Relâche
RELÂCHE, for a quarter century, has maintained an international reputation as a leader in commissioning, presenting and performing the innovative and exciting music of our time. Relâche is among the oldest continuously operating, non-profit organizations and chamber ensembles dedicated to contemporary music in the United States. It has consistently offered world-class performances and presentations of music by leading American and international composers and artists. In addition, Relâche has always invested heavily in the future of new music through its commitment to the work of young and emerging composers. To date, Relâche has performed more than 550 concerts in the Greater Philadelphia area, around the country and the globe, including residency, festival and touring appearances in South America, Japan and Eastern and Western Europe. The Ensemble boasts a touring-ready repertoire of over 50 pieces and a repertory library of over 400 works. Nearly 140 of these are Relâche commissions, including works by Robert Ashley, Kitty Brazelton, John Cage, Uri Caine, Fred Frith, Kyle Gann, Philip Glass, Fred Ho, Michael Nyman, Pauline Oliveros, Bobby Previte, George Russell,Somei Satoh, and Lois V Vierk, just to name a few. Relâche has released three CD's to date: Relâche on Edge (1991,Mode), Outcome Inevitable (1994, O.O.Disks) and Pick it up (1997, MonroeStreet), which was nominated for a Grammy in 1998.
Currently, Relâche produces 15-20 concerts each season, featuring 4-6 new commissions. These are presented through an annual commission-based concert series Future Sounds. Since 2001, Relâche has presented its first full-length dance/music commission MixedCompany, with music by Guy Klucevsek and choreography by Meredith Rainey; aground-breaking video, installation and performance commission, The Bell and the Glass, by Christian Marclay, co-produced with the Philadelphia Museum of Art; two live accompanied silent film programs, Sonic Cinema 1+2, produced with the Prince Music Theater's "Film at the Prince"; as well as special events, such as Phil Kline's annual cult classic Unsilent Night and CAGE12, a John Cage 90th birthday tribute.