What's On Past Events: 2022 / 2023

We celebrate American composer Steve Reich’s 86^th birthday with STEVE REICH: Now & Then. The evening’s program includes Drumming, featuring legendary percussion ensemble NEXUS, who are celebrating their 50^th anniversary, and TorQ Percussion Quartet. Also included is Reich/Richter for chamber orchestra and film, a recent work enjoying its Canadian premiere. The evening will open with a Soundstreams 40th anniversary fanfare by composer and turntablist SlowPitchSound, inspired by Stravinsky’s Fanfare for a New Theatre, written for the opening of Lincoln Centre in 1964, and the work that opened Soundstreams first season in June 1982.

While Soundstreams exists to foster the legacy of excellence in Canadian music, we have always done so in an international context. Steve Reich is considered to be “among the great composers of the century” (The New York Times), and in this fourth presentation of his music, Soundstreams will partner with TO Live. The iconic composer has a special connection with our city through NEXUS, two of whose members are also founding members of the Steve Reich Ensemble.

“The most acclaimed percussion group on earth” NEXUS (New York Times) and TorQ, described as “outstanding – no, make that astonishing!” (Ottawa Citizen) perform together in Steve Reich: Now & Then including the legendary work Drumming.  The evening also includes Moving Picture (946-3), with music by Steve Reich combined with film by German visual artist Gerhard Richter.

Steve Reich: Now & Then is presented in partnership with TO Live.

Artists

• NEXUS
• TorQ Percussion Quartet, and more

Program          

SlowPitchSound – A Fanfare for Spaces Between Time*

Steve Reich – Clapping Music*

Steve Reich – Reich/ Richter*

Steve Reich – Drumming

* A Fanfare for Spaces Between Time was commissioned through funding from the Ontario Arts Council and The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation.

* The film Clapping Music was made possible with generous support from TO Live and the following donors: Denton Creighton and Kristine Vikmanis, Michael Low, Robert and Miriam Rottapel, Katherine Smalley, Neil and Carolyn Turnbull.

*Moving Picture (946-3) Film by Gerhard Richter & Corinna Belz, Music: Reich/Richter by Steve Reich, Montage: Rudi Heinen, Copyright Gerhard Richter and Corinna Belz. Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Alex Poots.