Merkin Hall Classical Concerts

This concert is the culmination of a 10-day residency at I-Park’s artists’ retreat in Connecticut. In this intimate setting, the participants will share ideas as they workshop five new works for their world premieres. The residency pairs a high-profile ensemble with five composers. Benefits for the composers: hearing their music refined and reimagined in real time, candid dialogue and artistic risk-taking. And somewhat uniquely, an assurance from the ensemble that the new works will have an impactful performance lifespan beyond the premiere. This year’s ensemble-in-residence is Latitude 49. This six-musician Canadian-American group consists of piano, percussion, violin, cello, clarinet and saxophone. They have performed nearly 100 world premieres since the group’s founding in 2012, featuring compositions by a multitude of composers in a variety of styles – ranging from aspiring students to Pulitzer Prize-winning masters. The following composers were awarded commissions for this project: David Crowell, New York Peter Fahey, Ireland Gemma Peacocke, New Zealand Cole Reyes, Illinois Max Vinetz, New York