Cadenza Magazine - PAC Roster 2025-2026

GUY Mendilow & REGIE GIBSON GUY Mendilow & REGIE GIBSON

ARTS

FOR SOCIAL COHESION

ARTS FOR SOCIAL COHESION

Discover how ASC’s Discover how ASC’s Co-Artistic Directors move Co-Artistic Directors move the needle on community the needle on community resilience through powerful resilience through powerful performances and performances and cohesion processes cohesion processes

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Artist News

Cover Spotlight

Interview with Guy Mendilow & Regie Gibson of ASC

Artist Spotlight

Interview with Kizuki

Residency Spotlight

Immersive Residency Offerings

iCadenza Tips

Fortune Favors the Brave

Cadenza Roster

Contemporary/Multimedia

Dance

Family Programming

Ensembles

Instrumental Soloists

Vocal Recitalists

Co-Commissioning Projects

Symphony Projects

Film With Live Music

Opera Projects

Composers

Directors

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER

Dear Fellow Arts Leaders,

The 2025–26 season arrives at a time when artists and presenters are charting bold new courses. Across the field, we see a remarkable willingness to take risks—whether through reimagining the live experience, embracing technology in ways that enhance human connection, or creating work that speaks directly to the challenges of our day. These pages reflect the vibrancy of that moment, filled with projects that are as socially relevant as they are artistically daring.

Our cover spotlight features Arts for Social Cohesion (ASC), co-directed by composer and educator Guy Mendilow and Massachusetts’ inaugural Poet Laureate Regie Gibson. Their new production, Different Ships, Same Boat, embodies the power of story to connect across divides, drawing audiences into a call-and-response of spoken word, music, and lived testimony. Through narratives of youth activists, immigrants, and working people who shaped America in ways often overlooked, ASC reframes “the other” as neighbor, teacher, collaborator. Beyond the stage, their residencies blend artistry with social psychology, making it possible for communities to build empathy and resilience in practical, lasting ways.

In our second featured interview, we introduce Kizuki, a bold new multimedia ensemble from Japan whose work integrates projection mapping, cirque, dance, and physical theatre. Formed by leading members of the acclaimed groups enra and YOAH, Kizuki transforms the stage into a living canvas where light, shadow, tradition, and technology merge in breathtaking harmony. Their work is futuristic yet deeply human, grounded in Japanese philosophy but resonant with audiences everywhere. With appearances ranging from America’s Got Talent to the Edinburgh Fringe, Kizuki embodies the balance of spectacle and soul that defines this new era of performance.

This season brings additional inspiring developments from across our roster. Judy Collins’ new poetry collection has been celebrated as a New York Times Editors’ Pick; Daniel Ho has received Hawaii’s prestigious Ki-ho‘alu Legacy Award for his profound impact on the art of slack key guitar; and pianist Vanessa Perez embarks on her largest European tour yet alongside actor Bill Murray. Clarice Assad takes the global stage this year at the United Nations’ COP30 in Brazil with a new work honoring the Amazon Rainforest and, looking ahead to 2026, Lara Downes’ Declaration Project will culminate in a Lincoln Center premiere as part of America’s 250th anniversary.

This year is also an exciting landmark for Cadenza with the launch of the Eden Arts and Immersive Media Festival, a sister nonprofit to Cadenza. Rooted in Utah’s majestic mountains, Eden is a multi-day celebration of music, film, dance, storytelling, immersive technology, and games. Designed for intergenerational audiences, it offers wonder, joy, and belonging in a space free of dogma and full of soul. Eden will not only premiere performances and immersive experiences but will also produce touring presentations and educational initiatives that travel nationally, extending its impact far beyond its mountain home. The festival is rooted in my family’s history—my grandparents, Holocaust survivors, instilled in me a reverence for beauty and the transformative power of music and storytelling. Eden is a place to rediscover that “why,” to reconnect with purpose through the arts, and to build community around curiosity, awe, and imagination.

At the same time, our Cadenza team is growing dramatically. This year, we are delighted to introduce several new team members, including new agents who bring fresh energy, expertise, and vision to our work. We are grateful for the warmth with which you continue to embrace them and for the collaborations that make our shared work so meaningful.

At the heart of it all is storytelling—the universal thread that binds our artists’ work, our team’s mission, and the communities we serve. Whether conveyed through music, movement, or multimedia, these stories create spaces for reflection, joy, and connection. As you explore the pages that follow, you will see one theme emerge from all these stories: the arts as a vehicle for resilience and renewal. Our artists are not only performers but cultural change-makers—champions of beauty, truth, and belonging at a time when the world needs them most—sharing artistry that resonates deeply.

With warm wishes,

Julia Levitan CEO & Co-Founder, Cadenza Artists President & Co-Founder, iCadenza Founder, Eden Arts and Immersive Media Festival

NEWS

After postponing a 65-city US tour due to the pandemic, New Zealand-based singer and entertainer Will Martin (p 31) is FINALLY back in the US performing across the Midwest and West Coast in Spring 2027 During the interim, he has been keeping busy with television appearances and concerts throughout New Zealand, as well as performances aboard international cruise ships

In addition to a documentary being made about his extraordinary life, six-time GRAMMY® winner and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Ho (p. 28) was honored with the "Ki-ho'alu Legacy Award" given at the 48th Annual Hoku Awards in June 2025, Hawaii’s equivalent of the GRAMMYS® The Legacy Award is given to a deserving individual who has played a significant role in promoting, preserving, and perpetuating the art form ki-ho'alu (aka slack key guitar)

Published in March 2025, Judy Collins' (p. 31) latest book of poetry, "Sometimes It's Heaven: Poems of Love, Loss, and Redemption," has garnered accolades for its vulnerability, relatability, and insightful exploration of universal human experiences Critics are hailing the book as “a masterclass in storytelling from a voice we’ve trusted for generations” (Publishers Weekly) The memoir has been named a New York Times Editors’ Pick and debuted on several best-ofsummer reading lists

Lara Downes (p 27), renowned pianist and cultural visionary, will premiere DECLARATION (p 36) in Summer 2026 at Lincoln Center, NYC, in honor of the US’ 250 anniversary. It features three newly commissioned orchestral pieces by Valerie Coleman, Arturo O’Farrill, and Christopher Tin, celebrating the ideals of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Connected to the performance is The Declaration Project (p 10), a national community initiative inviting all Americans to explore these ideals through music, poetry, dance, spoken word, and visual art, resulting in a digital archive of contributions to be showcased in a video installation presented alongside DECLARATION The project received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities th

Regie Gibson, Co-Artistic Director of Arts for Social Cohesion (p. 19), has been named Massachusetts’ inaugural Poet Laureate! Audiences can experience his powerful spoken word live in Different Ships, Same Boat with the Guy Mendilow Ensemble, touring New England in October 2025 with support from the NEFA NEST program.

Renowned composer, vocalist, and multiinstrumentalist Clarice Assad (p. 23-24) will take the global stage in Brazil at COP30, the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, with a powerful new arrangement of her work Amazônia Sem Lei Performing as both vocalist and percussionist, Assad will use her music to honor the Amazon and amplify the urgent call for environmental justice as world leaders, scientists, and climate advocates gather to shape the future of our planet

The PBS special “Why You Like It” featuring Cadenza’s Nolan Gasser & The Mighty Mighty premiered in late February 2025, airing in over 120 million U S homes With about 100 million monthly viewers and high engagement via its interactive app, the show has built an audience more than ready for the exhilarating live concert version of “Why You Like It” (p. 20).

Thresh Dance (p 15), the dynamic performing arts organization founded by award-winning Artistic Director and Choreographer Preeti Vasudevan, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025! Marking this major milestone is the introduction of four powerful new works: The Absent Lover, Indian Letters, Voices of Women, and Listen, each continuing the company’s bold mission to bridge cultures, challenge norms, and ignite dialogue through movement and storytelling

In June 2025, VenezuelanAmerican pianist Vanessa Perez (p 28) perform her duo piano program A Fuego Lento (p 22) with Latin Grammy winner, Kristhyan Benítez at the renowned Rzeszów Castle in Poland, before embarking on her largest European tour to date with New Worlds, starring Bill Murray alongside Jan Vogler and Mira Wang

ARTS FOR SOCIAL COHESION

Arts for Social Cohesion is a pioneering organization strengthening community resilience. Co-directed by composer, educator and social-change architect Guy Mendilow and literary performer Regie Gibson, recently appointed Massachusetts’ inaugural poet laureate, it combines the 20+ year trajectory of Guy Mendilow Ensemble and Gibson’s internationally renowned artistry with finely-honed pedagogy informed by social psychology.

Cadenza recently caught up with Guy and Regie about their mission, newest production, what it looks like to strengthen relationships within and between communities, and the nitty-gritty of how arts interventions can help create pathways out of toxic polarization.

For those just learning about Arts for Social Cohesion, tell us about your mission and work?

Arts for Social Cohesion (ASC) strengthens the type of relationships that increase group resilience and thriving We’re guided by three generations of family lifework (including smuggling Jews out of fascist Hungary in WWII), together with experiences we’ve lived since childhood and decades of replicated studies. These show us that people can afford to be more collaborative and creative in relationships of safety, co-creative agency (rather than only being acted upon), and full regard These relationships form a social infrastructure that persists beyond any single agenda, increasing a community’s capacities to weather current turbulence and unknown future storms Such relationships also expand joy and well-being

ASC’s cohesion processes, from workshops and crowdsourced poems to lively dinners, make it safe, easy, and fun for people to get real, connect emotionally, and understand the experiences bringing a person to see, believe, and choose as they do We specialize in the ofteninvisible mathematics of human connection, the ways small, often overlooked details shift a person’s internal narratives about themselves and their fit with those around them We also work through productions and teach others our evidence-based methodologies for strengthening relationships within and between communities

ASC’s strength is synthesizing: Rigorous artistry. For example, Regie is Massachusetts’ inaugural poet laureate Guy has been arranging for/directing ensembles on international stages since age 13 (e g , National Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan). We both honed our craft touring and directing on leading performing arts stages since 1998, from Celebrity Series of Boston and “Promised Land” at Oprah Winfrey’s home to the Krannert Performing Arts Center; Pedagogical expertise, e g , Professorships at Berklee College of Music; Advanced pedagogy degrees; Residency design from the Navajo Reservation and rural Midwest to metropolitan centers since 1996; Best practices in social psychology, emphasizing seemingly small moves that, when carefully tailored, targeted, and timed, make long-lasting impacts

Tell us about your newest production, Different Ships, Same Boat What’s the heart of the story, what should audiences expect, and what do you hope presenters and audiences take away?

