Miller Theatre Announces A Full, Premiere-Filled 2022-23 Season Of Modern Music, Jazz, And Early Music

The ever-adventurous Miller Theatre presents a full season of in-person programming for the first time since before the pandemic. Executive Director Melissa Smey, lauded for the integrity of her curating, has produced an invigorating season featuring four classic Miller series: Composer Portraits, Early Music, Bach, and Jazz.

"There are few series as satisfying as the Miller Theatre's signature dives into one composer," states The New York Times about Composer Portraits. This season's lineup features five distinct voices from around the world, whose music deserves to be heard more in the city. The ensembles-all blue-chip new-music champions that call Miller home, a place where they can put on ambitious dream concerts-have close ties to the composers they delve into. JACK Quartet premieres a new work by Australian ecologically minded composer Liza Lim, and JACK together with Yarn/Wire will premiere a work by the Norwegian genre-pushing composer Øyvind Torvund; Ensemble Signal showcases two massive works by Italian composer Luca Francesconi; International Contemporary Ensemble plays the music of visceral composer and ondes Martenot player Suzanne Farrin and visionary flutist and composer Nicole Mitchell.

In addition to its robust new music programming, Miller is also home to world-class Early Music and Bach concerts. This year, Early Music surveys a variety of Renaissance composers, from extraordinary English composer William Byrd to influential composers Josquin Desprez and Claudio Monteverdi, presented by preeminent ensembles like Tallis Scholars and Stile Antico. Brilliant pianist Simone Dinnerstein returns for three Bach concerts that survey his cantatas, gamba sonatas, and keyboard concertos. Jazz is also a passion of Smey, and this year's line-up is stellar: Luciana Souza and Vince Mendoza, Vijay Iyer Trio, and Sean Jones Quartet.

Two favorite community programs return in person for the first time since the pandemic: Morningside Lights, which unites the people of Morningside Heights for an eerily beautiful illuminated outdoor procession featuring dozens of handmade lanterns that they build during free workshops; and spontaneous Pop-Up Concerts, which seats the public on the stage for bracing new music, inches from the musicians. Finally, spring will see the third season of Miller's expertly produced podcast Mission: Commission, in which listeners get a rare peek into the minds of composers as they create brand new works under a six-week deadline. (Listen here).

The 2022-23 Season
COMPOSER PORTRAITS

www.millertheatre.com/event-series/composer-portraits
Each composer to attend their Portrait and engage in an onstage conversation

Single tickets from $20
Series tickets from $80 for all five concerts, or from $48 for three concerts

The influential Composer Portraits are deep dive immersions into a single living composer's work, and have been hailed as "utterly indispensable," "essential," "endlessly important," and "invaluable" repeatedly by The New York Times and The New Yorker, among others. The popularity of this series proves that people like a challenge and trust Miller Theatre to deliver concerts that are always satisfying and thought-provoking.

For over twenty years, Miller Theatre's flagship series has fostered the creation of myriad new works, served as an incubator for emerging artists and a champion of those not yet well known, and created a community of adventurous listeners. The commissioned photos below were taken over the past few months and are exclusive to Miller Theatre (unless otherwise noted).


Thursday, September 29, 2022, 8:00pm

Liza Lim (b. 1966)

A new, co-commissioned work-scheduled to be heard in concert halls on three continents this year-opens Miller's season. Liza Lim is "one of Australia's most important cultural exports" (Limelight Magazine), whose music encompasses ideas of beauty, ecological connection, and ritual transformation. The talented and dauntless JACK Quartet perform the U.S. premiere of String Creatures, alongside a piece for solo cello, prepared with a violin and a length of thread.

