GRAMMY Winner Third Coast Percussion Blends Street Dance, EDM And Classical In One Performance In METAMORPHOSIS

Third Coast Percussion, a GRAMMY Award-winning quartet of classically trained percussionists, has announced Metamorphosis, a Chicago Premiere that culminates the ensemble's 2022-23 Chicago concert season. The energetic concert will feature live U.S. street dance in one performance only at the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Street, Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $18-50 and now on sale at harristheaterchicago.org.

Third Coast Percussion joins forces with the groundbreaking choreography of Los Angeles-based Movement Art Is (Lil Buck and Jon Boogz, two of today's leading U.S. street dancing movement artists), for an intimate performance about the changes and transformations that become possible when two worlds collide for people to learn from one another. Performing the works here will be Las Vegas-based artists Cameron Murphy and Trent Jeray.

At once intensely personal and fiercely virtuosic, the dynamic evening will blend contrasting music styles ranging from classical minimalism to electronic dance music, weaving the music from some of today's leading composers and music creators into one seamless piece in five sections. Commencing with the ensemble's arrangement of Metamorphosis No. 1 by Philip Glass, the performance continues with Perspective by Jlin-one of the generation's most prominent female producers-interspersed between Sunny X by contemporary classical and experimental rock composer Tyondai Braxton, and Third Coast Percussion's critically-acclaimed arrangements of Aguas da Amazonia by Glass.

The concert program is as follows (* denotes accompaniment by dance movements):

Metamorphosis No. 1

Perspective

Obscure*

Dissonance

Amazon River (from Aguas da Amazonia)*

Perspective

Paradigm

Sunny X

Perspective

Embryo*

Fourth Perspective

Duality*

Derivative*

David Skidmore, Ensemble Member and Executive Director of Third Coast Percussion, shares the concept behind the concert, the genesis and history of working with dance artists, and what the ensemble is trying to bring to Chicago audience via this premiere: "The idea of this concert was first developed in 2019, with its presentation consequently disrupted by COVID. During the lockdown, finding ways to put this program together turned out to be a crucial artistic lifeline for all of us involved. In that sense, the creation of this concert became a true 'metamorphosis' and symbol for us of perseverance during a difficult time."

Skidmore continues: "We're also particularly excited to bring this program home to Chicago, because our first contact with Movement Art Is came through a 2018 collaboration with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. We've been fortunate to collaborate with a number of movement artists and choreographers over the years, and it is becoming an important part of our identity as an ensemble."

This project is made possible through the Harris Theater Creative Future Fund, and supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and by Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington, with additional support from the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation and the Julian Family Foundation.

Third Coast Percussion's 2022/2023 Chicago Concert Season is generously supported by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation, the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, and The Zell Family Foundation. Third Coast Percussion acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and a CityArts grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Following the Harris Theater engagement, a performance of Metamorphosis will take place at Performing Arts Houston on May 5, 2023.

Third Coast Percussion (comprised of Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, David Skidmore) is a GRAMMY Award-winning Chicago-based percussion quartet and GRAMMY-nominated composer collective. For over fifteen years, the ensemble has created exciting and unexpected performances that constantly redefine the classical music experience. The ensemble has been praised around the country for "commandingly elegant" (New York Times) performances, the "rare power" (Washington Post) of its recordings, and "an inspirational sense of fun and curiosity" (Minnesota Star-Tribune). A commission for a new work from composer Augusta Read Thomas in 2012 led to the realization that commissioning new musical works can be-and should be-as collaborative as any other artistic partnership. Through extensive workshopping and close contact with composers, Third Coast Percussion has commissioned and premiered new works by Philip Glass, Missy Mazzoli, Clarice Assad, Gemma Peacocke, Flutronix, Jlin, Tyondai Braxton, Augusta Read Thomas, Devonté Hynes, Georg Friedrich Haas, Donnacha Dennehy, Glenn Kotche, Christopher Cerrone, and David T. Little, among others, in addition to many of today's leading up-and-coming composers through its Currents Creative Partnership program. Third Coast Percussion currently serves as ensemble-in-residence at Denison University. More information on Third Coast Percussion HERE.

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