Ecce Arts Presents The ETCHINGS FESTIVAL 2023, June 26 – July 2

Contemporary new music ensemble Ecce will host its annual music festival Etchings from Monday, June 26 – Sunday, July 2, 2023 in New York City, culminating in a weekend of public celebrations and concerts. On Friday, June 30 at 7:00pm, there will be a Fellows and Guest Reception at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music (Benzaquen Hall). Those planning to attend should RSVP by Wednesday, June 28 through eccearts.com.

A Festival Concert will follow on Saturday, July 1 at 7:00pm, also at The DiMenna Center's Benzaquen Hall. On Sunday, July 2 at 6:00pm, Ecce will host an additional concert at the Northampton Center for the Arts in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

Concert highlights will include the premiere of a newly commissioned work by David Sanford – the festival's featured guest composer – and the U.S. premieres of works by three emerging French female composers: Raphaele Biston, Sanae Ishida, and Sophie Lacaze. All events are free of charge, thanks to a grant from the French American Cultural Exchange, the festival's sponsor.

During the week, a series of private lessons, masterclasses, and workshops will be offered to this year's Etchings composing fellows, selected through an application process earlier this spring. Sessions will be led by Sanford and by Ecce members John Aylward, Hassan Anderson, and the ensemble at large. Works by Etchings fellows will also be performed during the festival's public concerts. 

“While every summer brings palpable excitement, John and I could not be more delighted to hold this year's Etchings Festival in the heart of New York City,” Anderson said. “We look forward to bringing together all the superb players of the Ecce Ensemble and deepening our relationship with this year's featured composer David Sanford. 

“With support from FACE Foundation (French American Cultural Exchange in Education and the Arts), Ecce will give the U.S. premiere of three works by today's leading emerging French female composers. With a deep commitment to education, the week's activities will include several talks, presentations, and masterclasses, all free and open to the public.” 

Along with the newly commissioned work by Sanford, Etchings concert programs will include performances of Biston's work Vanishing Lines, Ishida's composition Quatre feuilles et un branche and Lacaze's work Histoire sans paroles, all U.S. premieres. Other selections include Postlude à l'épais by Philippe Leroux and Echo/Voice by Noriko Miura. 

Since 2009, Etchings has been a leading music festival academy for emerging composers, drawing praise as “the ideal situation for composers” (conductor Jean Philippe Wurtz). Composer Martin Brody has called Ecce “one of America's finest groups for new music,” while composer Matthew Sandahl said of the Etchings festival: “I really do think this is how we build musical communities.” Past festivals have hosted such guest composers as Kaija Saariaho, Georg Friedrich Haas, Francesco Filidei, Lee Hyla, Philippe Hurel, David Rakowski, Franck Bedrossian, Martin Brody, Stefano Gervasoni and Philippe Leroux, among many others. 

Program Information 

Etchings Festival 2023 

Monday, June 26 – Sunday, July 2, 2023 

Link: www.eccearts.com/the-etchings-festival-1/etchings2023 

Public Events: 

Fellows and Guest Reception 

Friday, June 30, 2023 at 7:00pm 

The DiMenna Center for Classical Music (Benzaquen Hall) | New York, NY 

Admission: Free 

RSVP: www.eccearts.com/the-etchings-festival-1/etchings2023 

Festival Concert 

Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 7:00pm 

The DiMenna Center for Classical Music (Benzaquen Hall) | New York, NY 

Admission: Free 

Festival Concert 

Sunday, July 2, 2023 at 6:00pm 

Northampton Center for the Arts | Northampton, MA 

Admission: Free 

Program: 

Raphaele Biston: Vanishing Lines [U.S. Premiere] 

Sanae Ishida: Quatre feuilles et un branche [U.S. Premiere] 

Sophie Lacaze: Histoire sans paroles [U.S. Premiere] 

Philippe Leroux: Postlude à l'épais 

David Sanford: New Work [World Premiere] 

Noriko Miura: Echo/Voice 

Ecce is a contemporary new music and performance art ensemble, currently consisting of John Aylward, composer and cofounder; Emi Ferguson, flutes; Barret Ham, clarinets; Hassan Anderson, oboe; Natalie Boberg, violin; Robbie Bui, cello and Geoffrey Burleson, piano. Unconstrained by traditional boundaries in classical music, Ecce creates new and original interactions with music by performing in often unconventional environments. Known for supporting the work of emerging composers, especially through its annual Etchings festival, Ecce has cultivated a worldwide community through in-person performances, educational endeavors, and a wealth of video and multimedia resources. Learn more at www.eccearts.com.