Baryshnikov Arts Center Presents The Westerlies in TAKING SHAPE Next Month

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) presents New York-based brass quartet The Westerlies in a program entitled Taking Shape at BAC's Howard Gilman Performance Space on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 7:30pm and Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 7:30pm.

Deeply influenced by American folk and jazz traditions while incorporating the intimacy and precision of chamber music, The Westerlies' brand-new program highlights the style of shape-note music-a body of work written with a notation system designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The program includes four world premieres commissioned by Baryshnikov Arts Center, one by each of the quartet members and inspired by shape-note music, which showcase the group's talent for improvisation while cutting new trails across the vast expanse of the American musical landscape.

"Folk-like and composerly, lovely and intellectually rigorous," (NPR) The Westerlies perform additional works on the program including Robert Henry by Andy Clausen, Entr'acte by Caroline Shaw, Saro (traditional), and an additional selection of shape-note songs: Weeping Mary (traditional), Louisiana by William Walker, and Parting Friends arranged by John G. McCurry.