About

A Far Cry stands at the forefront of an exciting new generation in classical music. According to the New York Times, the GRAMMY nominated self-conducted orchestra “brims with personality or, better, personalities, many and varied.” A Far Cry was founded in 2007 by a tightly-knit collective of 17 young professional musicians — the Criers — and since the beginning has fostered those personalities, developing an innovative structure of rotating leadership both on stage and behind the scenes. By expanding the boundaries of orchestral repertoire and experimenting with the ways music is prepared, performed, and experienced, A Far Cry has been embraced throughout the world with hundreds of performances coast to coast and across the globe, and hundreds of thousands of online views of live streaming concerts and YouTube archives. "Dreams and Prayers” and “Law of Mosaics”, the first albums from A Far Cry's in-house label, Crier Records, have collectively garnered a GRAMMY nomination and critical acclaim from the New Yorker’s Alex Ross. The Criers are proud to call Boston home, and maintain strong roots in the city, rehearsing at their storefront music center in Jamaica Plain and fulfilling the role of Chamber Orchestra in Residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Collaborating with local students through an educational partnership with the New England Conservatory, A Far Cry aims to pass on the spirit of collaboratively-empowered music to the next generation.

Music

UPCOMING CONCERTS

MIX TAPE
March 18, 2016 - NEC’s Jordan Hall

At the instigation of Jesse Irons, A Far Cry hands you an unlabeled mix tape—and invites you to a new concert experience. A chance for one of Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives to rub shoulders with Radiohead's Paranoid Android, for Mozart to embrace Gershwin's Embraceable You, and for Appalachian fiddle tunes to meet up with Bartok. Carefully chosen selections in every possible style, each one flowing into the next. And you never know what’s coming up! Enjoy the unexpected!

BACH'S GOLDBERG VARIATIONS
with SIMONE DINNERSTEIN
April 30, 2016 - St. John’s Church

J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations

We’re thrilled to be working with superstar pianist Simone Dinnerstein on this new re-imagining of one of Bach’s greatest works. Hidden within the keyboard part are alternate sonic worlds, and we will juxtapose each keyboard variation with its orchestral implications, creating a new musical adventure—and a love letter to this amazing piece. Co-curated by Sarah Darling and Alex Fortes.

ALL-AMERICAN
with ANTHONY MARWOOD, violin
May 20, 2016 - NEC’s Jordan Hall

Our season finale, curated by Annie Rabbat, features four bold American compositions, including a brand new work by award-winning composer Derek Bermel and a Bernstein masterpiece. Serenade after Plato's “Symposium,” featuring the supremely poetic violinist Anthony Marwood, is a spectacular piece that rarely sees the light of day, and we couldn't be happier than to close our 9th Season by sharing it with you!

Mark O’Connor Elevations
Philip Glass Company
Derek Bermel Murmurations (AFC co-commission)
Leonard Bernstein Serenade after Plato’s “Symposium”

PAST CONCERTS

TRANS/AMERICANA
September 26, 2015 - St. John’s Church

We launch the season with TRANSAMERICANA, a passionate road trip south through the American continents, curated by Omar Chen Guey. Join us for the vibrant pulse of Glass’s New York, the Bach in Brazil, Frank’s folk/classical weave and the hot buzz of Ginastera's Argentina.

Philip Glass Symphony No. 3
Heitor Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9
Gabriela Lena Frank Leyendas - An Andean Walkabout
Alberto Ginastera Concerto per Corde

GARGANTUA: MUSICAL STORYTELLING
with ROBERT PINSKY
October 16, 2015 - NEC’s Jordan Hall

Gargantua, conjured by Jesse Irons, features two larger-than-life narrative pieces: Schoenberg’s intense tone poem on giant love and Françaix’s wildly entertaining adventures of a lovely giant. We're thrilled to welcome former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky as reader and narrator!

Arnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
Jean Françaix Les Inestimables Chroniques du Bon Géant Gargantua

A TALE OF TWO SIXES
December 5, 2015 - St. John’s Church

December brings a festive program curated by Jae Cosmos Lee, a musical face-off/love-fest between two baroque masters who defined the great concerto grosso genre. With inspired inventiveness and dizzying virtuosity, nearly every Crier gets an elegant solo turn!

Georg Friedrich Handel Concerti Grossi, op.6, nos. 1,2, 3
Arcangelo Corelli Concerti Grossi, op. 6, nos.6, 7, 8 (“Christmas Concerto”)

OLD FRIEND
with GABRIEL KAHANE
December 18, 2015 - NEC’s Jordan Hall

Miki Cloud and Alex Fortes invite you to explore the deeply entwined roots of song and strings with music by two fantastic singer-songwriters: contemporary artist Gabriel Kahane and his old friend Franz Schubert. Featuring the premiere of a new commission and Schubert's monumental, existential Quartet.

Gabriel Kahane/ A set of selected songs from The Ambassador and
Franz Schubert lieder including Nacht und Traume, Suleika and Litanei
Kahane Premiere for string orchestra (AFC commission)
Schubert Quartet in G Major, D. 887

DEVOTION
with BLUE HERON CHOIR
January 29, 2016 - Old South Church

From the mind of Jason Fisher comes Devotion, in which the sublime and sensual intertwine, in collaboration with the extraordinary voices of Blue Heron. Renaissance motets, 20th century showcases, and Fauré’s melting Requiem, all in the beautiful resonance of historic Old South Church.

Nicolas Gombert Selected motets
Jean Françaix Symphonie d’archets
Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur Cantique des cantiques for twelve voices
Gabriel Fauré Requiem

INTIMATE VOICES
February 6, 2016 - St. John’s Church

Karl and Liesl Doty bring us another killer co-curated show. This contrasting triptych from the Baltic nations explores the instrumental voice in its most lyrical, intense and lonely dimensions. Featuring a new arrangement of Sibelius's exquisite string quartet Voces Intimae.

Krzysztof Penderecki Sinfonietta for Strings
Arvo Pärt Trisagion
Jean Sibelius String Quartet No. 2 “Voces Intimae”

Videos

Past groupmuses (1)

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  A Far Muse!

  Saturday, Mar 19, 2016 12:15 PM EDT

  • Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain, Boston
  • Price: $5 to reserve, $20+ at event

  Happened about 8 years ago