About
Spring Revolution is an annual two-week festival celebrating Stravinsky’s iconic work, The Rite of Spring, a defiant display of art that challenged elite society and caused a revolution. Spring Revolution continues this spirit by bucking the status quo and hosting profound performances that challenge the way we see the world.
This year, Spring Revolution celebrates the voice of multicultural women. For too long, stories in culture have been told overwhelmingly by a single voice. This spring we invite to the stage a multitude of voices to tell a new story and show that the amplification of female voices is no longer revolutionary—it is required. We ignore the female voice no longer.
Festival Pass
A Spring Revolution festival pass grants you 5 complimentary tickets that can be used across the entire Spring Revolution festival. Are you and 4 friends looking to hear Du Yun’s experimental punk band, OK Miss? Or are you looking to experience this festival solo, catching 5 extraordinary shows across 10 days? This festival pass is the best possible deal for both options.
Spring Revolution Events
Spring Revolution: Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Mar 10, 2016 - 7:00pm Brooklyn-based composer-bandleader Darcy James Argue and his innovative 18-piece big band Secret Society set will be 40-minute piece "Tensile Curves," which was was written in honor of, and performed at, Newport's 60th anniversary in 2014.
Spring Revolution: Revolutionary Songs Featuring Emel Mathlouthi and Jeffrey Zeigler
Mar 19th - 7:00pm Emel Mathlouthi presents a collection of the most virulent ones among songs from her first album, Kelmti Horra, written during the dictatorship years in Tunisia, calling for hope and Revolution, freedom and faith in truth and popular power.
Spring Revolution: Anthony Roth Costanzo Presents: Orphic Moments Day 1
Mar 23, 2016 - 7:00pm An immersive and interdisciplinary evening presented by National Sawdust and Manhattan School of Music, Orphic Moments is a pioneering collaboration that will be one of the largest performance events at National Sawdust to date. Conductor and composer Orphic Moment, a surreal banquet by Fitch and James Beard award-winning chef , and a full-scale presentation of C.W. Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice.
Spring Revolution: Anthony Roth Costanzo Presents: Orphic Moments Day 2
Mar 24, 2016 - 7:00pm An immersive and interdisciplinary evening presented by National Sawdust and Manhattan School of Music, Orphic Moments is a pioneering collaboration that will be one of the largest performance events at National Sawdust to date. Conductor and composer Orphic Moment, a surreal banquet by Fitch and James Beard award-winning chef , and a full-scale presentation of C.W. Gluck’s opera Orfeo ed Euridice.
Spring Revolution: PitchBlak Brass Band
Mar 30, 2016 - 9:00pm PitchBlak Brass Band uses the epic sounds of tubas, trombones, saxophones and other typically non-hip hop instruments in the spirit of The Roots and some of rap’s iconic live bands, to deliver an energy that samples, loops and breakbeats can’t always capture. Their blend of soundscapes and lyrical exuberance creates a grand adventure in listening, one that can hold the attention of music fans from across a fairly wide spectrum.
Spring Revolution: Amanda Gookin
March 1, 2017 - 7:00pm The Forward Music Project is driven by social justice for women. We musicians, now more than ever, have an incredible ability to effect change in our communities. The seven FMP composers were commissioned to write pieces based on their personal story or a particular issue that affects women and girls. The compositions are stylistically contrasting and represent the vast definition of what it means to be a woman, ranging from empowerment and issues of the LGBTQ+ community, to reproductive rights, and violence against women. A visceral experience, the composers require that she embodies the spirit of their message mentally, emotionally, and physically. In performance Amanda sings, chants, breathes, and sweats life into these works.
Town Hall Vol. 3
March 1, 2017 - 8:30pm This evening's TOWN HALL falls on the first day of National Sawdust's Spring Revolution and will share the Revolution's theme of Female Empowerment. Discussion will be guided by NS Creative and Executive Director, Paola Prestini; Elizabeth Cafferty, UN WOMEN; Amanda Gookin, CELLIST, and will be opened to the audience with the intention to spark action within the community.
Women in Music: A Tribute to Mercedes Sosa
March 2, 2017 - 7:00pm Magos Herrera brings together an international line up to celebrate the life and music of the iconic Latin American singer Mercedes Sosa.
Josh Green & The Cyborg Orchestra
March 2, 2017 - 10:00pm Josh Green & The Cyborg Orchestra will take on full-blooded human form for the live debut and release of their irreverent album, Telepathy & Bop — a quirky, colorful, approach to melding modern jazz and contemporary classical music.
