Imaginary City

Part of the 2009 Next Wave Festival

Oct 14—17 at 7:30pm

Written and performed by Sō Percussion

"The range of colors and voices that Sō Percussion coaxes from its menagerie is astonishing and entrancing." —Billboard Magazine

In even the most forgotten corners and forsaken shadows, the city seethes with life, splayed out in a symphony of sensations. In Imaginary City, New York's powerhouse percussion ensemble Sō Percussion immerses itself in everyday urban experiences, offering a multifaceted meditation on American cities.

Inspired by Italo Calvino's ebullient descriptions of urban environments in his novel Invisible Cities, the four members of Sō Percussion—all extraordinary musicians and composers—join video artist Jenise Treuting and director Rinde Eckert to give voice to the evanescent beauty of the metropolis. Homespun sampling techniques harmonize with found objects cum instruments, illuminating the patterns of urban life and turning the concrete jungle into a cauldron of sensory experience.


BAM Harvey Theater
70min, no intermission
Tickets: $20, 30, 35


Video by Jenise Treuting
Directed by Rinde Eckert
Lighting design by Aaron Copp
Sound design by Lawson White

Imaginary City was commissioned by BAM for the 2009 Next Wave Festival as part of a National Performance Network Creation Fund Project in consortium with The Myrna Loy Center/Helena Presents in partnership with Diverseworks Art Space, The Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and The Newman Center for the Performing Arts.

Production Development at The Alexander Kasser Theater, Peak Performances @ Montclair State University

The New York Times Review of Imaginary City
"Using a huge arsenal of percussion instruments, found objects (tin cans, bottles, metal piping) and other noisemakers, they bang out a quirky portrait of contemporary urban life."

Official Homepage: Sō Percussion
Sō Percussion official website

Audio: NPR's Weekend Edition profiles Sō Percussion
NPR profiles Sō Percussion and the DIY Home Depot percussion aesthetic

Video: Video interview with Sō Percussion
The members of Sō discuss the origins of the group. And play a cactus.

Audio: Interview between Sō Percussion and BAM Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo
BAM Executive Producer Joseph V. Melillo and the members of Sō Percussion discuss the creative process behind Imaginary City with Jacob Paul, New Amsterdam Records podcast producer.