Zola Jesus & Stephen Prutsman Set for SPCO's Liquid Music Series, 9/22

On September 22 at Amsterdam Bar and Hall in downtown Saint Paul, Nika Danilova, the woman behind Zola Jesus, brings her epic, iconoclastic sound-full of dark evocative beauty-to Saint Paul in a first-time collaboration with esteemed composer and former SPCO Artistic Partner Stephen Prutsman. Prutsman has created new arrangements of original compositions by Danilova for string quartet, piano and electronics. The quartet will be comprised ofSPCO Musicians Steven Copes, Ruggero Allifranchini, Maiya Papach, and Sarah Lewis. Prutsman himself will serve as pianist. Danilova's classically trained "indomitable" (Spin) voice draws from industrial, classical, electronic, and experimental rock influences. Building on the success of her highly acclaimed 2011 albumConatus ("Each song overflows with emotion" - NPR; "Powerfully reflective music" - Vogue), she has recently collaborated with David Lynch and French musical act M83. Prutsman's arrangements have been performed by the Kronos Quartet, Dawn Upshaw, Yo-Yo Ma, among others; he's also internationally acknowledged as one of the finest American pianists of his generation.

The evening opens with a set by Twin Cities-based percussionist Ian Ding (New Music Detroit founder and recently departed Detroit Symphony Orchestra member) and Bang on a Can All-Stars cellist Ashley Bathgate, hailed by critics as a "brilliant, rising star." Committed performers of new music, Ding and Bathgate will perform a new work for percussion and cello by composer TEd Hearne, and will also introduce the singular voices of contemporary composers Nick Didkovsky, Osvaldo Golijov, Andy Akiho and Annie Gosfield.

Kate Nordstrum, the SPCO's Liquid Music curator, commented, "This evening begins with music for cello and percussion, including a world premiere by the fascinating composer TEd Hearne commissioned by Ruth and John Huss. The music of Zola Jesus is normally heavily electronic (though Stephen Prutsman is creating new arrangements for string quartet, piano, synth and chamber organ) and vocals-focused, so I like the idea of a percussion-driven, wordless first set. The contrast of the two sides of the program should be quite interesting for the audience. I must admit that it's really hard to know how it is all going to play out until the concert happens, which of course is the beauty of new music, new collaborations, and live performance!"

Featured artists Zola Jesus, Stephen Prutsman, Steven Copes, Ruggero Allifranchini, Maiya Papach, and Sarah Lewis; Ian Ding, Ashley Bathgate and TEd Hearne.

Single tickets are $10; to order, call 651.291.1144, visit www.thespco.org or stop by the ticket office at Third Floor, The Historic Hamm Building, 408 Saint Peter St., Saint Paul, MN

For more information, visit thespco.org/liquidmusic.

Liquid Music is a new concert series presented by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra that seeks to expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats. Liquid Music performances invite adventurous audiences of all ages to discover the new and the fascinating among the kaleidoscopic landscape of classical music today.

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