Daily Archives: June 2, 2009

Ethel String Quartet and Lionheart performing the otherworldly John the Revelator by Phil Kline. (All photos by SPM except as noted. All rights reserved.)

Ryuichi Sakamoto plays with reflections as he takes the podium to lead the Bang on a Can All-Stars. (Photo by Christine Maurus)

Sakamoto at the piano, performing an untitled solo piece.

The Bang on a Can Marathon, held at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden in Battery Park City on Sunday was an amazing 12-plus hours of music, leaning more toward the classical side this year.

More photos after the jump. Continue reading →

Bang on a Can, the group that brought you Sunday’s 12-plus-hour orgy of free music at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden on Sunday, is really pouring it on this week.

On Wednesday, BoaC is looking to make a little money to fund its future and to help keep the marathon free, with a $400-a-person benefit dinner, complete with some great performances, at Le Poisson Rouge at 158 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. Performers at this big-ticket event include Meredith Monk, Steve Reich (with Bang on a Can All-Stars’ percussionist, David Cossin), pipa master Wu Man, cellist Maya Beiser, percussion quartet Talujon, and video artist Doug Aitken.

And, showing its wry sense of humor, Bang on a Can has created a second, far more affordable way to support its worthy endeavors: The Bang on a Can’t Afford the Other Benefit, which will set you back just $20. It’s also at LPR, following the benefit dinner at 9:30 pm. And just because the pricetag is much, much lower doesn’t mean the players will be any less illustrious. The list includes: So Percussion , Gutbucket , Newspeak (with violinist Todd Reynolds as featured guest, sitting in for Caleb Burhans) and NOW Ensemble.

So, if you can afford the $400 benefit, come on down — and stay for the afterparty.

If you can’t afford that, then shell out $20 for the great afterparty.

Either way, you’ll be aiding the noble cause of new music in New York.