The Sound of Science with Jeffrey Zeigler

2024 Austin Chamber Music Festival

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Dexterous cellist formerly of the Kronos Quartet, Jeffrey Zeigler performs The Sound of Science, a project originally produced by Graham Reynolds and his music laboratory, Golden Hornet. This multimedia program features seven renowned composers from around the globe, who have each created a unique soundscape inspired by a scientist of their choosing. Written for amplified cello and electronics, all works are performed by the world-renowned Zeigler, longtime member of Kronos Quartet, cellist for John Zorn, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, and many more.

From West African storytelling and collaborations with Herbie Hancock, to radioactive medical procedures and tours with St. Vincent, each composer involved is celebrated for their unfettered originality, yet unique in their creative process and experience. The composers self-selected an array of scientific minds which intrigued them musically, and which represent a range of research that has shaped humanity as a whole. All eight new works are inspired by and reflective of the scientist’s practice, and in some cases, even incorporate sounds sourced directly from their research.

Co-curated by Zeigler and acclaimed composer-bandleader Graham Reynolds, The Sound of Science brings the two disciplines together in a celebration of their shared culture of inquiry, and invites audiences to explore the importance of – and connections between – different kinds of creation and discovery in the quest for a deeper understanding of the world around us and each other.

Subject to availability, $12 Student Rush (with student ID), $30 General Admission, $45 Preferred, and $80 Premium tickets may be purchased at the box office on the evening of the concert. The box office will open at 6:30 PM that day.

Program

The Brain (Kristen Harris, neuroscientist) | Graham Reynolds (b. 1971)

Radiation in Moderation (Marie Curie, physicist) | Sarah Lipstate (b. 1984)

A Highway in State Space (Signe Kjelstrup, chemist) | Maja S. K. Ratkje (b. 1973)

Salumba (George Washington Carver, botanist) | Foday Musa Suso (b. 1953)

Quest (Jill Tarter, astronomer) | Felipe Pérez Santiago (b. 1973)

Her Confirmation (Katherine Johnson, mathematician) | Yuka C. Honda (b. 1961)

Pastaza (Barry Chernoff, biologist) | Graham Reynolds (b. 1971)

From the Bones to the Fossils (Andrew Kruczkiewicz, climatologist) | Paola Prestini (b. 1975)

 

FEATURING

Jeffrey Zeigler, cello & electronics
Natalie George Productions, lighting design

Approximate run time: 105 minutes

Jeffrey Zeigler

Jeffrey Zeigler is one of the most innovative and versatile cellists of our time. Following his eight year tenure as the cellist of the internationally renowned Kronos Quartet, his work continues to push boundaries with a wide array of solo and collaborative projects. His most recent solo album, Houses of Zodiac, features music by Paola Prestini. Strings Magazine has described the album as “one of the greatest and most ambitious solo cello albums of all time.” Upcoming highlights include being featured in a new opera, The Old Man and the Sea, directed by Karmina Silec with music by Prestini and libretto by Royce Vavrek. Zeigler will also give the world premier of Andy Akiho’s Cello Concerto in 2024.

Jeffrey Zeigler is Assistant Professor of Chamber Music and Innovation at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.

More Info

Learn more about the composers and scientists at GoldenHornet.org/Sound-of-Science/.

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