The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
presents
SOUNDS OF US
AN IMMERSIVE NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL
Created and Curated by Violinist and Fortas Chamber Music Artistic Director, Jennifer Koh
Saturday, November 16, 2024
at the REACH
(WASHINGTON)—The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents Sounds of US, an immersive new music festival created and curated by violinist and Artistic Director of Fortas Chamber Music Jennifer Koh, on Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Drawing inspiration from America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Sounds of US reflects on the values that have shaped the nation—mentorship, innovation, and the passing of traditions—to envision a brighter future. Filled with nonstop music, the festival includes nearly 40 world premieres commissioned by artist-driven nonprofit ARCO Collaborative in both ticketed concerts and free performances.
"Sounds of US envisions a future shaped by the diversity of voices that represent our nation,” Artistic Director Jennifer Koh said. With nearly 40 new works by established and emerging composers commissioned by ARCO Collaborative, Sounds of US is about creating opportunities and building a legacy. By mentoring young composers and performers, particularly women and people of color, we are opening doors and advocating for a future where one generation uplifts the next, ensuring the Kennedy Center stages reflect the true diversity of America’s sound, now and into the future."
Showcasing today’s music leaders alongside the next generation of musical talent, Sounds of US will feature new works by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon, as well as Vijay Iyer, Nina C. Young, David Ludwig, D.C. native inti figgis-vizueta, and more. Highlighting the importance of mentorship and education, the event also features commissions by students from The Juilliard School and the Julliard Pre-College program.
Sounds of US invests in the next generation of musicians, providing a space for all voices to be heard. The four Sounds of US mainstage concerts highlight the steps of a musician’s journey: To Begin the pursuit, To Believe in the dream, To Become what one envisions, and finally To Be in the life of a working musician. The programs feature established composers alongside emerging young composers and performers in the constantly evolving field of performance.
- To Begin (2:00 p.m., Studio K): To be a musician, one must first beginthe journey. Students in the early stages of their music pursuits will perform in a program featuring world premiere works by Anthony Cheung, Linda May Han Oh, Hilary Purrington, and more, performed by students of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship, along with NSO musicians Robert Rearden, Loewi Lin, and Jennifer Mondie.
- To Believe (4:00 p.m., Studio K): A musician’s journey continues to thrive if one believes. This program features compositions by rising generations and includes world premiere works by Alyssa Weinberg, Trevor Weston, and composition students of the Juilliard School’s Pre-College program, performed by Javier Gándara, Weston Sprott, and Juilliard Pre-College students.
- To Become (6:00 p.m., Studio K): Talent blossoms through study, practice, and perseverance as one becomesa musician. This program features graduates and current college students, with world premiere works by David Ludwig, Nina C. Young, and more, performed by Jennifer Koh and students of The Juilliard School.
- To Be (8:00 p.m., Studio K): The last step in realizing one’s music dream is waking up each day to bea musician. The final mainstage concert celebrates today’s music leaders, featuring world premiere works by Vijay Iyer, Carlos Simon, and Jeff Scott, performed by Jennifer Koh and other professional artists including Danielle Cho, Javier Gándara, Vijay Iyer, Carlos Simon, and Weston Sprott.
At 1, 3, 5, and 7 p.m., there will be free performances in the Peace Corps Gallery. These “free for US” concerts will feature world premieres by inti figgis-vizueta, Leilehua Lanzilotti, and several of their mentees: Hannah Grace Chen, Kennedy Taylor Dixon, Maria E, and Hannah Ishizaki. These new works will be performed by National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship students, led by Abel Pereira of the National Symphony Orchestra at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. At 5 p.m., Jennifer Koh will premiere new commissions for violin and prepared electronics by Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang in the Peace Corps Gallery.
This project’s music is reflected in the world premiere commission of Hear Here by Angélica Negrón, a centerpiece of Sounds of US. In the spring and summer of 2024, a digital campaign was conducted with the goal of collecting sounds from across all 50 states, as well as American territories and Tribal Nations. People were prompted to submit a video recording of a sound clip that reminded them of home. Hear Here will be a unique crowd-sourced composition featuring these recordings, addressing the question: “What does home sound like?” The premiere of Hear Here will take place in the Peace Corps Gallery at 7pm, followed by a special live performance by composer/performer Eunike Tanzil.
Studio K concerts at 2, 4, 6, & 8 p.m. are paid, ticketed events. Free performances open to the public take place at 1, 3, 5, & 7 p.m. in the Peace Corps Gallery at the REACH.
To view the full schedule and composer listing, visit the Sounds of US webpage here.
About Fortas Chamber Music Concerts
The 2024–2025 season will mark the 43rd season of the Kennedy Center’s chamber music series, established in the 1981–1982 season by Marta Istomin, who, at the time, was the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director. The Fortas Chamber Music Concerts, established as part of the Terrace Concerts during the 1983–1984 season, began a vibrant new life in the 1999–2000 season when—in addition to the generous contributions of loyal supporters of the Fortas Fund—income from a major gift to the Fortas Fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas, became available to support the artistic programming. The Fortas Chamber Music Concerts series is named for the former Supreme Court Justice, who was instrumental in the creation of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and later, the Terrace Theater. ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp’s Board of Trustees established the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund in 1982 for the support of concerts in the Terrace Theater, and for the further development of the musical programs he envisioned. Major support for Fortas Chamber Music Concerts continues to be provided by this fund.
Fortas Chamber Music Concerts is under the artistic direction of violinist Jennifer Koh, who was appointed to the position in December 2022. Koh follows the late Joseph “Yossi” Kalichstein, who served as the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Advisor for Chamber Music and Artistic Director of the Fortas Chamber Music Concerts from 1997–2022.
Through its history the series has featured frequent appearances by artists such as the Guarneri, Emerson, Juilliard, Takács, Dover, and Alban Berg Quartets; early music ensembles Anonymous 4, Trio Medieval, and the Waverly Consort; performances by Eugene Istomin, Emanuel Ax, Edgar Meyer, Susan Graham, Isaac Stern, and Yo-Yo Ma; as well as many other distinguished artists and ensembles that actively perform and commission new works.
About Jennifer Koh
Grammy Award®–winning violinist Jennifer Koh is recognized for her intense, commanding performances, delivered with dazzling virtuosity and technical assurance. She is a forward-thinking artist dedicated to exploring a broad and eclectic repertoire while promoting equity and inclusivity in classical music. She has expanded the contemporary violin repertoire through a wide range of commissioning projects and has premiered more than 100 works written especially for her. Named Musical America’s 2016 Instrumentalist of the Year, Koh has won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Concert Artists Guild Competition, and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. She has a BA in English literature from Oberlin College and studied at the Curtis Institute, working with Jaime Laredo and Felix Galimir.
In December of 2023, Koh was appointed to the position of Artistic Director for the Kennedy Center’s Fortas Chamber Music Series, newly partnering with ARCO Collaborative, a non-profit she has upheld since 2014, dedicated to illuminating underrepresented voices in music. As a staple of this season, Koh will perform Bach’s complete Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin at the Kennedy Center, as well as curate Sounds of US, an immersive new music festival featuring world premieres of new chamber works, and an emphasis on highlighting previously unheard artists in classical music.
Ticket Information
Tickets are available at the Kennedy Center Box Office, online at kennedy-center.org, and via phone through Instant Charge, (202) 467-4700; toll-free at (800) 444-1324. For all other ticket-related customer service inquires, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540.
Funding Credits
The Fortas Chamber Music Concerts are supported by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.
For more information, please visit the Kennedy Center website.
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