BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//BOWERBIRD ::: MUSIC, DANCE, FILM ::: Philadelphia, PA - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:BOWERBIRD ::: MUSIC, DANCE, FILM ::: Philadelphia, PA X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.bowerbird.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for BOWERBIRD ::: MUSIC, DANCE, FILM ::: Philadelphia, PA REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260411T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260411T220000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260105T172236Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T161323Z UID:10001297-1775937600-1775944800@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Audra DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present Audra performing an evening of music for voice and saxophone\, with repertoire including Meredith Monk’s Hocket for Two Voices\, two moody folk-song arrangements by Karin Rehnqvist\, and Cecilia McDowall’s dramatic White Fox Woman. Three pieces make up the center of this program: Thomas Kessler’s Is it?\, Philippe Leroux Un lieu verdoyant\, and Gelsey Bell’s Aviatrix. All three treat the voice and saxophone like a hyper-instrument\, creating a new\, hybrid sound out of the two performers. \n\nABOUT THE ARTISTS \nNoa Even (saxophone) and Anika Kildegaard (voice) are Audra\, a genre-defying new music duo exploring the dynamic interplay and sonic intersections between soprano voice and saxophone. Their debut performances in early 2025 included the Spotlight Series at Rowan University (NJ)\, No Exit presents in Cleveland (OH)\, and the Fuse Factory in Columbus (OH). This season’s performances include the Andrea Clearfield Szalon\, Harrison Township Historical Society concert series (NJ)\, 2640 Space in Baltimore\, and Bowerbird in Philadelphia. URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/audra-duo/ LOCATION:University Lutheran\, 3637 Chestnut Street\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bowerbird-Main-Img-2026-01-05T122044.409.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260412T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260412T160000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20251222T155726Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T182841Z UID:10001295-1776002400-1776009600@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Alash Ensemble DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present Philadelphia favorites Alash at The Rotunda for two FREE concerts – 2pm and 7pm. \nAlash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei)\, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing\, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time\, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve\, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements\, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new\, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage. \nPresented with The Rotunda. \n\n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/alash-2pm-april-2026/ LOCATION:The Rotunda\, 4014 Walnut St\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bowerbird-Main-Img-54-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260412T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260412T210000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20251222T155208Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T182410Z UID:10001294-1776020400-1776027600@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Alash Ensemble DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present Philadelphia favorites Alash at The Rotunda for two FREE concerts – 2pm and 7pm. \nAlash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei)\, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing\, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time\, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve\, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements\, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new\, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage. \nPresented with The Rotunda. \n\n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/alash-ensemble-2026-7pm/ LOCATION:The Rotunda\, 4014 Walnut St\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Bowerbird-Main-Img-90.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260503T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260503T120000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260330T160852Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T164233Z UID:10001314-1777802400-1777809600@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Follow The Sound DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present a morning birdwalk at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum led by Tony Croasdale interspersed with two performances by Matt Engle and Juan Castrillón. \nPlease take note of the weather and dress accordingly with appropriate footwear.