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Preview: Bang on a Can Marathon @ CSPAC

Bang On A Can
The Bang on A Can All-Stars

Bang on A Can has always been about innovation, exploration, and breaking boundaries. Formed in 1987 by composers Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe, the New York based collective acts as an incubator for new and contemporary music. The organization is a place where adventurous composers and performers strive to add a fresh voice to the musical landscape.

Bang on a Can began as a one-day event, but has grown to include festivals, a membership program to commission emerging composers, a professional development program, multi-disciplinary collaborations with artists working in other media, a touring ensemble, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and what has become its performance cornerstone, the Bang on a Can Marathon.

Now an annual event in New York, the 2007 marathon clocked in at over 27 hours of continuous music, and the concert has since been cut down to twelve hours of non-stop performance. This Sunday, BoaC will bring a version of the marathon to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, the first such performance in this area.

"It's just a relaxed and loose way of presenting lots of different types of music to the audience," said David Cossin, percussionist for the All-Stars, describing the atmosphere of a marathon concert. "Thoughout the day, you’ll see something you’ll really enjoy, and something that might be new to you."

Sunday's show will start with free performances beginning at 2 p.m., and culminate with a 6 p.m. ticketed finale. The program offers something for everyone.

"There’s a style to our music, but it’s pretty wide ranging," Cossin told DCist. "It’s a very flexible ensemble. We can play like a rock band, we can play like a chamber music group, so that’s reflected in our repertoire."

The highlight of the afternoon's events will be the Bang on a Can All-Stars performing Music for Airports, a piece by Brian Eno that is considered a seminal work of ambient music. The original was assembled through tape loops and electronics, but BoaC's performance reproduces each note using live musicians.

The evening's concert will feature collaborations with drummer Glenn Kotche and composer Terry Riley. Kotche, best known for his playing with Wilco, has an approach to the drumset that defies description. He employs a prepared drumset, inspired by John Cage's prepared piano, along with electronics to create soundscapes that can go from jarring to textural. Riley is a central figure in contemporary music's minimalist movement, and will be premiering a piece at the festival.

While some of Sunday's music will no doubt be challenging for the casual listener, this event offers an opportunity to expand one's sonic palette. And that is precisely the goal of the event.

As Cossin explained, quite simply, "For people that are interested in hearing something new, it’ll be a good time."

The Bang on a Can Marathon takes place this Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Tickets to the 6 p.m. finale concert are available here. $35/$7 with a student I.D.

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By Sriram Gopal in on March 27, 2009 12:20 PM

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