


Decoda Chamber Music Festival
Decoda’s new summer partner, Warren Wilson College, aligns harmoniously with our own mission to create, connect, and spread compassion through music. Believing that “the world needs curiosity,” Warren Wilson is a campus community that fosters relationships with community partners through meaningful engagement, sustainable agriculture practices, and by educating the next generation of “curiously insightful, experienced, and capable individuals.”
Decoda’s Chamber Music Festival is dedicated to training the next generation of young artists to rethink and reimagine their role in society. Through outstanding chamber music making, creative collaboration, and hands-on project design and development, DCMF cultivates the vision of community through music with the young artists of tomorrow.

Argento: Entering Schumann's Utopia
Concerto for piano and 14 instruments (1986) NY PREMIERE
Aldo Clementi
David Kaplan, piano
Overture, Scherzo, Finale (1841) WORLD PREMIERE
Robert Schumann arr. Kimmy Szeto
arrangement for chamber orchestra
Morse Code Fantasy (2015)
Augusta Read Thomas
David Kaplan, piano
mit gutem Humor, un poco lol ma con serioso vibes (2014)
Caroline Shaw
David Kaplan, piano
Liebesbrief an Schumann (2014)
Han Lash
David Kaplan, piano
*** (2014)
Marcos Balter
David Kaplan, piano
Une relecture des Kinderszenen de Robert Schumann (2020) US PREMIERE
Tristan Murail
for flute,cello and piano

Decoda at Carnegie Hall -- Human Nature
Decoda—comprising alums of the adventurous Ensemble Connect and featuring “some of the brightest young classical musicians in the world” (Time Out New York)—is Carnegie Hall’s first-ever affiliate ensemble. With every concert, the spectacularly versatile ensemble showcases its commitment to virtuosic performance, audience and community engagement, and seemingly boundless repertoire. For its 2024–2025 Carnegie Hall concert, Decoda performs works by Robert and Clara Schumann, Gustav and Alma Mahler, Schoenberg, and a one-of-a-kind collaborative suite by four of today’s leading composers, featuring live narration and singers.
Program
R. SCHUMANN "Eintritt" from Waldszenen
C. SCHUMANN "Geheimes Flüstern," Op. 23
G. MAHLER "Ging heut' Morgen übers Feld" from Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
A. MAHLER "Licht in der Nacht"
SCHOENBERG Verklärte Nacht
DAVID KIRKLAND GARNER / STEPHEN JAFFE / ERIC MOE / MELINDA WAGNER A Forest Unfolding
Performers
Decoda
Lucy Fitz Gibbon, Soprano
Thomas Meglioranza, Baritone
Richard Powers, Narrator

Faculty Artist Series: Schubertiade
Nine members of the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music faculty join together for a celebratory program of chamber music, inspired by the tradition of Schubertiade, in which friends gather to share music and joy. Curated by piano faculty David Kaplan, the program features the "Trout Quintet" by Schubert, as well as by music for strings, piano, and winds by Clara Schumann, Lowell Liebermann, and Caroline Shaw.
Artists:
David Kaplan, piano
Movses Pogossian, violin
Varty Manouelian, violin
Che-Yen Chen, viola
Wendy Richman, viola
Ben Hong, cello
Christopher Hanulik, bass
Catherine Gregory, flute
Jan Baker, saxophone



Reza Vali: Portrait concert
This Portrait concert features three Decoda artists and celebrates Reza Vali's 70th Birthday, as part of a year of events and performances dedicated to Vali’s unique accomplishments and artistic identity. Dedicated to championing the work of living composers, Decoda has a particular history working with Vali, and brings forth an especially committed and informed interpretation of his distinct musical voice. This performance marks the premiere of a new version of Vali’s work ‘Mystery of the Rose’ for flute, cello and piano.

Arrowhead Symphony
BEETHOVEN Fidelio Overture
ELLINGTON Fantasy
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

Moab Music Festival
Just Breathe at Moab Music Festival
Catherine Gregory, flutes
Ian Rosenbaum, percussion
Ariadne Greif, soprano

Voice of an American Master: A Tribute to George Crumb at the National Flute Association
Voice of an American Master: A Tribute to George Crumb at the NFA
Honoring a national treasure and ground-breaking composer, this recital features a selection of George Crumb’s soulful flute music.
Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) for 3 Masked Players
Catherine Gregory, flute; Brook Speltz, cello; Daniel Anastasio, piano.

