Rochester’s acclaimed music chamber ensemble fivebyfive recently unveiled its 2023-2024 season. The theme for this year’s round of programming is “Dichotomies” and is aimed at pushing artistic boundaries. As part of “Dichotomies” the ensemble will be releasing an album, holding collaborative concerts, hosting discussions, and much more.
Created in 2015, fivebyfive has earned a reputation for its ambitious performances and creative programming. The outfit is devoted to commissioning, developing, and performing the works of living artists. Boasting an incredible roster of musicians, fivebyfive takes pride in trying to highlight underrepresented and overlooked creators in the field. “Dichotomy” serves as another impressive artistic challenge for the ensemble. In honor of the theme, the group has curated an extraordinary lineup of visual and auditory experiences based on juxtaposition and contrast.
Fivebyfive is comprised of world-class artists, including Laura Lentz (Artistic Director & flute), Marcy Bacon (clarinet), Ken Luk (electric guitar), Eric Polenik (bass), Haeyeun Jeun (piano) and Marc Webster (Executive Director & audio/video engineer).
The upcoming season is designed to captivate and engage audiences through a range of complex feelings from primordial expression to celestial wonderment. We cannot wait to share these transformative musical experiences with the world.
Laura Lentz
Release of fivebyfive’s Third Album
“breath & fire”
Release date: Oct. 15, 2023
The project is inspired by the explosive and intense nature of fire balanced with the steady and tranquil essence of breath. Pieces on the album strongly invoke stillness or motion, and the recording process of matching spaces to the mood or pace in the music seeks to further draw out these energies as you listen.
1. Dreadlocked: Marc Mellits (6:58)
2. Öldurót: Ólafur Arnalds (4:40)
3. Pale as Centuries: Sarah Kirkland Snider (6:14)
4. Lead Me Home: Brittany J. Green (5:56)
5. Heavy: Evan Williams (9:42)
6. Dreams of Glass and Water: Kari Telstad Sundet (6:56)
7. …of breath and fire: Amy Nam (10:57)
8. Tamboreño: Miguel del Aguila (7:10)
Concerts with Pegasus Early Music/NYSBaroque
“Old & New: Reflections of Sephardic Music”
Oct. 21, 2023 (Syracuse) and Oct. 22, 2023 (Rochester).
Musicians from Pegasus Early Music/NYS Baroque and fivebyfive will perform back-to-back concerts in Syracuse and Rochester. The concerts will feature both traditional and newly arranged versions of Sephardic music. Based in Jewish culture from medieval Spain and Portugal, the traditional performance will include instruments such as the lute, recorder, duduk, shawm, harp, and percussion. The new renditions will be performed in chamber style by fivebyfive featuring flute, clarinet, bass, piano and electric guitar. Additionally, artist Lynne Feldman will display several tapestries depicting Jewish life and discuss Judaic art.
Concert Featuring Medieval and Renaissance-Inspired Music
“Reflections: Music of Then & Now”
Nov. 15, 2023.
As part of a Jewish Music Series, fivebyfive will travel to Buffalo to present a program that reflects back in time to explore medieval and renaissance-inspired music. The performances will also incorporate other pieces that connect us to this present moment. This concert will feature Sephardic music, pieces from the Of and Between album, and Pale as Centuries, composed by Sarah Kirkland Snider.
Meet the Composer: Special Public Discussion with Roberto Sierra
Zoom presentation: Nov. 19, 2023
Grammy-nominated and Latin Grammy winning composer Roberto Sierra will be part of an online Zoom discussion. Through a grant provided by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), fivebyfive commissioned Sierra to create a new work for the ensemble. In Sonidos de Tlön, Sierra explores the dichotomy of fantasy vs. reality using inspiration from 20th-century Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges. During the 2024-2025 season, fivebyfive will showcase his piece in a concert of music and poetry from Latin America.
Multimedia Presentation with Eclipse-Inspired Music and Immersive Video
“Light & Dark: Eclipse Music”
Jan. 20, 2024 & Jan. 21, 2024.
To celebrate the 2024 total solar eclipse, fivebyfive has created a multi-media concert experience with original music by five composers. Jessica Meyer, Marc Mellits, Glenn McClure, Julie Herndon, and Kamala Sankaram were all invited to create work for the celebration. The Strasenburgh Planetarium at the Rochester Museum and Science Center will also present an immersive to go along with the event. The program combines art, science, music, and audience engagement activities to mark this unforgettable event.
Fivebyfive visits Minnesota’s Carleton College in 3-day Residency
In February of 2024, fivebyfive will travel to Carleton College in Minnesota for a three-day residency. The ensemble will present a concert, lead a reading session of student works, and participate in several workshops.. Composition professor and frequent fivebyfive collaborator, Andrea Mazzariello has previously produced works for fivebyfive including Of and Between which was featured on Performance Today several times.
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