foundation concerts in 2005 and 2011. Currently serves as instructor of composition at Tokyo University of Music.
BIN LI
"Netori, Netori" chamber concerto for clarinet and gagaku ensemble (World Premier)
Netori (which translates as "tuning") is an introductory tuning piece for Gagaku, an ancient form of Japanese/Chinese imperial court music. Through Gagaku, the listener focuses on the now, and Netori invites the listener to experience oneness and emptiness. "Netori, Netori," for clarinet and gagaku ensemble, draws on both Gagaku and the western classical concerto tradition. Through tuning and the interaction of soloist and ensemble, the piece explores:
1) how cultures interact
2) how the abstract devours the real
3) how to get in; how to get out
The piece is commissioned and dedicated to Thomas Piercy.
World Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, Clarinet. Gagaku Ensemble: Lish Lindsey, ryuteki; Hiroshi Ebina, hichiriki; Chatori Shimizu, Sho; Jun Ando, koto; Bin Li, biwa.
Bin Li (b. Fuzhou, China) is a composer based in New York City. His music has been performed internationally at festivals and venues such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Avantin Suvisoitto (Finland), the Bargemusic, the Tenri Cultural Institute, the Palais Montcalm (Quebec), the Yogyakarta Contemporary Music Festival (Indonesia), the Composit (Italy), the Bowling Green New Music Festival, the Chinese National Contemporary Music Symposium and the Electronic Music Midwest. Leading performers including Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Multilaterale, Ensemble Mise-en, Thomas Piercy and members of Jack Quartet have featured his music.
Bin is the founder of The Other Instrument, an art organization that explores diverse cross-platform approaches to sound, image, text and performance. He is also a current board member of Ensemble Dal Niente. Bin has studied with Antoine Beuger in Germany (2016), Mark Andre, Raphaël Cendo and Yann Robin in France (2017), Pierluigi Billone and Stefano Gervasoni in Italy (2016), Jukka Tiensuu in Finland (2014) and Georg Friedrich Haas in France (2013). He holds degrees from the Jacobs School of Music and the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Bin's recent scores are published by EDITION WANDELWEISER in Germany. www.bindavidli.com
PAUL MORIN
"Hope" for clarinet and piano
Hope (2016), remained untitled until the very end of its completion. The piece was inspired by one's life struggles that leads to Hope. In 2017, it was recorded with Thomas Piercy at Patrych Studios and released as an EP with other works for violin and piano and solo piano.
World Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, clarinet. Paul Morin, piano.
Paul Morin is a New York-based composer, pianist and artist. The NY Press wrote, “Paul Morin takes visitors on a trip through time with music and sound.” Gallery and Studio Magazine states: “Paul Morin’s art comprised of soft variegated strokes and streaks of vibrant color strike one as notes in a kind of visual music.” As a composer, Paul has written music for feature films, documentaries, short films and live radio; productions that have been shown in film festivals and theaters. In 2017, he released his latest record, Hope. In 2011, he released his first solo record, Succession of Images, a song cycle for piano. His music has been performed in concerts in the United States and South America.
As a pianist, Paul has won many awards and performed in the United States and South America. Being an avid educator, Paul has taught master classes in piano and composition in conservatories and universities. He has also been an Adjunct-instructor in piano at New York University. Paul holds a Master of Arts degree in Piano Performance from New York University (2009) where he studied piano under Martin Canin and composition under Justin Dello Joio. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Stony Brook University (2006) studying piano under Christina Dahl. As an artist, Paul is known for creating large installations, paintings and live performing art pieces. His works have been presented in galleries throughout New York City. www.paulbmorin.com
MIHO SASAKI
"The Soul of Lights Freeze" for clarinet and piano
The Soul of Lights Freeze (2017) reveals that moment you find out you have lost a loved one. In March I learned of my father’s death. Since then, my time has stopped like trapped in ice. The process of writing this piece was challenging, but it was also quite therapeutic; my father was on my shoulder at every step, encouraging me to continue. “The Soul of Lights Freeze” was composed for Thomas Piercy.
World Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, clarinet. Miho Sasaki, piano.
“The mid-afternoon sunlight sparkles across glass.
The silence looks forever. Only music speaks to you through your soul.
Despair. Disappear. Release. You are still alive.”