\nMeet at the Environmental Education Pavilion\, to the right of the visitor center\, near the parking lot\, there are toilets and a water fountain nearby. Map \nEstimated run time: 120 minutes\nDistance: approx. one mile\nTerrain: ADA accessible\nFree admission – reservations are encouraged\n \n\nABOUT THE ARTISTS \nMatt Engle grew up in the Philadelphia area and has been an active member of the creative and improvised music scene for 20 years. Matt defies categorization seamlessly moving among different styles and disciplines. His work extends to the world of electronic music\, featured on his recording with poet Michael Szekely under the name The Alternate View. Recently Matt recorded with the Chad Taylor Quintet for a release on Otherly Love records entitled Smoke Shifter. His love of the acoustic bass matches the intimacy of the pairing of his mind and body to this particular instrument. His deep interest in birds\, waves\, unique people\, esoteric sounds\, the moon and all celestial objects helps to increase the emotional\, spiritual and creative content of his work in music.\nHe has contributed to many situations in music previously performing and/or recording with Chad Taylor\, Bobby Zankel\, Sonic Liberation Front\, Shot By Shot\, Yapp\, Split Red\, Dave Liebman\, Marshall Allen\, Sam Newsome\, Rick Iannacone\, jaimie branch\, Elliott Levin\, Anthony Pirog\, Raymond King\, David Middleton\, Dan Blacksberg\, Vince Johnson\, Muhammad Ali\, Oliver Lake\, Tim Berne\, Pete Angevine\, Thurman Barker\, and Brandon Seabrook among many others. \nMiddleear | Oído Medio\nJuan Castrillón is a multimodal cultural anthropologist\, ethnomusicologist and musician with regional expertise in Türkiye and the Northwest Amazon in Colombia. His research interests include theories of listening\, media archives\, contemporary healing arts\, mimesis\, and modalities of inscription. His multimodal work and performances dialogue with contemporary debates about decoloniality\, heterogenesis\, visual and sound/music cultures\, and indigenous analytics of the person\, space\, magic\, and technology. \nTony Croasdale started birding at about nine years old. Tony has performed field research in the Canadian Arctic\, Alaska\, Brazil\, Peru\, and in the Mid-Atlantic. He was the singer of R.A.M.B.O.\, a hardcore punk band and birded extensively while on tour. Tony works as an environmental educator and co-hosts the Urban Wildlife Podcast . \n  \n\nOrganized in collaboration with World Askew URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/follow-the-sound-may-2026/ LOCATION:John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum\, 8601 Lindbergh Blvd\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19153\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/May-3-Follow-the-sound.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260515T210000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260105T183121Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260105T183854Z UID:10001296-1778871600-1778878800@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Equinox DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present Variant 6 performing their program Equinox. \nServing as the centerpiece for this program is Philadelphia composer Benjamin C.S. Boyle’s first Cantata: To One in Paradise. The poem “To One is Paradise” is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe dating from his mature poetic period that features many of the poet’s favorite themes: young love\, divinity\, and death. The Cantata – composed 20 years ago by Boyle – will be performed in an all-new transcription by the composer for four vocal soloists of Variant 6 and pianist Laura Ward. In addition to Boyle’s work\, we will perform works by Brahms and Fauré for voices and piano on themes of love\, loss\, and darkness. \nPROGRAM \nGabriel Fauré:\nMadrigal\nPuisqu’ici-bas toute âme\nPleurs d’Or\nLes Djinns \nJohannes Brahms:\nDie Meere\nSpätherbst\nO Schöne Nacht \nBenjamin C.S. Boyle:\nTo One in Paradise \nVariant 6: \nRebecca Myers\, soprano\nLauren Kelly\, mezzo-soprano\nJames Reese\, tenor\nDaniel Schwartz\, bass \nLaura Ward\, piano \n\nABOUT THE ARTISTS \nVariant 6 explores the expressive potential of the human voice through vocal chamber music that is at once virtuosic\, poignant\, and approachable. Composed of artists with a diverse set of skills and a wide range of expertise\, we seek out repertoire that embodies this potential. We collaborate with artists of many disciplines\, creating refreshing interpretations of music of the past and innovative premieres of new works. Our concerts are unique and intimate musical experiences that foster deep conversation between artists and audience. Variant 6 shares our unique take on vocal chamber music with people all over the city of Philadelphia. Our approachable and collaborative projects create an environment where audiences of different backgrounds will feel inspired to attend our events\, respond to our music\, and get to know us as individuals.\nvariantsix.com \n\n\n  \n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/equinox/ LOCATION:Philadelphia Ethical Society\, 1906 Rittenhouse Square\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19103\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bowerbird-Main-Img-2026-01-05T115620.758.