Long Play Festival 2024: Steve Reich's 'Music for 18 Musicians'

This is it! Downtown New York experimental music's first crossover hit. When it premiered in 1976 it was immediately clear that it would turn our world around. The music joyously links so many different communities—process music, jazz, ambient, and world music all have a home in this piece – you hear throughout how Reich honors and extends their influences. The Bang on a Can All-Stars premiere their own new and dramatic version of this classic work, joined by an ever-expanding community of New York luminary musicians.

About Bang on a Can All-Stars

Formed in 1992, the Bang on a Can All-Stars are recognized worldwide for their ultra-dynamic live performances and recordings of today's most innovative music. Freely crossing the boundaries between classical, jazz, rock, world, and experimental music, this six-member amplified ensemble has consistently forged a category-defying identity. With a massive repertoire of works written specifically for the group's distinctive instrumentation and style of performance, the All-Stars have become a genre in their own right. Performing each year throughout the U.S. and internationally, the group's celebrated projects include their landmark recording of Brian Eno's ambient classic Music for Airports, as well as live performances with Philip Glass, Don Byron, Iva Bittova, Thurston Moore, and others. Current and recent project highlights include In C, a new dance collaboration with Sasha Waltz & Guests based on Terry Riley’s minimalist classic; Dance Party, a brand new multimedia concert pairing composers and choreographers; MEMORY GAME, a new record release and touring program featuring legendary composer-singer Meredith Monk; Julia Wolfe's Flower Power for Bang on a Can All-Stars and orchestra, a multimedia concert exploring the sonic landscape of the late 1960s; Road Trip, an immersive concert collaboratively composed by Michael Gordon, David Lang, and Julia Wolfe to commemorate the 30+ year journey of Bang on a Can; performances and a recording of Julia Wolfe’s Pulitzer Prize winning Anthracite Fields for the All-Stars and guest choir; Field Recordings, a major multi-media project featuring over 30 commissioned works by pioneering musicians from across all genres and borders; Cloud River Mountain, a collaboration featuring Chinese superstar singer Gong Linna; and more. The All-Stars record on Cantaloupe Music and have released past recordings on Sony, Universal, and Nonesuch.

Robert Black, double bass |
Vicky Chow, piano & keyboard |
David Cossin, percussion |
Arlen Hlusko, cello |
Mark Stewart, electric guitar |
Ken Thomson, clarinets |
Andrew Cotton, sound engineer

About Long Play Festival

https://bangonacan.org/longplay/

About Bang on a Can

https://bangonacan.org/