bloodcirclesearwhistles

Ekmeles Octet performing the US premiere of bloodcirclesearwhistles Saturday, May 25th, at 7:30PM at the DiMenna Center’s Cary Hall, New York, within a concert including works by: Ben Johnston, Josh Levine, Eric Dudley, Dai Fujikura, Cassandra Miller

EKMELES:
Charlotte Mundy, soprano
Amber Evans, soprano
Elisa Sutherland, mezzo
Timothy Parsons, countertenor
Tomás Cruz, tenor
Eric Dudley, tenor
Jeffrey Gavett, baritone and director
Steven Hrycelak, bass

This piece for moving vocal ensemble and sports whistles was composed as part of a larger collaborative commission with other composers for the artist Sam Belinfante.

It was composed in response to On the Circulation of Blood’ a reference to William Harvey’s key medical textbook of 1648 De Motu Cordis and which Belinfante created a mobile sculptural performance.

The score has a few basic instructions and as it is a spatial work provides an opportunity for the listeners to engage with voices in direct yet intimate ways.

Harvey’s descriptive text has been fractured or deconstructed and serves as my humble tribute to poet and artist NH Pritchard whose own poems I have found deeply influential.