QUEENS, NEW YORK CreArtBox is coming back to the NYC live music scene with the world premiere of the piece” Queens Preludes”, a composition of 12 preludes for flute and piano written by Guillermo Laporta exploring the concept of "looking back at memories before life-changing events".
CreArtBox works with world-class artists to foster art commitment in today's society, supporting the creation of new music and live arts to enhance local communities and inspire future generations.
This production will featured artist Guillermo Laporta (flute and composer), Josefina Urraca, (piano) and Mizuko Kaji (set designer)
The concert will be held at the Plaxall Gallery located at 5-25 46th Ave, Queens, NY 11101 on October 6, 2021 (7.00pm)
In this production the stage design of the concert will be created by the Japanese designer and architect Mizuko Kaji. This design was created for the CreArtBox tour in Japan back in 2019.
The semi-transparent screens are interconnected on stage, in order to achieve a spatial sensation where sound, images and lights merge into a single universe.
The audience is divided into 3 groups using a 360 degree design with the audience facing in 3 directions. The audience feels the music and the image mixed through transparent projections, finding various relationships and depth with the musicians and the images.
The music reflect flashes of wondering about the past, rendering into music senses of trust, vertigo, uncertainty, assurance, ambiguity, and remembrance. Generally, a prelude is considered to be an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter. Life can feel like an endless prelude. But sometimes, it's only noticeable when something significant happens.
This piece has been awarded with the City Artist Corp grant and also by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The concert will be free. Seat reservation is required at creartbox.nyc
Note: Due to NYC vaccine mandates, all visitors to the gallery must wear a mask, be vaccinated and will be required to show proof of vaccination (CDC vaccine card, NYC COVID Safe Pass, NYS Excelsior Pass)
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About Culture Lab
Culture Lab LIC is a new nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization formed to support the efforts of local artists who have been running the Plaxall Gallery, and its significant community work and arts programming over the past five years. Since opening our doors in October 2016, thanks to the generous donation from Plaxall Inc. of a 12,000 square foot converted warehouse, the programs and community outreach have doubled every year.
About CreArtBox
Our mission is to create and produce live art performances, fusing classical and contemporary composers with original ideas encouraged by multidisciplinary interaction.
CreArtBox works with world-class artists and creators, assembling arts entrepreneurship platforms in different configurations to encourage the following:
- Creation of new music and live art performances
- Engagement with new audiences
- Inspire and educate future generations
- Use and revitalization of unconventional spaces
- Foster art commitment in today's society
CreArtBox was founded in New York in 2013 by pianist Josefina Urraca and flutist and composer Guillermo Laporta, who have served as co-directors of the organization ever since.
The group’s core regularly functions as a baritone, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano music ensemble, but maintains a roster of over twenty NYC-based soloists, composers, choreographers, actors, and designers.
CreArtBox's roster consolidates world-class musicians who are members of prestigious orchestras such as MET Opera Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Ensemble Connect, American Ballet Theater, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Oviedo Filarmonia, BBC Orchestra, and Euskadi Filarmonia, among many others.
About Guillermo Laporta
Flutist, composer, designer, multimedia creator, and entrepreneur based in New York City. Laporta’s artistic work presents multidisciplinary connections between music, theater, dance and video. He is currently Artistic Director of CreArtBox and Artist in Residence at CultureLab, Queens, New York.
His main works as composer and playwright are: the ballet / opera Two Roads (2020), the visual concert Awave (2018), the play/concert Visuality (2012/14), the opera Noctum (2011) , the musical London The show (2009), and CreArt Project I (2006)
His works have been presented in theaters and festivals in the United States, Spain and Japan with critics such as “an explosion of rhythm, color and sensitivity” (El Diario del Alto Aragón) and “an impressive staging” (EL PAIS) “a totally authentic visual and listening experience ”,“ a unique take of classical music ”(Times Ledger) or“ a full scale set design and a unique visual approac ”(I Care if You Listen)
Guillermo Laporta studied the Postgraduate in Advance Performance as well as the Undergraduate at the Royal College of Music in London with Jaime Martín, Paul Edmon Davies, Sue Thomas as well as the Superior Degree in Musikene (Spain) with Miguel Ángel Angulo.
He was co-principal flute of the Oviedo Filarmonia Orchestra from 2009 to 2012 and throughout his career as a flutist he has performed a wide repertoire of symphonic, opera and chamber works, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Orquesta del Principado de Aturias, Le Train Bleu Ensemble, New York International Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi, sharing the stage with renowned musicians such as Sir. Roger Norrington, Andrew Litton, Pablo González, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Truls Mørk, Natalia Gutman, The Labèque sisters, Ainhoa Arteta, Jiri Barta or Heinrich Schiff, in prestigious venues around the world including Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center.
About Josefina Urraca
Josefina Urraca (full name: Maria Josefina Urraca Perez de Diego), is a New York City-based pianist.
Josefina was born in Spain in a musical environment, her mother is a piano teacher, her brother a cellist, and all her family, especially her grandfather, classical music lovers. Her first formal teacher and great guidance was Eva Gigosos at the Palencia Conservatory.
From she was seven, Josefina attended Masterclasses with prestigious pianists and pedagogues such as: Maria Joao Pires, Ferenc Rados, Rita Wagner, Eldar Nebolsin, Julian Martin, Joaquín Achúcarro, Pavel Gililov, Jose Ramón Méndez, Matti Raekallio, Frank Wibaut, Jeffrey Swann, Alexander Kandelaki, Nino Kereselidze, Miguel Ángel Ortega, Alberto Rosado, Antonio Baciero and Manuel Carra.
About Mizuko Kaji
Atelier MIZUKO KAJI is doing architecture / space / shape / costume/ theatrical design by applying integrated experiences of architecture, fashion and theater.
SERVICES: Architectural design, space/interior design, set and costume design, theatrical design, textile design, interior and furniture design with fabrics, etc.
WORK EXPERIENCE 2020-Research Associate at Hosei University Faculty of Engineering and Design Department of Architecture, 2018-2020 Design Assistant at Yokohama Graduate School of Architecture, 2018 Part-time lecture at Hosei University Faculty of Engineering and Design Department of Architecture, 2017 - President of Atelier MIZUKO KAJI, 2016-2017 Freelance Costume Designer, New York, U.S.A2006-2014 Architect in Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA, Tokyo, Japan
EDUCATION: Graduated from Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo, Japan | Master of Engineering in Architecture, Hosei University Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan | Bachelor of Engineering in Architecture, Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan
LICENSE First class architect license in Japan