American Symphony Orchestra: America UNBOUND

Experience the world premiere of this new piece by percussionist Javier Diaz, whose studio credits include Steven Spielberg's West Side Story and Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights. Commissioned by the American Symphony Orchestra, this chamber music composition incorporates stylistic elements from music across the Americas and takes us on a journey through history, spaces, and generations. It evokes the idea of ancestral sounds, and it is inspired by traditional musics from the Western Hemisphere: ancient songs from the Afro-Cuban tradition, Mexico, the African-American tradition, Venezuela, Haiti, and a "merging" between a J.S. Bach chorale and a Venezuelan Merengue.

"America UNBOUND" is a unique artistic experience that exalts the human condition and underlines the importance of multi-cultural influences in the shaping of the musics of the Americas. This new work is eclectic and multicultural, with a robust compositional design: the American continent unbound through a journey of musical histories and inter-generational melodies, making palpable the universality of sound, word, and song. Performed by a chamber ensemble of ASO musicians (violin, percussion, double bass, clarinet, and trumpet) featuring GRAMMY-nominated Imani Winds’ oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz.

This performance is part of a free chamber music series in partnership with Bryant Park with programs curated by ASO musicians. Music-lovers will find a limited number of first-come, first-served chairs set up to enjoy an after-work respite with live music.

This program will receive 2 performances: Monday, May 22 and Tuesday, May 23 at Bryant Park.

About American Symphony Orchestra

The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra, founded in 1962, dedicated to providing great music for everyone. The ASO chamber series features musician-curated programs that represent the diverse perspectives across New York City and worldwide, through explorations of the many styles and genres of American music.