Concert review: Next Festival of Emerging Artists

The Next Festival of Emerging Artists has brought together young musicians from around the world for twelve years now, giving artists professional opportunities, support and access to a like-minded community while championing and performing new works.

This concert featured three world premieres, beginning with Peter Askim’s Soar, its rhythmic introduction played with energy and vivacity, while longer melodic lines emerged as the piece developed. A pity that some slightly sloppy ensemble detracted from its effect. Curtis Stewart’s Essay #1: Leave the People followed, a powerful commentary on the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Affirmative Action, which included spoken word (performed by Stewart) asking the question ‘What is America without blackness?’While the performance was a little chaotic at times, a strong feeling of purpose pervaded.

Michael R. Dudley Jr’s … there is yet beauty offered a soothing antidote to Stewart’s work. It opened with questioning, rising phrases played by the upper strings, answered and grounded by the repeated bass notes on cellos. The principal violist delivered a soulful solo and the ensemble sound in this work was beautiful.

Cellist Seth Parker Woods joined the ensemble for Rebecca Saunders’s Ire: Concerto: this cerebral piece was well performed, if a bit tedious. The evening concluded with Andrea Casarrubios’s Herencia, opening with a gorgeous, passionate cello solo. Suspensions in the string lines created rich harmonies and the sheer commitment of the artists made for a powerful performance as the work built to a climactic ending.

LEAH HOLLINGSWORTH