Legendary composer Philip Glass, both controversial and ever-present, has captured the American public perhaps more than any living composer. For his operas, symphonies, compositions for his own ensemble, and wide-ranging collaborations Glass has had an unprecedented impact upon the musical and intellectual life of his times.
For three intimate evenings, Philip Glass comes to ISSUE Project Room, New York's City's only European Chamber Music Hall. His only performance in Brooklyn this year, "Philip Glass: Music With Friends" is a rare occasion featuring performances with friends, collaborators, and artists presented by ISSUE. Less than 200 seats are available for each performance.
This first evening of the three day festival includes a special presentation of Nate Wooley’s seven part 7 Storey Mountain, taking off from volume 3. Performed last year at ISSUE Project Room's Can Factory space, the work is made in miniature, and combines amplified and acoustic properties with an ever evolving tape component. This version, ostensibly volume 3.5, takes the ecstatic nature of the original and draws it out to create a feeling of stasis in religious fervor.
Antoine Silverman, violin soloist in the current touring production of Einstein on the Beach will perform "Knees Play 4," an excerpt from Glass' beloved opera. The evening is rounded out with a solo performance by Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, and closes with a duo performance by Glass and Merritt.
Nate Wooley -trumpet and amplifier
David Grubbs-guitar
C. Spencer Yeh-violin
Chris Corsano-drums
Ben Hall-drums
Matt Moran-vibraphone
Harris Eisenstadt-vibraphone
Nate Wooley was raised in Clatskanie, Oregon, a small fishing and lumber town on the Columbia River. He began playing trumpet professionally with his father at age 12. After college in Eugene, Oregon and Denver, Colorado he moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, where he currently resides. Since 2001 he has become a much sought after performer, composer, and improviser, working with Anthony Braxton, Evan Parker, John Zorn, Christian Marclay, C. Spencer Yeh, and David Grubbs , among others. His trumpet playing has been called “exquisitely hostile” by Italy’s Touching Extremes Magazine, and his solo performances and recordings have been numbered amongst a privileged handful that have helped to shape a new approach to the instrument.
Stephin Merritt releases albums under the band names the Magnetic Fields, the 6ths, the Gothic Archies, and Future Bible Heroes. Merritt has written and recorded ten Magnetic Fields albums, including his popular 1999 album, 69 Love Songs. The song "The Book of Love," was covered by Peter Gabriel and has become an unlikely wedding favorite. Merritt composed original music and lyrics for several music theater pieces, including an off-Broadway stage musical of Neil Gaiman's novel Coraline, for which he received an Obie Award. Merritt scored the academy award nominated film "Pieces of April" (dir. Peter Hedges). In 2012, the Magnetic Fields released a new album, Love at the Bottom of the Sea, on Merge Records, and toured throughout the US, Canada and Europe.
Antoine Silverman has recorded, soloed, and arranged music for legends such as Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks, Moby, Steve Tyrell, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Peter Murphy, Ben Folds, Dixie Chicks, Sheryl Crow, Lou Reed, Audra McDonald, Lenny Kravitz and countless others. He has soloed with the Boston Pops. He plays regularly with the New York City Ballet and Westchester Philharmonic, and is concertmaster and music coordinator of the Broadway show "Spider-Man". Antoine is currently the violin soloist (the titular role of Einstein) for the international tour of Philip Glass's opera "Einstein on the Beach."
