Grigory Krotenko "Portraits. Friends. Cities / New York"

Grigory Krotenko's original cycle continues with a portrait of New York. The memories of a musician who arrived on Manhattan by bus with musician friends the day before his twentieth birthday intertwine with the music of those who made New York the sonic symbol of the second half of the 20th century.

Steve Reich was born and lives in New York; his early compositions were first performed in the city's museums and galleries. Philip Glass worked as a taxi driver in Manhattan in the 1970s, combining this with his musical career. John Corigliano was born and raised in New York; his father was the concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera orchestra. John Cage spent most of his life in New York, in Greenwich Village, where his circle formed — dancers, artists, composers. They are all part of the city's musical identity.

"Tomorrow I turn twenty. I'm going to play at Carnegie Hall. Not solo, of course. In the orchestra. But still, it's cool. My friends are with me — Lyonchik and Zhenya. Lyonchik sits at the same stand as me. Zhenya is at the opposite end of the orchestra, in the second violins.

We're entering New York on a bus full of drunk musicians. Manhattan. Over a green cast-iron bridge with rivets. I bought tickets to the opera for Gounod's 'Faust.' Lyonchik is nervous — he has a date. Zhenya pretends he doesn't care at all. Outside the window — taxis, taxis, taxis. Traffic lights. Basketball courts. Carts with pretzels and hot dogs. Crazy people. Homeless people. Sleek clerks, all in identical coats, all with Starbucks cups.

We drop off our suitcases. Zhenya demonstratively lies down on the bed in his shoes and opens Dos Passos. Lyonchik takes the subway toward Brighton. I go to the Met. Marguerite is incredibly fat. The Mexican tenor nearly burst a blood vessel on the high notes. Fantastic orchestra. At the end, the backdrop parts: in the moonlight, angels fly up to heaven. Snow falls.

Lyonchik listened to Brazilian jazz. Alone in an empty restaurant. They served vodka, sauerkraut, and sausages. She came. In a tracksuit. Cracking sunflower seeds. Lyonya sent her away.

We go to bed. Tomorrow is my birthday. We're playing at Carnegie Hall. The adventures begin. I close my eyes and see snow. Angels.

New York is Steve Reich, his nose, glasses, and baseball cap. Philip Glass, a curly wrinkled trickster. It's John Corigliano, a fashionable buff grandpa in leather pants. It's John Cage, the man-cage. It's our room at the Skyline with hideous lilac walls and a phone burned by a cigarette butt. It's the giant soft fan at MoMA. It's hot and sour soup from a Chinese dive for breakfast. It's me. And Lyonchik. And Zhenya.

May 23. AZ Museum. Zhenya and I, by the way, will be real. I don't know if Olya Dyomina has been to New York. Barkhatov definitely hasn't. It's okay, we'll share with them. And with you too."

Program:

• Steve Reich, New York Counterpoint
• John Corigliano, Red Violin Caprices
• Philip Glass, Four Duets for Violin and Cello
• John Cage, Living Room Music
• Steve Reich, Cello Counterpoint

Performers:

• Evgeny Subbotin (violin, household objects)
• Evgeny Barkhatov (clarinet, household objects)
• Olga Dyomina (cello, household objects)
• Grigory Krotenko (household objects)

Until May 20, all concerts at AZ Museum are 25% off with promo code MAY.