Composers Emily Doolittle, Derek Bermel, Paul Oehlers, and Judith Shatin address climate change, prairie restoration, and the impending extinction of too many species. Their intermedia works create a dialogue between whales, birds, amphibians, and the acoustic instruments of Fulcrum Point artists set in the context of vivid video and imagery.
Social sounds from whales at night | Emily Doolittle (World Premiere)
Stephen Burns, trumpet & percussion
Nine Revolutions | Derek Bermel (Midwest Premiere)
Mathias Tacke, violin; Kate Carter, violin; Sarah Plum, viola; Paula Kosower, cello
Phoenix Rising | Paul Oehlers
Commissioned by Brenda Shapiro for The Nature Conservancy
Terra Infirma | Judith Shatin
1. Birds
2. Fall-Winter: Mammals & Fish
3. Spring: Reptile, Amphibians
Fulcrum Point Ensemble:
Stephen Burns, trumpet/conductor
Jeremy Ruthrauff, soprano/tenor saxophone
Rebecca Oliverio, trumpet
Andy Baker, trombone
Andy Cierny, percussion
Kathleen Carter, violin
Mathias Tacke, violin
Sarah Plum, viola
Paula Kosower, cello
Darlene Castro, intermedia technology
Student special: Use the promo code FPNATURE at checkout to get half-price tickets.
The first multimedia music composition ever commissioned by the Nature Conservancy and premiered by Fulcrum Point New Music Project at the Harris Theater in 2009, Phoenix Rising applies a formalized music system to the subject of controlled prairie burns as a means of halting invasive species. Using video and audio from prairie fires and musical quotes from music relating to fire and prairie fields, as well as original musical elements.