Different Ships, Same Boat (DSSB) opens with Regie alone onstage, drawing audiences into a call-and-response that's at once irreverent, intelligent, and intensely rhythmic The band enters explosively, audience and company singing together and this sets up a journey of real-world snapshots of folks who've shaped America, even if overlooked in histories and headlines Powerful spoken word stories are scored with music drawing on spirituals, classical and blues

The stories span rural to urban communities From youth who've carried movements for better futures throughout America's arc to field workers maintaining dignity through changing lands to immigrants whose resistance to fascism shaped generations It’s poignant, poetic, hip, humorous and hopeful

Because we want to serve many communities civic halls, museums, faith communities, educational campuses alongside theaters we designed DSSB to have a small footprint, requiring minimal sound and lighting support.

Your work often engages with questions of identity and belonging. How does Different Ships, Same Boat navigate such complexities?

The performance’s title references a quote by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr : “We may have all come on Different Ships, but we are in the Same Boat now ” When Dr King spoke this, America was, again, in turmoil as to WHAT is and WHO is a REAL American It’s not lost on us that, at various points in this country's history, three of our five company members Regie, descended from the

Regie Gibson & Guy Mendilow

American enslaved; Guy, an immigrant of Jewish Hungarian descent; and Courtney (voice/bass/piano), a Japanese immigrant would have been dismissed as NOT AMERICAN, whether effectively, legally, or both

Recent events and the approach of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution give us a chance to pause and reflect: What might it mean to celebrate, even love, not just America, but Americans?

DSSB explores this question through moving personal stories that give flesh, blood, and bone to the small, living histories that make up this country The performance explores realworld inspirations, aspirations, and trepidations of people who make America what it is, to bring each other's humanity into sharper relief As StoryCorps founder David Isay puts it, it’s much more difficult to hate or dismiss a person once you’ve heard their story.

Deep community work is central to ASC’s mission What’s an example of meaningful impact you’ve seen through your residency programs?

The Center for Combating Antisemitism recently identified ASC as one of three "high potential and high impact…strategic community-based projects well-positioned for moving the needle" toward deeper cross-community understanding ASC was the sole arts-based initiative.

Funding enabled a cohesion residency strengthening relationships within and between some 600 members of two inspiring Boston communities: Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Reform Jewish Temple Israel of Boston Through crowdsourced poems, multigenerational “Ponder to Page” story-crafting workshops, laughter-filled 10Toast dinners and Listening Labs, participants shared, and were moved by, each other’s stories

Despite cultural, ethnic, and religious differences, participants recognized experiences they shared, from navigating loss to unexpected kindness and showing up for others Seventy-six percent felt empathy/compassion, curiosity, and gratitude were core values they felt most proud to live out Some continued to meet, such as two women from different communities who’d survived painful divorces “How can you listen to a story like that and not show up for a person?” one remarked Clergy reported shifts in their personal connections with the other community’s members: The sense of WE got bigger. These relationships deepened the willingness and possibility participants felt in working together and supporting one another Three months later, impacts endure

What roles can the arts play in addressing growing polarization and fragmentation?

Certain arts approaches can help reframe “the other” from ‘threats with whom collaboration is all but impossible,’ to ‘fellow people with whom I fiercely disagree but with whom work is possible.’ “We have not evolved to vilify and demonize others, but to respond adaptively to situations as we perceive them or as we have been led to perceive them,” writes Stanford psychologist Geoffrey Cohen “If we perceive others as threats, we'll likely be more inclined to distance ourselves or be aggressive toward them If we don't perceive them as threats, we'll be more receptive ” This is worth unpacking

There is now a need for resistance: immediate cessation of harm to real people, families and communities There’s also a need to reimagine ways of being together that help people and

communities thrive more That long-game is ASC’s role in ecosystems of change It’s helpful to name key toxic polarization drivers that arts interventions like ASC address. Journalist/author Monica Guzmán articulates one core mechanism: The more under-represented a person is in one's actual life, the more overrepresented they tend to be in one's imagination And often we don’t imagine people. We imagine monsters. In part this comes from cognitive biases interpreting extremes (e g , what headlines show) as norms These headlines often feature the loudest voices, frequently dominating public debates, from conflict mongers least interested in finding common ground because they profit from outrage and fear Yet these are outliers less than a third of the population

Hidden in this dynamic are two-thirds of Americans: “Ordinary people” teachers, nurses, small business owners, retirees Folks trying to live their lives The values shared by this “exhausted majority” may be surprising. For example, in More In Common’s May 2025 national survey, Democrats estimated that just 26% of Republicans support US clean energy leadership The actual number is 73% In 2022, Republicans estimated that 43% of Democrats felt that, when studying US history, students should not be made to feel personally responsible for the errors of prior generations The actual number is 83% Such misperceptions are ubiquitous

This doesn’t wash away real disagreements Nor is there moral equivalence between Neo-Nazis and their opponents The point is: When I assume unified, bitter opposition to what I hold most dear, I feel threatened by monsters. When I feel more widespread agreement with “the other,” the monster-mask cracks I sense greater possibilities out of stuckness, however much muck we still need to wade through

Issue positions are like an iceberg’s tip There’re even more basic understandings below the surface: The values and beliefs that bring a person to these positions in the first place and the core experiences and relationships shaping those values and beliefs. Understanding these understories is not the same as agreement These stories crack the monster-mask even further, so that we see a person’s actual features This is a threshold for empathy and identification across differences. This is not endorsement. But it’s harder for me to disregard that person and when a person feels understood, they become more open to listening

Ponder to Page Workshop

KIZUKI

Multimedia Performance Artists

A contemporary performance company blending images, light, and the human body, Kizuki unites award-winning multi-genre artists from Japan’s renowned enra and YOAH into a new, nonverbal multimedia live experience. Cadenza interviewed Artistic Director and Co-Producer Yusaku Mochizuki to learn more about their inspiration, new project, and visions for the future.

Kizuki fuses projection mapping, cirque, dance, juggling, physical theatre, and acrobatics into one seamless performance. How would you describe what you do to someone who’s never seen it before?

Our performers work in front of a massive screen, synchronizing with visuals through precise choreography that blends seamlessly with imagery, light, and effects to create high-impact performances. By combining different genres and movement styles in perfect harmony, we express human energy through non-verbal narrative and abstract expression - evoking a sense of vitality and optimism

Where does the name Kizuki come from?

Kizuki carries layered meanings - spirit, awareness, discovery, radiance - but at its core, it unites ki (tree) and tsuki (moon) The tree embodies life’s vitality; the moon, luminous and timeless, symbolizes universal presence Static vs dynamic, grounded vs celestial, dark vs light, yet they naturally coexist in duality and balance, each augmenting the other, harmonizing through contrast By freeing ourselves from preconceptions, embracing nature alongside innovation, and striving for harmony, we reveal hidden wonders Through technology, light, and images, we create high-impact visual performances to convey the

wonder of the human and universal inner qualities hidden in the shadows Like a great tree in the moonlight, Kizuki aspires to show how the balance of opposites creates infinite possibilities

Your performances feel futuristic yet deeply human. What’s your creative process when developing a new piece? Does the movement inspire the visuals, or vice versa?

The production of our work is a multi-step process that requires the careful balance and cooperation of different elements. First, we create the physical performance in parallel with the music, and then add technology such as video projection, lighting, etc , to give it visual impact However, we are mindful of not over-relying on technology to ensure that the human aspect is not lost The second essential thing is to prioritize philosophy and consciously use it to create the performance. The result is a performance that embodies the balance of disparate elements that we seek to express

Members of Kizuki have experience performing everywhere from America’s Got Talent to the Edinburgh Fringe, from corporate events to outdoor festivals, on every continent except Antarctica, and for royalty. What makes this team resonate with such a wide range of audiences and cultures?

We’re thrilled if the visual impact at first glance may surprise or attract the audience, but perhaps what resonates the most is the fact that each performer brings their whole self to the stage while pursuing their own philosophy and spirituality, which is what captivates audiences around the world Though we use technology, we always aim to be genuine and create that empathic human connection In Japanese, we call that "ki-ai "

Yusaku Mochizuki

“Between light and shadow, tech-augmented human energy shines like moonlight through the trees.”

Your work is inspired by Japanese traditional art and the natural world, as much as it is inspired by the innovations of artificial intelligence and digital technology. What inspires that balance of tradition and innovation in your work?

We believe that the coexistence of humanity and technology is essential In today's world, where AI is constantly in the news, people are questioning whether humans are necessary But we believe that humanity is priceless And that is precisely why we are constantly pursuing how technology and performing arts can augment each other in a positive chemical reaction instead of fighting against each other We understand the crucial balance between preserving the authenticity of each performer’s unique skills and expanding those skills through technology harmoniously

Kizuki adapts to different stages and environments. What makes your production so versatile for presenters?

In short, we are exploring a wide range of visual approaches Our performances adapt flexibly to different screen sizes and spaces - using panels for layered depth, shadows for flat effects, or even eliminating screens for a fully three-dimensional presence We also incorporate illuminated juggling props to create fantastical, stage-filling effects From the earliest stages of development, we design with flexibility in mind, envisioning diverse performers in varied scenes. As a result, our productions can easily accommodate proscenium, thrust, or in-the-round stages, both indoors and outdoors

Do you offer workshops, masterclasses, or residency activities as part of your touring model?

Of course. Workshops, masterclasses, and residencies are invaluable opportunities for us to connect with local

communities - experiences we truly love and welcome Our artists have led lectures on the philosophy of performance and conducted workshops at schools from kindergarten through university, as well as in corporate settings across Japan, the United States, Europe, Australia, and beyond. These sessions can include choreography, juggling, presentations, and other creative activities Participants often discover new abilities - for example, mastering a juggling skill they once thought impossible - and that sense of achievement and discovery makes the experience deeply rewarding for everyone involved

What’s next for Kizuki? Are you exploring new themes, technologies, or creative directions in your upcoming work?