Japanese composer-pianist Miho Sasaki came to the US in 1999 to continue studies at Indiana University. After additional studies in Boston, she returned Indiana and earned an MM from Butler University’s School of Music in Indianapolis. She has studied piano with Hiromi Iwadate, Ana Briscoe, Panayis Lyras, Andrew Russo, and music composition with Michael Schelle, Elliott Schwartz, Hifumi Shimoyama and Elvis Costello. Sasaki recently returned from a two-week concert tour of China as soloist with the South Shore Orchestra (Chicago) for Michael Schelle’s Wright Flight. She has also recently performed concertos with orchestras across the US and, in 2010 and 2013, Ms. Sasaki was the featured guest artist for a recital of new American piano music at Aichi Prefectural University of Music and Fine Arts and Nagoya University in Nagoya, Japan. This spring, she was awarded the prestigious Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
Sasaki’s music has been commissioned and performed by the American Pianists Association, the Indiana Wind Symphony, Trinity University (TX), the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, and featured during the Finger Lakes NY Summer Chamber Music Festival. Recent Guest Composer residencies include: the 28th & 30th annual NOW Music Festivals at Capital University (Columbus, OH), for the 7th annual BACK COVE Contemporary Music Festival at the Portland Conservatory of Music (Maine), and Conservatorio Superior de Música Félix Tomás Garzón, Córdoba, Argentina. She has recently completed new commissions from the Fort Smith (AR) Symphony, The Generous Ensemble (Hartford, CT), the Butler University Wind Ensemble, and the ‘Columbian Embassy in Tokyo’ chamber music series in Japan. Her choral music is published by Colla Voce, Inc. http://www.sasakimusic.com/3.html
MICHAEL SCHELLE
"Chords That Rhyme With Your Eyes" for clarinet and piano
In contrast to my typical wild-eyed, frantic, nervous music, CHORD THAT RHYME WITH YOUR EYES (2017) is one of the most personal, tonal and gentle pieces I have ever written. Composed following an extended hospital stay that included complicated thoracic surgery, I was simply happy to be alive and very appreciative of the loving family and friends that had kept an eye on me. The piece is also reflective of my peaceful Japanese father-in-law, Fusayuki, who passed away during my hospitalization. “Chords That Rhyme With Your Eyes” was composed for Thomas Piercy.
World Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, clarinet. Michael Schelle, piano.
Michael Schelle (b. 1950, Philadelphia, PA) grew up in northern New Jersey and graduated from NHR High School where, as Captain of the track team, he held the all-state distance records in the javelin, shot put and hammer for three years running. Now, 30+ years running as Composer in Residence at Butler University in Indianapolis, his music has been commissioned and / or performed by over 350 orchestras, symphonic bands and professional chamber ensembles across the US and abroad, including the Chicago Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, the major orchestras of Pittsburgh, Louisville, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Cleveland, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Urban Elektra (Phoenix), ISIS (Dallas) and XTET (Los Angeles). Recent international performances of his music have included Kammerorchester Basel (Switzerland), the St. Petersburg (Russia) Chamber Orchestra, the Kremlin Chamber Orchestra (Moscow), the Czestochowa Philharmonic (Poland), Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional (Costa Rica), the Koenig Ensemble of London, the Banff Centre (Canada), the Beijing Opera House, the Firenza New Music Festival (Italy), and the Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He has received composition grants and awards from over 30 prestigious arts organizations including the Rockefeller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, American Symphony Orchestra League (NYC), National Band Association (2012 Revelli Composition Prize), the Barlow Foundation, New York State Arts Council, Great Lakes Arts Alliance, New England Arts Foundation, the Welsh Arts Council (Cardiff) and the American Pianists Association, and has held extended composition residencies at dozens of leading American universities and new music festivals, Spoleto USA, Wolf Trap, the MacDowell Colony (NH), and in Europe, China and Japan, including the Krakow Academy of Music, Fryderyk Chopin University of Music (Warsaw), Beijing Power Grid University, Aichi University of the Arts and Nagoya Imperial University. For his alter ego, during the summers of 1998 – 2004, Schelle lived in Los Angeles, writing a film music book (The Score, published in 2000 by Silman-James Press, LA, and translated / published in Korea in 2013) - and working on the original scores for such Hollywood blockbusters (??) as The Mummy, G-Men from Hell, and Bikini Prison. http://schellemusic.com/1.html
CHATORI SHIMIZU
"Shiki to Unkai II" for sho and cello (United States Premier)
Shiki to Unkai II for shō and cello was composed with the concept "A variety of sustainability seen from the summit of Mt. Fuji". The view of the sea of clouds, seen from the summit of Mt. Fuji (3,776m), varies greatly with the seasons. The sudden rise/dive in the short melody, the turbid harmony created from sustained pitch, and individualistic sounds not affiliated with any other sound groups in this work all depict forms of clouds I have seen from the Summit of Mt. Fuji. This work also explores the notion of the time identity of Gagaku instruments used in the context of Western music. It is notated to maximize the potential of the mental chronometry of the music for both the performers and the audience. This work was premiered at Ryogoku Monten Hall, Tokyo, by Naoyuki Manabe (shō) and Akira Sato (vc.) in June 2014. United States Premier: November 18, 2017. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC. Chatori Shimizu, sho; Lester St. Louis, cello.
