BAM to Stage New York Premiere of So Percussion's A GUN SHOW

BAM presents the NY premiere of So Percussion's A Gun Show, a powerful sonic exploration of a defining contemporary issue. A Gun Show features with Emily Johnson, directed by Ain Gordon, with lighting by Lenore Doxsee and sound by Nelson Dorado. Performances play the BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St), Nov 30-Dec 3 at 7:30pm. Tickets start at $20

An abstract exploration of a visceral issue, So Percussion's A Gun Show uses music, text, and movement to question what it is about our nation's collective psyche that fastens so tightly to guns. The group began the production as a way to process the unfathomable school shootings in Newtown, CT. The four members of So Percussion-Eric Cha-Beach, Josh Quillen, Adam Sliwinski, and Jason Treuting-take center stage alongside Emily Johnson, choreographer of the evening's gestural movement, against a backdrop of deer in a bucolic setting. The collective's signature unconventional array of percussive objects-here including a decommissioned Russian army rifle-line the sides of a raked stage. The music reflects the ensemble's sonic associations with American gun culture, ranging from militaristic rhythms to mournful blues. An additional corps of eight swap out and play instruments and serve as a Greek chorus, stand-ins for an audience invited to reflect and commune with the performers on this complex topic.

With its innovative multi-genre original productions, sensational interpretations of modern classics, and "exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam" (The New Yorker), So Percussion has redefined the scope of the modern percussion ensemble. From commissioned works to collaborations with artists who work outside the classical concert hall, including vocalist Shara Nova, choreographer Shen Wei, and the National's Bryce Dessner, Wilco's Glenn Kotche, and many others, So Percussion is a leading ensemble in 21st century music. Notably, S? also composes and performs its own works, ranging from standard concert pieces to immersive multi-genre programs including Imaginary City and Where (we) Live, both of which were presented at BAM.

Recent and upcoming highlights include an acclaimed Trilogy program of portrait concerts at the 2016 Lincoln Center Festival; appearances at Bonnaroo, the Eaux Claires Festival, and TED 2016; concerts at Carnegie Hall; a Bryce Dessner portrait concert in Nantes, France; a return to the Barbican for the Sound/Unbound festival; and much more. For more information, visit sopercussion.com.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Berger