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Press Releases
First Single Out Today! Third Coast Percussion in Glass: Aguas da Amazonia Album Plus National Tour with Twyla Tharp Dance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katy Salomon | Primo Artists | VP, Public Relations
katy@primoartists.com | 646.801.9406
Glass: Aguas da Amazonia, and Embarks on
National Tour to Celebrate Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee
Part of Third Coast Percussion’s 20th Anniversary Season,
Tour Celebrates Iconic Choreographer Twyla Tharp’s 60 Years in Dance
Album and Tour Feature New Arrangement of Philip Glass’s
Aguas da Amazonia, with Guest Performances by Flutist Constance Volk
First Single “Aguas da Amazonia: Negro River” Out Today!
Full Album Out January 10, 2025 on Rockwell Records
Physical Copies Available Upon Request
Tour Dates:
January 26, 2025: Minneapolis, MN
January 29, 2025: Iowa City, IA
February 1-2, 2025: Detroit, MI
February 7-9, 2025: Berkeley, CA
February 11, 2025: Santa Barbara, CA
February 15-16, 2025: Costa Mesa, CA
March 12-16, 2025: New York, NY
March 26-29, 2025: Washington D.C.
April 5, 2025: Richmond, VA
April 10 & 12, 2025: Chicago, IL
Video: Hear the Story Behind Behind the Project
Click Here to Explore TCP’s 20th Anniversary Microsite
“Virtuosity and deft, precisely timed wit” – The Washington Post
Chicago, IL (November 1, 2024) – GRAMMY® Award-winning percussion quartet Third Coast Percussion (TCP) is out today with the first single, “Aguas da Amazonia: Negro River,” from their upcoming album capturing TCP’s new arrangement of Philip Glass’s Aguas da Amazonia. The full album, Glass: Aguas da Amazonia, will be released on Rockwell Records on Friday, January 10, 2025. Beginning Sunday, January 26, 2025, TCP will perform the same arrangement on a collaborative tour with flutist Constance Volk and Twyla Tharp Dance, pairing this new arrangement of Glass’s popular work with a dance choreographed by Tharp. The Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee tour celebrates Tharp’s iconic 60 years in choreography. TCP also celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025. In a video featuring Volk and members of Third Coast Percussion, the artists describe how the project came about.
“We have been fortunate to work with Glass and his music a number of times over the years,” said TCP artist and Executive Director David Skidmore. “Creating this new arrangement of Aguas in close collaboration with Twyla has been a dream come true. We’ve learned so much from the creativity and vision she brings to her work.”
In the upcoming album, TCP brings its own style and instrumentation to Aguas da Amazonia, building on the work of the composer and previous interpreters of the music. Composed as a suite of nine pieces named for rivers in South America’s Amazon Basin, the work was commissioned from Glass by Brazilian dance company Grupo Corpo in the 1990s. In the first commercial recording of the work, Brazilian ensemble Uakti reorchestrated Glass’s original piano composition for its own unique collection of custom instruments, providing inspiration for TCP’s later arrangement. “We felt that these arrangements, made by Uakti’s founder Marco Antônio Guimarães, made a very compelling case for adapting Glass’s music to different instrumentations,” TCP wrote in its album notes. “Uakti’s unique sonic palette shone through very clearly on these recordings, without obscuring Glass’s musical identity in the process.” TCP went on to create its own arrangement for percussion instruments, recording four pieces from the suite on its 2018 album Paddle to the Sea. The remaining pieces were later arranged for live performances worldwide. In 2023, TCP further revised its version of Aguas da Amazonia into a bespoke arrangement for Twyla Tharp Dance, featuring such instruments as a marimba made of glass and another made of red oak planks, a set of chromatically tuned PVC pipes, a sun drum (tunable tongue drum), synthesizers and a djembe. Flute solos written and performed by Volk also feature prominently in these performances.
“All of this has taken our ensemble into new artistic territory,” TCP stated, “but has also brought us back to our classical music roots: viewing ourselves as the next step in an evolving performance practice of music that different artists before us have put their stamp on; music which we expect others in the future to make their own as well.”
TCP’s collaboration with Twyla Tharp Dance represents one of several ambitious projects timed for the ensemble’s 20th anniversary season, which brings them into collaboration with leading musicians, choreographers and composers from around the world. Among their season highlights are tours with tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain and composer/violinist Jessie Montgomery, and premieres of new commissioned works from Tigran Hamasyan and Jlin, as well as Montgomery. A “TCP 20th” microsite is available at tcp20.thirdcoastpercussion.com with more information on the ensemble’s history and milestone engagements.