Chatori Shimizu is a composer, shō performer, and sound artist. As the First Prize Winner of Malta International Composition Competition, Shimizu's works have been performed and exhibited throughout the United States, Japan, Canada, China, and Europe. Shimizu has been awarded fellowships from the Corporation of Yaddo, Soundstreams, Omi International Arts Center, Toshiba Foundation, the Mitsubishi Foundation, among others. United Music & Media Publishing in Brussels represents his scores. Shimizu is currently pursuing his PhD in Composition and Theory at the University of Pittsburgh, after receiving his MFA in Sound Arts from Columbia University and BA in Computer Music from Kunitachi College of Music. www.chatorishimizu.com
HIFUMI SHIMOYAMA
"Icefall 2" for solo clarinet
Hifumi Simoyama has composed numerous pieces for the clarinet including works for solo clarinet, clarinet with percussion, clarinet with electronics, and clarinet with traditional Japanese instruments. “Ice Fall II” was composed in 2002 and was premiered by Shinichi Arai at Tokyo Opera City.
United States Premier. November 18, 2018. Tenri Cultural Institute. NYC.
Thomas Piercy, clarinet.
Hifumi Shimoyama (Born 1930; Aomori, Japan) started his music studies in 1945. He graduated from Hirosaki University in 1954. In 1955, he studied under Ryo Tadanori, and in 1956 formed a group of composers called "Group 20 · 5". He has composed numerous pieces for orchestra, chamber music, and solo piece for all instruments, including many pieces for Japanese traditional instruments. He has won awards from the ISCM (International Contemporary Music Association), Takei Prize, Italian Prize International Competition, and the World Music Festival. In 1973, received the Cultural Agency Art Festival Excellence Award from "Transmigration for Instruments and Conrads". His works have been performed by orchestras, chamber ensembles and soloists throughout the world. http://shimo123.music.coocan.jp/index.html
JUN ANDO, Koto
Jun Ando is a NY based visual/auditory interactive artist, who works on painting, music composing, Japanese zither playing and interactive programming. As a multimedia performer, Ando uses Japanese zither called Koto with effect processor and Max/msp for the interactive sound/3D graphic visual projection. Pursuing the strong passion for creating new music style combining western classical and Japanese traditional music in modern style of music, Ando acts as a solo performer, a member of improvisational ensemble, traditional Japanese ensemble, and work with jazz fusion band. Ando studied physics and quantum mechanics in college which now fuels his philosophy and creations about existence. He views the world as a flowing river or stream; and that behavior and life has a little importance. Ando's existential mind expresses these influences with the tones and score of an abandoned spirit. To express all the aspect of his creativity, Ando has formed multimedia dance company, ARis// Absolute Reality of the Indefinite Sense in 2011. He has won an award of John Lennon Song Writing Contest in 2013, nominated in Rain Dance Film Festival in 2014.
HIROSHI EBINA, Hichiriki
Hiroshi Ebina is a sound artist, gagaku musician and photographer from Japan. Hiroshi studied hichiriki and biwa, traditional gagaku instruments, and dance under the guidance of musicians from the Imperial Household Agency. He also explores scenic sounds from electrical and acoustic instruments as well as found obejects. He performed the traditional Japanese music as well as his own ambient and experimental music in various venues around Japan. In 2014, he moved to New York City to pursue his music and photography. He has performed his original compositions in various locations including NYCEMF and the Tenri Cultural Institute. In February 2016, he released the EP “Where Memories Dwell.” www.hiroshiebina.com
LISH LINDSEY, Ryuteki
A. Lish Lindsey made her Carnegie Hall debut as solo piccoloist with the Eastern Wind Symphony and has performed with Josh Groban, Sarah McLachlan, Warren Haynes, Il Volo, Rocktopia Live, Video Games Live, Capital Philharmonic Orchestra, Strauss Symphony of America, Columbia Gagaku Instrumental Ensemble of NY, Tenri Gagaku Music Ensemble of NY, and made her Broadway debut as a flute substitute in the musical, Finding Neverland. Venues include David Geffen Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Kennedy Center, and Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall, and various locations in China, England, Italy, Japan, and Wales. Lish is the adjunct professor of flute at Wilkes University, New Jersey City University, Mercer County Community College, and Summer Music in Tuscany (It). lishlindsey.com, youtube.com/lishlindsey
THOMAS PIERCY, Clarinet/Hichiriki
Thomas Piercy is a critically acclaimed musician with orchestral, concerto, solo recital and chamber music appearances throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Described by The New York Times as “Brilliant...playing with refinement and flair…evoking a panache in the contemporary works…,” Mr. Piercy presents audiences to varied concerts of standard classical music, jazz-inspired programs, contemporary works, pieces written specifically for him and his own original arrangements, compositions and collaborations.
