Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:  Joyce Linehan (617) 282-2510, joyce@ashmontmedia.com

ICA ANNOUNCES FALL 2008 PERFORMANCE, FILM, TALKS AND COURSES

Highlights include Bill T. Jones, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Fred Frith, Danny Williams' Factory/Warhol Films and much more

(BOSTON - Aug. 1, 2008) The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston (ICA) presents a full schedule of ambitious performing arts programming, including cutting-edge music, dance, film, talks and more. Tickets for the Ditson Festival of Contemporary Music go on sale to the general public on Aug. 19. Tickets for all other programs will be available to ICA members at Associate Level and above on Aug. 19, and to the general public on Sept. 2.  Tickets can be purchased at www.icaboston.org or by calling (617) 478-3103.  For information about membership, visit the web site or call (617) 478-3102.

PERFORMANCE

Sept. 18 - 21
THE DITSON FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC: "SONIC BOOM"
Gil Rose, Artistic Director

The ICA and Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) collaborate to produce the first in a series of festivals featuring cutting-edge works by today's leading composers.  Award-winning BMOP Music Director Gil Rose curates and directs the program, which includes three world premieres commissioned by the American Composers Forum with support from the Argosy Foundation Contemporary Music Fund. Each day of the festival features a prelude concert and a main stage event.

The first in a series of biennial festivals of contemporary music initiated by the Alice M. Ditson Fund, which supports music by emerging American composers, the 2008 Festival celebrates Boston's contemporary music scene. The Festival spotlights several of the city's most influential ensembles such as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Cantata Singers, and Boston Music Viva; prominent artists cellist Matt Haimovitz and NEA Jazz Master George Russell; more than 25 local composers; and many up-and-coming participating musicians that help contribute to making Boston an important epicenter of new music.

Thursday, Sept. 18
6:30 p.m.
Firebird Ensemble
Performing works by Curtis Hughes, Donald Martino, Mario Davidovsky, and Lee Hyla

Musically defined by eclectic programming with interdisciplinary influences, Firebird Ensemble aims to break down preconceptions about new music, to build enthusiasm for new compositions, and to create a unique concert atmosphere.  The group was founded at the New England Conservatory in 2001, and has since become known for commissioning and presenting local and world premieres.  The New York Times describes them as "ambitious and eclectic."

8 p.m.
Boston Musica Viva
Richard Pittman, conductor
Performing works by Gunther Schuller, Ronald Perera, Richard & Deborah Cornell, Julie Rohwein**, and Chou Wen-Chung

Founded in 1969 by Richard Pittman, Boston Music Viva (BMV) was the first professional ensemble in Boston devoted to the performance of contemporary music, and is known for commissioning new work. Through the years, BMV has become one of the most highly respected ensembles of its kind, with an international reputation.  BMV celebrates its 40th anniversary season this year. 

Friday, Sept. 19
6:30 p.m.
Dinosaur Annex
Performing works by Scott Wheeler, Barbara White*, Richard Beaudoin*, Brian Robison*, and Ezra Sims

Founded in 1975, Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble is a leading presenter of new music. They have established an international reputation for brilliant performances of newly commissioned pieces, works of established twentieth-century masters, and a large repertory of contemporary compositions. Dinosaur Annex presents premieres from around the world as well as works by emerging Boston-area composers.

8 p.m.
Cantata Singers and Collage New Music
David Hoose, conductor
Performing works by Donald Sur, Yehudi Wyner, David Rakowski, Irving Fine, and Dalit Warshaw**

Noted for compelling programming, exceptional artistry, and eloquent performances, the Cantata Singers offer a range of musical events, consistently recognized as engaging, nuanced and penetrating. With a repertoire that includes works from the seventeenth century to the present day, they are committed to the presentation of challenging programming, including the commissioning of new works.  Founded in 1972 by Frank Epstein, Collage New Music is highly regarded for its scintillating performances of music by the great composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Over the past three decades Collage has given the first Boston performances of more than 200 works, including 80 world premieres.

