Terry Riley; Samuel Clay Birmaher - The Holy Liftoff (Claire Chase; JACK Quartet)

Information

Composer: Terry Riley; Samuel Clay Birmaher

1. The Holy Liftoff Chorale
2. Chorale March
3. Hymn
4. Chorale March 2
5. Lift Off Harmony
6. Pastorale
7. Parked Between Two Clouds
8. Chorale 2 (cameo)
9. Pastorale Hymn
10. C Major Ishi
11. Interlude
12. E-flat minor Ishi
13. Ishi Dream
14. Pastorale Hymn (Reprise)
15. Flying Snakes
16. The Realm of the Silver Balloons
17. The Tragedy of What We Lost
18. Angels in the Snooker Parlor
19. Horizon Streakers Rag
20. All Arise
21. Pulsing Liftors
22. Escape

Claire Chase, flutes

JACK Quartet

    Christopher Otto, violin

    Austin Wulliman, violin

    John Pickford Richards, viola

    Jay Campbell, cello

Date: 2026

Label: Sono Luminus

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The Holy Liftoff (2024) is the eleventh installment of Claire Chase’s acclaimed 24-year Density 2036 project, a comprehensive initiative dedicated to expanding the flute repertory by the centenary of Edgard Varèse’s Density 21.5. Conceived by Terry Riley in 2022 as an open score sketchbook, the piece evolved over two years into a multidimensional work blending graphic notation, evocative artwork, and open-form scoring. Samuel Clay Birmaher’s 60-minute realization, developed in collaboration with Riley and the performers, is scored for multiple flutes and a string quartet, offering a freely interpretable, surrealistic musical experience tailored specifically for Chase.

Claire Chase (born 1978) is an acclaimed flutist, interdisciplinary artist, and educator recognized as a pioneer in contemporary music. The first flutist to receive a MacArthur Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize, she has premiered hundreds of new works and performed with major global orchestras. In 2013, she launched Density 2036, a landmark 24-year commissioning project designed to revitalize the flute literature. Chase co-founded the International Contemporary Ensemble and serves as a Professor of the Practice at Harvard University and a Creative Associate at Juilliard. Her extensive discography and diverse educational initiatives reflect a lifelong commitment to cultural advocacy and collaborative arts.

The JACK Quartet is a premier, award-winning contemporary string quartet dedicated to expanding the 20th and 21st-century repertoire. Operating as a non-profit organization, the ensemble has earned numerous prestigious accolades, including an Avery Fisher Career Grant and multiple "Ensemble of the Year" awards. The group maintains an extensive international touring schedule, performing at leading global venues and major festivals. Through close collaborations with both established and emerging composers via their JACK Studio initiative, the quartet has built a prolific, GRAMMY®-nominated recording catalog. Based in New York City, they serve as the Quartet-in-Residence at the Mannes School of Music, fostering the next generation of artists through widespread academic and festival mentorships.

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