DACAMERA Shares Archival Performance Of Tyshawn Sorey's PERLE NOIRE

DACAMERA continues its virtual series of streamed archival concerts with the release of Tyshawn Sorey's Perle Noire.

Renowned American soprano Julia Bullock finds inspiration in a legendary singer's story in Josephine Baker: A Personal Portrait, conceived by Peter Sellars with arrangements and new music for the International Contemporary Ensemble by celebrated composer and multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey, along with texts by poet and 2016 MacArthur Fellow Claudia Rankine. The premiere broadcast stream will be available online beginning Friday, December 11.

Originally debuted on the DACAMERA stage in September 2016, the unique and poignant production honors the brilliance, daring, public courage and private tragedies of African-American icon Josephine Baker. A rousing success in its original run, the work has been applauded by The New Yorker and Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim of The New York Times. Previously unavailable for viewing until now, this critically acclaimed DACAMERA production will allow new audiences to take in a work that has only increased in its relevancy. On the significance of the work, Bullock commented, "For me, Joséphine Baker is not merely an icon for women. She is not just an icon for black people. She is an icon of liberty."

Julia Bullock has been hailed by The New York Times as an "impressive, fast-rising soprano...poised for a significant career." Equally at home with opera and concert repertoire, Bullock has captivated audiences with her versatile artistry and commanding stage presence. While only in her early 30s, Bullock has headlined productions and concerts at some of the preeminent arts institutions worldwide and has curated a multitude of thought-provoking programs as Artist-in-Residence of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has appeared with the New World Symphony and the Orchestra of St. Luke's at New York's Alice Tully Hall in the Young Concert Artists Gala Concert, and with the Mobile Symphony and Sinfonia Gulf Coast, as well as in recitals at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Kennedy Center. Bullock's political engagement is informed by her own mixed heritage, leading to her commitment of integrating community activism with her musical life. Bullock has taken part in livestreamed conversations presented by Music Academy of the West, Long Beach Opera, Los Angeles Opera and other organizations. The original DACAMERA presentation of Josephine Baker: A Personal Portrait marked Bullock's Houston debut.

Tyshawn Sorey is a composer, performer and educator who works across an extensive range of musical idioms. Sorey is a 2017 MacArthur fellow and a 2018 United States Artists Fellow.

As a percussionist, trombonist and pianist, Tyshawn Sorey has performed and recorded nationally and internationally with his own ensembles and with artists such as Muhal Richard Abrams, Steve Coleman, Butch Morris, Peter Evans, John Zorn, Vijay Iyer, Wadada Leo Smith, Dave Douglas and Anthony Braxton, among many others. As a composer, Sorey has composed over 160 works and received commissions from Van Lier Fellowship, Roulette and International Contemporary Ensemble.

The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), described by the New York Times as "one of the most accomplished and adventurous groups in new music," is dedicated to reshaping the way music is created and experienced. With a modular makeup of 35 leading instrumentalists, performing in forces ranging from solos to large ensembles, ICE functions as performer, presenter and educator, advancing the music of our time by developing innovative new works and new strategies for audience engagement. Since its founding in 2001, ICE has premiered over 500 compositions-the majority of these new works by emerging composers-in venues spanning from alternative spaces to concert halls around the world. The ensemble has received the American Music Center's Trailblazer Award for its contributions to the field, the ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award for Adventurous Programming and Musical America Worldwide's Ensemble of the Year.

All of DACAMERA's virtual concerts are free with registration at www.dacamera.com. After airing online on December 11, the archived performance will be available to the general public for one week and to members for two weeks. For more information about DACAMERA's membership program, please visit https://bit.ly/3nbr3Z4.

DACAMERA's virtual fall season continues with "A Stranger I Arrive, A Stranger I Depart," a performance of Schubert's Winterreise featuring Metropolitan Opera baritone Tyler Duncan and pianist Sarah Rothenberg on Monday, December 21.

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