For flutist Catherine Gregory and pianist David Kaplan, the pandemic has provided time to reimagine and revisit older musical works. They found themselves amongst the idyllic greenery of the Berkshires in a cozy house—a large contrast to their usual life in crowded Washington Heights or on the road for tours. In this newfound domestic bliss, they began to hear Timo Andres’s Steady Gaze anew and decided to give an at-home performance of the piece for Metropolis Ensemble’s House Music Series.

Kaplan and Gregory are long-time collaborators of Metropolis Ensemble. Kaplan began working with Metropolis Ensemble in 2010. He remembers being immediately struck by Metropolis’s organic energy, and has since worked on numerous projects with the group, including a critically acclaimed Resident Artist Series commissioning project in 2015 (New Dances of the League of David) at (Le) Poisson Rouge, and in 2018, co-curating their first five-concert piano festival at 1 Rivington. And Gregory has also worked closely with Metropolis, performing George Crumb’s monumental Voice of the Whale last season as part of their Invisible Roads chamber music series at 1 Rivington. For her, working with Metropolis is a home for realizing creative ideas, no matter how big or small.

It’s important to note that Andres, too, is a longtime collaborator of Metropolis since 2009 — they’ve commissioned five of his works, and together created Andre’s debut orchestral album Homestretch (Nonesuch). This video provides a space for the longtime friends and collaborators to celebrate their mutual shared history by creating an intimate musical experience.

Steady Gaze is an exploration of one phrase, uncovering many different modes of saying the same idea. This homespun rendition is meant to feel like curling up by the fire with a book and a blanket. It’s music made to accompany those simple pleasantries and still moments. In lockdown, Kaplan and Gregory found themselves more introspective, and Steady Gaze’s subtle evolution allows for that meditative methodology—a perfect match for a time of great reflection. — Vanessa Ague

 
Episode: 60
Date: October 27, 2020
Artist: Catherine Gregory and David Kaplan
Instrumentation: Flute and Piano
Work: “Steady Gaze"
Composer: Timo Andres
 

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