New Site-Specific Choral Movement Work THE GAUNTLET Coming To Rockefeller Center

On August 3, across Rockefeller Center's outdoor plazas, the immersive, site-specific choral and movement piece The Gauntlet will bathe thousands of people in waves of harmony, poetry and gesture, performed by a chorus of hundreds of singers from across all five boroughs of New York City. An intimate, personal experience in the heart Manhattan, audiences will be led through musical corridors of sonic architecture formed by the human voice.

"Merging the beauty of our Art Deco architecture and the sonic architecture of hundreds of choral singers will be a one-of-a-kind experience unlike anything we've done before," said Michaella Solar-March, Managing Director, Rockefeller Center Marketing and Experience. "Rockefeller Plaza will come alive in a truly transformative fashion during this performance and we're certain all who take part will be awed."

Created by composer Sxip Shirey and choreographer Coco Karol, each performance of The Gauntlet is unique, reflecting the site, community, and performers it is created with. This Rockefeller Center iteration of The Gauntlet is inspired by the theme of transformation, with text formed from 'movement interviews' with resident New Yorkers: changemakers, cultural figures, and artists. As visitors make their way through the plazas, they will be immersed with stories of transformation presented in the collective choral work.

"We are so excited to be working with Rockefeller Center and National Sawdust Projects to create a piece that uses the dynamic public spaces of Rockefeller Center, the plaza, the esplanade and the Channel Gardens to bring together so many individual singers and choral singers into a fully a immersive sonic experience," said Shirey. "It's an honor to step into the lineage of artistic works that have been commissioned by Rockefeller Center."

The performance features independent singers from across all five boroughs of New York City, including choir members from C4 - The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective, Choral Chameleon, Downtown Voices, Inspire, The O's Ensemble, Young New Yorkers' Chorus, Moving Star Ensemble, Wintersweet Ensemble, New York City Master Chorale, and R.Evolución Latina.

Experience The Gauntlet on Rockefeller Plaza on August 3, 2019 at 4pm and 7pm. Performances are free of charge and tickets and advanced registration are not required.

The Gauntlet was first performed at National Sawdust in FERUS Festival 2018 and has since been performed at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Sydney Opera House's Antidote Festival.

Creative & Producing Team:

· Sxip Shirey, Composer & Music Director

· Coco Karol, Choreographer

· Nilusha Dassenaike, Assistant Music Director

· Raquel Acevedo Klein, Assistant Music Director

· Nathan Repasz - Assistant Music Director

· Holly Hunter, Producer & Director of National Sawdust Projects and Community Engagement

· Lorna Simpson, Producer & Director of Programming and Events, Rockefeller Center

Featuring singers from across New York City and choirs including:

· C4 - The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective

· Choral Chameleon

· Downtown Voices

· Inspire

· Moving Star Ensemble

· New York City Master Chorale

· R.Evolución Latina

· The O's Ensemble

· Wintersweet Ensemble

· Young New Yorkers Chorus

Dancers:

· Miguel Angel Guzmán

· Remi Harris

· Wanda Gala

· Effy Grey

· Natalie Deryn Johnson

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