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World premiere for Wolosoff composition

COURTESY PHOTO | ‘Astronomer’s Key,’ by Milton Resnick, one of the paintings that inspired a new musical composition by Bruce Wolosoff.
COURTESY PHOTO | ‘Astronomer’s Key,’ by Milton Resnick, one of the paintings that inspired a new musical composition by Bruce Wolosoff.

“The Astronomer’s Key,” a new composition by Shelter Island composer Bruce Wolosoff, will have its world premiere on Sunday, October 8 at the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art (AMoCA) in Roswell, New Mexico followed by an East Coast premiere on Sunday, October 15 at 3 p.m. at Tufts University Granoff Music Center near Boston.

“The Astronomer’s Key” was commissioned by the Roswell Artists in Residence Foundation for the Montage Music Society in celebration of the Roswell Artist-in-Residency (RAiR) Program’s 50th anniversary.

The work is inspired by three paintings by the distinguished American painter (and RAiR Alumnus) Milton Resnick and in New Mexico, the performance will take place in the main gallery of a new exhibition space for Abstract Expressionist painting in what was Mr. Resnick’s former studio building.

Also being performed on the program is “The Loom,” Mr. Wolosoff’s composition for the Eroica Trio with music inspired by the watercolors of North Haven artist Eric Fischl, and “For April,” which was

COURTESY PHOTO | A watercolor by Eric Fischl and the inspiration for Bruce Wolosoff's composition "The Loom."
COURTESY PHOTO | A watercolor by Eric Fischl and the inspiration for Bruce Wolosoff’s composition “The Loom.”

inspired by a charcoal drawing by Fischl’s wife, artist April Gornik. Montage Music Society’s performance of the piece led to this new collaboration between RAIR, Montage and Wolosoff.

Of his decision to feature artwork by Milton Resnick in his new composition, Wolosoff said in a release, “I was struck by the spirit of the place [AMoCA]. There was such a great feeling in the room. When asked to choose a work from the collection as the basis of my inspiration I was thrilled to find a work there by the eminent abstract expressionist painter Milton Resnick, and now I am immersed at looking at Resnick’s work as I begin gathering ideas for this very exciting collaboration.”

Montage Music Society’s primary focus is performing music based on visual art. Director and pianist Debra Ayers was awestruck when the group arrived to perform at AMoCA. “Nothing prepared us for the vast scope of AMoCA’s art collection,” she said in a release. “To perform Bruce’s work there with Eric Fischl’s gorgeous watercolors projected against such a backdrop was an amazing experience. Creating this collaboration with RAiR and Bruce was something we all agreed was a must-do.”

For more information, visit montagemusicsociety.com.