In 2009, when we started MSCM, we were so happy that our old friend Caroline Shaw could join us for our debut concert– and very grateful that she agreed to play viola (rather than her actual instrument, violin) as we desperately needed a violist (thanks Caroline!) Over the next couple of years we were thrilled to commission and premiere a few works of Caroline’s, namely “Jacques Duran on the Beach,” which is in honor of Singing Beach with its “singing” sands, and “Valencia,” a string quartet inspired by the orange. In 2013, the same year that Caroline won the Pulitzer Prize in Music, we were lucky enough to host her for a “Meet the Composer” concert at Manchester-by-the-Book.
This year we are very excited to perform Caroline’s “Thousandth Orange” which was co-commissioned by the Britten Sinfonia and Wigmore Hall (London). To learn more about the piece and Caroline’s music and career, listen to this Britten Sinfonia podcast. And for extra fun, catch the MSCM references at minutes 1:10 and 10:09!
