This program deals with musical responses to tyranny and oppression, and ongoing threats to our natural habitat. Gabriella Smith, a composer and lifelong climate activist contributes Anthozoa, a musical depiction of the vibrant, teeming lives of coral reefs in French Polynesia. Georges Aperghis’ Graffitis for solo percussion/reciter posits the grafitti of the title as metaphor for struggle and opposition to power. Luciano Berio’s O King is a classic late 20th century tribute to Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Benjamin Zervigon, whose earlier work for NYNME Sounding in Fathoms depicted the strange landscapes of oil refineries in Louisiana, is represented by the premiere of his new composition Tattoo in Porcelain. The program ends with Frederic Rzewski’s iconic masterpiece Coming Together, which memorably sets the words of a prisoner killed in the Attica Prison uprising. Please join us for this powerful program!

Georges Aperghis – Grafittis (1981)

Gabriella Smith – Anthozoa (2018)

Luciano Berio – O King (1968)

Benjamin Zervigon – Tattoo in Porcelain (2026)

Frederic Rzewski – Coming Together (1971)