Copland House

Copland House champions American music through performances, composer residencies, and educational programs, fostering a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of American musical heritage and its contemporary expressions.

These vivid, formidable works by outstanding American masters are a kind of disguised theater, with virtuoso instrumentalists engaged in dramatic yet wordless narratives &ndash; elusive, abstract, representational. Only in Black Music does composer Shawn Okpebholo explicitly convey &ldquo;the physical manifestation of the color black as well as artistic elements associated with African American experience and musical culture.&rdquo; These musical actors converse cooperatively or contentiously, swerving from ethereal to intense, reflective to impulsive, serene to volatile. Their sonic journeys are breathtaking! Program: George Tsontakis Piano Quartet No. 3, Shawn Okpebholo Black Music (World Premiere, string version); John Musto&nbsp;Sonata for Cello and Piano Featured Performers: &nbsp;Siwoo Kim and Yebin Yoo, violins; Tanner Menees, viola; Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello; Kris Saebo, double bass; Michael Boriskin, piano

Theater in Disguise

Following Igor Stravinsky&rsquo;s motto that &ldquo;music must sing and it must dance,&rdquo; our program transplants wild tangos, sultry ballads, and leisurely ruminations into evocative vignettes about remembrance and resilience. Headlining the evening is The Graduate Center&rsquo;s own musical wizard John Musto, whose wide-ranging Sonata for Clarinet and Piano receives its World Premiere by its two brilliant dedicatees, Derek Bermel and Michael Boriskin. Program: John Musto&nbsp;Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (World Premiere), John Mackey Breakdown Tango, Pascal LeBoeuf&nbsp;Snapshots, Liliya Ugay &hellip; Without Words, Kian Ravaei Unstoppable Featured Artists: Derek Bermel, clarinet; Siwoo Kim, violin; Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello; Michael Boriskin, piano

Tangos, Ballads, and Blues ... Reimagined

Strong yet fragile, nourishing yet destructive, mythological yet tangible &ndash; across centuries, water has been viewed as a primal life-force, religious symbol, geographical marker, natural resource, and so much more. It has also served as a fertile artistic inspiration, and this vibrant program flows sonically through China&rsquo;s 8th-century Tang Dynasty, the crests and valleys of the Colorado River, rain in its many forms, and even an ecstatic riverside Baptism. Program: Joan Tower Rain Waves, Chen Yi Happy Rain on a Spring Night, Shawn Okpebholo Fractured Water, Mason Bates Red River Featured Performers: Emi Ferguson, flute; Alan R. Kay, clarinet; Siwoo Kim, violin; Caleb van der Swaagh, cello; Michael Boriskin, piano

Waters ... Fractured

Hear the future here! Six World Premieres by the gifted 2026 Fellows of our acclaimed CULTIVATE Emerging Composers Institute (Derek Bermel, Director), commissioned by Copland House especially for this program.

CULTIVATE 2026

Join Copland House for an event that brings American music to life 🎵 Your registration helps us preserve Aaron Copland&rsquo;s legacy while opening doors to new voices in American composition. By signing up, you support concerts, workshops, and education programs that connect our community with the depth and history of American classical music 🎼 Please share your details below so we can confirm your place and keep you informed about this event.

Copland House

Copland House

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Waters ... Fractured

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