Wendy Griffiths - composer

Saturday, March 30th, 8pm: Alison Cook Beatty Dance

FREE Studio Performance at City Center Studios

130 West 56th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, Studio 5

Saturday, March 30th, 8:00 PM


Work In Progress presentation of a New Work

choreographed by Artistic Director, Alison Cook-Beatty,

composer Wendy Griffiths,
in collaboration with the Purple Heart Foundation,

featuring the dancers of Alison Cook Beatty Dance


This event is Pay-What-You-Can.

We have a suggested donation of $15 

Join us for a studio performance of a New Work In Progress that hopes to bring healing to Veterans and their families. A story of a U.S. Veteran who has flashbacks of his days in service. Engage with him as his experiences range from happy times with his comrades in the bar to jungle warfare. He is haunted by ghosts of his past; the waltz of his best friend who dies in his arms, The God of War, Madness, and finally Peace, as a lifelong pursuit of healing is ahead of him. (Synopsis below)

We hope you can see this Work In Progress, speak to Alison, Wendy, and the dancers about this creative process and where they hope this project will lead. A question and answer session will follow with the audience.

The dancers will also perform "In Spite Of, Because Of...The Wallpaper" and other repertoire on our 2024 season roster. Light refreshments will be served in the lobby.

Free admission, but, as all proceeds go to the dancers, a minimum donation of $15 is strongly suggested. You don't need a ticket or RSVP.

All proceeds go directly to the artists.

 

 

 

 

Wendy Griffiths, composer to left box and Company dancer Ioanna Ioannides in Alison's Tintinnabuli at SoloDuo Dance Festival 2024. 

Synopsis of New Work

(This is a work in progress and some parts may be choreographed and some may not be choreographed.

This synopsis may change slightly as well by the event date as it is a Work In Progress.) We will not have live music at this event. We are working on funding for that. 

Part 1:

(During the action in part 1 - a double of our protagonist is asleep on the side of the stage(Alison/Robenson)

A bar, soldiers joking around. One is very charismatic and the others, (Jacob) including our protagonist,(Payton) hang on his every word. A band plays on stage (sax, drums, piano), girls dance seductively.

Our protagonist (Payton) and the charismatic soldier (Jacob) are in a jungle, on a mission. Suddenly they are being bombarded by arrows. The charismatic soldier (Jacob) drops, mortally wounded, and our protagonist (Payton) tries unsuccessfully to revive him. Just as our protagonist (Payton) is about to be captured by the enemy, her double (Alison/Robenson), wakes suddenly on the side of the stage.)

Part 2:

Our protagonist, (Alison/Robenson and Payton) are visited by various characters.

His friend who was killed (Ghost Waltz)

Jacob Blank with Company

Variations: 

Thor, the god of War

Tomislav Nevistić

Suicide

(?)

Madness

Maddie Burnett

Part 3:

Our protagonist, having successfully fought off the ghosts and demons, attains peace.

(?)

Wed. August 30th at 8pm - Double Entendre / Changing Modes at Soapbox Gallery

Double Entendre will premiere Wendy's new composition for double reed ensemble "Watching Birds".  Her art rock band Changing Modes will play a set.

Concert is free.  The performance will be streamed worldwide.

Soapbox Gallery
636 Dean Street
Brooklyn, NY 11238

 https://www.soapboxgallery.org/events/double-entendre-music-ensemble?fbclid=IwAR2DEoXPGmso1tpuSacZzH3UKUwJ7JEMCzKKbXt1pv9BA2WcngbNio1ly9Y

 

Concerts on March 3

There will be two concerts that feature Wendy's pieces on Friday, March 3rd.

1. Pianist Elizabeth Rodgers will premiere "The Sheltering Suite" at Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 West 108th Street, New York, NY 10025 - Free 7 pm.  Elizabeth recorded the work in the recently released album "Views from the Keyboard".  Event information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-beginnings-tickets-435065822587

2. The Parhelion Trio will perform "Dangerous Routines" for flute, clarinet and piano at National Opera Center Rehearsal Hall, 330 7th Avenue, 7th floor, New York, NY 10001 - 7:30 pm.  Event/Ticket information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parhelion-trio-transient-canvas-in-concert-tickets-525953068787

 Views from the Keyboard

Piano Music by Wendy Griffiths 

Elizabeth Rodgers, piano 

Digital release by Arabesque Records.  

Recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the album features the pianist Elizabeth Rodgers, who has premiered many of Wendy's music.  Views from the Keyboard is streaming here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3pQKUQU1BfMiN4T4yumZ78