The dance company SYREN Modern Dance from New York will be coming to Berlin on 17. and 18. October 2024. In a co-production with the Bach Society Houston, they will perform their celebrated work “THE ART OF FUGUE” at St Mary’s Church.
Image above: Syren Dance, credit Whiteney Brown
“The Art of Fugue” has been described in the USA as the “most sensual Bach experience of all time”. The performance explores themes and definitions of beauty and the persistent human search for its existence in dark circumstances. Over the past decade, SYREN dancers have “swept” through sacred spaces across the United States with the echoing splendour of Bach’s fugues in the background. The Art of Fugue has become a recognisable cornerstone of SYREN’s repertoire.
“The Art of Fugue” (Johann Sebastian Bach) was choreographed by Kate Sutter and will be performed by SYREN company members: Alice Chacon, Rivkins Christopher, Victoria Ellis, Alex Larson, Jessica Nolan, Lynn Peterson, and Roxanne Potes. “The Art of Fugue” will be performed by Rick Erickson and Ben Kerswell on organ.
About SYREN Modern Dance
Founded in 2003 by Kate Sutter and Lynn Peterson, SYREN Modern Dance is a women-led, non-profit dance company based in New York. For 22 years, SYREN has offered artists, audiences, students and teachers the opportunity to live and experience modern dance. Their mission is to make modern dance accessible to as wide an audience as possible, even across artistic boundaries. Their repertoire is an integral part of various arts-in-education programmes and artistic institutes. SYREN collaborates with a variety of musicians, composers, conductors and visual artists.
Over the past two decades, SYREN has toured her work to 16 US states, France and the United Arab Emirates. Major performance venues include the New York City Centre and the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Innovative projects such as Dance on Canvas in collaboration with the Art Students League of NewYork and Science in Motion have been created to approach scientific topics through dance.
During the pandemic, SYREN has successfully realised virtual performances and in 2020 was invited as a cultural ambassador for the USA at Expo 2022 in Dubai. In 2022/2023, SYREN celebrated its 20th anniversary with a season of 20 engagements and the premiere of the new play ITHAKA. This season, in addition to realising THE ART OF FUGUE in Berlin, SYREN is also working on a new play about artificial intelligence in collaboration with the Museum of Science-Boston.
About Bach Society Houston
Founded in 1982, the Bach Society Houston began performing Bach’s cantatas in Sunday evening vespers, inspired by Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan. The late Robert Lynn was hired as music director, and together they worked to build an ensemble that reflected the latest research and historically informed performance practice of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music.
In 2013, Rick Erickson from the Holy Trinity Bach Vespers took over the direction of the ensemble and developed it further. Since then, the Bach Choir has performed at the Bachfest in Leipzig in 2017 and 2023, making it the first professional American choir to be invited to do so. Described as the “jewel of Houston’s arts and music scene”, the Bach Society Houston has gained international acclaim and serves as a musical ambassador through collaborations with various cultural organisations.
About Rick Erickson
Rick Erickson is director of the Bach Society Houston and cantor at Christ the King Lutheran Church. He is also a lecturer in music at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. A native of Wisconsin, he holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin Superior, where he also received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2009, as well as a Master of Music in Organ Performance and Literature and the Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where he also served as a faculty member for Improvfest for four years. Rick is active internationally as a conductor, lecturer in church music and festival director. He has recorded for Naxos, JV Recordings and Media 1517. He was also the director of the famous Bach Vespers series in New York for 22 years.
About Ben Kerswell
Ben Kerswell is Cantor at Christ the King Lutheran Church and Associate Artistic Director of the Bach Society Houston. He is a student at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he studied with Ken Cowan and received his Master of Music degree in organ performance. At St Olaf College he studied organ with Dr Catherine Rodland. As a member of the St Olaf Choir, he sang with the group, worked as an accompanist and held the position of bass.
WHEN?
Opening: Thursday, 17. October 2024, 7-9 pm.
Exhibition dates: Thursday, 17. October until Friday, 18. October 2024
WHERE?
St. Marienkirche
Karl-Liebknecht-Str.
8 10178 Berlin