Saturday, Sept. 20
6:30 p.m.
Callithumpian Consort                                                                                                    
Founded by pianist and conductor Stephen Drury, the Callithumpian Consort is an ensemble producing concerts of contemporary music at the highest standard, dedicated to the idea that music is an experience. Its repertoire encompasses a huge stylistic spectrum, from the classics of the last 100 years to works of the avant-garde and experimental jazz and rock. Active commissioning and recording of new works is crucial to its mission. The Consort has worked with composers John Cage, Lee Hyla, John Zorn, Helmut Lachenmann, Steve Reich, Michael Finnissy, John Luther Adams, Franco Donatoni, Lukas Foss, Christian Wolff, Alvin Lucier, Jo Kondo, Frederic Rzewski, Fred Frith and many others.

8 p.m.
The George Russell Living Time Orchestra
Featuring the music of George Russell

Founded in 1986 by jazz giant Russell, the Living Time Orchestra has toured internationally since then.  The musicians have developed a rare understanding of the music, astonishing audiences with fiery music both complex and challenging, but added to the dynamism and electric power of funk and rock.

Sunday, Sept. 21
1:30 p.m.
Matt Haimovitz, cello
Geoff Burleson, piano
DJ Olive
Performing works by Augusta Read Thomas*, Tod Machover, and David Sanford

Matt Haimovitz is a musical pioneer. He has inspired classical music lovers and won over countless new listeners by bringing his artistry to concert halls and clubs, outdoor festivals and intimate coffee houses, any place where passionate music can be heard. Through his visionary approach to bringing a fresh ear to familiar repertoire and a warm, human presence to the traditional concert experience; championing new music and initiating groundbreaking collaborations within and beyond the classical domain; Haimovitz is redefining what it means to be an artist, for the 21st century.  Joining him is frequent collaborator Geoff Burleson.

3 p.m.
BMOP
Gil Rose, conductor
Performing works by Paul Moravec, Andrew Vores**, Harold Shapero,and John Harbison, Arthur Levering and Leon Kirchner.

Founded in 1996 by Artistic Director Gil Rose, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) is one of a handful of professional orchestras in the United States dedicated exclusively to performing and recording music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through its concerts and recordings, BMOP strives to illuminate the connections that exist between contemporary music and contemporary society by reuniting composers and audiences in a shared concert experience.

This is the first of a series of biennial festivals of contemporary music initiated by the Alice M. Ditson Fund, which supports music by emerging American composers. The festival is also supported by the Boston Musicians' Association. For more information, visit www.ditsonfestival.org.   

Tickets: Prelude concert $15 general admission; $10 members, students, and seniors.
Main show $35 general admission; $30 members, students, and seniors. Both concerts on any one day (available only by phone or at the ICA box office) $40 general admission; $35 members, students, and seniors

*World Premiere
**World Premiere commissioned by the American Composers Forum New England with support from the Argosy Contemporary Music Fund and the Thomas R. and Ruth R. McMullin Fund

Oct. 17 - 19
CRASH Arts Presents
CELTIC TAP: An Evening with James Devine - Boston Debut
Friday, Oct. 17, 7:30pm; Saturday, Oct.18, 8pm; Sunday, October 19, 3pm
A thrilling mix of tap, step dance and urban rhythms, Celtic Tap features Irish tap dancer James Devine, the Guinness World Records "Fastest Dancer in the World," who clocks in at an astounding 38 taps per second. Devine's amazing footwork is accompanied by live musicians on fiddle and percussion, creating one rhythmic spectacle after another. Tickets: $35, $31.50 members.

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK with dance critic Debra Cash, exploring the global fusion behind James Devine's virtuoso rhythm tap technique.  Free with ticket, 20-minute talks begin 1 hour before each performance.

Oct. 24-26
The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Another Evening: Serenade/The Proposition - BOSTON PREMIERE
Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 pm

The company, known for pushing the boundaries of dance, returns to the ICA this fall to launch its 25th anniversary celebration. Another Evening: Serenade/The Proposition draws on the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, using his documented words, his contemporaries' writings and speeches, and other texts to set up the push and pull of historical perspective. Our connection to history-or lack thereof-is evoked through video by Janet Wong, an original score blending classical and folk music in a contemporary pastiche by electric cellist Chris Lancaster, Juilliard's Jerome Begin on piano, and text sung by soprano Lisa Komara. Serenade/The Proposition transports the viewer through time with its iconic set design by Bjorn Amelan, Jones' cast of fierce dancers, actor Andrea Smith, and, completing the longtime collaborative team, lighting design by Robert Wierzel, costumes by Liz Prince, and sound design by Sam Crawford. Tickets: $50 reserved seating; $40 members, students, and seniors

Nov. 14 -16
CRASH Arts presents
Philadanco
Friday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 16, 3 p.m.

Philadanco performs joyous and adventurous works with universal appeal that blends African-American-based dance with ballet, jazz and modern dance. The company will present the Boston premieres of works choreographed by Rennie Harris, Christopher L. Huggins, Milton Myers and Gene Hill Sagan.

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK with dance critic Debra Cash, tracing the political and aesthetic journey of Joan Myers Brown's Philadanco.  Free 20-minute talks begin 1 hour before each performance.
POST-PERFORMANCE Q&A: Friday, Nov. 14

This presentation of Philadanco is made possible by the MetLife Community Connections Fund of the National Dance Project, a program administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts. Major support for the National Dance Project is also provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional funding provided by the Ford Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

NEW MUSIC NOW
Organized in collaboration with composers Ned Rothenberg and Marty Ehrlich, this series presents some of the world's best and most adventurous musicians and composers.  Each evening will offer two unique sets. 

Friday, Sept. 12, 7:30 pm      
Sam Rivers Trio and Sam Rivers with the NEC Jazz Orchestra
The legendary multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers returns to Boston to perform with his trio and realize his orchestral compositions with a stellar big band of New England Conservatory alumni and students. Eighty-three years young, Sam was an integral part of Boston's creative music scene in the 1960s, before moving to New York and working with giants like Miles Davis and Charlie Mingus. This trio features the leader on tenor and soprano saxophones, flute, and piano. His partners include multi-instumentalists Doug Matthews (bass, bass clarinet and drums) and Anthony Cole (drums, bass, and piano).

Friday, October 10, 7:30 p.m.
Evan Parker and Marilyn Crispell
Evan Parker and Marilyn Crispell will each present a solo set and then close the evening in a world-premiere pairing. Parker, a towering figure in the British music pantheon, performs phenomenal solo saxophone music, creating complex polyphony from what is normally a "single-line" instrument. Crispell studied classical piano and composition at the New England Conservatory. She has performed and recorded extensively with well-known players on the American and international jazz scene.

Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m. 
Fred Frith's Cosa Brava featuring Carla Kihlstedt, Zeena Parkins, and Matthias Bossi with sound design by The Norman Conquest  - Boston debut
Marc Ribot opens
Guitarist/Composer Fred Frith brings his new assemblage, Cosa Brava to Boston for the first time. With long-time collaborator Zeena Parkins (Skeleton Crew, Björk) and new partners including violinist/vocalist Carla Kihlstedt (Tin Hat, Two Foot Yard), the loquacious Frith carries on with his creative ventures that began with the famous art rock band Henry Cow and show no signs of letting up. The evening opens with a solo set from guitarist Marc Ribot, known for his collaborations with Tom Waits, John Zorn, Elvis Costello and his own bands, Los Cubanos Postizos, Ceramic Dog, and Shrek. Tickets: $25 reserved seating; $20 members, students, and seniors.

EXPERIMENT
Friday, Sept. 26, 8 p.m. - midnight
reConstitution with Sosolimited

Experiment, an irresistible mix of art, drinks, beats and eats, is back, with just the cure for the season's oversaturated electioneering. Performance and visual arts collective Sosolimited presents a live remix of the first presidential debate, morphing words and images into a nonpartisan spectacle of light and sound. Analyze the candidates' emotion, track their body language, and count the blinks of their eyes-all in real time. Top it off with Experiment's winning combination of art, DJs, food, and drink. Our electoral process never seemed so much fun. Tickets: $25 general admission; $20 members, students, and seniors. Must be 21 years of age.

FILM

Sept. 27 & 28
Fall Film Event: Get a Rare Glimpse Inside Warhol's Factory with a Film Premiere and Live Music Event

Boston Premiere!
A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory
(78 minutes, BetaSP, 2007)
3 screenings: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 28, 4 p.m. - Introduction and Q & A with Director Esther Robinson

In her award-winning documentary, Esther Robinson presents a portrait of her uncle Danny Williams-a promising young filmmaker and Andy Warhol's onetime lover and collaborator-who disappeared in 1966. Using over 20 of Williams's never-before-seen films, Robinson explores the Factory era in an homage to her uncle's talent and a search to uncover the truth about his mysterious disappearance at age 27. A Walk Into the Sea is the winner of the Teddy Award, Best Documentary Film, at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, and the New York Loves Film Award at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.  Tickets: $9 general admission; $7 members, students, and seniors

Live Music + Film: Danny Williams' Factory Films
(16 mm transferred to video, 70 minutes)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.

See three of Danny Williams's mesmerizing never-before-seen short films featuring The Velvet Underground and other legendary Factory figures. In an exceptional music and movie event, Harold Stevenson Part 1 and Part 2 will be screened with live music accompaniment by composer T. Griffin and Catherine McRae, of the acclaimed band the Quavers. The program will also include silent screenings of The Factory Film and The Velvet Underground Eat Lunch. Tickets: $10 general admission; $8 members, students, and seniors

Special Combo offer: See any screening of A Walk Into the Sea, plus the Sunday night event featuring screenings of the Danny Williams's films with live music accompaniment for $16 general admission; $12 members, students and seniors.  Note the combo offer can only be purchased at in person or by phone at the ICA Box office.
 
Saturday, Oct. 11, 6 p.m.
The International Experimental Cinema Exposition
Q & A with the filmmakers and TIE Founder/Director Christopher May

The first half of this two-part screening features an eclectic range of experimental films that illuminate the continuing vitality and beauty of celluloid. Part 2 includes a large selection of new work by the best Boston avant-garde filmmakers, including Rebecca Meyers, Luther Price, Jonathan Shwartz, and Robert Todd. The International Experimental Cinema Exposition (TIE) is dedicated to celluloid works in their true format, from the latest contemporary works to archival films from the rich history of experimental cinema. TIE seeks films that challenge popular and conventional modes of the moving image, from difficult and hand-made films to extraordinarily radical and obscure compositions. Tickets: $10 general admission; $8 members, students, and seniors

Nov. 6 - 9
Boston Jewish Film Festival at the ICA
Through features, shorts, and documentaries, the festival explores Jewish identity, the current Jewish experience, and the richness of Jewish culture in the relation to a diverse modern world. For upcoming screening information, log onto www.icaboston.org. Tickets: $9 general admission; $7 members, students and seniors.

TALKS & TOURS

Sept. 11 - Dec. 18
Lunchtime Gallery Talks
Take a break to nourish your body and your mind. ICA curators share their perspectives on working with today's artists in a program tailor-made for your lunch hour. Speakers will provide food for thought; the Water Café will take care of the rest.  All talks take place at 12 noon and last about 45 minutes, including Q & A.
Free with museum admission. Space is limited. Free tickets are available first-come, first-served one hour before the program. Ticket holders are eligible for a 10% discount at the Water Café. May not be combined with any other offer.

