Australian And World Premieres From Omega Ensemble

Image: Thomas Adès by Marco Borggreve

Omega Ensemble presents Alchymia, an explosion of juxtapositions by genre-defying musical masters in just two Sydney performances. The concert features the Australian premiere of Alchymia by Thomas Adès, Missy Mazzoli’s haunting Dark with Excessive Bright and world premieres by Samuel Adams (Lighthouse) and Christopher Cerrone.

Thomas Adès’ clarinet quintet Alchymia will receive its Australian premiere with David Rowden founder of the ensemble as soloist. Adès’  is one of the most prodigious and respected composers of the 21st Century. Alchymia premiered in 2021 and draws inspiration from the alchemical world of Elizabethan London.

Samuel Adams is a new generation in American music. As the son of the post-minimalist composer John Adams, Samuel Adams explores the space between directness and implication, silence and resonance, and emotional aftermath. Samuel Adams has forged hos own distinct musical style and successful career, receiving commissions across the globe including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Het Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and now Australia’s own Omega Ensemble.

Missy Mazzoli’s music draws influence from the Baroque to minimalism and indie rock. Her Grammy Award nominated double bass concerto Dark with Excessive Bright is loosely based on Baroque idioms as the music slips between across
centuries, twisting a repeated musical statement from delicate simplicity to pandemonium. Omega Ensemble presents Mazzoli’s surreal and evocative work in a punchy version for double bass soloist s (SSO) and string quintet.

Originally co-commissioned by Omega Ensemble in 2021, Christopher Cerrone’s Nervous Systems is a favourite showpiece for the ensemble with a new expanded version commissioned by Omega Ensemble.

Both Cerrone and Mazzoli are regular collaborators with Omega Ensemble, mentoring participants of the CoLAB: Performer Accelerator Program.

Program: SAMUEL ADAMS — Lighthouse (World Premiere) */ THOMAS ADÈS — Alchymia (Australian Premiere)/ MISSY MAZZOLI — Dark with Excessive Bright/ CHRISTOPHER CERRONE — Nervous Systems (New Version) **

* Commissioned by Omega Ensemble.
** Presented in a new arrangement by the composer commissioned by Omega Ensemble.

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