Oliver Beer: Vessel Orchestra

World Premiere

Vessel Orchestra is the first sound-based installation commissioned by The Met. Hybrid by design, it is a musical instrument, a series of live performances, and an installation composed of thirty-two sculptures, utilitarian vessels, and decorative objects from the Museum collection. Selected for their natural pitches, which range from low C to high G on the chromatic musical scale, they form an arresting and unexpectedly versatile instrument, similar to an organ with multiple pipes.

The Vessel Orchestra has two distinct modes. During Museum hours, a pre-programmed audio interface will play a new composition written by Beer, activating the vessels in real time—"player piano-style." On Friday evenings, the exhibition will feature a diverse group of guest artists who will perform new compositions and improvisations on this radical musical instrument in a series of intimate concerts. All performances on Friday evenings. Set times to be announced. Schedule below is subject to change.

Friday, July 5
6:30–8:30 pm
Ekmeles with Bruce Brubaker
Charlotte Mundy, soprano
Amber Evans, soprano
Jeffrey Gavett, baritone
Steven Hrycelak, bass
Music by John Cage, Alvin Lucier, Philip Glass, and early medieval monophony

Friday, July 12
6:30–8:30 pm
Mashrou Leila (Firas Abou Fakher, Hamed Sinno, Haig Papazian, Carl Gerges) with Rabih Alameddine

Friday, July 19
6–8:30 pm
Helga Davis and Ted Cruz
Matana Roberts with Darius Jones

Friday, July 26
6:30–8:30 pm
Brooklyn Raga Massive (Roopa Mahadevan, Trina Basu, Amali Premawardhana, Roshni Samlal)

Friday, August 2
6:30–7:15 pm and 7:45–8:30 pm
Nico Muhly and friends

Friday, August 9
Performances at 6 pm, 7 pm, and 8 pm
John Zorn with Sara Serpa, Sae Hashimoto, Kenny Wollesen, Ikue Mori, and Michael Nicolas

Performances are free with Museum admission.

Strictly limited capacity; first come, first served. Line will begin at 4:30 pm in The Met Breuer Lobby. No further admittance once maximum capacity is reached.

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Oliver Beer: Vessel Orchestra.

This performance installation is made possible in part by Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky.

Related programs are made possible by Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac.