Past Events

An opera scene by Paul Pinto features renowned vocalist Joan La Barbara as the posthumous spirit of Thomas Paine. Gelsey Bell’s "Weight", written for Ne(x)tworks and ISSUE's theater, receives its world premiere. Miguel Frasconi’s "Sun Studies", interprets The Cantilever Rainbow, a poetic and visual text from 1965.

Our two-night spotlight on the Kye record label closes with a solo performance by improvising violinist Malcolm Goldstein, and Kye label-head Graham Lambkin duo with James Rushford. Lambkin also presents a tape piece by Henning Christiansen, a Danish composer and an active member of the Fluxus-movement.

Piano/percussion quartet Yarn/Wire premiere a new piece by German experimentalist Marcus Schmickler, a microtonal score for keyboards and mallets, juxtaposing fixed pitch with pitch continua. Schmickler also presents a new eight-channel electronics work, tracing parallels between linguistics and sound.

PRE-SALE SOLD OUT, limited door tickets! Artist-in-Residence Raúl De Nieves & Colin Self premiere their new chamber opera, "The Fool." A four-act work for chorus and string-ensemble, "The Fool" is a mystical and allegorical journey performed by a group of friends on a quest to unite themselves one with the other.

One of the most finely tuned ears in music, Berlin's Rashad Becker uses real-time synthesis and sampling techniques, setting intricate sonic worlds into motion. Percussionist/composer and fellow PAN artist Eli Keszler debuts a new trio work featuring Tom Chiu, violin, and Leila Bordreuil, cello.

Composer Madalyn Merkey creates a new site-specific work for ISSUE's theater, combining live synthetic sound and acoustic violin to create inner-ear occurrences. Battle Trance perform their album-length work Palace of Wind, a stunning composition for four tenor saxophonists. ISSUE Member party precedes the show at 7pm.

All tickets are SOLD OUT! ISSUE is pleased to welcome back rock icon Kim Gordon performing in a special first-time duo with the legendary Brooklyn-based guitarist Loren Connors. Electro-rocker Gary War, recently residing in New Zealand, opens the night.

Originally commissioned as a 5-minute piece, over 20 years, "12 Stations" evolved into a challenging 6 1/2 hour epic; a deep, spiritual journey that is considered a central work of Rózmann’s oeuvre. Thematically the work draws on the Tibetan Wheel of Life, and reflects Rózmann's deep interest in Tibetan Buddhism.

Swedish Energies returns to ISSUE with a massive bill including sound artist Jenny Sunesson, saxophonist Christine Abdelnour duo with Joachim Nordwall (The Skull Defekts), Daniel Rozenhall collaboration with designer Sten Backman, Frederikke Hoffmeier (aka Puce Mary), and the notorious Carl Michael von Hausswolff.

Swedish Energies closes at ISSUE with raw synthesis & video by Maria w Horn, Stephen O’Malley, doom-metal legend of Sunn O)))) fame, solo, Kristina Matousch exploring themes of digestion and eroticism, Leif Elggren & Kent Tankred as The Sons of God, and Ellen Arkbro, who draws on minimalism and just intonation.

A benefit for ISSUE, acclaimed electronics duo Matmos perform scenes from Robert Ashley's groundbreaking television-opera "Perfect Lives", with opening performance by HARIBO. They present the first and final acts, “The Park”, featuring string ensemble, and “The Backyard”, both accompanied by new video work.

Raúl De Nieves presents DE FEET N JOY a pop-up “shoe store” and sculptural installation transforming the lobby of our 22 Boerum Place theater, on weekdays Dec 10-19. Derived from, and often worn in the artist’s performances, the objects present new ideas on the practicality of sculpture and installation.