Lost Spring
March 3, 2017 - 7:00pm One hundred years after the Armenian Genocide, a mother must explain this troubled history to her daughter. But how does one explain inhuman cruelty to innocence itself? Mixing theater, dance, and live music, and further brought to life by the visuals of artist Kevork Mourad, this multi-disciplinary creation is the poetic journey of a woman in quest of her history, in quest of meaning, in quest of a lost spring…
Doug Fitch’s Art Gallery Variety Show
March 3, 2017 - 10:00pm This being the first edition of Doug Fitch’s Art Gallery Variety Show, we begin in the bubble of comfort of our own little room – so nice to come home to – only to find certain outside influences more pernicious and pugnacious than one might have envisioned. The demons of disingenuity are swarming about, filling the void with fallacious authenticity and threatening our exceptionalist contentment. Following a story-esque through-line presented in songful vignettes and other musical vehicles, some of the city’s most talented performers and cultural barometers inhabit National Sawdust, offering uplift in this downful time.
Bridging the Gap III
March 5, 2017 - 7:00pm Featuring music by Philip Glass, Paola Prestini, and John Zorn.
ETHEL’s HomeBaked Round III
March 8, 2017 - 7:00pm The musically omnivorous string quartet ETHEL, whom The New York Times has described as “indefatigable and eclectic” and The New Yorker has deemed “vital and brilliant,” returns to National Sawdust to present the third chapter of ETHEL’s HomeBaked project. With its focus on emerging NYC-based composers, the project, which began in 2010, has already produced eight compositions, many of which have entered the quartet’s repertoire.
Opera on Tap and The Curiosity Cabinet Present: One Night of Excess
March 8, 2017 - 10:00pmOne Night of Excess is a sensual one-act opera that explores darkness, sexuality, sensuality, and their co-mingling. The work encourages the audience to abandon self-consciousness and explore their own role as voyeur for an evening of seduction and storytelling. This work marks the first collaboration between composers Whitney George and Daniel Felsenfeld - co-directors of The Curiosity Cabinet.
Vital Signs Screening
March 9th, 2017 - 7:00pm This is the premiere of Vital Signs - a documentary series about the future of classical music by director J.M. Harper (produced by Lonelyleap). Made over the last four years, it features artists like Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Greg Saunier (Deerhoof), Caroline Shaw, yMusic (The National, Bon Iver, St. Vincent), Son Lux, Nico Muhly, Andrew Norman, Missy Mazzoli, Timo Andres and many more.
Divinity Roxx
March 9, 2017 - 10:00pm With limited funds, a heart full of passion and an energy that exudes resilience, she auditioned for Beyoncé and was selected in her all female band and eventually became the assistant Musical Director. While touring and working with the super-star for over 5 years, Divinity appeared on countless television shows including: The Grammy’s, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America with personal highlights including a special performance at The White House for President Barack Obama.
A Mouth is Not for Talking: La voix humaine
March 10, 2017 - 7:00pm In this theatrical concert, Poulenc and Cocteau’s cautionary tale La voix humaine receives a reflective update when paired with world premiere songs from Forrest Pierce’s The Burning Harp, set to texts of Rumi. Soprano Laura Bohn and pianist Mila Henry’s dual conversation forces listeners to ask: in this age of technology, can we connect with others without losing ourselves?
Inn-fest: Innova Recordings Label Showcase
March 11, 2017 - 7:00pm Inn-fest is a two-act mini-festival curated by innova Recordings and showcasing an all-star cast of composers and performers fro its New York contingent. As the label of the Minnesota-based American Composers Forum, innova is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of new music. Since 1982, innova has produced an ever-growing catalog that currently stands at over 550 albums, and promotes a staggering array of idiosyncratic genres and voices. This micro-marathon will celebrate the variety and vision that is a hallmark of the award-winning label.
Inn-fest: Innova Recordings Label Showcase
March 11, 2017 - 10:00pm Inn-fest is a two-act mini-festival curated by innova Recordings and showcasing an all-star cast of composers and performers fro its New York contingent. As the label of the Minnesota-based American Composers Forum, innova is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of new music. Since 1982, innova has produced an ever-growing catalog that currently stands at over 550 albums, and promotes a staggering array of idiosyncratic genres and voices. This micro-marathon will celebrate the variety and vision that is a hallmark of the award-winning label.
Turquoise Lake, featuring Humayun Khan and Douglas J. Cuomo
March 12, 2017 - 4:00pm Humayun Khan and Douglas J. Cuomo have formed Turquoise Lake, an eight-piece ensemble of musicians from a variety of improvisational traditions to create music that blends the raga tradition of North India and Afghanistan, Farsi poetry of the great Sufi masters, and Afghan folk melodies and ghazals, with western jazz and rock styles.
Glass @ 80: Philip Glass & Foday Musa Suso with Jeffrey Zeigler
March 12, 2017 - 7:00pm Known for his hypnotic performances of traditional Kora (Harp/Lute) music, as well as his cutting edge musical encounters, Kora virtuoso Foday Musa Suso is a direct descendent of Jalimadi Wulen Suso, the inventor of the Kora.
