Oliver Beer: Vessel Orchestra

World Premiere 

Oliver Beer: Vessel Orchestra is the first sound-based installation commissioned by The Met. Hybrid by design, it is a musical instrument, a series of live performances, and an installation composed of thirty-two sculptures, utilitarian vessels, and decorative objects from the Museum collection. Selected for their natural pitches, which range from low C to high G on the chromatic musical scale, they form an arresting and unexpectedly versatile instrument, similar to an organ with multiple pipes.

The Vessel Orchestra has two distinct modes. During Museum hours, a pre-programmed audio interface will play a new composition written by Beer, activating the vessels in real time—"player piano-style." On Friday evenings, the exhibition will feature a diverse group of guest artists who will perform new compositions and improvisations on this radical musical instrument in a series of intimate concerts. All performances on Friday evenings. Set times to be announced. Schedule below is subject to change.

Friday, July 5

6:30–8:30 pm

Ekmeles with Bruce Brubaker

Music by John Cage, Alvin Lucier, Philip Glass and early medieval monophony

Friday, July 12

6:30–8:30 pm

Mashrou Leila (Firas Abou Fakher, Hamed Sinno, Haig Papazian, Carl Gerges) with Rabih Almuddine

Friday, July 19

7:30–8:30 pm

Matana Roberts with Darius Jones

Friday, July 26

6:30–8:30 pm

Women's Raga Massive (Roopa Mahadevan, Trina Basu, Amali Premawardhana, Roshni Samal)

Friday, August 2

7–8:30 pm

Nico Muhly and friends

Friday, August 9

5–8:30 pm

John Zorn with Sara Serpa, Sae Hashimoto, Kenny Wollesen, Ikue Mori

Performances are free with Museum admission.

Limited seating; first come, first served.

Oliver Beer: Vessel Orchestra is on view at The Met Breuer, Floor 5, Tuesday, July 2–Sunday, August 11, 2019