ESCAPE

Find a sense of freedom in the present moment—through the sounds and visuals of ESCAPE. The latest album by Rubin Kodheli, the acclaimed cellist and composer described by Laurie Anderson as “an endless font of musical ideas,” asks audiences: What mechanisms do we rely on to rediscover and follow our path? Celebrated Tibetan artist, composer, and activist Tenzin Choegyal joins Kodheli onstage for a rare artistic collaboration of Eastern and Western traditions, leading the audience on an experiential pathway of deep sounds and words.

Rubin Kodheli, a cellist, composes music for modern dance, orchestras, and chamber ensembles and contributed compositions to the widely acclaimed film Precious (2009). Kodheli molds the cello to emulate the timbre of a guitar, drum, or human voice. His genre-defying compositions weave together threads of rock, jazz, and classical influences. Forging a distinctive presence in the New York scene over the past 20 years, Kodheli has shared the stage with many artists, including Philip Glass, Henry Threadgill, Meredith Monk, and Christian McBride. For the past few years, he has worked extensively with Laurie Anderson.

Tenzin Choegyal is a Tibetan artist, composer, activist, musical director, and cultural ambassador. Born to a family of Tibetan nomads, Tenzin Choegyal was forced into exile in India as his family fled the repression in Tibet. As a child, Tenzin listened to his mother singing in the nomadic style, and he attributes much of his passion for that genre to her early influence. Over the years, Tenzin has enjoyed a successful international career as a musician, playing at such prestigious events as WOMAD as well as several benefit concerts for Tibet House at Carnegie Hall in New York.