In a Grove NYC premiere, Roomful of Teeth Premiere, New Album with Sandbox Percussion
Dear Friends,
What a start (in every sense) to 2025. I’m thrilled to share some exciting news and updates with you.
First, I’m delighted to report that my opera IN A GROVE (created with Stephanie Fleischmann and Mary Birnbaum) had a tremendous run at the Prototype Festival, with all five performances completely sold out. The New York Times called it the “highlight of the festival,” which means the world to us—and many otherorganizations have had similar things to say. If you weren’t able to catch it live, you can watch the trailer here below or listen to the album from Metropolis Ensemble.

Tonight marks another special moment: the world premiere of “Friday’s Saints,” a new 25-minute piece performed by Roomful of Teeth at The Church in Sag Harbor. This work, featuring live electronics, processing, and field recordings from Sicily, holds deep personal meaning for me. Drawing inspiration from the traditional music of southern Italy, particularly the Lamenti Di Venerdi Santo (The Lament of the Friday Saint), the piece explores my family’s Italian heritage through a contemporary lens. I worked with local singers in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto to record traditional Sicilian songs, weaving these field recordings with new compositions that bridge past and present, tradition and innovation. The piece reflects both my heritage and my contemporary musical language, creating a dialogue between traditional lamenting songs and modern electronic elements.

I’m also thrilled to announce my debut album with PENTATONE, “Don’t Look Down,” featuring collaborations with Sandbox Percussion, Conor Hanick, and Elspeth Davis. The album will be released worldwide on February 21st, but if you’re in the New Haven area, I invite you to join us for a special release show on February 12th at the Yale Schwarzman Center. The performance is free and open to the public – I’d love to see you there!
Looking ahead, this weekend brings the UK premiere of “The Insects Became Magnetic” with the Hallé Orchestra. And speaking of Beaufort Scales, which was recently nominated for a Grammy Award, I’m excited to share that it will receive its NYC premiere at the Long Play Festival this May.
Thank you, as always, for reading.
Chris