Alternative Guitar Summit 2017: Guitars of Heaven, Guitars of Hell
March 15, 2017 - 7:00pmFounded and produced by Joel Harrison and Life Force Arts, The "Summit" is a yearly gathering of some of the most creative guitarists on earth.
Unremembered w/ The Knights
March 16, 2017 - 7:00pm Unremembered is an hour-long, thirteen-part song cycle for seven voices, chamber orchestra, and electronics by composer Sarah Kirkland Snider, inspired by poems and illustrations by writer and visual artist Nathaniel Bellows (W.W. Norton, HarperCollins).
Ted Hearne: New Songs
March 17, 2017 - 7:00pm Singer-composer Ted Hearne premieres an intimate and ecstatic collection of vocal music, accompanied by a band of longtime friends and new collaborators.
NS+ PUSSY RIOT THEATRE: Revolution
March 17, 2016 - 10:00pm Pussy Riot presents its new music-theater project, PUSSY RIOT THEATRE. They will perform the East Coast premiere of a new piece, “Revolution”, based on the book of Maria Alyokhina – one of the leaders of Pussy Riot. This is Maria’s personal story of Pussy Riot, including their legendary protest punk actions in balaclavas, hiding from police, their arrest, time in a Moscow jail and police investigation, trial and sentencing to a remote penal colony. The roster of performers will include Maria Alyokhina herself, Kiryl Kanstantsinau, AWOTT (Asian Women On The Telephone) psycho-punk music duo, and VJ Vasily Bogatov. The hour-long piece about protest art and political activism in a hostile state will be directed by Yury Muravitsky and produced by Alexander Cheparukhin, with video footage by Taisia Krugovykh and video art by Katya Sсheglova. The NS+ evening will end with a conversation with members of the creative team.
Timo Andres Presents: Work Songs
March 18, 2017 - 7:00pm "Inspired by old American parlor songs, I've written a set of “Work Songs” on the general subject of artists writing about their work." -Timo Andres
Persian Arts Festival Presents: Zahhak, The Legend Of The Serpent King
March 19, 2017 - 10:00am A Persian folk tale from the Shahnahmeh or Book of Kings brought to life through live music, narration and shadow puppets by Hamid Rahmanian, the creator of the critically acclaimed masterpiece, “Feathers of Fire”.
Persian Arts Festival Presents: Zahhak, The Legend Of The Serpent King
March 19, 2017 - 12:00pm A Persian folk tale from the Shahnahmeh or Book of Kings brought to life through live music, narration and shadow puppets by Hamid Rahmanian, the creator of the critically acclaimed masterpiece, “Feathers of Fire”.
Persian Arts Festival: 11th Annual Nowruz Celebration
March 19, 2017 - 4:00pm The Persian Arts Festival celebrates 11 years of a showcasing the work of hundreds of Iranian American artists from around the world. The 11th Annual Persian Arts Festival will feature multiple art forms including short films curated by west coast’s Noor Iranian Film Festival, family-friendly performances of Fictionville Studio’s shadow puppet masterpiece, “Zahhak, The Legend of the Serpent King”, a panel discussion featuring Iranian American filmmakers and scholars, Persian fusion cuisine by Rider restaurant’s critically acclaimed chef, Patrick Connolly, and music by Persian tar virtuoso Sahba Motallebi accompanied by Nagmeh Farahmand.
Nils Økland Band
March 21, 2017 - 7:00pm Hard on the heels of his critically-lauded – and distortion-saturated – collaboration with rock players in Lumen Drones comes the next fine album from Norway’s Hardanger fiddle master. His new band makes a quieter but richly creative musical proposal. All the musicians are well-known in diverse contexts.
Bora Yoon + Armen Ra
March 21, 2017 - 10pm Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Bora Yoon Collaborates with theremin virtuoso Armen Ra for a unique and mesmerizing live performance. The evening will feature mesmerizing visuals and music inspired by cultures from around the world and beyond.
Bluegrass Situation: Michael Daves Plays Orchids and Violence
March 23, 2017 - 7:00pm The Bluegrass Situation is thrilled to partner with National Sawdust for a series of intimate performances featuring some of today's best modern roots acts. The first concert in this series will feature Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer Michael Daves.
