“Puerto Abierto (Open Port),” celebrates the musical wealth that Puerto Rico and the Caribbean have shared with the world. The four compositions commissioned by the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts examine identity, flowers, the vitality of ports and the idea of home.
Puerto Abierto will be broadcast on Classical NEPM on Sunday, September 22 at 4PM.
The Victory Players are:
Nathan Ben-Yehuda, piano
Linda Hwang, cello
Justin Ouellet, violin
Giovanni Pérez, flute
Robert Rocheteau, percussion
Eric Schultz, clarinet
Tianhui Ng, Music Director
The composers are:
Eric Lemmon
Eric is an interdisciplinary artist whose music examines politics and technology. In addition to composing, he is a member of Ensemble Decipher, an experimental music group that uses vintage as well as contemporary and emerging technology in their performances. Eric has a Ph.D. in Music Composition from Stony Brook University.
Eric's comments on The Nightwatcher:
Julio Quiñones
Julio is known for his compelling, expressive and socially aware music, imbued with visceral gestures and intuition that represents every aspect of his identity. A native of Puerto Rico, Julio’s work is grounded in his cultural background and often interacts with folk and popular music as well as literature and art from seemingly disparate, unconnected places. Julio is currently a doctoral student at City University in New York.
Julio's comments on my father never knew Amaury Veray:
Cole Reyes
Cole is a composer, educator and arts administrator. His music draws on a diverse array of influences including pop, rock, folk and classical. Thematically he often explores the intersection of the personal with the broader world. Cole is a co-founder of Telos Consort, a chamber music ensemble based in New York dedicated to the performance and curation of new music. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Michigan.
Cole's comments on Firming Ground:
Nicholas Villane
Nico’s music incorporates broad influences shaped by his belief that music is a shared human experience. He has a D.M. in Composition from Florida State University.
Nico's comments on Because of Flowers:
Puerto Abierto was recorded at Holyoke Media in June 2024 by Alan Mattes.
Special thanks to the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts:
Don Sanders, Executive Artistic Director
Puerto Abierto was produced for Classical NEPM by John Voci.