NY Philharmonic's CONTACT! New Music Series Continues in February at SubCulture

The sixth season of CONTACT!, the New York Philharmonic's new-music series, continues Monday, February 9, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. at SubCulture, with New Music from Israel, featuring musicians from the New York Philharmonic performing a program focusing on chamber music by contemporary Israeli composers: Quasi danza macabra from Josef Bardanashvili's String Quartet No. 1; Yotam Haber's Estro poetico-armonico II; Shulamit Ran's Mirage for five players; and the New York Premiere of Avner Dorman's Jerusalem Mix. The program is a co- presentation by the New York Philharmonic and 92nd Street Y, which will present Israeli- themed programming throughout the season. The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in- Residence Lisa Batiashvili was previously scheduled to perform in Mr. Bardanshvili's work but has had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. The other performers in New Music from Israel will include Philharmonic Acting Principal Associate Concertmaster Michelle Kim; violinists Shanshan Yao and Quan Ge; violist Re?mi Pelletier; cellists Nathan Vickery and Patrick Jee; flutist Yoobin Son; Associate Principal Oboe Sherry Sylar; clarinetist Pascual Marti?nez Forteza; Associate Principal Bassoon Kim Laskowski; Third Horn Leelanee Sterrett; pianist Eric Huebner; and guest bass clarinetist Lino Gomez.

"We combine pieces we think speak to each other - sometimes there are obvious reasons, such as all evoking a particular country, as we've done this year, but even then, there are also other elusive, not expressible reasons," Alan Gilbert said. "The richness of the New York Philharmonic musicians' capacity calls for multiple outlets for their mastery of different styles and expressions."

In addition to this concert and the November 2014 program curated and hosted by John Adams, the 2014-15 season of CONTACT! will feature World, U.S., and New York Premieres, as well as seminal works by leading composers, in programs that explore the new-music scene from four different countries. CONTACT! will continue with one more program at SubCulture, co- presented with 92nd Street Y: New Music from Italy (May 11, 2015). Two CONTACT! programs will take place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art with Met Museum Presents: New Music from Nordic Countries, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert and Assistant Conductor Courtney Lewis (March 7, 2015), and New Music from Japan, conducted by Jeffrey Milarsky (June 5, 2015).

Christopher Rouse, who in 2014-15 is completing his three-year term as The Marie-Jose?e Kravis Composer-in-Residence, advises the Philharmonic on the CONTACT! series.

Photo by Chris Lee