DECODA Chamber Music Festival
DECODA CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NEW HOME AT
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE IN SWANNANOA, NORTH CAROLINA
JUNE 23 - JUNE 30, 2024
Decoda is thrilled to announce the 10th Anniversary Season of Decoda’s celebrated Chamber Music Festival at our new home, tucked away in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, right outside of Asheville, North Carolina, June 23 - 30, 2024.
Decoda’s new summer partner, Warren Wilson College, aligns harmoniously with our own mission to create, connect, and spread compassion through music. Believing that “the world needs curiosity,” Warren Wilson is a campus community that fosters relationships with community partners through meaningful engagement, sustainable agriculture practices, and by educating the next generation of “curiously insightful, experienced, and capable individuals.”
Decoda cannot wait to celebrate ten years of our unique summer festival, which is dedicated to training the next generation of young artists to rethink and reimagine their role in society. Through outstanding chamber music making, creative collaboration, and hands-on project design and development, DCMF cultivates the vision of community through music with the young artists of tomorrow.

MUSIC FROM SING SING - COMPOSER PORTRAIT: XIABAO HE; WEILL MUSIC ROOM, CARNEGIE HALL
Weill Music Room at Carnegie Hall
Tickets are limited; to reserve please email info@decodamusic.org
With the support of the Cultural Development Fund for New York City, Decoda will record and perform the complete chamber music of Xiao Bao He, a composer currently incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The concert will take place May 28, 2024 at 7:00 pm in the Weill Music Room in Carnegie Hall's Resnick Education Wing, and the recordings will take place at Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn.
Over the past five years, Xiao Bao He has written a series of chamber pieces for Decoda and for Decoda members. Through a partnership with Musicambia, Teaching Artist Brad Balliett (former Artistic Director of Decoda) has worked with Xiao Bao He for many years, facilitating the creation of these new works. Decoda will record three Suites by He, including works that received their premieres at Carnegie Hall, Trinity Wall Street, and the Peabody Institute of Music.
This project represents a continuation and widening of Decoda's Music for Transformation initiative, a series of residencies, creative workshops, and performances that aims to center the compositional voices of incarcerated songwriters and composers.

Decoda at Carnegie Hall
Featuring “some of the brightest young classical musicians in the world” (Time Out New York), Decoda is Carnegie Hall’s first-ever affiliate ensemble, comprising alums of the adventurous Ensemble Connect. Copland’s Appalachian Spring—celebrating its 80th anniversary this season—serves as an inspiration and departure point for this unique program. Experience a premiere composed by and featuring Ringdown, the new electronic cinematic pop duo of Caroline Shaw and Danni Lee; an American folk–inspired septet by Copland’s friend Hanns Eisler written shortly before his expulsion from the US; a new arrangement of Billy Bragg’s setting of Woody Guthrie’s “Eisler on the Go”; and the dynamic Vera by Hannah Kendall.
Program
COPLAND Midday Thoughts for Solo Piano
HANNAH KENDALL Vera
EISLER Septet No. 1, Op. 95a (Variations on Children's Songs)
BILLY BRAGG "Eisler on the Go" (arr. Claire Bryant)
RINGDOWN New Work (World Premiere, commissioned by Carnegie Hall)
COPLAND Appalachian Spring Suite for 13 Instruments

Second Sundays at Two: Recital
Australian flutist Catherine Gregory, winner of the Pro Musicis International Award, has performed around the globe in some of the world's foremost venues -- from Alice Tully Hall in New York, to London's Milton Court, Hamburg's new Elbphilharmonie, and the Sydney Opera House. The New York Times has called her playing "magically mysterious," also writing that "Ms. Gregory left a deep impression, her sound rich and fully present." She has been a guest of Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia CMS, Caramoor, Bay Chamber Festival, and the Southern Cross Soloists, as well as on tour with the Australian and Orpheus Chamber Orchestras. She made her Carnegie Hall recital debut in 2019.
A member of the UCLA piano faculty and a Yamaha/Bösendorfer Artist, David Kaplan has been called "excellent and adventurous" by The New York Times, and praised by the Boston Globe for "grace and fire" at the keyboard. He has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Britten Sinfonia and Das Sinfonie Orchester Berlin, and has performed recitals at the Ravinia Festival, Sarasota Opera House, Washington's National Gallery, Music on Main in Vancouver, and Strathmore. Kaplan's New Dances of the League of David, a recital infusing Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze with 16 new works was cited among the "Best Classical Music Performances of 2015" by The New York Times.
Classical Crossroads and Rolling Hills United Methodist Church present Second Sundays at Two

NOLA Chamber Fest
Decoda at NOLA Chamber Fest
As an artist-led collective, Decoda seeks to create a more compassionate and connected world through music – thoughtfully curating outstanding performances of live chamber music, facilitating creative community projects, and inspiring the next generation of musical artists to rethink and reimagine their role in society. Join us for an exciting program performed by this unique ensemble.
This event is presented by the University of New Orleans School of the Arts.

