Category: Upcoming Shows

Albany Symphony subgroup Dogs of Desire announces their “Hot, w/Mustard,” 10 week series featuring 10 emerging composers. The series will start on August 2 and run through October 4 and the series will be available on the Albany Symphony’s website.

The Dogs of Desire are made up of 18-members of Albany Symphony and will feature genre-bending new music. The emerging composers highlighted are: Alexis Lamb, Carlos Bandera, Annika Socolofsky, Andre Myers, Nina Shekhar, Jack Frerer, Clarice Assad, Gala Flagello, Paul Mortilla, and Derrick Spiva. The works of “Hot, w/Mustard” will cover a wide range of subjects, including an anthem paying tribute to nurses on the front-lines, Thoreau’s thoughts about the miracle of seeing the world through another person’s eyes;,the hope embodied in Dolly Parton’s music, bedtime stories,  and a feminist look at Dear Abby. 

Artistic Director David Alan Miller explained the reasoning behind the creation of the “Hot, w/Mustard,” series saying,  “During difficult times, music is a source of inspiration, hope and comfort. We asked some of our favorite composers to create works to showcase the uniqueness of Dogs of Desire during a summer in which it is much more difficult than usual for listeners to experience exciting new art. We hope this new series will provide both our ardent fans and those who have never heard the Dogs [of Desire] the chance to enjoy our brilliant ensemble in all its glory through the rest of the summer. So, we hope you’ll kick back, relax and enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience each Sunday.” 

The series will start up on August second featuring  Alexis Lamb on “Look Through” inspired by a quote from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. On August 9th the series will host Carlos Bandera with The Vast Hour. On August 16  will host Annika Socolofsky with an arrangement of Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” On August 23 Andre Myers  will step up to the plate with “Pulp Anthem: Reflected Glory” which is an anthem for nurses. On August 30 Nina Shekhar will present “Dear Abby” focusing on the 1956, Dear Abby is a newspaper column in which readers ask for advice on a variety of topics, including etiquette, relationships, sex, health, and career guidance. On September 6 Jack Frerer will be featured with “Getting Better.” On September 13 Clarice Assad will feature “Treta.”

 On September 20 Gala Flagello will present “Persist” after a poem Flagello wrote earlier this year. On September 27 Mortilla will present “Transmuting Ether // Quarantine-Dreams.” And on October 4 Derrick Spiva will wrap up the series with “From Embers” mimicus ideas of meditation, beginning small, then growing and unfolding with compound meters, mimicking the uneven beats of a pumping heart.

The series will be available on Albany Symphony’s website and on Albany Symphony social media channels. Each new work will be unveiled on Sunday. There will also be features, including interviews with the performers and composers and festive menu ideas, accompanying each release. 

For more information visit Albany Symphony’s website.

Watch the first performance in the series by composer Alexis Lamb below.