From Voodoo Dolls to Rock Anthems: Erehwon Ensemble Brings Boundary-Pushing Strings to Kingston

Join us for Skylife & Voodoo Dolls, the inaugural concert of the Erehwon Ensemble as Kingston’s first professional orchestra! This innovative group of 23 musicians will share a program including the beautiful, rarely heard Serenade for Strings by German composer Carl Reinecke and eclectic and colorful string orchestra music from Russia, Hungary and Finland.

Expect the unexpected! “It is an ensemble of very talented performers and we are excited to share this music with local audiences,” says internationally renowned Music Director and Conductor David Rudge. “Many of our musicians can also improvise and will be featured in that capacity.”

We conclude with two works by American composers: the improvisatory Voodoo Dolls, written by Jessie Montgomery and inspired by West African percussion, and David Balakrishnan’s Skylife, a head-banging rock-anthem piece for string orchestra. Don’t miss this extraordinary evening. “It’s a varied program of works by well-known composers as well as gems by unfamiliar names,” Rudge explains, “and all of it is wonderful!”

The Erehwon Ensemble pushes the boundaries of what a chamber orchestra can be, presenting dynamic concerts that juxtapose rarely heard masterpieces with fresh approaches to familiar works, alongside diverse compositions inspired by jazz, blues, and musical traditions from around the world. After three years of performing throughout the Hudson Valley, the Erehwon Ensemble is excited to make Kingston its home!

PROGRAM

Jean Sibelius – Canzonetta

Carl Reinecke – Serenade for Strings

Gerald Finzi – Prelude

Leo Weiner – Divertimento No. 2

Dmitri Shostakovich – Two Pieces for String Orchestra

Jessie Montgomery – Voodoo Dolls

David Balakrishnan – Skylife

For more information and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skylife-voodoo-dolls-tickets-1990353552053?aff=ebdsoporgprofile