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T220000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260105T174202Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T150804Z UID:10001298-1778958000-1778968800@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:The Music of Ben Nobuto DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present the NakedEye Ensemble performing a concert of music by Ben Nobuto. \nPROGRAM \nLucid (2020) for piano and electronics\nTell Me Again (2022) for piano\, electronics\, and film\ntrio (for ivy house) (2024) for flute\, cello\, piano & electronics\nLive at Leighton House (2023) for six players & electronics\nJoy Replica (2022) for alto sax\, bass clarinet and piano\nLove Games (2023) for six players\, electronics & video\nThree Studies (2022) for percussion & electronics \nABOUT THE ARTISTS \nBen Nobuto (b.1996) is a British/Japanese composer and pianist from Kent\, UK\, with a distinctive style variously described as ‘postmodern’ (Nonclassical) and ‘utterly contemporary’ (Manchester Collective). His music celebrates the fragmentations from internet and pop cultures that disrupt (enrich?) our lives\, the video games we play to escape (narrate?) ourselves. There is a naturalness in the chaos of quotations that exudes joy\, playfulness\, and a touch of irony that never devolves into judgement. “I try to make music that feels really transparent and clear in its intention because I like the idea that even very complex music can be accessible and enjoyable to anyone if it’s presented in the right way. I think that’s why I’m also drawn to things like brightness\, joy\, humour\, playfulness and kitschy things – it gives the music a lightness and invites the listener in.” (Ben Nobuto\, classical-music.uk) \nAt only 29 years old\, Ben has created a significant body of work seductive in its story-telling and masterful in the way acoustic instruments\, electronic sounds\, and video work together. His Gen Z synthesized world of scattered internet pieces utilizes techniques that echo John Zorn (collage)\, Scott Johnson (phrase-painting)\, minimalism\, but build to an experience that is uniquely Ben Nobuto. “A lot of my inspiration comes from trying to imagine these dreamlike scenarios where random things can coexist\, like a virtual environment where you can place contradictory ideas side by side and somehow make them feel right. It feels a bit like how dreams work\, in that you don’t question why surreal or impossible things happen until after you wake up\, they just seem to make sense in that weird dream-logic way.” Ben graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2019\, where he holds a Bmus and MPhil Distinction-award degree in Music. He was the recipient of the 2019 Bliss Prize for composition. Ben is currently working on recording and producing his first album of original works. \nNakedEye is an electro-acoustic group with classical\, rock\, and jazz DNA on the forefront of cutting-edge and crossover music that defies conventional labels. Founded in 2013 and based out of Lancaster\, PA\, NakedEye has developed a fluid repertoire reflective of its DNA\, commissioning projects\, institutional and artistic collaborations\, and its mission of musical exploration and innovation. NakedEye commissions work from young emerging composers such as Angélica Negrón\, Molly Joyce\, Florent Ghys\, and Monica Pearce\, as well as established composers such as Jerome Kitzke\, Randall Woolf\, and Zack Browning. NakedEye is also fortunate to count among its core members the multi-talented composers Richard Belcastro and Rusty Banks. \nThree albums reflect the group’s stylistic diversity. “Storylines Crossing” (Starkland\, 2018) explores the group’s blues and jazz expressions. This CD received Global Music Awards’ Best Debut Album and Best Ensemble Album of 2018. “Toy” (New Focus Recordings\, 2019) takes the group’s focus on a miniaturist journey with original works featuring music for toy piano and toy instruments. “A Series of Indecipherable Glyphs” (New Focus Recordings\, 2022) offers Zappa-inspired rock inflections and their unique virtuosic rendition of Sinister Footwear II. \nIn addition to its regular season concerts in the Northeast\, NakedEye has been featured at New Music Gathering\, Queens New Music Festival\, The Chamber Music Society of St Louis\, The DCCC New Music Series\, Pikes Falls Chamber Music Festival\, Tribeca New Music\, as well as schools and universities in PA and DE. \nNakedEye Ensemble is led by pianist Ju-Ping Song and is supported in part by The Russo Family Foundation\, PA Council on the Arts\, The Amphion Foundation\, and New Music USA. \n\n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/the-music-of-ben-nobuto/ LOCATION:The Perch\, 2321 Emerald St\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19125\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Bowerbird-Main-Img-2026-01-05T123652.524.