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Crosstown Arts presents Crosstown Counterpoint: Blueshift Ensemble + Evan Williams in the Central Atrium at Crosstown Concourse.

Central Atrium
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: Free

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Supported by an Arts Access grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsMemphis, Crosstown Arts presents the premiere of the commissioned work by Evan Williams, “Crosstown Counterpoint” alongside Williams’ earlier works “Bodies Upon the Gears”, “Amber Waves”, and Terry Riley’s classic minimalist bop, “In C.”

As the groundbreaking neared for Crosstown Concourse in 2017, several Memphians young and old were interviewed to provide oral histories of the Sears Crosstown building and what the revitalization would do for the area. Taking inspiration from works such as Steve Reich’s Different Trains, Crosstown Counterpoint uses these oral histories to tell the multi-generational story of this space, and what it meant to the people of Memphis. Two antiphonal string quartets accompany the voices, using the open space of the Central Atrium of Crosstown Concourse to bring this history to life.

Drawing from inspirations as diverse as Medieval chant to contemporary pop, the music of composer and conductor Evan Williams (b. 1988) explores the thin lines between beauty and disquieting, joy and sorrow, and simple and complex, while often tackling important social and political issues. Williams’ catalogue contains a broad range of work, from vocal and operatic offerings to instrumental works, along with electronic music.

Blueshift Ensemble is a Memphis-based contemporary chamber music ensemble dedicated to bringing artists and audiences together through artistic collaboration. By programming both new and existing classical repertoire alongside multi-genre collaborations, Blueshift aims to connect a wider audience to today’s classical music. The ensemble draws upon Memphis’s uniquely diverse musical heritage by combining classical music with popular music genres such as rock, blues, and soul and featuring local musicians, visual artists, and composers.