BEGINAGAIN, St. Lawrence String Quartet, AS I REMEMBER IT and More Set for BAC's Spring 2015 Season

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2015, beginning with the spring season performance and residency series running January 14 to June 28. Programs at BAC throughout 2015 will exemplify the kind of creative engagement for which BAC has earned recognition during the last decade: presenting and nurturing artists from around the world, at varying stages in their careers, and who are working innovatively across disciplines.

"When our doors opened in 2005, BAC became a home for artists to work in a supportive, respectful environment. It is very exciting to be able to make opportunities for people to create. Many times, works developed here are later performed here, and that's reflected in our anniversary season. The spirit of innovation and collaboration that artists bring to our studios and stages is the driving force behind BAC, and is what will propel us into the next ten years and beyond," said Mikhail Baryshnikov, BAC's Artistic Director.

A highlight of BAC's anniversary year is the New York Premiere of Carmen de Lavallade's As I Remember It, February 19-25 in the Jerome Robbins Theater. The intimate solo work spanning the dance luminary's venerable, six-decade career, was developed during spring 2013 and 2014 residencies at BAC, in collaboration with director Joe Grifasi and co-writer/dramaturg Talvin Wilks. As I Remember It premiered at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in June 2014 to critical acclaim. The New York engagement at BAC represents a homecoming for Ms. de Lavallade, before continuing the national tour of her solo performance.

Bookending the spring season are two presentations by emerging choreographers collaborating with stage and set designers. January 14-16 in the Jerome Robbins Theater, BAC co-presents the New York Premiere of BeginAgain by Seattle's zoe I juniper as part of Performance Space 122's COIL 2015 Festival. The production features performers Zoe Scofield (company co-director/choreographer) and dancer Ariel Freedman (Batsheva Dance Company, Kidd Pivot), with technological, futuristic designs by company co-director Juniper Shuey, and a large-scale set from paper artist Celeste Cooning. Scofield returns later in the season for a BAC residency.

In June, BAC co-presents with Lower Manhattan Cultural Council the U.S. Premiere of Souvenir by Sweden-based choreographer Rachel Tess as part of River To River Festival 2015. Developed in part during a spring 2013 residency at BAC, Souvenir is a self-contained theater installation and dance performance exploring the concept of mobile architecture versus pre-existing institutional structures, and how this design influences the making and viewing of performance. Created by Tess in collaboration with designer/craftsman Gian Monti, Souvenir will take place on Governors Island in the New York Harbor -- installation and performance dates to be announced.

As part of its celebratory 2015 season, BAC also proudly launches an expanded series of music programming. Two concerts presented in the Jerome Robbins Theater include the world-class St. Lawrence String Quartet on January 24, in a program featuring a New York Premiere by composer Jonathan Berger; and virtuosic baroque violinist Rachel Podger on June 14, performing solos from her award-winning album Guardian Angel.

The spring music series also includes two salon-style performances in BAC's Howard Gilman Performance Space. On April 6, accomplished musicians James Austin Smith (oboe), Tessa Lark (violin), Max Mandel (viola), Edward Arron (cello), and Pedja Muzijevic (piano), perform works by Berio, Crumb, and Mozart. On April 8, pianist Stephen Prutsman gives a complete performance of his acclaimed jazz recording, Passengers.

At the core of BAC's mission is the Residency Program: providing time, space, and resources for creative experimentation and artistic freedom. This spring, BAC hosts 11 residencies for artists and companies to?develop innovative new projects and collaborations. Seven of these residencies will take place March 2-27 during BAC Space: an intensive residency period during which artists will work concurrently in all of BAC's studios and theaters--a format designed to encourage creative cross-pollination. BAC Space Spring 2015 will include a series of public events to be announced by February 1.

Spring 2015 Resident Artists include: Nejla Yatkin (Dance / Multimedia); The Knights (Music); Robyn Mineko Williams (Dance/Multimedia/Music); and Zoe Scofield (Dance / Music). BAC Space Spring 2015 Resident Artists include: Big Dance Theater (Dance / Theater); Maya Ciarrocchi (Multimedia); Beth Gill (Dance); Ain Gordon (Theater); Caroline Gravel (Dance); Matthew Paul Olmos, Lee Sunday Evans, and Marios Aristopoulos (Theater / Music); and Liz Santoro (Dance).

All tickets for BAC Presents are on sale now and can be purchased online or by phone: BACNYC.ORG / 866 811 4111. A complete schedule of BAC Presents Spring 2015 Presentations follows.

BARYSHNIKOV ARTS CENTER: BAC Presents Spring 2015:

DANCE / MULTIMEDIA

zoe I juniper

BeginAgain (N.Y. Premiere)

January 14 - 16 (Wednesday through Friday at 8PM)

Jerome Robbins Theater

Tickets: $20

BeginAgain questions the multiplicity of self, memory, and perspective through two parallel solos weaving in and out of each other. Juniper Shuey's futuristic design explores new technological methods juxtaposed against Zoe Scofield's intense choreography, featuring Scofield and Ariel Freedman, triggering a raw tableaux of stage designs and movement.

