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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 6, 2019Tickets & Information: 212/854-7799millertheatre.com

PRESS CONTACTSAleba Gartner, 212/206-1450

aleba@alebaco.comLauren Bailey, 212/854-1633

lrb2113@columbia.edu

"There are few series as satisfying as the Miller Theater’ssignature dives into one composer." — The New York Times

Miller Theatre at Columbia UniversitySchool of the Arts

continues the 2018-19 Composer Portraits series with

JOHN ZORNNew music superstars perform Zorn's recent chamber works,

including five world premieres

Thursday, March 7, 2019, 8:00 p.m.Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street)

Tickets: $20–$30; Students with valid ID: $7–$18

From Miller Theatre Executive Director Melissa Smey:“It's always an exciting occasion to present a world premiere on the Miller stage, andpresenting five of them in one evening is even better. John Zorn is one of my favorite

composers, and I'm honored to once again collaborate with him on this Portrait. Andfor the first time ever, you can preview the next composer in the Composer Portraitsseries as a performer in this one—the incredible Tyshawn Sorey joins the all-starline-up of musicians.”

John Zorn

Photo courtesy John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Composer PortraitsThursday, March 7, 2019, 8:00 p.m.

Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street)

John Zorn

“If his work is a game, then…it’s a beautiful one,” says The New York Times of the iconic and prolific composer John Zorn. He returns to Miller’s Composer Portraits series for a program of chamber music that has been written within the last three years, including five world premieres. Boundlessly imaginative and energetic, Zorn is a smart, generous, and thoughtful collaborator, drawing into his orbit a host of new music superstars who bring his creations to life.

PROGRAM: Asclemandres (2018) world premiereEncomia (2018) world premiereKonx Om Pax (2018) world premiereNachtsräglichkeit (2018)Rµν-½gµνR= 8πΤµν (2018) world premiereIcarus (2017) world premiereMerlin (2016)

ARTISTS:John Zorn, composerTara Helen O'Connor, fluteJACK QuartetShanir Ezra Blumenkranz, bassPeter Evans, trumpetMarshall Gilkes, tromboneDave Taylor, bass tromboneStephen Gosling, pianoSae Hashimoto, vibraphoneTyshawn Sorey, drums

John ZornDrawing upon his experience in classical, jazz, rock, hardcore punk, klezmer, film, cartoon,popular, world, and improvised music, John Zorn has created an influential body of workthat defies academic categories. Born and raised in New York City, he is a central figure inthe Downtown Scene, incorporating a wide variety of creative musicians into variouscompositional formats. His work is remarkably diverse and eclectic, drawing inspirationfrom Art, Literature, Film, Theatre, Philosophy, Alchemy, and Mysticism as well as Music.He founded the Tzadik label in 1995, runs the performance space The Stone, and hasedited/published five volumes of musician’s writings under the title ARCANA.

Shanir Ezra BlumenkranzShanir Ezra Blumenkranz studied at the Manhattan School of Music and holds a B.A. inPerformance from Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA. Additionally, he attendedRimon School of Music in Israel where he founded the Lemon Juice Quartet in 1993, anavant-garde jazz quartet that has extensively toured the U.S. and performs regularlyaround New York City. Blumenkranz is a founding member of Satlah, a Jewish-inspiredtrio mixing rhythms from the middle-east with avant-garde sensibilities. Satlah hasrecorded numerous albums for Tzadik Records, including Rashanim, Shasha Argov, andMasada, a compilation of music composed by John Zorn for the ten-year anniversary of hisband. Blumenkranz has performed and/or recorded on acoustic bass, electric bass, and oudwith the Jazz Mandolin Project, Pharaoh's Daughter, George Garzone, Satoshi Takeshi,Hank Roberts, Daniel Carter, Roy Campbell, Sabir Mateen, Charles Burnham, BrandonRoss, Will Connell, Ravish Momin, Jim Puglesie, Jamie Saft, Mark Dresser, Frank LacyAnthony Coleman, Ned Rothenburg, Marty Erlich, Trevor Dunn, Susie Ibarra, RobertoRodriguez, Ikue Mori, and John Zorn.

Peter EvansPeter Evans is a trumpet player and improvisor/composer based in New York City and iswidely recognized as a leading voice in the field. He is leader of Peter Evans Ensemble andBeing & Becoming and is a member of the cooperative groups Pulverize the Sound (withMike Pride and Tim Dahl) and Rocket Science (with Evan Parker, Craig Taborn, and SamPluta). He has worked with some of the leading figures in new music: John Zorn, IngridLaubrock, Jim Black, Weasel Walter, Ambrose Akinmusere, Matana Roberts, TyshawnSorey, Levy Lorenzo, Nate Wooley, Steve Schick, Mary Halvorson, and Joe McPhee, andperforms with both International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and the Wet InkEnsemble.

