Image via Present Music
Miller and Kentridge
Present Music’s second concert this season, “Flat on your back on the dry wintry grass: a cine concert,” is part of the Kentridge Arts Festival, the ambitious project showcasing the work of South Africa’s William Kentridge. The festival includes an exhibition of his work in many media at the Warehouse Art Museum, theater performances at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre and other events, including the Present Music concert.
At that concert, four of Kentridge’s films will be screened as Present Music performs their scores by the artist’s longtime collaborator, South African composer Philip Miller. The keynote will be a world premiere by Miller written to accompany the poetry of another important contributor to the artist’s prodigious body of work, his sister Eliza Kentridge.
At this moment, Present Music’s co-artistic directors, David Bloom and Eric Segnitz, haven’t heard the music they will premiere at the concert. “Not only is the ink not dry on the piece, at this writing, it's still in the printer cartridge!” Bloom says. “Eliza Kentridge's texts are direct, evocative, and witty, so I'm excited to hear what Miller does with them. The title for the concert —"Flat on your back on the dry wintry grass”— is the title of the first poem in the cycle.” Segnitz nods in agreement. “Honestly, we have not heard it yet! But much of his music is influenced by the stirring choral traditions” of South Africa.
A pair of South African opera singers, soprano Ann Masina and baritone Tshegofatso Moeng, will join Present Music, singing in Zulu. “It's safe to say that there is a preoccupation with social inequities and civil strife, delivered thoughtfully, with surprise and even occasional humor, as only a great artist can. Impactful stuff,” Segnitz says/
Miller’s world premier was commissioned by Milwaukee’s Jan Serr and John Shannon, organizers of the Kentridge Arts Festival. “Flat on your back” takes the place this year of Present Music’s annual Thanksgiving concert, but a point of tradition remains: The Bucks Native American Singing and Drumming Group open the concert.
“Miller and Kentridge: Flat on your back on the dry wintry grass: a cine concert” takes place Nov. 16 at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Windhover Hall. Philip Miller and Eliza Kentridge will participate in a pre-concert conversation in the museum’s Lubar Hall at 6:30 p.m. with the concert to follow at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and information on screening the concert, visit the Present Music website.
For more on the Kentridge Arts Festival, click here.
