21st Century Consort: Child’s Play

All passes for this event have been claimed. Take heart: Our walk-up line will open at 4 PM on the Lower Level (concert only). We always do our best to find everyone a seat in the Ring Auditorium.

“It takes a long time to grow young.”— Pablo Picasso

Contemporary artists have often endeavored to recapture a childlike vision of the world. Taking inspiration from this pursuit, the 21st Century Consort presents Child’s Play, a selection of music that embraces the spirit of childhood. The program will include the world premiere of Greta the Fearless by composer Jon Deak and a wildly virtuosic romp by Juri Seo.

This program is presented in celebration of the 21st Century Consort’s 50th season and takes inspiration from works in the Hirshhorn’s 50th-anniversary exhibition Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860–1960.

PROGRAM

Luciano Berio – Sequenza III 
Sofia Gubaidulina – Musical Toys 
Juri Seo – Toy Store: Jack-in-the-Box/Roller Skates/Bubbles 
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Jon Deak – Greta, the Fearless

ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY CONSORT

Founded in 1975, the 20th Century Consort became the resident ensemble for contemporary music at the Smithsonian Institution in 1978. In this season’s concerts at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and a special preseason concert at historic St. Mark’s on Capitol Hill, the Consort continues to present dynamically balanced concerts related to museum exhibitions, featuring music—often world premieres—by a diverse array of living composers. In 1990, the Consort was awarded the Smithson Medal in honor of the group’s long successful association with the Smithsonian Institution. Under the direction of its founder and conductor, Christopher Kendall, the Consort’s artists include principal players from the National Symphony Orchestra along with other prominent chamber musicians from Washington, DC, and elsewhere. For more information, visit 21consort.org.