Music by Marginalized and Underheard Composers Featured in LOST VOICES, Streamed From NEC's Jordan Hall

A sung story of trafficked Jewish women, a forgotten form of Macedonian folk music, the little-known work of a once popular Dominican artist, and an edgy, wild tune by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy are among the pieces presented in Lost Voices, a concert featuring music by artists missing from the conversation. Performed by the inventive young musicians of New England Conservatory's internationally renowned Contemporary Improvisation (CI) Department at NEC's iconic Jordan Hall, the event is produced by faculty members Anthony Coleman and Lautaro Mantilla. It will be streamed on Monday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. For information and to watch the concert visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-improvisation-department-concert-concert-lost-voices.

Lost Voices is dedicated to pursuing, excavating, amplifying, and illuminating art and artists missing from the conversation, with works performed and arranged by CI students. "For this concert, students went deep into their personal pantheons in order to explore questions of what becomes canonical, what become central," says Coleman. "What stories remain untold and unheard, and why? Subgenres, marginalized groups, half - forgotten artists - whatever and whoever could be understood under the umbrella or rubric of lost voices was considered, discussed, and analyzed."

Nine pieces which represent the breadth of thought and the range of work done within the NEC CI Department were chosen to be presented. Rihards Kolmanis developed a solo performance based on the work of Bjørn Fongaard, a Norwegian pioneer of prepared electric guitar whose work anticipated innovations from decades later, while Afarin Nazarijou dedicated Sortgar-e Naghash (The Portrait Painter) to Iranian women, who are not allowed to sing solo publicly.

The program includes Amelita Baltar's Ballada para un Loco, Paralyzed by Legendary Stardust Cowboy (Norman Carl Odam), Preludio en Fa Menor by Rafael "Ballumba" Landestoy, La Rue Chagrin by Germaine Tailleferre, Oy, Unter Dem Himl Ligt Di Shtot Bunos Aires, a ballad about the tragic lives of Jewish prostitutes in early twentieth century Argentina, and neglected masterpieces from Macedonian and Persian musical traditions. Performers include Sarah Matsushima, Rihards Kolmanis, Caleb Duval, Kaia Berman Peters, Emily Mitchell, Gabriel Soileau, Afarin Nazarijou, and Delfina Cheb Terrab.

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