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| Sō Percussion | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sō Percussion |
| Origin | New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Contemporary classical, experimental, new music, avant-garde |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | New Amsterdam Records, Cantaloupe Music, Nonesuch Records |
Sō Percussion is an American percussion quartet based in New York City known for commissioning and performing contemporary classical, experimental, and crossover works. The ensemble has collaborated with composers, choreographers, visual artists, and institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the BBC Proms. They have recorded for labels including New Amsterdam Records, Cantaloupe Music, and Nonesuch Records.
Formed in 1999 in New York City by graduates of the Juilliard School, the quartet emerged from intersections of the downtown new music scene and conservatory training alongside ensembles like Bang on a Can, Eighth Blackbird, and Alarm Will Sound. Early engagements included festivals such as the Bang on a Can Marathon, Tanglewood Music Festival, and collaborations with composers like Steve Reich, John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, and Elliott Carter. Institutional residencies and partnerships with organizations such as the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Miller Theatre, Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus helped expand their profile. Over the 2000s and 2010s, collaborations with artists including David Lang, Tyondai Braxton, Julia Wolfe, Pauline Oliveros, and Ann Hamilton marked a shift toward interdisciplinary projects and multimedia performance.
Core performers have included percussionists trained at institutions such as the Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, and Curtis Institute of Music, many of whom previously worked with ensembles like New Music Chicago and Alarm Will Sound. Key past and present musicians have collaborated with soloists and composers including Colin Stetson, Joan La Barbara, Nico Muhly, Caroline Shaw, and Michael Gordon. Administrative and creative staff have held affiliations with organizations such as New Music USA, New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall education programs, and residency hosts like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton University. Guest performers and frequent partners include members of the Metropolitan Opera, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and ensembles such as International Contemporary Ensemble and Kronos Quartet.
Their repertoire spans works by established composers and emerging voices, commissioning pieces from David Lang, Missy Mazzoli, Caroline Shaw, John Adams, and Phil Kline. They have performed canonical percussion repertoire by Steve Reich, Iannis Xenakis, Earle Brown, and Edgard Varèse alongside premieres by Terry Riley, Julia Wolfe, Michael Gordon, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, and Harrison Birtwistle. Cross-genre projects included collaborations with Mattheus Post, Tyondai Braxton, Kronos Quartet associates, and electronic artists linked to Warp Records and Ghostly International. Commission partners have included institutions such as American Composers Orchestra, Bang on a Can, Carnegie Hall, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
Sustained touring has taken them to venues and festivals including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Donaueschingen Festival, and the Edinburgh International Festival. International tours included engagements in Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia, often in co-presentation with organizations such as British Council, DAAD, and national broadcasting networks like the BBC and NPR. Collaborations for staged works involved choreographers and directors associated with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham alumni, and contemporary companies like Cloud Gate and Alonzo King LINES Ballet.
Recordings released on New Amsterdam Records, Cantaloupe Music, and Nonesuch Records feature works by David Lang, Missy Mazzoli, Steve Reich, and arrangements of pieces by Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt. Their discography has been covered by outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Pitchfork, BBC Music Magazine, and Gramophone. Media projects include film and video collaborations with artists associated with MOMA, Tate Modern, and contemporary filmmakers who have worked with institutions like the Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
Educational initiatives include residencies at the Juilliard School, workshops at the New England Conservatory, and community programs with organizations such as Young Audiences, Carnegie Hall Education, and city arts councils in New York City. Outreach partners and commissioned educational materials have been produced alongside National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, and university programs at Princeton University, Columbia University, and Yale University. Their engagement model mirrors programs by ensembles such as Bang on a Can All-Stars, Eighth Blackbird, and Spark.
Honors and recognition include awards and nominations from organizations such as the Pulitzer Prize committees (for collaborators), Grammy Awards nominations for associated recordings, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and fellowships from foundations like the Guggenheim Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation supporting partner artists. Critical acclaim has been noted in publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, and industry periodicals such as DownBeat and The Wire.
Category:American musical quartets Category:Percussion ensembles Category:Musical groups from New York City