Running Time: 65 Minutes

Co-presented with Performance Space 122's COIL 2015 Festival.

Zoe Scofield is a Spring 2015 BAC Resident Artist.

MUSIC

St. Lawrence String Quartet

January 24 (Saturday at 8PM)

Jerome Robbins Theater

Tickets: $25

The St. Lawrence String Quartet performs works by Haydn and a N.Y. Premiere by composer Jonathan Berger, written in honor of the world-renowned chamber ensemble's 25th anniversary.

Program

F.J. Haydn: String Quartet in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5

Jonathan Berger: String Quartet No. 6, "Swallow" (2014)

F.J. Haydn: String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 33, No. 2 "The Joke"

Running Time: 60 Minutes

DANCE / THEATER

Carmen de Lavallade

As I Remember It (N.Y. Premiere)

February 19 - 21 & 24 - 25 (Thursday through Saturday and Tuesday at 8PM; Wednesday at 1PM)

Jerome Robbins Theater

Tickets: $30 Orchestra / $25 Balcony

This intimate portrait of dance icon and actress Carmen de Lavallade spans an unparalleled six-decade career working with luminaries Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Josephine Baker, Alvin Ailey, and many others. In the N.Y. Premiere of Ms. de Lavallade's solo performance, poignant movement, film, and storytelling weave an unforgettable memoir about her venerable life on stage.

Running Time: 60 Minutes

As I remember It was developed in residence at BAC.
This presentation of As I Remember It was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project.
Generous support provided by Jeremy Smith.

MUSIC

BAC Salon: Berio, Crumb, Mozart

A series of concerts in an intimate salon setting.

April 6 (Monday at 7:30PM)

Howard Gilman Performance Space

Tickets: $20

Five acclaimed musicians: James Austin Smith, oboe; Tessa Lark, violin; Max Mandel, viola; Edward Arron, cello; and Pedja Muzijevic, piano, come together for a program featuring one of Mozart's chamber masterworks and music by iconic 20th century composers Luciano Berio and George Crumb.

Program

L. Berio: Sequenza VII for oboe

G. Crumb: Pastorale from Makrokosmos for piano

W. A. Mozart: Piano Quartet in G minor, K. 478

Running Time: 60 Minutes

MUSIC

BAC Salon: Stephen Prutsman, jazz piano

A series of concerts in an intimate salon setting.

April 8 (Wednesday at 7:30PM)

Howard Gilman Performance Space

Tickets: $20

Pianist and composer Stephen Prutsman, who moves effortlessly across music of all idioms, turns his formidable talents to jazz, performing a complete rendition of his recording Passengers.

Running Time: 60 Minutes

MUSIC

Rachel Podger

June 14 (Sunday at 7PM)

Jerome Robbins Theater

Tickets: $25

Internationally renowned baroque violinist Rachel Podger performs a selection of virtuosic solo repertoire from her BBC Music Magazine Award-winning recording Guardian Angel.

Program

J.S. Bach: Partita for Flute in A minor BWV 1013 (trans. for violin by R. Podger)

G. Tartini: Sonata in B minor, No.13, B:h1

H. von Biber: Passacaglia in G minor (The Guardian Angel) from Mystery Sonatas

J.S. Bach: Partita in D minor BWV 1004

Running Time: 60 Minutes

DANCE / INSTALLATION

Rachel Tess

Souvenir (U.S. Premiere)

June 18 - 28

BAC and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) co-present Souvenir, a self-contained theater that sets boundaries for a duet exploring themes of mobility and territoriality, created by choreographer Rachel Tess in collaboration with Swedish designer-craftsman Gian Monti. The U.S. Premiere of Souvenir will be performed on Governors Island as part of River To River Festival 2015. For installation viewing hours and performance details, bacnyc.org/performances.

Souvenir was developed during a 2013 Princess Grace Foundation-USA Works-in-Progress Residency at BAC.

This presentation is co-commissioned by BAC and LMCC, with generous support provided by Princess Grace Foundation-USA.

BAC is the realization of a long-held vision by artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov to build an arts center in Manhattan that would serve as a gathering place for artists from all disciplines. BAC's opening in 2005 heralded the launch of this mission, establishing a thriving creative laboratory and performance space for artists from around the world. BAC's activities encompass a robust residency program augmented by a range of professional services, including commissions of new work, as well as the presentation of performances by artists at varying stages of their careers. In tandem with its commitment to supporting artists, BAC is dedicated to building audiences for the arts by presenting contemporary, innovative work at affordable ticket prices. For more information, visit www.bacnyc.org.