Experiential Orchestra: Julia Perry Festival at Alice Tully Hall
The Julia Perry Centenary Celebration and Festival Closing Night Concert, conducted by Experiential Orchestra Music Director James Blachly, features Julia Perry’s Violin Concerto performed by Curtis Stewart and the Experiential Orchestra, following the March 1 release of their recording of the piece as part of EXO’s American Counterpoints album.
Perry’s Violin Concerto was composed in 1963 and revised in 1968, but she continued to update the score until 1977, only two years before her death. Both this performance and the recording include Perry’s extensive revisions to its orchestration, by Roger Zahab. EXO, Stewart, and Blachly gave the professional world premiere performance of this revised version of the concerto in December 2022 in New York. Students from three New York City conservatories will join EXO for the concerto, sitting side-by-side with EXO members.
The festival Closing Night Concert also includes soprano Louise Toppin performing the world premiere orchestral arrangement of Julia Perry’s setting of the spiritual I’m a Poor Li’l Orphan in this World and Experiential Orchestra performing Perry’s beautiful Prelude for Strings. The concert closes with the two youth ensembles performing the first half of the concert – Ruckel Middle School Chorus (Niceville, FL) and Sandra Day O’Connor HS Orchestra (San Antonio, TX) – joining EXO on stage to perform Perry's Ye, Who Seek the Truth, introducing this important composer’s music to the next generation.
Program:
Performances by Ruckel Middle School Chorus and the Sandra Day O’Connor HS Orchestra
~ Intermission ~
I’m a Poor Li’l Orphan in this World by Julia Perry (1952) arr. Norpoth (world premiere of arrangement)
Louise Toppin, Soprano
James Blachly, EXO Music Director
Experiential Orchestra
Prelude for Strings by Julia Perry (1946) (arr. Zahab)
James Blachly, EXO Music Director
Experiential Orchestra
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Julia Perry (1963-68, rev. 1977)
Curtis Stewart, Violin
James Blachly, EXO Music Director
Experiential Orchestra plus Students from Three New York City Conservatories
Ye, Who Seek the Truth by Julia Perry (1952, arr. Norpoth)
Louise Toppin, Soprano; James Blachly, EXO Music Director; Experiential Orchestra; Ruckel Middle School Chorus (Niceville, FL); and Sandra Day O’Connor High School Orchestra (San Antonio, TX)

Experiential Orchestra: Julia Perry Festival
The Julia Perry Centenary Celebration and Festival presented by Experiential Orchestra and Videmus brings Julia Perry’s legacy to the next generation, through side-by-side rehearsals and readings with the Experiential Orchestra led by Music Director James Blachly and students from three New York City conservatories.

American Academy of Arts and Letters
Ensemble Échappé
Ben Grow, conductor
Roscoe Mitchell
Cutouts
Nonaah
Nicole Mitchell
Cult of Electromagnetic Connectivity
Before and After (Any War)
Eve Bulgarian
Making Sense of It
Not My Home
David Ludwig
Paganiniana

Scrag Mountain Music
Winter Wind, Melting Ice: The Season of Transition
Concerts
Fri., March 8 I 7:30 pm Unitarian Church, Montpelier
Sat., March 9 I 7:30 pm Warren Church, Warren
Join Scrag this March for music that highlights the blustery winds of March and ushers in the vibrancy of Spring. Beloved Scrag guest artists Catherine Gregory (flute) and David Kaplan (piano) return to Vermont for a rich program, together with Scrag co-Artistic Director Mary Bonhag (soprano), that includes Scrag co-Artistic Director Evan Premo’s Inside the Breath, inspired by a painting by local Vermont artist Jan Sandman, songs from Schubert’s Winterreise, Debussy’s Footsteps in the Snow, David Lang’s Vent, Elliott Carter’s Warble for Lilac-time, and more.

Jacaranda Music: Fierce Beauty Part II
FIERCE BEAUTY PART II
Richard Strauss – Till Eulenspiegel, einmal anders!
Leonard Rosenman/Dunn – East of Eden Suite
Arnold Schoenberg – Chamber Symphony No. 1, Op. 9
J.S. Bach – Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor
Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 10 Adagio

Just Breathe at Lyrica Chamber Music
Flutist Catherine Gregory, cited by the NYTimes as "magically mysterious..." with a "rich and fully present sound..." presents her creative concert program, "Just Breathe."
Just Breathe is a series of new works by some of today's most exciting composers, from Clarice Assad to Viet Cuong, inspired by the common theme of "breath," written for the world's three essential instruments: human voice, flute, and drums.
Catherine is joined by two internationally acclaimed collaborators: multiple GRAMMY-nominated percussion soloist Ian David Rosenbaum and genre bending soprano Ariadne Greif.



