Composers Concordance presents The Waltz Project: Celebrating Johann Strauss's 200th Birthday
Free
- Gene Pritsker (Noizepunk), electric guitar
- Jane Getter, electric guitar
- Dennis Brandner, woodwinds
- Max Pollak, voice
- Franz Hackl, trumpet
Franz Hackl — Selected works
Bernhard Philipp Eder — Selected works
Max Pollak — Selected works
Clemens Rofner — Selected works
Marina Vesić — Selected works
Dan Cooper — Selected works
Jane Getter — Selected works
Eugene W. McBride — Waltz for Five
Gene Pritsker — Waltz UP
Gene Pritsker — Blue Danube Blues
On Thursday, March 13th, 2025 at 6:30pm at Austrian Cultural Forum, Composers Concordance presents "The Waltz Project," celebrating the 200th anniversary of "The Waltz King" Johann Strauss II, with new works written especially for the occasion by Austrian composers Dennis Brandner, Bernhard Eder, Franz Hackl, Max Pollak, Clemens Rofner, and Marina Vesić, as well as U.S. composers Gene Pritsker, Dan Cooper, Jane Getter, and Eugene W. McBride. Featured works include Waltz for Five by Eugene W. McBride, Waltz UP by Gene Pritsker, and Blue Danube Blues, Gene Pritsker's take on Strauss' classic composition.
The in-person concert will also be livestreamed on Composers Concordance's Facebook Page.
About Composers Concordance
Staying in rotation for 40 years in NYC is a rare feat. In the case of a new music presenting organization, it requires not only diligence and cognizance of achievements of the past but also an ethic of keeping one's ear to the ground for emerging stylistic and technological developments, as well as talented new composers on the scene.
Composers Concordance, founded in 1984 by Joseph Pehrson and Patrick Hardish, advised by Otto Luening, strives to present contemporary music in innovative ways, with an emphasis on thematic programming. Directors Gene Pritsker and Dan Cooper co-curate the programs and lead the CompCord Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, String Orchestra, and Big Band. Associate Directors are Milica Paranosic, Peter Jarvis, Debra Kaye, and Seth Boustead.
Composers Concordance has also created a Naxos-distributed record label: Composers Concordance Records, co-directed by Peter Jarvis. Composers Concordance's overriding vision is to promote contemporary music, composers, and new works as a rightful and respected part of society. Good music performed and recorded well, pushing the boundaries of sound and composition.
http://www.composersconcordance.comAbout Gene Pritsker (Noizepunk), electric guitar
Composer/musical polymath Gene Pritsker has written over nine hundred compositions, including chamber operas, orchestral and chamber works, electro-acoustic music and songs for hip-hop and rock ensembles. His compositions employ an eclectic spectrum of styles, that are influenced by his studies of various musical cultures.
He is the founder and leader of Sound Liberation, an eclectic hip hop-chamber-jazz-rock-etc. ensemble. He also Co-Directs Composers Concordance. Gene's music is performed all over the world at internationally recognized festivals and by highly respected ensembles and performers.
He co-founded the Grammy-nominated Absolute Ensemble with Kristjan Jarvi and has been a composer in residence and guitarist since its creation in 1993. He worked closely with jazz fusion legend Joe Zawinul and has orchestrated major Hollywood movies, including Cloud Atlas, for which he wrote additional music and composed his Cloud Atlas Symphony. He is also the lead orchestrator for such TV series as Babylon Berlin, Jett, Netflix's Sense8, and Messiah. Gene is the lead orchestrator and has additional music in the 2021 film The Matrix Resurrections.
"My music is extremely eclectic, for me music has no bounds – I view the world of music as one big genre. My motto for my art is ending the segregation of sound vibration."
Gene is also a guitarist/rapper/Di.J./ and producer he incorporates each of these musical attributes to create music that is "not designed for easy listening or to melt into the background. It is insistent. It demands attention and curiosity." (New York Newsday) "Mischief-maker and cultural blender-in-chief, Pritsker is a serious artist, yet much of his work is witty and irreverent. Anyone can draw a mustache on the Mona Lisa, but few musicians draw it as artistically and creatively as Gene Pritsker." (Raymond Tuttle, Fanfare Magazine)
https://www.genepritsker.com/About Jane Getter, electric guitar
NYC-based Jane Getter is a “triple-threat” (Geoff Wilbur)—guitarist, singer, and award-winning composer. Getter’s 6th release, Anomalia, coalesces a lifetime of musical exploration into intricate arrangements, powerful playing, and killer solos.
https://janegetter.com/About Dennis Brandner, woodwinds
Dennis Brandner is an Austrian saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Known for his technical skill and creative approach, Dennis blends lyrical expression with bold improvisation. He has performed with jazz legends like Joe Zawinul and Don Menza and recorded extensively as a sideman. His debut album, Dawn Betrayed (2023), showcases his unique voice as a composer and performer. As the artistic director of Mind Machines, an audio-visual performance project, Dennis explores the intersection of live music and visuals, both driven by generative AI. This innovative project highlights his commitment to pushing the boundaries of performance, creating immersive, spontaneous experiences that challenge traditional forms of expression.
https://www.dennisbrandner.com/About Max Pollak, voice
Max Pollak: A dancer, musician, and vocalist from Vienna, Max Pollak blends his roots in music and theater with deep expertise in jazz and Afro-Caribbean culture. Renowned globally for his unique versatility, Max has earned accolades for his work in performance, choreography, musical composition, and arrangement. He's even featured on the USPS Forever Stamp celebrating Tap Dance.
http://mxpllk.com/About Franz Hackl, trumpet
Franz Hackl, trumpeter, composer, and brass instrument maker, is founder and artistic director of the Outreach Orchestra, Festival and Academy, and leads his own group, Franz Hackl's IDO Quartet. His forward approach, building on traditions and looking beyond fashionable trends, leads to his distinctive style.
https://hacklmusic.com/hackl-360