Past Events

ISSUE Project Room presents a rare live performance with Klyd and Linda Watkins, co-founders of Poetry Out Loud-- a series of ten LPs released between 1969 and 1977 as a sort of “magazine of oral poetry.” Joined special guests Tom Carter, Keith Connolly, Dave Nuss and Messages.

"Pastor Pasture" is a revolving expanse of glory and shame.  Through research into aural and visceral structures, this work harnesses the performers in all its queerness–as soft, ecstatic, plural, unknown and full of desire. 

In this evening dedicated to Cecil Taylor’s mastery and influence, virtuoso pianist Thollem McDonas will perform solo and with bass clarinetist Arrington de Dionyso, followed by a set from the thunderous percussionist and powerhouse bandleader William Hooker, joined by Mark Hennen, Larry Roland and Matt Lavelle.

Legendary pianist and poet Cecil Taylor is one of the greatest improvisers in the history of modern jazz. A Brooklynite for thirty years now, Cecil Taylor performs a spellbinding solo evening in his “back yard” at ISSUE Project Room’s unique new historic Downtown Brooklyn theater.

"Histories" is a new collaborative evening-length work by Sleeping Giant, a companion piece to L’Histoire du Soldat that examines and contrasts our personal histories with Stravinsky’s seminal 1924 work.

John Butcher will perform his new work "The Geometry of Sentiment," a set of new pieces for acoustic and amplified saxophone developed for the distinctive acoustic space of ISSUE Project Room's new theater. Joined by Twistycat, the bass woodwinds brainchild of Ed Bear and Lea Bertucci.

The first night of Susan Alcorns residency will include new arrangements of Astor Piazzolla songs performed with Ryan Sawyer, Steve Swell, Darius Jones, Michael Formanek, Maria Chavez and Country Western Improv group with Skulí Sverrison, Ryan Sawyer, C Spencer Yeh, Beverly Keys, and Patrick Holmes.

Susan Alcorn (+)1 (-)1 will feature a solo improvised performance by Alcorn followed by (Minus)One, ensemble curated by Janel Leppin, performing Alcorn’s compositions featuring Janel Leppin with Eyvind Kang, Jessika Kenney, Doug Wieselman, Anthony Pirog and Skulí Sverrisson.

Darmstadt celebrates Pauline Oliveros’ 80th birthday with a program celebrating Oliveros’s diverse body of work and a handful of her valued collaborators, including Swiss pianist Anmari Mëtsa Yabi Wili, Jason Hwang, Alex Waterman, Fast Forward, Jim Alteri, and Miguel Frasconi.

Mivos Quartet and Wet Ink Ensemble present their first joint concert, featuring works by Wet Ink composers Sam Pluta, Alex Mincek, and Kate Soper. In addition to the music for quartet, Kate Soper and Joshua Modney will perform Soper's duo for voice and violin, Cipher.

In Camera, the surreal and psychedelic electronic music duo project of Christoph Heemann (of seminal experimental band H.N.A.S.) and Timo van Luijk produce an immersive cinematic and narrative sonic environment. Joined by Andrew Peckler and VioSac.

The composer-percussionist Eli Keszler transforms Eyebeamʼs Project Space with L-Carrier, a large-scale,mechanical stringed instrument. A remote website displaying the pieceʼs evolving visual data score supplements this audio environment. June 7th, the piece accompanies a live ensemble performance.