We aim for big impact and big visuals using technology, a powerful "wow" effect, and at the same time, for quiet performances rooted in the understated Japanese culture that is completely opposite to that We also value the playful spirit born from unexpected ideas We want to create versatile and diverse performances, not just using a single screen, but also dual screens on panels, images projected onto the floor from above, tap dancing on dynamic floors, and using lasers and smoke to visualise how the air moves in response to the performance Once we start dreaming, the ideas keep flowing

For example, one idea I have is spinning a diabolo inside a transparent box to create a vortex of air Years ago, I worked with a live musician in a small room, and when we started spinning a diabolo during a live performance, the sound changed dramatically It was as if the space itself was spinning I’d love to see what happens if we fill the performance space with smoke particles and add color to them

Learn more about Kizuki on page 14.

IMMERSIVE RESIDENCIES

Cadenza Artists believes that the arts are one of the most powerful vehicles to connect people in joyful and collective expression. Helping our partners stay committed to building deeper connections with their communities, we highlight a few immersive residency offerings that provide opportunities to explore this connectedness. These offerings are of variable lengths, ranging from 1-2 hour workshops to multi-year collaborative residencies.

VOXTOPIA FESTIVAL: Interactive Multicultural Festival

VOXtopia Festival is an international festival whose mission is to expand the awareness of the diversity and plurality in vocal music It does this by delivering dramatic performances by extraordinary artists from across the globe Focusing on the voice as an instrument, the festival is a new branch of VOXploration, an award-winning educational program on spontaneous music creation created by Clarice Assad, Brazilian-American composer, instrumentalist, and vocalist with worldwide reach As an acclaimed music educator, Clarice teaches vocal techniques such as beatbox, overtone singing, and more, as well as body percussion with rhythmic notation that is accessible to anyone regardless of previous music training. Additionally, participants explore the integration between various forms of art, including theater, dance, music, and visual arts, all while composing scenes and musical numbers in a highly interactive and intuitive way. These workshops serve as an empowerment tool for selfdiscovery, connection, and unmatched levels of creativity

During the four-day festival, two to three other headlining artists from around the world meet to collaborate, and engage in educational projects reflecting their specialty. On the last night, the final show engages all the headliners and workshop participants in a public performance where the artists share the stage in different configurations with repertoire not previously showcased. For the Grand Finale, audience members are in for a surprise: An improvised work featuring the headliners and the participants in the VOXploration Workshop Sessions, including audience participation for the general audience, which one of Clarice's specialties

FIRST VOICES: Social Impact Residency Project

Founded by Preeti Vasudevan, First Voices works with students at reservation high schools and tribal colleges to create digital (video-based) performances of ancestral stories that are published and distributed via a dedicated online portal The narratives selected for the performance range from ancient origin stories to recent colonial-era history.

Working with professional teaching artists (Native and non-Native), tribal elders, and storytellers to produce the videos, students convey the narrative by breaking down the story into scenes and applying movement, choreography, visual art, music making with a composer, and directing/filmmaking. These are combined as the stories are presented in the original tribal language (with subtitles) to create a rich archive for future generations. Completed story videos and related content are also integrated into cross-curricular lesson plans for educators at high school and college levels.

First Voices is based on a core belief that learning through the arts is critical to young people's development of self-confidence, teamwork and leadership Through First Voices, participants reconnect with indigenous ways of knowing as they express ancestral stories within the context of their own lives, and as they build meaningful long-term connections with audiences within their own communities and beyond.

Clarice Assad

Preeti Vasudevan

THE DECLARATION PROJECT:

A Collective Reflection on the American Promise

With her upcoming projects, This Land and Declaration, iconoclastic pianist Lara Downes marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, founded on the principle that its citizens would be promised the unalienable rights of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Examining each of these three core concepts through the lens of our nation’s complicated past and present, she has commissioned a groundbreaking triptych of new works for piano and orchestra from Valerie Coleman, Arturo O’Farrill and Christopher Tin Downes will perform these three works as a contiguous set, with video projections created from recordings collected in communities nationwide as part of a multi-year community residency project in partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and NPR.

As part of this community transformative initiative, Lara will travel to communities nationwide, in partnership with a diverse consortium of presenting institutions and orchestras, to carry out multi-part immersive residencies centered on generative writing workshops, community forums, conversations, public work-in-progress showings and performances Based on the prompts “Life”, “Liberty” and the “Pursuit of Happiness”, these community engagement and education events will invite a kaleidoscopic array of American voices - those born within these borders and those who have made their way here - to actively reimagine the promise of our future, to create a new declaration, reflecting in their own words on the magic and mystery of life, the ongoing quest for freedom and equality, and the radical power of joy

Partners include Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, MASS MoCA, Cal Performances, and the Harmony Program

Regie Gibson & Guy Mendilow

ASC COHESION PROCESSES: Strengthening Relationships Within & Between Communities*

Arts for Social Cohesion (ASC) makes it easy, fun, and safe for people to get real, connect emotionally, and better understand what shapes people’s views and choices Led by composer/storycatcher Guy Mendilow and MA’s inaugural poet laureate Regie Gibson, ASC offerings for communities, work teams, campuses, and boards include:

Listening Labs

Listening Labs are gatherings in which moving stories told through powerful spoken word, music, and theatrically projected sand animation facilitate generous listening with fellow participants in conversations that are honest, intimate, and alive.

Ponder to Page Workshop

A fun three-step process for crafting resonant stories out of seemingly small, meaningful experiences, even those that may seem quite ordinary Created with the "non-writer" in mind, this workshop offers story-crafting skills useful in personal, community-based, and professional situations. Along the way, participants listen to and share real-life stories, strengthening emotional connection

Ten Toast Dinner

A lively, laughter-filled gathering where diners at each table share brief, personal stories as toasts based on the evening’s theme (ex, “To Those Who Shape Us”) ASC makes it easy for everyone - including the most introverted - to break bread and connect as folks raise glasses together, celebrating the values each story brings out Just one playful note: the final storyteller must sing their toast!

Crowdsourced Poem

A crowdsourced poem is created from community members’ anonymous responses to tailored prompts, capturing their words, feelings, beliefs, values, and aspirations Set to original music and shared live, the Poem is like a survey, revealing both what’s in common as well as the group’s unspoken tensions.

*Often paired with Different Ships, Same Boat (p. 19)

Lara Downes

Fortune Favors the Brave

by Julia Levitan

In moments of uncertainty, when the world feels especially fragile or unpredictable, many of us instinctively retreat We seek safety, familiarity, control But paradoxically, it is in these very moments that boldness becomes most necessary and most rewarding.

Winston Churchill once said, “To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do something special unique to their talents What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified ”

In uncertain times, that “tap on the shoulder” often comes disguised as disruption, as upheaval, as fear Yet for those willing to take the risk, to lean into discomfort rather than away from it, those very disruptions can reveal the path to purpose, creativity, and transformation

I’ve experienced this in my own journey more times than I can count When I co-founded iCadenza and later Cadenza Artists, there was no roadmap, no permission just a deep conviction that there had to be a better way to support artists as whole humans and build careers rooted in both soul and sustainability I left the safety of a traditional path and stepped into the unknown Years later, launching the Eden Arts Festival during a time when the arts were reeling from a global pandemic and sociopolitical polarization felt, frankly, mad! But I believed the world needed spaces for beauty, curiosity, and connection even in the midst of chaos.

What I’ve learned is this: those who take risks during uncertain times are not reckless. They are resilient. They are not fearless they’ve simply made peace with fear, and refuse to be governed by it

Why Risk-Takers Are Rewarded

It’s not just about luck or timing. Risk-takers are often rewarded because they are the ones moving while others are frozen They’re experimenting, failing forward, learning quickly They gain experience faster Their boldness sets them apart. In creative industries especially, standing still is often the biggest risk of all

As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail ”

Risk-takers innovate They expand what’s possible And in the process, they invite others to follow into new art forms, new business models, new paradigms

Risk tolerance isn’t an innate trait it’s a practice Like any muscle, it grows with repetition. Here are a few practical ways to stretch yours:

Start small, but start now.

You don’t need to upend your life to take a meaningful risk Pitch the project you’ve been sitting on Reach out to the person you admire. Say yes before you feel ready. Action builds courage

Normalize uncertainty.

Uncertainty is not the enemy It’s the birthplace of every great work of art, every innovation, every revolution Reframe uncertainty as a space of possibility, not paralysis

Reflect on past risks—and their outcomes. What risks have you taken in your life so far? What did you learn? Even when things didn’t go as planned, did they lead to growth? Chances are, they did Let that history fortify you

Find community.

Surround yourself with people who dream big and dare boldly. Risk becomes less frightening when you’re not walking alone At iCadenza, we’ve built a community where that kind of boldness is celebrated and supported

Create your personal “why.”

Knowing what you’re risking for makes the leap easier For me, I take risks to build spaces that heal, connect, and inspire. What are you building? What would you regret not risking for?

From Surviving to Creating

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” That act of creation of shaping your life and work with intention is inherently risky But it’s also your greatest source of agency

So if the ground beneath your feet feels shaky right now, you’re not alone But perhaps that’s the very invitation Not to retreat, but to rise. Not to wait, but to lead. Not to protect the past, but to imagine a new future and be brave enough to build it

We are living through a time that will be remembered What role will you play in it? What risk will you take? And what new world might it lead to?

iCadenza is a coaching and consulting firm for arts organizations and professional musicians Schedule a complimentary consultation at www.icadenza.com.

Julia is the co-founder of iCadenza and Cadenza Artists and the founder of the Eden Arts Festival.

A trained operatic singer and creative entrepreneur, she supports visionary artists in building inspired, sustainable careers.

THE ROSTER

Bella Gaia

Miwa Matreyek

Kizuki

Impro Theatre

Preeti Vasudevan/Thresh

Canada's Ballet Jörgen

Siudy Garrido Flamenco

Helix Collective

Peace On Your Wings

Little Gerda and The Snow Queen

ndilow Ensemble / Arts for Social Cohesion

Celebrating Ella: Live from the Apollo

Why You Like It

The Gavilán Brothers

DePue Brothers Band

A Fuego Lento

Vanessa Perez w/ The Dalí Quartet

Clarice Assad Duo

Clarice Assad w/ Invoke

Clarice & Sergio Assad

Mélange

PROJECT Trio

Kelly Hall-Tompkins

Lara Downes

Daniel Ho

Vanessa Perez

Terry Barber

Laurie Rubin

Spencer Day

Judy Collins Will Martin Cosmic Reflection

The Mute

Aaron Dworkin

Moon River & Me

VOXtopia

Downes: New Works for Piano & Orchestra

Listen Frankenstein

March of the Penguins

Hercules vs Vampires

The Secret Garden

Aldo Lopez Gavilán

Clarice Assad

Quinn Mason

Nolan Gasser

Elliott Forrest

Elkhanah Pulitzer

BELLA GAIA

Multimedia Performance Artists

“Out of this World” - US Today

BELLA GAIA is an unprecedented NASA-powered immersive, audiovisual experience that communicates, without words, the natural and cultural BEAUTY of the planet (BELLA), and the INTERCONNECTEDNESS of all things on Earth (GAIA) by combining supercomputer data from NASA, views of Earth from space, photographs, and stirring LIVE performances of music and dance from around the world

Created from the vision of composer/director Kenji Williams, BELLA GAIA has proven, time and again, to generate the elusive but critical emotional response: A Reason to Care A fully scalable production, performances are often paired with community engagement activities and educational workshops

BELLA GAIA film for planetariums is also available.

MIWA MATREYEK

Animation Performance Artist

“Magical...the sheer breadth of the imagery ... is unlike anything you’ve seen before.”

- Los Angeles Times

Matreyek’s critically-acclaimed solo work integrates multiple layers of animation, performance, and video installations Equal parts uncompromising and fantastical, she nonverbally explores themes of environmentalism, global warming, urban planning, and water conservation

Touring Projects Include: Infinitely Yours This World Made Itself Myth & Infrustructure

KIZUKI

“Combining elements of dance, performance art, music, technology, light and more, the versatile Japanese troupe has stumbled upon magic.”

– The Huffington Post

Kizuki is a contemporary performance company from Japan, blending images, light, and the human body in a nonverbal, multimedia live experience Comprised of award-winning, multi-genre artists from acclaimed international groups enra and YOAH, Kizuki delivers flexible, genre-defying performances that fuse cirque, dance, new media, and physical theatre

Using technology as a bridge, not a barrier, Kizuki connects with audiences through embracing the unexpected, sharing universal stories, and inspiring optimism Themes range from science fiction to Japanese folklore, with moods shifting from the quiet stillness of Zen to the explosive joy of fireworks.

Featuring synchronized juggling, big-screen visuals, mesmerizing acrobatics, and captivating physical performance, Kizuki offers a visually stunning, high-impact show that’s greater than the sum of its parts

Audiences will experience the magic that awaits when we break free from our limits - finding balance between nature, technology, and our shared humanity

Touring the US in Spring 2027

IMPRO THEATRE

Comedic Narrative Improv

“Amazing! One of the funniest evenings in town…the troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes ” - Los Angeles Times

Founded in 1988, Impro Theatre creates completely improvised, full-length plays in the styles of the world’s greatest playwrights, authors, composers and genres.

With only two audience suggestions and no preplanning, the actors combine verbal dexterity, robust physicality, and storytelling genius to bring character and plot to life in an instant Each Impro Theatre show becomes unique and unlike any other theatrical experience.

Touring Programs Include: Jane Austen UnScripted Twilight Zone UnScripted Shakespeare UnScripted Tennessee Williams UnScripted Movie Westerns UnScripted Chekhov UnScripted Film Noir Unscripted Sondheim UnScripted* Fairytales UnScripted

*Based on Availability

PREETI VASUDEVAN

award-winning Indian-American choreographer, performer, cultural storyteller, and thought leader, founder and artistic director of Thresh Dance

NOW BOOKING:

The Absent Lover

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Thresh presents the North American premiere of The Absent Lover, an immersive journey into the worlds of mythology, literature, and human relationships. Featuring fantastical scenic design, groundbreaking choreography, and a blend of original recorded and live music, The Absent Lover is performed by four award-winning artists inviting audiences into a magical realm of story and movement.

Stories by Hand

An autobiographical solo exploring choreographer Preeti’s personal journey as a contemporary Indian woman in the United States. Preeti explores her Indian culture’s ancient storytelling foundation as a way to enter and explore voicing her journey as a 21st century woman. Taking the intricate hand gestures of Bharatanatyam (classical Indian dance) as the basis for a storytelling dance-theater, Stories by Hand interweaves east and west, past and present, the mythic and the everyday - as the dancer seeks to know her identity in contemporary America.

CURRENTLY SEEKING CO-COMMISSIONERS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS:

INDIAN LETTERS

A collaboration between Preeti and Amar Ramasar (Former Principal dancer for NYCB), Indian Letters is an immersive digital-theater project about two people, both dancers, who rediscover themselves through a dynamic dialogue of cultural exchange by asking the question, "where is home?" and to throw new light on issues of race, assimilation, faith and identity in the twenty-first century.

LISTEN

A multidisciplinary theater performance of the amazing journey of the celebrated percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie. A family-friendly program, Listen is a journey filled with percussive music and dance with colorful visuals focusing on the resilience and grit of a young Evelyn as she challenges societal taboos and emerges as a powerful role model for those dealing with physical, emotional, and societal challenges. More on page 37

VOICES OF WOMEN

A cross-disciplinary theater-art experience sharing the untold narratives of underrepresented women (Indigenous, Immigrant and African-American) in America Highlighting the timeless wisdom of their stories, Voices of Women incorporates movement, music, performance art, and digital media to inspire and engage communities across America and the world Co-commissioning opportunity available for musical score performed by the multi-Grammy Award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird or by full symphony orchestra.

Preeti Vasudevan in Stories by Hand

CANADA’S BALLET JÖRGEN: SWAN LAKE

Ballet Company

“The company is a rare and exhilarating find."

- New York Times

Artistic Director and CEO Bengt Jörgen breathes new life into the timeless Swan Lake, re-envisioning Tchaikovsky’s classical ballet against the dramatic coastal backdrop of Nova Scotia’s Fortress of Louisbourg Known for infusing Canadian heritage into his work, Jörgen's rendition honors tradition while reflecting a distinctly national identity With Camellia Koo’s evocative set design and Robert Doyle’s authentic 17thcentury costumes rooted in his experience with the Fortress’s restoration, this production brings the elegance of classical ballet into a uniquely Canadian landscape

US Touring Availability includes:

Approximately March 21-31, 2027 for Western States bordering Canada

May 15-May 30, 2027 for all US states

October 2027 for all US States

SIUDY

GARRIDO FLAMENCO

Flamenco Troupe

“Garrido is a brilliant soloist with a vibrant company”

- Los Angeles Times

Siudy Garrido, Drama Desk's outstanding choreography nominee and featured in 2019's World of Dance competition, is one of today's most impressive stars in Flamenco With her Venezuelan company, Siudy incorporates Afro-Carribean rhythms and structures to create an exhilarating brand of percussive Flamenco that has been called "mesmerizing", "first class", and "perfection" by critics

Touring Projects Include:

Bailaora – within me, within you

Gala Flamenca

Flamenco Intimo

Flamenco A Dos!

Amor Brujo (with Orchestra)

HELIX COLLECTIVE

Helix Collective is a 10-member ensemble of award-winning classical musicians busting out of the traditional mold From crossover dance music, to storytelling, to film, television, and video game music, the ensemble takes the best of classical chamber music and makes it the life of the party

CLICK CLACK MOOSIC

A Live Musical Story Time Event

“A story of collective and individual action, conflict resolution, problem-solving and social change.” - Harvard University, REACH

A series of educational concerts featuring the Click Clack Moo! books set to original music by Helix Collective resident composer, Phil Popham. This popular concert series for children (ages 3 - 7) was commissioned by the West Michigan Symphony and has been presented by them for ten years running with enormous success and sold-out crowds The program presents the first book of the series with the option of performing the second and third books in consecutive seasons or years.

Run-time: 90 minutes per book and includes...

Musical Petting Zoo Learn About Music Together Story Narration with Live Music

“Aquirky, hilariousfarmyardtale” -Goodreads

LEVEL UP!

Video Game Music by BIPOC and Women Composers

“FASCINATING!” - LA Weekly

Level Up! features game music from the globally popular Riot Games’ Cinematic 2023 to revolutionary indie games including Dungeon Defenders The music will be played live to select game highlights throughout the show. Helix Collective and the Composers Diversity Collective developed this concert featuring a roster of BIPOC and women composers, shining a light on some of the biggest talents in video game music today

Attendees will travel through the musical worlds of games like Assassin’s Creed: Liberation, set in 18th Century French Louisiana, Telling Lies with a 21st Century FBI agent piecing together a mystery, and Bladed Fury in Ancient China The concert is a sound exploration of the individual worlds of each game (Run time: 90 minutes)

Assassin's Creed: Liberation

“A

huge variety of award winning games and game soundtracks.”