The premiere performance of Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee will be held on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at the University of Minnesota’s Northrop Auditorium (Minneapolis), before touring to the University of Iowa on January 29, 2025; Detroit Opera on February 1 and 2, 2025; Cal Performances at University of California, Berkeley on February 7, 8 and 9, 2025; University of California, Santa Barbara on February 11, 2025; Segerstrom Center for the Arts (Costa Mesa, CA) on February 15 and 16, 2025; the New York City Center, from March 12 to March 16, 2025; The Kennedy Center, from March 26 to 29, 2025; the Modlin Center for the Arts on April 5, 2025; and Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago on April 10 and 12, 2025.
The Diamond Jubilee program also includes Tharp’s Olivier-nominated Diabelli Variations, set to Beethoven’s masterpiece of the same name. Weaving together elegant humor, vibrant energy and technical prowess, the choreography shifts effortlessly from ballet to jazz and modern styles, with elements of social and street dance. The first and only choreographer to take on this intensely demanding and exceptionally complex work, Tharp powerfully channels the composer’s sparkling wit and layered genius into the medium of dance.
Aguas da Amazonia Tracklist
1. Amazon River [3:52]
2. Purus River [4:53]
3. Tapajós River [2:02]
4. Japurá River [4:37]
5. Negro River [2:51]
6. Tiquiê River [1:43]
7. Madeira River, Part I [3:58]
8. Xingu River [4:41]
9. Paru River [2:35]
10. Madeira River, Part II [4:50]
Total Time: 36:02
Performers
Third Coast Percussion: Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, David Skidmore
Constance Volk, flute
Producer: Colin Campbell
Session Engineer: Taylor Hales
Editing and Mixing: Colin Campbell, Taylor Hales
Mastering Engineer: Joe Lambert
Recorded August 20-22, 2024 at Electrical Audio
Artwork © 2024 Constance Volk
Graphic Design, Bark Design, Chicago
Liner Notes: Robert Dillon and David Skidmore
Publishers © Dunvagen Music Publishers, Inc.
Used by permission. (ASCAP)
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee Tour Dates
Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 3:00pm
Northrop Presents Twyla Tharp Dance Diamond Jubilee featuring TCP
Carlson Family Stage | Minneapolis, MN
Link: www.northrop.umn.edu/events/twyla-tharp-dance-diamond-jubilee-2025
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 7:30pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee Featuring TCP
Hancher Auditorium / Hadley Stage, University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA
Link: hancher.uiowa.edu/2024-25/twyla-tharp
Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 2:30pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee featuring TCP
Detroit Opera | Detroit, MI
Link: https://detroitopera.org/season-tickets/season-subscriptions/
Friday, February 7, 2025 at 8:00pm
Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 8:00pm
Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 3:00pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee featuring TCP
Zellerbach Hall | Berkeley, CA
Link: https://calperformances.org/events/2024-25/percussion/twyla-tharp-dance-diamond-jubilee-featuring-third-coast-percussion/
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at 7:30pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee Featuring TCP
The Granada Theatre, University of California | Santa Barbara, CA
Link: artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/events-tickets/events/24-25/twyla-tharp-dance/
Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 1:00pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee Featuring TCP
Segerstrom Center for the Arts | Costa Mesa, CA
Link: www.scfta.org/events/2025/twyla-tharp-60th-anniversary
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 7:30pm
Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:30pm
Friday, March 14, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 2:00pm
Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 7:30pm
Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 2:00pm
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee Featuring TCP
New York City Center (Mainstage) | New York, NY
Link: www.nycitycenter.org/calendar/
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 8:00pm
Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 8:00pm
Friday, March 28, 2025 at 8:00pm
Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 2:00pm
Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 8:00pm
The Kennedy Center presents Twyla Tharp Dance Diamond Jubilee featuring TCP
Eisenhower Theater | Washington D.C
Link: www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/dance/2024-2025/twyla-tharp-dance/
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee featuring TCP
Modlin Center for the Arts | Richmond, VA
Link: https://modlin.richmond.edu/events/page.html?eventid=22754&informationid=casData
Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 7:30pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 2:00pm
Twyla Tharp Dance 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee
Harris Theater for Music and Dance | Chicago, IL
Link: www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/twyla-tharp-dance
More About Third Coast Percussion
With nearly two decades of exciting and unexpected performances to its name, Chicago-based percussion quartet Third Coast Percussion (TCP) is the first percussion ensemble to win a GRAMMY® Award. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, Third Coast recasts the classical musical experience with a brilliantly varied sonic palette, crafting music to “push percussion in new directions, blurring musical boundaries and beguiling new listeners” (NPR). In its latest of seven total GRAMMY® nominations, TCP’s 2023 album Between Breaths was nominated under Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance in the 2024 GRAMMY® Awards.
Highly collaborative in its commissioning process, TCP has commissioned and premiered new works from Augusta Read Thomas, Philip Glass, Missy Mazzoli, Jlin, Clarice Assad, Gemma Peacocke, Flutronix, Danny Elfman, Tyondai Braxton, Augusta Read Thomas, Devonté Hynes, Georg Friedrich Haas, Donnacha Dennehy, Glenn Kotche, Christopher Cerrone, and David T. Little, plus numerous up-and-coming composers through their Currents Creative Partnership program. Jlin’s Perspective, a TCP commission, was a 2023 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Besides putting its stamp on works by John Cage and Steve Reich, the quartet has created first recordings of commissioned works by Philip Glass, Augusta Read Thomas, Devonté Hynes, Danny Elfman, Gavin Bryars, Donnacha Dennehy, David T. Little and Ted Hearne – in addition to original Third Coast compositions. The ensemble won their GRAMMY® (Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance) for their recording of Steve Reich’s works for percussion. They have received five additional GRAMMY® nominations as performers, plus a 2021 nomination as composers.
Passionate about connecting with its audience, Third Coast has been praised for “an inspirational sense of fun and curiosity” (Minnesota Star-Tribune). The ensemble has toured widely across the U.S. and four continents. Its four members are also accomplished teachers who have developed a wealth of K-12 workshops and family programming, plus educational partnerships benefiting thousands of Chicago students.
Third Coast has produced exciting new art through unlikely collaborations with engineers at the University of Notre Dame, architects at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, dancers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and musicians of all genres. The quartet has served as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (2013-2018) and Denison University (current).
With strong ties throughout Chicago, Third Coast has collaborated with such institutions as Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the Uniting Voices Chicago choir, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Humanities Festival, Adler Planetarium, the University of Chicago and numerous Chicago-based composers.
The four members of Third Coast Percussion (Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin and David Skidmore) met while studying percussion at Northwestern University and formed the ensemble in 2005. TCP has since been certified as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization in support of their vision. Members of Third Coast also hold degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Rutgers University, the New England Conservatory and the Yale School of Music.
Follow Third Coast on Instagram (@ThirdCoastPercussion), YouTube (@thirdcoastpercussion), TikTok (@thirdcoastpercussion), Twitter (@ThirdCoastPerc), Facebook (@Third Coast Percussion), and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/third-coast-percussion)
About Twyla Tharp
Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Twyla Tharp has choreographed more than 160 works: 129 dances, 12 television specials, six Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines. She has received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, 19 honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
In 1965, Tharp founded her dance company, Twyla Tharp Dance. Her dances are known for creativity, wit and technical precision coupled with a streetwise nonchalance. By combining different forms of movement – such as jazz, ballet, boxing and inventions of her own making – Tharp’s work expands the boundaries of ballet and modern dance.
In addition to choreographing for her own company, she has created dances for The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Martha Graham Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Today, ballet and dance companies around the world continue to perform her works.
Tharp's work first appeared on Broadway in 1980 with When We Were Very Young, followed by her collaboration with musician David Byrne on The Catherine Wheel and later Singin’ in the Rain. 2002 brought the dance musical Movin’ Out, set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel. Tharp later worked with Bob Dylan’s music and lyrics in The Times They Are A-changin’ and Come Fly Away, set to songs sung by Frank Sinatra.
In film, Tharp has collaborated with director Milos Forman on Hair, Ragtime and Amadeus. She has also worked with Taylor Hackford on White Nights and with James Brooks on I’ll Do Anything.
Her television credits include choreographing Sue’s Leg for the inaugural episode of PBS's Dance in AMerica in 1976, co-producing and directing Making Television Dance and directing The Catherine Wheel for BBC Television. Tharp co-directed the television special Baryshnikov by Tharp.
In 1992, Tharp published her autobiography Push Comes to Shove. She went on to write The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, followed by The Collaborative Habit: Life Lessons for Working Together. 2019 brought the publication of her fourth book, Keep It Moving: Lessons for the Rest of Your Life. Today, Tharp continues to create.
*Photo Credits: Album cover art by Constance Volk, Third Coast Percussion with Constance Volk and Twyla Tharp by Martine Severin.
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