New York Polyphony is a male classical vocal quartet based in New York City.
Music of the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
and
Medieval music periods constitutes the core of the ensemble’s repertoire, but increasingly, new music occupies an important place both in performance and on recording. Since their founding in 2006, New York Polyphony has demonstrated a commitment to contemporary music and—in the case of commissions by
Andrew Smith,
Gabriel Jackson Gabriel Jackson may refer to:
* Gabriel Jackson (composer)
Gabriel Jackson (born 1962 in Hamilton, Bermuda) is an English composer. He is a three-time winner of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors British Composer Award. Fr ...
,
Jackson Hill and others—works by living composers. In addition, the ensemble frequently collaborates with musicians working in different mediums such as experimental performer/ composer
Bora Yoon and violinist Lizzie Ball. Recent events include the European premiere of the ''Missa Charles Darwin''—a newly commissioned secular Mass setting based on texts of
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...
by composer
Gregory W. Brown—at the
Museum für Naturkunde
The Natural History Museum (german: Museum für Naturkunde) is a natural history museum located in Berlin, Germany. It exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history and in such domain it is one of three major muse ...
in Berlin, and participation in
Jonathan Berger’s chamber opera cycle ''Visitations'' at the
Prototype Festival
Prototype Festival is an annual, weeklong contemporary opera and musical theater festival held in New York City.
Program
Prototype Festival is an annual, weeklong festival of contemporary opera and musical theater. The festival encourages n ...
with soprano Mellissa Hughes and
JACK Quartet
The JACK Quartet is an American string quartet dedicated to the performance of contemporary classical music. It was founded in 2005 and is based in New York City. The four founding members are violinists Christopher Otto and Ari Streisfeld, viol ...
.
New York Polyphony tours extensively throughout the United States and Europe. They have participated in major international festivals and concert series, including the Miller Theatre Music Series at Columbia University;
Rheingau Musik Festival
The (RMF) is an international summer music festival in Germany, founded in 1987. It is mostly for classical music, but includes other genres. Concerts take place at culturally important locations, such as Eberbach Abbey and Schloss Johannisberg, ...
,
Thüringer Bachwochen (Germany); Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht (Netherlands); Stiftskonzerte Oberösterreich (Austria); Festival de Música de Morelia (Mexico); Elora Festival (Canada); and Choral at Cadogan Hall in London.
Since 2011, New York Polyphony has recorded for
BIS Records. Their 2014 effort ''Sing thee Nowell'' scored the ensemble a second
GRAMMY nomination,
[
] following the critically acclaimed release ''Times go by Turns'' (2013).
Prior to signing with BIS Records, New York Polyphony released two albums on the British label
Avie Records
AVIE Records is a UK-based independent classical music recording company founded in 2002 by Simon Foster and Melanne Mueller who devised a unique business model based on artist ownership. Foster and Mueller continue to run the company together with ...
: ''I sing the birth'' (2007) and ''Tudor City'' (2010). Both received substantial critical acclaim, with the latter reaching #6 on the ''
Billboard'' classical chart in June 2010.
In 2011, a Gregorian chant remix competition sponsored by
Indaba Music
Indaba Music is a web-based company that provides a music collaboration environment for musicians: "a place to build a profile, promote their tunes and collaborate with other musicians" as well as enter opportunities like remixing and songwriting ...
resulted in the digital album ''Devices and Desires''.
New York Polyphony made their television debut in December 2011 on
The Martha Stewart Show
''Martha'', also known as ''The Martha Stewart Show'', is an American cooking show hosted by Martha Stewart. The series premiered on September 12, 2005, in syndication until it was picked up by the Hallmark Channel in September 2010 as part of a l ...
.
The group comprises countertenor Geoffrey Williams, tenor Steven Caldicott Wilson, baritone Christopher Herbert and bass Craig Phillips.
Discography
*''I Sing the Birth'' (2007)
*''Tudor City'' (2010)
*''Surrexit Christus'' - EP (2010)
*''Devices & Desires'' (2011)
*''endBeginning'' (2012)
*''Times go by Turns'' (2013) - 56th GRAMMY nominee - Best Chamber Music/ Small Ensemble Performance
*''Sing thee Nowell'' (2014) - 57th GRAMMY nominee - Best Chamber Music/ Small Ensemble Performance
*''Roma Aeterna'' (2016)
*''Missa Charles Darwin'' (2017)
*''Lamentationes'' (2019)
References
External links
Official websiteOpus 3 ArtistsBIS RecordsAvie RecordsComposer Andrew Smith
{{Authority control
Vocal quartets
Early music choirs
Early music groups
A cappella musical groups
Musical groups established in 2006