Sounds of US
On Saturday, November 16, 2024, join us for Sounds of US, an immersive new music festival created and curated by Jennifer Koh, violinist and artistic director of Fortas Chamber Music Concerts. Filled with nonstop music, the festival features over 40 world premiere commissions by artist-driven nonprofit ARCO Collaborative in both ticketed concerts and free performances.
The four Sounds of US Main Stage concerts highlight the steps of a musician’s journey: To Begin the pursuit, To Believe in the dream, To Become what one envisions, and finally To Be in the life of a working musician. The programs feature established composers and performers alongside emerging young composers and performers in this constantly evolving field of performance.
In between the Main Stage concerts, don’t miss “Free for US” performances in the Peace Corps Gallery at the REACH.
Buy a ticket to each of the four Main Stage concerts, and get 10% off!
Festival Schedule
Sat. Nov. 16, 2024
- REACH: Free for US
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1 p.m.
The festival begins with free live music in the Peace Corps Gallery at the REACH. World premieres by Hannah Chen, Maria É., D.C.-native inti figgis-vizueta, performed by students of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship with conductor Abel Pereira.
- Main Stage: To Begin
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2 p.m.
Support students in the early stages of their music pursuits in a program featuring world premiere works by Nick Bentz, Anthony Cheung, Adeliia Faizullina, Linda May Han Oh, and Hilary Purrington, performed by NSO musicians Robert Rearden, Loewi Lin, and Jennifer Mondie, as well as NSO Youth Fellowship students (Enzo Baldanza, Esther Bonney, Jessica Chen, and Chloe Lee).
- REACH: Free for US
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3 p.m.
Enjoy more free live music in the Peace Corps Gallery, continuing to spotlight senior composers alongside young professionals. World premieres by Kennedy Taylor Dixon, Hannah Ishizaki, and Leilehua Lanzilotti, performed by students of the NSO Youth Fellowship program with conductor Abel Pereira.
- Main Stage: To Believe
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4 p.m.
Hear compositions by rising generations. World premieres by Alyssa Weinberg, Trevor Weston, and composition students of the Juilliard School’s Pre-College program (Sophia Dou, Lucas Hayes, Max Kim, Asha Melvani, Alex Robertson, Aadit Shrivastava, Luke Soneral, Isaac Thomas, Charles Wang, and Philina Zhang), performed by Javier Gándara, Weston Sprott, and Juilliard Pre-College student Anwen Deng and Pre-College alumnus Aidan Peterson.
- REACH: Free for US
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5 p.m.
Free live music continues in the Peace Corps Gallery, with two new commissions featuring violin and prepared electronics. World premieres by Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang, performed by Jennifer Koh.
- Main Stage: To Become
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6 p.m.
This program features Juilliard faculty and current college students. World premieres by David Ludwig, Nina C. Young, and composition students from The Juilliard School (Kimani Bridges, Jonah Cohen, Liam Cummins, Kian Ravaei, Emre Sener, Danae Venson, Yiqi Xue, and Justinas Zlabys), performed by Jennifer Koh and students of The Juilliard School.
- REACH: Free for US
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7 p.m.
The final free live music performance in the Peace Corps Gallery spotlights world premieres by Eunike Tanzil, who will perform her new work with electronics, and the festival centerpiece Hear Here by Angélica Negrón. Hear Here is an innovative, crowd-sourced composition incorporating sounds submitted by Americans from across the country in response to the question, “What does home sound like?”
- Main Stage: To Be
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8 p.m.
In the final Main Stage concert, hear from some of the most celebrated composers of today! World premieres by Vijay Iyer, Jeff Scott, and Carlos Simon, performed by Jennifer Koh and other professional artists including Danielle Cho, Javier Gándara, Iyer, Simon, and Weston Sprott.
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Artistic Director, Fortas Chamber Music Concerts
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About the Festival
Drawing inspiration from America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Sounds of US reflects on the values that have shaped the nation—mentorship, innovation, and the passing of traditions—to envision a brighter future.
Created and curated by Jennifer Koh, violinist and artistic director of the Fortas Chamber Music Concerts, Sounds of US provides a space for all voices to be heard and a new way to enjoy music as a community—unrestricted by genre or exclusivity.
Filled with nonstop music, the festival includes over 40 world premiere commissions by artist-driven nonprofit ARCO Collaborative. Sounds of US highlights the importance of mentorship and education by showcasing the most celebrated composers and performers of today alongside the next generation of musical talent.
Studio K concerts at 2, 4, 6 & 8 p.m. are paid, ticketed events. FREE performances open to the public take place at 1, 3, 5 & 7 p.m. in the Peace Corps Gallery at the REACH.