FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2015
CONTACT:
Rebecca Bailey, Publicity Coordinator/Writer
Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College
rebecca.a.bailey@dartmouth.edu
603.646.3991
A passion for musical discovery: The Knights return to the Hop,
with stellar cellist, October 16
Photo (from top): The Knights, photo by Sarah Small; Jan Vogler, photo by Jim Rakete.
HANOVER, NH—The Knights—a vibrant chamber orchestra known for inspired programming, innovative
formats and a radically inclusive musical outlook, all in an atmosphere of friendship and adventure—perform
in the Hop’s Spaulding Auditorium on Friday, Oct 16, at 8 pm, playing music ranging from 19th-century classics
to the work of young composers of today, including indie singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens.
The group is joined on Schumann’s Cello Concerto, Op.
129, by cellist Jan Vogler. Based both in Dresden and New
York, Vogler is a former child prodigy who now “is
numbered among the strongest cello performers of our
time... with a large and deep voice...and a balance of
passion, clarity and emotional intensity” (Hamburger
Abendblatt). He’s been praised by The New York Times for
his “soulful, richly hued playing” and described by the
Washington Post as “rapturously heartfelt.”
The formidably difficult concerto is a signature piece for
Vogler. All but a few cellists have had the honor of
performing it more than once or twice; Vogler has
performed it more than 60 times and recorded it twice.
For a cellist to play it, he told All Things Strings in 2012,
“you have to be able to draw a big sound that can both
cut through an orchestra at full throttle and at the same
time be able to tune it down to reach the audience in
quiet, almost motionless places at a very intimate level.”
He added, “If you’re not sure of your orchestra,
conductor, and audience, choose Saint-Saëns, Lalo, or
even Dvorak instead—the Schumann Concerto only works
when a joint effort of soloist, orchestra, and conductor
achieves that enigmatic quality that I love about the
piece.”
Other works on the program are two 20th-century works: Stravinsky’s jazzy, rhythmically playful Suite from The
Soldier's Tale; and Stockhausen’s Tierkreis Leo, a 12-tone composition based on the 12 signs of the zodiac. In
addition are 21st-century works Run Rabbit Run, a series of arrangements of Stevens’ electronic album Enjoy
Your Rabbit by The Knights’ own Michael P. Atkinson, evoking the musical personalities of four animals of the
Chinese Zodiac; 53-year-old Italian cello virtuoso and composer Giovannni Sollima’s Federico II, an adrenalized
mix of classical, rock and driving ethnic dance music; and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, "Italian" Recitative,
which begins in a lively, joyful vein, moves through a solemn processional and classical minuet, and ends with
a movement spiked with the feverish Italian saltarello and tarantella folk dances.
The Knights previously performed at the Hop
in 2013, and members of the group also have
played there numerous times as part of the
string quartet Brooklyn Rider. Both
ensembles have been especially effective
participants in the Hop’s Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation-funded efforts to draw young
people into classical music, commissioning
works by composers outside of classical
music, and performing at White River
Junction’s Main Street Museum and the
South Royalton (VT) School and playing side
by side with young musicians at the Upper
Valley Music Center in Lebanon, NH.
Originating from late-night music reading parties, The Knights formed out of camaraderie, collaboration and a
common love for playing. Hailed internationally for their joyous performances and innovative programming,
the close-knit ensemble is led “from the heart” (Performance Today) by Artistic Director Eric Jacobsen, who
co-directs The Knights with his brother Colin. Eric and Colin are cellist and first violinist, respectively, with
Brooklyn Rider.
An orchestra of friends from a broad spectrum of the New York music world, The Knights are an orchestral
collective, flexible in size and repertory, dedicated to transforming the concert experience. Engaging listeners
and defying boundaries with programs that showcase the players’ roots in the classical tradition and passion
for musical discovery, The Knights have, as the New Yorker observes, “become one of Brooklyn’s sterling
cultural products...known far beyond the borough for their relaxed virtuosity and expansive repertory.” The
Knights’ roster boasts remarkably diverse talents, including composers, arrangers, singer-songwriters and
improvisers, who bring a range of cultural influences to the group, from jazz and klezmer to pop and indie rock
music.
Recent highlights include The Knights’ debut at the Tanglewood and Ojai Music Festivals, and collaborations
with Bela Fleck, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Dawn Upshaw, Jeremy Denk, Gil Shaham, the Mark Morris Dance
Group, the Joshua Redman Quartet, santur player Siamak Aghaei, pipa virtuoso Wu Man, and The National’s
Bryce Dessner.
RELEVANT LINKS
https://hop.dartmouth.edu/Online/theknights
http://www.janvogler.com/en/home.html
http://www.michaelatkinsonmusic.com/
http://www.giovannisollima.it/eng/works.html
http://www.theknightsnyc.com/
Download high-resolution photos:
https://hop.dartmouth.edu/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScont
ent::loadArticle::article_id=A14ACB33-679C-469F-9E075A08469894E7&sessionlanguage=&SessionSecurity::linkName=
CALENDAR LISTING:
The Knights, with cellist Jan Vogler
Late-night music-reading parties among brilliant instrumentalist friends gave rise to this creative, flexible,
Brooklyn-based orchestral collective whose members share top-notch musicianship as well as a passion for
musical discovery. In this return Hop engagement, the orchestra performs newer works by indie singersongwriter Sufjan Stevens and others as well as a Mendelssohn work reflecting the warmth and color of
Italy and, with Vogler (“power, lyrical quality and passion”—New York Times), Schumann Cello Concerto,
Op. 129. Post-show discussion with the artists.
Friday, Oct 16, 8 pm
Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover NH
$25/35/45, Dartmouth students $10, 18 & under $17/19
Information: hop.dartmouth.edu or 603.646.2422
* * *
Founded in 1962, the Hopkins Center for the Arts is a multi-disciplinary academic, visual and performing
arts center dedicated to uncovering insights, igniting passions, and nurturing talents to help Dartmouth and
the surrounding Upper Valley community engage imaginatively and contribute creatively to our world. Each
year the Hop presents more than 300 live events and films by visiting artists as well as Dartmouth students
and the Dartmouth community, and reaches more than 22,000 Upper Valley residents and students with
outreach and arts education programs. After a celebratory 50th-anniversary season in 2012-13, the Hop
enters its second half-century with renewed passion for mentoring young artists, supporting the
development of new work, and providing a laboratory for participation and experimentation in the arts.