Jay Campbell, cello
JACK Quartet

PROGRAM

String Creatures (2022) for JACK Quartet, U.S. premiere
Co-commissioned by Miller Theatre, Lucerne Festival, and Melbourne Recital Centre
an ocean beyond earth (2016) for solo cello, prepared with violin and thread

Thursday, November 3, 2022, 8:00pm

Luca Francesconi (b. 1956)

The adventurous Ensemble Signal returns to perform two important premieres by Italian composer Luca Francesconi, whose "music is the result of a fearless creative voraciousness" (The Guardian) and who studied with Stockhausen and Berio. His Portrait-long overdue from two separate postponements over the course of the pandemic-features a pair of works, including the New York premiere of Trauma Etudes-a large-scale, powerful piece that reflects on the human experience of trauma in a modern world.

Ensemble Signal
Brad Lubman, conductor

PROGRAM

Trauma Etudes (2018) New York premiere
Unexpected End of Formula (2008) U.S. premiere

Presented with the friendly support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

Thursday, February 2, 2023, 8:00pm

Suzanne Farrin (b. 1976)

Winner of the Rome Prize and a Guggenheim Fellow, Suzanne Farrin explores the interior worlds of instruments and the visceral potentialities of sound in her music. This Portrait highlights another facet of her artistic practice, as an accomplished performer of the early electronic music instrument ondes Martenot. International Contemporary Ensemble delves into a program of her atmospheric work, including the world premiere of Their Hearts are Columns and selections from Dolce la morte, an opera based on the love poetry of Michelangelo.

Suzanne Farrin, ondes Martenot
International Contemporary Ensemble

PROGRAM

Their Hearts are Columns (2020) world premiere for soprano, harp,
ondes Martenot, percussion, and double bass
dolce la morte: unico spirto, come serpe, veggio, l'onde della non vostra, rendete (2016) for countertenor and ensemble
Suono (2016) for harp and soprano
corpo di terra (2009) for cello
polvere et ombra (2008) for harp
Time is a Cage (2007) for violin

Thursday, March 2, 2023, 8:00pm

Øyvind Torvund (b. 1976)

Norwegian composer Øyvind Torvund relies on his classical compositional training as much as his background as a guitarist in rock and improvising groups in his work. His music is simultaneously quirky, serious, frenetic, and shimmering, and reveals an expansive sonic language, incredible orchestration, and the juxtaposition of the expected and unexpected. An all-star cast of new music artists join together to perform a program of recent works including two premieres.

Laura Cocks, flute
Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet
Giacomo Baldelli, guitar
JACK Quartet
Yarn/Wire

PROGRAM

New work (2023) world premiere for Yarn/Wire and JACK Quartet
Plans for Future Ensemble Pieces (2020, rev 2023) world premiere version for flute, clarinet, electric guitar, 2 keyboards, 2 percussion, and string quartet
Untitled School/Mud Jam/Campfire Tunes (2014) for piano/percussion quartet, projected images, and electronic sound

Thursday, March 30, 2023, 8:00pm

Nicole Mitchell (b. 1967)

Photo by Kristi Sutton Elias
LISTEN

The artistry of Nicole Mitchell is wide-ranging-a virtuosic flutist, acclaimed bandleader, noted educator, and the first woman president of Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). An award-winning composer, her music defies classification and celebrates contemporary African American culture. International Contemporary Ensemble performs a selection of her work from the past decade, featuring the composer as flutist.

Lisa E. Harris, voice
Nicole Mitchell, flute
International Contemporary Ensemble

PROGRAM

Transitions Beyond (2021) for soprano, flute, violin, clarinet, and cello
Inescapable Spiral (2017, rev. 2020)
Whispering Flame (2017) co-composed by Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris
Procession Time (2017)
Building Stuff (2015)

JAZZ

www.millertheatre.com/event-series/jazz

Single tickets from $20
Series tickets from $60 for three concerts

Saturday, October 15, 2022, 8:00pm

Luciana Souza and Vince Mendoza
Storytellers with All-Star Big Band

Left: Luciana Souza, photo by Kim Fox
Right: Vince Mendoza, photo by Pamela Fong
Brazilian-born Luciana Souza is one of the most important singers of her generation, and "her voice traces a landscape of emotion that knows no boundaries" (Entertainment Weekly). She joins forces with Vince Mendoza-one of the most versatile composer/arranger/conductors of the last two decades-for Storytellers, an extraordinary collaboration featuring beloved songs by Brazilian composers such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Chico Pinheiro, Guinga, and Gilberto Gil, performed with a big band of extraordinary musicians. These two Grammy Award-winning artists released the album Storytellers in 2020 (Sunnyside).

