Symphony Space Presents FUSE PROJECT

Symphony Space's FUSE PROJECT returns this year to conclude the 16/17 season with a blast of creative energy. Launched last year by Artistic Director Andrew Byrne as a weeklong showcase for artistic and intellectual innovation, it has grown to become Symphony Space's most expansive and ambitious Project.

This year's FUSE opens with Symphony Space's signature event, Wall to Wall Steve Reich, on Sunday, April 30 - eight hours of the Minimalist pioneer's music to mark his 80th-birthday season. Like all Wall to Walls, this event is free and open to the public. Further highlights include visionary composer John Luther Adams's first-ever curatorial residency (May 8 - 14); a residency conceived by composer/violist Martha Mooke in collaboration with beatbox master Rahzel, formerly of The Roots (May 18 - 20); a weekend of fifteen-minute Flash Operas from Experiments in Opera (May 5 - 6), and a closing concert by the American Composers Orchestra with guitarist Sharon Isbin (May 23). All told, eleven world premiere compositions will be unveiled in this year's Project, along with five newly commissioned stories in Selected Shorts on May 10.

FUSE PROJECT 2017 boasts an impressive lineup of performers. Wall to Wall Steve Reich alone features Alarm Will Sound, American Composers Orchestra, pianist Vicky Chow, electric guitar foursome Dither Quartet, the Keigwin + Company contemporary dance troupe, Mivos Quartet, and guitarist Mark Stewart (Paul Simon, Bang on a Can All Stars). Additional FUSE artists include new-music choir The Crossing, pianist Lisa Moore, the jazz ensemble Sex Mob, Jaimeo Brown + Transcendence, and more.

Along with music, FUSE encompasses literature, film, and children's programming. Events include A Documentary Portrait with Lucian Read, with excerpts from Read's upcoming documentary on John Luther Adams (May 8); and Selected Shorts: Flash Fiction, an evening of really short commissioned stories, as a companion to the Flash Opera weekend (May 10). Further details follow, along with a comprehensive listing of events.

Says Andrew Byrne, "Symphony Space has long been a leading destination for new works and visionary collaborations. FUSE PROJECT takes that mission a step further with in-depth residencies and one-of-a-kind presentations. From established masters to emerging voices, FUSE celebrates artists whose works embody innovation, creative daring, and engagement with our world."

Following are the residencies and series in chronological order. Tickets to all events are available at symphonyspace.org.