Apollo Concludes Multicultural 20x2020 Commissioning Project with Digital World Premieres by Eve Beglarian and Jennifer Higdon

HOUSTON, Oct. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Apollo Chamber Players concludes its six-year multicultural commissioning project with digital world premieres by Robert Rauschenberg Prize-winning composer EVE BEGLARIAN and multiple Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer JENNIFER HIGDON. Curtailed by COVID cancellations this past Spring, Apollo capstones its bold project with a digital bang - the final two commissions are to be premiered as part of its series concluding Virtual Festival 20x2020 (Episodes 19 & 20) and will be simulcast nationally on American Public Media's Performance Today and YourClassical social media channels.

Jennifer Higdon is among the world's most performed living composers, and her new string quartet work for Apollo, In the Shadow of the Mountain (20x2020 No. 20), takes inspiration from her Grammy-winning Cold Mountain opera as well as her childhood in Appalachia.

"I'm honored to have been commissioned by Apollo for this inspirational project - its boldness and multicultural celebration resonates meaningfully with our current moment," expresses Jennifer Higdon. Apollo artistic director, founder, and violinist Matthew J. Detrick adds: "Jennifer has been a joy to work with - we were disappointed to have missed the opportunity to workshop the piece with her in person this Spring, but we've put mountains of time and effort into rehearsing together digitally. The commission is even more meaningful because of the unique challenges of our time."

Beglarian's new work, We will sing one song (20x2020 No. 19), represents a truly global collaboration. It features musical contributions by Armenian duduk performer Arsen Petrosyan, recorded in Yerevan, Armenia, and Iranian-born percussionist Pejman Hadadi, recorded in Los Angeles. The premiere is dedicated to peace and resolution regarding the current Armenian and Azerbaijani conflict.

Arsen Petrosyan studied under renowned duduk master Gevorg Dabaghyan (Shoghaken Ensemble, Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble). His interpretations have been described as "hauntingly beautiful" by New York Music Daily.

Launched in 2014 and inspired in part by President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot goal, 20x2020 [twenty by twenty twenty] is an Apollo initiative to commission 20 new multicultural and folk music-inspired works for the ensemble by the end of the decade. 20x2020 has raised Apollo's profile in Houston and internationally, as we've explored a myriad of cultures through the creation of new art and music the world over," reflects Matthew J. Detrick.

VIRTUAL FESTIVAL 20X2020 Episodes 19 & 20 air Thursday Oct. 29 and Sunday Nov. 1 at 7pm CST (8pm EST) on Apollo and APM YouTube and Facebook

For more about Apollo Chamber Players and 20x2020 project, visit www.apollochamberplayers.org
Festival Finale Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvTlHZxub-E&feature=youtu.be 
**Apollo YouTube Channel and Facebook Page for viewing live streams**
American Public Media's Performance Today and YourClassical Facebook pages for viewing
High-Resolution Photos of Festival Artists: https://bit.ly/3ksHuhX 

For more high resolution public content, please contact
Admin Coordinator and PR Jessica Gonzalez at 254-231-7525 or [email protected]

Media Contact:
Matthew J. Detrick, Executive & Artistic Director | 832-496-9943 | [email protected]
Jessica Gonzalez, Administrative & Publicity Coordinator | 254-231-7525 | [email protected]

SOURCE Apollo Chamber Players