sandbox percussion kicks off first full year of residency at the new school's college of performing arts on september 13-14 with two-day event featuring live performance of andy akiho's seven pillars and an interactive educational seminar open to students and the public |
NEW YORK, August 22, 2023 – The New School’s College of Performing Arts announces a celebration of Sandbox Percussion’s first full year as Ensemble-in-Residence with an interactive educational seminar open to both students and the public on September 13, and a performance of Andy Akiho’s acclaimed work, Seven Pillars, on September 14. Both events are free with registration and will be held in Tishman Auditorium at The New School’s College of Performing Arts. Sandbox Percussion’s residency includes teaching workshops, hosting forums, guest lecturing, and performing both as a singular ensemble and in collaborative settings with students across the College of Performing Arts. Additionally, the ensemble leads an annual Summer Seminar, which welcomes students from across the globe to study, rehearse, and perform some of today’s leading percussion chamber music. “The new school year is always a moment full of promise and this year is particularly special in that regard thanks to Sandbox Percussion celebrating their residency with the College of Performing Arts. As a formal debut event, Sandbox will be blowing our collective minds with a performance of the instant masterpiece, Andy Akiho’s Seven Pillars. We hope to see a great turnout of students, faculty, and general audiences for Seven Pillars and the seminars built around this wonderful work,” said Richard Kessler, Executive Dean of the College of Performing Arts and Dean of Mannes School of Music. Ian Rosenbaum of Sandbox Percussion explained, "Percussion chamber music is a very new art form compared to others in the Western classical tradition, and to that end, a vital part of our mission is to engage with young artists in this medium as much as we can. We are honored to be entrusted with sharing the many facets of our collective with the students and community. We begin with a performance of Seven Pillars - a multi-disciplinary work with music by Andy Akiho and lighting design by Michael Joseph McQuilken - a work we commissioned and helped create."The opening event on September 13 will feature a 90-minute lecture-demonstration, followed by a 30-minute Q+A session. “Seven Pillars by Andy Akiho is a massive work in its magnitude and complexity, but we shouldn’t be so quick to assume that it is beyond understanding. In all of its structure, Seven Pillars is full of rhythmic and melodic patterns - one could even think of them as games. In this dissection of Seven Pillars, we will pull back the curtain on the variety of themes, techniques, and inspirations that inspired our theatrical performance. Attendees will have a participatory experience in uncovering these ingredients, and see how they combine into a unified whole,” explains Sandbox Percussion’s Jonny Allen. Described as “exhilarating” (The New York Times) and “utterly mesmerizing” (The Guardian), GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble Sandbox Percussion brings out the best in composers through their unwavering dedication to artistry in contemporary chamber music. Sandbox Percussion captivates audiences with performances that are both visually and aurally stunning, solidifying them as leaders in the fields of contemporary music and percussion. Brought together by their love of chamber music and the simple joy of playing together, Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, and Terry Sweeney engage a wider audience for classical music through multidisciplinary collaborations with today’s leading artists. Both events are free with registration. Space is limited. event.newschool.edu/sandboxpercussion John L. Tishman Auditorium / 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY September 13, 2023: 2pm-4pm: Sandbox Percussion Seminar: Lecture, Demonstration and Q&A September 14, 2023: 7:30pm-9pm: Sandbox Percussion performs Andy Akiho’s Seven Pillars |
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The College of Performing Arts at The New School was formed in 2015 and draws together the Mannes School of Music, the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and the School of Drama. With each school contributing its unique culture of creative excellence, the College of Performing Arts is a hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration, bold experimentation, innovative education, and world-class performances. The 1,000 students at the College of Performing Arts are actors, performers, writers, improvisers, creative technologists, entrepreneurs, composers, arts managers, and multidisciplinary artists who believe in the transformative power of the arts for all people. Students and faculty collaborate with colleagues across The New School in a wide array of disciplines, from the visual arts and fashion design, to the social sciences, public policy, advocacy, and more. The curriculum at the College of Performing Arts is dynamic, inclusive, and responsive to the changing arts and culture landscape. New degrees and coursework, like the new graduate degrees for Performer-Composers and Artist Entrepreneurs are designed to challenge highly skilled artists to experiment, innovate, and engage with the past, present, and future of their artforms. New York City’s Greenwich Village provides the backdrop for the College of Performing Arts, which is housed at Arnhold Hall on West 13th Street and the historic Westbeth Artists Community on Bank Street.Founded in 1919, The New School was established to advance academic freedom, tolerance, and experimentation. A century later, The New School remains at the forefront of innovation in higher education, inspiring more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students to challenge the status quo in design and the social sciences, liberal arts, management, the arts, and media. The university welcomes thousands of adult learners annually for continuing education courses and public programs that encourage open discourse and social engagement. Through our online learning portals, research institutes, and international partnerships, The New School maintains a global presence. |
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Media Contacts: Will Wilbur, Follow @TheNewSchool |
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