Join us for a rare performance of Julius Eastman's minimalist masterpiece Femenine (1974), by award-winning composer Jeremy Rose and The Earshift Orchestra.
This exclusive and intimate after-hours in-gallery experience for our major summer exhibition, Julie Mehretu: A Transcore of the Radical Imaginatory, is a unique opportunity to see all nine of Julie Mehretu’s Feminine in nine series, accompanied by the musical piece that inspired them. Enjoy a complimentary glass of Pommery on arrival on the Sculpture Terrace, followed by an introduction from MCA Director, Suzanne Cotter.
This event is generously supported by Major Patron Jane-Marie Whiston and her daughter Nancy Whiston.
Julius Eastman, composer
Julius Eastman (1940–1990) was an American composer, pianist, vocalist, performance artist and conductor.
Eastman's work was instrumental in the development of minimalist, post-minimalist and experimental composition. He composed what he called 'organic music', in which large-scale, multi-sectioned works are built from minimal musical materials. Femenine is the earliest example of this approach, and is recognised as a significant contribution to minimalism and experimental music today.
Described by Eastman as a pleasing, almost euphoric experience for the listener, Femenine uses a simple, repetitive 13-beat ostinato as its foundation. The deliberately scant musical instructions Eastman provided for the work can be seen as an invitation for performers to approach the score as a starting point, fostering agency and creativity.
Jeremy Rose, musical director
Jeremy Rose is an ARIA award-winning Sydney-based saxophonist, composer, band leader, label director and academic. He is known for his breadth of work, gift for vibrant melody and musical curiosity. His career spans over 25 recordings as a leader and over 150 works. His current ensembles include The Vampires, The Earshift Orchestra, Vazesh, Visions of Nar, Project Infinity and the Jeremy Rose Quartet. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including an ARIA Award for Best Jazz Album, the APRA/AMCOS Art Music Award for Improvised/Jazz Performance of the Year, two Bell Awards, and a short-listing for the Australian Music Prize.
Featuring
Niki Johnson: vibraphone
Claire Edwardes OAM: marimba
Novak Manojlovic: keyboard, synthesisers
Susie Bishop: violin
Isabel Tzorbatzaki: violin
Freya Schack-Arnott: cello
Max Alduca: double bass
Hilary Geddes: guitar
Jeremy Rose: tenor and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, electronics
Philippa Murphy-Haste: bass clarinet, clarinet, viola
Lamorna Nightingale: flute, piccolo
Sam Gill: alto and sopranino saxophone
Ticket price: $100
Includes entry to Julie Mehretu and a glass of Pommery on arrival. * booking fees apply