Ensemble Signal plays Steve Reich
Thursday, March 23, 9:30PM
Walker Art Center
Co-presented with The Walker Art Center
“Ensemble Signal gave over 100 performances of Reich/Richter in New York when the piece premiered in 2019, and over 50 of those were led by the great conductor Brad Lubman. To say that they know and have an intuitive mastery of the piece is an understatement. They bring energy, accuracy and passion to every performance.” -Steve Reich
Ensemble Signal, conducted by Brad Lubman, will perform a program featuring music by American icon Steve Reich. First presented in 2019 at The Shed in New York City, Reich Richter explores the connection of Reich’s music with Gerhard Richter’s visual art in a film by Corinna Belz. The program also includes Steve Reich’s Runner for large ensemble (2016).
Ensemble Signal is a NY-based ensemble dedicated to offering the broadest possible audience access to a diverse range of contemporary works through performance, commissioning, recording, and education. Since its debut in 2008, Signal has performed over 350 concerts, premiered numerous works, and co-produced ten recordings.
Steve Reich has been an essential pillar of Ensemble Signal since its first days, working closely with the ensemble to prepare numerous performances of his work. He even gave the group its name: Signal. Through close collaboration with Steve in performing and recording a significant body of his work for almost a decade, the artists of Ensemble Signal have become central members of the next generation of interpreters of his music. For Signal, Steve is not only a composer whose music we love, he is also a mentor and dearest of colleagues.
Signal strives to honor the traditions of performance and production practices established by both Steve Reich and his own ensemble since the 1970s. The group also works to naturally bringing our unique next-generation perspective as an ensemble, which includes many young Americans who have grown up listening to Reich’s work as well as the music it influenced – from pop to classical. Additionally, Signal Music Director Brad Lubman brings with him over 20 years of experience at the forefront of Reich’s music, having recorded, performed and given the world premieres of numerous works by Reich internationally.
