MUSIQA presents 'Francosonic'

Musiqa, two-time winner of the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, is proud to present at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, Francosonic, a program of modern works by French composers, featuring the world premiere of new work by Raphaèle Biston and a photo/light installation by visual artist Olivier Mödr.

Musiqa performs the world premiere of Raphaèle Biston's, Repercussions, for chamber ensemble. An accomplished composer in her native France, Biston is known for the rhythmic qualities of her music and for using instruments in non-traditional ways. In Repercussions, Biston playfully transforms the flute, clarinet, violin and cello into percussive instruments, exploring the vast range of sounds and timbres each instrument can make, often creating percolating, chaotic soundscapes that meld with swaying, peaceful motifs.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to give life to the music I've long heard in my dreams," states Biston. "Though I have had my work performed in New York and Los Angeles, this is the first time I get to work side-by-side with American musicians."

"A central facet to Musiqa's mission is commissioning new music," notes Musiqa Artistic Director Anthony Brandt. "To be able to commission a composer such as Raphaèle and have her participate rehearsals and the world premiere truly helps create a transformative experience for the audience."

Repercussions was commissioned by Musiqa with support from the FACE Foundation, in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States.

Another highlight of the program is Songs of Agartha for piano and cello by Guillaume Connesson, composer of the year at the 2019 Victoires de la musique classique. Songs of Argatha engulfs you in a musical journey to the center of the earth to the legendary kingdom of Agartha, where a single lyrical melody plunges into darkness, evolves into contrasting, jumpy themes, and finally ends in trancelike, "devilish" ecstasy.

Also on the program is Marc-André Dalvabie's, Palimpseste for chamber ensemble. Although often defined as a page of manuscript where the original writing has been erased so it can be reused for another document, the palimpseste by Dalvabie references a Renaissance motet by Gesualdo. The result is a fluid work that ebbs and flows between lush Renaissance harmonies and Dalvabie's more edgy, rhythmic musical language. Musiqa has invited French visual artist and photographer Olivier Mödr to accompany Palimpseste with Encoded, a photo/light installation that responds in real time to live music.

Finally, Musiqa presents Betsy Jolas' Trio sopra 'et sola facta' for piano trio, which features interweaving instruments that create unique textures and timbres; and Alto Voltango for saxophone and vibraphone by Luis Naón, a French composer of Argentinian descent, who infuses this fast-paced, electric piece with elements of the tango.