'Alchymia': Antonio Lysy and friends at the BroadStage
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Flute Quartet in D major K285
Thomas Adès (1971 - )
“Alchymia” clarinet quintet (2021)
I. A Sea-Change (...those are pearls...)
II. The Woods So Wild
III. Lachrymae
IV. Divisions on a Lute-song: Wedekind’s Round
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)
The Swan (from “The Carnival of the Animals”)
Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Introduction and Allegro (septet)
Brian Chen, viola
Catherine Gregory, flute
Andrew Lowy, clarinet
Antonio Lysy, cello
Varty Manouelian, violin
Movses Pogossian, violin
Alaina Stark, harp

MUSICAL MASTERWORKS RESIDENCY IN OLD LYME, CT
DURING THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF NOVEMBER, MUSICAL MASTERWORKS AND DECODA WILL BUILD ON THE RELATIONSHIPS FORMED LAST YEAR WITH SHORELINE NONPROFITS AND SCHOOLS.
As Musical Masterworks’ Ensemble-in-Residence, Decoda will spend a week with Waterford Country School, a nonprofit dedicated to educating at risk youth who have been unsuccessful in traditional school settings, working with students using creative musical programming to foster trust, community and boost confidence. Decoda will also return to Fitch High School to work with their advanced theory and composition students to help them envision and experience the world of professional musicians/composers working with Decoda musicians to create and present their compositions to a live audience.



Decoda: Lake City residency
New York City-based chamber music collective, Decoda, is heading to Lake City, South Carolina from September 22 - September 30, 2023 for a community residency presented by the Lake City Artfields Collective. The Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall, Decoda’s mission is to create a more compassionate and connected world through music by curating outstanding musical performances, facilitating creative songwriting projects, and training the new generation of young artists to rethink and reimagine their role in society.
Decoda will be joined by celebrated vocalist/composer Sarah Elizabeth Charles and her duo partner, pianist/composer Jarrett Cherner, for a series of kickoff concerts the weekend of September 22nd, including a public and free performance on Sunday, September 24th at 4pm at the Stables. Throughout the week, Decoda and Sarah Elizabeth Charles will bring an eclectic program of music to community venues in and around Lake City, including several area schools and the Lake City Senior Center.
The centerpiece of Decoda’s partnership residency with the Lake City Artfields Collective is a six-day creative songwriting project with high school students at the J Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School. Decoda members Clara Lyon (violin), Claire Bryant (cello), Catherine Gregory (flute), Brad Balliett (bassoon), David Kaplan (piano), and Sarah Elizabeth Charles (vocals) will work alongside up to 25 students throughout the week, collaboratively writing new songs around the theme of Infinite Exploration. Inspired by the legacy of Lake City native, astronaut and saxophonist Ron McNair, the idea of boundless exploration through both music and composition as well as the new Artfields exhibit Southern Voices, Global Visions (opening the weekend of September 23, 2023) will serve as a catalyst for the creative community project.
Public events include the Sunday, September 24th concert at the Stables at 4pm, which will feature music by South Carolina composers Andy Akiho, David Kirkland Garner, and other works by Clara Schumann, Stravinsky, Chick Corea, and Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Jarrett Cherner. The performance will feature a brand new arrangement by Decoda’s Brad Balliett called Fantasy on a Rendezvous 5 (Ron’s Piece) created especially for this partnership. “Ron’s Piece” is based on Jean-Michel Jarre’s piece "Final Rendez-vous: Ron’s Piece - Challenger", written in 1986 in honor of Ron McNair and the six other crew members aboard the Challenger Space Shuttle. Decoda is honored to share this musical tribute to McNair's legacy in his hometown community of Lake City.
The culminating celebratory performance of the community residency will be held on Saturday, September 30 at 2pm at the Stables and will feature the new songs written by the participants from J Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School alongside Decoda.
Please join Decoda and the Artfields Collective for Infinite Exploration around Lake City, South Carolina. Public events include the Sunday, September 24th concert at the Stables at 4pm, which will feature music by South Carolina composers Andy Akiho, David Kirkland Garner, and other works by Clara Schumann, Stravinsky, Chick Corea, and Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Jarrett Cherner. The performance will feature a brand new arrangement by Decoda’s Brad Balliett called Fantasy on a Rendezvous (Ron’s Piece) created especially for this partnership. “Ron’s Piece” is based on Jean-Michel Jarre’s piece "Final Rendez-vous: Ron’s Piece - Challenger" written in honor of Ron McNair after his untimely death.
The culminating celebratory performance of the community residency will be held on Saturday, September 30 at 2pm at the Stables and will feature the new songs written by the participants from J Paul Truluck Creative Arts and Science Magnet School alongside Decoda.
Please join Decoda and the Artfields Collective for Infinite Exploration around Lake City, South Carolina.

Lyrica Chamber Music Fundraiser
Private house concert in support of Lyrica Chamber Music in Basking Ridge, NJ.
Ani Kalayjian, cello | Catherine Gregory, flute | David Kaplan, piano

VENT Album release party
Including performance with David Kaplan, piano
Private house concert in NYC. Please email for details.
Source:: https://www.brightshiny.ninja/vent