As a composer, Evans has been commissioned by ICE, Yarn/Wire, the DonaueschingenMusiktage Festival, the Jerome Foundation's Emerging Artist Program, and the DorisDuke Foundation. He has been releasing recordings on his own label, More is More, since2011. In 2018, he released a new solo album, the first duo album with Levy Lorenzo, a newrecord by Pulverize the Sound, and the new album by the Peter Evans Ensemble.

Marshall GilkesMarshall Gilkes is a performer, composer, sideman, and clinician who settled in New York

in 1998. In the following years, he has worked steadily as a sideman while honing his ownhighly individual voice. Gilkes has played and recorded with a variety of artists andensembles, including the David Berger Jazz Orchestra, Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project,Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Darcy James Argue’s SecretSociety, the Christian McBride Big Band, Billy Cobham, Richard Bona, and BarbraStreisand. His musical career has taken him to stages around the world, including fouryears in Cologne, Germany as a member of the WDR Big Band. During that time, heworked with renowned soloists, composers, and arrangers including Michael Abene, VinceMendoza, John Scofield, Chris Potter, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Patti Austin, MikeStern, Ron Carter, and Maceo Parker. Gilkes ultimately entered the jazz program at TheJuilliard School, though he continued his classical education in parallel, including studieswith Joseph Alessi, the longtime Principal Trombonist of the New York Philharmonic.

Gilkes released his debut as a leader, Edenderry (2004), with a quartet featuring pianistJon Cowherd, bassist Matt Clohesy, and drummer Johnathan Blake, followed by thequintet recordings Lost Words (2008) and Sound Stories (2012). On Köln (2015), he teamswith the German WDR Big Band. Gilkes is an artist for Edwards Instruments.

Stephen GoslingPianist Stephen Gosling is a soloist and chamber musician with a focus on contemporarymusic. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at The Juilliard School,where he was awarded the Mennin Prize and Sony Elevated Standards Fellowship. He is amember of New York New Music Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, Orchestra of the League ofComposers, Perspectives Ensemble, and Ne(x)tworks, and has appeared as guest artist withThe Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orpheus, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, St. PaulChamber Orchestra, eighth blackbird, American Composers Orchestra, and ChamberOrchestra of Europe, among others.

Gosling has collaborated with composers, including Pierre Boulez, Elliott Carter, BrianFerneyhough, Jorge Villavicencio Grossman, Oliver Knussen, John Psathas, Steve Reich,Poul Ruders, Charles Wuorinen, and John Zorn, with whom he has performed worldwideover the past two seasons and released several recent recordings (including the 2015Pulitzer Prize-nominated Hexentarot).

Sae HashimotoSae Hashimoto is a percussionist based in New York City who is a passionate advocate forcontemporary music. She has served as guest timpanist with the New York Philharmonic

and has performed off-stage at the Metropolitan Opera. She is currently the principaltimpanist of the New Jersey-based orchestra Symphony in C.

In 2014, she gave the world premiere of Robin de Raaff’s Percussion Concerto. In April2017, she premiered two works by John Zorn for solo vibraphone and improvised rhythmsection. Her performance of these pieces is featured on The Interpretation of Dreams,released by Tzadik.

Hashimoto received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, with thesupport of the Kovner Fellowship. As part of her fellowship with Ensemble Connect, sheteaches at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Manhattan.

JACK QuartetDeemed "superheroes of the new music world" (Boston Globe), the JACK Quartet is anonprofit organization dedicated to the performance, commissioning, and spread of newstring quartet music. Comprising violinists Christopher Otto and Austin Wulliman, violistJohn Pickford Richards, and cellist Jay Campbell, JACK has collaborated with composersJohn Luther Adams, Chaya Czernowin, Simon Steen-Andersen, Caroline Shaw, HelmutLachenmann, Steve Reich, Matthias Pintscher, and John Zorn. Upcoming and recentpremieres include works by Derek Bermel, Cenk Ergün, Roger Reynolds, Toby Twining,and Georg Friedrich Haas. The recipient of Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, New Music USA's TrailblazerAward, and the CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, JACK has performedto critical acclaim at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Miller Theatre at Columbia University,Wigmore Hall (U.K.), Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (Netherlands), IRCAM (France), KölnerPhilharmonie (Germany), the Lucerne Festival (Switzerland), La Biennale di Venezia(Italy), Suntory Hall (Japan), Bali Arts Festival (Indonesia), Festival InternacionalCervatino (Mexico), and Teatro Colón (Argentina).

