Momenta Quartet Plays WP Concert Hall, 4/5

Now in its seventh and most prolific season, the "outstanding" Momenta Quartet is bringing its first international collaborator to the United States this month. Self professed "pluralist singer" Nyak Ina Raseuki, more commonly known by her stage name "Ubiet," arrived in the United States to prepare for concert performances of chamber opera Pastoral by leading Indonesian composer Tony Prabowo on a text by renowned Indonesian poet Goenawan Mohamad with the Momenta Quartet and "engaging" soprano Katharine Dain. There will be only one New York City performance at on Tuesday, April 5th, 2011, 7:30pm at: WMP Concert Hall: 31 East 28th St., NYC Admission: $20/$15 for students and seniors www.wmpconcerthall.com

Since 1989, Ubiet has worked closely with Tony Prabowo to create a fresh and original vocal style drawing on techniques from Western avant-garde composers, jazz and various Indonesian traditions that Ubiet has come across in her doctoral studies in ethnomusicology. Pastoral artfully combines Ubiet's vocal style with that of a Western operatic soprano. The concert will also feature Ubiet live and on multiple prerecorded tracks in the New York premiere of Prabowo's Hampa for Multiple Voices (2002) on a text by Chairil Anwar. The program will include the New York premieres of Event Horizon for String Quartet (2009) by Japanese American composer Takuma Itoh and the piano trio Entering the Stream (2009) by Balinese composer Wayan Gde Yudane with guest pianist Gordon Beeferman.

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. For more information, visit: www.momentaquartet.com. Digital Photos are available on request.