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National Sawdust to Present World Premiere of 18 New Works Co-Commissioned By Metropolis Ensemble And Pianist Han Chen

Celebrate the centenary birthday of Hungarian-Austrian composer György Ligeti with a diverse and imaginative interpretation of his renowned canonic piano etudes.

By: Aug. 24, 2023
National Sawdust to Present World Premiere of 18 New Works Co-Commissioned By Metropolis Ensemble And Pianist Han Chen Image
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National Sawdust will present a new project, Infinite Staircase, on Sunday September 24 (7:30pm), featuring the World Premiere of 18 new works for solo piano, co-commissioned by Metropolis Ensemble and pianist Han Chen, celebrating the centenary birthday of Hungarian-Austrian composer György Ligeti (1923-2006).

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On September 24, 2023, National Sawdust (80 North 6th Street, Brooklyn) will present a new project, "Infinite Staircase," with pianist Han Chen performing the World Premiere of 18 new works for solo piano, co-commissioned by Metropolis Ensemble and Han Chen, celebrating the centenary birthday of Hungarian-Austrian composer György Ligeti (1923-2006).

Each of the new works is paired with one of Ligeti's renowned canonic piano etudes, in a recital performance by Han Chen. A diverse cohort of contemporary composers were invited to study Ligeti's etude, go against the etude, or simply sit with the etude during the composition process. Together, all thirty-six works bring a new and imaginative interpretation on the original iconic etudes.

"Infinite Staircase" is co-produced by Han Chen and Metropolis Ensemble artistic director, Andrew Cyr. An immersive audiovisual experience features lighting and sound design by Dominic Chang. An international cohort of eighteen outstanding composers were commissioned, bringing their unique and diverse perspectives to the project, including:

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Two parallel projects have led to the creation of "Infinite Staircase," including:

  • Han Chen's fourth solo album, György Ligeti: Piano Études Capriccios, released in May 2023 on Naxos Records and recently selected as one of Gramophone's Best Classical Albums of 2023.

  • Metropolis Ensemble produces Migration Music, an ongoing video and audio interview series hosted by Han Chen. Each episode features conversations with immigrant composers and piano performances of their works, including four composers for the "Infinite Staircase" project: Vivian Fung, Jihyun Kim, Chiayu Hsu, and Gity Razaz.

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Since 2006, Metropolis Ensemble presented numerous piano recitals, including In Visible Roads piano festival in collaboration with Blueprint, 5 Nights 11 Pianists in collaboration with Yamaha Artist Services, New Dances of the League of David at Le Poisson Rouge, and Digital Sustain at the former Chelsea Art Museum. Bringing multifaceted musical works and experiences to life, Metropolis gathers independent expert musicians for each project.

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More about Infinite Staircase:
metropolisensemble.org/all-events/infinite-staircase

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About Han Chen

Han Chen has emerged among the new generation of concert pianists as a uniquely fearless performer in a wide variety of musical settings. Gold Medalist at the 2013 China International Piano Competition and a prizewinner at the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition, he has been praised by Gramophone as "impressively commanding and authoritative" and further cited by The New York Times for his "graceful touch," "rhythmic precision," and "hypnotic charm," Chen's virtuosity is enriched by a probing commitment to new and lesser-known works, as well as the great cornerstones of the piano repertory. He made his Lincoln Center debut with Riverside Symphony at Alice Tully Hall in December 2022 performing Mozart's early masterwork, the Piano Concerto No. 9 le Jeunehomme. In addition, he has performed as recitalist throughout Europe, North America, China, and Taiwan.

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About Andrew Cyr

Grammy-nominated conductor and artistic director, Andrew Cyr, founded Metropolis in 2006 to create new platforms for outstanding composers and performing artists. He has led premieres at Brooklyn Academy of Music, Celebrate Brooklyn!, Radio City Music Hall, Kimmel Center Verizon Hall, Sounds from a Safe Harbour, New Victory Theatre, Cité de la Music, Paris, Hamer Hall, Melbourne, and The Tonight Show.

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About György Ligeti

György Ligeti was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as one of the most innovative and influential avant-garde composers of the twentieth century. He was also popularly known for his works featured in Stanley Kubrick films, including The Shining, 2001 A Space Odyssey, and Eyes Wide Shut. Ligeti's cycle of 18 études for solo piano were composed from 1985-2001 and considered a major creative achievement following the work of Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, and Scriabin. He expanded the meaning of virtuosity, not only challenging the pianist's technique, but also lent the succeeding composers his imagination. In the occassion of Ligeti's centenary, it is as good as it gets for a pianist to work on the études and for composers to write in homage to his legacy.

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About National Sawdust

National Sawdust believes that artistic expression empowers us all to create a more joyful and just world. The organization curates, commissions and produces music and artistic works rooted in curiosity, experimentation, innovation, and inclusivity. Co-founded by Kevin Dolan and Paola Prestini, National Sawdust presents its work by engaging communities of artists and audiences at its state-of-the-art Williamsburg home and on its digital stage.

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About Metropolis Ensemble

New York-based Metropolis Ensemble is a Grammy-nominated non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious projects in contemporary music, and expanding opportunities for emerging professional musical creators and performers to collaborate and inspire new audiences. Metropolis has commissioned hundreds of new works and site-specific projects, gathering independent expert musicians in premiere performances at renowned venues such as Hollywood Bowl, BAM, Lincoln Center, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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