Colin made his debut in Lithuania this month at the GAIDA Festival, the largest and most prominent festival of modern music in Vilnius.
He performed Julia Wolfe "riSE and fLY" concerto for body percussion and orchestra alongside the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Robertas Servenikas. "riSE and fLY" was written especially for Colin back in 2012 and was inspired by New York City street beats and the rhythm of American work song. Julia Wolfe explained why she created the work at the time:
“When Colin Currie asked for a new work…I thought Colin is amazing. He can do anything. But I don't want to just write him another percussion concerto. I wanted to take him to a new place and to bring something earthy and visceral to the orchestra - to break with formality and get down and dirty. It is urban folk music for the orchestra.”
Photos from the performance:
Michael Gordon and Julia Wolfe in the audience
Photo credit: Dmitrijus Matvejevas