Spring Revolution: Jog Blues w/ Jonathan Rose and Jeffrey Zeigler
March 24, 2017 - 7:00pm Jog Blues brings together Jazz, Blues and Indian Classical music in a 21st century mix, ranging from deep introspection to joyous romps
Sxip Shirey presents: Trevor Wishart
March 25, 2017 - 6:30pm Encounters is an 8-channel sound-surround piece based on speaking voices recorded in the North East of England where Trevor Wishart was A.C.E. Composer-in-Residence from October 1st, 2006 to September 2009, based at the University of Durham. The piece is constructed in 4 Acts of approximately 20 minutes each, combining portraits of individual speakers (accompanied by sounds and imaginary instruments derived from the voices themselves) with computer animation of the entire community of voices - speech that waltzes, speech that locks in harmony, clouds of speech that circle the audience, culminating with speech that transforms into song. The piece was finally completed on January 1st 2011.
National Sawdust Percussion Festival
April 1, 2017 - 2:00pm The National Sawdust Percussion Festival draws together all groups and genres within the percussion community to give artists a platform to share their latest work and hear works of other trailblazers in the field.
Helga Davis: My Favorite Things Night 1
April 5, 2017 - 10:00pm National Sawdust Artist in Residence Helga Davis returns with a barrage of incredible artists of all mediums showcasing all of Davis’ Favorite Things, culminating in an fantastical dance party with DJ Richard Baretto.
Helga Davis: My Favorite Things Night 2
April 6, 2017 - 10:00pm National Sawdust Artist in Residence Helga Davis returns with a barrage of incredible artists of all mediums showcasing all of Davis’ Favorite Things, culminating in an fantastical dance party with DJ Richard Baretto.
The Revolution Vol. 14
April 22, 2017 - 10:00pm THE REVOLUTION is an emerging performance series, highlighting Brooklyn & Harlem based artists and musicians that not only represent the core of independent pop culture in 2017 but who currently stand in the breeding ground of evolution within their genre. This edition of The Revolution will feature: Katy Lueck, Elle Winston, & Emily Elbert.
Spring Revolution: L’Rain with Nancy Feast
March 2nd, 2018 - 7pm L'Rain, hailed by the New York Times as a “one-woman studio band” and by Tiny Mix Tape as “the best moments of Stereolab or Frank Ocean’s ‘Endless,’” performs a set of spiritual music exploring the complexity of grief and the audacity of joy.
Spring Revolution: Songlines for a New World : The Sky Above the Roof
March 3rd, 2018 - 7pm Recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey presents "The Sky Above the Roof,” an airy evening of poetic contemplation, using film and music to celebrate Australia’s mother earth.
Spring Revolution: Songlines for a New World – “Where the Sky Meets the Earth”
March 3rd, 2018 - 10pm Emily Wurramara performs with her band, and is accompanied by guest artist Saraima Navara, a Brisbane-based singer who also performs guitar and hand percussion.
Spring Revolution: REFUGEES ORCHESTRA PROJECT
March 4, 2018 - 4:00pm Incorporating themes from their recent video project with Papel&Caneta, Refugee Orchestra Project UNITES by bringing together refugee and non-refugee musicians in a multimedia performance.
Spring Revolution: Saint Sister
March 7th, 2018 - 7pm The electro-folk duo comes to the US for a rare concert after a 2017 year filled with sold-out performances across the pond.
Spring Revolution: CuCu Diamantes – Sins of Picasso
March 8th, 2018 - 7pm The Sins of Picasso is a hybrid of music, performance art, cabaret and theater centered around 8-10 music themes written by CuCu Diamantes and performed in collaboration with musicians and artists, led by musical director Alain Perez, to express the vitality of Latin-American and Caribbean-American culture.
Spring Revolution: Gamelan Dharma Swara
March 9th, 2018 - 7pm The 25-person ensemble will present an evening of works spanning 500 years, exploring the many facets of the Balinese performing arts.
Spring Revolution: Du Yun + Ok Miss
March 9th, 2018 - 10pm Pulitzer Prize winning composer and “indie pop diva” Du Yun (New York Times) takes the stage with OK Miss, her own experimental band, who will debut a slew of new material.
Spring Revolution: The Shanghai You Don’t Know
March 10th, 2018 - 6pm This event offers a powerful glimpse into Shanghai, and the art created in one of the most vibrant cities in the world with a screening of the documentary Lotus Ferry and more.
Spring Revolution: Two Cellists
March 10th, 2018 - 10pm This performance features works by seminal composer Isang Yun (1917 - 1955), to be performed by two cellists in collaboration with Bhutanese musicians.
Spring Revolution: Pauchi Sasaki and Claire Chase
March 11th, 2018 - 3pm The duo will perform a variety of deeply haunting works that draw on their decades of expertise and experience, using acoustic instruments, vocals, electronic instruments, and eclectic items like Sasaki’s trademark worn speaker dress.
Spring Revolution: Aakash Mittal’s Awaz Trio
March 11th, 2018 - 7:30pm The Awaz Trio sculpts sonic landscapes, pointillistic textures, and angular melodies from Indian and American improvised music. The trio has performed across the Northeast, New York, Denver, and Kolkata, India.
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