-GameMusic4All

PEACE ON YOUR WINGS

Broadway-Caliber Youth Musical

“Beautiful, poignant and powerful…a gorgeous musical score which fuses modern musical theatre with lush melodies.” - Elizabeth McKoy, Berkeley Playhouse

Peace On Your Wings is a fun, inspiring, and poignant pop-rock youth musical with traditional Japanese influences. The show is based on the true-life story of courageous young Sadako Sasaki and her 1000 paper cranes in 1950's post-war Hiroshima, which are now worldwide symbols of peace and hope and the inspiration for an enduring International Children’s Peace Movement This production is both timely and on-trend, taking on multiple issues including friendship, bullying, teamwork, illness, social conflict, and the power of community to create an incredibly uplifting, joyful, and educational family show It will make you laugh, cry, think, and soar

Created by internationally acclaimed vocalist/lyricist Laurie Rubin and musician/composer Jenny Taira, Peace On Your Wings is a pioneer in the musical theater sector - an entertaining staged work about an underrepresented moment in history that remains especially crucial in today’s world, as told from the youths’ perspective and underscoring the fact that children do make a difference

LITTLE GERDA AND THE SNOW QUEEN

Imaginative Musical Theatre

“The way Theatre ought to be delivered… This is a show that works for the younger audience and gets the story told with great skill ” - British Theatre Guide

Adapted from the original classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Little Gerda is one girl's quest to save her best friend, Kay, from the clutches of the Snow Queen On Gerda’s epic journey, she meets a real princess, is attacked by robbers, rides on the backs of a talking reindeer and a singing crow, and discovers a courage she never knew she had In a new English version, Footsbarn Theatre brings to life this children’s classic tale with its trademark style of masks, puppetry, music - and mayhem! Set to delight audiences of young and old alike

GUY MENDILOW ENSEMBLE:

AROUND

THE WORLD IN SONG

Interactive Musical Exploration

“A wonderfully engaging, deeply musical experience. As enchanting as it is pedagogically sound.” Emily Laugesen, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, IL

GME opens up a world of music to children in this deeply interactive global adventure Joyous performances nurture children’s musicianship and cultural curiosity. Around the World in Song gives children tools to engage more actively with music they love and to tap into the thrill of their own invention Uplifting, funny, and fun, the show begins with the premise that children deserve the respect and dignity of “real people.” With songs, stories, and instruments from cultures worldwide, GME introduces children to the amazing ways people make music with their voices, bodies, and whatever else they find at hand

ARTS FOR SOCIAL COHESION

“…artistic quality of the highest caliber” - Blake Smith, Clayton Center for the Arts

Co-led by literary performer and Massachusetts’ poet laureate, Regie Gibson, and composer/educator Guy Mendilow, ASC combines moving artistry with best practices in social psychology to strengthen relationships within and between communities. All their performances are designed with this mission in mind

Stage Performances Include:

DIFFERENT SHIPS, SAME BOAT

Presented by Guy Mendilow Ensemble & Regie Gibson

Different Ships, Same Boat is an interactive, multidisciplinary performance combining powerful spoken word, score, and song to explore how Americans risk, live, love, and laugh Unfolding through a series of chapters, at turns poetic, poignant, hip, humorous, and hopeful, real-world stories from towns, cities, and ports of entry pair with music from American Blues to songs of immigrant homelands

Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, this finely crafted anthology invites audiences to wonder: What might it mean to celebrate, even love, not just America, but Americans?

Guy Mendilow Ensemble’s THE FORGOTTEN KINGDOM

This multimedia production amplifies often-unheard female voices, exploring familial love, ethnic tensions, and how ordinary people endure cataclysmic change in a multicultural society

Told as an interwar letter from mother to daughter, TFK evokes a vibrant, multiethnic Mediterranean world on the brink of unraveling Through memory, the daughter and the audience journey back to life before the Ottoman Empire fractured into ethnic nation-states.

Breathtaking sand art, a cinematic score blending Ottoman Jewish women’s song with tango, Arabic percussion, and classical harmonies, and evocative design elements create a powerfully immersive experience

Special Co-Commissioning Project for Symphonic Winds:

A 20-25 minute story-driven suite, radically reframing under-represented Ottoman Jewish women’s songs from multiethnic enclaves like Salónica Scored for symphonic winds, the suite will feature vocals by Argentinian singer Sofía Tosello whose expertise spans Tango, Chacerera Bolera (from Bolivia), and Zamba (from Argentina), and Mendilow’s narrations, piano, and vocal harmonies

CELEBRATING ELLA:

LIVE

FROM THE APOLLO

Jazz Tribute

“An evening of music worthy of Lady Ella herself" - Downbeat Magazine

A blockbuster celebration of the life and legacy of Apollo Legend and Queen of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald This “spectacular show” (Downbeat Magazine) employs a rotating cast of starstudded talents such as Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Audra Day, and Niki Harris, each of whom embodies a different period of Ella’s decades-long, genre-changing career Produced by eight-time GRAMMY® winning producer Gregg Field, CELEBRATING ELLA features fan-favorite Ella tunes, intertwined with stories told by the musicians who knew the down-to-earth, humble woman behind the legend.

CELEBRATING ELLA: Live from the Apollo is presented in partnership with GSTudio Digital, Concord Records, New York's Apollo Theatre, and the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.

NOLAN GASSER & THE MIGHTY MIGHTY:

WHY YOU LIKE IT

Mind Expanding Concert Experience

"Both geeks and casual listeners can enjoy, combining science, art, and sheer enthusiasm.” – Washington Post

Why You Like It: Decoding Musical Taste is a groundbreaking live concert experience from Dr Nolan Gasser Pandora Radio’s chief music architect, acclaimed composer, pianist, AI expert, and author of Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste Now adapted for the stage and the source of a wildly popular PBS special, this electrifying show features Gasser’s ensemble, The Mighty Mighty a powerhouse lineup of Grammy-winning and Grammynominated musicians such as saxophonist Tim Ries (The Rolling Stones) and violinist Matt Szemela (Sting, Beyoncé).

Blending exhilarating new arrangements of classics by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and more with original works that fuse world music, rock, and jazz, the concert also dives into the science behind why we love the music we do With engaging video animations, fascinating insights from Gasser, and a fun interactive app that generates a personalized playlist for each audience member, Why You Like It is as enlightening as it is entertaining

This dynamic, high-energy concert will expand your mind and inspire you to embrace the transformative power of music to improve your life, reduce stress, strengthen community, and enhance your overall listening experience

THE GAVILÁN BROTHERS

Electrifying Cuban Duo

“Aldo is a skilled jazz improviser with an impressive technique…while Ilmar’s soaring violin rose above the fray with memorable melodies ” - The Boston Musical Intelligencer

Aldo López-Gavilán – an internationally renowned jazz and classical pianist/composer from Havana, Cuba, who has been praised for his “dazzling technique and rhythmic fire” (Seattle Times) – and his brother Ilmar Gavilán – GRAMMY® winner and first violinist of New York’s famed Harlem Quartet – are performing together as The Gavilán Brothers and are taking the U S by storm after being featured in the PBS documentary Los Hermanos / The Brothers, which tells the story of their separate but parallel lives as musicians

The duet will be touring original jazz music infused with Latin and neo-classical flavors from the brothers' breathtaking album, Brothers, composed by Aldo and edited for violin and piano by Ilmar

DEPUE BROTHERS BAND

Bluegrass Americana

“This band of brothers gives real meaning to the phrase ‘progressive bluegrass,’ bending genres while delivering a powerful mix of classical chops, blazing bluegrass, and rock and roll.”

– Hal Real, Founder of World Cafe Live

The DePue Brothers Band encompasses a vivid blend of bluegrass, classical, and rock genres. Hailing from Bowling Green, Ohio, the brothers are the founders of the term “grassical music,” pioneering this style in the early 1990’s. Each DePue brother is a classical violin virtuoso in his own right, and brings rich and diverse talents to the band’s sound

The band was named “Musical Family of America” by presidential decree and was the subject of a nationally televised PBS documentary Concerts feature music from Copland to Van Halen, with December holiday concerts celebrating seasonal favorites

A FUEGO LENTO

A Latin American Celebration

“Latin exuberance, European refinement and great energy…” - San Francisco Sentinel, USA

A Fuego Lento is a new collaboration between two brilliant Latin American pianists and a multi-genre arranger With the goal of adapting the classical piano music concert to the vibrant, colorful musical traditions of Latin America, this collective aims to pull together audiences with music that will celebrate life and inspire reflection

Pianists Vanessa Perez and Kristhyan Benitez join forces with music arranger Stephen Buck to fuse the virtuosic and expressive tradition of classical piano with the artistry and reach of popular and folk styles. Vanessa recently collaborated with Bill Murray on both the concert tour and film version of Beyond Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization Kristhyan won the 2021 Latin GRAMMY® for Best Classical Music Album, and Stephen is the man behind some of the most innovative, entertaining, and stimulating concert experiences today

VANESSA PEREZ w/ THE DALÍ QUARTET

Glimmering Piano Quintet

“The Latin American program alternately glimmered and blazed.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pianist Vanessa Perez and The Dalí Quartet partner for a Latin American journey that spans centuries and continents: from VillaLobos to Clarice Assad, from Antonio Soler to Willie Colón, from the Spanish Baroque to Latin American classics and music played in the streets such as La Murga during Panama’s carnival, all adapted for piano quintet This ensemble not only brings music performed in major concert halls throughout the world, but also the music from small towns where participation is universal The wide range of music merges the traditional quartet and piano quintet with popular forms of today, fusing rhythm, power, lyricism, and the inevitable sparkling and effervescent atmosphere of Latin American sounds.

CLARICE ASSAD DUO

Dynamic Brazilian Ensemble

“She energetically bends music to her will and reshapes it with fascinating results.”

