Invoke Presented by Panoramic Voices in Two Performances
Photo by Marshall Tidrick. Available in hi-resolution at: www.jensenartists.com/artists-profiles/invoke
Invoke Presented by Panoramic Voices in Two Performances
Featuring World Premieres of
Steven Sérpa's Terra sagrada, Terra solitária and
Uma and Wari by Adrienne Inglis
Plus arrangements of Invoke Originals with Panoramic Voices
Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 7:30pm
Central Machine Works | 4824 E Cesar Chavez St | Austin, TX
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 7pm
Jester King Brewery, Kitchen, Farm and Event Hall
13187 Fitzhugh Road | Austin, TX
More information: www.panoramicvoices.org
“The special thing about Invoke is…how its lively spirit and playfulness are essential to the way they approach every piece of music.”
– Austin Chronicle
Austin TX – Austin’s own multi-instrumental quartet Invoke (Nick Montopoli, violin/banjo/vocals; Zach Matteson, violin/vocals; Karl Mitze, viola/mandolin/vocals; Geoff Manyin, cello/vocals) –– a group the Austin Chronicle says “infuse[s] their performances with such a down-home joyfulness” –– will be presented by Panoramic Voices –– a 130-person inclusive choir known for spanning all genres from classical, country, rock, hip hop, and beyond –– in two performances on October 21 at Jester King Brewery, Kitchen, Farm and Event Hall (13187 Fitzhugh Road) and October 19 at Central Machine Works (4824 E Cesar Chavez St.). The performance on October 19 was added to accommodate high demand, and will feature only a small selection from the full program on October 21.
The setlist for October 19 will feature a performance of the title track from Invoke’s forthcoming Sono Luminus album, Evolve & Travel, as performed by the quartet, as well as several traditional folk songs specially arranged by Karl Mitze and Panoramic Voices Managing Artistic Director Juli Orlandini, collaboratively performed by Invoke and Panoramic Voices. On October 21, Invoke will perform works from Evolve & Travel, in addition to arrangements of their music with Panoramic Voices. The performance will also feature the world premieres of Uma and Wari by Adrienne Inglis, as well as Terra sagrada, Terra solitária by Steven Sérpa –– all commissioned by Panoramic Voices specifically for this performance.
Driven by a passion for storytelling, Invoke’s performances feature original works composed by and for the group, which form a unique contemporary repertoire inspired by many different musical styles –– from minimalism, to jazz, to American fiddle tunes, and bluegrass.
Violinist Zach Matteson says of this unique collaboration and performing on different instruments for Serpa and Inglis’s works:
"We're really excited to bring back some of the repertoire from Invoke's past for including our arrangement of Sweet Willie (found on our debut album Souls in the Mud) where we highlight a Smithsonian archive recording of my great-grandfather, Maurice Matteson singing a ballad he "bagged" in the hills of North Carolina. Our original arrangement only contained muted strings to enhance the eerie qualities of the tune, but now we can explore a wider array of textures with this amazing choir. I'm also excited that we'll be bringing back a tune we arranged during our Pandemic Streaming days, Green Green Rocky Road.
Another aspect of this collaboration that will be really special is the addition of two world premiers by composers Steven Sérpa and Adrienne Inglis. We are very honored to be exploring Steven Sérpa's roots as a part of the incredibly wide ranging array of Portuguese folk music heard in Terra sagrada, Terra solitária. And I personally am really excited for my debut on Sikus (Bolivian pan pipes) and Karl Mitze’s debut on Charango, a traditional Andean stringed instrument for Adrienne's work, Uma.”
Adrienne Inglis says of Uma: “[Uma] for [Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass] and string quartet with optional charango and sikus, is written as a dance in the style of a Bolivian huayño. The text in the indigenous language of Aymara comes from the poem “Uma,” written by Chilean poet Pedro Humire Loredo. In the high Andean plateau called the altiplano or puna, the scarcity of water calls on the local people to share the precious and essential resource. Humire’s poetry reassures us that there is enough uma (water) for all. The popular indigenous huayño dance predates the Spanish conquest. This choral setting celebrates cooperation and sharing of water with embellished instrumental sections and optional panpipes (sikus or zampoñas) played in hocket (trenzado) and charango. Occasional shouts (gritos) may add to the excitement.”
Of Wari, the text for which also uses the indigenous language of Aymara and comes from Pedro Humire Loredo’s poem “Uma,” Inglis says: “Wari means vicuña, a native wild camelid species considered to be the ancestor of the domesticated alpaca. The harsh life of the Andes takes its toll on vicuña young, leaving behind grieving vicuña mothers. The Aymara people suffer similar losses and also cry for their lost loved ones. This yaraví lament includes expressive cadenza sections for both violin and cello, traditional key and rhythm, and a choral setting of Humire’s poignant poetry.”
