Warp Trio is an Internationally touring cross-genre chamber
music experience. Every chamber music program needs this kind
of energy. While the beginning and ending compositions by Haydn
and Brahms provided expected pleasures, it was the Warp Trio’s
own jazz/tango/classical works that gave the concert a kick in
the pants. —Cape Code Times
LiKWUiD, spoken word
Josh Henderson, violin, bass, guitar
Ju-Young “J.Y.” Lee, cello
Mikael Darmanie, piano
Rick Martinez, drums
Black Voices is an original concert program that integrates
classical, jazz, hip-hop, and spoken word—sounds and poetry
created by African-American artists—in an effort to lift up
lesser-known contributions that define the multifaceted culture
of the United States. Featuring the award-winning artist
LiKWuiD, the program utilizes poetry of Langston Hughes,
Ntozake Shange, and the Sacramento-based Maya Angelou. It also
features original spoken word material, set against music by
Duke Ellington, William Grant Still, Harry Burleigh, and
original compositions by Warp Trio members.
Described as “a talented group that exemplifies the
genre-obliterating direction of contemporary classical music”
(Columbia Free Times), Warp Trio is an
internationally touring cross-genre chamber music experience.
Reflecting the combination of Juilliard-trained members
juxtaposed with members steeped in rock and jazz styles, the
one-of-a-kind trio (that even has a fourth member!) can be seen
performing classical works in prestigious halls on the same tour
where they headline a standing room only show at a rock venue. In
addition to their electrifying public performances, they have
gained a reputation for their innovative educational workshops
with students from grade school through university
level.
Maintaining a busy performance schedule, Warp has performed
hundreds of concerts across the United States, in addition to
tours throughout The United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Holland,
Germany, West Africa, and the Caribbean. Highlights of recent
seasons include headlining performances at The LEM Festival for
Experimental Music in Barcelona, and the Omaha Under the Radar
Festival, being featured guests at the 2020 MASA Jazz Festival in
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and the sold-out world premiere of their
Triple Concerto for Piano Trio and Orchestra with the New York
City-based Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra. They have been one
of the honored recipients of a New York Foundation for the Arts
Grant, and in the 2020 season, they were the recipients of the
Chamber Music America Ensemble Forward and Classical
Commissioning grants.
Individually, the members of Warp Trio hold degrees in
performance from the Juilliard School, Cincinnati-College
Conservatory of Music, and New York University. The beneficiaries
of an incredibly diverse range of education, among the ensemble,
they have received chamber music training from members of the
Guarneri, Juilliard, Emerson, and La Salle Quartets as well as
jazz instruction from figures such as Ray Anderson, Tony Moreno,
Dave Pietro, and Mike Richmond.
In addition to performing works by our own graduate student
composers on this program, PinkNoise—known for its contemporary
improvisational performance practice—will perform its own
program, featuring the open-instrumentation work “Black as a
Hack for Cyborgification” by Jessie Cox, alongside other works,
on Friday, April 14th, at 5:00 pm.
