Sunday, September 19 at 2pm
At a time when the environment is more threatened than ever with pollution and our life-giving waterways at risk, Fifth House Ensemble traces the life cycle of water from its metaphorical descent from the heavens as rain, to its long journey in streams and rivers informed by conservation experts and ecologists. Featuring a new commission by Fresh Inc Festival alumnus Patrick O’Malley driven by ecological data from Friends of the Chicago River, a new commission by Shawn Okpebholo that celebrates water as a precious resource by transforming it into a musical instrument alongside music inspired by First Peoples, this program asks what it would mean to return to a sacred conception in which humans are a part of nature rather than beings standing outside of its impact.
PROGRAM:
John Luther Adams, arr. Alex Goodin — The Wind in High Places
I. Above Sunset Pass
Alexander Miller — Glacier Blue
Brent Michael Davids — In Wisconsin Woods
Mason Bates — Red River
Shawn Okpebholo — Fractured Water (World Premiere)
Patrick O’Malley — Rivers Empyrean (World Premiere)
Dan Visconti — Low Country Haze
*Interstitial Sound Design by Beth Bradfish
Jenny Shin, flute
Grace Hong, oboe
Elizandro Garcia-Montoya, clarinet
Galina Kiep, bassoon
Parker Nelson, horn
Khelsey Zarraga, violin
Mason Spencer, viola
Jason Niehoff, bass
Byeol Kim, piano
Rivers Empyrean and its related residency and partnership programs have been made possible with support from: Chamber Music America, through its Residency Endowment Fund; New Music USA, made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, The Fidelity Foundation, The Rogers & Hammerstein Foundation & Anonymous; and a grant from the Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research at the Eastman School of Music.