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260529T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260529T220000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260330T162353Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T164019Z UID:10001315-1780084800-1780092000@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Laraaji DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to welcome back Laraaji\, a key figure in the evolution of ambient music whose distinctive sound has been captivating listeners for decades. Philadelphia-born and New Jersey-raised\, Laraaji has pursued spiritual transcendence through music since the mid-1970s. After years of developing an aesthetic shaped by Eastern philosophies and transcendental research in his longtime Harlem home\, Laraaji’s breakthrough came when Brian Eno discovered him busking in Washington Square Park in 1979\, improvising celestial meditations on his electric zither. This encounter led to a collaboration on Eno’s influential Ambient series\, resulting in the 1980 album Day of Radiance. \nSince then\, Laraaji has become a defining figure in new age and ambient music\, known for his commitment to hand-crafted sounds over synthesizers and his embrace of a human presence in his performances. Whether playing monochord instruments\, singing\, or using electronics-kissed percussion\, his music remains rooted in a cosmic African-American tradition. His soundscapes are as hypnotically beautiful as they are rich with moments of tension and dissonance\, bringing depth to his trance-inducing explorations. For over four decades\, Laraaji’s work has continued to evolve\, inviting listeners into deep states of reflection while remaining grounded in a deeply personal musical journey. \n\n\n  \n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/laraaji-friday-may-29-2026-at-the-rotunda/ LOCATION:The Rotunda\, 4014 Walnut St\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/May-29-Laraaji.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T220000 DTSTAMP:20260403T171002 CREATED:20260403T135044Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260403T135044Z UID:10001316-1780689600-1780696800@www.bowerbird.org SUMMARY:Morton Feldman: Three Voices DESCRIPTION:Bowerbird is pleased to present vocalist Charlotte Mundy performing Morton Feldman’s iconic work Three Voices at University Lutheran Church. \nFeldman’s “Three Voices” was written for the experimental vocalist and composer Joan LaBarbara in 1982. The original concept involved the live performer singing along with two pre-recorded parts projected through on-stage amplifiers\, creating an effect of three individual “voices”\, all with the same origin (Ms. LaBarbara). Three Voices is indeed a challenging and ground-breaking work\, and has very rarely been performed live with three singers due to its nearly impossible demands on the human voice and psyche – impeccable rhythmic concentration\, shrewd attention to tuning\, and the ability to sound as one voice in three parts. The text is based on Frank O’Hara’s poem\, Wind\, and shapes\, twists\, and morphs short phrases from the poem into an hour-long musical experience. \n\nABOUT THE ARTIST \nCanadian soprano Charlotte Mundy has been dubbed a “daredevil with an unbreakable spine” (SF Classical Voice)\, and “mesmerizing” (New York Times). As a founding member of TAK ensemble\, “one of the most prominent ensembles in the United States practicing truly experimental music” (I Care If You Listen)\, Mundy has performed at Lincoln Center and the Library of Congress\, premiering works by Tyshawn Sorey\, Erin Gee\, Eric Wubbels\, Brandon Lopez\, and Natacha Diels. Mundy is also a core member of Ekmeles\, described as “beyond expert – almost frightening in their precision” by Fanfare magazine and recent recipients of the Ernst von Siemens Ensemble Prize. \nMundy’s recent projects as a soloist include site-specific opera Newtown Odyssey by Kurt Rohde and Marie Lorenz; premieres of concert works by Alyssa Regent and Aida Shirazi\, and the debut of a new collaborative multimedia project with Christian Quiñones. Past performances include critically acclaimed renditions of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire\, Boulez’s Le Marteau sans Maître\, Feldman’s Three Voices\, George Benjamin’s Into the Little Hill\, Iannis Xenakis’ Akanthos\, and a set of music for voice and electronics presented by New York Festival of Song\, described as “an oasis of radiant beauty” by the New York Times. \nAs a recording artist\, Mundy is featured on recordings ranging from contemporary classical music to black metal to prog rock to ambient music. Her recent album with Francisco del Pino\, The Sea\, was named one of the 25 best albums of 2025 by Steve Smith. Mundy is the vocal soloist on the studio recording of Bekah Simms’ Juno award winning composition Bestiary I & II\, and her recordings as a member of TAK and Ekmeles have been widely praised. \nHer compositions have been performed at Roulette\, JACK theater\, University of New Mexico\, Fuse Factory\, and the Higher Ground festival. They include SWEET FLAG!\, whose score consists of home-made rosaries\, The Empress Negligee and Leopard Queen Dream for voice\, piñata/thurible/shakers and percussion\, and the surround sound/light/wind/smell installation\, Light as a Feather\, presented by Harvestworks Digital Media Arts. \nBorn in Toronto and based in Brooklyn\, Mundy studied classical voice at the University of Toronto\, contemporary performance at the Manhattan School of Music\, and is working toward a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the CUNY Graduate Center. \n\n\n  URL:https://www.bowerbird.org/event/morton-feldman-three-voices-2026/ LOCATION:University Lutheran\, 3637 Chestnut Street\, Philadelphia\, PA\, 19104\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.bowerbird.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/June-5-three-voices.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR