PROGRAM NOTE: More than 2,000 years ago, two speeches were delivered in Rome. Both were delivered at a time when the declining Roman Republic was facing existential threats from external foes, an ongoing economic crisis, and internal political strife. Cicero delivered an oratorio to the Roman Senate in 63 BC, condemning Cataline; a populist aristocrat who - although claiming to be a champion of the poor - had plotted for the assassination of elected officials and the burning of Rome itself. Memmius’ “Against a Corrupt Oligarchy” speech was delivered to the people of Rome in c.110 BC. Though technically a democracy, Rome at the time was in practice an oligarchy, with many elected leaders winning their positions through bribery, extortion, corruption, and assassination, and governing with self-interest and exploitation in mind rather than the good of the republic.
Sound familiar? Es ist genug, already!
Agitprop was commissioned by the Alba Music Festival (Italy) for Transient Canvas.
- Lansing McLoskey
The proverbial "Three B's" for Lansing McLoskey were not Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, but rather The Beatles, Bauhaus, and Black Flag. His first experiences at writing music were not exercises in counterpoint, but as the guitarist/songwriter for punk bands in the 1980s. It was during these years in punk-rock that he first developed a love for classical music (but that's another story).
Described as "a major talent and a deep thinker with a great ear" by the American Composers Orchestra, "an engaging, gifted composer writing smart, compelling and fascinating music" by Gramophone Magazine, and "a distinctive voice in American music,” his music has been performed to critical acclaim in 21 countries on six continents. He has won more than two dozen national & international awards, including The 2016 American Prize, the 2018 Copland House Award and commission, the 2018 Boston Choral Ensemble’s Composition Competition, the 2016 Robert Avalon International Composition Competition, and two awards from the American Academy of Arts & Letters. Most recently he was a 2019 Bogliasco Foundation Fellow, and the CD of his oratorio "Zealot Canticles" won a 2019 GRAMMY.
Recent performances include at the 2017 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (UK), 2018 Dark Music Days Festival (Iceland), the 2018 Festival de Musica Contemporànea Habana (Cuba), the Alba Music Festival (Italy), the 2018 Contrasti Festival (Trento, Italy), the 2018 International Clarinet Conference (Belgium), and the premiere of a new piano work at Carnegie Hall in June of 2018. He has been commissioned by the Fromm Foundation, NEA, Barlow Endowment, Meet The Composer, Pew Charitable Trusts, the Int’l Joint Wind Quintet Project, and numerous ensembles. Recent commissions include a Barlow Commission for an 80-minute oratorio for The Crossing; a full-length opera for Guerilla Opera (Boston) for 2019/20; ensemberlino vocale (Berlin); Kammerkoret NOVA (Oslo, Norway); New Spectrum Foundation for violinist Miranda Cuckson; Berlin PianoPercussion; and Passepartout Duo (Berlin). His music is released on 16 CDs on Albany, Innova, Centaur, WergoSchallplatten, LAWO Classics, Capstone, Tantara, Equilibrium/Soundset, and Beauport Classics. Professor at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, McLoskey is an avid surfer, cyclist, and skateboarder.
www.lansingmcloskey.com