Baby Got Bach: Principally Percussion

Orli Shaham is an internationally renowned pianist.  She travels all over the world giving concerts and many of today’s most important composers have written pieces for her, including Princeton’s own Steven Mackey who has written a piece for her that will be heard in its Princeton debut at this concert. Orli created the Baby Got Bach series in 2010 series because she thought that there weren’t enough opportunities for pre-school aged kids to hear really great live classical music.  Baby Got Bach is recognized by parents, media and the music community as a significant force in music education and entertainment for pre-schoolers.  The program is in-residence at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, and has been cited in New York Magazine’s “Best of New York” list. Orli has also taken Baby Got Programs on tour all over the country.  This concert respresents Baby Got Bach’s Princeton University Concerts debut.

Guest artists So Percussion, are Princeton’s Edward T. Cone Performers-in-Residence. Sō Percussion has redefined the scope of the modern percussion ensemble.  Their repertoire ranges from “classics” of the 20th century, by John Cage, Steve Reich, and Iannis Xenakis, to commissioning and advocating works by contemporary composers such as David Lang, and Princeton’s Steven Mackey, and Paul Lansky, to distinctively modern collaborations with artists who work outside the classical concert hall, including vocalist Shara Worden, electronic duo Matmos, the groundbreaking Dan Deacon, legendary drummer Bobby Previte, jam band kings Medeski, Martin, and Wood, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche, choreographer Shen Wei, and composer and leader of The National, Bryce Dessner, among many others.

Rachel Richardson joined the Amercian Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in January 2015 and became a member of the corps de ballet in June 2015.  Her repertoire includes Columbine and one of the Nutcracker’s Sisters in The Nutcracker, as well as roles in all of the Company’s full-length ballets.