Momenta Quartet Announces May Line-Up

Currently in its seventh and most prolific season, with 18 concerts, 12 premieres and collaborations with 21 living composers, the Momenta Quartet continues a strong spring indicative of its innovative programming; stylistically diverse and international in scope. After concerts and residencies at Rutgers University, Haverford College and Cornell University in March with acclaimed Indonesian vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki (aka Ubiet), Momenta launches into May with two world premieres by Chinese American composer Jason Kao Hwang and a Koussevitzky commission by leading Chinese Malaysian composer Kee Yong Chong; a western premiere by Balinese composer Wayan Gde Yudane and New Zealand composer Jack Body as well as delving into the world
of Mexican microtonal maven Julián Carrillo. This spring marked the first time in its history that Momenta has brought international collaborators to the United States in the form of Ubiet and Chong.

Performance and Program Details:

Friday, May 13, 2011 7pm
The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)
215 Centre St., NYC
Tickets: $15; $10/Students & Seniors. Free admission for MOCA members.
www.mocanyc.org

The League ISCM presents Momenta in Chinese Composers Elsewhere, featuring WORLD PREMIERES by Chinese American composer Jason Kao Hwang and Chinese Malaysian composer Kee Yong Chong
(commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation), along with works by Melissa Hui (Canada) and Huang Ruo (China/USA). Emilie-Anne Gendron will moderate a panel discussion at intermission with Chong and Hwang.
www.leagueofcomposers.org

Sunday, May 22, 2011 7pm
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St., NYC
Tickets: $15 in advance; $17 day of the show
www.lepoissonrouge.com

The Momenta Quartet joins forces with Gamelan Dharma Swara for the WESTERN PREMIERE of A
House in Bali (2009) by Balinese composer Wayan Gde Yudane and New Zealand composer Jack Body for string quartet, narrator, solo sheng and Balinese gamelan.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011 7pm
The Americas Society
680 Park Ave., NYC
Free admission; no tickets required.
www.americas-society.org
Momenta closes its New York season with music by the visionary Mexican microtonal maven, composer Julián
Carrillo.

Described by Time Out New York as "an outstanding ensemble prone to innovation and exploration," the Momenta Quartet (Emilie-Anne Gendron and Asmira Woodward-Page, violins; Stephanie Griffin, viola;Michael Haas, cello) has given over 50 world premieres since 2004 and presented refreshing programs of contemporary music with a focus on the creativity of composers from the new world. Based in New York City, Momenta has performed at some of New York's alternative venues such as The Stone and Roulette, and at more mainstream venues such as Bargemusic and Symphony Space. In residence at Temple University for six years, Momenta has also performed and lectured at numerous American Colleges and in England, Singapore and Indonesia.

The Momenta Quartet's 2011 New York season is made possible through the generous support of the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Asian Cultural Council and with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, celebrating 50 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State's 62 counties.