Part of: Decoda
Get together with people who love music after this Weill Recital Hall concert for a free drink and discussion with the evening's musicians.
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Encounter something new or reacquaint yourself with a classic in a whole new way—but certainly expect the unexpected. The performers of Decoda—alums of Ensemble Connect—keep you on your toes when they take the stage in a program where high spirits prevail. Travel from the dark trapeze world of Prokofiev’s Quintet to Wynton Marsalis’s A Fiddler’s Tale, which reimagines Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale for the modern age, infusing it with jazz and funk elements. Then there’s a quick dip into the pomp and circumstance of Britten’s Phantasy before arriving at the final stop in the alternative, steam-powered world of Victorian England with David Bruce’s Steampunk.
A “collective of some of the brightest young classical musicians in the world” according to Time Out New York, Decoda is dedicated to creating dynamic performances and creative projects designed for social impact. Decoda’s pursuits place equal emphasis on artistry and engagement to create meaningful musical experiences around the globe through both concerts in major international venues and neighborhood projects with vibrant community partners.
At home in New York City, Decoda works with partners such as the Police Athletic League, New York Police Department, New York City Administration for Children’s Services, and WQXR to engage a diverse cross section of people in the city through creative songwriting workshops and interactive performances that promote collaboration and compassion. Music for Transformation, Decoda’s social justice initiative, empowers the vulnerable and disenfranchised voices of incarcerated individuals; it has received recognition from the Associated Press, Billboard, CNN, Huffington Post, and The Washington Post. Other ongoing programs—such as the annual Decoda Skidmore Chamber Music Institute, and residencies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London—serve to expand the global community of audience-centric performers and to create a ripple effect of deep engagement through music around the world.
As an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall, Decoda’s activities are anchored by a commitment to creating compelling performances. The ensemble’s 2018–2019 season includes two concerts presented by Carnegie Hall and an appearance at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In the past, Decoda has performed at London’s Southbank Centre and Barbican Centre, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Abu Dhabi Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart, Bay Chamber Concerts in Maine, Við Djúpið Music Festival in Iceland, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, Mumbai’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, and New York City’s Chelsea Music Festival, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and National Sawdust.
Decoda was founded in 2012 by alums of Ensemble Connect, a two-year fellowship program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education.
To learn more, visit decodamusic.org.
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