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Thursday, June 1, 2023
7:30 PM
San Diego New Music presents a theatrical program of song, poetry, and dance, curated by somatic composer, and performer Jasper Sussman.
In Strength Upon My Tongue, a small cast of artists present a theatrical interweaving of song, poetry, and dance. Art songs such as Ives’ “The Cage” and Copland’s “Poet’s Song” are contextually reimagined, dramatically sung beside freeform 21st century works like Lacy’s “The Sicilian Mafia” and Sussman’s “G3 sequence: a singing meditation.” Each piece intentionally draws upon the last, narratively exploring points of experience along a path of grief and eventual acceptance. In dedication to her late mother, composer-performer Jasper Sussman conceived of this program as a form of performative catharsis. She hopes it will provide some healing to listeners in need.
Program to be selected from:
Pub I & II, by Georges Aperghis
Poet’s Song, by Aaron Copland
I Sang, from Moonsongs, by Michael Ippolito
The Cage, by Charles Ives
In Summer Fields, by Charles Ives
The Sicilian Mafia, by Lil Lacy
Gotham Lullaby, by Meredith Monk
The Tale, by Meredith Monk
Get Up, by Tanner Porter
A Clear Midnight, by Jasper Sussman
Etude I, by Jasper Sussman
G3 sequence: a singing meditation, by Jasper Sussman
The Wisdom of Emily, by Jasper Sussman
Jasper Sussman, voice
Kyle Adam Blair, piano
Anna Brown Massey, choreography and dance
Kathryn Schulmeister, double bass
Miguel Zazueta, voice
Jasper Sussman (b. Sept 17, 1989) is a collaborative composer, performer, improviser, and scholar pursuing her Ph.D. in Music at the University of California, San Diego. Her current work involves discovering, archiving, mastering and composing for the myriads of expressive capabilities that the human voice possesses, and understanding these sounds musically, culturally, and anatomically. Inspired by encounters with artists Cathy Berberian, Sainkho Namtchylak, Meredith Monk, Theo Bleckmann, Bobby McFerrin, Tanya Tagaq, Ken Ueno, Paul Botelho, FKA Twigs, and Alice Babs, Jasper has spent much of the last five years exploring raw and vulnerable vocal timbres.
About San Diego New Music:
San Diego New Music is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the public performance of notated music of the highest integrity and artistic caliber from the 20th and 21st centuries. We seek to advance the art form by promoting music composed with conceptual rigor, passionate energy and singular artistic vision. SDNM enriches the artistic culture of San Diego through the presentation of an annual concert series and the soundON Festival of Modern Music, and through fostering its resident performing ensemble, NOISE.
In 1994, the only place in San Diego where you could hear an entire concert of 20th-century music was on a college campus. San Diego New Music pitched the idea of a concert series devoted to modern music and 20th-century classics at the Athenaeum. The concerts of modern music perfectly complement the exhibitions of modern art held in the Athenaeum’s galleries. In 1996, San Diego New Music presented its first season. The series was called "Noise at the Library," and the ensemble would later adopt the name, as well.
San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum have been happily co-presenting concerts of new music ever since.
For more information on the organization go to www.sandiegonewmusic.com.
The concert will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for this event. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. This event will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.
Masks optional. If you have a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms, please stay home.