A festive group of Fellows, Affiliated Fellows, Residents, Trustees, and Academy friends reunited recently for an annual tradition—the 2015 AAR Cabaret. Hosted in the Sky Room of the New Museum, the venue’s floor-to-ceiling walls of windows offered expansive views of the glittering New York skyline and served as a perfect backdrop for socializing and the evening’s performances.
The evening began with a cocktail reception, where old friends reconnected, while meeting and mingling with new friends. Mary Margaret Jones (1998 Fellow), Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Academy President Mark Robbins (1997 Fellow), opened the Cabaret by welcoming everyone, with a special greeting to returning 2015 Fellows, as well as a thank you to the benefactors of the evening, Cynthia and Ronald Beck.
The performance program was curated by the composer David Lang (1991 Fellow), who is the cofounder and artistic director of Bang on a Can and an AAR Trustee. Guests were treated to three high-energy performances. First, the Czech songstress Iva Bittová blended her crystal clear voice and her folk-inspired violin playing into a single powerful metainstrument for an entrancing piece titled “Sound from the Nest.” She was followed by acclaimed composer Andy Akiho (2015 Fellow), who displayed his virtuosic steel-pan skills on his self-written piece “21,” accompanied by the cellist Mariel Roberts. The program ended with an electrifying performance of Steve Reich’s 1971 masterpiece “Drumming Part 1” by Mantra Percussion.