EXTENSITY Concert Series Announces WOMEN NOW Festival Celebrating Living Women Composers

EXTENSITY Concert Series has announced WOMEN NOW, a month-long spotlight festival devoted to the work and achievements of living women composers. To coincide with Women's Month, WOMEN NOW will take place March 5-26, 2022.

The dynamic schedule of events will comprise four recitals, interviews with artists and composers and a panel discussion on gender equity and diversity. The closing night will feature the world premiere of a solo cello composition by Andrea Casarrubios, commissioned by EXTENSITY for the festival.

Concerts will be held at The Box Factory: 1519 Decatur Street in Ridgewood, NY, and all other events will be held virtually, on YouTube and Instagram Live. All concerts will be followed by complementary receptions. In-person and virtual tickets available at: https://www.extensityconcertseries.com/march-5-26-2022-women-now

WOMEN NOW participants will include rising star soprano Yvette Keong, pianist Sarah Cahill, hailed as "an intrepid illuminator of the classical avant-garde" (New York Times),

Concert Artist Guild Ambassador prize winner violinist Ariel Horowitz, and "firebrand" cellist Christine Lamprea. Over twenty living women composers will be programmed, including Regina Harris Baiocchi, Jennifer Higdon, Nathalie Joachim, Vivian Fung, Tania León, Tonia Ko, Thea Musgraves and Libby Larsen. Grand piano sponsored by YAMAHA for the festival.

The closing night concert on March 26, 2022, will present cellist Christine Lamprea in a recital highlighting the world premiere of the solo cello piece "Armadura" by composer Andrea Casarrubios, which was commissioned by EXTENSITY for WOMEN NOW.

Educational initiatives include a panel discussion on gender equity and diversity in music with organizations including The Sphinx Organization, interviews with artists and composers involved in the festival, artist talks and Q&A's. Complementary receptions will follow every concert.

EXTENSITY is running a crowdfunding campaign through fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas for WOMEN NOW, from Feb. 1- March 12 2022. All proceeds will go toward paying the artists involved in the festival, and covering the commissioning fee for Andrea Casarrubios. Campaign link: https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/extensity-concert-series/campaigns/4732

WOMEN NOW
Schedule of events, March 5-26, 2022

Yvette Keong, soprano and Nicole Cloutier, piano
Saturday, March 5, 2022. 7pm
The Box Factory, Ridgewood, NY

The opening night of WOMEN NOW will feature soprano Yvette Keong and pianist Nicole Cloutier performing works by Jennifer Higdon, Thea Musgraves, Shuying Li and Tonia Ko.

Panel: Gender Equity and Diversity
Tuesday, March 8, 1pm
YouTube and Instagram Live

On International Women's Day, EXTENSITY will host a virtual panel discussion on gender equity and diversity in classical and new music with representatives from organizations including Sphinx.

Ariel Horowitz, violin and Alexa Stier, piano
Saturday, March 12, 7pm
The Box Factory, Ridgewood, NY

Violinist Ariel Horowitz and pianist Alexa Stier will perform works by Eleanor Alberga, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Jennifer Higdon and Ariel Horowitz. The concert will be followed by a Q&A with Ariel Horowitz.

The Future is Female: Sarah Cahill. Lecture/Recital
Saturday, March 19, 7 pm
The Box Factory, Ridgewood, NY

Acclaimed new music advocate Sarah Cahill will present a lecture/recital on solo piano works by composers including Regina Harris Baiocchi, Tania León, Mary Watkins and Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Gebrou. Cahill's ongoing project The Future is Female, is an investigation and reframing of the piano literature featuring more than seventy compositions by women around the globe, from the Baroque to the present day, including new commissioned works.

Vivian Fung and Adriana Verdie Interview
Friday, March 24, 1pm
Instagram Live and YouTube

Vivian Fung's "Humanoid" and Adriana Verdie's "Jira (Yira) Che ('k) Tango" will be programmed by cellist Christine Lamprea for the closing night recital of WOMEN NOW. In anticipation of this performance, Fung and Verdie will share their insights into these works.

Andrea Casarrubios Interview
Saturday, March 25, 1pm
Instagram Live and YouTube

Andrea Casarrubios shares her thoughts on her compositional process and inspiration behind "Armadura", the solo cello piece EXTENSITY commissioned her to write for WOMEN NOW.

Christine Lamprea, cello
Saturday, March 26, 7pm
The Box Factory, Ridgewood, NY

For the closing night of WOMEN NOW, cellist Christine Lamprea will present the world premiere of "Armadura" which EXTENSITY commissioned Andrea Casarrubios to write for the festival. The program will also include works by Vivian Fung, Nathalie Joachim and Adriana Verdie. The concert will be followed by an interview and Q&A with Christine Lamprea, and a festive reception featuring cuisine by a local chef.

*Programs subject to change

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