Grammy Award winning composer and Jazz pianist Billy Childs will compose a new concerto for YCA Saxophonist Steven Banks for premiere in January 2023. This three movement 20-minute composition will explore aspects of the African American experience in America as expressed through the lens of poets such as Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Amiri Baraka. Join YCA and consortium partners to build the repertoire and premiere this important new work in your community.
PROJECTED LENGTH OF WORK
20 minutes
INSTRUMENTATION
saxophone (1 player - soprano, alto, and tenor) + symphony orchestra
2 [1.2/pic/afl] 2 [1.2/Eh] 2 [1.2/bcl] 2 — 3 2 2 [ttrb.btrb] 0 — 2 perc [1.2/tmp] — hp — pf — str [8/8/6/4/2]
CONSORTIUM PARTNERS PREMIERES
January 2023 through December 2024
COMPOSER: Billy Childs
Billy Childs has emerged as one of the foremost American composers of his era, perhaps the most distinctly American composer since Aaron Copland – for like Copland, he has successfully married the musical products of his heritage with the Western neoclassical traditions of the twentieth century in a powerful symbiosis of style, range, and dynamism.
In addition to a prolific career as a jazz pianist, Childs has occupied a parallel niche as an in-demand composer. His orchestral and chamber commission credits include Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, The Los Angeles Master Chorale, The Kronos Quartet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The American Brass Quintet, The Ying Quartet, and The Dorian Wind Quintet.
Thus far in his career, Childs has garnered sixteen GRAMMY nominations and five awards: two for Best Instrumental Composition ("Into the Light" from "Lyric" and "The Path Among The Trees" from "Autumn: In Moving Pictures") and two for Best Arrangement Accompanying a Vocalist ("New York Tendaberry" from "Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro" and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" from Chris Botti's "To Love Again"). His fifth and most recent win was for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his quartet album "Rebirth." In 2006, Childs was awarded a Chamber Music America Composer’s Grant, and in 2009 was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was also awarded the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award in 2013, and most recently, the music award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2015. In 2016, Childs was appointed President of Chamber Music America.
As a pianist Childs has performed with Yo-Yo Ma, Sting, Renee Fleming, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Chick Corea, The Kronos Quartet, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, The Ying Quartet, The American Brass Quintet, and Chris Botti.
PERFORMER: Steven Banks, saxophone
Recognized for his “glowing mahogany tone” (Seen and Heard International), “deeply felt lyricism” and “expert shaping of a dramatic arc” (Cleveland Classical), Steven Banks is an ambassador for the classical saxophone. He is establishing himself as both a compelling and charismatic soloist, dedicated to showcasing the vast capabilities of the instrument, and an advocate for expanding its repertoire. As an artist with a commitment to rethinking and expanding the boundaries of classical music, Banks “has the potential to be one of the transformational artists of the twenty-first century.” (Seen and Heard International)
This season, Mr. Banks appears as concerto soloist under the direction of Peter Oundjian, first at the Colorado Music Festival in performances of works by Glazunov and Ibert, and later with the Colorado Symphony, performing John Adams’ Concerto. Mr. Banks will also appear on subscription concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra in Philip Glass’ Façades with John Adams on the podium. Additional solo engagements include the Mozart Concerto in C Major with the Westmoreland Symphony and the Oregon Mozart Players, as well as repeat performances of the Ibert Concertino da Camera and the Glazunov Concerto with the Erie Philharmonic.
Mr. Banks is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. He gave a talk at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference presenting his dynamic approach to overcoming institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color, and he has written and given lectures on the history of black classical composers. He also collaborated with colleagues Anthony Trionfo, flutist and violinist Randall Goosby to create the Learning to Listen roundtable, a discussion on the nuances of the Black experience in classical music and beyond. In partnership with the Sphinx Organization, they also created the Illuminate! series, which opened three essential conversations on the subject of music education, artist activism, and the LGBTQIA+ community in classical music. As Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Ithaca College, he makes a concerted effort to ensure that all music students feel supported in their everyday studies.
Last season, his critically acclaimed recital debut was streamed from Merkin Concert Hall, and co-sponsored by Washington Performing Arts featuring world premieres by Carlos Simon, Saad Haddad and one of his own compositions. Steven Banks is the first saxophonist to earn a place on the Young Concert Artists roster in its 60-year history, capturing First Prize at the 2019 Young Concert Artists International Auditions.
"One senses that Banks has the potential to be one of the transformational musicians of the twenty-first century."
CONTACT
Christina Baker
christina@yca.org | 212-307-6670
Mic Herring
mic@yca.org | 212-307-6668
Myles Weinstein
myles@unlimitedmyles.com | 732-566-2881
Credits:
(Photographers) Raj Naik, Chris Lee