Luciana Souza, vocals
Vince Mendoza, conductor and arranger

Saturday, February 4, 2023, 8:00pm

Vijay Iyer Trio

L-R: Linda May Han Oh, Vijay Iyer, Tyshawn Sorey, photo by Craig Marsden
One of the leading music makers of his generation, composer/pianist Vijay Iyer returns to Miller with his acclaimed trio featuring the spellbinding bassist Linda May Han Oh and the formidable musician Tyshawn Sorey on drums. Considered "the great new jazz piano trio" (The New York Times), the ensemble makes emotionally resonant music that is rooted in tradition, yet truly innovative.

Vijay Iyer, piano
Linda May Han Oh, bass
Tyshawn Sorey, drums

Saturday, March 4, 2023, 8:00pm

Sean Jones Quartet

Photo by Jimmy Katz
The internationally acclaimed trumpeter Sean Jones "combines artistry and virtuosity, with a sound reminiscent of vintage Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan yet completely modern" (Jazz Times). The former lead trumpeter of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jones is a musical chameleon, adept in all styles and genres. He brings his quartet to the stage for his Miller debut.

EARLY MUSIC

millertheatre.com/event-series/early-music

Single tickets from $30
Series tickets from $128 for all five concerts
All concerts will take place at Church of St. Mary the Virgin
Concerts will be approximately 75 minutes and performed without intermission

Saturday, October 22, 2022, 8:00pm

Vox Luminis
Sacred Monteverdi

Photo by Tom Blaton
Belgian ensemble Vox Luminis performs a program of emotive sacred works by Claudio Monteverdi, specifically selections from his Selva Morale e Spirituale (Moral and Spiritual Forest). The chamber ensemble (10 singers plus strings, harp, and organ) expertly navigates the liturgical works from this unique and complex anthology, featuring a variety of genres from motets to masses.

PROGRAM
Claudio Monteverdi

O bone Jesu
Selections from Selva morale e spirituale
(1640-41):
Gloria in excelsis Deo, 'concertata' SV258
Dixit Dominus II, 'concertato' SV263
Beatus vir SV268
Adoramus te Christe SV289
Crucifixus, 'concertato' SV259
Laetaniae della Beata Vergine SV204
Confitebor tibi Domine III, 'stile alla franzese' SV267
Magnificat I SV281

Saturday, November 19, 2022, 8:00pm

Orlando Consort
1521: Josquin's World
At the time of his death, just over 500 years ago, Josquin Desprez was the greatest and most influential composer the western world had yet seen. For this program, the Orlando Consort presents a magical sequence of music that reflects on the composer and his world, putting a spotlight on the personalities and events that capture the spirit and dynamism of the age.

PROGRAM
Antoine Brumel
Josquin Desprez

Pedro de Escobar

Hayne van Ghizeghem
Pierre De La Rue
Martin Luther
Cristóbal de Morales
Jean Mouton
Jacob Obrecht
Ludwig Senfl

Mater patris et filia
Adieu mes amours
Ave Maria gratia plena, Dominus tecum
De profundis clamavi
In te Domine speravi
Inviolata, integra et casta es
Missa de Beata Virgine: Credo
Absolve Domine
Virgen bendita sin par
Allez regrets
Incessament mon pauvre cueur lamente
Non moriar, sed vivam
Missa pro defunctis: Offertorium
Missa 'Tua est potentia': Kyrie
Parce Domine
O allmächtiger Gott
Veni sancte spiritus

Saturday, December 10, 2022, 8:00pm

Tallis Scholars
Hymns to the Virgin

The Virgin Mary has served as inspiration for artists of all forms, including composers since the earliest days of sacred music. The Tallis Scholars - "the rock stars of Renaissance vocal music" (The New York Times) - return to perform a selection of such inspired works from both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, ranging from Josquin to Stravinsky.