– Jazz Improv Magazine

Multi-talented Clarice Assad (composer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist) is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world, pop, and jazz genres As a GRAMMY® nominee, she is acclaimed for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range

The Clarice Assad Duo is an energetic, daring pair of internationally accomplished musicians performing a varied repertoire of classical, jazz, Avant-Garde, Brazilian, and world music with various instruments in different combinations. Along with three-time GRAMMY® winning percussionist Keita Ogawa, the duo has performed all over North America, Southeast Asia, and South America Some venues and series they have appeared in include Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC, the Savannah Music Festival, Moab Music Festival, the Cabrillo Music Festival, the Caramoor Jazz Festival, and Cal Performances in San Francisco

CLARICE ASSAD w/ INVOKE

Genre-Fusing Ensemble

"Classical, Folk, Bluegrass, Americana and a sound yet to be termed seamlessly merged into a perfect one” - David Srebnik, SiriusXM Classical Producer

Clarice Assad teams up with multi-instrumental quartet, Invoke, to bring a program to audiences unlike anything before Successfully dodging even the most valiant attempts at genre classification, Invoke encompasses traditions from across America, including bluegrass, Appalachian fiddle tunes, jazz, and minimalism, while Clarice's unique vocal stylings and use of piano and electronics are in a class on its own

The electrifying collaboration creates an unexpected pairing of great music from across the centuries. From Bach to The Beach Boys, and Ravel to The Beatles, this ensemble puts its own spin on retropop and classical music with unique arrangements for a cool, exciting, and inspiring concert

Program in collaboration with Jensen Artists

CLARICE & SERGIO ASSAD

Legendary Father-Daughter Duo

"Magical . . . spellbinding, an exquisite blend of Jazz, Chôro, Bossa Nova and Classical . . . a ‘homage’ to the musical legacy of their family.” – www.ukvibe.org

At the crossroads of tradition and innovation in Brazilian music, Grammy-nominee and Brazilian-American performer and composer Clarice Assad and her father, legendary guitarist Sérgio Assad, unite in a powerful artistic collaboration While Sérgio’s contributions have shaped the landscape of Brazilian guitar and the international music scene, it is Clarice’s visionary voice, both as composer and performer, that propels this project forward, bringing a new dimension to contemporary music

Blending her entrancing vocals, expressive piano, and masterful arrangements, Clarice bridges genres and eras, crafting music that transcends borders and speaks to the heart In this program available as a duo or with orchestra father and daughter trace the evolution of Brazilian music, seamlessly weaving traditional roots with bold contemporary sounds.

MOUNTAINS. EXPERIENCE LIVE PERFORMANCES, ENGAGING WORKSHOPS, AND A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVES AMID NATURE.

Eden Festival isn’t just about performance. It’s about possibility. Not a retreat from the world, but a charge forward. Art that disrupts. Culture that builds. Shaping the society that comes next

Eden Festival is a new kind of festival: it’s a cultural catalyst located in Powder Mountain between the cities of Eden and Paradise, set in the breathtaking Utah mountains, and branching out with satellite events across Northern and Southern Utah

We present world-class, multi-genre performances, nurture the next generation of visionary artist-leaders, and commission daring new works that spark curiosity, creativity, and fresh ways of thinking about the world’s biggest challenges.

And now, we’re building something even bigger: a stateof-the-art campus that blends cutting-edge production technology with sustainable design. It will be a hub for artistic innovation, collaboration, and community

MÉLANGE

“[They relish] the bond with a living, choosing audience.” – New York Times

With their signature concert experience expressed in their name, the NYC-based chamber music ensemble Mélange changes the rules of performance as we know it by inviting the audience to actively participate in the selection of works to be performed.

Choosing from a menu of over 30 works, their repertoire ranges from one to six performers, and from genres such as classical, baroque, romantic, jazz, Latin, and Broadway

PROJECT TRIO

High-Octane Chamber Ensemble

“First rate playing grounded in Classical Music” - Wall Street Journal

PROJECT Trio is a passionate, high-energy chamber music ensemble comprised of three virtuosic composers/performers with a configuration of beatboxing flute, tenor sax, and double bass Blending their classical training with an eclectic taste in musical styles, the group has made an impact on audiences of all ages.

Gramophone Magazine singled out the group as “an ensemble willing and able to touch on the gamut of musical bases ranging from Baroque to nu-Metal and taking in pretty much every stylism in between,” while The Wall Street Journal hailed the Trio for their “wide appeal, subversive humor, and first-rate playing.” The New York Times has called beatboxing flutist Greg Pattillo “the best in the world at what he does ”

Bursting onto the scene with their landmark social media videos, PROJECT Trio is a musical experience defining a new level of entertainment!

KELLY HALL-TOMPKINS:

THE FIDDLER EXPANDING TRADITION

Classical Violinist with Ensemble

“A tonal mastery, a technical command, and a strength of personality.” – Fanfare Magazine

Acclaimed by the New York Times as “the versatile violinist who makes the music come alive” and as a 2017 New York Times “New Yorker of the Year,” Kelly is trailblazing an innovative, creative and entrepreneurial career as a soloist and chamber musician

For thirteen months on Broadway, she was the “Fiddler,” violin soloist for the Bartlett Sher production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” with numerous solos written especially for her Inspired by her experience, she commissioned and developed the first ever Fiddler solo disc of all new arrangements called The Fiddler Expanding Tradition

Available for touring, The Fiddler Expanding Tradition features Kelly on violin with a guitar, bass, and accordion ensemble

LARA DOWNES & MIRÓ QUARTET: HERE ON EARTH

Musical Celebration of Planet Earth

“Music...can always qualify as poetry as long as it is rooted in earth” - Leonard Bernstein

A new collaboration between iconoclastic pianist Lara Downes and the Miró Quartet, one of America’s most celebrated chamber ensembles

Here On Earth features musical depictions of our planet earth, its evolution, and the lives of its inhabitants, expressed through music that spans centuries, from Haydn’s Sunrise Quartet to Darius Milhaud's La Création du Monde (composed in 1923) and Clarice Assad’s A World Of Change, newly commissioned in 2023

With an option to be presented as a multimedia experience with projection elements, the concert begins with Jake Heggie’s Earthrise, reflecting on the fragility of our tiny blue planet from the perspective of the iconic photograph taken from lunar orbit during the 1968 Apollo 8 mission Traveling through time and space, the program telescopes in to celebrate the beauties of the natural world, and explore our always-changing relationship to this changing earth that is our home.

Developed in partnership and with the support of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center

LARA DOWNES

Classical Pianist

"A trailblazing pianist who combines exquisite musicality with an acute awareness of how an artist can make a positive and lasting social impact" - The Piano Magazine

Recently honored as Classical Woman of the Year by NPR’s Recently honored as Classical Woman of the Year by NPR’s Performance Today, American pianist, NPR creator (and Performance Today, American pianist, NPR creator (and NYTimes Crossword clue!) NYTimes Crossword clue!) Lara Downes has been called “a Lara Downes has been called “a musical ray of hope” by NBC News, and “a trailblazing pianist who musical ray of hope” by NBC News, and “a trailblazing who combines exquisite musicality with an acute awareness of how an combines exquisite musicality with an acute awareness of how an artist can make a positive and lasting social impact” by Piano artist can make a positive and lasting social impact” by Piano Magazine. She seeks inspiration from the legacies of history, Magazine She seeks inspiration from the legacies of history, family, and collective memory, creating performance and family, and collective memory, creating and recording projects that serve as gathering spaces for her listeners recording projects that serve as gathering spaces for her listeners to find common ground and shared experience. to find common ground and shared experience

Besides her visibility as a performer and Billboard chart-topping

Besides her visibility as a performer and Billboard chart-topping recording artist, Downes is the creator and host of the popular recording artist, Downes is the creator and host of the popular NPR show AMPLIFY with NPR show AMPLIFY with Lara Downes and boasts 100,000-plus Lara Downes and boasts 100,000-plus weekly listeners to her nationally syndicated radio programs In weekly listeners to her nationally syndicated radio programs In the words of American conductor JoAnn Falletta, “Lara Downes is the words of American conductor JoAnn Falletta, “Lara Downes is a perfect artist for our time, a champion of new and neglected a perfect artist for our time, a champion of new and neglected music, an extraordinary communicator, a passionate advocate for music, an extraordinary communicator, a passionate advocate for our art form.” our art form ”

Learn about Lara’s residency work with THE DECLARATION PROJECT on page 10

Touring Projects Include:

IMAGINING AMERICA

w/Jill Lepore, Adam Gopnik, John McWhorter, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Salamishah Tillet & Nate Chinen

Pianist, NPR host and cultural visionary Lara Downes presents IMAGINING AMERICA, a series of concert/conversations with leading American historians, scholars and authors, taking audiences on a journey through 250 years of history to imagine our American future

This series of intimate, personal (and non-partisan) conversations explore the story of our nation, from its founding to the present day, through the lens of its music – iconic songs that define our history, our hopes and our national identity Lara and her guests reflect on the creative expression of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” to shed light on American music as the soundtrack of our history, our hopes and our hardships, and to celebrate the sonic space where we can find common ground and recognize the strength of our shared experience

These conversations will be featured as a nationally-broadcast NPR audio and video series beginning in January 2026

HOLD THESE TRUTHS

This revelatory recital - a 2026 release on the Pentatone label, is a probing, nuanced reflection on the kaleidoscopic wealth of stories and journeys that have converged and collided throughout 250 years of American history, from an artist renowned for her musical explorations off the beaten path

Downes explores the musical manifestation of the American promise, often expressed by those who have had to fight the hardest to attain it, through works that span the history of our nation and represent many different versions of being and becoming American

Music by Francis Hopkinson, George Gershwin, Carlos Simon, Charles Ives, Howard Hanson, H T Burleigh, Willie Nelson, Valerie Coleman, Jerome Kern, and more

ADDITIONAL COLLABORATIVE EVENINGS WITH: Judy Collins Brian Stokes Mitchell Rita Dove

DANIEL HO

Hawaiian Multi-Instrumentalist

“One of the undisputed masters of the instrument” - Ukulele Magazine

Daniel Ho’s simple philosophy of presenting music with sincerity and artistry has earned him six GRAMMY® Awards, number-one albums on national airplay charts, and top-ten albums on Billboard

Originally from Hawaii, Daniel tours with fellow top international musicians in duets to quintets, performing original and genre-bending music steeped in the flavors of jazz, soft rock, world, Hawaiian, and classical guitar – all of which showcase his prodigious skill on ukulele, slack key, and piano A humble and down-to-Earth soul, Daniel beams with music and the joy of aloha.

