Lisa Bielawa
New York, NY
Composer and vocalist Lisa Bielawa takes inspiration for her work from literary sources and close artistic collaborations. A composer-in-residence at the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, under the auspices of Music Alive, Bielawa has created a range of new works for soloists and orchestra. Bielawa’s works, including The Lay of the Love and Death and Hurry, have been premiered, commissioned and performed at Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall and the Seattle Symphony Made in America Festival. The inaugural season of Zankel Hall included the premiere of her work The Right Weather by American Composers Orchestra and award-winning pianist Andrew Armstrong. Bielawa has received grants, fellowships and awards from the American Academy in Rome, Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Italy, The Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals, New York State Council on the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers, the Omaha Symphony International Competition and the Foundation Royaumont in France. Her music is available on the Tzadik and Albany Records labels.
Chance Encounter
Chance Encounter is a site-specific music work performed in public spaces and street corners by Lisa Bielawa, vocalist Susan Narucki and as many as 15 to 20 musicians. Staged to integrate common urban elements such as taxicabs, subway stairs and store entrances, Bielawa’s work moves through public spaces, alternating between two groups of musicians. Each audience member’s experience of the work depends on his or her location; some hear only one musician and the vocalist, while for others the entire ensemble is audible. Conceived as a way to bring experimental music to a commonly accessible location, Chance Encounter is produced by a consortium of venues and groups.
Susan Narucki
San Diego, CA
A distinguished chamber musician and soprano, Susan Narucki has been a guest with the Orion String Quartet, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, most recently with pianist Joseph Kalichstein. Vocal appearances include performances with Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, John Adams and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Schoenberg and Asko Ensembles on Great Performers at Lincoln Center, at the Netherlands Opera. Nominated in the Best Classical Vocal Performance category for a 2002 Grammy for Tempo e Tempi, her extensive discography reflects the exceptional range of her activities. In addition to her 2001 Grammy Award-winning disc of George Crumb’s Star-Child with the Warsaw Philharmonic, and her Cannes Award-winning CD for Best Recording of Works by a Living Composer, she may be heard on Sony Classical, Philips, Angel, Chandos, Nonesuch, Decca, Bridge, and many other labels.