PROGRAM
Josquin Desprez
Francisco Guerrero

Heinrich Isaac
Orlande de Lassus
Matthew Martin
Arvo Pärt
Igor Stravinsky

Missa 'Ave maris stella'
Ave virgo sanctissima
Maria Magdalene et altera Maria
Virgo prudentissima
Alma Redemptoris mater
Sanctissima
Virgencita (2012/2013)
Bogoroditse devo (Ave Marie) (1949)

Saturday, February 18, 2023, 8:00pm

Gesualdo Six
English Motets

Photo by Ash Mills
For their Miller debut, the award-winning British vocal ensemble Gesualdo Six explores Renaissance masterpieces from the Golden Age of polyphony in England. The program spans a period of two-hundred years, encompassing intricately woven polyphonic works by Tallis and Byrd alongside the beautiful simplicity of pieces by Tomkins and White.

PROGRAM
William Byrd

Orlando Gibbons
Thomas Morley
Sheryngham
Thomas Tallis

Thomas Tomkins
Thomas Weelkes
Robert White

Ave verum corpus
Afflicti pro peccatis nostris
Laudate Dominum
Tristitia et anxietas
Vigilate
Drop, drop, slow tears
Nolo mortem peccatoris
Ah, gentle Jesu
In jejunio et fletu
If ye love me
In manus tuas
Te lucis ante terminum
When David heard
All people clap your hands
Christe qui lux es et dies

Saturday, April 29, 2023, 8:00pm

Stile Antico
England's Nightingale:
The remarkable music of William Byrd

Photo by Musicarte Media
Commemorating 400 years since the death of William Byrd, Stile Antico weaves together the strands of the extraordinary English composer's complex life as both pillar of the Protestant musical establishment and faithful servant to the underground Catholic community. The program includes some of his most beloved works, including Haec Dies, This sweet and merry month of May, and Ne irascaris, alongside lesser-known gems by his pupils Thomas Morley, Peter Philips, and Thomas Tomkins.

PROGRAM
William Byrd

Thomas Morley
Peter Philips
Thomas Tomkins

This sweet and merry month of May, 6v
O Lord make thy servant Elizabeth
Great Service: Nunc Dimittis
Vide Domine afflictionem nostram
Haec dies
Ne irascaris
Retire my soul
Laudate Dominum
Mass for Four Voices: Agnus Dei
Laudibus in sanctis
Domine, Dominus noster
Ecce vicit Leo
Too much I once lamented
BACH
millertheatre.com/event-series/bach

Single tickets from $30
Series tickets from $72 for all three concerts

Thursday, October 20, 2022, 8:00pm

Bach Cantatas

Photo of Reginald Mobley by Liz Linder
The brilliant and expressive pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins together with a stellar cast of musicians for a pair of Bach's inventive cantatas and piano concertos. The resulting performance promises to move audiences, from the joyous opening phrases of the Piano Concerto in E major to the final words of the most performed and well-known of his sacred cantatas, Ich habe genug.

Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Reginald Mobley, countertenor
Ensemble Baroklyn

PROGRAM

Keyboard Concerto No. 2 in E major, BWV 1053 (1738)
Selection of Choral Preludes, trans. by Alan Fletcher
Cantata Ich habe genug, BWV 82 (1727)
Cantata Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54 (1714)

Thursday, November 17, 2022, 8:00pm

Bach Gamba Sonatas

Photo of Simone Dinnerstein by Mackenzie Stroh for Miller Theatre
In this intimate recital, the expressive cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach joins celebrated pianist Simone Dinnerstein for their unique interpretation of Bach's three Gamba Sonatas.

Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello
Simone Dinnerstein, piano

PROGRAM

Sonata No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1027 (before 1741)
Sonata No. 2 in D Major, BWV 1028 (before 1741)
Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1029 (before 1741)

Thursday, December 8, 2022, 8:00pm

Bach Keyboard Concertos

L-R: Wael Farouk, Awadagin Pratt, photo by Rob Davidson,
Simone Dinnerstein, photo by Mackenzie Stroh for Miller Theatre
Bach wrote many concertos for harpsichord throughout his lifetime, and given his attraction to the possibilities of counterpoint and harmony, it comes as no surprise that one keyboard could not satisfy his imagination. In this program, Simone Dinnerstein partners with fellow pianists Wael Farouk and Awadagin Pratt alongside Ensemble Baroklyn for a thrilling piano extravaganza.

Simone Dinnerstein, piano
Wael Farouk, piano
Awadagin Pratt, piano
Ensemble Baroklyn

PROGRAM

Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903 (1802)
Selections from Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080 (1742-46; rev. 1748-50)
Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056 (1738)
Concerto for two keyboards in C minor, BWV 1062 (1736)
Concerto for three keyboards in C major, BWV 1064 (1735-45?)
Bach/Kurtag O Lamm Gottes unschuldig, BWV 1085 (1715-18?)

FREE PROGRAMMING

The following programs are specifically designed to deepen the connection with Miller's local community, the world at large (digital offerings), and to welcome newcomers into the fold.

MORNINGSIDE LIGHTS

Saturday, September 24, 2022 (workshops start Saturday, Sept 17)
11th Annual Morningside Lights
Concept and Direction by Processional Arts Workshop
Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles, artistic directors
Co-produced with the Arts Initiative at Columbia University

The beloved neighborhood tradition Morningside Lights returns for its 11th consecutive year, in person after two years of digital versions. Starting September 17, Miller opens its doors for a week of free lantern-building workshops, culminating in a magical illuminated procession through Morningside Park.

More details will be announced soon. The public can learn more or sign up to help create lanterns at www.morningside-lights.com.

POP-UP CONCERTS

Onstage at Miller Theatre
Select Tuesdays - Spring 2023
Mingling at 5:30 p.m., music at 6 p.m.
Performers TBA

Miller's popular free and fun series, Pop-Up Concerts, returns in person for the first time since March 2020. The audience sits right on stage with free drinks in hand for these hour-long early-evening performances by today's bravest virtuosos. These spontaneous concerts allow artists to explore new ideas in a comfortable yet unique setting. Onstage seating is first-come, first-served.

Check www.millertheatre.com for dates and times (typically announced a month or two in advance), and join the Miller Theatre email list for updates and concert announcements.

MISSION: COMMISSION PODCAST

Season Three
missioncommissionpodcast.com

Commissioning new work is at the heart of Miller Theatre's mission, and its podcast Mission: Commission takes this to a new level. The six-episode podcast demystifies the process of how classical music gets made, from blank page to double bar. Miller invites three composers to write new works in just six weeks, while discussing their creative journey along the way-giving audiences rare access into the mind of a working composer on deadline with a commission.

Miller's foray into the world of podcasts has been an enormous success, and Miller is excited to continue with Season Three in spring 2023. Listen to the episodes of Season One and Two here.

Golda Arthur, Producer
Melissa Smey, Co-Creator, Producer and Host
Adrienne Stortz, Co-Creator and Producer
Lauren Cognetti, Co-Creator and Assistant Producer
Taylor Riccio, Assistant Producer
Erick Gomez, Sound Designer and Engineer

Major support for Mission: Commission is provided by the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts.