eighth blackbird

and the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble

Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 8 p.m.

Tickets: $20, OCID and Seniors 55+: $16, Students: $8
Location: Finney Chapel (directions)

The Grammy-winning ensemble eighth blackbird joins forces with the Oberlin Conservatory of Music’s renowned Contemporary Music Ensemble to present important world premieres by two legendary American mavericks. Commissioned for the collaboration of this unconducted “super group,” Fred Rzewski’s Knight, Death and the Devil is a bizarre fantasia on songs associated with war, inspired by Dürer’s haunting engraving of the same name. Steve Reich’s engaging, funky Double Sextet, originally recorded by the six members of eighth blackbird, will receive its first performance in a version for 12 live musicians. Eighth blackbird will walk Rzewski’s grueling musical tightrope, Les Moutons de Panurge, and two Oberlin students will present their moving, unique multimedia interpretation of Reich’s Cello Counterpoint. The members of eighth blackbird worked with Timothy Weiss at the Conservatory when they formed their groundbreaking new music ensemble more than 10 years ago.

Rzewski: Knight, Death and the Devil (world premiere) *

Reich: Double Sextet (live version world premiere)

Rzewski: Les Moutons de Panurge

Reich: Cello Counterpoint

“The sextet eighth blackbird wins extravagant praise everywhere it goes, and the reason was aparent … These are exceptional young musicians with a real flair for performance. Their specialty is making music of our moment come to life.”

The Los Angeles Times

“… a hotbed for new music. … In recent years, Oberlin has produced some of the top names in contemporary music.”

The Los Angeles Times

* Knight, Death and the Devil was commissioned by eighth blackbird through the generous support of Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Chicago.