Tara Helen O'ConnorTara Helen O'Connor is a charismatic performer noted for her artistic depth, brillianttechnique, and colorful tone spanning every musical era. A much sought-after chambermusician and soloist, she has collaborated with the Orion String Quartet, St. LawrenceQuartet, the Emerson Quartet, Jaime Laredo, Dawn Upshaw, Eliot Fisk, Jeremy Denk, IdaKavafian, Peter Serkin, and David Shifrin. O’Connor is a Season Artist of the ChamberMusic Society of Lincoln Center. She is also a member of the woodwind quintet Windscape,

the legendary Bach Aria Group, and is a founding member of the Naumburg Award-winning New Millennium Ensemble.

O’Connor is Associate Professor of Flute, Head of the Woodwinds Department, andCoordinator of Classical Music Studies at Purchase College School of the Arts Conservatoryof Music. She is also on the faculty of Bard College Conservatory of Music and theContemporary Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music, and is a visiting artist,teacher, and coach at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Tyshawn SoreyNewark-born multi-instrumentalist and composer Tyshawn Sorey is celebrated for hisincomparable virtuosity, effortless mastery and memorization of highly complex scores,and an extraordinary ability to blend composition and improvisation in his work. He hasperformed nationally and internationally with his own ensembles, as well as artists such asJohn Zorn, Vijay Iyer, Roscoe Mitchell, Muhal Richard Abrams, Wadada Leo Smith,Marilyn Crispell, George Lewis, Claire Chase, Steve Coleman, Steve Lehman, RobynSchulkowsky, Evan Parker, Anthony Braxton, and Myra Melford, among many others.

Sorey has received support for his creative projects from The Jerome Foundation, TheShifting Foundation, and Van Lier Fellowshi and was a 2015 recipient of the Doris DukeImpact Award. The Spektral Quartet, Ojai Music Festival, and ICE have commissioned hisworks. As a percussionist and resident composer, he collaborates regularly with ICE. As aleader, he has released six critically acclaimed recordings that feature his work, includinghis latest Verisimilitude (Pi Recordings, 2017).

Sorey received his Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition in 2017 from ColumbiaUniversity. He is currently Assistant Professor of Composition and Creative Music atWesleyan University, where he received his Masters in Composition in 2011.

David TaylorDavid Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree from The JuilliardSchool of Music and began his career with Leopold Stokowski’s American SymphonyOrchestra. He records solo albums, presents numerous recitals throughout the world, andhas performed on numerous Grammy Award-winning CDs. Taylor has won the NationalAcademy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) Most Valuable Player Virtuoso awardfor five consecutive years. He currently teaches at Manhattan School of Music and MannesCollege and is an artist clinician for Edwards Trombones.

Upcoming Concerts in Miller Theatre'sComposer Portraits Series

Single tickets: $20-$30Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street)

Thursday, March 28, 2019, 8 p.m.TYSHAWN SOREY

Thursday, April 18, 2019, 8 p.m.DAVID T. LITTLE

Miller Theatremillertheatre.com

Now in its 30th Anniversary season, Miller Theatre at Columbia University is the leadingpresenter of new music in New York City and one of the most vital forces nationwide forinnovative programming. In partnership with Columbia University School of the Arts,Miller is dedicated to producing and presenting unique events, with a focus oncontemporary and early music, jazz, opera, and multimedia performances. Founded in1988, Miller Theatre has helped launch the careers of myriad composers and ensemblesover the years, serving as an incubator for emerging artists and a champion of those not yetwell known in the United States. A four-time recipient of the ASCAP/Chamber MusicAmerica Award for Adventurous Programming, Miller Theatre continues to meet the highexpectations set forth by its founders—to present innovative programs, support thedevelopment of new work, and connect creative artists with adventurous audiences.

Major support for Miller Theatre’s 2018-19 Season is provided by the

New York State Council on the Arts with the support of

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature

Columbia University’s Miller Theatre is located north of the Main Campus Gateat 116th St. & Broadway on the ground floor of Dodge Hall.

Directions and information are available online at millertheatre.comor via the Miller Theatre Box Office at 212.854.7799.

For photos, please contact Lauren Bailey, 212/854-1633; lrb2113@columbia.edu.

For further information, press tickets, photos, and to arrange interviews,please contact Aleba & Co. at 212/206-1450 or aleba@alebaco.com.

Copyright © 2019 Aleba & Co., All rights reserved.

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