KMFA CLASSICAL PRESENTS
2023 OFFBEAT SERIES
Presented by Estes Audiology
KMFA Classical’s Offbeat Series will offer a full lineup of in-person contemporary classical works in the Draylen Mason Music Studio at KMFA (41 Navasota Street, Austin, 78702) in 2023. Spring concerts have included Panoramic Voices presenting BORDERLAND on February 18, which activated the entire KMFA building, and CLOSE TO HOME with Daniel Fears on April 7 & 8.
The performance series by KMFA highlights ensembles contributing to Austin’s vibrant contemporary classical music scene using KMFA’s beautiful Draylen Mason Music Studio. Through the Offbeat Series, KMFA hopes to reach not only existing fans, but also cultivate a new audience for these exciting contemporary works. Fall Offbeat Series participants and works will include VAMP on September 9 and Adelante Winds on October 7. Program details for these concerts will be released later this year.
“We all know that Austin is a mecca for live music, but a lesser-known fact is that there is a vibrant new music scene happening here. KMFA is excited to elevate the work of the talented artists that are composing and performing new works that are shaping the future of the contemporary classical music sub-genre,” states KMFA Director of Events Stacey Hoyt. “As KMFA looks to the future, we hope to help create a pathway for the next generation of classical music listeners.
****************************************************
Panoramic Voices Presents BORDERLAND
Featuring Music by Nathan Felix
Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM
Panoramic Voices presents a site-specific immersive experience created especially for KMFA’s building by the local composer Nathan Felix.
BORDERLAND
Borderland is an innovative choral experience featuring a premiere work by local composer Nathan Felix called “Austin Border Stories.” Commissioned by Panoramic Voices, this full-length, immersive choral piece is inspired by Hispanic history. It is “about borders and border stories… immigration stories from Mexico into Texas and Austin,” says the composer. Singers will be scattered across KMFA’s stunning new east side building, sharing vignettes in different installations throughout the entire space. Audiences can expect an experience akin to visiting a museum, while enjoying powerful opening and closing pieces that bring the choir together.
Director Juli Orlandini is particularly excited for the Panoramic/KMFA/Felix collaboration. “Nathan’s works use space in a whole new way, charging audiences to truly be immersed in his art. Beyond simply telling tales, ‘Austin Border Stories’ will be an opportunity to not just learn about, but experience the history and culture of Austin’s Hispanic community. At this time and place, I can’t think of anything we need more than understanding of, empathy for, and fascination with all the people who make our city the incredible, vibrant place that it is. I’m looking forward to growing my own ties to this community through Nathan’s brilliant and truly innovative music, and I feel that Panoramic Voices is so privileged to get to go through his process and be a part of his art. This will be a special experience for our organization and our audience.”
ABOUT PANORAMIC VOICES
Founded as Texas Choral Consort in 1997, Panoramic Voices, a 501(c)3 organization, is an adventurous choral collective that thrives on a "music without borders" approach. Committed to serving an inclusive and diverse audience, Panoramic Voices prioritizes accessibility for singers and audiences. Registration is open to the public on a per-project basis free of the typical boundaries to participation—auditions and fees. Boasting a wide range of ages, ethnicities, and skill levels, the choir is a true community, with a specific focus on fun during the rehearsal process.
With collaborations spanning all genres—classical, country, rock, hip hop, and beyond—Panoramic Voices has worked with a dizzying array of artists such as Mobley, Roky Erickson, Carson McHone, Calliope Musicals, Zeale, and Grammy Award-winners Roomful of Teeth. Additionally, Panoramic Voices regularly commissions new works from living composers across genres and borders. The group has premiered compositions by Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw, Wilco's Glenn Kotche, Austin luminary Graham Reynolds and many more.
ABOUT NATHAN FELIX
Nathan Felix is a Mexican American composer known for his immersive operas and experimental films. Felix’s music has premiered in Bulgaria, Portugal, Spain, Japan, China, Sweden, Denmark, Mongolia, and the United States and has been featured on the BBC, MTV, NPR, TPR, and PBS. He often focuses on telling Latinx-themed and minority stories that highlight border issues, underserved communities, and his Hispanic heritage.
In 2013, Felix transitioned from leading the indie-rock band, The Noise Revival Orchestra, to composing for orchestra and released his first symphony, The Curse, the Cross, & the Lion. His second symphony, Neon Heaven is a choral symphony sung in Classical Latin. Neon Heaven premiered at the SPOT Festival in Denmark with additional performances in Portugal, Mongolia, and the USA. In 2022, Nathan premiered his latest symphony at KMFA, Santa-Almada, which is based on a true story sparked by a quest for answers about the composer’s absent father and Mexican ancestry. He also premiered a newly commissioned opera in June of 2022 called La Malinche – Traitor | Savior.
BUY TICKETS TO BORDERLAND
****************************************************
CLOSE TO HOME
with Daniel Fears
April 7 & 8, 2023 at 7:00 PM
Close to Home is an intimate performance that reimagines works by Austin-based R&B artist Daniel Fears for a classical chamber ensemble with arrangements by a diverse cast of local and international composers including Mobley, Anthony R. Greene, and Nate Laningham.
“Keep On,” is the first in a series of songs arranged for a quintet of strings, classical guitar and three voices. It was originally released in May of 2022 and caught Laningham’s attention. Nate approached Daniel with the idea of arranging the song for a string ensemble. Daniel, who began his musical career as a conservatory trained trombone player (earning a Bachelor’s from University of Texas and a Graduate degree from Yale), was immediately drawn to the idea. However, he had some reservations. “In music school at Yale I was one of five black classical musicians,” Daniel says. “I spent a lot of time feeling like I didn’t fit into that world, like I always had to ask for permission to be there. It wasn’t until I started creating R&B, soul, and popular music that I began developing my own voice and learning how to take up more space.”
Together, the two collaborators developed a plan to reconcile the two worlds–bringing Daniel’s R&B songs into the classical space. They’d do it with an ensemble of musicians of color and a diverse gathering of composers. Each song would be unique, with each composer bringing their own perspective, taste and lived experience to the project. The full performance on April 8th will be an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the Austin music community and create common ground between Austin’s classical and contemporary music lovers.
KMFA’s brand new studio is the perfect space for such a performance. The venue was built to honor the legacy of Draylen Mason, a talented young black musician with experience in the worlds of classical and contemporary music. “Inviting black and brown orchestral musicians into this space feels like a beautiful tribute to Draylen’s life and the spirit of the space” says Fears.
Nate Laningham’s arrangement of “Keep On” for string quintet and classical guitar.
BUY TICKETS TO CLOSE TO HOME
****************************************************
VAMP
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Stay tuned to KMFA Classical for more information about the program and ticket information for this concert coming later this year.
****************************************************
Adelante Winds
Saturday, October 7, 2023
Stay tuned to KMFA Classical for more information about the program and ticket information for this concert coming later this year.