On Sunday, March 13, at 6 PM, accordionist Guy Klucevsek will perform with cellist Maya Beiser in Sofia Gubaidulina’s “In Croce,” at the Rubin Museum of Art, NYC.
The show is part of RMA’s “Resonating Light” series, hosted by Elliott Forrest of WQXR. The works chosen are inspired by the museum’s current exhibition, “Embodying the Holy,” which explores striking parallels between Eastern Orthodox Christian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
In some of her recent projects, Maya has explored the deeply rooted connections between seemingly disparate music traditions. Here she will bring together the luminous music of three of the most notable Eastern Orthodox composers – Arvo Pärt, John Tavener and Sofia Gubaidulina – along with music inspired by Eastern tradition and philosophy from British composer Joby Talbot and American composers Evan Ziporyn and Douglas J. Cuomo.
Guy will accompany Maya in the Sofia Gubaidulina composition, “In Croce for violoncello and bajan”, based on the original version for violoncello and organ, arranged by Elsbeth Moser.
The Rubin Museum of Art is located at 150 W. 17th St. between 6th and 7th Aves. Tickets are $35 or $31.50 for members, available by 212/620-5000.
In 2010, Guy Klucevsek applied for a $50,000 United States Artists Fellowship similar to the Guggenheim Fellowship (also $50,000). One doesn’t just apply for the USAF award. One is invited to apply. Winning is not automatic.
In December 2010, Guy received what he says was “one of the best phone calls in my life…” He had won the fellowship, one of 50 awardees nationwide.
An established musician/composer with an international reputation, Klucevsek is the first accordionist to win the prize and the first person from Staten Island, NY.
Guy Klucevsek has created a unique repertoire for accordion through his own composing and by commissioning over 50 works from composers including John Zorn, Aaron Jay Kernis, Lois V Vierk, Fred Frith, Alvin Lucier, Mary Ellen Childs, William Duckworth, Jerome Kitzke, Stephen Montague and Somei Satoh.
Solo performances include the Ten Days on the Island and Adelaide Festivals in Australia, the Berlin Jazz Festival, New Music America, Serious Fun! at Lincoln Center, Bang on a Can, Spoleto Festival/USA, and the children’s television show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. He has also performed and/or recorded with Laurie Anderson, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Coleman, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith, Robin Holcomb, the Kronos Quartet, Kepa Junkera, Natalie Merchant, Pauline Oliveros, Present Music, Bobby Previte, Relâche, Jubilant Sykes, and John Zorn.
In 1987, Klucevsek commissioned “Polka From the Fringe”, a collection of 32 post-modern two-steps by such composers as Carl Finch, Fred Frith, Christian Marclay and Elliott Sharp, which he presented at the 1988 Next Wave Festival, and has performed around the world with his group, Ain’t Nothin’ But A Polka Band.
In 1996, Klucevsek formed The Accordion Tribe, an international line-up of composer/accordionists Maria Kalaniemi (Finland), Lars Hollmer (Sweden), Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Otto Lechner (Austria), and Klucevsek (USA). They released three recordings on the Intuition label, and were the subjects of the Stefan Schwietert documentary film, “Accordion Tribe: Music Travels” , which was released in theaters across Europe in 2004-2005, and featured at film festivals in North America.
Klucevsek has released more than 20 recordings as soloist/leader, including “Polka Dots & Laser Beams” and “Who Stole the Polka”, which were chosen as the best recordings of 1992 by John Schaefer on the nationally-syndicated radio program “”New Sounds, and “Transylvanian Softwear”, which was cited as a 1995 Recording of Special Merit in Stereo Review.
You can also hear Guy on John Williams’s scores for the Steven Spielberg films “The Terminal”, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, and ” Munich”. He has performed on Broadway in “Fiddler on the Roof”, “Victor/Victoria” and “Piaf”.
For further information: gklucevsek@si.rr.com
