Press Release:
Cork Opera House Proudly Presents
THE REICH EFFECT
A Five Day Festival Marking the 75th Year of
Pulitzer Prize Winning Composer, Steve Reich
Wednesday 27 – Sunday 31 July 2011
FESTIVAL HOT TICKET ALERT
Cork Opera House is proud to present The Reich Effect a five day festival marking the 75th year of the Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Steve Reich. A multitude of performances including the Irish premiere of WTC 9/11 by the Kronos Quartet will take place in Cork Opera House and other Cork City venues from Wednesday 27 through Sunday 31 July. In order to celebrate this seminal event we are offering an exclusive FESTIVAL TICKET for a limited timeframe only. The FESTIVAL TICKET is a special package of 5 for €100 (any 5 festival events of your choice). Book now to avoid disappointment by calling Cork Opera House Box Office on 021-4270022.
The New York Times calls Steve Reich “our greatest living composer” and “among the great composers of the century”, while The New Yorker hails him as “the most original musical thinker of our time”. From his early taped speech pieces to his digital video opera, the American’s path has embraced not only aspects of Western Classical music, but the structures, harmonies, and rhythms of non-Western and American vernacular music, particularly jazz.
The Reich Effect will begin with a screening of the film Steve Reich – Phase to Face followed by a public interview with Reich conducted by John Kelly on 27 July in Cork Opera House. Other highlights include the Kronos Quartet (28 July, Cork Opera House), RTÉ Concert Orchestra performing works by Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) and Kjartan Sveinsson (Sigur Ros) (29 July, City Hall), London Sinfonietta (30 July, Cork Opera House), Efterklang with Daniel Bjarnason and the Messing Orchestra (30 July, Savoy Theatre), Johann Johannsson (31 July, Triskel Christchurch) and Crash Ensemble with Iarla Ó Lionáird and Gavin Friday (31 July, Cork Opera House).
Crash Ensemble will perform Double Sextet for which Steve Reich was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2009.
Local, national and international artists will come together to produce three special programmes of Reich’s music: Counterpoint, Drumming and Phases. These will include two unique dance commissions. David Bolger will dance to Kate Ellis’s Cello Counterpoint and Nic Gaireiss will dance Clapping Music. Both events take place in the Firkin Crane.
The Reich Effect is curated by Mary Hickson, Cork Opera House Chief Executive Officer, and the prize-winning cellist, chamber musician, and musician-in-residence in Cork Opera House, Kate Ellis.
Upon announcing The Reich Effect, Hickson said:
“It is such an honour to present musicians and composers of this calibre in Cork City. It is a wonderful opportunity for Cork to celebrate local talent also. I have always been hugely ‘effected’ by Reich myself since my time studying Music at UCC and it is a real privilege to invite him to Cork. Kate Ellis and I had great fun and deliberation selecting the programme for the festival and we look forward to your reaction and enjoyment over the few days in Cork!”
Budding electronic artists are invited to apply to the Reich Remix Competition. The finalists will be judged and selected by Steve Reich himself, having been shortlisted by a panel of high profile judges including Jim Carroll and Donal Dineen. Reich will also lead a Composition Seminar (places strictly by application).
Other events in Cork Opera House, City Hall, Firkin Crane, Pavilion and Savoy Theatre are currently on sale through Cork Opera House. More events in a variety of venues and outdoor sites will be announced.
The following Reich Event performances are currently on sale:
Wed 27 July, 8pm, Cork Opera House
STEVE REICH – PHASE TO FACE SCREENING
A film by Eric Darmon & Frank Mallet
Followed by Steve Reich public interview with John Kelly
Tickets €20*
Thu 28 July, 6pm, Firkin Crane
COUNTERPOINT
Carolyn Goodwin/Fiona Kelly/Niwel Tsumbu/Kate Ellis
Dance commission: David Bolger (CoisCéim)
REICH: New York Counterpoint
Vermont Counterpoint
Electric Counterpoint
Cello Counterpoint
Tickets €20*
Thu 28 July, 8pm, Cork Opera House
KRONOS QUARTET
REICH: Triple Quartet
The Cave (excerpts)
WTC 9/11 (Irish Premiere)
Different Trains
Tickets €38.50*
Thu 28 July, 10pm, Half Moon Theatre
KALEIDOSCOPE FOLLOWED BY DONAL DINEEN
Cliodhna Ryan and Kate Ellis will curate a special programme focusing on the music that influenced Reich himself.
Tickets €20*
Fri 29 July, 6pm, Cork Opera House
DRUMMING
O’Duo/ Stephen Kelly/ Alex Petcu Colan
Dance Commission: Nic Gareiss
GLASS: Mad Rush
REICH: Music for Pieces of Wood
Drumming Part 1
Six Marimbas
Tickets: €20*
Fri 29 July, 8pm, City Hall
RTE Cork Proms
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
Greenwood (Radiohead): Doghouse
Sveinsson (Sigur Ros): Credo
Tickets €30*
Fri 29 July, 10pm, Pavilion, Carey’s Lane
REICH REMIX CLUB
Tickets €10*
Sat 30 July, 6pm, Firkin Crane
PHASES
Ciara Moroney/Michael Joyce/Elizabeth Cooney
Dance Commission: Nic Gareiss
REICH: Come out
Piano Phase
Clapping Music
Violin Phase
Tickets €20*
Sat 30 July, 8pm, Cork Opera House
LONDON SINFONIETTA AND SYNERGY VOCALS
REICH: Music for 18 Musicians
Tickets €38.50*
Sat 30 July, 10pm, Savoy Theatre
EFTERKLANG WITH DANÍEL BJARNASON AND THE MESSING ORCHESTRA
Tickets €25*
Sun 31 July, 6pm, Triskel Christchurch
JOHANN JOHANNSSON ENSEMBLE
Tickets €20* (also available from Triskel)
Sun 31 July, 8pm, Cork Opera House
CRASH ENSEMBLE
REICH: 2 x 5
DENNEHY: Grá agus Bás (featuring Iarla Ó Lionáird)
RZEWSKI: Coming Together (featuring Gavin Friday)
REICH: Double Sextet
Tickets €25*
REICH REMIX COMPETITION
Competition winners will be invited to perform at the Remix Club in the Pavilion on Friday 29th July. For application information please email reich@corkoperahouse.ie . Closing date for submissions is 17 June.
REICH COMPOSITION SEMINAR
Composers are invited to learn directly from the master himself. Places are limited and registration is essential. For an application please email reich@corkoperahouse.ie > .