With Terra sagrada, Terra solitária, composer Steven Sérpa connects with the music of his long-lost Portuguese heritage. This suite uses folk songs from southern Portugal and incorporates the local style of communal folk singing “Cante Alentejo.” Terra sagrada marks out emotions experienced by many immigrant families: the desire to see the world or find a better life for their families, the heartache for loved ones left behind and nostalgia for the villages they grew up in, and a sacred esteem for the lands that gave them life.
Director Juli Orlandini says of the collaborative project:
“Invoke’s passion for their craft is absolutely infectious; beyond the musicality they bring to their performances, the sheer joy in doing so is tangible from the moment they step on stage. As the leader of a community choir, my job is to provide experiences that will enrich my singers’ lives; I am beyond grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity Invoke has afforded over 130 singers, some of whom are singing with a choir for the first time in their lives!”
More about Invoke: Described as “...not anything but everything: Classical, Folk, Bluegrass, Americana and a sound yet to be termed seamlessly merged into a perfect one” (David Srebnik, SiriusXM Classical Producer), Invoke strives to successfully dodge even the most valiant attempts at genre classification. Invoke was selected to be the Young Professional String Quartet in Residence at the University of Texas at Austin from 2016-2018. Their awards include first prizes in the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition in New York, NY, received First Prize at the M-Prize International Chamber Arts competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and received First Prize in the Coltman Competition in Austin, Texas.
Invoke has shared the stage with some of the most acclaimed chamber groups in the country, including the Westerlies, Miró and Ensō Quartets, and the U.S. Army Field Band. Additional performance highlights include Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center, the Phillips Collection, and the Green Music Center. Invoke has also appeared with musicians from various genres, including composer-performer Clarice Assad, chamber rock group San Fermin, indie group Never Shout Never, and DC beatboxer/rapper/spoons virtuoso Christylez Bacon.
Invoke’s discography includes their debut album, Souls in the Mud (2015); Furious Creek (2018); and Fantastic Planet (2021). The group’s recording credits appear on bassist/composer Ethan Foote’s solo album Fields Burning, singer/songwriter Marian McLaughlin’s Spirit House, jazz/soul singer Rochelle Rice’s EP Wonder, and many more. Invoke has also worked extensively with composer Graham Reynolds and his non-profit organization, Golden Hornet, recording volumes IV-VI of String Quartet Smackdown, Marfa: A Country & Western Big Band Suite, and the 2019 film, Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
Invoke is strongly committed to championing diverse American voices through commissioning and highlighting new music. Invoke’s ongoing commissioning project, entitled American Postcards, asks composers to pick a time and place in American history and tell its story through the group’s unique artistry.
For more information, visit www.invokesound.com.
About Panoramic Voices: Directed by Juli Orlandini, Panoramic Voices is an adventurous choral collective that thrives on a “music without borders” approach to music making. Singers from all walks of life are accepted—no auditions, no participation fees—making the group a truly inclusive community. With collaborations spanning all genres from classical, country, rock, hip hop, and beyond, PV has worked with a dizzying array of artists such as Mobley, Roky Erickson, Carson McHone, Calliope Musicals, Zeale, and Grammy Award-winners Roomful of Teeth. The commissioning of new works has also been an important part of Panoramic Voice’s mission, resulting in the premiere of compositions by Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, Austin luminary Graham Reynolds, and many more.
For Calendar Editors:
Description: Austin-based, multi-instrumental quartet Invoke – a group known for storytelling through music, which the Capital Gazette describes as “versatile and musically adventurous” – is presented by Panoramic Voices for a hometown performance. The concert features the world premieres of Terra sagrada, Terra solitária by Steven Sérpa and Uma by Adrienne Inglis. Invoke will perform several of their original works, in addition to collaborating with the choral ensemble Panoramic Voices to perform special arrangements of Invoke’s original music.
Short description: Invoke brings a “lively spirit and playfulness” (Austin Chronicle) to Panoramic Voices, performing original music and arrangements for Panoramic Voices, plus the world premieres of Terra sagrada, Terra solitária by Steven Sérpa and Uma by Adrienne Inglis.
Primary Concert details:
Who: Invoke
Presented by Panoramic Voices
What: Original Music by Invoke Plus Arrangements with Panoramic Voices and the World Premieres of Steven Sérpa’s Terra solitária andAdrienne Inglis’s Uma.
When: Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 7pm
Where: Jester King Brewery, Kitchen, Farm & Event Hall, 13187 Fitzhugh Road, Austin, TX
Tickets and information: www.panoramicvoices.org/
Secondary Concert details:
Who: Invoke
Presented by Panoramic Voices
What: Excerpts from “Folk Yeah!” - Original Music by Invoke Plus Arrangements with Panoramic Voices
When: Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 7:30pm
Where: Central Machine Works, 4824 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX
Tickets and information: www.panoramicvoices.org/