A versatile artist defying categorization – performing on the Emmy Award-winning Juno Baby CDs and DVDs; playing Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Earl Wild; performing concert improvisations with pianist Donal Fox; performing Mozart with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade; playing Broadway songs with Raoul Julia; performing tango nuevo with Grammy-winners Octavio Brunetti and Fernando Otero; working with the composer Leonard Bernstein; appearing in a KRS-ONE music video; playing traditional Japanese instruments in Japan and the U.S.; recording with members of Maroon 5 - as an instrumentalist, singer, director and music director/conductor and actor, he has performed for Broadway and Off-Broadway, television, radio, video and commercial recordings.
Piercy performs and records on rare rosewood English-bore clarinets made for him by Luis Rossi of Santiago, Chile, and his hichiriki was made by Asano in Japan.
Mr. Piercy has performed at many of the worlds acclaimed concerts halls including Carnegie Hall (NY, NY), Lincoln Center (NY, NY), the Kennedy Center (Washington, DC.), the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series (Chicago, Illinois), Centre Pompidou (Paris, France), Wigmore Hall (London, England), Accademia di Santa Cecilia (Rome, Italy) and Tokyo Opera City (Tokyo, Japan).
Piercy's many festival appearances have included a featured performance in memory of Leon Russianoff at the 1991 International ClarinetFest, a concert of contemporary American music at the 2005 ClarinetFest in Tokyo, Japan, and an all-Piazzolla concert at the 2007 International Clarinet Festival in Vancouver, Canada. He has performed in concerts and festivals in England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark, The United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan.
Mr. Piercy has received grants for recordings, commissions, and performances from the Cary Trust, the Scandinavian Foundation, the International Clarinet Association, New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Piercy's earliest studies were in both voice and clarinet. A recipient of numerous scholarships, prizes and awards, he studied clarinet, voice and conducting at the Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, Virginia Commonwealth University and Shenandoah Conservatory. He studied clarinet with Gervase De Peyer, Dr. Stephen Johnston, Leon Russianoff, Kalmen Opperman. He studied hichiriki in Tokyo with the renowned Hitomi Nakamura. He has contributed to clarinet study books and clarinet compositions published by Carl Fischer, Inc., and Baron Publishing.
A frequent performer of new music, Mr. Piercy has premiered over 300 compositions composed specifically for him, including works from composers that have been honored with the Takemitsu Prize, Grammy Award, Latin Grammy Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. As part of the “Tokyo to New York” concerts, he has premiered over 100 works in the last four years. Piercy's discography includes "Gotham Ensemble Plays Ned Rorem", a CD of chamber music featuring the clarinet (released by Albany Records), "CAFE", a CD of music for clarinet and guitar (released by Tonada Records), the world-premier recording of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett's "Ballad in Memory of Shirley Horn" and the Emmy Award winning CDs and DVDs "Juno Baby." He can also be heard on commercials, film and theater recordings. He has recorded for the Albany, Capstone, DGI, Changing Tones, NJST, and Tonada Records labels. Thomas Piercy is an official Rossi Clarinet, Forestone Reeds and Silverstein ligatures artist. www.thomaspiercy.com
LESTER ST. LOUIS, Cello
Lester St. Louis is a Cellist/Composer/Improviser and curator born and based in New York. Lester's work focuses on developing models of thought and practice for exciting and provocative results in creation. Lester strives for flow, real time synthesis and a depth of knowledge to produce works that hold a structure of meaning of their own own. Research, performance [performance practice], praxis, and composition are his primary tools for investigation and creation.