What is a Voice? with Ex Luce

With this program Ex Luce travels through the centuries and around the globe; From old Europe (Spain, France and Italy) in the XV century to Hungary, North America, Scotland and Finland in the XXI century. The program is presented in sets which allow different aesthetics to come together and confront each other in a celebration of new sounds and colors.

The program is called “What is a Voice?” because it brings that into question. Can a voice be something without words? What makes meaning? Bela Bartok is the apex of the program because he wrote abundantly both for violin and voice. His 44 duos for two violins inspired modern day composer, Kenji Bunch to write his own set of duos and they are presented mixed together here. Bartok also wrote volumes of folk melodies for three voices some of which he later transcribed for three violins and presented by us for two violins and voice. In addition we are celebrating the life of Kaija Saariaho, who died this year, in a beautiful piece for Violin and Voice alone, Changing Light, as well as two works written for the Ex Luce Ensemble by two French composers and colleagues.

Through a common light and shared musical sensibility, the musicians of the Ex Luce ensemble seek to bring diverse sound worlds together in a single program surprising and enchanting the listener. By bridging early and contemporary music in their programming and putting art music side by side with traditional European and American repertoire, they bring to their audiences a most evocative and exquisite palette of colors and sounds.  Ex Luce is ultimately an expanding ensemble incorporating fine musicians to accommodate their chosen repertoire. While the Ex Luce musicians come from diverse nationalities and musical backgrounds, they share a common musical language unique to their ensemble. Their combined studies of early, contemporary, and traditional music give them a breadth of experience. The unique programs presented by Ex Luce reflect this characteristic and are curated with expertise.  The group was founded in 2004 by Ana Arnaz and Colleen Jennings after an invitation to the Festival Les Melanges du Printemps in Dijon, France. Since their founding Ex Luce has presented on festivals in Germany, Spain, USA and France and premiered pieces written for them by composers such as Gail Jennings, Dominique Vellard and Baptiste Romain. Most recently they were resident musicians at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in New Hampshire.