In addition to his notable trio, Daniel also performs with the GRAMMY® nominated Hālau Hula Keali'i o Nālani, a revered dance-and-vocals group known for its commitment to ancient hula and Hawaiian culture

VANESSA PEREZ

Classical Pianist

“a kind of wild intensity that was often breathtaking ... ” - Washington Post

A frequent collaborator with violinist Daniel Hope, cellist Jan Vogler, and actor Bill Murray, and recently featured on the show Mozart In The Jungle, Perez is widely regarded for her bold, passionate displays of technical virtuosity and keen sensitivity A product of the energized musical culture of Venezuela, Ms Perez “is not to be taken lightly” (The Washington Post)

Performance highlights include the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, a collaboration with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under John Axelrod in Germany, concerts with the Orquesta de la Juventud Simon Bolivar under Gustavo Dudamel in Caracas, working with Conductor Nikolaj Znaider and the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra, the Casals Festival, and the Chopin Festival in Mallorca

Learn about Vanessa's touring collaborations on page 24

TERRY BARBER

“ ... performances of great vitality and verve” - LA Times

With an extraordinarily broad vocal range and natural fluency in many musical styles, rare countertenor Terry Barber has been featured on some of the world’s most storied stages and has worked with many of the music industry’s most prestigious figures As a past member of the GRAMMY® winning group Chanticleer, his voice can be heard on every major record label with a range of artists from Madonna to the London Philharmonic

Terry's programs include a broad range of repertoire, and he is committed to making his performances accessible, enjoyable, and inspirational all at the same time.

TOURING PROJECTS INCLUDE:

Classical for Everyone Around the World in 80 Minutes Best of Broadway: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber & More! The Christmas Presence EleMenTrio

The Gay Tenors Mercury: The Concert Celebration of Queen's Front Man

BOOK TERRYBARBER and EleMenTrio NOW!

LAURIE RUBIN

“a young mezzo-soprano whose voice is darkly complex and mysteriously soulful”

- Los Angeles Times

SPENCER DAY

Pop Jazz Singer/Songwriter

“cool jazz sensibilities” and “cleverly crafted tales” - The Washington Post

Spencer Day, the #1 Billboard charting pop/jazz singer and songwriter, has headlined venues from Birdland and Lincoln Center to the Hollywood Bowl and London’s West End. Day is widely acclaimed for creating witty and sophisticated pop songs in the tradition of classic jazz American writers

Known for his unique sense of humor and distinctive original songs, Spencer has been called “prodigiously talented” by The Village Voice, “Compelling” by Time Out NY, and “Brilliant” by The San Francisco Chronicle

Frequent collaborators include Post Modern Jukebox, and GRAMMY® -nominated artists such as Dave Koz and Jane Monheit

Touring Projects Include:

Broadway By Day

The Look of Love - Sounds of the 60s

Spencer Day: A Night Out with Sinatra

Retro Revival: The Jukebox Time Machine

Lovefool (explores love gone right, love gone wrong and, of course, love fit for song)

Spencer Day: La Frontera (for Orchestra)

JUDY COLLINS

Singer / Songwriter

Folk music royalty, Collins’ ethereal still-packs-a-punch voice… delivered a show well worth the wait.”

- Beaver County Times

With an impressive career spanning over fifty years, awardwinning, legendary singer/songwriter Judy Collins has thrilled audiences worldwide with her unique blend of interpretative folk songs and contemporary themes Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, has been entered into the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame

This transcendent artist takes audiences through gorgeous renditions of standards from the American Songbook, as well as some of the most beloved songs from her catalog of more than 50 releases, including Both Sides Now, Send in the Clowns, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Someday Soon, Chelsea Morning, Secret Gardens, and more Also highlighted are her original compositions from her 2023 GRAMMY®-nominated album, Spellbound.

Judy Collins is represented in partnership with the Fleming Artists

WILL MARTIN

Entertainer / Vocalist

“A once in a generation talent he is head and shoulders above any other international artist around at present” - Dickon Stainer, Universal Music’s Global Classics

Originally from Aukland, New Zealand, internationally acclaimed vocalist and entertainer Will Martin - the youngest man in history to top the UK Classical Charts - has grabbed the attention of audiences around the world with his engaging performance style, alluring personality, and expressive voice across multiple musical genres Will has performed at world-renowned venues and festivals and has been a favorite guest performer of national anthems at the world’s most prestigious governmental ceremonies and international sporting events

Touring Projects Include: Timeless (a celebration of the great singers of the last century such as Josh Groban, Elton John, Simon & Garfunkle, and more!)

Will Martin Sings De

At Cadenza Artists we have a number of exciting cocommissioning opportunities ranging from dance and theatre projects to symphony and multi-media commissions.

Co-Commissioning Opportunities Include:

Quinn Mason for PROJECT Trio: Take 3 Triple concerto for bass, sax, & beat-boxing flute

Lara Downes: Declaration

Honors the 250th anniversary of the United States (see p. 36)

Guy Mendilow Ensemble for Symphonic Winds

Reframes Ottoman Jewish Women’s Songs (see p. 19) Listen Inclusive, family-friendly project (see p. 37) Indian Letters

Immersive digital-dance theater project (see p 15)

Voices of Women: Vasudevan and Assad Multi-media, women-centric, cultural project (see p. 15)

Clarice and Sergio Assad Double concerto for guitar and voice AND MORE!

For further info, please contact us at info@cadenzaartists.com or through our website. We look forward to connecting! www.CadenzaArtists.com

COSMIC REFLECTION

Narrated Symphonic Work

Through its music and text, this 45-minute narrated symphonic work conveys the majestic 13.8-billion-year history of the Universe, commissioned in 2009 by NASA and Stanford University to commemorate the 1st International Symposium of the FERMI Space Telescope Cosmic Reflection presents the story of our Universe in an educational and aesthetic manner: from the Big Bang and Inflation to the birth and death of the first stars as Super Novae; from the birth of galaxies to the rise of life on Earth; and the eventual cold dissipation of the Universe With a score by critically acclaimed composer and architect of Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project Nolan Gasser, and a libretto by popular physicist Lawrence Krauss and members of the Stanford University physics community, this work is accompanied by a stunning video created by the visual design team at NASA Goddard and jaw-dropping images from the James Webb Space Telescope launch.

Malcolm McDowell, the brilliant English actor, has signed on to narrate the work both for media releases and for forthcoming live performances in the US and internationally (schedule permitting)

THE MUTE

A SILENT LOVE STORY

Innovative Symphonic Silent Theatre

"Impressive, original and moving." - Stavanger Aftenblad

The Mute is an innovative theatrical piece that uses only music as language with no spoken words, creating a performance project that is truly singular In this beautiful love story, we meet elderly characters Tom and Jenny who show us snippets of their life together Through these glimpses of the past, we come to know their personalities, how their lives have merged, and what brought them to where they are today

The theatrical concept plays with the idea of what happens when you remove the ability to communicate through spoken words and how to fill that void. In The Mute, the void is filled with music, body language, scenography, and a complete symphony orchestra on stage

In 2019, The Mute premiered at Norway's Stavanger Konserthus to outstanding reviews and played seven soldout performances. In the same year, it won the Hedda Prize for both "Performance of the Year" and for "Best Scenography, Costume Design, and Mask "

AARON DWORKIN

Spoken Word Artist

A MacArthur Fellow and founder of the Sphinx Organization, Aaron Dworkin is a distinguished poet-journalist, bestselling author, former dean, and current professor of Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan. Throughout his celebrated career, he has championed a diversity of voices and the transformative power of the arts With unmatched expertise and a deep passion for storytelling and advocacy, Dworkin brings powerful insight to two symphonic projects that offer audiences a stirring reminder of our shared responsibility to uphold the principles on which the nation was founded.

Symphonic Projects Include:

THE AMERICAN RHAPSODY

“Dworkin’s innate musicality and sense of timing serve him well in exploiting the dramatic arcs, musical peaks and valleys, and transitions of mood...”

– Rosalyn Story, Violinist.com

This spoken word multimedia orchestral work tells the story of the USA through the prism of the life and words of America’s first President, George Washington, set to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Symphonic Variations on an African Air.

The American Rhapsody is a tribute to the ideals of courage, freedom, and commitment It is also a story of vulnerability and the progression of humanity through the great injustices that plague our history. The victories and agonies of our past not only resonate with, but inform our present as our nation seeks to find a pathway toward a more unified future

AMERICA 250

America 250 is an evocative, multidisciplinary experience created to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America's founding This compelling new work seamlessly blends classical music with poetic storytelling, capturing our nation’s spirit through its enduring ideals - Liberty, Democracy, and Unity. Through the powerful voice of Aaron Dworkin, whose artistry fuses lyrical verse with journalistic depth, audiences embark on an immersive journey through America's complex and evolving narrative

Set to Aaron Copland's Symphony No. 3, America 250 resonates with emotional depth, reflecting both the triumphs and the ongoing struggles in the nation's pursuit of freedom and equality More than a performance, this project is a profound artistic statement - one that invites reflection, sparks dialogue, and reawakens our shared commitment to building a more just and unified future. It challenges each listener to reimagine their place within the vibrant, everunfolding tapestry of the American story

MOON RIVER & ME

Henry Mancini Celebration

“Monica Mancini is…the glamorous vocal equivalent to diamonds flashing.” – New York Times

We honor Henry Mancini’s mastery with a concert celebration of his film scores and beloved standards. During his 40-year career, Mancini became a household name and won 4 Oscars, 20 GRAMMYs® (including the first Album of the Year), a Golden Globe, and a posthumous GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award. Accompanied by vocals and film montages, this tribute features works ranging from The Pink Panther Theme to Moon River, as well as favorites such Charade and The Shadow of Your Smile

It’s a true family affair starring his daughter and double GRAMMY® nominee, vocalist Monica Mancini, and son-inlaw, Gregg Field (winner of 8 GRAMMYs® and Latin GRAMMY® “Producer of the Year”), on drums

In 2024, CBS broadcasted behind-the-scenes documentaries about new Mancini recordings featuring John Williams, Herbie Hancock, Arturo Sandoval, Quincy Jones, Michael Buble, Lizzo, and others.

VOXTOPIA

POPS Concert

“A Veritable musical dynamo.” – San Francisco Classical Voice Multi-Cultural Full Evening Length

This new collaboration seamlessly blends Indian classical music, hip-hop, beatbox, Brazilian rhythms, tango, and jazz

The trio includes Clarice Assad, a Brazilian Grammy-nominee acclaimed for her fresh, fun, and powerful compositions and performances; Varijashree Venugopal, a renowned master of classical Indian music; and Chistylez Bacon, a leading figure in the hip-hop and beatbox scene

Repertoire includes excerpts from Evan Meier's Beatbox concerto written for Bacon, arrangements of Piazzolla, Nascimento, and Jobim, and virtuosic music from South India

The result is a musical alchemy that transcends boundaries and celebrates the universal language of music "

LARA DOWNES

NEW VISIONS/ NEW WORKS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA

DECLARATION *

July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, founded on the principle that its citizens should be guaranteed the unalienable rights of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” In partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and NPR, American pianist Lara Downes observes this anniversary with a triptych featuring three new works that reflect on the complicated history of that audacious and elusive promise, and express the hope for its fulfillment

LIFE: by VALERIE COLEMAN

DECLARATION begins with an intimate reflection on the beauty and fragility of life, the shared humanity that connects us, and the potential we hold to protect and cherish one another in intention and action.

