PRESS RELEASE: A Worthy Mirror at National Sawdust
For Immediate Release
February 1, 2024
NATIONAL SAWDUST PRESENTS A WORTHY MIRROR, IN WHICH ALKEMIE AND CELLIST AMANDA GOOKIN PREMIERE 11 NEW WORKS BY WOMEN AND NON-BINARY COMPOSERS, FEBRUARY 25
Program Aims to Uncover Voices of Women in the Middle Ages
Nationally touring ensemble Alkemie, alongside cellist Amanda Gookin, premiere A Worthy Mirror, present 11 new works by women and non-binary composers at National Sawdust on February 25, 2024.
Key Takeaways:
Each of the 11 new works in A Worthy Mirror responds to one of the 36 extant trobairitz texts and are composed by women and non-binary composers for medieval instrumentation.
Trobairitz are the women counterparts of the poet-composer troubadours of the 12th-13th centuries, and their writings give us an intimate window into women’s lives at the time.
These pieces premiere at National Sawdust on February 25, 2024, performed by Alkemie and guest artist and Forward Music Project founder, cellist Amanda Gookin. Forward Music Project—which commissions new multimedia works for solo cello that elevate stories of feminine empowerment—was a 2018-19 Project-in-Residence at National Sawdust, where Gookin has premiered previous installments in the FMP series.
Composers for this program include Gelsey Bell, Maya Bennardo, Alison Cheeseman, Hai-Ting Chinn, Melika Fitzhugh, Sarah Goldfeather, Tis Kaoru Zamler-Carhart, Raquel Acevedo Klein, Li Qi, Niccolo Seligmann, and Patricia van Ness.
January 25, 2024- NYC
Medieval music ensemble Alkemie premieres A Worthy Mirror, 11 newly-commissioned pieces by women and non-binary composers at National Sawdust on February 25, 2024. This project is a time-traveling dialogue between women of the 12th century and women today. Alongside guest artist Amanda Gookin of Forward Music Project, Alkemie has commissioned eleven women and non-binary composers to respond and converse with the 36 extant trobairitz texts.
PRESS FOLDER (Composer Bios/Headshots + Alkemie Press Photos)
TICKETING PAGE
PROJECT WEBPAGE
“The genesis of A Worthy Mirror emerged from variegated, intertwining desires–to amplify the voices of amazing women and non-binary people of the past and present; to work with with our dear friend and colleague Amanda Gookin; and to challenge Alkemie with a program that requires us to expand our medieval vocabulary of sounds, techniques, and ideas.” - Sian Ricketts and Tracy Cowart, Co-Managing Directors and Founding Members of Alkemie
When people visualize medieval times, the image of a chivalrous knight courting a fair maiden comes to the top of mind. However, women troubadours (called trobairitz) also wrote their own poetry, sang their own songs, and found their own men to swear themselves to—giving voice to the silent women who are beseeched by their lovers, and sometimes turning gender conventions upside down.
A Worthy Mirror uses lyrics from these trobairitz as the backbone of this project, reanimated by women and non-binary composers of the present. This project presents a mirror to reflect upon what feels foreign and what feels familiar about the past, what is the role of gender and self in relationships, and how do we make space for the multiplicities of identity, both in the 12th century and today.
"National Sawdust is proud to present this groundbreaking program, as Alkemie embraces a thoughtful philosophy we truly believe in our organization: looking back is often the best way to move forward. Led by women, our team is grateful for the opportunity audiences will have to hear the innovative work of the women and non-binary composers during this exciting night of premieres." - Ana De Archuleta, Managing Director, National Sawdust
About Alkemie
A restless collective of medieval experimentalists, the Flatbush-based band Alkemie recently gained recognition beyond Brooklyn with their soundtrack for the video game Pentiment (directed by Obsidian studios and published by Xbox) and their dream-pop / shoegaze / psychedelic rock album of troubadour texts, a fine companion. Comprised singer-performers playing two dozen instruments–including vielles (early fiddles), harps, psaltery, scheitholt (early zither), recorders, douçaines & dulcians (early double reeds), bagpipes, and percussion, they have been presented locally and nationally by the Amherst Early Music Festival, Arizona Early Music Society, Brooklyn Public Library, Cambridge Society for Early Music, Capitol Early Music Series, Five Boroughs Music Festival, Johns Hopkins Program in Arts, Humanities & Health, Music Before 1800, and the European Early Music Network virtual Early Music Day festival. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit in 2018, Alkemie presents its own NYC-based concert series as well as touring and recording.
About National Sawdust
National Sawdust is a dynamic non-profit cultural institution that commissions, produces, and presents programming rooted in sound and supports multidisciplinary artists and arts organizations in the creation of innovative new work. Founded in 2015 by Kevin Dolan and Paola Prestini, National Sawdust operates out of an intimate space, equipped with a state-of-the-art Meyer spatial sound system, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where it is one of the few remaining cultural venues. The New York Times has described National Sawdust as “the city’s most vital new-music hall” and as “a triumphantly successful performance space that stands for a hip, sophisticated brand of new music.”
National Sawdust provides artists across musical genres and artistic disciplines with comprehensive support including commissions, workshops, residencies, public performances, recording, mentorship, and professional development. It aims to be not only a home for its community of artists, but also a place for audiences to discover wide-ranging music at accessible ticket prices. The institution’s mentorship initiatives counteract industry barriers and the historic marginalization of diverse communities in the arts, providing artists and arts workers with guidance, resources, and relationships with established visionaries to accelerate their careers.
Designed by Brooklyn’s Bureau V, National Sawdust is constructed within the existing shell of a century-old sawdust factory, preserving the authenticity of Williamsburg’s industrial past while providing a refined and intimate setting for the exploration of new music. At the venue’s core is a flexible chamber hall, acoustically designed by renowned engineering firm Arup to provide the highest-quality experience of both unamplified and amplified music.
Contact Us:
For Alkemie:
Zack Plaster, Marketing Manager
Email: zack@alkemie.org
Cell: 646-397-3731
Tracy Cowart, Co-Managing Director
Email: tracy@alkemie.org
Sian Ricketts, Co-Managing Director
Email: sian@alkemie.org
For National Sawdust:
Blake Zidell and Nora Lyons
Blake Zidell & Associates
Press Representatives
Email: blake@blakezidell and nora@blakezidell.com
