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10 meditations in an emergency

Performed at The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church, 6/5/2019

10 meditations in an emergency is a piece of music for cello, voice, and recorded sound that doubles as a series of meditation exercises for living through modernity’s ongoing emergencies. Beginning with a series of textual shards from Frank O’Hara’s 1957 Meditations in an Emergency (“in times of crisis we must all decide again and again whom we love,” “everything is turbulent and green,” “the open flesh of the world,” “I could never be a boy,” “once you are helpless you are free”), the piece submerges O’Hara’s text in morphing sonic environments in an attempt to pay attention to what O’Hara’s ghost might have to offer us in the present.

Filmed by Amelia Golden

Excerpt from Damned if You Duet with Morgan Bassichis

Excerpt from “Damned If You Duet,” Morgan Bassichis & Ethan Philbrick, The Kitchen (11/1/18). Improvisation and cover of “Power of Two,” Indigo Girls (1994).

Klezmer for Beginners at Abrons Arts Center

Excerpts from Morgan Bassichis & Ethan Philbrick “Klezmer for Beginners,” April 13, 2019, Abrons Arts Center, NYC. Featuring Morgan Bassichis (voice), Eva Boodman (trumpet), Christina Crowder (accordion), Debra Kreisberg (clarinet), Ethan Philbrick (cello). Video by Amelia Golden.

10 meditations in an emergency at the poetry project

10 meditations in an emergency is a piece of music for cello, voice, and recorded sound that doubles as a series of meditation exercises for living through modernity’s ongoing emergencies. Beginning with a series of textual shards from Frank O’Hara’s 1957 Meditations in an Emergency (“in times of crisis we must all decide again and again whom we love,” “everything is turbulent and green,” “the open flesh of the world,” “I could never be a boy,” “once you are helpless you are free”), the piece submerges O’Hara’s text in morphing sonic environments in an attempt to pay attention to what O’Hara’s ghost might have to offer us in the present.

For tickets: https://www.poetryproject.org/events/10-meditations-in-an-emergency-ethan-philbrick/

Klezmer for Beginners with Morgan Bassichis at Abrons Arts Center

Three nights of highly relatable stories set to infectious Klezmer music to the Playhouse at Abrons Arts Center. In Bassichis’ own words, “What I lack in hard skills I more than make up for in catchy melodies and wacky twists.” Featuring klezmer luminaries Eva Boodman on trumpet, Christina Crowder on accordion, and Debra Kreisberg on clarinet. Each night will include special visitations from legends in the New York klezmer scene–Jenny Romaine (April 11), Alicia Svigals (April 12), and Eve Sicular (April 13).

Use promo code KLEZ15 for discount tickets: https://www.abronsartscenter.org/program/world-premiere-morgan-bassichis-klezmer-for-beginners/

Music at the eye’s level at MAD

Arts Writers Grant Writing Workshop

I’ve been selected to participate in the 2018 Creative Capital | Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program Writing Workshop

https://www.artswriters.org/grant/writing_workshop/2018_493

Huddling in TDR

An article of mine on the choreographer Simone Forti and huddling as a political metaphor and practice has been published in TDR’s 2018 Winter Issue:

https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/dram_a_00811

Choral Marx in The Nation

https://www.thenation.com/article/communist-manifesto-choral-marx/

Choral Marx // NYU Skirball // 28 October 2018

Photos by Ian Douglas