Thursday, Sept. 11
Jen Mergel, Associate Curator
Momentum 11: Nicholas Hlobo      

Thursday, Sept. 25
Jen Mergel, Associate Curator
Street Level: Mark Bradford, William Cordova and Robin Rhode  

Thursday, Oct. 16
Jen Mergel/Nicholas Baume
Tara Donovan 

Thursday, Oct. 30
Nicholas Baume, Chief Curator 
Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall: Ugo Rondinone

Thursday, Nov. 13
Nicholas Baume, Chief Curator
Momentum 12: Gerard Byrne

Thursday, Dec. 11
Jen Mergel, Associate Curator
Tara Donovan    

Thursday, Dec. 18
Carole Anne Meehan, Curator
ICA Collection    

Schedule of speakers is subject to change. Please check our web site for the most up-to-date information.

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Tara Donovan in Conversation with Lawrence Weschler 

As Tara Donovan opens her first major museum survey, the Brooklyn-based sculptor discusses her work with Lawrence Weschler, a writer known for making surprising connections between seemingly disparate ideas and images. A New Yorker staff writer for more than 20 years, Weschler is the author of a dozen books of creative nonfiction, including the 2006 collection of essays Everything That Rises: A Book of Convergences, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. Since 2001, Weschler has been the director of the New York Institute for the Humanities at New York University, and in 2006 he accepted the position of artistic director of the Chicago Humanities Festival. He is a two-time winner of the George Polk Award and a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award. Tickets: $12 general admission; $8 members, students, and seniors

Sunday, Dec. 7, 1 p.m.
Artist Talk: James and Audrey Foster Prize Finalists

Come hear Catherine D'Ignazio, Rania Matar, Andrew Witkin, and Joe Zane talk about their artistic process, and see what makes their work so relevant today. Free with museum admission. Tickets available first-come, first-served one hour before the program.

ICA/AIGA Design Series: Design and Play
Thursday, Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m.

Looking at the prevalence of playful, brightly colored and unique design across many design disciplines, Constantine Boym (Boym Partners), Chris Foster (Director of Design, Harmonix), and Jim Crawford (Co-founder, Strangeco) will talk to Ellen Lupton (designer, writer, curator) to address how their work has developed in recent years and why people want to play.

Tickets: $12 general admission; $8 ICA and AIGA members, students, and seniors
This program is made possible through the generosity of Vivien and Alan Hassnefeld.

Free Public Tours
Each week, the ICA offers six docent-led tours free with museum admission except on Thursdays when museum admission is free, sponsored by Target. Tours leave from the lobby.

Target Free Thursday Night        
6 p.m. Tara Donovan
7 p.m. Introduction to the ICA
 
Saturdays and Sundays
1 p.m. Tara Donovan
2:30 p.m. Introduction to the ICA

COURSES

Tuesdays, Oct. 21 and 28, November 4, 11, and 18
LOOK HERE: Introduction to Contemporary Sculpture
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Satisfy some of your curiosity about contemporary sculpture through this five-week program. Starting with the Tara Donovan exhibition, the course introduces a series of topics, examined through images of artists' work, conversations with artists and curators, readings, and program discussion. Led by Randi Hopkins, this program will offer diverse perspectives on what it means to make and appreciate sculpture today. Hopkins brings 25 years of experience working with contemporary visual art and writing, as co-founder and director of the Allston Skirt Gallery in Boston and a regular contributor to The Boston Phoenix. Fee: $120 general admission; $100 members, students and seniors. Ticket holders are eligible to 10% discount on items in the Water Café and ICA bookstore. May not be combined with any other offer.

About the ICA
An influential forum for multi-disciplinary arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art has been at the leading edge of art in Boston for 70 years. Like its iconic building on Boston's waterfront, the ICA offers new ways of engaging with the world around us. Its exhibitions and programs provide access to contemporary art, artists, and the creative process, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the excitement of new art and ideas.  The ICA, located at 100 Northern Avenue, is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 am - 5 pm; Thursday and Friday, 10 am - 9 pm; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm.  Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors and students, and free for members and children 17 and under. Free admission on Target Free Thursday Nights, 5 - 9 pm. For more information, call (617) 478-3100 or visit www.icaboston.org.

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