Young People's Chorus at Le Poisson Rouge

Kronos Quartet Welcomes VIsitors

By: Susan Hall - Oct 17, 2010

The Young People’s Chorus is popular around the world. In Japan, they captured the Japanese hearts and ears.

In the grotto of Le Poisson Rouge, the Young People’s Chorus took the stage to perform Michael Gordon’s "Exalted." David Harrington of the Kronos Quartet, with whom they performed, remarked that there was no group he would rather play with than this Chorus. To hear the lovely young voices is to understand why.

Selected from over a thousand singers, the Young People’s Chorus perfroms worldwide.

The Kronos Quartet and the Young People’s Chorus
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleeker Street
New York
October 8, 2010

For over twenty years, young people in New York have been able to join a unique group that provides musical education and an opportunity to sing together as a chorus.  The Young People’s chorus was founded and is directed by Francisco Y. Nunez.

The chorus performed with the Kronos Quartet at Le Poisson Rouge, a red hot center of exciting music in New York.  In a large, cave-like room, tinted green and then blue in some areas, you can hear on the same evening post minimalist music and electronics mixed with world music.

Young chorus members commented on their website in preparation for this evening’s concert:  "Working with music composed by Terry Riley and Michael Gordon is both overwhelming and inspiring. These difficult pieces of music both push me to be a better musician and help spark an interest in contemporary classical music." – Emily

“For the past week we've been fortunate enough to work with a renowned composer and a lauded quartet, learning some of the most difficult, yet hauntingly-beautiful music. It's truly been an unparalleled experience!" - Charlie

"In working with Kronos, Gordon and Riley, the young artists of the YPC have been given a truly enlightening experience. As young artists the opportunity to work with professionals at their level is of incalculable value, and I feel we will be better musicians for it." - Hannah

Mounting the stage, Kronos violinist, David Harrington, said that there is no group he would rather welcome to premier a new work by Michael Gordon than the Young People’s Chorus.  

The chorus and Kronos had opened with Terry Riley’s Another Secret eQuation, brightly squealing, howling and singing.  The highlight of the evening, a premier of Michael Gordon’s Exalted was a sophisticated setting of the first line of the Kaddish:  Yitgaddal v'yitkaddash sh'meh rabba -- Exalted and sanctified is God's great name.   The prayer's very name is a version of l'kadesh, meaning "to sanctify, to make holy." It is a song of hope and praise and watching the enthusiastic, brisk young people enunciate its phrases with tone, captured the desire in the prayer.

At the conclusion, Harrington called the Chorus’ founder to the stage, referring to him as ‘a force of nature.’  Joy is writ large across Nunez’ face and expressed in his young troops, who so clearly enjoyed their cool assignment.

Carnegie Hall, the Rose Hall home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the 92nd Street Y all house the Chorus from time to time.  They travel abroad to perform in Switzerland, Wales, and Japan.  Ambassadors for American music, new and old, they appear to enjoy every minute as they open their mouths in song.  Heavy-duty phrases attached to them, like “national model of artistic excellence and diversity,” don’t convey the pleasure of listening to their performance.

Visitors to Poisson also heard Missy Mazzoli’s Harp and Altar, in which the recorded voices of Gabriel Kahane breathe between slightly off chords.  Mazzoli studied with Louis Andriessen and learned that you do not compose, but rather live the life of an artist in which you compose.  The atmosphere at Le Poisson Rouge is suggests this is possible.

We were treated to String Quartet No. 1 by big band composer Maria Schneider, full of lovely tunes and interesting rhythms combined and contrasted.  Harrington noted that he hoped that No. 1 meant that there would be a No. 2.   Indie rock band Sigur Ros provided the encore Fly Freer.  You wanted to after this inviting evening.
 
www.wpc.org
www.lepoissonrouge.com