Rite Of Summer Music Festival Presents The Knights Tomorrow!
The program is dedicated to freedom and flight. Featuring songs and dances from a diverse group of composers and musical genres.
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 18, 2021
Rite of Summer Music Festival launches their 10th Anniversary season on Saturday, June 19th with two free concerts at 1pm and 3pm featuring The Knights. Artistic Directors Pam Goldberg and Blair McMillen are thrilled to present this very special season in Nolan Park on Governors Island, New York City.
In a locale The New York Times has called a "Playground for the Arts," the aim of the Festival is simple: to present the highest quality live performances, and to bring free contemporary classical music to as many people as possible in a relaxed, fun, outdoor setting. The safety, health, and happiness of ROS audiences, artists, and crew are of primary concern to Artistic Directors Pam Goldberg and Blair McMillen.
Social distancing will be required for everyone in attendance as well as the wearing of masks covering both noses and mouths. Ferry tickets to Governors Island must be reserved in advance here: https://www.govisland.com/plan-your-visit/ferry
This season's stellar line-up kicks off on Juneteenth - Saturday, June 19th with The Knights performing On Wings of Song, a program dedicated to freedom and flight. Songs and dances from a diverse group of composers and musical genres will be featured, much of which either directly or indirectly takes its cue from birds, butterflies, and other natural emblems of flight and the yearning for freedom. These include works by Vivaldi, Villa-Lobos, Montgomery, Rodrigo, arr. Kibbey and The Knights, Ravel, Boulanger, and more.
Next up on Saturday, September 18th, Alarm Will Sound will perform the NYC premiere of John Luther Adams' Ten Thousand Birds, based on the songs of birds that are native to, or migrate through the American northeast and midwest. It explores the connections between nature and music, a topic that John Luther Adams has pursued over the course of his remarkable career. Rite of Summer Music Festival is very grateful to the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund for underwriting this concert.
"After the isolating year we've all experienced, I feel celebratory about our 10th Anniversary Season. We are all in need of live music and presenting artists like The Knights and Alarm Will Sound with Ten Thousand Birds will be both thrilling and life-affirming," says Artistic Director Pam Goldberg.
"Summertime traditionally brings rejuvenation and reconnection. We want this summer, in particular, to feel like a reconnection with all of you. Come join us for our 10th Anniversary season, set outdoors amongst the spacious lawns and trees of Nolan Park. We are ecstatic that two of the most exciting and boundary-pushing ensembles in the country - The Knights and Alarm Will Sound - will be performing
at ROS this summer. Both of these very special shows, each in their own marvelously unique way, will enable us to reconnect: to sound, to nature, to the outdoors, and to each other. Thank you for your continued support amidst a very surreal past year. We are so happy to be back, and we can't wait to see you in June and September. Be well, stay healthy, and we'll see you out on the Island," says Artistic Director Blair McMillen.
Rite of Summer shows will be presented twice the same day, at 1pm and 3pm, for each respective date in Nolan Park. Audiences should feel free to walk by, stop and listen, lay down a picnic blanket and relax, eat lunch, mingle, and take in these engaging live performances.
Past seasons have presented such artists as: Pamela Z; JACK Quartet; Dawn of Midi; Imani Winds; Bang on a Can All-Stars; ETHEL; Ensemble Connect; Pam Goldberg; Miranda Cuckson; Blair McMillen; Nurit Pacht; Esther Noh; Caitlin Sullivan; Allison Charney; John Brancy; Peter Dugan; Kara Sainz; Theo Bleckmann; The Parker Quartet; New York Philharmonic's Very Young Composers with ETHEL and Iktus Percussion; Jeffrey Zeigler; Ian David Rosenbaum; Todd Reynolds; Jonny Rogers; Jordan Tice; Mathias Kunzli; TIGUE; Grand Band; Talujon Percussion; Phyllis Chen; Anthony De Mare; Fireworks Ensemble; Classical Jam; House of Waters; Sirius Quartet; Sandbox Percussion; Contemporaneous; Don Byron New Gospel Quintet; Iktus Percussion; Brooklyn Raga Massive; DITHER; Collaborative Arts Ensemble; Ljova and the Kontraband; a Jed Distler-led extravaganza of Terry Riley's In C featuring over 40 of New York's top freelance musicians including members of American Modern Ensemble, Newspeak, Momenta Quartet, and more; John Luther Adams's Inuksuit with over 60 percussionists from Mantra Percussion, Ensemble et al, Loop 2.4.3, Palladium Percussion, Iktus Percussion, Sandbox Percussion, Contemporaneous, and students from Stony Brook, Queens College, NYU, and Mantra Youth Percussion.
Governors Island ferries run daily from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, located at 10 South Street (Subway: 1 to South Ferry; R/W to Whitehall Street; 4/5 to Bowling Green; Bus: M15, M20, M55) and on weekends from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park (Subway: 2/3/4/5 to Borough Hall; R to Court Street; Bus: B63) and Atlantic Basin in Red Hook (Subway: F/G to Smith-9th Streets; Bus: B61; enter near the corner of Pioneer and Conover Streets). Concerts are free; ferry ticket reservations are required. Ferries are always free for kids 12 and under, seniors 65 and up, residents of NYCHA housing, current and former military servicemembers, Governors Island members, and for everyone on weekends before noon. Round-trip ferry tickets for adults are $3 at all other times.
For a full ferry schedule and to reserve tickets, please see visit the second link below.
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
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