Nationally recognized chamber-music orchestra Alarm Will Sound will present an evening of groundbreaking contemporary classical music in Columbia on January 21, 2025, featuring works by composers Oscar Bettison, Brittany J. Green, and Nnux, whose bold and imaginative creations redefine the boundaries of contemporary music. Titled New Voices, New Perspectives and presented by the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI), the 7:30 pm concert at the Sinquefield Music Center will bring together diverse voices and perspectives, offering powerful meditations on identity, memory, and humanity’s shared experiences.
Alarm Will Sound’s performances have been described as “equal parts exuberance, nonchalance, and virtuosity” by the Financial Times and as “a triumph of ensemble playing” by the San Francisco Chronicle. The New York Times said that Alarm Will Sound is “one of the most vital and original ensembles on the American music scene.”
The concert is part of Alarm will Sound’s January residency at MNMI, January 14-21, 2025, and will feature its full 20-member ensemble, including MNMI Artistic Director and University of Missouri Professor of Composition Stefan Freund on cello. Composers Bettison,
Green and Nnux will be in attendance.
Oscar Bettison
Known for his “formidable imagination and originality” (The New York Times), Oscar Bettison crafts music that pushes the limits of sound and storytelling. His work often blurs the lines between classical, experimental, and popular music, delivering an electrifying and visceral experience.
Brittany J. Green
A recipient of the Alarm Will Sound Matt Marks Impact Fund, Brittany J. Green presents Glitch, a provocative exploration of power, censorship, and invisible systems of control. This immersive work examines the ways technology and identity intersect, blurring the lines
between consent, control, and coercion while challenging the listener to confront the unseen forces shaping our lives.
Nnux
Mexico City–based composer and producer Ana López-Reyes, known as Nnux, will premiere Nébula, a stunning multimedia work that examines the interplay between science and myth. Drawing on creation myths from diverse cultures and scientific knowledge about the
formation of planets and stars, Nébula weaves a narrative that explores cyclic transformations: creation, destruction, and reconstruction. This deeply imaginative piece invites the audience to reflect on the connections between ancient stories and modern discoveries, revealing the timeless patterns that shape our understanding of the universe.
The concert will be presented at the Sinquefield Music Center, 1101 University Ave., Columbia, and is free and open to the public.
In addition to the public concert, Alarm Will Sound will be in residence at Mizzou for a week, during which they will rehearse and record in the Sinquefield Music Center’s facilities.
MNMI is a diverse array of programs that position the University of Missouri School of Music as a leading center for the composition and performance of new music. The initiative is supported by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, led by Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield.