American composer/multi-instrumentalist John Zorn composed COBRA in 1984. The work, which has been performed regularly since, is elusive to describe. Commonly referred to as a “game piece”, it is at once a composition, a framework for performance and a set of rules that organize a group of musicians into a community of sound. What sets Zorn’s game pieces apart is the intensity and degree of freedom and choice given to all members of the ensemble. Rather than a conductor who dictates interpretation or a score/lead sheet that specifies the music to be played, COBRA is led by a “prompter” who facilitates communication within the community-ensemble. All musical choices are determined through an intricate and delicate democratic process undertaken by all the members of the ensemble.
Directed by Brian Marsella
Presented by the College of Performing Arts at The New School.
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