Project in Brief
Metropolis Ensemble partnered with The Metropolitan Museum of Art on a multi-year commissioning project
Film and live music created and produced with composer and saxophonist Matthew Evan Taylor
The project introduced a dialogue across African American, South Indian, and Western Classical music traditions
Impact by the Numbers
350K+
views on The Met's Instagram
12
short films with original artwork
30
musicians and composers employed
13
new original works commissioned
56
minute world premiere at The Met
Project Partners
Commissioning Project
January 2021
In response to the pandemic, The Met commissioned Metropolis Ensemble to create and produce a twelve-month music video series designed for Instagram.
Composer Matthew Evan Taylor has collaborated closely with Metropolis since 2016, including his 2020 studio album, The Unheard Mixtapes, on New Amsterdam Records.
Postcards to The Met
March 2021—March 2022 via Instagram
Metropolis created and produced 12 short films with original artwork by Juniper Creative.
Intimate digital postcards featured Matthew Evan Taylor, members of RAJAS, and Metropolis Ensemble artists.
The video series has received 350K+ views on Instagram.
Life Returns
March 24, 2022 at The Met
World premiere of an hour-long work by Matthew Evan Taylor, co-commissioned by MetLiveArts and Metropolis.
Specially formed hybrid orchestra, with Matthew Evan Taylor, vocalist Ganavya, Rajna Swaminatan’s RAJAS Ensemble, and Metropolis artists from the Postcards series.
Roundtable Discussion
February 14, 2023 via Zoom
MetLiveArts general manager Limor Tomer hosted a behind-the-scenes discussion with the creative team.
Composer Matthew Evan Taylor, conductor Andrew Cyr, and RAJAS mrudangam artist Rajna Swaminathan participated in the interview.
Digital Premiere
February 14, 2023 via YouTube
MetLiveArts premiered the full concert recording of Life Returns filmed at The Met.
“A monumental work that melds free improvisation and through composition to celebrate resilience and triumph in the face of despair.” —Slipped Disc
WQXR Broadcast
March 22, 2023 via Radio
Young Artists Showcase presented excerpts from Life Returns and Postcards to The Met.
Featuring performances by trumpeter David Adewumi and saxophonist Matthew Evan Taylor.
Life Returns: The Album
Coming 2025 on Parma Recordings
Metropolis and MetLiveArts are preparing the release of Life Returns.
The album will feature a hybrid orchestra, including vocalist Ganavya, Rajna Swaminatan’s RAJAS Ensemble, and Metropolis artists.
More Projects
Take an in-depth look at Metropolis Ensemble projects over the years.