Carnegie Hall

(New York, NY, October 29, 2018)—The inventive chamber music collective Decoda—an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall that features alumni of Ensemble Connect—makes its debut on Carnegie Hall’s concert schedule with two creative concert programs in Weill Recital Hall. Both concerts showcase signature works from Decoda’s repertoire and include interactive activities with the audience.

The first concert, on Wednesday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m., entitled Revelers, features a festive mix of serenades, parades, dances, and scherzos. The evening will include the world premiere of Revelry by Valerie Coleman, commissioned by Carnegie Hall for its 125 Commissions Project, and the New York premiere of Reveler-Scherzos by Decoda’s own Brad Balliett, set to imaginative sketches by Will Storie that will be projected onscreen during the performance. The remainder of the program includes chamber music ranging from the classical to the contemporary with works by Brahms, Richard Strauss, Lutoslawski, Guillaume Connesson, and Poulenc. Full program information is listed below.

The next concert, on Wednesday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m., themed Punk, Funk, and Circumstance, features an eclectic mix of chamber music including Prokofiev’s Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39; selections from Wynton Marsalis’s A Fiddler’s Tale—a reimagination of Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale for the modern age; as well as Benjamin Britten’s Phantasy Quartet and David Bruce’s Steampunk, a witty homage to Victorian England which was given its world premiere performance by Ensemble Connect in 2011.

About the Artists

Decoda was founded in 2012 by alumni of Ensemble Connect (then Ensemble ACJW), a two-year fellowship program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the NYC Department of Education. A “collective of some of the brightest young classical musicians in the world..." (TimeOut NY), the group’s versatile artists are dedicated to creating dynamic performances and opportunities for musical discovery through creativity and compassion. Decoda’s pursuits place equal emphasis on artistry and engagement to create meaningful musical experiences around the globe through concerts in major international venues and neighborhood projects with vibrant community partners.

As the Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall, Decoda’s activities are anchored in creating compelling performances. In the 2018–2019 season, Decoda debuts include two concerts presented by Carnegie Hall and a first appearance at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Decoda’s past engagements include performances at the Southbank Centre and the Barbican (London), Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany), Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival (UAE), Mainly Mozart Festival (San Diego), Bay Chamber Concerts (Maine), Við Djúpið Festival (Iceland), Carnegie Kids @ Suntory Hall (Tokyo), National Center for the Performing Arts (Mumbai), Programa de Educación Musical Fomento Cultural Banamex & Carnegie Hall (Mexico), the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase, and the Chelsea Music Festival, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and National Sawdust in New York City.

At home in New York City, Decoda works with partner organizations such as WQXR, the Police Athletic League, NYPD, and the NYC Administration for Children’s Services to engage a diverse cross-section of the city through creative songwriting workshops and interactive performances that promote collaboration and empathy. Music for Transformation, Decoda’s social justice initiative, empowers vulnerable and disenfranchised voices of incarcerated individuals and has been recognized by CNN, Huffington Post, the Associated Press, The Washington Post, and Billboard magazine. Other ongoing programs such as the annual Decoda Skidmore Chamber Music Institute and residencies at the Royal Academy of Scotland and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London as Resident Ensemble of Creative Performance serve to expand the global community of audience-centric performers and to create a ripple effect of deep engagement through music around the world.

Program Information

Wednesday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Weill Recital Hall
DECODA

REVELERS

JOHANNES BRAHMS Scherzo from Serenade No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11
WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI Dance Preludes
RICHARD STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders! (arr. Hasenöhrl)
VALERIE COLEMAN Revelry (World Premiere, commissioned by Carnegie Hall)
GUILLAUME CONNESSON Techno-Parade
JOHANNES BRAHMS Rondo from Serenade No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11
BRAD BALLIETT Reveler-Scherzos (NY Premiere)
FRANCIS POULENC Sextet for Piano and Winds

Support for the 125 Commissions Project is provided by members of Carnegie Hall’s Composer Club.
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Wednesday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Weill Recital Hall
DECODA

PUNK, FUNK, AND CIRCUMSTANCE

SERGEI PROKOFIEV Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39
WYNTON MARSALIS Selections from A Fiddler's Tale
BENJAMIN BRITTEN Phantasy Quartet
DAVID BRUCE Steampunk

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Ticket Information

Tickets, priced $32 and $38, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

For more information on discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.