Nu Deco Ensemble Kicks off Fourth Season at The Light Box
Miami’s Nu Deco Ensemble is proud to announce its fourth season, continuing its forward-thinking programming and genre-bending performances throughout 2018-19. This season will include concerts at New World Center, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Wynwood’s The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, and the North Beach Bandshell. The orchestra’s singular mix of core classical repertoire, contemporary music and commissions, and collaboratively-arranged suites of popular music, has built a devoted fan base of next-generation music lovers throughout the South Florida area, with sold-out crowds and critical acclaim.
Nu Deco Ensemble continues its commitment to commissioning contemporary composers with the coming season. This season will include work by Nico Muhly, Andy Akiho, William Brittelle, Anna Meredith, and Aaron Parks. Plus, cross-genre guest artists like Grammy award-winning superstar Michelle Williams, singer/pianist Ben Folds, RnB artist BJ The Chicago Kid, organ virtuoso Cory Henry, vocal genius Tei Shi, the inventive and imaginative tUnE-yArDs, and more.
“A risk-taking, powerful, experimental, high-speed train heading into the future with a sound inviting us aboard.” Huffington Post
Season Schedule
October
The season opens October 11-13 at The Light Box, with a jazz-influenced program featuring the overture to Leonard Bernstein’s On The Town in honor of his 100th birthday, Wynton Marsalis’s A Fiddler’s Tale Suite, a reimagined version of Duke Ellington’s Caravan by Sam Hyken, and a symphonic journey through the music of icon Curtis Mayfield created by Nu Deco Ensemble members and co-founder and Artistic Director Hyken. The guest artist will be Grammy-Award winning organ virtuoso and singer Cory Henry.
December
December 15 will see the season’s first concert at The Arsht Center. This event will feature a soul music-infused program centering on a special collaboration with superstar Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, RnB singer/songwriter BJ The Chicago Kid, and the Miami Mass Choir. The program includes a symphonic suite in tribute of the great Aretha Franklin, Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite, and more.
January
January 26, the group will take to Miami Beach for its annual outdoor performance in the iconic architectural treasure, the North Beach Bandshell. This performance brings together local Miamians of all ages and cultures for an eclectic program that celebrates Miami’s unique history and diversity.
February
February 14-16, Nu Deco Ensemble returns to The Light Box for an all-female composer program. Including premieres of new works by Anna Meredith, as well as the two winners of their Nu Works call for scores, Holly Harrison from Australia and Tanner Porter from Boston. The concert will close with a suite of music by Nina Simone and a special collaboration featuring vocal genius Tei Shi.
March
Nu Deco Ensemble returns to New World Center for concerts on March 29-30, with new works by Ricardo Romaneiro and a world premiere commission by Magda Giannikou. This will include projections onto the venue’s iconic “sails,” a collaboration with the inventive and imaginative tUnE-yArDs, and a suite of music by Sting and The Police.
April
April 18 will see a return to The Arsht Center with a performance featuring Spiritual America by William Brittelle, featuring Wye Oak singer Jenn Wasner, Copland’s Billy the Kid Suite, a suite based on the music of Bill Withers, a special collaboration with Ben Folds, and a guest artist to be announced later this season.
May
The season closes May 9-11 at The Light Box with a program of music by Nico Muhly, Andy Akiho, a collaboration with composer/pianist Aaron Parks, and a newly-orchestrated suite based on an artist or group voted on by Nu Deco audiences.
Additional Projects of Nu Deco Ensemble
In addition to the performances, Nu Deco Ensemble will continue its expansive educational outreach with free performances for children at the Seminole Theater in South Dade’s underserved Homestead district and at Miami’s premiere performing art center, The Arsht Center. The group will also launch Nu Deco Jr., a youth orchestra built around the Ensemble’s signature model, focusing on not only Western Classical repertoire, but also contemporary works, re-imaginings of popular music, and guest collaborations.
Also, Nu Deco Ensemble will release its first studio recording towards the end of the season. Featuring works by Andy Akiho, Kishi Bashi, Danay Suarez, OutKast, and more.
About Nu Deco Ensemble
Based in Miami, Nu Deco Ensemble is a virtuosic and eclectic chamber orchestra designed for the 21st century. Through exciting and adventurous classical music performances, Nu Deco Ensemble presents various styles of music, art, and media collaborations in both traditional and alternative venues.
Working in conjunction with local musicians, composers, DJs, dancers, visual and media artists, Nu Deco Ensemble creates a new hybrid of compelling musical and multi-media experiences. Blending masterful musicianship with a wide range of repertoire from classical to pop, Nu Deco Ensemble strives to be South Florida’s leader in genre-bending musical exploration.
Nu Deco Ensembles presents a completely new vision for what a modern orchestra can be, performing classical music favorites alongside works by leading contemporary composers, as well as their signature suite arrangements of popular music from artists like Radiohead, David Bowie, Daft Punk and more. Their concerts also feature an eclectic mix of top-level guest artists like Ben Folds, RnB singer Bilal, singer/songwriter/violinist Kishi Bashi, and many more.
Nu Deco Ensemble cultivates the education and development of tomorrow’s artists through digital and interactive educational performances, young composer readings, musician workshops, as well as master-classes and competitions for youth. Through outreach, Nu Deco Ensemble aims to engage the community and present concerts for free to Miami’s multi-cultural neighborhoods where exposure to live classical performance may be limited. With goals of creating and reaching new and diverse audiences, as well as providing inspiration to young people, Nu Deco Ensemble strives to enrich the arts scene of Miami in a dramatic and sophisticated fashion.
Ticket Information
For more information about Nu Deco Ensemble’s fourth season, and to purchase subscriptions and individual tickets for all performances, please visit their website at www.nu-deco.org.
