EIGHTH BLACKBIRD at McCullough Theatre

On the heels of their 2012 Grammy Award for the recording of Steve Mackey’s Lonely Motel: Music from Slide, new music ensemble eighth blackbird returns to Texas Performing Arts for ten days of residency activities, bookended by two completely different concert programs. This sextet combines the finesse of a string quartet with the energy of a rock band, delivering provocative and mind-changing performances.

Since its founding in 1996, eighth blackbird has actively commissioned and recorded new works from such eminent composers as Steve Reich, George Perle, and Frederic Rzewski. Recent commissions include Jennifer Higdon’s On a Wire and Steve Mackey’s Slide. Future collaborators include Amy Beth Kirsten, Brett Dean, Aaron Jay Kernis, John Luther Adams, and Mayke Nas. eighth blackbird has been profiled in The New York Times, NPR’s All Things Considered, and on CBS’ Sunday Morning. The group is in residence at the University of Richmond in Virginia and the University of Chicago.