Jessica Meyer, violist and composer: Sounds of Being
“Polish, focus, and excitement!” —The New York Times
Location
Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall
Date & Time
September 3, 2015, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Description
Jessica Meyer, violist and composer: Sounds of Being
Thursday, September 3 | 7 pm
Earl and Darielle Linehan Concert Hall
Violist and composer Jessica Meyer presents her 50-minute solo show for viola and electronics, Sounds of Being, which asks the question, “How can certain sounds convey a specific emotional experience?” While using a loop-pedal to transform herself into an orchestra, she creates a surround-sound sensory experience where both music and storytelling take the audience on a journey filled with joy, anxiety, closeness, anger, bliss, torment, loneliness, and passion.
Hailed for her “polish, focus, and excitement” (The New York Times) and playing that is “fierce and lyrical” (The Strad), Jessica Meyer is a versatile violist and composer whose passionate musicianship radiates accessibility, generosity, fun and clarity. As a soloist, she has premiered pieces for solo viola around the country, and is committed to expanding the repertoire for viola by commissioning new works while also composing her own. Equally at home with many styles of music, she can regularly be seen performing on Baroque viola, improvising with jazz musicians, or collaborating with other performer/composers. This past spring, projects on Baroque viola include collaborations with the Gotham Chamber Opera at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and with the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Meyer says of Sounds of Being, “My pieces explore some of my favorite musical sounds and styles that I have either performed over the years or listened to in my car – from Bach, Brahms, and Blues, to Flamenco, Indian Raga, and Appalachian fiddling. I love performing fragile timbres, wailing gestures, and percussive grooves to make my instrument sound like a drum, an electric guitar, an Indian sarangi, or an extension of my own voice. The loop pedal helps me combine all of these sounds together to transform myself into an entire orchestra of emotion.”
Admission: $15 general, $10 seniors, $5 students, available through MissionTix. Tickets will also be available at the door, cash sales only.
Photo: Ana Pinto