LIBERTY: by ARTURO O’FARRILL

A poignant and buoyant work that travels the long road of American history to acknowledge the courageous struggle for freedom, and to celebrate the progress that has been hardwon across generations as we work to realize the promise of liberty as an unalienable right for all Americans.

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS: by CHRISTOPHER TIN

A vivacious and audaciously optimistic rhapsody that celebrates the ideals pursued and deserved not just by every American but by all human beings, regardless of origin or identity.

* SEEKING ADDITIONAL CO-COMMISSIONERS

RHAPSODY IN BLUE REIMAGINED

A new arrangement by Puerto Rican composer Edmar Colón, celebrating the centenary of the piece and Gershwin's vision of what he called “a musical kaleidoscope of America" with a new orchestration that reflects a century of immigration and transformation, and captures the multicultural sound of America in our own time.

Repertoire Highlights Include:

Florence Price: Concerto in One Movement

George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (incl. new arrangement by Edmar Colón)

Billy Strayhorn/Chris Walden: A Lovesome Thing

Duke Ellington: New World A-Comin’ Aldo López-Gavilán: Oceans to Cross (for Lara Downes)

Margaret Bonds: Credo

“Lara Downes is a perfect artist for our time, a champion of new and neglected music, an extraordinary communicator, a passionate advocate for our art form.”

- Maestra JoAnn Falletta

LISTEN

Inclusive Family-Friendly Commission

"Radiant" — Publishers Weekly

This blending of dance, music, theatre, sign language, stage design, and visual projections is a lively and imaginative interpretation of Shannon Stocker’s book, Listen - the story of internationally renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie who lost her hearing almost entirely when she was 12 and went on to become the world's most famous percussion soloist The story focuses on the resilience and grit of the young Evelyn to question societal taboos and emerge as a powerful role model for those dealing with either physical and emotional challenges or are labeled "disabled" by society.

Perfect for families, this multimedia piece turns the phrase "no you can't" on its head and connects audiences to the power of overcoming challenges in pursuit of one’s dreams The story of young Evelyn underscores inclusion, equality, courage, and curiosity about the unique talents that each of us possesses Performances include ASL and musical interpretation for those impacted by audism or hearing limitations as integral parts of the choreography, story, and production.

Listen calls for everyone to see and hear things differently - like experiencing our senses magically for the first time in our lives - and is thoughtfully designed to be fully inclusive in consultation with Gallaudet University, a leading resource for the international deaf and signing community.

Seeking additional commissioners for co-commissioning presentations between Spring 2027 and Fall 2028. Also seeking workshopping opportunities, as well as funding support and presentations

Monique Holt Co-Director & Performer*

Shannon Stocker Author & Libretto Consultant

Evelyn Glennie Story & Music Consultant*

Raphaelle Thibaut Composer*

Preeti Vasudevan Artistic Director & Choreographer

FRANKENSTEIN

Film with Live Orchestra

Film with Live Orchestra

“The audience was riveted to their seats. The power of the live music with the classic film was hypnotic ” - Rob Tomaro, Cashbox Canada

This is the ultimate audience experience for a truly iconic film and is a popular addition to any season, particularly Halloween programming The 1931 cinematic masterpiece, Frankenstein, was originally released without a musical score, thus inspiring prolific composer/conductor Michael Shapiro to fill the void by creating an original soundtrack 70 years later In this production, Shapiro’s lush and atmospheric 70-minute score is performed live under the film with various alternative instrumentation.

Currently, the score is available for: Symphony Orchestra (full) Chamber Orchestra (15 players)

Wind Ensemble (9 players)

Operatic Ensemble (in any instrumental configuration with the addition of 5 SATBB solo voices or choir)

Full Orchestra Instrumentation: 26 players total: 8 Winds, 9 Brass, 5 Strings, 1 Timp, 2 Percussion, 1 Piano

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS WARNER

BROS. PRESENTS:

“An enchanting score invoking the chill wastes of the Antarctic…has great emotional appeal.”

- Ian Lace, Film Music CD Reviews

The Cadenza-exclusive orchestral production of March of the Penguins, beloved Oscar-winner for Best Documentary (2005) and one of the highestgrossing documentaries of all time Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this family-friendly environmental film is filled with beautiful sweeping imagery and the brilliant evocative score of Emmy-winner Alex Wurman. In this production, the film screening is accompanied by a live orchestra conducted by Maestro Jeffrey Schindler, conductor of the original movie soundtrack and one of the most prolific music directors in Hollywood Orchestrations are available for either full or reduced symphonic orchestra

Suggested Instrumentation: 35-55 players total Strings, 3 Winds, 4 Brass, 4 Percussion, 1 Piano, 1 Harp, 1 Synthesizer

HERCULES VS. VAMPIRES

Film with Live Opera

“The score was rich in harmony, clever in melodic line, and especially brilliant in orchestration”Classical Voice of North Carolina

Fresh and full of fun, Patrick Morganelli's atmospheric new operatic score provides the perfect accompaniment to Mario Bava's gorgeously gaudy world of the 1961 cult classic, Hercules in the Haunted World The original film is action-packed and wildly operatic in scope - all it needed was to be made into an actual opera! In this production, "Hercules vs Vampires" synchronizes live music and vocals with the film, allowing the actors to sound like opera singers for one night and breathing new life into Bava's well-established cult following

Suggested Instrumentation:

Nine singers and mid-sized orchestra of 26 players. Full orchestra instrumentation also available

THE SECRET GARDEN

Opera

“ Gasser sprinkles his tonal harmonies with enough dissonant spice and sparkle to keep things interesting.” - SF Chronicle Magazine

Faithful to the beloved original story, this family-friendly opera has a score by Nolan Gasser - critically acclaimed composer, pianist, musicologist, and chief architect of Pandora Radio – and libretto by Carey Harrison With its sultry, rhythmically hypnotic sounds of India and forthright sounds of the North English moors, it is the perfect vehicle for welcoming young listeners into the world of opera. The production was originally commissioned by the San Francisco Opera in partnership with Cal Performances, and has played to sold out houses since it premiered in 2013 and most recently at the Hawaii Opera Theatre in 2022

Chamber Opera:

Eight singers and ensemble of 10 players.

ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN

Composer

“Dazzling technique and rhythmic fire, López-Gavilán is something to behold.” The Seattle Times

Dubbed a “formidable virtuoso” by The Times (London), Aldo excels in both the classical and jazz worlds as he performs his own electrifying compositions with repertoire that is easily adaptable for any audience or event. Aldo's authentic voice has a genre-defying sound rooted in European classical traditions, Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban rhythms Drawing from a range of colors associated with Schumann and Ravel's work, Aldo's compositions weave a layered tapestry described as magical, optimistic, and at its core, deeply soulful

CLARICE ASSAD

Composer

“Clarice Assad is quite simply a phenomenon who has streaked across the world’s musical landscape like one of those comets that appears just once in a lifetime." – Latin Jazz Network

A powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres and is acclaimed for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range

A prolific GRAMMY® nominated composer with more than 70 works to her credit, she has been commissioned by internationally renowned organizations, festivals, and artists.

QUINN MASON

Composer

“A brilliant composer just barely in his 20s who seems to make waves wherever he goes.” – Theater Jones

Composer/conductor Quinn Mason (b. 1996) currently serves as the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Artist in Residence and recently served as KMFA’s inaugural composer in residence and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Classical Roots composer in residence for 2022 (the youngest composer appointed to that role) His orchestral music has been performed by many renowned orchestras in the US, including the San Francisco Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and many more

NOLAN GASSER

Composer/Speaker

“Gasser’s work definitively accomplished everything it set out to do, and then some: the music was mesmerizing ” – Oakland Tribune

Dr. Nolan Gasser is a renowned composer, pianist, author, musicologist, and chief architect/genius of Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project His original works include the musical Benny & Joon (Paper Mill), the opera Secret Garden (SF Opera), and the orchestral works Cosmic Reflection (Baltimore Symphony) and the World Concerto (cellist Maya Beiser) Nolan’s book "Why You Like It" (Macmillan, 2019), has become the definitive work on musical taste and is “a work of staggering erudition and breadth” (The Economist) As a favorite on the lecture circuit, TED speaker Dr Gasser brings his unique experiences and creativity to arts-based audiences with a set of stimulating and insightful talks on a host of fascinating topics.

ELLIOTT FORREST

"I let the music and visuals waft over me and got completely lost in the beauty.” - Long Beach Symphony Patron

Elliott Forrest custom tailors the concert experience - from high-concept projects to pops concerts - through the design and imaginative use of integrative multimedia. Forrest has been a partner for directed programs at venues that include the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Houston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, The Atlanta Symphony, The Pasadena Pops and the Little Orchestra Society in New York.

ELKHANAH PULITZER

Director

“Powerfully impressive... fearless in (her) dramatic imagination.” – San Francisco Chronicle

Elkhanah Pulitzer is an esteemed director of opera and theater known for her bold, nuanced, and innovative stage direction. Most recently she directed John Adam's acclaimed "Antony and Cleopatra" for San Francisco Opera Previously, she directed David Lang’s premiere of Prisoner of State at the NY Philharmonic and at the Barbican Center in London, and has directed opera projects with the LA Philharmonic, Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, LA Opera, SF Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera, West Edge Opera, among others. Elkhanah’s theater credits include work with The Broad Stage, Impact Theater, Cutting Ball, Riverside Theater, and Ensemble Theater Company. Additionally, she directed Esperanza Spalding’s live tour for her GRAMMY® winning album, 12 Little Spells Elkhanah also serves as board vice president of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, which celebrates experimentation in fine art curation and live programming

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